Welcome to the 2020-21 back-to-school edition of Science News and Updates!
Kudos to our amazing science educators throughout San Diego County! We see you. We see you working harder than ever. We see you incorporating NGSS-aligned strategies into virtual learning spaces. We see you incorporating social justice issues and embedding social and emotional learning alongside science content. We see you doing whatever is necessary to spark curiosity in the students you teach. Keep up the great work. We also see you struggling and wondering if what you are doing is enough. Remember, you are doing what educators have never done before. No one knows how to do it perfectly! Take time for yourself, your family, and know that you are more than enough.
Our last newsletter discussed how we were looking forward “to visiting classrooms in the next couple of months to see the work in action.” While that never became a reality, we feel fortunate to have continued to connect with many of you throughout the spring and summer through virtual network meetings, our first SDCOE Science Educators Book Club, the Summer Science Snippets professional learning series, and ProjectPhenomena Design Teams.
While schools were closed due to COVID-19, the Science team focused on creating resources to support learning at home. Our first project was a collaboration with The San Diego Union-Tribune and the SDCOE Curriculum and Instruction department on the Learning at Home bingo series. This nine-week project created multi-age low-tech learning opportunities for families and teachers throughout San Diego County. The second project was a collaboration with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and SDCOE’s Curriculum and Instruction and Multilingual Education and Global Achievement departments, and Innovation division. Together, we created distance learning units of study in grades K-12. Two units of study are currently available and two additional units will be made available throughout the year. Go to bit.ly/SDCOE-Learn to download and customize the integrated and thematic units of study. Reach out to us if you need support utilizing the resources.
Ending on an exciting note, Computer Science education is growing in San Diego County and there are many similar concepts and overlaps (especially with the Engineering Design) of Computer Science and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The SDCOE Computer Science team will be launching a content-specific newsletter later this school year and you can use this sign-up form to receive it.
Share this link so others can receive future Science News and Updates.
San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Science Team
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SDCOE Science Resource Center
Over 50 environmental literacy resources are available in a searchable database on the SDCOE Science Resource Center. These resources are a great place to start your virtual lesson planning around California-specific phenomena. The resources were developed through collaboration of scientists, community partners, educators, and SDCOE. Check back as additional resources are posted often. Please contact a member of the SDCOE Science Team if you have suggestions, comments, or are interested in being involved in future opportunities.
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Coming Soon! Our Professional Learning calendar for 2020-21 will be in the November edition of Science and News Updates and include winter and spring offerings. Please continue to contact the SDCOE Science Team for support as needed.
Informal Educator Leaders Network
The Informal Educator Leaders Network is an ongoing opportunity for informal educators in San Diego County to come together to share best practices in the field and current environmental education efforts. Upcoming network meetings will be virtual, so please register for the link to join.
California Science Education Conference
The 2020 Virtual California Science Education Conference will be held Oct. 16 to 18. Hosted by the California Association of Science Educators (formerly CSTA), the virtual conference will offer more than 100 professional development workshops. Dr. Okhee Lee will be the opening keynote speaker and Dr. Mayim Bialik will close the conference. For registration and more information see the CASE website.
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This section of Science News and Updates highlights districts and schools across San Diego County focused on bringing high-quality science learning experiences to all students.
This edition highlights the amazing work happening in the Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD). We have been working with DMUSD over the past five years supporting professional learning and the transition to NGSS-aligned instructional practices. Sixth-grade teacher Holly Morey didn’t let school closures stop her students from showcasing their environmental learning, but rather seized the opportunity to create a Virtual Scientist Exhibition.
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Virtual Scientist Exhibitions Connect and Engage Students
By Holly Morey, 6th-grade teacher at Torrey Hills Elementary
Students, teachers, families, and community members were positively impacted by NGSS through a Virtual Scientist Exhibition, where the students were the expert scientists sharing their learning. Students had the opportunity to become an expert in their topic of choice in the field of science relating to weather, climate, and/or human impact on the environment.
For this project, we partnered virtually with our school librarian in selecting topics and gathering resources for research. Students chose how they would share their expertise with others from a choice board that included ideas such as making a website, becoming a video journalist, developing an Etsy business, or a work of art to demonstrate their learning. As a culmination, we hosted an exhibition to learn from each other. During this process, we continued to build our skills in collaboration, research, setting goals, time management, decision-making, creativity, presenting, and more. The student scientists recorded a video using Flipgrid for their audience and attached their work for the community to discover.
Combining NGSS and the development of student agency and personalization through an innovative approach created a positive, learner-centered environment that encouraged young scientists to explore, create, and imagine. Sixth graders became investigators and researchers with the collective goal of teaching others about their discoveries in an authentic learning challenge. Once students completed their research, they applied their knowledge and skills to solve meaningful problems. Using a choice board for ideas, students sprang into action combining art and technology to share their newfound expertise. For the exhibition, students recorded an introduction using Flipgrid.com to peak the visitors' interest.
Families and community members were invited to provide feedback on projects with the T.A.G. (tell, ask, give) feedback protocol. The community was encouraged to make a video response through Flipgrid.com to tell something they liked/noticed, ask a question, and give a suggestion. Students experienced first-hand the feedback cycle of design thinking when they opened up their work to the community to gain insights, while increasing their creative confidence. All of this took place in a distance learning format.
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Student work: The photo above shows a student-created infographic with information about thunderstorms. Y ou can also visit a student-created Google site to learn more about Coral Reef Bleaching.
For more information on creating a Virtual Scientist Exhibition, contact Holly Morey at hmorey@dmusd.org.
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Amazing work is happening throughout our county. To have your school or district featured in the next edition of Science News and Updates, share your NGSS story by completing this Google form.
Be sure to check out our NGSS in Action videos highlighting student learning in the classroom on the SDCOE Science Resource Center website.
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Library NExT (Network of Education x Training) is a series of workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students on topics including robotics, circuits, Quest for Space: Heat Experiments on the ISS, and more than 64 other STEAM-related subjects. This San Diego Public Library program is a collaboration with UC San Diego Extension and Sally Ride Science. Many online sessions are available for grade spans 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Visit Library NExT | Public Library to learn more and register for sessions.
Encountering California Biodiversity Close to Home
Discover an opportunity that gets students outdoors in their communities and grows their environmental awareness throughout the month of September. BioBlitzes and events are being organized throughout the state as part of a collaborative effort led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Visit the California Academy of Sciences for more information.
California Environmental Literacy Initiative
The California Environmental Literacy Initiative is hosting a webinar series designed by and for California educational leaders and administrators. This free, five-part webinar series will showcase effective strategies for supporting environmental literacy, both during the pandemic crisis and beyond. Register Visit the California Environmental Literacy Initiative website to register for one or all of the webinars.
Dual Language Virtual Junior Rangers Adventure Video Series
California State Parks just launched its new Dual Language Virtual Junior Rangers Adventure video series with associated activities. The topics addressed in this Spanish and English video series are geology, tide pools, California Tribes: Chumash, weather and climate, native plants, and native animals. The activities can be found on the State Parks Junior Rangers webpage. Children who participate in Junior Rangers, a statewide program for ages 7-12 years old, receive a digital badge for each virtual adventure completed
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Discovery Education Experience
If you previously enjoyed United Streaming, Discovery Education has relaunched their streaming service and is offering it as Discovery Education Experience. Check it out to see how it can augment or support your core curriculum and provide a space for science during distance learning.
SDCOE Distance Learning Units of Study
The SDCOE Distance Learning Units of Study were purposefully designed to integrate content, and provide flexibility and choice. The units of study connect content in the following areas: English language arts, English language development, mathematics, science, history/social science, arts, computer science, and physical education through integrated study in K-5 and thematic units in grades 6-12. These open-source units are being developed in Google to ensure maximum flexibility for districts to use them with their preferred distance learning instructional platform. Find the Learning at Home bingo series and additional resources that support distance learning on the SDCOE COVID-19 webpage.
San Diego County Water Authority Virtual School Assemblies for 2020-21
As schools are continuing remote learning or adhering to smaller group sizes, the Water Authority and Shows That Teach have created a virtual assembly option so that elementary school students can continue to learn about water and science in a fun and engaging way. The assemblies will be performed on Zoom or Google Meet as needed by teachers. They are free to public and private elementary schools within the Water Authority’s service area. Topics include the water cycle, local and regional water supplies, water-use efficiency, and more. To schedule an assembly, email education@sdcwa.org.
To have your event or resource considered for a future edition of SDCOE’s Science News and Updates provide your information via this Google Form.
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If you have any questions or comments about Science News and Updates, please contact one of our science team members.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county.
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