Science Curriculum Revision - Year ONE

Image from Arizona State Dept. of Education website:
http://www.ade.state.az.us/sa/images/Science.jpg

I attended a Science Curriculum Revision Committee meeting this afternoon. (Since most meetings were held on Dept Meeting Mondays, I was only able to attend 3 meetings this year.) Harry Rosvally, K-8 science coordinator, convened the 8th and final meeting of this school year. So much has been accomplished this year, and much planning has been done for this summer and committee work for next year.

The agenda included an overview of summer work, and Brian Fagan, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, confirmed that the proposed Science workshops for after July 1st would be funded. A great deal of curriculum work will be done in Science this summer and many committee members will participate in a Scarsdale, New Canaan, Westport Summer Science Institute.

A start was made on a 5-year professional development plan for science with committee members previewing a preliminary document presented by Harry. The document led to a discussion about the areas of focus for professional development over the next 5 years, and the anticipated vision for science education in the year 2014. Should ITL be a strand or should it be part of every strand? (integrated vs. absorbed)

Three committee members attended an AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) workshop for 3 days in New York City earlier this year. They are preparing a presentation on what they learned for all other committee members.

Next year work will be done to align the Westport science curriculum with the CT Science Frameworks K-8. The revisions will be organized in a digital format with at least one inquiry per unit, with prepared assessments and identified resources. Many technologies will be utlized including SmartBoard interactives, websites that use java applets to simulate science concepts, video and podcasts.

In closing Harry talked about the impact of feedback from the recent Tri-State visit and how we could increase communications with our colleagues so that everyone is aware of the science curriculum revision process.

GFS: My Life as a Writer

GFS 4th grade teachers, Mrs. Dimock, Ms. Krzyzek, Mrs. Theiss, and Mrs. Walsh, with technology teacher, Sally Wanamaker worked with each student to create a PhotoStory entitled, "My Life as a Writer." Recently, Sherry Black, technology teacher, posted all of the student projects to Blackboard. The following information was sent home to parents to explain the project:

In January and February the students planned the content of their digital story using a storyboard with their classroom teacher, and brought their plans to computer class. In computer class, the students created their illustrations for each slide using several different methods. They used drawing tools in PowerPoint/Max Show and saved the illustrations as jpegs so they could be used in their digital story. They also searched for their favorite author’s picture using Teachingbooks.net, and added clipart where appropriate.

Students then created slides using Microsoft’s Photo Story 3 software, inserted all of the illustrations they created, and typed in their captions, paying attention to slide layout and appropriate font style, size and color. The next step was to record their voices reading the script that they had created in their storyboard plan with their classroom teachers. When they were sure that their recording was clear and understandable, they added music that complemented their recording but didn’t compete with it. Lastly, they added custom transitions and animation to enhance their show.

The students had the opportunity to complete a rubric to assess their performance. Their performance on this project was also assessed by their computer teacher.
We wanted to give you a chance to see these projects, so we have posted them on their secure Blackboard site so that they may share their project with you, as well as share the attached rubric with you.

This is one sample of a student's final digital story, "Bryan's Life as a Writer." (The student's image and full name have been removed from this version of the final product.)

KHS: 5th Grade Human Body Wiki

Tara Doyle, technology teacher, Aimee Anctil, LMS and all the KHS 5th grade teachers and students are currently pre-searching and researching human body systems. A private wiki has been created with every students name listed under their teacher's name. Each student is filling in the wiki according to the model below (click on image for larger view):

The students and teachers will use this rubric to assess the work in progress and in its final stage (click on image for large view):Project Overview:

What makes my body work?
Human Body Project

Task: Chose a human body system from the list provided and become an expert on it.

• Identify the parts of the system and explain the roles and jobs of each part.
• Explain the overall function of the system and how it helps to promoteyour body’s heath and well being.
• Create a glossary of important key words and terms relating to your research

Possible systems:

• Respiratory System
• Skeletal System & Musculature System
• Digestive System & Excretory System
• Cardiovascular System
• Nervous system

Products: Create a wiki page to host what you have learned. Use at least 3 different technologies to show your learning. Examples: Create an inspiration diagram of the parts of the system; create an Audacity MP3 file to explain the function of the system.

Possible technology applications:

• Microsoft word
• Audacity/MP3
• Inspiration
• PhotoStory
• Other…

What you will be assessed on:

• Quality of Research & Citing sources
• System Parts: Identified and explained each part of the system
• System Function: Explained the overall function of the system and how it helps your body’s heath and well being
• Quality of Synthesis (writing in your own words)
• Technology Application
• Presentation
• Glossary

Challenge:
Research what happens to the body when your chosen system fails. Explain a disease that can affect your system and how it impacts each part/organ of the system. Explain how it affects the life of the infected and describe possible treatment options for the disease. Post your synthesized research on your wiki.

BMS: Creating Book Trailers

NO, NOT THAT KIND OF BOOK TRAILER!!

Rita Hennessey, library media specialist at BMS, recently challenged students to create a Book Trailer, a movie to advertise a book! The contest was also advertised in the BLAST and Lauren Bullock & Kathy Fleming, technology teachers, also helped promote the contest in their computer classes and in the after school Media Club. This is the advertisement for the contest:

Book Trailer Contest!

Create a trailer (or commercial) for a book. You can use Windows PhotoStory 3, Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, or any other technology that can be saved (or converted) to a .wmv or .mov file.

Guidelines:
Minimum length: 30 seconds
Maximum length: 2 minutes

What to include:
The Title and Author of the book are required - everything else is up to you!
Your goal is to convince the viewer to read the book.

Students can submit their videos to the "Book Trailer Contest" drop box
(on the "R" drive).

Finalists' trailers will be shown on BAM, so please use
school-appropriate language and images.

Deadline:
Friday, March 6, 2009

Winners will be announced Friday, March 13, 2009

Prizes: Your choice of iTunes or Barnes & Noble Gift Certificates

First Place: $25.00
Second Place: $15.00
Third Place: $10.00

See complete details at http://bmslmc.pbwiki.com/Book-Trailer-Contest

From the student entries, three were selected as 1st and 2nd place, and a 3rd was given honorable mention.

Honorable Mention to Melissa B. & Will H. for The Wizard of Oz
Runner up to Alex P. for Kensuke's Kingdom
First Place to Caroline S. for 13 Reasons Why (View Below)

SHS: Spanish -- Podcasting and Blackboard

Victoria Mazzarelli, World Language Department Chair and Spanish teacher, recently combined podcasting with Blackboard's Discussion Boards. Two of her 12th grade Spanish Honors classes participated in this activity. A Blackboard class was set up combining all students from Periods 2 and 3. Both classes were given the assignment to read and create an alternate ending to the story "Nosotros, no" ("Not us") .

Working in pairs students used the language lab to record their endings in Spanish. With the help of lab assistant, Laura Schwartz, the audio files were then attached to each group's Blackboard Discussion Group.

Next students from Period 2 were asked to listen to the podcasts in the Discussion Board of Period 3 and comment in Spanish on all of them. Students were given time to start this in class, but some of the work was done at home.

The project involved reading, writing, listening and speaking in Spanish as well as collaborating with students in another class.

This image shows the Blackboard Discussion Board groups with the uploaded .mp3 file. Click on image to see a larger view. To hear one of the Spanish podcasts, click here.

GFS: Research and Writing a Feature Article

GFS Library Media Specialist, Kelley Auringer, has been working with the four fifth grade classes and their teachers: Calla Constantine, Stacy Fowle, Kristen Lukovits, and Sarah E. White for the last month on the process of creating and writing a feature article. The students did research for their own articles using i-Conn and the information site Kids InfoBits to find inspiration and information. A template was created that guided the students in finding a topic, an angle and four main ideas upon which to build their articles. The 5^th graders also learned how to conduct surveys and interviews and to use this data as part of their research. The students reviewed NoodleBib and used it to cite all of their sources. The articles were designed, formatted and printed as an activity in the computer lab with technology teacher, Sally Wanamaker. This is the third year GFS has done this collaborative project.

[Since this year's projects have not been completed, here are two sample projects from last year: Sydney's Cell Phones Article (Page 1 shown below) and Kari's School Time Article]

(Click on image above to view in original format.)

SES: Research Grade on 5th Grade Report Cards

Last year all 5th graders started receiving grades on their report cards for Research and Technology. In many cases the library media specialists and technology teachers support the 5th grade teachers in preparing the students' grades. Rubrics (Research and Technology) and check lists of skills (Research and Technology) were created by all elementary library media specialists and technology teachers to support the grading process.

(Click on image of note taking rubric to improve view.)

RaeAnne Locke, LMS at SES, reported on her part in the grading process:
"As a result of collaborative work with the 5th grade team, I was able to see student progress as the quarter progressed and help evaluate for the ITL report card grade in research. After co-teaching an introductory lesson on types of questioning for research, I was able to follow-up with reinforcing lessons incorporating note taking and asking “think” and “fact” questions. A note taking rubric (see above) was established, and each 5th grader submitted their best example of note taking from their note taking sheets which included one "think" and "fact" question used for their ancient Egypt essay. The rubric grade was incorporated into each 5th grade teachers’ final grades for the report card."

The assessment of the level of attainment of research and technology skills by 5th grade students will help with the placement and teaching of new literacies in grades K-4 and 6-8.
(Our current K-12 ITL Benchmarks)

ISTE Webinar Today on Differentiated Instruction with Technology

Today's ISTE Webinar, scheduled for BMS from 4-5:00, was still attended by 6 teachers from their homes. Although we had purchased a one-location viewing, due to the fact that school was closed, we were allowed to access the webinar from multiple locations. The webinar was lead by Grace Smith and Stephanie Throne, authors of the book Differentiating Instruction with Technology in K-5 Classsrooms. They focused on 4 technology strategies with which to build on students' individual interests and needs: Webquests, i-Search, R.A.F.T.T., and Jigsaw. I was least familiar with R.A.F.T.T. a reading strategy to scaffold students' interactions with text. Students are asked to create a new product that demonstrates their depth of understanding of the text by looking at a Role, the Audience, the best Format, the Topic, and what Technology to utilize. Many sample projects and websites were presented to cover each of the topics in the 8 categories below.


I was also reminded of the ITL Summer Institute 2007 with David Loertscher as our presenter and coach. His book, Ban Those Bird Units written with Carol Koechlin and Sandi Zwaan, was used to teach us the Jigsaw model as a teaching strategy to motivate higher level thinking in students.

Today's webinar also showed us a great differentiated instruction wiki, called Dare to Differentiate, with many valuable resources. The authors also have their own site on differentiated instruction. We were also shown two free sites: My Brochure Maker, used to create online brochures or flyers and Realebooks, used to create small "really books" that can be turned into ebooks.

We have ONE more scheduled ISTE Webinar on March 18th at SES from 4-5:00 pm called Introduction to Project Based Learning. You can register online at: http://pd.westport.k12.ct.us.

GFS: Schedule YOUR Mystery Reader on a WIKI!

Mary Ellen Barry, 1st grade teacher at GFS, schedules her Mystery Readers through a wiki. Actually, the parents schedule themselves through the wiki! During parent conferences she introduced it to the parents on the Smartboard at Back to School Night and they quickly understood how to use it. The parents have the password to edit the wiki.

Marry Ellen said, " The best thing about it is that once it's set up, then it's done. I avoid having to contact parents by phone or send out repeated letters to parents saying that I need volunteers. Also, if a parent needs to cancel, they don't even have to call me. They can just go on to the wiki and delete their name. I make sure to check it the day of a scheduled reader just to make sure that one is signed up. It has saved me so much time! Also, I heard that some teacher over at KHS has used a wiki to have her parents sign up for conferences. I love that idea too. I might just do that next year."

(Click on image for better viewing)

Lisa Lewis, 2nd grade teacher at GFS, heard about the Mystery Reader wiki, and this year she is using one as well! It has also saved her time and streamlined the process of scheduling her Mystery Readers.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Wikis have a great relative advantage -- they can be adapted to meet a wide range of curriculum objectives at all grade levels. I will try to spotlight wikis which demonstrate various uses. If you are using a wiki in a way not featured on this blog, please e-mail me so I can put the spotlight on YOU!)