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SEYS 582 Home

Queens College/CUNY
Education Unit
Spring 2014

 SYLLABUS

SEYS 582-01 - Standards-Based Curriculum and Assessment in Teaching Science

Section:  41063

 Thursday 4:35 pm to 7:05 pm

 Kiely Hall Room 119A

Week 1 1/31	Week 2 2/7	Week 3 2/14 NO CLASS	Week 4 2/21	Week 5 2/28	Week 6 3/7	Week 7 3/14	Week 8 3/21
Week 9 3/28 NO CLASS	Week 10 4/4 NO CLASS	Week 11 4/11	Week 12 4/18	Week 13 4/25	Week 14 5/2	Week 15 5/9	Week 16 5/16
Week 17 5/22

 INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION: 

Brian Murfin, Ph.D.,
Office:  Powdermaker Hall Room 135C

Office Hours: 

Phone:  631 223-8311

Email:  brian.murfin@qc.cuny.edu

 A.     COURSE DESCRIPTION

 SEYS 582.  Curriculum and Assessment in Teaching Science

3 hr.; 3 cr. Coreq.: the subject-specific student teaching course from SEYS 570.4–574.4. Open only to students in teacher education programs. An examination of curriculum development and assessment for classroom teaching designed to integrate New York State Learning Standards and required testing, such as the Regents exams, into the curriculum. The course builds on the fundamental pedagogical content knowledge in specific disciplines in SEYS 560–564.  Taught in tandem with the student teaching experience to enrich the student teacher’s understanding of curriculum and assessment issues within a working classroom.

Education Unit Conceptual Framework:

This course is being offered by the Secondary Education department which is part of the Education Unit at Queens College. The Education Unit seeks to promote equity, excellence, and ethics in urban education and is committed to preparing teachers and other education professionals who will:

•  Build inclusive communities that nurture and challenge all learners (Equity)
• Demonstrate professionalism, scholarship, efficacy, and evidence-based and reflective practice (Excellence)
• Diversity, democracy, and social justice (Ethics)

This course is aligned with the Education Unit’s commitment to preparing educational professionals to work in diverse urban and suburban communities. Specifically, the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that candidates will development/demonstrate at the successful completion of this course are directly linked to the Education Unit’s seven principles: 1) discipline specific competencies, 2) learning and development, 3) families and urban communities, 4) diversity, inclusion, democracy and social justice, 5) language and literacy, 6) curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and 7) technology.

The Education Unit uses Chalk and Wire as an electronic portfolio and assessment system. When candidates are admitted to one of the undergraduate or graduate programs in the Education Unit, they will be required to purchase a Chalk and Wire ePortfolio subscription to submit their assignments as directed until graduation. Faculty will assess all key program assignments submitted by candidates in Chalk and Wire.

Your Chalk and Wire ePortfolio helps you collect, organize, and reflect on your academic work. It can contain files, images, and multimedia that document your academic progress, enriching your learning, sharpening your technological skills, and preparing you for certification. You can also share your professional ePortfolio with family, friends, and potential employers.  A professional look and feel make the Chalk and Wire ePortfolio a great tool to use when searching for internships, employments and graduate schools. 

Do NOT purchase a Chalk and Wire subscription until you are specifically asked to do so by your instructor.

B. COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES

• Students will become familiar with all aspects of the New York State Science curricula and required assessments.
• Students will create, test and evaluate lesson and unit plans
• Students will design, test and evaluate both traditional and alternative science assessments
• Students will devise different strategies to help students to succeed on required New York State assessments
• Students will explore the relationship between the characteristics of a classroom learning environment and attitudes towards science and science achievement
• Students will understand the importance of equity and diversity and its influence on science learning
• Students will use cogenerative dialogue to come up with possible solutions to real-world challenges in the classroom
• Students will learn useful techniques from experienced science  teachers
• Students will create a digital portfolio that will demonstrate their accomplishments during their pre-service science teaching experiences
• Students will use action research techniques to improve their science teaching and their students' learning

C. REQUIRED PURCHASES: TEXTBOOK(S) AND SUPPLIES

     1.  Textbook (required): None  You will not be required to purchase a textbook for this course.  Readings will be assigned using documents in BlackBoard.


     2.  Textbook (recommended):


• Thompson, J. (2014). Discipline survival guide for the secondary teacher (2nd ed.). San Francisco Calif.: Jossey-Bass. 
• Check out the NSTA Science Store for books related to your specific area of science and interests

     3.  Supplies and/or tools: None

D.  WEEKLY TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week 1 – 1/30/2014 – Student teaching overview, Introduction to the course - Happy Marmota monax day! (Here's a nice activity for this special day.)

Activities: 

• Read the following: 
  
• Academic language simplified
• the Academic Language of Science
  
• Science news

• WIRELESS BRAIN IMPLANT AIMS TO GIVE PARALYZED POWER OVER THEIR LIMBS
• THE HUMBLE TOOTHBRUSH GETS AN INTERNET MAKEOVER
• AMID A DEBATE THAT’S HOT AS EVER, GENERAL MILLS SAYS NO GMOS IN ITS COLD CHEERIOS
• MIT’S TANGIBLE MEDIA GROUP GIVES DIGITAL BITS PHYSICAL FORM
• From Galileo to Sagan, Famous Scientists on the Art of Wonder, the Mystery of the Universe, and the Heart of Science
• The Dangers of Sizzurp: What Parents Should Know
• Open Source EMG Biosensor Coming to a Muscle Near You
• FlexVolt
  

• Education news

• Map: Publicly Funded Schools That Are Allowed to Teach Creationism.
• THE DEFIANT PARENTS: TESTING’S DISCONTENTS
• Note to Test Designers: Bad Questions are not the Same as Hard Questions
• Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

• Useful resources:

• The Rap Guide to Evolution
• Kate McAlpine Science Rap
• BAT

1. Safety reminder:
• 8 Violations for School in Wake of Lab Fire
• Lab Incident at a Manhattan High School: Another Hard Safety Lesson to Learn
2. Visit the course web site http://tinyurl.com/qcsciedspring2014 using the Firefox web browser
3. Press Ctrl T to open up a new tab, visit the CUNY portal at www.cuny.edu, login, access our course in BlackBoard.  If your CAMS account is not working, you may need to activate it by visiting the following site:  https://cams.qc.cuny.edu/
4. Sign up for gmail, access google drive, and our google group, http://groups.google.com/group/seys582-spring2014.
5. Submit the following form with your gmail address.
6. Complete Pre-Course Survey
7. Intro to Teaching and Learning - Science Education
8. edTPA overview
9. edTPA prompts
10. Responsibilities for Student Teaching
11. Student Teacher Observations
    
12. Go over course outline, goals, assignments
13. Happy New Year Bingo  新年 快樂 Xīnnián kuàilè Bingo
• You can use this site to make a randomized calling list
14. Happy Chinese New Year!  Use the following links to find out when which animal rules over the year in which you were born. 
    
• http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/chinese-new-year/chinese-zodiac.html
• More information on Chinese New Year
15. Brainstorm some ideas for how you might link Chinese culture to a science topic in your area of certification
16. Make a crossword puzzle, wordfind, Jeopardy game, or flash cards, relating your science content area to Black History Month
• Useful links related to Africa, African-Americans and Science
  
• Crossword puzzle maker
• Make your own wordsearch
• Make a classroom Jeopardy game
• Quizlet (flashcard maker)
17. Assignments for next week:
• February is Black History Month.  This is an opportunity to discuss contributions of African Americans and Africa to science.  For next week, post an idea for a science activity related to African culture, history or to a contribution to science and technology by African-Americans. 
• Useful links related to Africa, African-Americans and Science
  
18. Print out  NYC permission forms to take photos and video for digital portfolio
19. Visit the New York City Teacher Page http://schools.nyc.gov/Teachers/default.htm
20. New York City - New Teachers page 

Useful links:

• NYC School Blogs
• http://nyceducator.com/
• GothamSchools - http://gothamschools.org/
• Change.org - Education - http://education.change.org/
• NYC Public School Parents - http://nycpublicschoolparents.blogspot.com/
• Inside Schools - http://insideschools.org/index12.php?
• How to teach science
21. The Next Generation Science Standards
• http://www.nextgenscience.org/case-next-generation-science-standards
  
• http://www.nextgenscience.org/
  
• NSTA Collection of Documents and Supporting Materials to Study Second Public Draft of NGSS
  

Week 2 – 2/6/2014 – Getting to know your students

Science news:

• Norbert Rillieux
  
• Bill Nye debates the origins of life
• The hissing butterfly
• The Moment When Curiosity Breached a Mars Dune
• Spy Device? One-Way Sound Machine Created

Activities:
• • Academic language activity
  • Form small groups by science content area
  • With a partner (or in small group),
    write down some examples
    of students’
    – Social language
    – Academic language
  • Write down some
    • Content-specific vocabulary and
    • General academic vocabulary
    from your content area.
  • List some examples of General Academic Vocabulary (Refer to the following for examples: 
    
  • Academic Word Lists
    – http://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist
    – http://www.uefap.com/vocab/select/awl.htm
    – http://www.esldesk.com/vocabulary/academic
    – http://www.doe.in.gov/TitleI/pdf/Word_List_Feldman.pdf
    –http://www.academicvocabularyexercises.com
  • Pick a lesson topic in your science content area
  • Write content and English language objectives for the topic.  Make sure to use Bloom's taxonomy and skills that promote Higher Order Thinking Skills.
  • List examples of Examples of Performance-Based and Product-Based Assessments (Signed or spoken, written, drama and movement, visual) in that would promote student development of academic language in your science content area
    
  • View the following presentation on Academic Language
    
  • Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners
    
• 
  
• A dangerous chemical activity:
• View the MSDS for this potentially deadly chemical
• Visit the website dedicated to research on this chemical scourge
  

• Discuss in small groups the precautions you would take when using this chemical in your science teaching. 
  
• Create one of the following for use with your class.  Post the link and description of what you will do on the discussion board in BlackBoard
  
• Design an online survey for your students
• You can use a Google docs form and spreadsheet
• Develop an icebreaker activity - browse icebreakers at Education World for ideas
  
• What other ways can you get to know your students?
• Interviews
• Small group discussions
• Have students make webs, concept maps, drawings
• Observations
• Extracurricular activities, e.g. sports, clubs
• Draw a scientist , career interests
  
• Discuss initial impressions of placements
• Visit the Science Teachers lounge
• Understanding Science 101
  
• Pick a Jason Project game related to your science content area.  Register and play the game.  Post a brief review of the experience. 
  
Readings and Extension activities:

Useful Links:

• New York State Learning Standards and Core curriculum http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/scirg.html
  
• Mathematics, Science and Technology http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/mstls
  
• Mathematics, Science and Technology Publications - http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/

Week 3– 2/13/2014 – WE WILL NOT MEET TONIGHT - CLASS IS ONLINE - PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE DURING THIS WEEK AND DO ACTIVITIES AND POST IN DISCUSSION AREA IN BLACKBOARD Becoming familiar with the classroom learning environment

Activities:

• Discussion of Academic language
  
• Powers of Ten video
  
• Science news
• Post a short description of your science research project ideas on the discussion board
• Post a short description of your student learning project on the discussion board
• Useful links for NYC teachers:
• The NYC Teacher Data Toolkit
• INTRODUCTION TO THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE CITYWIDE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR 2011-12
• The Framework for Teaching
  
• Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (2011 Revised Edition)
  
• Make sure to collect samples of your work and student work samples for your portfolio
• Weekly update:  successes, challenges
• Describe your science classroom environment
  

Readings and Extension activities:

• Understanding the science learning environment
• Learning Environment, Motivation, and Achievement in High School Science
  

Useful Links:

• Self-assessment checklist
• Classroom environment checklist

Assignment #1 due 

Week 4 – 2/20/2014 – NO CLASS - Classes follow a Monday schedule

Week 5 – 2/27/2014 – Pre-lesson activity discussion

Pre-lesson activity


Week 6 – 3/6/2014 – Lesson planning activity, Post-lesson activity, Start your digital portfolio, Writing a Philosophy of Teaching Statement, create a resume

Science news:

• Watch Live as an Asteroid Slices Between the Earth and Moon
• Hubble witnesses an asteroid mysteriously disintegrating
  
• Scientists dig up giant virus more than 30,000 years old in Siberia
• Torvosaurus gurneyi n. sp., the Largest Terrestrial Predator from Europe, and a Proposed Terminology of the Maxilla Anatomy in Nonavian Theropods
• This Man Used Bark to Clean Drinking Water - And it Worked
  

• Powers of Ten video

Lesson Planning activity
Post-lesson activity

Writing your Philosophy of Teaching Statement, Create a resume

Read the following before you begin writing your teaching philosophy statement:

• Philosophy
• What philosophy is
• Just what is Philosophy, anyway?
• How is philosophy related to education?
• Philosophical Perspectives in Education
• PHILOSOPHY AND EDUCATION: What's The Connection? 
• Writing your teaching philosophy
• Writing Teaching Statements and Philosophies
  
• The Teaching Philosophy/Teaching Statement
  
• Examples:
• http://www.nsta.org/pdfs/awards/samples/ShellTeachingPhilosophyAndInstrMethodSample.pdf
  
• http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/sample.html
• http://www.allatoms.com/EducPhil.htm
• http://msfrig.teachforus.org/2010/12/11/my-philosophy-on-science-education/

• In-class activity:
• Go to Google drive http://drive.google.com
• login and create a new document
• rename the document philosophy-of-teaching-your-name
• share the document with qcscied@gmail.com
• produce a draft TPS (Teaching Philosophy Statement)
• Tips on writing your TPS
  
• Don't plagiarize!  This should be in your own words.
• Do not include unnecessary jargon
  
• Start with questions, e.g. : Why, how, what, when, who?
• Write from personal experience
• Reflect on your personal experiences as a student in science classes and as a science teacher
  
• make your statement learner-centered, not teacher centered
• provide examples from your experience
• think about how students learn science
  
• share your TPS with a colleague's gmail address and add comments to each other's document
• keep revising your draft for eventual inclusion in your digital portfolio
  
• Sign up for a free account at the Apple
• Resume tips
• Your resume should be one page.
• Include your cell phone number
• Include a link to a professional profile, e.g. on Linkedin or a personal website
• Provide a professional summary rather than an objective.  Include the following:
• what you do best
• Your interests, passions
• How you can help your future employer
• Do NOT include long lists of bullet points or long text
• Make the information easy to read and scan quickly
• Do not include high school information, focus on the education you received in college, skills you have acquired, relevant internships, leadership skills
• Don't waste space with "References on request"
  
• Create a private resume and cover letter
• Sign up for a LinkedIn account, create a resume and cover letter
• Sign up for Idealist.org

Small group updates on experiences in schools - each person ask the group a question and the group should come up with possible solutions/answers


Week 7  – 3/13/2014 - Class is ONLINE - New York State Learning Standards, New York State Science Curricula


Activities:

• Science news

• Science education news
• Next Generation Science Standards
• http://www.nextgenscience.org/
• http://www.nsta.org/about/standardsupdate/default.aspx
  
• Are you scientifically literate quiz?  (This is actually science trivia)
  
• Reminders
  
• Form small groups according to your area of science certification
• Locate the curriculum for your class, save on disk
• Post the topics you will be teaching on the discussion board
• Discuss approaches to teaching and assessing the topic you chose, brainstorm ideas for demos, activities and post useful resources for the topics your group will be teaching

Useful Links:

New York State Learning Standards

• Learning Standards of New York State (Scroll to the bottom for the Science Standards)
• Science Learning Standards and Core Curricula
  

New York State Science Curricula

• Intermediate Level Science Core Curriculum 
• The Living Environment Core Curriculum
• Physical Setting/Earth Science Core Curriculum
• Physical Setting/Chemistry Core Curriculum
• Physical Setting/Physics Core Curriculum
New York City Curriculum Information

• Scope and Sequence for K-8 Science 
• Scope and Sequence for High School Science
  

National Science Education Standards

• National Science Education Standards
• NSES grades 5-8
• NSES grades 9-12

• What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?: Reviewing the Evidence, A Workshop Summary
NSDL
• Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy
• NSDL Science Literacy Maps
• Ben (Biology)
• ChemEd DL (Chemistry)
• DLESE (Earth Science)
• comPADRE (Astronomy and Physics)
• Browse the NSDL by standards

Weekly update:  successes, challenges

Readings:

• Science Curriculum Reform in the United States
• Designing Mathematics or Science Curriculum Programs:
  A Guide for Using Mathematics and Science Education Standards

Week 8 – 3/20/2014 – Required assessments in New York State, Assessment Issues, Exam Review resources

• Science news
• Can You Balance Eggs on End During the Spring Equinox?
• Physicists, Generals And CEOs Agree: Ditch The PowerPoint
  
• The 500-Pound 'Chicken From Hell' Likely Ate Whatever It Wanted
• A New Large-Bodied Oviraptorosaurian Theropod Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Western North America
  
• Science education news
• The Myth of the Science and Engineering Shortage - American students need to improve in math and science—but not because there's a surplus of jobs in those fields.
• State: Local schools can decide if science teachers are responsible for students who don't do work
• State Education Department reverses position on science labs
• Next Generation Science Standards
• http://www.nextgenscience.org/
• http://www.nsta.org/about/standardsupdate/default.aspx
• Reminders
• No class 4/17 (Spring break)
• Sign up for Wizard Test Maker - info is in announcements in BlackBoard
  
• Women in science
  
• Work in groups to find examples of women scientists who have made important contributions to science.  Post a short description each of the women scientists on the discussion board along with possible science topics that you could link to the woman scientist's contribution. 
• • Ada Yonath and hibernating bears and  "Curly hair means a head full of ribosomes".(the value of context!)
    
• Change of Seasons - Spring is here - a teachable moment!
• On the discussion board in Bb, post some ideas for how you could relate the events that occur during Spring to topics in science
• tornadoes
• prediction
• how to measure speed
• safest place in house?
• plant reproduction
  
• flowers
• plant reproduction
• seed germination
• pollination
• Pollen index
  
• allergies
• dandelions
• herbicides
• pesticides
• solar power
• http://www.solarenergy.org/resources-educators
• American Solar Energy Society
  
• bird behavior
• http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478
• song, genetics
• migration
• fossils
• dinosaurs
• archaeopteryx
• hibernation
• FAQ about Science Regents Curriculum and Assessment
• A: Guidelines for The Use of Animals
  in Elementary and Secondary Schools......2
  B: Laboratory Requirements .........................5
  C: Mentor Networks.......................................6
• NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
  HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMIC POLICY
  REFERENCE GUIDE
  JANUARY 2013
  
• Work in pairs or small groups according to your area of certification.
• Select a previous Regents exam in your area of certification. (you can use one of these interactive exams) or the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test .  Take turns discussing each question.  Make sure to discuss the constructed response questions.  For each question thing about the following:
• What is the correct answer?
• What level of Bloom's taxonomy does the question test?
• Is this a good question, why or why not?
• How would you teach the students the concept or skill that is tested in this question?
• Are there any especially good activities, demos, resources, labs that could help students learn the concept or skill tested by this question?
  
• Is the question biased in any way?
• Anything else interesting about the question.
  
• Find the exam results for your school using the NYS School Report Card or the NYC Progress Report page
  
• For NYC teachers, view the "Performance and Accountability" page
• Approved Teacher Practice Rubrics
• Advance:  Teacher Evaluation and Assessment in NYC
  
• Post the answers to the following questions on the discussion board in BlackBoard

1. What assessments are required by NYS?
2. What are some of the issues associated with the required assessments?
3. What strategies can you use to meet the required assessment?
4. How might you adapt your teaching to address the assessment issues you raised?

• Weekly updates, successes and challenges
  

Useful Links:

Regents Review web sites and Resources

• Interactive Regents exams
  
• Regents Exam Prep Center
• New York State Regents Prep and Review
• Regents Earth
• NY State Earth Science
• Home instruction schools - Regents Exam Review
• More Earth Science review
• New York State Science Reference Tables
• Altman Science - High School Physics New York State Regents Exam Review Videos
• Interdisciplinary exams
• Old Earth Science Practice Regents Questions
• Biology/Living Environment Regents Review
• Chemistry Zone
• Chemistry Regents Review
  

Review materials for the middle school intermediate science exam

More information on the Regents Exams

• New York Office of State Assessment - http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/
  
• Science:  Elementary/Intermediate
  
• High School General Information - Regents Examinations and Regents Competency Tests
  
• Science Reference Tables - http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/reftable/home.html
  
• Test Samplers - Intermediate Level Science - http://www.nysedregents.org/grade8/science/home.html
• Test Samplers - High School Science - http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/science/samplers/hs/
• State Ends a Practice of Rescoring Regents Tests

More information on the 8th grade science exam

• Item analyses of the 8th grade exams

News about the Science Regents exams

Week 9 – 3/27/2014 – IMPORTANT:
Class is online - Technology and Science Education

Technology and Science Education

You should work at your own pace to complete the Week 12 tasks before next week.  Please post your responses on the in-class activities threads on the discussion board in Blackboard.

Activities:


1. Science news
2. Class discussion:  Who are we teaching?  How do our students prefer to use technology to communicate?

   Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)	Gen-Xers (born between 1965 and 1979)	Net-Geners (Born in the 1980's and early 1990's)	iGeners Millenials, Generation Y, Generation M)

   Draw the table above on a sheet of paper.  Place the preferred technology uses under each generation in the table.  (Exercise from Rewired by Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D.)
   

   1) text message, IM, Facebook;
   2) Face-to-face or telephone;
   3) text message, Twitter, Skype, Myspace, Facebook, iPhone."
   4)  email or cell phone
   

3. Sports and science
• Brainstorm ideas for linking sports to topics in your science content area.  Post your ideas and any useful resources on the discussion board. 
  
• Some useful links to get you started are here - sports and science
  

4. Set up an online resource for your students.  This could be a web site, blog, wiki, or twitter feed or come other Web 2.0 tool.  Your online resource should help your students review a science topic in an interesting and fun way.  

• Blog
• precautions
• Blogger
• Flashcards
• http://headmagnet.com/
• http://www.techlearning.com/article/16896
• glogster
• http://edu.glogster.com/
• Online poll
• http://www.polleverywhere.com/
• twitter
• http://twitter.com/
• web site
• http://sites.google.com
• wiki
• http://www.wikispaces.com/
• Other Tools
• What is Web 2.0?
• Cool tools for schools
  
• sumopaint and flockdraw
• image editing software, example
  
• sound editing software, example
• presentation software, example
• drawing software, example
• multimedia development, scratch, squeak
  
• a blog, create a blog, example
• tumblr, http://www.tumblr.com
• a wiki, create a wiki, example
  
• a website, create a website, example
  
• twitter, start a twitter account, example
• video, example
  
• podcasts, example
  
• simulations, example
  
• micro-computer based labs, example
  
• Google apps such as Google docs, groups, etc.
• Open source software, example
  
• Web 2.0 apps, example
  
• iPhone or Android apps
• learning management system, example
  
• web conferencing, example
• a computational knowledge engine, example
• virtual worlds, example
• timeline software - dipity
  
• Science Education 2.0
  
• 100 Web Tools to Enhance Collaboration (Part 1) by Ozge Karaoglu
• Explore Web 2.0 tools
5. Select your online tool, sign up for account
6. Create some sample content
7. Post url on Discussion Board in BlackBoard.
8. Get feedback from colleagues
9. Pilot test with students
10. View the following videos from the Private Universe Project.  We will discuss these next week.
    
• Why are some ideas so difficult? (Biology)
  
• Hands-on, Minds-on Learning (Physics)
• Chemistry:  A House with no foundation 
• Astronomy:  Eliciting student ideas

Week 10 – 4/3/2014 – Using Alternative Assessment in Science classes

Activities:

• Science news
• Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? New Study Offers Strong Evidence
  
• Take the Plunge: LADEE Impact Challenge
  
• High School 'Final Five' Compete for Out-of-This-World Test on Orion
  
• Choose a spacesuit
• Total lunar eclipse for the Americas on night of April 14-15
  
• NASA Women of STEM
• Fermi Data Tantalize With New Clues To Dark Matter
  
• Fleshing Out the Bones - Behind the Scenes at ‘Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs’
• How do flies fly?
• In Vivo Time-Resolved Microtomography Reveals the Mechanics of the Blowfly Flight Motor
• Historical Photogrammetry: Bird's Paluxy River Dinosaur Chase Sequence Digitally Reconstructed as It Was prior to Excavation 70 Years Ago
• A Moon of Saturn Has a Sea, Scientists Say
• Entering the 103rd dimension: Scientists reveal major quantum breakthrough that could lead to ultrafast computers and unbreakable encryption
• Quantum computing explained in video
  

Phenology

• USA National Phenology Network
• Nature's Notebook
• Project Budburst
• Journey North
  
• More signs of Spring
• Turdus migratorius
• Sturnus vulgaris
• Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Sciurus carolinensis
• Trachemys scripta elegans
• Narcissus l.
• Crocus L.
• Prunus serrulata
  
• A waxy treat for Earth Science teachers and students
  
• Sign up to "Share a Science Lesson" on the wiki in BlackBoard. 
  
• Instructions for "Share a science lesson":
• You have 15 minutes to do the following:
  
• Describe the aim, big or essential questions addressed, how you carried out the lesson, and how you would assess whether they have learned
• You can show us examples of PowerPoints, worksheets or other visual aids you used. 
  
• Let the class do a brief activity related to the lesson.
• After you present:
• A facilitator will ask the class for 
• positive feedback (5 minutes)
• Suggestions for improvement (5 minutes)
• Presenter's response (if any) 5 minutes
  
• Describe some examples of alternative assessment you have used in your class
• Brainstorm ideas for alternative assessment for topics you will be teaching this semester.  Post your alternative assessments on the discussion board in BlackBoard.  Make sure to indicate the topic that your assessment is linked to.
• Complete the formative assessment activity.  You will be provided with instructions in class.

Controversial issues in science

• List some controversial issues on the discussion board in BlackBoard
  

Useful resources:

• NYSAA
• Alternative Assessment Primer
• Alternative/Performance-Based Assessment 
• Alternative Assessment In Science
• Assessment and rubric information
  
• http://performanceassessment.org/
• What Does Performance Assessment Look Like?
• Member High Schools

Here is an excellent link with creative ideas for assessment in science: http://sydney.edu.au/science/uniserve_science/school/support/strategy.html

Sample Presentation rubric -http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/rub.pres.html

Sample PowerPoint Rubric:

• https://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/pptrubric.html

Visit the "Creating Portfolios with Web 2.0 Tools" web site
Browse through the various tools available.  
After looking at sample electronic portfolios, create an account and start a portolio by adding the assignments you have completed so far in this course.   I strongly recommend that you use Google sites,http://sites.google.com  to develop your ePortfolio.  

alternative assessment, e.g. developing porfolios
electronic portfolios 
Creating meaningful performance assessment 

The Exploratorium


Week 11 – 4/10/2014 –  Preparation for Earth Day, Continue Working on Digital Portfolio and Projects Set up your digital portfolio

Class activities:

1. Science news
• Researchers discover the secret behind procrastination
• The paper
  
• Humans, Meet 'Your Inner Fish' on PBS Science Show
• Your Inner Fish website
• Your Inner Fish classroom
• La Brea Tar Pit fossil research shows climate change drove evolution of Ice Age predators
• The sneeze: Show these new MIT pictures to people who won’t cover their mouths
• In the cloud: How coughs and sneezes float farther than you think - Novel study uncovers the way coughs and sneezes stay airborne for long distances.
  
2. Science Education News
• Do "What would you do? activity in small groups
• Each group present result
• View video
• Discuss how to prevent this from happening, lessons learned
• Assessment news
• Can Schools Be Held Accountable Without Standardized Tests?
• We Need to Talk About the Test - A Problem With the Common Core
• Submit your edTPA questions tohttp://tinyurl.com/wonderfuledtpa
• Green chemistry article, a great way to make your science labs safer
3. Technology news
• Heartbleed - What should you do?
• Heartbleed test
  
4. Summarize the end of Flock of Dodos
• In small groups, list controversial topics in science.
• For each topic, come up with a possible science activity that would help students learn the science and issues involved
5. View the video "Earth Days"
• In small groups, brainstorm ideas for Earth Day science activities related to your science content area.  Post these on the discussion board. 
  
6. Share a Science Lesson
7. Use Google Sites to set up your teaching portfolio. 
   
• Post the link to your digital portfolio on the discussion board. 
8. Begin to assemble a copy of your digital portfolio using labeled files and folders and burn on a DVD.
9. Examples of portfolios
• http://sitemaker.umich.edu/dlee-portfolio/%20huron_high_school_placement
• http://hawkclub.com/portfolio/home.htm
• http://www.smith-science.com/resume.html
• https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.michigan.gov%2Fdocuments%2FPortfolio_Assessment_82163_7.doc
• http://nyearthscienceteacher.com/3385.html

• Great science demo's, activities, resources
• Tik Liem's book
  
• Updates on science research project and student learning projects
  
• Browse through the Internet Resources for the Sourcebook for Teaching Science by Norm Herr
  
• Continue working on portfolios

Read the following:

Useful links:

1. Electronic Portfolios: Students, Teachers, and Life Long Learners
2. Electronic portfolios
3. Examples of WWW-compatible electronic portfolios
4. What is a digital portfolio?
5. How to create a digital portfolio
6. http://www.ehow.com/how_2085380_prepare-teacher-portfolio.html
7. http://teachersnetwork.org/NTOL/howto/develop/c13309,.htm
8. You may also want to sign up for a free NSTA account to create a portfolio and Professional Development plan.

Week 12 – 4/17/2014 -  No Class - spring Recess

 Week 13 – 4/24/2014 - Science Teaching Tips, Share a Science Lesson, Work on Digital Portfolio and Review Projects

Activities:

• This week's science news
• Earth Day from Space: Satellite Snaps Far-Out Photo (Image)
• DIY Space Week
• The Ways Food Tricks Our Brains
• Open-Source Seeds Fight Corporate Crop Control
• My Beautiful Earth photos
• POLL: BIG BANG A BIG QUESTION FOR MOST AMERICANS
• Researchers See New Importance in Y Chromosome
• The Oldest Living Things in the World: A Decade-Long Photographic Masterpiece at the Intersection of Art, Science, and Philosophy
• Your money is dirtier than it looks: 3,000 different bacteria thrive on the bills
  

• Education news:
  

• SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION ON EDTPA
  Submitted Jointly by PSC and UUP 

• Stand Up for Future Teachers and Students

  If you believe teacher training should be in the hands of education faculty, not for-profit testing corporations like Pearson, and that teacher certification should be more than mere test prep, please send this letter to your representatives in Albany.
• Perceptions of student ability, testing pressures hinder some science teachers
• Researchers find mentor programs often harm, more than help first-year science teachers
  

• Sign up to Share a Science Lesson using the tools, Wiki in BlackBoard.  
• Share a science lesson
  
• Demonstration of using Google Sites to set up a digital portfolio
  
• A very interesting phenomenon...
• Review of Science Teaching Tips
• Share a Science lesson
  
• Post link to digital portfolios on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
• Work in pairs and provide feedback on digital portfolios

• Useful Earth Day links
  
• http://www.earthday.org
• The Green Apple"  Recycling
  http://nyc.gov/html/nycmg/nyctvod/html/home/ga_recycle.html
• How to recycle in New York City -
• http://nyc.gov/html/nycmg/nyctvod/html/home/qrvideo.html

Week 14 – 5/1/2014 Class is ONLINE - Please Work on Digital Portfolio, Science Research Projects and Student Learning in Science reports
Motivating students to learn science

Science News:

• Behold the mighty mite, the fastest animal on Earth
• http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0428/Tiny-mite-sets-record-as-fastest-land-animal-sort-of
  
• Scientists Develop Method To Classify Insects With Up To 99 Percent Accuracy
• http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/21482
• SCIO’S HANDHELD SCANNER AIMS TO DETECT FOOD INGREDIENTS AND IDENTIFY PILLS
• YOU CAN HEAR THE TASTE OF SPICES BY TOUCHING THIS POSTER
  

Education News:

• New York State Regents approve 'Safety Net' option
• http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/education/2014/04/29/regents-approve-safety-net-teaching-hopefuls/8491485/ 
• http://www.oms.nysed.gov/press/edtpa-statement.html 
• http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2014/April2014/413hea4Revision2.pdf
• Five-Minute Safety Inspection
• Safety for new teachers
  
• Test Prep Endures in New York Schools, Despite Calls to Ease It

Technology news:

• Homeland Security: Don't use IE due to bug
• A Gossip App Brought My High School to a Halt
• DATA SCIENTIST HACKS MONITORING DEVICE, PUTS HEARTBEAT ONLINE
  

Science safety news:

• Actual case study - teenager arrested and expelled for making a bomb, or was she doing an informal science experiment?  Check out this link for more information.
  

Activities:

• Mentos and Diet coke at QC
  
• Try out a "flipped activity" on symbiosis from TED-Ed
• The cockroach beatbox (You MUST see this!)
  
• Science news
• Share a Science Lesson
  
• What is motivation?  What techniques can be used to motivate students to want to learn science?
• Consider the science curriculum you are currently teaching and make lists of the following, and post them on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard:
• Science topics you find boring and uninteresting
• Science topics that your students find boring and uninteresting
• The science topics that are most difficult for your students
• For each item on the list, come up with at least one way to motivate students and to get them interested in the topic .  You can work in pairs or groups on each other's lists.
• Weekly update:  successes, challenges

Readings:

• Motivating students
• Promoting science and motivating students in the 21st century

Reading:  Fostering Science Learning in Diverse Urban Settings by Ken Tobin (Link in BlackBoard documents)

Week 15 – 5/8/2014 – Science teaching in urban schools - Joys and Challenges
Activities:

• This week's science news
• How did Egyptians move pyramid stones? Mystery may be solved
• Radio waves affect migrating birds
  
• How to Picture the Size of the Universe
• Supercomputers Simulate the Universe in Unprecedented Detail
• Supercomputer Simulations Explain the Formation of Galaxies and Quasars in the Universe
• Pictures/movies accompanying the press release of the MPG:   (in deutsch)
  Supercomputer simulations probe the formation of galaxies and quasars in the universe
  
• A semi-synthetic organism with an expanded genetic alphabet
• Scientists Add Letters to DNA’s Alphabet, Raising Hope and Fear
  
• Discovery of Sound in the Sea
• Focus: Why We Can’t Remember the Future
• State of the Air
  
• Education news:
  
• edTPA update
  
• Study: Less Than 1 in 5 Public-School Teachers Are Nonwhite
• Asians outperform white students because they try harder: study
• Explaining Asian Americans’ academic advantage over whites
  
• Share a Science Lesson
  
• Discussion of teaching science in diverse urban settings using examples from your classrooms
• Questions:
• How is teaching in an urban school different from a suburban or rural school?
• What are the characteristics of urban secondary school students?
• What science teaching strategies work best with urban students?
• What science teaching strategies do not work well with urban students?
• What city resources can you use to help students learn science?
  

Useful Links:

• http://www.nyc.gov/
• http://www.mta.info/nyct/
• Fun facts about New York City

Reading:

• Teaching science and inquiry-based learning in an urban culturally diverse classroom
• TEACHING SCIENCE IN LARGE INNER-CITY HIGH SCHOOLS
• Teaching in urban schools
• Urban science adventures

Readings and Extension activities:

 Week 16 – 5/15/2014 -  WE WILL NOT MEET TONIGHT - CLASS IS ONLINE - PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE DURING THIS WEEK AND DO ACTIVITIES AND POST IN DISCUSSION AREA IN BLACKBOARD NYS Certification, Questions and Answers, Professional Development Activities:

• Science news:
• Share a Science Lesson 
• Brainstorm some ideas for relating science and Mother's Day
• Review of how to use Google Sites and Docs to build your digital portfolio
• Teacher interview questions
• Go through the reading list for new science teachers

Useful links:

• Science Teacher professional development
• http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/
• Getting your permanent certificate

• TheApple
• Sample teacher resume
• Resume strategies for teachers
• 15 Toughest Interview Questions (and Answers!)
• Interview tips from the Apple
• idealist.org

Please complete the course evaluation before the last week

Week 17– 5/22/2014 –  IMPORTANT:  We will NOT meet during Finals Week - Please visit the course website and Blackboard for instructions for this week's activities
Activities:

• This week's science news
• Sharing of science lessons (those who haven't shared a lesson yet)
  
• Brief informal presentations of science research projects and student learning and science reports.

Making Science Fun

• Think back to your own science classes.  Make a list of the most enjoyable, fun science activities you experienced.  Post your list on the discussion board in BlackBoard.
• For the science topic you are currently teaching or that you will teach soon, brainstorm ideas on how to make it fun and enjoyable.
  
• Discussion questions:
• Should science learning always be fun?  Why or why not?
• What are the best ways to make science learning fun?
• What is and is not fun for urban students?
• Are teachers' and students' ideas of fun the same?  Why or why not?
• Weekly update:  successes, challenges

Useful links:

• Fun Science web sites

COMMENCEMENT TAKES PLACE ON THURSDAY MAY 29TH

 E.     ASSIGNMENTS, DUE DATES, AND GRADING PLAN

 Procedure for submitting assignments:

 1)  All assignments that include text:

• Post a copy on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard
• Submit an electronic version (a Word document) using the Assignments link in BlackBoard
• Upload your document to docs.google.com and share with qcscied@gmail.com

2)  If your assignment is on the web, post the url on the Discussion Board in BlackBoard.  iIf your assignment is in the form of an audio, video or image, attach the file to a posting on the discussion board in BlackBoard.

Assignment Description	Instructions	How to Submit	Scoring Guidelines	Due Date	Possible Points
Assignment 1 –  Write a short description of the school, the community, the student body and the faculty.	Assignment  1 instructions	How to submit	Assignment 1 Scoring guidelines	2/13/2014	20 (5 points each)
Assignment 2 –  – Describe in detail the classroom learning environment where you are student teaching. (Physical environment, students, teacher, class rules, contracts, atmosphere, textbooks, review books, other)	Assignment  2 instructions	How to submit	Assignment 2 Scoring guidelines	3/6/2014	10 points
Assignment 3 - Science Research Project	Assignment 3 instructions	How to submit	Assignment 3 scoring guidelines	5/1/2014	33
Assignment 4 – Student Learning in Science Report	Assignment    4 instructions	How to submit Assignment 4	Assignment 4 Scoring guidelines	5/8/2014	16 points
Assignment 5 –  Digital portfolio of examples of your work.  Sign up to for a free account to create a portfolio and Professional Development plan. Assemble a copy of your digital portfolio using labeled files and folders and burn on a DVD.	Assignment 5  instructions	How to submit	Assignment 5 Scoring guidelines	5/15/2014	10 points
Participation – Active participation in all class activities.	Participation Instructions	Not applicable		Entire semester	20

F.  FIELDWORK REQUIREMENTS - A class trip to SCONYC, a professional science teacher conference, is planned for Saturday, 4/3/14 from 8am to 4pm at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers Street @ West Street.  This will replace our class scheduled for 3/29/2014.

G.  CUNY POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic Dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion as provided at: 

      http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/provost/policies/index.html

 H. ADA Statement
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:  (1) register with and provide documentation to the Special Services Office, Kiely 171; (2) bring a letter to the
instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type.  This should be done
during the first week of class.  For more information about services available to Queens students contact:  Dr. Mirian Detres-Hickey, Special Services Office; 171 Kiely Hall; 718 997-5870 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).  E-mail address:  mdetres@yahoo.com or to mirian.detreshicky@qc.cuny.edu

I.   USE OF STUDENT WORK
All teacher education programs in New York State undergo periodic reviews by accreditation agencies and the state education department.  For these purposes, samples of students’ work  are made available to those professionals conducting the review.  Student anonymity is 
assured under these circumstances.  If you do not wish to have your work made available for these purposes, please let the professor know before the start of the second class.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

J.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

K. RECENT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atkin, J., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2001). Classroom assessment and the National Science Education Standards. Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

Benchmarks Online ~ Project 2061 ~ AAAS. (n.d.). . Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php?intro=true

Bransford, J. (2000). How people learn brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C. :: National Academy Press,

Bybee, R. W., Ed. 2002. Learning Science and the Science of Learning: Science Educators' Essay Collection. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education. Committee on Development of an Adddendum to the National Science Education Standards on Scientific Inquiry. (2000). Inquiry and the national science education standards : a guide for teaching and learning. Washington  D.C.: National Academy Press.

Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century (U.S.);Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (U.S.). (2007). Rising above the gathering storm : energizing and employing America for a brighter economic future. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

Curwin, R., and A. Mendler. 1988. Discipline with Dignity. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Duschl, R., & National Research Council (U.S.).;National Research Council (U.S.).;National Research Council (U.S.). (2007). Taking science to school : learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

Fulfilling the promise : biology education in the nation's schools. (1990). . Washington: Natl Academy Press.

Glasser, R. 1989. Building Classroom Discipline. N.Y: Longman, Inc.

Glasser, W. 1998. The Quality School and The Quality School Teacher. NY: HarperCollins.

Gollub, J., & National Research Council (U.S.).;National Research Council (U.S.). (2002). Learning and understanding : improving advanced study of mathematics and science in U.S. high schools. Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

Keeley, P., F., Eberle, and J. Tugel. 2007. Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 More Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 2. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Kwan, T., and J. Texley. 2003. Inquiring Safely: A Guide for Middle School Teachers. Arlington, VA : NSTA Press.

Kwan, T., J. Texley, and J. Summers. 2004. Investigating Safely: A Guide for High School Teachers. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Michaels, S., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2008). Ready, set, science! : putting research to work in K-8 science classrooms. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.). (1998). Teaching about evolution and the nature of science. Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.);Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2008). Science, evolution, and creationism. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

National Research Council (U.S.). (1996). National Science Education Standards : observe, interact, change, learn. Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

National Research Council (U.S.). (2004). Engaging schools : fostering high school students' motivation to learn. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

Olson, S. (2009). Strengthening high school chemistry education through teacher outreach programs : a workshop summary to the chemical sciences roundtable. Washington  D.C.: National Academies Press.

Pellegrino, J., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2001). Knowing what students know : the science and design of educational assessment. Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

Resources for teaching middle school science. (1998). . Washington  DC: National Academy Press.

Rising Above the Gathering Storm Two Years Later: Accelerating Progress Toward a Brighter Economic Future. Summary of a Convocation. (n.d.). . Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12537

Roberts, D., C. Bove, and E.H. van Zee. (Eds). 2007. Teacher Research: Stories of Learning and Growing. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Rosen, W., & National Research Council (U.S.). (1989). High-school biology : today and tomorrow. Washington  D.C.: National Academy Press.

Singer, S., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2006). America's lab report : investigations in high school science. Washington  DC: National Academies Press.

Sprick, R. 1985. Discipline in the Secondary Classroom. West Nyack, N.Y.: Center for Applied Research.

Tauber, R. T. 1990. Classroom Management from A to Z. Chicago: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

What is the influence of the national science education standards? reviewing the evidence : a workshop summary. (2004). . Washington: Natl Academy Press.

Wilson, M., & National Research Council (U.S.). (2006). Systems for state science assessment. Washington  DC: National Academies Press.

Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T. 2004. The First Days Of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher. Mountain View , CA : Harry K. Wong Publications, INC.