DEPARTMENT MEETING 12-15-11
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AGENDA
DATA SHARE BY GRADE SEVEN
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT- MATH VS. ELA AND SOCIAL
STUDIES?
WRITING INITIATIVE- TIMELINE FOR THE YEAR
WHY UDL? IMPACT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE
RESOURCE OF THE MONTH- CAST SCIENCE WRITER
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES UPDATE
UPCOMING EVENTS
SCIENCE CREW SHOUT OUTS!!!!!
GRADE SEVEN DATA SHARE
GUIDING QUESTIONS
•WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE ASSESSMENT?
•WHAT PATTERNS OR TRENDS DID YOU DISCERN?(EX. BY
CLASS, ACADEMIC LEVEL, GENDER, RACE?) WHAT CONCEPTS
DID STUDENTS PERFORM WELL ON? WHAT CONCEPTS DID
STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH? WAS THERE DATA THAT
SURPRISED YOU?
•HOW DID THE DATA INFORM YOUR INSTRUCTION MOVING
FORWARD?
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT
• WHY ELA, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE TOGETHER?
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COMMON CORE ALIGNMENT
COMMON CORE LITERACY STANDARDS FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES
STUDENT WORK REFLECTS NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT IN WRITING
STANDARDIZED TESTING REFLECTS NEED FOR LITERACY IMPROVEMENT
• HOW ABOUT SCIENCE AND MATH TOGETHER?
• LETS EXPLORE THIS!!!
• REVIEW CURRICULUM MAPS IN MATH AND SCIENCE TO FIND COMMON
TASK
• GENERATE IDEAS FOR POSSIBLE COMMOM CORE ALIGNED TASK
• DEVELOP A PROPOSAL TO SUBMIT FOR WORK FOR NEXT YEAR
WRITING INITIATIVE
• STUDENT WORK REFLECTS NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT ACROSS
ALL CONTENT AREAS
• REVIEW CURRICULUM MAP AND DEVELOP WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH UNITS
• REVIEW STUDENT PORTFOLIOS IN TEAMS TO ASSESS STUDENT
WRITING AND IDENTIFY STRENGHTHS/ AREAS IN NEED OF
IMPROVEMENT
• VARY THE TYPE OF WRITING ASSIGNMENT BY MONTH TO
ENSURE EXPOSURE TO ALL FORMS OF WRITING (LAB REPORTS,
NARRATIVE, ARGUMENTATIVE, ETC.)
UDL
• RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF UDL ON STANDARDIZED TEST
SCORES IS LIMITED
• RESEACH DOES REFLECT THAT UDL STYLE MODIFICATIONS ON
TESTS IMPROVE PERFORMANCE (READ ALOUD, USE OF
TECHNOLOGY ON TESTS)
• BY UTILIZING UDL, BARRIERS CAN BE REMOVED TO ACCESS
CONTENT AND AQUIRE KNOWLEDGE– THIS CAN IMPROVE
STUDENT PERFORMANCE!!!!!
• UDL CAN INCREASE LIKELIHOOD OF STUDENT PASSING BASED
ON APPEALS IF THE WORK REFLECTS PROMOTIONAL
STANDARDS
RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
• SCIENCE WRITER
• http://sciencewriter.cast.org/welcome
• SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN WRITING LAB REPORTS/ SCIENCE
FAIR PROJECTS
• DRAFT, EDIT, REVISE FEATTURES
• SENTENCE STARTERS FOR EACH PART OF REPORT
• CHECKLISTS FOR STUDENTS TO PROOF THEIR WORK FOR
CONTENT AND
• TEXT TO SPEECH FUNCTION
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
• GROW LAMP BEING ORDERED
• NEW YORK STATE SCIENCE GRADE 8 REVIEW BOOKS BEING
ORDERED
• ROCK SETS IN THE LAB (IN CRATE NEAR COMPUTERS)
• NEEDS???
UPCOMING EVENTS
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ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB WITH MS. SOLARSH
ROBOTICS CLUB WITH MS. META
All Schools: Two-Year Math and Science Professional Development Programs
Deadline: December 16, 2011
Contact: Mary Lou Wainwright at mwainwr@schools.nyc.gov or Joan Prince at
jprince@schools.nyc.gov
Math and science teachers can apply to the following professional development opportunities,
offered through the Math Science Partnership (MSP) Title IIB Math and STEM Grants. These
programs support all teachers, with the exception of those who work for District 79. Participants
will improve instruction, customize classroom-ready materials, and utilize assessment tools. All
programs require a two-year commitment. Contact the names above by November 28 if interested.
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) - K-12 teachers (graduate credits and Advanced Certificate
in STEM from New York State available). Spring session is open. Tuition is covered by the grant.
The City College of New York Math Masters Program – Middle and high school teachers. Tuition is
covered for in-state residents and covered partially for out of state.
The City College of New York STEM Program - K-8 teachers. Tuition is covered for in-state residents
and covered partially for out of state.
Math Solutions/Marilyn Burns – K-8 teachers. The Spring cohort is available for P-Credit. Program
is paid by MSP Grant and refunds P-Credits expenses at completion of course requirements.
UPCOMNG EVENTS
• All Schools: Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
• Deadline: December 30, 2011
Contact: Terry Ippolito, US Environmental Protection Agency (Region 2),
at ippolito.teresa@epa.gov
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites outstanding K-12
environmental teachers to apply for the Presidential Innovation
Award. Candidates should employ innovative approaches to
environmental education and use the environment as a context for
learning for their students.
• Teacher awardees will receive a commemorative plaque and an award of
$2,000 to further the recipient's professional development in
environmental education. The teacher’s local education agency will
receive an award of $2,000 to fund environmental educational activities
and programs of the teacher. Two awardees will be selected in EPA Region
2, which serves New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. Click here for more information and to apply by December 30.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Middle Schools: Water Ecology Science Residency for Students and Educators
Deadline: February 1, 2012
Contact: Kestryl Lowrey at kestryl@leapnyc.org
Learning through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp) invites middle schools to participate in its
14- session Water Ecology program (for four classrooms/school). The program will allow
students to do hands-on experimentation on samples from a local water source, lead by an
experienced LeAp teacher. The LeAp Teaching Artists will lead experimentation of the
collected samples, reinforcing key concepts of the scientific inquiry, hypothesis development
and experimentation, lab technique, and research and presentation. Activities align with the
NYS Core Curriculum and will support Common Core Learning Standards for Math, Science
and Technology numbers 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7.
Working in conjunction with the Hudson River Park Trust, LeAp allows students to do their
own projects based on their findings and present them in a colloquium format. Students will
learn how to gather field data by collecting their own samples, develop basic photography
skills, and take pictures of natural habitats and pollution.
Science educators of participating schools will also have a professional development
workshop. The LeAp Teaching Artist will work with the school science teachers to customize
the program to the specific needs of their classes.
The school fee is $1,500. To learn more, email Kestryl Lowrey at kestryl@leapnyc.org.
SCIENCE CREW SHOUT OUTS!!!
• MS. WERNER’S WRITING TASK!!!!
Merlin was angry with his master
Predicted one day a disaster
‘I will cover the sun the colour of night
And watch with glee your plight’
At the appointed hour of doom
The sun was hidden by the moon
• In a paragraph, explain what event occurred including at least:
• Position of earth, moon and sun
• Is the observer in the umbra or penumbra and how do you
know?”
SCIENCE CREW SHOUT OUTS!!!!
•MS. ROTTO’S QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES!!!
•“WHY DOES A GOOD EXPERIMENT HAVE ONLY INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE?”
•“WHAT IF I ADDED THE AMOUNT OF TIMES A WEEK I WATER
THE PLANTS TO THE AMOUNT OF FERTILIZER PLANTS RECIEVE?”