On the fourth of every month, BOCES 4 Science will send you the latest news, updates, resources and more about science education. B4S is thrilled to support you in making a lasting impact on students' learning journey.

Happy Fall!

It’s hard to believe that fall is here, and we are more than a month into the school year. This is the time of year that seems to fly by – next thing you know it will be January. I hope you can take time to enjoy the fall weather, visit a pumpkin patch, or just find some time to relax.

My family, like so many classrooms, has established our daily routines that are beginning to feel automatic. Summer seems like yesterday and months ago all at the same time.

At BOCES 4 Science, we continue to engage students in amazing curriculum and teachers in outstanding professional learning. We have been able to talk to many teachers about the opportunities and challenges with NYSSLS – and are sharing our feedback with NYSED.

Please continue to send along feedback regarding our curriculum, supporting resource kits and anything else that could help us improve our product and services. Teachers receiving kits will notice a feedback form that has been included to help us gather even more information.

We are excited to be releasing curriculum enhancements for all units and 3-Dimensional assessments for grades 3-5. Also, an initial, high-level analysis of the 2024 Grade 5 Assessment shows districts using the BOCES 4 Science comprehensive curriculum with fidelity has proficiency rates significantly higher than other districts.

Our goal is to provide the best products and services in science education. Please feel free to reach out to me at smontema@boces4science.org with any questions or needs moving forward.

Thank you for collaborating with BOCES 4 Science. As science and science education become more important than ever, we are honored to be collaborating with you to help prepare your students with the science and engineering skills necessary for the future.

Steven Montemarano

BOCES 4 Science Director

smontema@boces4science.org

• One billion tons of water fall every minute.
• Lightning strikes 8.6 million times per day.
  
• Earth is closest to the sun in the winter at perihelion (which usually occurs in January).
  
• The Coriolis Effect influences weather patterns.
  

The BOCES 4 Science instructional team is well versed in assessment writing including grades 3-5 three-dimensional assessments aligned to performance expectations (PEs). Flexing these skills are beneficial as the expectations are parallel to those from New York State. Additionally, B4S representatives have attended multiple assessment sessions with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Their expertise has been leveraged to assist in writing upcoming state assessments.

To help you, BOCES 4 Science instructors have prepared state-aligned assessments for each of the kits, available in the respective teacher resource page. Click here to view a sneak peek at one of the sample assessment questions.

Time is at a premium and teachers are stretched more than ever. To maximize your time, BOCES 4 Science has developed unit summary and streamlining sheets, in addition to unit management sheets.

Unit summary and streamlining sheets are designed to help classroom teachers prioritize and focus instruction. It is estimated these documents will provide a 20% decrease on average in instructional time. Same great content, smoother delivery!

Unit management sheets provide high-level overviews at a lesson level including the phenomenon/activity, equipment needed and instructional focus. You can spend more time doing and less time worrying about the details!

Documents are available on the password-protected teacher resource page for each respective kit. Check your kits for access information.

To see a preview of a streamlining document, click here.

Investigating Weather and Climate Kit Basics

• Grade Level: 3
• NYSSLS Alignment: Earth and Space Science (ESS2.B, ESS3.D), Engineering Design (ETS1.A, ETS1.B, ETS1.C)
• Major Concepts: Phenomenon of weather, the water cycle, weather-related hazards and climates in different regions

Making Science Engaging Through Student Experiences

A weather investigation is planned and carried out through whole-class collaboration culminating with an individual presentation honing in on the weather and climate at a specific global location.

Did You Know...?

Investigating Weather and Climate is the most popular B4S kit for October. Students in more than 100 classrooms in New York will be participating in this unit.

Online Resources

• Teacher Resources password required
  

BOCES 4 Science is here to help classroom teachers make science engaging and educational. Part of leasing a B4S kit is gaining access to the knowledge of the entire team. To assist in kit implementation, unit professional learning opportunities are free for those who lease the associated kit. Check out the list below for upcoming single, multi-part and in-person sessions, arranged by kit name.

Virtual Single Sessions (Three Hours)

Earth and Space Explorers – Thursday, Nov. 21

Earth's Features - Tuesday, Oct. 29

Made of Matter - Tuesday, Oct. 15

Weather for Kindergarten - Tuesday, Oct. 8

Where are the Wolves? - Thursday, Oct. 10

Virtual Three-Part Series (One Hour Each)

Got Water? - Wednesdays beginning Oct. 23

Riding the Waves of Information – Tuesdays beginning Oct. 22

Toys Matter - Tuesdays beginning Nov. 5

In-Person Trainings

Kindergarten-Focused Training - Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School - March 11

Made of Matter - Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School - Dec. 3

Save the Bees - Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School - March 4

Looking for a training not listed above? Reach out to BOCES 4 Science Assistant Director Lisa Zeznick at lzeznick@boces4science.org.

Want to get an up-close look at the NYSED Science Investigations? BOCES 4 Science instructional specialists are prepared to take these investigations from mystery to clarity. Through a two-day, in-person workshop, you will learn about expectations, best practices for implementation and even get to try out activities. Group discussions about alignment with standards and fitting these labs into your curriculum will also take place.

Regents Life Science: Biology Investigations Workshops

Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES – Oct. 28-29

Genesee Valley BOCES – Nov. 25-26

Regents Earth and Space Science Investigations Workshops

Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES – Oct. 21-22

Genesee Valley BOCES – Nov. 18-19

Sessions fill quickly! Check back in the November issue for additional opportunities.

Through a two-day workshop, grades 6-12 science teachers will be guided through the NYSED model for creating three-dimensional assessments. Leave with practical experience to help you craft your own assessments. Sign up with your department for one of the sessions below and have a collaborative learning experience!

In-Person Trainings

Earth and Space Science - BOCES 4 Science - Nov. 13-14

Life Science: Biology - BOCES 4 Science - Oct. 16-17

Middle School Sciences - Genesee Valley BOCES - Dec. 16-17

Click on the associated icon below to be directed to a digital copy of the current BOCES 4 Science catalogs.