Florida Association of Science
Teachers
October 26, 2007
How does more time to devote to
fewer benchmarks enhance
instruction?
Provides opportunities for teachers to elicit prior
conceptions.
Provides students more time to observe, formulate
investigable questions, and explore scientific
phenomena.
Provides additional time for teachers to incorporate
Nature of Science as well as History and Philosophy
of Science into their lessons.
Provides additional time to for students to reflect
upon their prior conceptions in light of the
investigations and activities that comprise the
content unit.
Sample Benchmark from the
proposed 5th grade standards:
Benchmark SC.5.P.8.3:
Demonstrate that without touching,
material that has been electrically
charged pulls or pushes on other
materials.
Sample Investigation for
introducing SC.5.P.8.3
1.
2.
Tear of a ~8” strip of transparent tape
and stick it to the table or desk top. This will be the
base strip.
Tear off a test strip of tape from 6” to 8” long and fold a
small section at one end to serve as a non-sticky pull
tab as shown:
Non-sticky tab
3. Lay the test strip, sticky side down on top of the
base strip.
Sample Investigation for
introducing SC.5.P.8.3 (cont.)
4.
5.
6.
Grasp the pull tab on your test strip and slowly pull it
free of the base strip. Try to keep the hanging end of
the tape free from your hand or other objects as you
pull it free.
Investigate what happens when you bring the strip
near other objects like your other hand or other objects
in the room.
Record your observations of the behavior of your test
strip when you bring it near other objects.
Sample Investigation for
introducing SC.5.P.8.3 (cont.)
7.
Predict what you think would happen if you and your
partner each pull a test strip from the base strip and
bring them near.
8. Pull a second strip and observe what happens.
Record your observations.
9. Explain your results. Do they agree with your
prediction?
10. Investigate ways to pull two test strips so that you get a
different result. Explore and list any techniques that
result in a different reaction.
11. Explain your results.
Where can I view the draft
standards and provide input?
On the web: http://flstandards.org
Town meetings:
Leon County – Nov. 7, 5:30 to 7 PM – State
Library – RA Gray Building
Orange County – Nov. 15, 5:30 to 7 PM –
Jones High School
Others (TBD): Broward, Duval, and
Hillsborough Counties
Support
Math Science Partnership Grants
Fldoestem.org
Math Matters!
On-line PD for teachers, digital materials
Florida’s Next Round of Math & Science
Partnership Funding
$8 million for each of three years will
be dedicated to teacher professional
development on the new standards
How Can You Help?
Public Relations!
Believe students need math and science
Encourage teachers to learn more about
their content
Provide classrooms with hands-on
learning tools
Be aware of what good math and science
instruction looks like and support it
The students should be doing the work!
2007 Sunshine State Scholar
Casey Hua
Seminole High School
Interested in pursuing biomedical research, her
advice:
Funnel elementary students’ curiosity early and keep
them engaged in science and math (for her a 5th grade
gifted program)
Extra incentives for competition sponsors (students
meet other talented peers at these events)
Make students think, hands-on activities, creativity,
like Ms. Morgan her physics teacher
Let’s see some cool science and math folks, not just
pictures of old scientists!
Meet Terence Tao, Colleagues
Teasingly Call Him a Rock Star
Meet Kyla Horn,
a.k.a.
Sciencegirl,
Senior at Cocoa
Beach Jr./Sr.
High School,
K-12 Florida
Public
Schools
Kyla’s Accomplishments
One of 77 students in the world (and
the only Florida student) selected for
the highly competitive Research
Science Institute at MIT.
Awards and Accomplishments
include: Science Fairs, Science
Bowls, Science Olympiad, All Star
High School Academic Team,
Governor's Honor Program –
Astrochemisty, Florida Junior
Science, Engineering and
Humanities Symposium, Intel
International Science and
Engineering Fair, Part of student
team running ground control for
payload project aboard Space
Shuttle Columbia's final flight
PSAT: 240 (Perfect score)
ACT: 36 (Perfect Score)
SAT II Math: 800
A.P. Calculus B/C: 5
A.P. Physics: 5
A.P. Biology: 5
SAT Critical Reading: 800
SAT II Spanish: 800
A.P. English: 5
A.P. Economics: 5
A.P. U.S. History: 5
A.P. Government and
Politics: 5
Send Us Your Star Scientist or
Mathematician to Place
HERE!