Film: Science Fair

"At some science fairs baking soda volcanos can grab the blue ribbon prize. But at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a winning project is a design to kill cancer cells. ISEF is the grand championship of science fairs, where students from around the world submit their best research projects and compete in a high-stakes, hormone-filled challenge, which is showcased in full display in the new film, Science Fair."

This looks like it opens here this weekend:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/films/science-fair/screenings/

Notes from the Ballard Meeting on new Science Standards

I received some updates from the folks (mostly at Ballard) organizing around the proposed High School Science realignment,

Background:

District Page:

https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/one.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=17533

"The current and new course sequence are: 

Current Requirements

• 9th Grade: Physical Science

• 10th Grade: Biology and Biology B

• 11th Grade: none

New Science Requirements for Class of 2021 and Beyond

• 9th Grade: Physics A and Chemistry A

• 10th Grade: Biology A and Biology B

• 11th Grade: Physics B, Chemistry B

• 11th Grade: Advanced Path: HC, AP or IB science

• 11th Grade: Alternative Path: Science Elective or Career and Technical Education

Because high school students will now have to take three years of science instead of two, the High School Alignment Team has already begun re-arranging standards taught in 9th and 10th grade to help prepare students to successfully take the third year of science and pass the state science exam.

The Alignment Team bundled the standards into six one-semester courses. Each course includes content in either biology, chemistry or physics (Biology A, Biology B, Chemistry A, Chemistry B, Physics A and Physics B). Embedded in each course are the new earth and space science standards as well as engineering, technology and application skills that are a part of the new state standards.

Physics A and Chemistry A are conceptual in content, and the math covered in each would be what students had taken to that point in ninth grade. According to school board policy 2026 and superintendent procedure 2026SP, the A and B courses are not new, but rather a re-alignment of current chemistry, physics and biology course content to align to the new standards, and therefore do not go through a review process."

Link to notes from the recent meeting at Ballard: http://bit.ly/2EeIZvK

Facebook group organizing around the issue

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1336914026440478/about/

Google drive with info:

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14SN3Pr24hy9sSjWKHdbIdl6NzrGgXMik?usp=sharing

Currently contains:

• Letter from a Ballard Science Teacher
• Response from the district Alignment team.

Here is a signup form (mainly to get emails to add to the Google Group): https://goo.gl/forms/9pF43lKL5oZkWA7t2

Next Generation Science Accelerated Pathways

NGSS just released its recommendations for an accelerated science pathway in high school. I haven't read through it much yet but I think it should be of interest to everyone.

The Accelerated Pathways developers use some of the best practices in gifted education - differentiation, mentoring, curriculum compacting, pacing, and telescoping - to explain and illustrate ways to organize an accelerated program of study. The Accelerated Pathways document also suggests ways to remediate knowledge gaps for students from the regular instructional program who enter the accelerated pathway later than their accelerated peers.

Other strengths include identification of the math skills needed in the accelerated pathway as well as a comparison chart of the shared concepts between the NGSS and AP Science courses, often the only courses available to advanced students. It is not common for educators to recommend acceleration as an appropriate choice for advanced learners. However, the developers embrace acceleration for our most highly able science students and provide specific direction to schools and districts on how to develop and deliver course content that is appropriate for those students who are ready and eager for curriculum that far exceeds the traditional course offerings.

http://www.nextgenscience.org/ngss-accelerated-model-course-pathways