Grades 6-12

Secondary Science Coordinator

Email: jnord5257@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: ccsoh.us/science
Location: 3700 South High Street, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: (380) 997-0466
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusCitySchools/

We had our 2nd training session for the new standards by O.D.E. on January 13th. We will then not train again until May. Once we have trained on the new standards and model curriculum, we will work out a system to assist you all with integrating the new standards. What we are learning is that it is essential to teach the standards by incorporating the Nature of Science and the Cognitive Demands.

We spent a great deal of time during the day learning about the benefits of student discourse and how to incorporate it into our lessons. We accomplished this through an activity where each participant received an artifact; created questions about the article; decided on 1 question per team; researched that question to determine claim, evidence & reasoning; shared out our findings full group. After each presentation, the participants in the room had the opportunity to ask questions or comment. This would also be a great way to front load vocabulary.

http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/education-and-outdoor-discovery/conservation-education-project-wild

To consider the Nature of Science, we were given chapter one of the book Welcome to Beautiful Parkersburg, West Virginia. We were to decide what would be science and what would not (such as ethics, socio-economic standing, emotions).

https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/welcome-to-beautiful-parkersburg/

As homework, we are asked to read Chapter 11 Equity and Diversity in the Framework:

https://www.nap.edu/read/13165/chapter/16#285

Content Experts and Department Chairs had a joint meeting on January 14th to discuss how to incorporate the 2020 Census into our curriculum. Each teacher must integrate a lesson. All the discipline representatives met in whole group initially. We learned from a Census presenter......

We then split into our separate disciplines. The Census department has developed some very good lessons. They do not have any classified as science. Below is a link to a sheet that gives some suggestions of these activities that you might be able to utilize in science. Most of them would have to do with collecting data, graphing, and analyzing data. Lessons should be completed by April.

Please be sure to check with the other teachers in your grade to make sure that you are not duplicating the activities they have chosen.

The Orton Geological Museum Open House: In celebration of the 150th anniversary of The Ohio State University please come visit the Orton Geological Museum, our doors are wide open! You won't be able to believe your eyes when you take a behind the scenes tour in our collection rooms. Hang out with Jeff the Giant Ground Sloth, and Cryolophosaurus elliot, and their fossil gang. Our museum scientists will be here to show you real rocks, minerals, and fossils, and answer your questions. From exploring the exhibit gallery to climbing the bell tower, visiting the gift shop and its new items, or just watching paleontologists prepare, and 3D print fossils this will be a family fun event you won't want to miss!

Want more sciences? Don't worry more researchers from the School of Earth Sciences will be there to share their science with you! Both Mendenhall Lab and Orton Hall will be open for you to explore the world of earth sciences.

Come anytime between 10am-2pm on March 21st!

https://earthsciences.osu.edu/events/orton-geological-museum-open-house

Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation: Conservation Poster Competition

This contest is open to students K-12. This year's topic is: Pollinators

See link below for details.

Ohio Corn Education - Feed the World:

-Speaking of water quality.....Here comes H2Ohio!

Gov. Mike DeWine has a plan to help Ohio's water—to help reduce harmful algal blooms, ensure clean water in disadvantaged communities, and prevent lead contamination in daycare centers and schools. “H2Ohio is a dedicated, holistic water quality plan that has long-lasting solutions,” said Governor DeWine. “It addresses the causes of the problems and not just the symptoms.”

The plan includes phosphorus reduction best practices for farmers. Through a certification process, H2Ohio will provide economic incentives to farmers who develop a nutrient management plan that includes a combination of the best practices, including:

• Soil Testing
• Variable-rate fertilization
• Subsurface nutrient application
• Manure incorporation
• Conservation crop rotation
• Cover crops
• Drainage water management
• Edge-of-field buffers
• Wetlands

Learn more about these practices and soil and water management with our free science curriculum! Come to our summer workshop to get supplies and hands-on experience with great activities!

-Four ExploreAg Camps in 2020

Ohio is projected to have 18,000 new jobs in agriculture through 2020. Your freshmen, sophomores, and juniors can explore ag careers in these great free camps!

Students will interact with and learn directly from teachers, scientists and researchers. Subject areas include food science, precision agriculture, animal sciences, natural resources, management skills, technology, and agricultural business. In addition to the classroom experience, scholars will participate in field experiences that highlight cutting-edge research and meet industry partners to provide a glimpse of various careers in related fields. There will also be sessions focused on soft skills such as interviewing, resume building and public speaking to prepare participants for the workforce. Learn more here.

COSI Big Science Celebration Saturday: May 9, 2020

The 2020 COSI Science Festival culminates in an exciting and fun celebration of science along the Peninsula surrounding COSI. This FREE event will include dynamic experiments, incredible demonstrations, and engaging hands-on activities hosted by Franklin County’s own science, technology, engineering and mathematics focused organizations.

Ohio River Foundation—School Programs:

Ohio River Foundation offers a variety of educational programs for schools and youth groups. Students climb into rivers to study fish, macroinvertebrates and water quality as part of the River Explorer Program. Ohio River Foundation can also bring their Mussels in the Classroom program, a freshwater mussel husbandry experience, right to your school!

Additional information about these school programs (and others) including registration information can be found at:

https://www.ohioriverfdn.org/education/school_programs/index.html

Environmental Film Series at The Ohio State University Earthrise and Earth Days:

February 11, 2020

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Looking back to 20 million people participating April 22, 1970. Eyewitness remembrances. Seeing Earth from space for the first time. An Ohio State student will ask: How can we have an Earth worth celebrating in 2070?

*There are more environmental films to enjoy at The Ohio State University. The 5th Environmental Film Se-ries begins January 21, 2020. Participation is free and all are welcome. Details can be found at:

https://epn.osu.edu/https%3A/epn.osu.edu/events/calendar/environmental-film-series

OSU Translational Data Analytics Summer Camp for Girls: The Translational Data Analytics Institute hosts a free summer camp that introduces 30 young women in grades 8-10 to data science and analytics–an exciting, fast-growing field centered on scientific methods and processes for extracting new knowledge from data. Students who learn these skills can combine them with an unimaginably wide range of interests, from business and biology to health care and education, to city planning and social services–and they are in high demand by employers. Check this website for registration information: https://tdai.osu.edu/summer-camp/?utm_campaign=umar_faculty-staff-newsletter_fy20_oncampus%20today%2020191209&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EOACLK

It's not too late! Do your students have an interest in going green? Do they care about our watersheds? Students for Zero Waste Week: During this campaign, students focus on reducing land-based waste in order to protect the health of local marine environments. These young leaders are raising awareness of how single-use plastic and other types of litter affect the health of local watersheds, national marine sanctuaries, and the ocean. In addition, some schools are looking at ways to reduce their energy use on campus with hopes of raising awareness of how the burning of fossil fuels also impacts the health of the ocean. https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/ocean_guardian/zero-waste-week/

International Field Studies, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Columbus operating a field station on Andros island in the Bahamas. They work with many other schools in neighboring school districts across Ohio and would like to reach out to us with a professional development opportunity. They are hosting a field-based Climate Change Course with Wright State University in July of 2020 and would love to extend this opportunity for professional development including graduate level college credits or CEU hours to the teachers in our district. See the attached flyer below with additional information. Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions. You may also contact Professor William Slattery for details or application instructions: william.slattery@wright.edu.

April is Ohio Native Plant Month. This past summer, House Bill 59 of the 133rd OH General Assembly was signed into law, designating April as Ohio Native Plant Month. With this

legislation, the state of Ohio became one of the first states in the country to designate one month each year to recognize native plants and the essential role they play.

https://www.ohionativeplantmonth.org/

EECO 2020 Annual Conference

“EE 2020 The Vision of the Future”

April 3-5, 2020

Hueston Woods State Park, Oxford, OH

http://www.eeco-online.org/

1960s: Americans becoming aware of the impacts of pollution on the environment

 1962: Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” was published.

 June 1969: Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, OH catches on fire. Although the river had caught fire several times prior to 1969, an article in Time magazine, brought national attention to the issue.

 1969: Senator Gaylord Nelson developed and announced the idea for Earth Day.

 April 22, 1970: 20 million Americans (10% of the total population of the US at the time) assembled for the common purpose of raising awareness about environmental issues and rallying for a healthy, sustainable environment.

 December 1970: Environmental Protection Agency is established to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment– air, water and land.

 1970: Clean Air Act of 1970 was enacted and authorized the development of federal and state regulations to limit emissions.

 1972: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 was amended and became the Clean Water Act.

 1973: 80 nations sign the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The United States Congress passed the Endangered Species Act.

Franklin Soil and Water’s annual Conservation Mini-Grant program offers up to $2000 to three non-profits that demonstrate the need and ability to carry out on-the-ground conservation projects. Example projects include:

 Rainwater storage/harvesting with rain barrels/cisterns

 Reducing or slowing stormwater runoff by planting rain gardens or buffer zones

 Green infrastructure with blue or green roofs, underground detention and pervious surfaces

 Streambank or riparian zone stabilization/revegetation

 Landscaping and gardening with native trees and plants

 Invasive species removal

 Habitat improvement such as litter collection, addition of wildlife shelter(s), bird houses or pollinator sites

 Soil improvements such as the addition of compost, green manures or cover crops

Applications are being accepted through February 28, 2020

Please visit https://www.franklinswcd.org/conservation-mini-grants for the grant application and award details.

The ENVIROTHON is an interactive, outdoor competition designed to stimulate, reinforce and enhance interest in the environment and natural resources among high school students. The Envirothon tests students’ knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, current environmental issues and encourages cooperative decision-making and team building. While each student on a team is challenged to contribute his or her personal best, the score that counts at the end is the team score.

In Ohio, the Envirothon is sponsored by the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD). Five “Area Envirothons” are conducted around Ohio late each spring. The top four teams from each of these Area competitions progress to the state contest in June.

Area 5 Envirothon Competition

Tuesday, May 5th

Slate Run Metro Park, Pickaway County

Theme: “Water Resource Management: Local Control and Local Solutions”

Franklin SWCD is able to provide presentations & resource materials to teams.

Registration Deadline: March 25th

Find more information about the area contest on our website:

https://www.franklinswcd.org/envirothon

Past tests and scores are available on the Area 5 Envirothon website:

https://www.area5envirothon.org/

NewsELA: Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the articles as they will have 3 more articles on the topic that might interest you.

-Phase Changes between States of Matter: https://tinyurl.com/tshxpzp

-What Is a Chemical Reaction: https://tinyurl.com/vxkm2jg

-There Are Three Phases of Matter: https://tinyurl.com/vmv6gco

-What Is the Visible Light Spectrum: https://tinyurl.com/t8gey28

-What Is Fire: https://tinyurl.com/qqz9pfn

-Density and Buoyancy: https://tinyurl.com/vwtetfo

Education Week:

-Teachers, the Robots Are Coming: https://tinyurl.com/uzajyze

-Good Sleep Habits for Test Performance: https://tinyurl.com/wslklrp

-How Teenagers See Climate Change: https://tinyurl.com/r9mqapn

-Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: https://tinyurl.com/u2qnkfq

-What Teachers Can Do to Boost Student Motivation: https://tinyurl.com/vhs22q4

-Promise and Pitfalls of AI and Personalized Learning: https://tinyurl.com/rqbd9pv

-Project-Based Learning: https://tinyurl.com/swqy72e

-How Much Should Teachers Talk in the Classroom: https://tinyurl.com/vzly6cl

-Lesson Sharing Websites Have Poor Quality Materials: https://tinyurl.com/vr7scpc

-Flexible Seating: Pros and Cons: https://tinyurl.com/ueb98dp

ReturntoNow: France Bans Pesticides: https://tinyurl.com/y4o73quj

UniLad: Bees Most Important Living Thing on Earth: https://tinyurl.com/u9flmqj

Ditch That Textbook: 4 Test Quiz Strategies: https://tinyurl.com/suvxucb

SunnySkyz: Planes Can Plant 1 Billion Trees per Year: https://tinyurl.com/tcyaury

Have some BAR magnets that need to be remagnitized? We now have a machine to do that. Just let Jenny know!

PBS:

Climate Change Lesson Plan: https://tinyurl.com/s93fhjj

Exploring Melting Glaciers Video Series: https://tinyurl.com/uh9zjpo

Drought Impacts and Solutions Activities: https://tinyurl.com/vn79fwp

26 Climate Literacy Videos and Activities: https://tinyurl.com/qm2xygb

PASCO: Video Lending Library: https://www.pasco.com/resources/video?q=chemistry

Carolina Biological: Optics of the Human Eye Activity: https://tinyurl.com/v5zvxbe

TPT Freebie: Dominant and Recessive Worksheets: https://tinyurl.com/w3p8cvv

TPT Freebie: Ionic Compounds Formula Activity Using Ion Dice: https://tinyurl.com/s4bhoo2

TPT Freebie: Periodic Table Scavenger Hunt Puzzle: https://tinyurl.com/ug4xyed

TPT Freebie: MS Leap Day Puzzles: https://tinyurl.com/tc2b3ba

TPT Freebie: Making Inferences Sample Assessments: https://tinyurl.com/urcxoxh

TPT Freebie: Scientific Vocabulary Graphic Organizer: https://tinyurl.com/vtfonso

TeacherTube: Albert Einstein Music Video: https://tinyurl.com/rdbhd7m

Hooked on Science: Teabag Rocket Video: https://tinyurl.com/vzeu3mo

Feed the World: Water Quality Activities: https://tinyurl.com/uep489k

Feed the World: Water Quality Unit Link: https://tinyurl.com/r9js3ea

Ditch That Textbook: 10 Social Media Inspired Learning Activities: http://ditchthattextbook.com/10-social-media-inspired-learning-activities-no-accounts-necessary/

Are you an Edcite user and in a tested subject: https://www.edcite.com/collection-air-practice-assignments-2019-2020-ohio

7th grade teachers: We have changed the way you get the energy bike. It is now delivered to you by delivery services. I HIGHLY recommend this experience for your students as it is an excellent 'transfer of energy' example. If you are teaching the products from OEP, then this coordinates well. Go to the webpage for the energy bike resource, https://www.ccsoh.us/Page/2678, and on the right side you will find a pull-down menu with a tutorial, video, lessons, and reservation form. If you need to have someone come help you set it up, please contact Jenny Nord.

We need to continue to be mindful about safety in our classrooms/labs. Please be sure to have a physical copy of the SDS for any chemicals in your storage and have a copy of that filed in the office listed for your room. Should the fire department ever have to come, they need to know with which chemicals they are dealing.

Make sure you are considering all safety precautions with your labs and activities. Please do NOT use any chemicals or equipment with which you are not familiar or do not have the lab facility to safely use. This would include proper storage and storage facilities.

For middle school, we are asking that you do not have any chemicals in your rooms that carry a safety warning higher than 0-1 for fire, health, and instability; even if you are only using this chemical for a demonstration. The issue is that middle schoolers can be unpredictable and many of our middle school rooms simply don't have the proper storage facilities that are necessary to maintain safety.

February 15th Family Event:

We will be looking for scientific evidence to determine what animals are awake during the winter months. Do you have what it takes to become a nature detective? Need more practice? Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz02S-CizAU To register for this event CCS students and families can go to http://www.ccsoh.us/engagement

Spruce Run Nature Center is an excellent resource for outdoor education. What a wonderful experience for your students this year! Contact Geri Granger if you are interested in having an experience with your class. Make sure to save your date early in the school year as fall and spring dates fill up quickly.

Spruce Run offers public programming 1 Saturday a month! Please visit this link to see all the opportunities:

https://www.smore.com/084ux-spruce-run-environmental-center

This is a new experience for our middle schools for summer. We are planning on having 7 different sites with 7 different themes. The students will follow the Past Foundations P3 model (Problems, Projects, Product). Be on the lookout for the job description and offerings. Anyone with any licensure can apply. It is more about your interest in the topic and bringing your discipline knowledge to that topic. As we finalize plans, I will keep you updated.

Remember...if you use any lab or activity that you find online, be sure to follow all safety guidelines. Make sure that it is safe and appropriate to our safety guidelines before you ever attempt it. Also, be certain that it aligns with the standards.

HS Valentines Day Chemistry ACS: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/activities/valentines-activities.html

MS Valentines Day Science Activities: https://www.teachhub.com/more-chemistry-valentines-day-science-activities

MS Science Experiments for Valentines Day: https://creeksidelearning.com/cool-science-experiments/

Remember...if you use any lab or activity that you find online, be sure to follow all safety guidelines. Make sure that it is safe and appropriate to our safety guidelines before you ever attempt it. Also, be certain that it aligns with the standards.

TeachRock: The Science and Civics of the Flint Water Crisis https://tinyurl.com/wjpphss ***Note the warning about the video language

ScienceNetLinks: http://sciencenetlinks.com/collections/black-history-month/ Several different lessons for different subjects in science

Scholastic: https://tinyurl.com/rztlr8c 5 STEM lessons to celebrate Black History Month

Science Buddies: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/black-history-month-scientists Learn about these 19 black scientists

Remember...if you use any lab or activity that you find online, be sure to follow all safety guidelines. Make sure that it is safe and appropriate to our safety guidelines before you ever attempt it. Also, be certain that it aligns with the standards.

Science Buddies: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/great-ideas-for-engineers-week-1

12 great ideas for engineers week activities.

STEMJobs: http://edu.stemjobs.com/engineers-week-activities/ Activity ideas for each day of the week

STEMJobs: https://edu.stemjobs.com/5-more-activities-for-national-engineers-week/ 5 more activities for engineering week (click on pages at bottom)

ScienceNetLinks: http://sciencenetlinks.com/collections/national-engineers-week/ Lessons by grade level for engineering week

Office of Teaching and Learning (614-365-5727) is located at 3700 S. High St. Come down and visit us!

Sandee Donald, Executive Director, Teaching and Learning

Alyse Clark, Director of Secondary Curriculum

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