1. Free to Exceed An Old Idea Made New By Mary Gregory St. Lucie County School District

2. Sh-h-h-h-h-h

3. CHF (Cold Hard Fact) #1 Student science experiences are directly proportional to the comfort level of teachers. Student science experiences are directly proportional to the comfort level of teachers. Many students never do a classroom based experiment. Many students never do a classroom based experiment.

4. CHF #2 National Board Certified Teachers are seeking mentoring hours. National Board Certified Teachers are seeking mentoring hours.

5. CHF #4 Middle School considerations: Middle School considerations: - students and parents “burned out” - students and parents “burned out” -”researchers” have less than safe habits -”researchers” have less than safe habits - students with minimal parent support are frustrated - students with minimal parent support are frustrated

6. CHF #4 Money Is a Problem Money Is a Problem - NBCT’s are Free - NBCT’s are Free - Free to Exceed materials are low cost - Free to Exceed materials are low cost - Food services will help us - Food services will help us - Grants ??? - Grants ???

7. CHF #5 Support and board approval is needed Support and board approval is needed - 4 labs per year will become a requirement…in place by Jan. 05 - 4 labs per year will become a requirement…in place by Jan. 05 Elementary Expo will be on a moratorium for 3 years Elementary Expo will be on a moratorium for 3 years Grant writing efforts will be supported Grant writing efforts will be supported

8. Galileo said that all objects fall at a uniform rate of Galileo said that all objects fall at a uniform rate of 9.8 meters/second/second. 9.8 meters/second/second.

9. Galileo said that (in a vacuum) all objects fall at a uniform rate of 9.8 meters/second/second.

10. The Pyramid Plan for Free to Exceed MG Eighteen Experts All K-5 Teachers All K-5 Students

11. How the Free to Exceed pyramid plan works: Green Your Curriculum Specialist for Science (Mary Gregory) facilitates efforts of eighteen (or more) National Board Certified Teachers. Your Curriculum Specialist for Science (Mary Gregory) facilitates efforts of eighteen (or more) National Board Certified Teachers.Blue The NBCT’s meet as a “vertical” team of “18 Experts” to insure maximum and appropriate coverage of Sunshine State Standards for all grades K-5. The NBCT’s meet as a “vertical” team of “18 Experts” to insure maximum and appropriate coverage of Sunshine State Standards for all grades K-5. They also meet horizontally as grade level teams of 3 to select the best four activities to cover their grade’s needs. They will continue to meet both vertically and horizontally throughout the year. They also meet horizontally as grade level teams of 3 to select the best four activities to cover their grade’s needs. They will continue to meet both vertically and horizontally throughout the year.

12. How the Free to Exceed pyramid plan works: Orange Each “Expert” becomes a life line to 25 or 30 K-5 teachers in a common grade to describe and assist with the four selected activities throughout the year. Teachers and NBCT “Experts” are matched based on proximity and convenience rather than zone. As a mentor-mentee relationship for these 4 activities is established…mentors help teachers exceed if they wish and can communicate these new extensions back to their other grade level NBCT horizontal partners. Each “Expert” becomes a life line to 25 or 30 K-5 teachers in a common grade to describe and assist with the four selected activities throughout the year. Teachers and NBCT “Experts” are matched based on proximity and convenience rather than zone. As a mentor-mentee relationship for these 4 activities is established…mentors help teachers exceed if they wish and can communicate these new extensions back to their other grade level NBCT horizontal partners.Yellow The classroom teachers in every grade bring the 4 activities to all K-5 students. The classroom teachers in every grade bring the 4 activities to all K-5 students.

13. At Each Board Microphone! Ongoing Scientific Experiment Do NOT Open

14. Quotable Quotes Students’ comprehension of text improves when they have had hands-on experiences with a science concept. Motivating and engaging students to speak, ask questions, learn new vocabulary, and write down their thoughts comes easily when they are curious, exploring and engaged in science inquiry. Asking students to record data and conclusions in a science journal or to articulate and defend their views about science-related issues provides excellent opportunities for students to clarify their thinking and develop communications skills. Kreuger, A., & Sutton, J. (2001): Edthoughts: What We Know About Science Teaching and Learning. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, p. 52-53

15. Goals Every K-5 student will actively participate in four designated “hands-on, minds-on” science activities each year. Every K-5 teacher will actively facilitate four designated “hands-on, minds-on” science activities each year. All are Free to Exceed.

16. Timeline Timeline (summer) ambitious! –6/8/048-10 amOverview 10-12 amOrganize teams 10-12 amOrganize teams 1-2 pmOrganize Eighteen Expert toolboxes 1-2 pmOrganize Eighteen Expert toolboxes 2-3 pmMake shopping lists 2-3 pmMake shopping lists 6/9/04AMNick Z. and NASA suggestions 6/9/04AMNick Z. and NASA suggestions Create a map of activities, using National Standards as a guide Create a map of activities, using National Standards as a guide PMDiscuss troubleshooting PMDiscuss troubleshooting Complete shopping list Complete shopping list Design common rubric Design common rubric Design common format Design common format

17. Timeline (summer) August, 2004Horizontal team meetings as desired August, 2004Horizontal team meetings as desired Four activities selected /grade Four activities selected /grade Materials lists completed and sent to Materials lists completed and sent to schools schools *Aug. 14 Saturday meeting *Aug. 14 Saturday meeting September, 2004Rubrics completed September, 2004Rubrics completed Questions completed Questions completed Teacher binders ready to go Teacher binders ready to go *Sept. 11 Saturday meeting to *Sept. 11 Saturday meeting to practice and learn from each other practice and learn from each other

18. It Could Have Worked… October, 2004All kits ready to go October, 2004All kits ready to go **Oct. 2 Saturday meeting to complete kits **Oct. 2 Saturday meeting to complete kits November, 2004Teacher training all month (especially 11/12) informal and flexible November, 2004Teacher training all month (especially 11/12) informal and flexible All kits distributed to all schools All kits distributed to all schools *Nov. 6 Saturday meeting to go over training *Nov. 6 Saturday meeting to go over training December, 2004Present progress report to School Board December, 2004Present progress report to School Board Two activities are ready to go Two activities are ready to go All teachers ready for two activities All teachers ready for two activities

19. More to consider for Free to Exceed Common Format We chose KWL..W..LW..LW Common method of distribution We chose good old worksheet style

20. Evaluation Common rubric Common rubric First some questions: First some questions: What do I want the student to be able to do? What do I want the student to be able to do? What do I want the student to know? What do I want the student to know? How can I tell when the outcome was achieved? How can I tell when the outcome was achieved? Common journal (or logbook) Common journal (or logbook) One book to follow student from K through 5. In every journal: In every journal: One new question I have is… One new question I have is… The big thing I have learned is…. The big thing I have learned is…. One new thing I can do is… One new thing I can do is… I want to remember… I want to remember…

21. Following the Rubric for Assessment Free To Exceed Design Workshop Summer 2004

22. Behind the scenes Whole group meetings Whole group meetings Free to Exceed vertical teams Free to Exceed vertical teams NTLB (No Teacher Left Behind) grade teams NTLB (No Teacher Left Behind) grade teams One on one mentoring/coaching/ modeling One on one mentoring/coaching/ modeling Toolboxes Toolboxes For Experts (Lifelines) For Experts (Lifelines) For Teachers For Teachers

23. 4 Clusters of Science SSS Physical/ChemicalLife/EnvironmentalEarth/Space Scientific Thinking

24. Including all SSS Free to Exceed Design Workshop Summer 2004

25. Criteria for Selecting Free to Exceed Activities 1. It is student hands-on. 2. It fits our Free to Exceed framework. 3. The materials needed are very low cost. 4. It will generate student questions. 5. It connects !

26. National Board Teachers making Some Tough Choices

27. Free to Exceed Frameworks Summary 1 st 9 weeks Scientific Thinking 2 nd 9 weeks Physical & Chemical 3 rd 9 weeks Earth & Space 4 th 9 weeks Life & Environmental KObservingDensitySoil Animal Structure 1GraphingFriction Water Cycle Needs of Plants 2PredictingPhysical/ Chemical Change Planets Functions of Plants 3VariablesSound Moon Phases Food Chain 4Describing Force & Motion Erosion Environmental Responses 5 Experimenting/ Recording Data Flow of Energy Movement of Earth Adaptation

28. Reviewing Criteria for Selecting Free to Exceed Activities

29. The 24 “Square Worthy” Activities !st 9 wks Scientific Thinking 2 nd 9 wks. Physical & Chemical 3 rd 9 wks. Earth & Space 4 th 9 wks. Life & Environmental K“Magnets” Sink or Float Comparing soil types Animal ID Cards 1 Food graphs Ramps with different surfaces Mason jar model Seeds germinating 2??? Goop solutions T.P. Distance measuremen t Transpiration 3 Growth of yeast What sound travel through? Models Catch me if you can

30. Th3 24 squares (cont.) 4 Recognize your rock Inclined planes (potential /kinetic energy Models of moon phases Blubber 5Pendulums Electric circuits Designing structures to withstand earthquakes Feeding structures of birds

31. Consultants from Our Scientific Community Providing Input

32. What’s Next? Field Trips Field Trips –Our research community is waiting waiting –It is just a matter of time of time