Administrators Academy

1

• Administrators Academy
• for Science Excellence
• April 4th, 2009
• Libby Strong, West Virginia-Handle On Science
  Project Director
• strongli_at_westliberty.edu
• West Liberty State College SMART-Center
• 1610 Warwood Avenue
• Wheeling, WV 26003
• Nancy Holdsworth, NBCT
• New Manchester Elementary
• nholdswo_at_access.k12.wv.us

2
Research in How People Learn

• Learners come to class with preconceptions
• Learners need to develop deep factual
  understanding based in conceptual framework - Big
  Ideas
• Learners set goals and analyze progress toward
  them
• BSCS presentation, NSTA, March 19, 2009
  Creating a Culture of Inquiry

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What are Characteristics of Science That Set the
Stage For Learning?

• Scientists believe that the world is
  understandable
• It is not a search for truth but to explain and
  predict how the world works
• Employs logical reasoning
• Science is about sense making
• BSCS presentation, NSTA, March 19, 2009
  Creating a Culture of Inquiry

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Science Inquiry Modules Problem-based Learning
Experiences

• based on four (4) kit-based science modules per
  grade level that are developmentally appropriate
  in the following science integrated disciplines
  Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth
  Science.

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SIMPLE Kits

• Each kit contains all of the materials, both
  consumable and non consumable, necessary for the
  unit.
• These kits will be stored, refurbished, collected
  and delivered by staff at an established
  warehouse. That is key to this initiative.
• The instructional materials in the modules are
  not intended to replace textbooks already in the
  classroom but to augment texts with rich hands-on
  exercises integrating rigorous mathematics and
  science content.

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Characteristics of Kits

• Each module takes the students through an
  in-depth study of the topic, highlighting key
  science concepts and relevant major themes.
• Students will emulate real scientists
• Activities in the program can be integrated with
  other content areas.

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Assessment

• Assessment for learning will be embedded with
  measurement and accountability.
• Formative
• Culminating
• There is a excellent correlation between the
  concepts presented in the kits and the WV Content
  Standards and Objectives.

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Prototypes for Statewide Program

• The modules will be modeled using the prototype
  from the Delaware Science Coalition and WV Handle
  on Science with support of the June Harless
  Center at Marshall and the SMART-Center at West
  Liberty.
• Ten years of research and resources from the West
  Virginia Handle on Science Project (WVHOS), a
  previously funded by a National Science
  Foundation grant in West Virginias RESA 6, will
  be utilized and four elementary science programs
  
• Science and Technology for Children (STC)
  developed by National Science Resource Center
• Insights, an elementary hands on inquiry science
  curriculum by Educational Development Center
  (EDC)
• Elementary Globe, published by University
  Corporation for Atmospheric Research and NASA
  and the
• Full Option Science System (FOSS) developed by
  Delta Education.

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Goal for SIMPLE Project

• To bring this program to all counties, train
  every elementary teacher and have every child
  doing science in every classroom at all grade
  levels.

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How the Statewide Plan Will Work

• Organize the Master Trainers
• Add technology, make GLOBE connections, and use
  assessments
• Trained 62 master trainers 2008
• 2009 increase to 500
• 2010 increase to 700
• 2011 increase to 900

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Barbara Black Video

• http//wvde.state.wv.us/professional-development/m
  odel-classrooms/videos/?vidbarbarablack.flv

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Master Trainer Quote

• I just wanted to be in touch to say thank you
  for making me very popular with students and
  parents this year. They are absolutely thrilled
  with the FOSS Air and Weather Science unit. It's
  highly experiential, has just the right rigor for
  our second-grade friends and most often involves
  discovery processes, i.e., I'm not telling our
  friends what they need to know I just help
  clarify what they have found for themselves
  through experimentation. It really has all the
  bells and whistles and is just great fun to
  teach. I really am glad you invited me to join
  the SIMPLE team! Thank you

13

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceThe Beginning
1997

• Need for Professional Development (PD) and
  materials existed in K-6
• Built on existing projects addressing grades 7-10
• Connection to Making Science Make Sense (Bayer
  Corp.)
• West Liberty State College (WLSC) SMART-Center
  provided professional development for regional
  teachers and personnel
• Infrastructure present with Science Center as
  hub, Bayer as partner, Northern Regional
  Consortium (NRC) as link to five counties of WV
  Northern Panhandle through RESA 6
• Writing and planning teams chosen by NRC
• Pilot with PD and materials implementation
• Funded in June 1998 through NSF Local Systemic
  Change (LSC) Initiative
• Project CATS Leaders utilized as Project Mentors
  in year one

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceCommon Goals and
Objectives

• Increase science literacy of elementary school
  children by
• Providing intensive, sustained Professional
  Development (PD) in content, pedagogy, and
  assessment for all elementary teachers of science
• Implement standards based curriculum K-6
• Create and maintain a centralized materials
  management system housed at the WLSC SMART-Center
• Serve as a pilot program for the entire state of
  West Virginia

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Key
Accomplishments

• Standards based curriculum
• Science kits from Full Option Science System
  (FOSS) developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science,
  Science and Technology for Children (STC)
  developed through the National Science Resources
  Center, and Insights - developed by Education
  Development Center. All are inquiry centered
  programs designed with NSF instructional
  materials development funds.
• Network of local leaders
• Project mentors, lead teachers, science resource
  teachers, Science (SMART) Center staff
• Broad participation in sustained professional
  development
• Summer institutes, round table discussions,
  follow-up sessions, lead teacher and project
  mentor trainings, and administrator workshops

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Key
Accomplishments

• Connections to pre-service preparation
• West Liberty State College (WLSC) Science Methods
  courses and Physical Science For Elementary
  Teachers use program and resources
• Connections to Informal Science Education
• Oglebay Good Zoo, Schrader Environmental
  Education Center, and WLSC SMART-Center design
  field trip experiences to correlate to kit themes
• Assistance to Teachers applying for Awards /
  Honors
• National Board Certification
• Presidential Award for Excellence in Science
  Teaching
• Other educational honors

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceStandards Based
Curriculum

• Approximately 500 kits on average are sent from
  Materials Center every seven weeks with a two
  week refurbishment time in between rotations.
• In 2004, 84 of the teachers responded true or
  very true to the statement teachers are well
  supplied with materials for investigative science
  instruction compared to 53 in 1998.

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Standards based
curriculum

• Evidence indicates that teachers are regularly
  utilizing the designated kits.
• Results on the Horizon Research questionnaire
  indicate that 87 of teachers are using the full
  set of kits for their grade level.
• 48 report teaching almost all the lessons in the
  kits another 32 report teaching at least half
  the lessons.
• 74 of the teachers reported being satisfied with
  the kits at a level 4 or 5 only 3 were
  dissatisfied at level 1.
• 83 reported feeling comfortable using the kits
  (24 of these felt they could do a better job
  with implementation).

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Network of local
leaders

• Building on the base developed by Project CATS,
  the LSC built a cadre of Project Mentors who
  embrace the project vision and have skills to
  deliver effective professional development
• Lead Teachers are in place at all 43 project
  schools at present
• Additional Project Mentors have been trained to
  lead grade level workshops
• Science (SMART) Center staff are available as
  resources

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceBroad
Participation in Sustained Professional
Development

• Components of PD
• Use of standards-based curriculum materials as
  focus of PD
• Content enhancement with scientists from colleges
  and universities
• Lead Teacher and Project Mentor workshops
• Roundtables and Follow-up sessions
• Summer Institutes and school year sessions
• Implementation support through Science Resource
  Teachers

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Broad
participation in sustained professional
development

• Nearly 93 of over 500 teachers that were
  teaching science achieved over 100 hours of
  professional development through the projects
  activities.
• Many of the teachers have garnered over 200 hours
  through participation in a variety of roundtable
  discussion groups and affiliated professional
  development workshops such as READ SCIENCE and
  Math Applications with Physics Integration for
  Teachers (ITQ Grants)

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Broad
participation in sustained professional
development

• 95 of teachers attending WV-HOS Summer
  Institutes responded true or very true to the
  statement WV-HOS has made a significant
  difference in the way I teach science.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceThe Five E Model

• Engage Some phenomenon catches a students
  interest. Student mentally focuses on a problem,
  situation, or event.
• Explore Observations are made or actions taken
  to provide additional experience with the
  phenomenon. Students interact with materials and
  with one another in collaborative work.
• Explain An effort is made to incorporate the
  phenomenon into the students prior experience
  common terms are provided related to the
  phenomenon.
• Elaborate Additional experimentation is
  performed to develop deeper understanding
  further experiences extend or clarify.
• Evaluate The information obtained is evaluated
  for understanding. Class discussion,
  questioning, or a variety of formal or informal
  assessments can provide the information.
  Evaluation is both formative and summative.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceBenefits of using
the Five E Model

• Students become interested in the phenomenon and
  are likely to be motivated.
• Students are more likely to take ownership of
  what they are learning.
• Students are able to engage in a higher level of
  social interaction.
• Students feel more rewarded for their efforts
  by gaining a deeper understanding.

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Broad
participation in sustained professional
developmentTeacher Preparedness

• From the Horizon questionnaire results in 1998
  to the results of 2003, notable differences were
  observed in teacher responses related to
  preparedness in teaching various subjects.
  Percentages of teachers who reported feeling
  very well prepared in the following disciplines
  follow
• 1998 2003 Change
• Reading/Language Arts 80 78 -2.5
• Mathematics 71 73 2.8
• Social Studies 44 46 4.5
• Science 21 42 100.0

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Broad
participation in sustained professional
developmentImprovements in instructional
behaviors

• In 1999 Classroom observations by the WV-HOS
  external evaluator indicated instructional
  strategies consistent with investigative science
  in 50 of the lessons observed.
• In 2003 Instructional strategies consistent with
  investigative science increased to 81 of the
  lessons observed.
• Overall lesson ratings improved from 60
  receiving high ratings in 1999 to nearly 94 by
  2003.

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West Virginia-Handle On Science Broad
participation in sustained professional
developmentParticipant Reflections

• Its affected not only science but other areas,
  too, because you use a lot of inquiry-based
  methods, like prediction, that you can use in
  math, in reading, it filters through the entire
  curriculum. Its changed my whole approach to
  teaching.
• I was afraid to teach science, and I wasnt
  quite sure how to do it. Handle on Science has
  changed this, and I now feel very confident with
  the science curriculum. I spend much more time
  teaching science than I ever did before.
•  
• I am doing more hands-on science and an
  inquiry-based approach. There is a whole new
  outlook on science in my classroom (from both
  students and teacher) and my test scores indicate
  this also!

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceRESA-6 Science
Data For Grades 3 to 6

• 80 of RESA-6 students scored higher than the
  state average on the 2004 WESTEST Science
  Assessment
• 85 of RESA-6 students scored higher than the
  state average on the 2005 WESTEST Science
  Assessment
• 2006, 2007, and 2008 RESA-6 students scored
  higher than the state average on the WESTEST
  Science Assessment

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West Virginia-Handle On Science
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West Virginia-Handle On Science
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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceConnections to
Pre-Service Preparation

• WV-Handle On Science Project and West Liberty
  State College are highlighted in the Bayer Facts
  of Science Education X report (May 2004) for
  connections between science education reform
  efforts and pre-service teacher preparation.
• Training Kits and WV-HOS pedagogy are utilized in
  WLSC Methods courses and Physical Science For
  Elementary Teachers (PHYS 340).

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceWLSC Materials
and Methods Course

• WLSC Preservice Teachers using Structures Of Life
  science kit in Materials and Methods Course.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceWLSC Materials
and Methods Course

• WLSC Preservice Teachers using Structures Of Life
  science kit in Materials and Methods Course.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceConnections to
Informal Science Education

• On-Site at the SMART-Center
• INSERT SMART-Center Pics HERE
• Choose 3-4 images

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceConnections to
Informal Science Education

• On-Site at the WLSC SMART-Center

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceConnections to
Informal Science Education

• Off-Site

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceAssistance to
Teachers Applying for Awards/Honors

• Quote from National Board Certified Teacher
• I just wanted you to know how useful the
  professional development material from the WV-HOS
  Workshops was in my National Board application
  process. I used the Learning Cycle in my
  write-ups and when planning my unit. I used
  materials from the (WV-HOS) kits as resources.
  The kits are excellent resources for the National
  Board process because they include the inquiry
  and math required.

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West Virginia-Handle On Science

• In the past several years, teachers completing
  sustained WV-HOS PD have achieved recognition by
  Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science
  Teaching.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceSustained
Components of Present WV-HOS Program

• Adopted Science Curriculum Materials in RESA 6
  Area
• Lead Teacher Network
• List Serve available to participants
• Materials Center for science kit refurbishment
• County transport of science kits
• Resource/Support personnel available
• Materials Manager
• Project Director
• Science (SMART) Center Staff
• www.smartcenter.org

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceBlooms Taxonomy

• Program has been correlated to the CSOs for
  Mathematics, Reading, Language Arts, and Science
  for all kits (4 per grade level).
• Correlation to WV Content Standards has been
  overlaid with the six levels of Blooms Ladder of
  Taxonomy.
• Upper levels of Blooms Ladder of Taxonomy are
  addressed by full use of the science kits and
  pedagogy.

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceBlooms Taxonomy
and WV-HOS

• Knowledge-recalling facts related to experiences
  with the science kits
• Comprehension-organizing, comparing, and
  contrasting objects and ideas from the science
  kits
• Application-applying information and
  understanding to different investigations and to
  previous knowledge from other science kits
• Synthesis-writing and reflecting about events and
  experiences during kit instruction
• Evaluation-acquiring perception of the value of
  information by debating and/or justifying its
  importance to their world

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West Virginia-Handle On ScienceParticipant
Reflections

• (Grade K) I would never have the knowledge
  nor the hands-on experience of teaching science
  this way if it hadnt been for this project.
•  
• (Grade 5) Its a wonderful hands-on
  teacher/student learning experience. The kids
  learn so much more than in the past. So do I.

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West Virginia-Handle On Science

• Libby Strong, West Virginia-Handle On Science
  Project Director
• strongli_at_westliberty.edu
• West Liberty State College SMART-Center
• 1610 Warwood Avenue
• Wheeling, WV 26003
• Nancy Holdsworth, NBCT
• New Manchester Elementary
• nholdswo_at_access.k12.wv.us

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West Virginia-Handle On Science

• THANK YOU
• Libby Strong, West Virginia-Handle On Science
  Project Director
• strongli_at_westliberty.edu
• West Liberty State College SMART-Center
• 1610 Warwood Avenue
• Wheeling, WV 26003
• Nancy Holdsworth, NBCT
• New Manchester Elementary
• nholdswo_at_access.k12.wv.us