Science SIGScience Specific Interest Group: Of the 20 fastest-growing occupations projected for this decade, 15 require substantial science or math preparation. Science teachers from Pt. Loma High School, Correia, Dana, and representatives from our cluster elementary schools have been meeting to conceptualize and implement a dynamic and engaging K - 12 Science Articulation Cluster Plan. At our November 2010 meeting, we discussed some of the desirable skill sets teachers want their students to obtain before matriculation to the next grade level and the importance of positioning Science as a Core Subject.
Emphasis on the Process of Science: Developing critical thinking skills; moving from Science is “Fun” to the desired: ‘That was hard, but cool, and I had fun and I learned a lot!’
Skill Sets: skills teachers want their students to obtain before matriculation to the next grade level
Graphing Skills: How to make graphs – labeling axis; formulas to use; interpreting the graph - what does it tell you? Technology - how does it help or hinder the learning process
Lab Skills: What skills do we want our students to learn? Goal: faster lab set up; more time for analysis; Measurements: metric; grams; Reading: instructions
Elementary School: Integrating Science into the English Language Arts and Mathematics blocks; Nuts and bolts – desirable skill sets: Science Academic language, Science notebook, Reading – instructions, Writing – conclusions, Math: word problems – extracting the relevant information, Attention to details, cartography, and “Write It, Do It” - learn to write simple procedures - take your coat off; make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Idea: Cluster Science Resource Teacher: Tie learning experiences into Cluster science priorities; Coordinate – curriculum; teacher in-services; training (how to use Foss kits); Seek community resources to enrich experiences, such as UCSD graduate students, SeaWorld, etc.; Plan and coordinate how to effectively utilize summer institutes for teachers; Develop / tie into weekend programs and summer camps for students; Can a portion of teacher professional training budget be utilized for this purpose? To support Science instruction, the California Department of Education has prepared “A Look at Kindergarten through Grade Three in California Public Schools”, a compilation of subject -matter curriculum, including information about the Common Core State Standards, organized by individual grade levels. It describes what elementary school students should know, what students learn, and science across the content areas – broken out by grade level. To get a better understanding of the science being taught at the cluster elementary schools, the Science SIG feels we should develop a survey for teachers this Fall.
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