1. Mr. Dane Jaber Miami-Dade County Public Schools Department of Science
Science ICAD: Middle School
Session 4
Mr. Dane Jaber
MS Instructional Supervisor
Ms. Cindy Jolicoeur
Curriculum Support Specialist K-8
Ms. Vanessa Baker
Curriculum Support Specialist MS
Welcome to the fourth Middle School Science ICAD powercast

2. AGENDA Welcome and Ice Breaker
Reinforcing Nature of Science Standards through Gizmos
Unwrapping Standards “Does it fit?”
Fostering Open Inquiry through STEM Activities
Centers
Virtual Walkthroughs
This powercast is designed to recap the events of the day, as well as explore practices for continued success from the professional development
Department of Science

3. Session Outcomes Participants will be able to:
Incorporate M-DCPS instructional resources to support science teaching and learning
Identify how M-DCPS integrates Mathematics and Language Arts Florida Standards for effective science teaching and learning
Support Inquiry in science
In this session we revisit inquiry based activities that reinforce the nature of science and effective science teaching and learning.
Department of Science

4. Does it fit HR Diagram How does the gizmo fit into the curriculum?
Is the content and skill appropriate as in the Item Specifications?
Looking at topics 9 and 10 of the Comprehensive Science III pacing guides, we investigated various physical properties of stars using the HR diagram Gizmo from Explorelearning.com. This Gizmo allows the student to discover relationships between characteristics of stars such as luminosity and color, as shown. Other variables that can be examined are temperature and size. Altogether, luminosity, color, temperature and size make up four of the 5 properties of starts that students are required to master based on the related standard seen here. The remaining property, apparent brightness, is easily addressed with a STEM activity that was conducted later in the day as well as an essential lab.
Department of Science

5. Gravity Pitch Embedding Nature of Science
How can we reiterate the skills necessary to investigate science into everyday activities and conclusion writing?
Understanding that students have consistently underperformed on the Nature of Science reporting category, what can be done? Since the nature of science is a skill based component of the curriculum, it can and should be applied throughout the curriculum. Mario Junco from explorelearning, presented how to do so using the Gravity Pitch gizmo. Teachers examined content using the technology to ask questions, predict outcomes, test their predictions and develop a conclusion using Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER).
Department of Science

6. Fostering Frequent Open Inquiry in the Science Classroom
Engage
In order to foster open inquiry in the science classroom, teachers were engaged in a discourse using the four corners strategy to address a formative assessment about stars.
Department of Science

7. Project-Based STEM Activity “Star Brightness”
Problem
In an effort to better engage students with the concept of stellar properties, a private space agency is funding a project to develop educational technology able to allow students to manipulate a model star. You have decided to apply for the project and well need to demonstrate your invention.
Expected Task
Develop and demonstrate an adjustable model that can simulate various components of a star to adjust the star’s magnitude.
Participants explored a project-based STEM activity called Star Brightness, where they had to create a model that would simulate various components of a star to adjust the star’s brightness. As part of the Essential Lab documents these STEM activities are designed to apply knowledge that was previously developed through exploration. In this professional development session, the content from the H-R Diagram Gizmo is applied to develop various models of stars to distinguish their physical properties.
Department of Science

8. Project-Based STEM Activity “Star Brightness”
Teachers used lamps, flashlight and even cell phone apps to power their models. Presenting their models to other groups helped the groups gather feedback to plan for future improvements of their models.
Department of Science

9. Centers H.O.T.S. - EQ Development Open Inquiry-STEM Activity
Use of Data- Progress Monitoring
Creating Performance Based Tasks
Designing Opportunities for Sense Making
To focus on the needs of individual teachers, a needs assessment was developed in two parts. First, feedback from exit tickets from the previous ICAD was used to identify five topics. Then teachers were able to select two topics that they felt would best fit their individual needs.
Department of Science

10. Centers EQ Development Open Inquiry Progress Monitoring
Performance Based Tasks
Sense Making
Centers included the exploration and development of essential questions, open inquiry activity, progress monitoring tools, performance based tasks and opportunities for sense making. These five centers were NOT stations where each participant worked on each task. To maximize our day’s instructional time and impact on the participants, each participant only worked on the topics of his/her greatest need.
Department of Science

11. Virtual Walkthrough
We ended our day with a virtual walkthrough of practices and products in science classrooms. Participants evaluated the images for effective science teaching and learning with a focus on how the nature of science is being embedded into appropriate content.
Department of Science

12. February 16th STEM Conference
Finally, on the February 16, 2016 non-opt day, the Dade County Science Teachers Association and Miami Dade County Public Schools will host a STEM Conference at Miami Senior High School. Sessions will be available on My Learning Plan soon.
Department of Science

13. Science Department Dr. Ava D. Rosales Executive Director Elementary
Middle School
High School
Dr. Millard Lightburn
Supervisor
Mr. Dane Jaber
Mr. Sebastian Oddone
Ms. Mary Tweedy
Curriculum Support
Specialist
Ms. Cindy Jolicoeur
Curriculum Support Specialist
Mr. Daniel Gangeri
Ms. Noreyda Casanas
Ms. Vanessa Baker
Ms. Yusimi Osteen
Ms. Mildred Farber
District Administrative Assistant
Phone:
Thank you for viewing this powercast. We look forward to seeing the products of this session applied with students.
Department of Science