OUSD STEM

Welcome back, STEM teachers! Let’s start this school year strong.

Focusing on Science With Elementary Students This Year Science instruction boosts students’ curiosity and encourages collaboration, which will help them transition back to in-person school.

Are you passionate about integrating computer science in Science? Do you have experience around the subject that you'd like to share? Then consider submitting a workshop proposal for this year's computer science-themed virtual California Science Education Experience! But don't wait! The deadline to submit is March 26! http://ow.ly/sgix50DXO8X

Excited for Career Talks this Friday at 10am for themed career talks featuring a wide diversity of STEM professionals! RSVP: https://buff.ly/3nvmvft

There are exciting shifts happening in K-12 Science Education. And we need a new generation of scientific thinkers to address the global challenges of pandemics, climate change, and more. How do we keep science at the forefront in the shift to Distance Learning?

The Future of California Science (Full Version) California leaders describe the unprecedented collaboration that is driving implementation of the CA Next Generation Science Standards.

Schools Beat Earlier Plagues With Outdoor Classes. We Should, Too. A century ago, children in New York City attended classes during a pandemic. It seemed to work.

Attn Science Teachers -

As I know many of you are educators, I'm posting this here. Please take a moment to read and complete the survey and thank you for SHARING THIS POST. We need as many educators represented in this data set as possible!

This is a rather important and urgent matter - we need your data! In full transparency, the California Association of Science Educators (formerly CSTA) has been working along with partners, K-12 Alliance, California Science Project, and others, to urge state leaders to take seriously the need to fund NGSS implementation (since it's adoption in 2013, there has never been dedicated funding for NGSS). We started this work a year ago, and like everything else, it's been thwarted due to COVID-19. As we have regrouped, we realized we only have anecdotal evidence for making the case, but we need something more reliable.

This morning CASE sent out this message to members and those on our email distribution list requesting you complete this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CASENGSSPLSurvey In case you didn't get it, I'm posting it with my message.

We fully understand your time is limited and precious and that many of you have serious survey fatigue. I can't stress enough how critical this is. I've asked that we offer a free full California Science Education Virtual Conference registration package to express our gratitude - for those that complete the survey by Aug 15th, you'll be entered into a drawing for this.

As an aside, we thank the hard working volunteers of our NGSS committee for their work on this survey!

Here is the full message: Now more than ever information and data are critical in the work that the California Association of Science Educators (CASE) undertakes on your behalf. As an organization that prides itself on being an advocate for high-quality science education in California it is important for us to better understand the landscape within which you are working. To do so we need to gain a comprehensive set of data from educators throughout the state about the status of professional learning following the adoption of the California NGSS.

The link below will take you to a survey that is comprehensive and thorough in nature, which could take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The information gathered will provide us a strong set of responses from which we can better communicate to policy makers, decision makers, and those who have influence over access to increased professional learning opportunities and access to the resources that you need. This survey will be foundational to the work that we will be undertaking over the next few years that we hope you will spend quality time in providing us with thoughtful responses.

Recognizing that this survey is lengthy we also want to provide an opportunity to express our gratitude. For all those who take the time and complete the survey by August 15, 2020 you will be entered into a drawing for a full California Science Education Virtual Conference registration package. This is the minimum that we could provide to you to express appreciation for completion of this survey.

Should you have any questions or wish to expand upon any of the details within this survey further please do not hesitate to contact our CASE Executive Director, Camron King, at [email protected].

In advance, thank you for your help, your thoughtful responses, and your commitment to science education.

Sincerely,
The CASE NGSS Committee & Board of Directors

NGSS Professional Learning & Needs Survey Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

Math teachers—looking good learn some new strategies to support math discourse and argumentation? Check out this free webinar:

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Developing Powerful Creators of Mathematics through Rich Argumentation Discourse (Grades 6–8). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Argumentation discourse has the potential to help students develop as powerful users and creators of mathematics in a classroom community. This requires specific attention to creating safe environments to engage all youth. Come learn how to help your students take on mathematical authority through r...

OUSD STEM Team commemorating the end of a very strange year. 6 feet apart. Masks required.

Here’s an article about mathematicians taking action to stop police violence against our Black brothers and sisters. How will you use your math skills for the greater good?

Mathematicians urge colleagues to boycott police work in wake of killings More than 1,400 researchers have signed a letter calling on the discipline to stop working on predictive-policing algorithms and other models.

Fremont HS Biology teacher and OUSD Teacher of the Year, Jane Kim, has been featured alongside Bill Nye in episodes 9 and 10 of new YouTube series “Celebrity Subsitute”!! Check it out on YouTube!

When we think about what back-to-school looks like, let’s think about how to use our outdoor space! Science teachers—let’s lead!

Outdoor Classrooms in the Age of COVID-19: Pros and Cons As districts rethink their learning spaces for a COVID-19 world, a California group is encouraging districts to take some of those lessons outside.

For your reading/ to share with your students - the science of police escalation and its effects on peaceful demonstrations:

Research Shows Peaceful Protest Depends On Police Behavior Fifty years of research suggests police behavior makes the biggest difference in how safe protests are for everyone.