Classroom Walk-Through Training

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Classroom Walk-Through Training

• Science
• Clare-Gladwin RESD
• December 1, 2006

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Begin With the End in Mind

• To begin with the end in mind means to start
  with a clear understanding of your destination.
  It means to know where youre going so that you
  better understand where you are now so that the
  steps you take are always in the right direction.
• Stephen Covey
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

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Session Overview

• Todays session will
• Identify what best practice looks like in a
  science classroom
• Share implementation tools for Three-Minute
  Classroom Observations
• Provide the opportunity to practice preparation
  and delivery of reflective questions
• Review the latest initiatives in science education

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Best Practice in Science

• Scientific Proficiency Requires
• Adapting the curriculum
• Building understanding
• Promoting inquiry
• Assessing science literacy

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Best Practice Findings

• Less
• Whole class, teacher directed instruction
• Student passivity

• More
• Experiential, inductive, hands-on learning
• Active learning

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Lets Investigate with Spinners

• Go to your assigned Station A, B, or C
• Focus Question How does change in speed or
  direction relate to balanced or unbalanced
  forces?
• Identify and Record on Easel Paper
• Level of Teacher/Learner Control
• Science Content Addressed
• Process Skills Needed and/or Developed

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Teacher and Learner Roles

• Who has control over the question or problem
  being addressed?
• Who has control over the procedure or aspects of
  the procedure? (materials/data)
• Who has control over the outcome? Is it an
  open-ended problem with multiple solutions or is
  there only one right answer?

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Standards and Benchmarks

• Strand 1. Constructing New Scientific Knowledge
• Strand 2. Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge
• Strand 3. Using Scientific Knowledge in Physical
  Science
• Standard IV.3 Motion of Objects
• All students will describe how things around us
  move and explain why things move as they do
  demonstrate and explain how we control the
  motions of objects and relate motion to energy
  and energy conversions.
• IV.3.MS.2 Relate changes in speed or direction
  to unbalanced forces in two dimensions.

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Moving from Facts to Concepts
Motion of Objects Facts Topics Concepts
Newtons Forces Cause
Effect First Law Time Organization
Measurement Structure/Function
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Process Skills

• Observing
• Questioning
• Hypothesizing
• Predicting
• Planning and Investigating
• Interpreting
• Communicating

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So What Is Inquiry?

• A process by which we pose questions about a
  topic or situation and attempt to answer those
  questions by making inferences about the data and
  information we acquire. A process which requires
  us to engage in problem solving, decision making,
  creative thinking and the formulation of new
  concepts.
• National Science Education Standards

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Inquiry in the Classroom

• Observing
• Questioning
• Constructing the Investigation
• Conducting the Investigation
• Communicating the Investigation

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Implementation Tools

• The Abilities to Do Scientific Inquiry
• Questions to Encourage Process Skills
• Bookmarks/Flip Chart
• NAEP
• http//www.nagb.org/

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Implementation Tools

• K-8 Science Investigations linked to MCF
• http//imc.lisd.k12.mi.us/Resources/Science
  Investigations.html
• Exploratorium
• http//www.exploratorium.edu/
• Video Clips for Professional Learning
• http//www.learner.org

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Walk-Through Observation Steps

• Walk-Through Observation Steps
• Student Orientation to the Work
• Do students appear to be attending when you first
  walk into the room?
• Curricular Decision Points
• What objective/s has the teacher chosen to teach
  at this time and how aligned are they to the
  GLCEs or HSCEs?
• Instructional Decision Points
• What instructional practices is the teacher
  choosing to use at this time to help students
  achieve the learning of the curriculum
  objectives?
• Walk-the-Walls Curricular and Instructional
  Decisions
• What evidence is there of past objectives taught
  and/or instructional decisions used to teach the
  objectives that are present in the room?
• Safety and Health Issues
• Are there any noticeable safety or health issues
  that need to be addressed?

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High School Science

• http//www.learner.org/resources/

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Reflective Conversation

• What is the focus of the feedback?.
• Trust building, teaching/learning objectives,
  thinking levels, text/materials, instructional
  strategies, learner engagement, learning
  environment
• What question will you ask for the teacher to
  examine beliefs, goals, and practices?

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Middle School Science

• http//www.learner.org/resources/

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Dialogue for Growth

• Identify the feedback focus.
• Trust building, teaching/learning objectives,
  thinking levels, text/materials, instructional
  strategies, learner engagement, learning
  environment
• Determine the prompt for the teacher to examine
  beliefs, goals, and practices.

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Initiatives in Science

• Grade Level Content Expectations K 7
• Fall 2007
• Performance-based for assessment
• Two-year implementation
• Evaluating Current Programs K - 7
• Continue with current practice
• Evaluate using NAEP 2009
• Consider back mapping implications

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MME Science Components

• ACT
• 40 multiple choice items
• Measures skills in these areas
• Interpretation
• Analysis
• Evaluation
• Reasoning
• Problem Solving

• Michigan Developed
• 50 multiple choice items
• Currently based on MCF
• Timed (50 minutes)
• HSCE fully assessed Spring 2008

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ACT Science

• Scientific information in three formats
• Data Representation
• Research Summaries
• Conflicting Viewpoints
• Test items require students to
• Examine the relationships between the information
  provided and the conclusions drawn or hypotheses
  developed.
• Generalize from information provided to gain new
  information, draw conclusions or make predictions.

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ACT Science (40 MC items)
Number of Items
Content Area Format Format Number of Items
Biology Data Representation Data Representation 15
Chemistry Data Representation Data Representation 15
Earth/Space Sciences Research Summaries 18 18
Physics Conflicting Viewpoints 7 7
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