Grades 6-12 Science

Jenny Nord - Secondary Science Curriculum Coordinator

Email: jnord5257@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=2577
Location: 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: 3809970466
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusCitySchools/

The strategy of retrieval practice has been shown by research to be an extremely effective teaching and learning strategy time and time again. Over a century of research suggests that retrieval of memory produces better long-term retention of material than simple restudy of material (rereading notes or highlighting information).

Video: https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/retrieval-practice-what-is-it-why-it-matters-how-it-works-in-the-classroom/

Article: The Best Resources for Learning about Retrieval Practice: https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2017/10/22/the-best-resources-for-learning-about-retrieval-practice/

The most important aspect of retrieval practice is students are attempting to access the information from their memory and are not provided any assistance or cues while completing the assessment. Tell students that retrieval practice is the truest way to know what they know and what they don’t know, provided they don’t use any notes or peers for assistance. Without assessment using retrieval practice, teachers and students are making assumptions about the knowledge students possess.

Retrieval practice can be easy and simple to implement in the classroom, and it takes on many forms: answering multiple-choice or matching questions, written essay response, class discussion, and/or a project that requires subject knowledge to complete. Here are two strategies to try:

The Brain Dump – Students use either pencil/paper or word processor to write down any and all information they can about a particular subject or concept. They should not use any assistance while completing this. If they know it well enough, they should be able to write it down. Anything they cannot write without assistance needs to be looked at again by students. You can use brain dumps to begin class, giving students 5-10 minutes to write everything down. Then, students turn to partners and tell what information they wrote and find out what their partner wrote down. Finally, this turns into a whole-class discussion of that major idea or concept that was originally presented. This activity is especially useful when implemented after a significant period of time between information presentation and brain-dump assessment (the spacing effect).

Last Lesson, Last Week, Last Month – This activity requires a bit more planning but is very useful. Look back to the most important information presented yesterday, last week, and last month. Then choose three questions from each and ask students to answer (retrieval practice) the questions with no assistance. Tell students that even though there’s been a period of time between when they originally learned about these subjects, they are still important. It is quite interesting to discuss with students which set of questions they were more successful completing. This activity is especially effective if the current day’s lesson relates to some of the material assessed either last week or last month. It lets the students know that the importance of studying a particular topic doesn’t end with the summative assessment. Knowledge builds knowledge.

It is difficult to believe that a teacher can establish an effective classroom without the use of retrieval practice. There is no better tool for finding holes in students’ learning. This information is powerful for both teacher and student. For the teacher, discovering that a large percentage of the class didn’t grasp a concept should inform future instruction and perhaps elicit a revisit of some material. For the student, understanding what they know and what they don’t know should perhaps prioritize what material is covered during future studies.

Taken directly from: https://tinyurl.com/38agter4

Next Month: Part 2

Explorations in Neuroscience Camp for rising Junior and Senior High School Students June 7-11, 2021, is hosted by the Department of Neuroscience at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Only taking 35 students. Scholarships available. New this year, we will be having our first NIH funded internship program of High School Juniors and Seniors that are looking at a future in Neuroscience research. This program will be a 7-week paid internship following the camp.

https://medicine.osu.edu/departments/neuroscience/outreach-and-events/summer-camp

https://medicine.osu.edu/departments/neuroscience/outreach-and-events/internship

X-STEM All Access – presented by AstraZeneca, DoD STEM, and the U.S. Air Force – is a free virtual conference series designed to showcase diversity and inspire students about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. Each episode will feature multiple speakers ready to ignite students' curiosity with topics such as environmental engineering, marine biology, shark science, water conservation, neuroscience, superhero science, and more. Register and view speakers here!

Feed the World: a summerful of workshops for teachers: http://www.ohiocorneducation.org/events?mc_cid=d80c2896d5&mc_eid=47fe26b312

NSTA STEM Forum and Expo: Given the continued concerns around travel and current CDC restrictions, the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) has rescheduled the face-to-face 10th annual STEM Forum & Expo to a virtual conference that will take place from July 26–30. https://tinyurl.com/b2j3wjz9

NSTA Engage Spring21 Virtual Conference: https://tinyurl.com/3rs6kuze

Middle School: April 19-24

HIgh School: April 26 - May 1

Be a Judge for the 2021 Virtual district Science Day

The Ohio Academy of Science is looking for judges for their District and State Science Day events. The Academy will once again be providing virtually-judged District and State Science Days this year. Students who complete an inquiry-based science project or design and build a prototype solution are able to participate in the 2021 District Science Day without having competed in a Local, County, or other Independent Science Day. This will not prevent schools or independent fairs from hosting a Science Day. If their resources permit and if safety protocols can be met, then a Local Science Day provides a great opportunity to unite stakeholders and communities to celebrate “hands-on” STEM learning. The District Science Day is the only pathway for students to participate in the State Science Day 2021, Virtual 2.0. The Ohio Academy of Science will also host a Virtually Judged Buckeye Science & Engineering Fair with the Finalists eligible to compete at the International Science & Engineering Fair in May 2021. BSEF Registration will be open to all projects, grades 9-12. It is recommended that teachers review projects of those students considering the BSEF and explain to them the increased rigor of the BSEF judging process.

Those interested in judging should complete the Ohio Science Day judging application

For more information, please check out Ohio Science Day 2021

NASA 80th Anniversary Essay Contest

NASA Glenn is celebrating 80 years of pushing boundaries and breaking barriers! NASA invites students in grades 4 – 12 to join the celebration by sharing how NASA Glenn's missions and people inspire their future careers or may change the way we live and work in the future.

Essays will be judged only in comparison to other essays from the same grade band (4th – 5th grade students, 6th – 8th grade students, and 9th – 12th grade students). Judges will select up to twenty-five winners from each grade band (seventy-five total winners).

Winners will receive an invitation to participate in a live, virtual recognition event with NASA scientists and engineers, including virtual tours of NASA Glenn facilities. Students will have an opportunity to have their questions answered by the NASA researchers. Two winners from each grade band will have their essays published on a NASA Glenn web page.

Visit NASA more information. If you need help or have questions about the essay contest, please contact: GRC-Ed-Opportunities@mail.nasa.gov

The Conservation Poster Contest is an annual event sponsored by Soil and Water Conservation Districts nationwide. This contest provides young people with an avenue to gain a better appreciation for our environment and share this caring sentiment through artwork. Franklin Soil and Water is proud to host a local contest in conjunction with the national event.

The Franklin County Conservation Poster Contest is open to any student in grades K-12.

The 2021 theme is “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.”

The contest will run from January 31st through April 13th.

Classes are asked to submit their top entries to Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District by April 13th.

Posters will be judged by the Franklin Soil and Water staff.

County winners will be recognized around April 30th in recognition of National Arbor Day.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Want to teach Materials Science at your high school? If you are interested in teaching it for the first time, you must hold a chemistry license and attend the summer camp before you can teach the course. The camps are being offered virtually this year. These are free camps worth $1200. You can receive CEUs. Go here to apply: http://www.asmfoundation.org/teachers/camp-schedule/

For more information: https://www.asmfoundation.org/

Education Week:

-3 Actions that Will Accelerate Learning in 2021: https://tinyurl.com/yw7b66wh

-Pandemic and Standardized Testing: https://tinyurl.com/2cjmbpw2

-There Is No Playbook for Hybird Learning: https://tinyurl.com/e9uy29tt

-Improving Learning Outcomes: https://tinyurl.com/ee3z62ss

-AP Exams Can't Be Business as Usual this Year: https://tinyurl.com/r7ayjxnz

-Skills Students Need in Post-Pandemic World: https://tinyurl.com/26f6c3kk

-5 Strategies to Ensure Student Engagement Online: https://tinyurl.com/ymhhjmbv

-3 SEL Strategies to Increase Engagement: https://tinyurl.com/dwf9hv9x

-Lessons from the Pandemic that Can Improve Leading and Teaching: https://tinyurl.com/n8etkd9h

-What's the Purpose of K-12 Education in the Age of Automation: https://tinyurl.com/8pd2kc9a

-Integrating Critical Thinking into the Classroom: https://tinyurl.com/jm33jerj

National Geographic:

-US Industry and Accidental Bird Deaths: https://tinyurl.com/ae9uutzz

-Meteorite Unlocks Secrets of the Solar System: https://tinyurl.com/3tfufn3n

-The Sun Is Still a Burning Mystery; that May Be about to Change: https://tinyurl.com/3s4rau4u

Advancement Courses:

-Impactful Instructional Methods: https://tinyurl.com/27u3jrmw

-Teaching the Whole Child: https://tinyurl.com/w2trxdzb

-Teaching Students in Tough Situations: https://tinyurl.com/j349vyms

NSTA:

-NSTA: Small-Group Work in the Online Classroom: https://tinyurl.com/pb2dvee8

ASCD:

-Beware of Equity Traps and Tropes: https://tinyurl.com/4e44bsuv

-Radical Care to Let Black Boys Thrive: https://tinyurl.com/cekv9cs

-How Chess Can Change Schools: https://tinyurl.com/3d7w8n3j

-Education Department's New Testing Guidance: https://tinyurl.com/x3nb5bjm

-5 Ways to Foster Well-Being and Resilience in the Classroom: https://tinyurl.com/skadww

-The Focused Brain: https://tinyurl.com/3j4sxxpt

-Virtual Student Engagement Isn't Impossible: https://tinyurl.com/j4yhywvs

Miscellaneous:

-New ODE Webpage offering tips for attendance and student engagement: http://education.ohio.gov/Media/Ed-Connection/March-15-2021/New-webpage-offers-tips-to-support-attendance-and

-Overcoming Zoom Fatigue: https://tinyurl.com/3xjvhe5u

-Achieve 3000 Trauma Skilled LIteracy Instruction and SEL: https://go.achieve3000.com/Trauma-Guide-2021-03.html

-PLT article on Native Plants for Earth Day: https://tinyurl.com/2c47kuut

-Edutopia: 7 Tips for Teaching with Videos: https://tinyurl.com/yk4us6b9

-The Power of Analagous Phenomena: https://tinyurl.com/8ex82xbs

Earth Day 2021:

Earth Day is Thursday, April 22nd. The theme this year is Restore Our Earth.

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/

More info: https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/earth-day-2021-restore-native-plants/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=march_branch_2021&utm_content=button

National Park Week:

April 17-25

https://www.plt.org/news/celebrating-national-park-week/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=march_branch_2021&utm_content=button

SWACO Swiftlet:

New secondary Swiftlet about macroinvertebrates

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sWy0oCCba3EtTUG7zzAFZkJC2k0Obj-P/view?usp=sharing

Virtual Field Trip: Utility Tree Trimming Wednesday, April 28 at 1p

Virtual Field Trip: Solar Panel Installation Wednesday, May 5 at 1p

Don't forget to check out all the opportunities in the science calendar.

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/1?cid=Y29sdW1idXMuazEyLm9oLnVzX2VsZGVjbmpmNmVscGQxZzk2Z2Q2aXNmcGNjQGdyb3VwLmNhbGVuZGFyLmdvb2dsZS5jb20

Each month, ODE and SECO put on programming. You can find the ODE sessions in our On-Demand folder. They will be designated with a red folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nxsPBvxWjWlo1sTbIS1oe9BITV8AmAmj?usp=sharing

Fisher Scientific: Article with associated questions and vocabulary

-Fossil Fuels Release more Methane that Originally Thought: https://tinyurl.com/2pp6cwhn

-Generating Electricity from Shadows: https://tinyurl.com/2brw7z3x

-Fish Lured Back to Abandoned Coral Reefs by Sound: https://tinyurl.com/hepyx3y6

-Ancient Crocodiles May Have Walked Upright: https://tinyurl.com/ebeutrku

-Environment May Be the Key to Long Life: https://tinyurl.com/2pv6a84z

-Green Seaweed Fossils Date Back 1 Billion Years: https://tinyurl.com/4zvtx3e3

Carolina Science:

-Altering Carrying Capacity by Changing Environmental Factors Activity: https://tinyurl.com/u6nvrmyx

Feed the World: Complete lesson plans on growing corn: http://www.ohiocorneducation.org/curriculum/growing-ohio?mc_cid=d80c2896d5&mc_eid=47fe26b312

TedEd:

-How Does AI Learn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yCJMt9Mx9c

-How Much Electricity Does It Take to Power the World: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwrG4Debc4

-TedEd Educator Talks Links: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9k9wQAp0SrWYZVORZnPIlg

Ditch that Textbook:

-How to Do More with Google Jamboard video: https://ditchthattextbook.com/do-more-with-google-jamboard

-Many Posts for Using Jamboard in the Classroom: https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-jamboard

-10 Ideas for Creating an Interactive Classroom: https://ditchthattextbook.com/5-ideas-for-creating-an-interactive-classroom/

-30 Interactive Google Slides Activities: https://ditchthattextbook.com/8-interactive-google-slides-activities-for-classroom-excitement/

-20 Interactive PowerPoint Activities: https://ditchthattextbook.com/interactive-powerpoint-activities/

-4 Ways to Fight Educator Burnout: https://ditchthattextbook.com/educator-burnout/

-20+ Tips for Using Canvas LMS: https://ditchthattextbook.com/canvas-lms-tips/

-How to Use Anything on the Web as an LMS Assignment: https://ditchthattextbook.com/lms-assignments/

NSTA:

-Airbags as Real Life Applications for Science Unit: https://tinyurl.com/p258jn94

-Daily Do Playlists: https://tinyurl.com/3c7mtkmx

-NSTA Freebies for Teachers: https://tinyurl.com/ytzj43jr

Increase Student Engagement with INFOhio’s Science Online:

-Whether face-to-face, hybrid or remote, INFOhio’s Science Online, featured in January’s Monday Mini Lesson, will engage students in learning. INFOhio’s Monday Mini Lessons support educators integrating digital content into instruction and remote teaching. Each video showcases best practices for remote teaching using INFOhio's quality, digital content to support instruction.

-January's focus for INFOhio's Monday Mini Lessons is using blended learning to increase student engagement. Learn more about how to use informational text articles, interactive experiments and simulations, activities and e-learning modules from Science Online to support blended learning and student engagement for high school students. Science Online is a resource recommended for grades 6-12 and includes content to help teachers keep their science classrooms current.

-This Science Online mini lesson features the station rotation model of blended learning. Station rotation models include a variety of activities that allow students to gain knowledge independently, collaboratively and through direct instruction from the teacher. Developed for a biology class, this mini lesson focuses on three of Ohio's Learning Standards for Science and Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12.

-Monday Mini Lessons will continue throughout the school year, focusing on new themes and practical applications for teaching using INFOhio's licensed digital content. Access all of INFOhio’s Monday Mini Lessons from the INFOhio website. Please contact INFOhio at support.infohio.org with questions or comments.

Miscellaneous:

-Forest Schools: Lessons in Outdoor Education (CBS News): https://www.cbsnews.com/video/forest-schools-lessons-in-outdoor-education/

-10 Tips for Successful Dissection Infographic: https://tinyurl.com/56kebtnt

Because we are back in school, we will be collecting the safety sheets and chemical inventories for this year. There has been a change to the check-off sheet adding NO alcohol burners. These are your typical alcohol burners with metal caps and wicks. NSTA cautions against using these. Our reasons are:

1. The vapors from these burners can explode and cause burns.
2. You cannot regulate the flame like with Bunsen burners.
3. If the liquid spills, it is flammable.

Here is the NSTA statement on them: https://www.nsta.org/blog/heat-source-safety

NSTA is the National Science Teachers Association. We use much of their safety precautions in our literature. ODE uses them as a reference in the standards for safety:

-Scientific Inquiry, Practice and Applications All students must use these scientific processes with appropriate laboratory safety techniques to construct their knowledge and understanding in all science content areas.

-Design and conduct scientific investigations using a variety of methods and tools to collect empirical evidence, observing appropriate safety techniques.

Middle school teachers, please fill out, sign, get principal signature, and send to Jenny Nord as a school. High school teachers, please check with your department chair on the procedure to be followed.

Below are the forms. Please make sure to complete the chemical inventory (can use this form or create your own) and safety check-off sheet for each classroom. Also, please make sure to fill out the correct check-off form: middle school, high school, high school chemistry.

Check out the Spruce Run Nature Center newsletter for many, many opportunities.

https://www.smore.com/cgj7w-spruce-run-environmental-center

Environmental Article: Innovative Ways to Create More Urban Green Spaces: https://tinyurl.com/4zt2o6os

SWACO Swiftlet:

-Venturing into Vernal Pools activity: https://www.franklinswcd.org/data/doc_lib/1273/Swiftlet-18-March-Activity-VenturingIntoVernalPools.pdf

-Venturing into Vernal Pools Coloring Page: https://www.franklinswcd.org/data/doc_lib/1274/Swiftlet-18-March-Coloring-VenturingIntoVernalPools.pdf

More Virtual Fieldtrips:

Hidden World of National Parks See the Kenai Fjords, Hawaii Volcanoes, Carlsbad Caverns, Bryce Canyon and the Dry Tortugas.

Hall of Planet Earth Geared towards students in grade 6-8, this virtual field trip from the American Museum of Natural History explores how plate tectonics explains specific Earth formations. This field trip includes a teachers guide, student worksheets and extension activities.

Access Mars If you have ever wondered what the surface of Mars really looks like now you can find out! View the surface of Mars in 360 recorded by NASA's Curiosity rover.

Nature's Witness Using breathtaking photographs this virtual tour from the National Wildlife Federation takes students through the world as they learn about beautiful animals while also exploring ways to protect and conserve wildlife. This virtual tour includes 5 activities and more nature activities to explore.

International Space Station You can take a tour of 18 different scenes from the International Space Station with this Google Earth tour. Visit the Columbus Research Laboratory, SpaceX Dragon Docking Vehicle and more!

The Great Barrier Reef This collection of images was part of the first group of 360 images added to Google Maps. You can explore more 360 views through the Google Maps Street View collection.

Expedition Everest Through National Geographic's YouTube 360 collection you can explore the high-mountain environment of Mount Everest and learn how climate change is impacting this place.

Changing Climate, Changing Cities In this virtual field trip from the Nature Conservancy students will explore the connection between water and climate in Shenzen, China and learn about heat islands in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Nature Conservancy Scroll down for 9 more virtual fieldtrips with associated teacher materials

10 Ideas to Do with your Virtual Fieldtrip Scroll down for 10 virtual trip activity ideas

Office of Teaching and Learning (614-365-5727) is located at 3700 S. High St.

Alyse Clark, Executive Director, Teaching and Learning

Kenny Lee, Director of Secondary Curriculum

Katy Myers, Secondary Curriculum Supervisor

Heather Allen, K-5 Coordinator, hallen704@columbus.k12.oh.us

Jennifer Nord, 6-12 Science Coordinator, jnord5257@columbus.k12.oh.us

Geri Granger, K-12 Spruce Run Coordinator, ggranger9556@columbus.k12.oh.us