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1
Welcome

• Sign in
• Have a snack
• Chat with a friend
• Mute you cell phone
• Pick up materials
• Make a name tent
• Get ready for the day

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LISD Science Vertical Team

• October 28, 2004

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Agenda

• Housekeeping
• Break the ice
• TEA update
• Review
• Matrix
• Scope and sequence
• Current situation
• Data
• Campus assessment
• Lunch
• A little science
• Assessment
• Safety
• Whats next

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Housekeeping

• Drinks and snacks
• Restrooms
• Breaks
• Our schedule
• Lunch
• PDRC
• Copy machine
• Materials for check out

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Break the Ice

• Three questions
• Three songs

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Purpose

• Improve science teaching and learning in Leander
  ISD

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Responsibilities

• Attendance
• Be here for every meeting
• Participation
• Be actively involved
• Communication
• Share information at campuses
• Teachers--general ed and special ed
• Administration
• Librarians
• Office staff

8
TEA Update
9
Preliminary Cumulative Pass Rate-Grade 11 Exit
LevelSpring 2004-July 2004

• Percent Met Standard
• ELA89
• Mathematics-87
• Social Studies-98
• Science-88
• All Tests Taken-78

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TAKS July 2004 Administration

• More 11th Grade students retook the Science Exit
  Level TAKS than any other subject area.
  NUMBER OF STUDENTS TESTED
• ELA..15,487
• Mathematics...18,146
• Social Studies..3,984
• Science18,530
• Statewide Preliminary Results as of August 2004

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Percent of 11th Grade Students Who Met Standard
in July 04

• Science 49
• Social Studies 71
• ELA 47
• Mathematics 38

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July 2004 Retest in Science

• Of the 18,530 students retested
• 6,812 were male
• 11,699 were female

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Whats New in the TAKS Information Booklets?

• Separate booklets
• No SDAA for TAKS Science at any grade.
  Therefore, the ARD committee can recommend that a
  student take the grades 5,8,10 and exit level, if
  appropriate.

• If the ARD determines that the TAKS Science tests
  are not appropriate for a student, then the
  student may be exempt.
• Exempt students must take a LDAA
• LDAA e.g. portfolio, modified released test.

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Science TAKS Revised
Information Booklets

• Objective 1precise measurementse.g. cylinders
  that are graduated triple-beam balances, lengths
  in centimeters.
• Scientific processes should be taught as part of
  integrated unit.
• Mapping
• Repeated trials may increase reliability of
  results.

• Elementary Grade 5
• Blueprint is listed-- 13 in Objective 1 and 9 in
  Objectives 2-4, and 10 Field Test items 50
  items.
• Reminder dont copy ruler
• EMPHASIS on teaching ALL Student Expectations

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Elementary Science TAKS Revised Information
Booklets

• Objective 2
• Emphasis on Organisms do not consciously adapt
  to their environment. Instead, genetic
  variations allow for adaptations that may or may
  not be an advantage
• Arrow direction in Food Web.

• Objective 3
• Students need hands-on experience with magnets.
• Recognize that a circuit is a system with many
  parts

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Elementary Science TAKS Revised Information
Booklets

• Objective 4
• Students will be expected to be familiar with
  physical characteristics of Earth and the moon,
  but they will not always be expected to compare
  them.

• Examples of flow in 5.11(A) might include mud,
  lava, ice, or water.
• TAKS uses the nine-planet system with planets in
  their relative orbital positions from Sun.
• Objects in the skye.g. planets, comets, stars,
  clouds, lightning.

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Grade 10 and Exit Level

• Limited English proficient (LEP) students can be
  exempted from the grade 10 test.
• But LEP students can receive only a one-time
  postponement from Exit-level.

• Beginning in the 2004-05 school year, all
  students will take 3 years of science.
• Importance of Interdisciplinary units on student
  retention of information.

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Middle School TAKS, Grade 8

• Includes SEs from Grades 6, 7, 8
• 5 Objectives
• A Periodic Table
• A Formula Chart
• New Contractor for Items
• Assessed in Spring 2006
• Field Test scheduled April 18

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Proposed Blueprint forMiddle School TAKS

• Objective 1Nature of Science 14 items
• Objective 2Living Systems and the Environment12
  items
• Objective 3Structures and Properties of Matter6
  items
• Objective 4Motion, Forces, and Energy6 Items
• Objective 5Earth and Space Systems12 items

Total 50 Items
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What Should Teachers Remember About Helping
Students be Prepared For Gr. 5 TAKS?

• Maps
• Novel situations
• Graphic organizers
• Rulers have millimeters
• Carbon cycle (may not be called CO2 Cycle)
• Plants, adaptive characteristics
• Repeatability of trials--important

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Students with Special Needs

• Students with special needs, such as ESL or
  English Language Learners (ELL), should not
  regularly be pulled out of the Science
  instructional time for remediation.
• Struggling students particularly need multiple
  opportunities to learn science concepts in
  different contexts. Science concepts are
  cumulative, and students who miss crucial
  concepts may struggle in later instruction.
• Science teachers in some districts report that
  students needing special assistance are often
  scheduled to receive that help during their
  science period.
• Students who need remedial help in other subjects
  should not be scheduled out of science classes.

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Helping English Learners Increase Achievement
ThroughInquiry-Based Science Instruction

• Olga Maia AmaralLeslie GarrisonMichael
  Klentschy

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ELL and Science

• AbstractThis study summarizes the results of a
  four-year project in science education conducted
  in a rural setting with English learners in
  grades K-6 in the El Centro Elementary School
  District in Southern California. Data were
  collected to measure student achievement in
  science, writing, reading and mathematics for
  participating students. These data were analyzed
  relative to the number of years that students
  participated in kit and inquiry-based science
  instruction that included the use of science
  notebooks. Results indicated that the
  achievement of English learners increased in
  relation to the number of years they participated
  in the project. The longer they were in the
  program, the higher their scores were in science,
  writing, reading and mathematics.

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Leander ISD Update
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NSTA Opportunity

• March 31-April 3
• Dallas
• Early bird registration
• Member--170
• Nonmember--242
• Select five team members
• Two alternates

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Review

• 2003-2004 Accomplishments
• District Vertical Team
• Matrix
• Scope and sequence
• Assessment plan
• Fifth Grade Teachers
• Physical science assessment
• Earth science assessment
• Life science assessment

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Vertical Team Issues

• Curriculum
• Review the matrix
• Revise the scope and sequence
• Instruction
• Inquiry
• Impacting instruction
• Assessment
• Next steps
• Materials
• Review process for replenishing
• Practice TAKS Materials
• Kits
• Safety
• Awareness
• Equipment
• Monitoring

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Current Situation

• Campus assessment
• District data
• TAKS
• Item analysis
• AEIS--state accountability
• AYP--federal NCLB
• November 15
• Campus data

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Leander ISD CIA
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Curriculum

• Matrix
• Proof it
• Hows it working?
• Any changes?
• Scope and sequence
• Hows it going?
• Any changes?

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Halloween Science

• What are your observations?
• How can you explain your observations?
• What are the science concepts?
• What TEKS are addressed?

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Investigable Questions

• Discuss your wonderings
• Write three investigable questions
• What if
• What happens if

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Instruction

• Focus on inquiry
• A minimum of 50 hands on, minds on
• Nature of science embedded within life, physical,
  and earth science
• Integrate with other content areas and technology
  when appropriate
• Use language (speaking, listening, writing, and
  reading) to make meaning

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Science Instruction in LISD

• How can we improve instruction?
• Brainstorm
• Categorize
• Process goal

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Assessment

• Assessment calendar
• Practice TAKS--Nov.1-5
• Physical science--December
• Practice TAKS--Feb. 28-Mar. 1
• Earth science
• Elementary TAKS--April 21
• Life science
• Review/revise assessment plan
• Process goal

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Important Issues
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Materials

• Spring order
• Practice TAKS materials
• PDRC check out
• Kits

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Safety

• Check list
• Campus equipment
• Eye wash
• Fire blanket
• Goggles
• MSDS notebook and CD
• Safety poster
• How can we improve science safety at our
  campuses?
• Process goal

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Whats Next?

• Vertical Team
• Tuesday, December 7
• Tuesday, March 1
• Fifth Grade Science Teachers
• Wednesday, November 10
• Thursday, January 27

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December 7th Meeting

• What should be the focus of our next meeting?
• Process goals
• Agenda
• What do we need do before our next meeting?
• What are your expectations of me?

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Science Matters in Leander ISD