Urban Advantage Principals’ Breakfast,

April 6, 2011

1. Intro to the UA Science Leadership Team Schools

2. UA Science Leadership Team presentations:- M195: using the ‘PEM’ planning tool for developing team vision/plan- M825: differentiating / integrating UA tools into the curriculum- M255: Learning what students are thinking using formative assessments

3. UA housekeeping

What we’ll be doing:

UA Housekeeping1. EXPO and EXPO Flyers2. UA Postcards of support3. Class and Student Vouchers4. School applications

Save the date!

Text

UA Science EXPO 2011 Sunday, June 12th

FY2011 UA Breakfasts4. Sharing the work of UA Demonstrations

Schools (4/6/2011)

3. Organizing a Family Science Night at your School (2/9/2011)

2. Supporting Common Core Standard 2 with UA Science Exit Projects (12/8/2010)

1. Supporting Common Core Standard 1 with UA Science Exit Projects (11/11/2010)

Short history of the UA Demo School

initiative•Start in FY06 with 8 “Demo” schools•In FY08, PD planned for Demo schools to support demonstration role•UA Science Leadership Teams formed•Leadership curriculum launched for Demo schools•Attrition as schools followed their own priorities•EFA grant led to a 3-year pilot program (funds end this year)

Science Leadership InstituteSchools formed science leadership teamsTeam led the development of science as inquiry in school by:

•Developing a shared vision and plan for science•Exploring research on how students learn science•Examining student achievement in science•Creating curriculum maps of science program•Using tools for writing scientific explanations•Integrating formative assessment strategies

In this 3rd and final year we wanted to give the schools an opportunity to share some parts of the teams’ work:

- We can use topics discussed today to shape future administrators’ breakfasts

- These presentations may provide you with ideas for future work at your school

The Science Leadership Team

1. In year 1, UA Demo schools formed a team (UA SLT)

- Stakeholders included: 1 science teacher in each grade (6, 7, 8), 1 administrator, PC, UA partner

- Studied effective team characteristics and norms

2. Team formed a shared vision3. Developed a long-term plan

A TEAM … is a group of people who have a clear charter (task),are interdependent, believe that working as a team equals more effective outcomes, and hold themselves accountable

and are rewarded as a unit. (Harvey and Drolet 1994)

A GROUP … is a collection of people who get together.

“Teams can be distinguished from working groups by the conscious attention to the processes they use to develop as a team.”(Adapted from Garmston and Wellman 1999)

Groups vs Teams

Leadership:Effective leaders provide

a vision and plan

Some leaders have a plan, but no vision—they are managers.

And other leaders may have a vision, but no plan—they are utopian.

Rodger Bybee

Tools supporting leadership team development:

• A. Supporting effective teamwork

• B. Developing shared vision and long-term plans

• Read section “2. Common Tasks” of Characteristics of Effective Teams (1 minute)

• Based on the definition of team in section 2, discuss: (5 minutes)

Does your science department function more as a team or a group?

Supporting Effective Teamwork

• Based on the definition of team in section 2, discuss: (5 minutes)

Does your science department function more as a team or a group?

Supporting Effective Teamwork

Tools supporting leadership team development:

• A. Supporting effective teamwork

• B. Developing shared vision and long-term plans

Elements Here We Are

Just for Starters

Rolling Along

Reach for the Stars

PEM (Program Elements Matrix)

TIMEProgram components

1. A planning tool (…serves as an anchor)

2. Helps identify plan’s elements (prioritize)

3. Serves as timeline (short/long term)

4. Changes… remains a live document

(now)

(next year)

(couple of years) (5

years)

Elements Here We Are

Just for Starters

Rolling Along

Reach for the Stars

PEM (Program Elements Matrix)

Program components

1. A planning tool (…serves as an anchor)

2. Helps identify plan’s elements (prioritize)

3. Serves as timeline (short/long term)

4. Changes… remains a live document

Imagine… your table group is a UA Science Leadership Team whose mission is to improve your school’s science programming using UA resources (professional development, inquiry tools (IDD, DSET, rubric…), field trips, family outreach events,…) and other elements you choose.

As a table, brainstorm a list of elements, or program components, you would choose for your long-term plan (1st column of the PEM only). (3 min.)

Be prepared to share…

Elements Here We Are

Just for Starters

Rolling Along

Reach for the Stars

Program component

s

•What are our top 5-6 priorities?

•Where are we now? ( ‘Here we are’)

•Where should we be in 5 years? ( ‘Reach for the stars’)

•Roberto Clemente M195 will illustrate the PEM process, focusing on 1 element…

To take this exercise to the next step, we would need to determine:

• Rosarie Jean, Principal

• Yolanda Calimano, AP

• Raji Menon, 8th Grade

• Alessandra de Bellegarde, Special Ed.

• Ramon Abreu, 6th Grade/Bilingual

• Katiria Caceres, Parent Coordinator

M195 Science Team: Using the PEM tool for developing team vision and

planning

•Step 1: Identify the elements

•Step 2: Discuss elements to develop shared vision

•Step 3: Describe “here we are” and “reach for the stars” for each element

•Step 4: Identify steps necessary to achieve common vision

The PEM process:

1. Collaboration between Science teachers2. Creation of common science predictive

assessments3. Collaborative Data Analysis and Assessment4. Professional Development /Seminar Turnkey5. Test score improvement6. Science vocabulary skills improvement7. Improvement of accountability of students8. Student abilities to do inquiry9. Family engagement in Science10.Use of science-rich cultural institutions

M195: the PEM ELEMENTS (column 1 of tool)

M195: Illustrating the PEM process with one element

‘Collaboration between Science teachers”

M195 PEM row 1: from “here we are” to “reach for the stars”

Role of the PEM in transforming the M195 Science TeamThe PEM:•Supported developing a shared team vision•Promoted team dialogue•Helped team identify key elements for planning•Helped make the team cohesive

•Revisions ongoing•Elements change with progress•Steps may change•New goals set for each element•PEM helps team stay focused•Improvements on a continuous basis •PEM - can be used for different teams •- not just Science

The PEM is a Living Document

•Questions for

•M195 Roberto Clemente?

M195 Science Team: Using the PEM tool for developing team vision and

planning

UA SLT curriculum

•Understanding the key features of scientific inquiry

•Learning the “Nature of Science”

• --A key component of inquiry is to formulate and evaluate explanations…

Included:

Designing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)

This tool helps students make meaning from scientific investigations by helping them to craft scientific explanations

•State a claim or answer to an investigation question

•Cite the evidence form their data and observations during the investigation

•Apply scientific reasoning; linking content learned from text, prior experiences, and /or class experiences

M825 Isaac Newton School for Math and

Science•Developing student inquiry skills

(i.e. scientific explanations) by differentiating and integrating UA tools into the grades 6-8 curriculum

•Verneda Johnson, Science Coach

•Kristin McNichol, 6th grade Science Teacher

Newton is…•Located in East Harlem

•360 students

•Grades 6-8

•Title I- 81.8% free lunch

•~20% IEP, CTT and SETTS

•70% Latino, 28% African-American, 2% other

•~10% ELLs, but ~70% former ELLs

Nelson’s Newton

•Science and Math 330min/wk

•Grew by 30% to include grade 6

•Implemented PBIS curriculum

•Science Coach

•Hired “highly qualified” teachers

•Partnered with UA

Toolin’ with UA •Introduce DSET

•The DSET at Newton

–How do we scaffold the use of the DSET across grades?

•Write an explanation for the demonstration you will see today

•Looking at the adapted DSET across grades

Designing a Scientific Explanation Tool (DSET)

This tool helps students make meaning from scientific investigations by helping them to craft scientific explanations

•State a claim or answer to an investigation question

•Cite the evidence form their data and observations during the investigation

•Apply scientific reasoning; linking content learned from text, prior experiences, and /or class experiences

Why we modified the DSET?

•Teachers found the task of writing scientific explanations with only curricular guidance insufficient

•Teachers found students were unable to generate explanations that reflected their experiences, thinking or understanding

•Teachers used their UA training to differentiate tools to better support students writing

6th GradeOur goal is to have students make the following

claim: We understand that air has volume.

•Demonstration 1

•Predict

•Observe

•Demonstration 2

•Predict

•Observe

•Demonstration 3

•Predict

•Observe

6th Grade DSET ToolVolume scientific

explanation

•Complete the claim

•Add your observations to the data section of the scientific explanation

Science Knowledg

e

7th Grade DSET The 7th grade investigated the connection

between breathing rate and exercise.

•Pg 1 Summary of investigation

•Pg 2 Modified DSET

•Pg 3 Space to write explanation

7th Grade DSET

Newton uses the UA DSET tool (unmodified) with 8th grade

students

7th and 8th Grade DSETs Task 1:

Compare the 7th grade DSET to the 6th grade DSET. How is it similar or different? (2 minutes)

Task 2:

Compare the 7th grade DSET to the 8th grade DSET. How is it similar or different? (2 minutes)

DSET grows up at Newton

Our next steps to improve implementation of DSET are to:

•Further examine scaffold and language of DSET across grades

•Align use of DSET with school-wide writing rubric based on 6+1 Traits

•Align use of DSET with Common Core writing standards for ELA

M825 Isaac Newton School for Math and

Science•Thanks you! Visitors are

always welcome!

QUESTIONS?

UA SLT curriculum

• Making Student Thinking Visible through Assessment

• Approaches to Formative Assessment

• Examining Student Work

The UA SLT curriculum included:

M255 Salk School of Science

•Learning what students are thinking using formative assessments

Rhonda Perry: Principal

Jennifer Goodwin: AP

Clover Hicks: UA lead teacher

Matt Mirabello, UA Partner (AMNH)

•What do teachers in your school do to make student thinking visible?

•How do they use students’ thinking to make instructional decisions?

•Be prepared to share your ideas.

53

Quick-write:

Overview of today’s presentation:

•Overview of formative assessment PD process

•Dig into a formative assessment

•Watch a video using lenses (focus questions)

•Reflect on the process

54

Focus on Formative Classroom Assessment

1. Analyzed instructional materials for formative assessment opportunities

2. Collected student work and student reflections using relevant assessment

3. Examined student work to better understand student thinking around concept

4. Planned, implemented, and reflected on the use of the formative assessment

55(see Hand outs)

Fishbowl Think Aloud•Read about the Fishbowl Think

Aloud (Paragraphs 1 & 3) with the following question in mind:

•What are the benefits of using this strategy?

•Be prepared to share your ideas with an elbow partner (1 min.)

56

Video Viewing Basics Viewing Basic #1: Look past the trivial, the

little things that “bug” you.

Viewing Basic #2: Avoid the “this doesn’t look like my school” trap.

Viewing Basic #3: Avoid making snap judgments about the teaching or learning in the classroom you are viewing.

Focus Questions•Jot down: What student

understandings and misunderstandings were made “visible” during the fishbowl?

•Think about: How did Clover use the student thinking that was made visible to modify her instruction?

58

Reflection

•What insights have you gained?

•What is one idea to take back with you to think more about?

59

M255 Salk School of Science

•Questions for

•M255 Salk School of Science?

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