September 25 , 2017 EDCAL 5
Looking at science education in light of recent events
Duarte USD Superintendent Allan Mucerino has a son in college in Texas , so Hurricane Harvey hit close to home . Right after that , Hurricane Irma devastated Florida , and before that the entire country was captivated by a rare total eclipse of the sun by the earth ’ s moon .
The implications for science study have been great , and Mucerino took the opportunity to discuss his district ’ s science program and preparation for the Next Generation Science Standards in a recent district newsletter , as follows :
Weather and climate are among the NGSS , which have been adopted in California and nationally . With a framework adopted this past November , schools can now begin the process for planning and implementing the standards . As a school district committed to the arts and sciences , we got a jump on NGSS and began implementing rigorous course design in science for grades 7-12 two years ago . And we piloted Project Lead the Way K-8 at Royal Oaks STEAM Academy a year ago , to be replicated districtwide as soon as 2018-19 .
Project Lead the Way engages students in hands-on activities , projects , and problem solving . It empowers students to solve real-world challenges and inspires them to reimagine how they see themselves and the world .
Now , back to the weather and climate . Students begin studying weather and climate in kindergarten when they are expected to make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth ’ s surface . Assessment of temperature , for example , is limited to relative measures such as warmer or cooler . After all , we ’ re talking kindergarten here .
Students revisit weather and climate again in grade 3 , when they are expected to make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard ( very topical currently ). At the middle level , students are expected to develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates . Examples of models can be diagrams , maps and globes , or digital representations .
By high school , students are expected to analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidencebased forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth ’ s systems . Examples of evidence at the high school level , for both data and climate model outputs , are for climate changes , such as precipitation and temperature , and their associated impacts , such as on sea level , glacial ice volumes , or atmosphere and ocean composition . Our students who qualify for competitive internships at the City of Hope cancer research
and treatment center learn with scientists studying gene-expression profiles and the environmental impact on those profiles .
Our thrust as an arts- and sciencesfocused school district is to deliver the Next Generation Science Standards with rigor . For parents and non-scientists , it ’ s important to know that there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science . These dimensions are combined to form each standard – or performance expectation – and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time .
These dimensions include :
• Crosscutting Concepts , designed to help students explore connections across the four domains of science , including physical science , life science , earth and space science , and engineering design . When these concepts , such as “ cause and effect ” are made explicit for students , they can help them develop a coherent and scientifically based view of the world around them .
• Science and Engineering Practices are designed to help students to act like scientists and investigate the natural world . Like engineers , students design and build systems to better explain and extend what is meant by “ inquiry ” in science and the range of cognitive , social and physical practices that it requires by engaging in practices to build , deepen and apply their knowledge of core ideas and crosscutting concepts .
• Disciplinary Core Ideas are the key ideas in science that have broad importance within or across multiple science or engineering disciplines . These core ideas build on each other as students progress through grade levels and are grouped into the four primary domains : physical science , life science , earth and space science , and engineering .
To provide further context , the Carnegie Foundation commission of distinguished researchers and public and private leaders concluded in 2009 that the U . S . system of science and mathematics education is performing far below par and , if left unattended , will leave millions of young Americans unprepared to succeed in a global economy . Furthermore , it became clear among educators that the nation ’ s capacity to innovate for economic growth and the ability of American workers to thrive in the modern workforce depend on a broad foundation of math and science learning , as do our hopes for preserving a vibrant democracy and the promise of social mobility that lie at the heart of the American dream .
Circling 360 back to weather and climate , which is of great interest to all of us in Duarte , given the high-risk wildfire zone in our midst , the U . S . Global Change Research Program ( USGCRP ) was established by presidential initiative in 1989 and man-
See WEATHER , page 6
SUMMIT
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of technology ,” Silberberg said . “ The panel has been assembled and will be moderated by Devin Vodicka , our conference co-chair . The team of speakers will represent charter and public school experts who are leading the personalized learning way . Also , the team will have Vic Vuchic from Digital Promise and Gov . Bob Wise from the Alliance for Excellent Education . I am extremely happy that this group has been assembled to answer the three big questions : What , So What and Now What ?”
Silberberg is also the chair of ACSA ’ s Technology Leadership Group , a statewide special group , so it is obvious this is a topic about which he has expertise . Thus , he and Vodicka have ensured there is a strong tech focus in the sessions offered at the Summit .
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“ Most school systems are beyond the equipping stage of technology ,” Silberberg said . “ More schools have one-to-one initiatives with technology in their classrooms than in the history of education . With that as our new norm , we must move into a new phase of asking , are we OK with the results we are seeing ? Is learning more active ? Are we moving toward personalizing the curriculum ? Are we more efficient in meeting the needs of all students ? How do we measure the effectiveness of our technology deployment ? The Summit has many sessions that deal with this topic .”
The Summit will feature brilliant keynote speakers . On Nov . 2 , Margaret Wheatley will speak at the opening general session . Wheatley is president of the Berkana Institute , and has been an organizational consultant and researcher since 1973 , and a dedicated global citizen since her youth . Her first work was as a public
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school teacher and urban education administrator in New York , as well as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea .
The general session speaker on Nov . 3 will be Michael Bonner , a second-grade teacher at South Greenville Elementary School in North Carolina . He focuses on his vision to teach his students to become productive global citizens . Bonner was honored in early 2017 by Ellen DeGeneres in recognition of his positive and innovative approaches to education for children struggling with the challenges of poverty .
The Summit will close on Nov . 4 with keynote speaker Jose Antonio Vargas , a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist , filmmaker , and media entrepreneur whose work centers on the changing American identity . He is the founder and CEO of Define American , a non-profit media and culture organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship
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in America .
All in all , Silberberg said the Summit should be an excellent professional learning experience .
“ I tell administrators that whenever they leave their own world of work , they put on ‘ tourist eyes .’ We see , hear and experience things at a greater degree than when at home ,” he said . “ This is true for a trip to Europe and is true for attending an education conference . With our eyes and ears keyed in to specific topics , we confirm and challenge our own thinking . Also , it takes one idea to birth a new initiative that radically improves our effectiveness . I can personally account for many new programs that had their beginning at the ACSA Leadership Summit .”
For more information and to register for the 2017 Leadership Summit , go to www . acsa . org / leadershipsummit .
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professional development calendar www . acsa . org | 800.608 . ACSA FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACSA ’ S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS , CALL 800.608.2272 . ACSA ’ S PD CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW . ACSA . ORG / CALENDAR