Harper Creek High School Science Department Update

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Harper Creek High SchoolScience Department Update
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2008-2009 Highlights

• In House CAT Professional Development
• BLAST WMU Action Research Study
• Recycling Program
• MSU KBS GK12 Ecological Literacy Program
  Participants

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CAT Goals

• Lab Safety Workshop
• Standardize curriculum- create common final
  assessments
• Align units with common assessments and HSCE

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• BLAST-Battle Creek
• 4 high school teachers involved in the year long
  action research project.
• Presentations at MSTA
• Collaborative Learning Strategies (Emily Subers)
• Inquiry Science and Character Ed (Sandy Erwin and
  Steve Barry)
• Strategies for Inquiry Learning (Phil Jordon)

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• The NSF GK-12 Program at KBS
• Ecological Literacy in the K-12 Classrooms of
  Rural Michigan
• Research topics in environmental science and
  training to teach inquiry-based science
• Our district has been actively involved in this
  program since its inception in 1999

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KBS GK-12 Science Partnership

• Professional development
• Had two scientists in the classroom this year
  helping with projects
• Funding for equipment and activities in the
  classroom

Dr. Sara Syswerda
Jay Sobel
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Accomplishments

• Greenhouse Renovations
• Acquired funding for new spectrophotometer and
  lab equipment
• Projects
• Physical Science Living Machines
• Chemistry II Phytoremediation
• Trip National GK12 conference (Sandy Erwin and
  Sara Syswerda)

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Living Machines

• Physical science students work in groups to
  answer questions using the living machines.
• Students learn to work in a lab, take
  measurements, work with others, and ask
  scientific questions.

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Phytoremediation Experiments

• Students designed their own experiments to try
  and extract zinc from soil with plants.
• Involves scientific method, chemistry, biology,
  earth science, writing skills, math skills, and
  ability to work with others.

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HCHS Recycling

• Recycling all water bottles and office paper
• Annual Recycling Drive

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Science Data

• ACT scores in science were very similar to the
  state average
• MME scores in science were 5 below the state
  average
• Graduation rate 85 (14 above state average)
• http//www.city-data.com/school/harper-creek-high-
  school-mi.html

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There is much more work to be done

• Using Data Director to chart progress in science
  achievement
• Continued work in aligning science units with
  HSCE and ACT

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Thank you for your continued support

• Reasonable class sizes to ensure lab safety
• Professional development support for the KBS K-12
  partnership
• Supplies
• Continued support for improving our science
  program