Florida Association of Science Teachers

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Florida Association of Science Teachers October
26, 2007
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What is the Office of Mathematics and Science?

• Established by Commissioner Blomberg February
  2007
• Responsible for implementing K-12 mathematics and
  science standards and education policies that
  improve student achievement and prepare students
  for success
• Website www.fldoestem.org

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What is FCR-STEM?

• Floridas Center for Research in Science,
  Technology Engineering, and Mathematics FCR-STEM
• Announced by Governor Crist February 2007
• Florida State University
• The mission of FCR-STEM is to help the State of
  Florida improve K-12 teaching and learning in
  science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
  and prepare students for higher education and
  STEM careers in the 21st Century.

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Supporting Research

• Elementary Mathematics Curricula
• Individualized Science Instruction
• Professional Development Approaches to
  Reform-based Curriculum
• Texas Instruments Model Districts Program
• Superior Performance in AP
• Technology-based Math Science Instruction

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Supporting Projects

• Standards database and course description tools
• FSU-Teach
• Math and science progress monitoring system
• PD on Content Enhancement Routines
• 20 Internet-based teaching modules

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Projects Supported by Funding and Administrative
Support from the Office of Mathematics and
Science
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Sunshine State Scholars
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Sunshine State Scholars

• This year, the SSSP is developing an on-line
  system for designating the District Scholars. The
  superintendents will be notified of how to use
  the system as soon as it is available. It will be
  operational by November 1, 2007. District offices
  should submit their District Scholars
  information by November 16, 2007.

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MSP Florida Science Partnerships

• 10 MSP Grants were awarded to 8 school districts
• Deliverables will be made available statewide
• For websites and more information, see
• http//www.fldoestem.org/page205.aspx

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State Science Fair

• FL DOE will provide funding to support the State
  Science Fair
• The 2008 fair will be held April 16 18 in
  Lakeland, FL
• More information is available at this website
  http//www.floridassef.net/CURRENT.htm

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Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics
and Science Education

• Congratulations to the 2007 Florida Finalist!
• Robert Dull Lisa Peake
• Palm Harbor University High Wesley Chapel High
• Pinellas County Pasco County
• IB and AP Chemistry Chemistry 9-12
• Allen Phipps
• South Plantation High School
• Broward County
• AP Environmental Science

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Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics
and Science Education

• 2008 Award Process
• teachers in grades K-6
• nomination form and application form will be
  online October/November
• nominations due by February 1, 2008
• applications post marked by May 1, 2008
• web site www.paemst.org

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Naval Aviation Distance LearningNational Museum
of Naval Aviation

• legislative appropriation 2007 2008
• educational outreach for the Flight Adventure
  Deck program
• prototype for a 5.5 day course for 7th 12th
  grade students throughout the state
• web-based program using aviation as the primary
  motivating theme
• In development this year!

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Standards Database

• OMS is working closely with FCR-STEM to develop a
  standards database
• The database will be a resource for teachers and
  curriculum specialists to
• Create lesson plans
• Group and print the new content standards
• Submit new courses
• Other things we havent thought of!

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Floridas New World-class Sunshine State Standards

• World Class Education Standards (WCES) are
  defined as standards by subject area that require
  critical thinking and problem-solving skills,
  foster creativity and innovation, and cultivate
  the acquisition of communication and information
  through the use of contextual and
  applied-learning strategies that promote global
  competitiveness.
• When implemented through quality instruction and
  content, these standards prepare all students to
  compete internationally at their highest levels.

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Why World-ClassModeled From the Best of the Best

• Mathematics
• Singapore top on TIMSS
• Finland top on PISA
• Massachusetts, California, Indiana standards A
• National Council Teachers of Mathematics
• K 8 Focal Points Big Ideas

• Science
• General Topic Tracing Maps, top TIMSS Nations
• NAEP Framework
• AAAS materials
• Massachusetts
• National Research Council

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Standards Timelines

• Science
• Began May 2007
• Adoption Jan. 2008
• 2007-2008 Transition year
• New course descriptions
• Standards cross walk
• Text book alignment
• 2008-2009 Implementation, access points utilized
  for alternative assessment
• 2011-2012 Assessment

• Mathematics
• Began September 2006
• Adopted September 2007
• Access points utilized for alternative assessment
  in 2008
• 2007-2008 Transition year
• New course descriptions
• Standards cross walk
• Text book alignment
• 2008-2009 Implementation
• 2010-2011 Assessment

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Why do our children need world-class science
standards?
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Two findings from the 2006 National Research
Council report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm

• Americans may not know enough about science and
  technology to contribute to the emerging
  knowledge-based economy.
• Rise in new international competitors in science
  and engineering is forcing the US to ask whether
  our current education system can meet the demands
  of the 21st century.
• NRC, 2006 Rising Above the Gathering Storm,
  pp 94-95

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The US lags behind other leading industrialized
nations in producing college graduates with first
degrees in science and engineering.
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Floridas Agency for Workforce Innovation, labor
market statistics project

• 78 of Floridas fastest growing occupations
  will require post-secondary certification by
  2014, most of which will require vocational
  certification.
• By 2030, 87 of job demand in Florida
  will require post secondary certification,
  with over a fourth requiring a Masters- level
  or higher.

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According to Achieve Inc., world-class science
instruction empowers students to

• maximize employment opportunities in a global
  economy driven by science and technology
• participate in a democracy in the context of
  a global society and
• make informed decisions as a consumer, e.g.,
  on health care and retirement planning.

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According to Schmidt et al. (2001), the typical
8th grade science student in the US is required
to cover far more topics than those in the A
TIMSS countries.
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How do Floridas current K-8 standards compare
with world-class models
1The 2009 NAEP science framework encompasses
grades 1-8 2Singapore begins science instruction
at grade 3 and continues for a total of six
years through lower secondary. 3Finlands science
standards encompass grades 1-9
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General Topic Trace Mapping (GTTM) of the A
TIMSS countries vs. US
A countries
21 U.S.states including Florida
(Schmidt et al. 2005)
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General Topic Trace Mapping (GTTM) of the A
TIMSS countries vs. US (cont.)
A countries
21 U.S.states including Florida
(Schmidt et al. 2005)
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What do these curriculum mappings reveal about
K-8 science topic coverage in Florida and the US
as compared to the TIMSS A countries?

• The A countries tend to introduce few new topics
  in each grade level and then develop those
  incrementally in each subsequent grade (staggered
  spiral).
• Florida and other states often front-load complex
  topics like types of forces and weather
  climate in early elementary grades, and then
  devote sparse if any coverage to them in
  subsequent grades.

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What does this mean?

• Fewer topics per grade, less repetition from year
  to year
• Move from covering topics to teaching them
  in-depth for long term learning and building
  connections
• Teachers will need to know how to introduce each
  new topic at the concrete level and move to the
  abstract and then connect it to other and more
  complex topics
• Students inquire, experiment, build, draw, make
  connections, write, and explain

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How do the Proposed 9-12 Bodies of Knowledge
compare to the existing Science Standards?
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Terms in the 1996 and proposed 2008 Standards

• 1996
• Standards
• Grade Band
• Strand
• Benchmark
• Grade Level Expectation

• 2008
• Standards
• Body of Knowledge
• Supporting Idea
• Big Idea
• Access Points
• Benchmark

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How do the number of K-8 GLEs from the proposed
2008 Sunshine State Science Standards compare to
the current ones?
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Coding Scheme
Kindergarten through Grade 8
Secondary
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Access Points Coding Scheme
Kindergarten through Grade 8
Secondary
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How does more time to devote to fewer benchmarks
enhance instruction?

• Provides opportunities for teachers to elicit
  prior conceptions.
• Provides students more time to observe, formulate
  investigable questions, and explore scientific
  phenomena.
• Provides additional time for teachers to
  incorporate Nature of Science as well as History
  and Philosophy of Science into their lessons.
• Provides additional time to for students to
  reflect upon their prior conceptions in light of
  the investigations and activities that comprise
  the content unit.

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Sample Benchmark from the proposed 5th grade
standards

• Benchmark SC.5.P.8.3
• Demonstrate that without touching, material
  that has been electrically
• charged pulls or pushes on other materials.

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Sample Investigation for introducing SC.5.P.8.3

• Tear of a 8 strip of transparent tape
• and stick it to the table or desk top. This
  will be the base strip.
• Tear off a test strip of tape from 6 to 8 long
  and fold a small section at one end to serve as a
  non-sticky pull tab as shown

Non-sticky tab

• Lay the test strip, sticky side down on top of
  the
• base strip.

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Sample Investigation for introducing SC.5.P.8.3
(cont.)

• Grasp the pull tab on your test strip and slowly
  pull it free of the base strip. Try to keep the
  hanging end of the tape free from your hand or
  other objects as you pull it free.
• Investigate what happens when you bring the strip
  near other objects like your other hand or other
  objects in the room.
• Record your observations of the behavior of your
  test strip when you bring it near other objects.

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Sample Investigation for introducing SC.5.P.8.3
(cont.)

• Predict what you think would happen if you and
  your partner each pull a test strip from the base
  strip and bring them near.
• Pull a second strip and observe what happens.
  Record your observations.
• Explain your results. Do they agree with your
  prediction?
• Investigate ways to pull two test strips so that
  you get a different result. Explore and list
  any techniques that result in a different
  reaction.
• 11. Explain your results.

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Where can I view the draft standards and provide
input?

• On the web http//flstandards.org
• Town meetings
• Leon County Nov. 7, 530 to 7 PM State
  Library RA Gray Building
• Orange County Nov. 15, 530 to 7 PM Jones
  High School
• Others (TBD) Broward, Duval, and Hillsborough
  Counties

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Support Math Science Partnership Grants
Fldoestem.org

• Math Matters!
• On-line PD for teachers, digital materials
• Floridas Next Round of Math Science
  Partnership Funding
• 8 million for each of three years will be
  dedicated to teacher professional development on
  the new standards

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Send Us Your Star Scientist or Mathematician to
Place

• HERE!