Welcome to the 2020-21 winter edition of Science News and Updates.

We are excited to start off the first newsletter of 2021 with a dose of positivity!

Two of our own San Diego County teachers have been recognized as California State Finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). The PAEMST program is administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Awards are given to teachers who teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and/or computer science from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Department of Defense schools, and four U.S. territories (as a group).

First up is science finalist Marlys Williamson. Marlys is a 5th-grade teacher at Wolf Canyon Elementary in the Chula Vista Elementary School District. It was an honor to write a letter of recommendation and support Marlys on her journey. Marlys is a Cohort 1 graduate of the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Elementary Science Academy (ESA), a member of our ESA Follow-up Network and Science Leaders Network, and her classroom is featured on the NGSS in Action page of the SDCOE Science Resource Center. Marlys has been an integral part of supporting teachers at her site, district, and beyond – leading professional learning, creating the Wolf Canyon’s Design Den makerspace, and mentoring student teachers from multiple teaching programs. Using science notebooks throughout her shift to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) has been a successful strategy to support English learners. Science provides a perfect context to support language development through authentic use of language and literacy skills. In the first year of the California Science Test data, the science learning experiences Marlys provided resulted in her students outscoring their district-, county-, and state-level peers by double digits in both the all students and the English learner student groups. The same students also saw gains in their English Language Arts and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California scores. More importantly, Marlys shares her passion for science and fosters curiosity by allowing her students to question and explore the amazing world around us.

Next up is Khamphet Pease. Khamphet is a 6th-grade STEM teacher at Wilson Middle School in San Diego Unified School District. At her site, she is teaching introduction to coding; gateway to technology: design and modeling, automation and robotics; and computer science for innovators and makers. Khamphet is a champion for underrepresented girls in the STEM fields. From 2014 to 2016, she mentored 16 high school girls from schools across San Diego County to design, program, and build a microlab experiment that was deployed to the International Space Station to test zero gravity.

We wish Marlys and Khamphet luck in the next phase of their PAEMST journey; winners will be announced this summer.

The PAEMST application period for 2021 is now open. Consider nominating a 7th- through 12th-grade science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teacher, or consider applying yourself.

Throughout the 2020-21 school year we will amplify the voices of San Diego County science educators and come together to support each other and celebrate our successes, and struggles, during this time.

Please share this link with others so they can receive future Science News and Updates.

Chelsea Cochrane, Crystal Howe, and John Spiegel

We are currently navigating unknown terrain. Working from home while simultaneously living through a global pandemic, civic unrest, and ongoing social injustices in our country have required us to look for new ways to connect with students and with each other. We hope the resources in this section support you as you navigate through these uncertain times.

Access equity resources created and curated by the SDCOE Equity team to support educators in facilitating conversations and holding space for students to process current events and engage in civic discourse.

Focusing Science and Engineering Learning on Justice-Centered Phenomena across PK-12 Practice Brief 67, released by STEM Teaching Tools in May 2020, reminds us of the importance of engaging students in “projects that support equity for communities and to see how the application of science and engineering are fundamentally entwined with political and ethical questions, dimensions, and decisions.”

Consider using the Crosscutting Concepts as a lens to make sense of the socio-political world (in addition to science phenomena). Looking for causality, defining and using the concept of systems, and observing and recognizing patterns can support student processing of events. The questions and sentence frames available on the Using the Crosscutting Concepts to Build Student Sense-Making and Reasoning page of the SDCOE Science Resource Center can be used to facilitate classroom discussions as students make sense of the world beyond their grade level disciplinary core ideas.

Now Posted: New CAST Practice Test Constructed Response Annotated Examples 

The new examples provide the prompts, rubrics with exemplars, and scored student responses with annotations. Each of the guides contains two constructed-response prompts, and each prompt has nine sample answers — three at each score point (i.e., 2, 1, and 0). Educators can use these examples to assist them as they develop their own constructed-response items for use in their classrooms. In addition, educators and students, working together, can use these examples to help students better understand how to respond to CAST constructed-response items.

To access both the new practice test constructed response annotated examples and the practice test scoring guides, visit the CAASPP Online Practice Test Scoring Guides and Directions for Administration web page.

Our professional learning calendar for 2020-21 has been updated. We are excited to be offering a second series of our Science Snippets professional learning, the spring cohort of the Assessment Network, Environmental Literacy and Grading for Equity book clubs, as well as our three network opportunities.

This series will pair a short 20-minute snippet one week with a more in-depth, hour-long discussion the following week. All sessions begin at 3 p.m.

Grading for Equity Book Study

The Curriculum and Instruction department at SDCOE invites you to be a part of the Grading for Equity book club. The purpose of this professional learning series is to provide a safe forum for educators to explore the history and research on grading, examine and discuss grading policies and practices, and develop a plan to incorporate equitable grading practices in their classroom. This course utilizes the text Grading for Equity by Joe Feldman. This book will be used as a common resource to guide discussions and reflections. Book study will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. every other week March 2 to May 25. The cost for participation in the Grading for Equity book club is $60. A copy of the book will be mailed to participants in advance of the first session. Read the announcement letter and registration document for more information.

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. Network meetings will be virtual, so please register for the link to join.

The Science Leaders Network is an ongoing convening of educators who have the responsibility of championing science implementation efforts in their schools and district. Leaders come together several times throughout the year with the goal of building countywide capacity of all stakeholders in effectively implementing NGSS in the region. Participants in the network identify action steps in their work and share their progress at each meeting. Registration is required.

As schools around the country struggle with uncertainty, many states continue their efforts to implement three-dimensional science standards, a difficult process under the best of conditions. On Jan. 25, join a roundtable discussion of science education leaders to learn how educators can continue implementing next-generation standards while meeting the challenges brought by COVID-19. Learn more and register.

How do we leverage formative assessment during a pandemic to move student learning forward? Join FOSS and the Lawrence Hall of Science on Jan. 26.

Registration is free, but spaces are limited. Sign up today

Join us for the SCASS quarterly professional learning opportunity from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 5. We will continue to focus on equity and an NGSS system of supports for all. Registration for the event is free, but does require SCASS membership. Join SCASS for free by clicking on the Join Us button on the homepage.

CA NGSS Statewide Implementation: Building Student Sensemaking Through Disciplinary Literacy is an online professional learning experience designed for K-12 academic coaches, administrators, curriculum leads, and teacher leaders to deepen understanding and implementation of teaching practices to advance student science understanding. The sessions are divided into four science and literacy-specific strands. Participants register for one strand per event where they will experience grade-specific instructional strategies for student sensemaking, engage in collaborative reflection, develop a classroom plan of action to implement with students, and collaboratively review plan/implementation in online follow-up meetings. The series will be offered three times: January, February, and March. Visit the CA NGSS event website from the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association for more information.

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.

By Tara Fuad, education director, Nature Collective

As school field trips came to a screeching halt in March 2020, our education team was caught off guard and wondered, “How can we continue to connect students to nature if they aren’t allowed to participate in fieldwork at the San Elijo Lagoon?” Like everyone, we needed to pivot and reimagine our program in a world of virtual learning.

Inspired by the book How to Teach Nature Journaling by John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren, we decided to focus our efforts around nature journaling and developed a program for 5th-graders in Escondido Union School District (EUSD) that inspires students and teachers to practice observation skills and critical scientific thinking through the use of nature journals and journaling activities. To ensure equitable access to science tools, the program launch begins with every student receiving a nature-journaling kit, thanks to a generous SDCOE donation, and a jade plant clipping. After naming their plants and making observations and journal entries, teachers have noted that students become attached to their plants and proud of their work. “The journaling kits are critical as they allow students to experience science in the same way at the same time” said one 5th-grade teacher.

Through a series of six scaffolded virtual journaling lessons taught intermittently over three weeks by Nature Collective staff and EUSD 5th-grade teachers, students gain foundational observation and nature journaling skills. Hands-on plant care, at-home nature observations, virtual nature investigations, and even a virtual field trip to the San Elijo Lagoon, support NGSS standards specifically related to the 5th-grade focus on ecosystems and interdependent relationships.

The sixth lesson, environmental impact mapping, serves as a springboard to a student conservation design thinking project that encourages students to observe the positive and negative human interactions within their neighborhood. The project challenges students to come up with solutions to environmental problems in their community, empowering them to take actions and make a difference.

This program demonstrates that nature is always around us and accessible to us all, regardless of where we live. Nature can be observed, studied, and appreciated, even in the midst of global pandemic and over technological mediums. “Engaging students virtually with nature is no small feat, and the Nature Collective’s nature journaling program does it well!” says EUSD Science TOSA Krystle Miller. “The program aligns with the original vision of the NGSS framework writers — science for all students and outdoor experiences for all.”

Nature Collective is a nonprofit land trust with a vision of a world where everyone has a passion to connect with, experience, and protect nature.

To access Nature Collective’s nature journaling curriculum or to register for our upcoming nature journaling workshop series beginning Jan. 23, go here. For more information about Nature Collective’s nature journaling program, contact Tara Fuad at tara@thenaturecollective.org.

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.

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is proud to offer financial aid for students in need so that all students have access to high-quality virtual science programming. PreK-12 students connect to the ocean through virtual experiential learning programs, where students meet and observe ocean organisms, explore and analyze data about changing conditions in ocean habitats, or ask questions about aquarium careers and current conservation issues. The programs are aligned with the NGSS and designed to be engaging for students joining virtually from their home or classroom. Programs are 30 to 45 minutes long and are available Monday through Friday. Learn more about the programs and apply for financial aid on the Birch Aquarium website. Most schools in Southern California with Title 1 status or other need will receive full support and are encouraged to apply. We hope to "sea" you soon!

There are 55 unique Virtual Field Trip Xperiences from nine arts and science venue partners. Current venues include:

Each Virtual Field Trip Xperience is live, interactive and personalized for a class of up to 40 students. The venues will work with each teacher to ensure the best possible Xperience for their students. Once a teacher reviews the list of available Xperiences, they can apply for the necessary funding for the selected program. Please share this information with all educators.

For more information about ArtsBusXpress, please visit the website or email info@artsbusxpress.org.

Library NExT STEAM Workshops

Library NExT (Network of Education x Training) is a series of workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students on more than 60 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. 

The topics addressed in this Spanish and English video series include 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.

California State Parks offers K-12 students the opportunity to engage and connect to California parks resources through their Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) program. The PORTS program connects students to California’s diverse cultural, natural, and historic resources through virtual field-trip experiences.

Join PORTS at Tijuana Estuary Natural Preserve in Southern California to explore how the secrets of the salt marsh help to study and protect our changing climate. You can expect to join our interpreters to guide your students in building observation skills through nature journaling, discover salt marsh habitats and adaptations, or explore some of the real-time data to monitor the health of estuaries. Book a trip.

Virtual field trips allow students to experience the wildlife and science programs normally offered at the Living Coast Discovery Center. All programs are aligned to the CA NGSS. Virtual educational programs include a live animal encounter, pre-recorded field trip, and live Zoom field trip. The Living Coast Discovery Center virtual wildlife programs are NGSS- and CCSS-based. Sponsored teachers will receive a recorded lesson, Zoom lesson, animal encounter, and additional resources (a $300 value) absolutely at no cost through Title 1 Aid.

I Love A Clean San Diego has gone virtual! The education team has worked diligently to transform the in-person environmental education presentations into live online classroom learning opportunities. The virtual presentations can be scheduled via Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams as needed. They are free to public and private K-12 classrooms within I Love A Clean San Diego’s service areas. Topics include: recycling and household hazardous waste, ecosystems and marine pollution, food waste, watershed pollution, ocean acidification, living a zero waste lifestyle, and more. The programs are NGSS-aligned and vary in length from 45 minutes to one hour. You and your students can expect interactive elements including polls, Menti questions, multiple short discussions, and group activities. Also, many programs come with optional follow-up materials to help extend students’ learning opportunities outside of the live presentation. If you are interested in learning more or looking to schedule a virtual presentation, email education@cleansd.org or fill out the online presentation request form.

Upcoming webinars include Save Your Scraps (in English and Spanish) and Zero Waste Closet. Visit cleansd.org Workshop Events page to learn more about each webinar.

The San Diego River Distance Learning Station has its Cool River Program — Distance Learning Resources with video lessons, printables, and storytelling. These activities are most appropriate for students K-8 and focus mainly on ecology, environmental education, and nature connection.

PEAK@Home is an at-home resource available in English and Spanish for families and students adjusting to distance learning. The library of K-8 environmental STEM lessons are NGSS-aligned, environmentally focused, and easy to implement for non-educators. Students can explore topics related to energy, water, waste, and climate through hands-on science and engineering activities. All materials required for the lessons or lesson webinars are items that can be easily found in students’ homes — all a student needs is a little curiosity! Students can also tune in to My Energy Future webinars, where STEM professionals describe their current career in STEM, skills for success, journey into their career, and advice for students. Register to access the lessons. For more information about the full K-8 PEAK Student Energy Actions program offerings, visit www.PEAKstudents.org or contact education@energycoalition.org.

In an effort to support high school students and educators during COVID-19, SEI has prepared distance learning resources. Bring hands-on projects to your students using SEI’s distance learning units, which include climate change, energy auditing, renewable energy, and air quality. The distance learning units are teacher-facing resources that will fit into many subjects' scope and sequence and are designed for engaging students in synchronous, virtual instruction. SEI also offers student-facing distance learning curriculum that is designed to get your students thinking about sustainability across a range of topics from air quality to green transportation. All student-facing curriculum is ready to share with your learners and includes background content and engaging activities. The student-facing curriculum can be implemented with or without internet access.

As schools are continuing remote learning or adhering to smaller group sizes, the San Diego County Water Authority and Shows That Teach have created a virtual assembly option so 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. They are free to public and private elementary schools within the Water Authority’s service area. Topics included are the water cycle, local and regional water supplies, water-use efficiency, and more. To schedule an assembly, email education@sdcwa.org.

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 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. Also find the Learning at Home Bingo series and additional resources that support distance learning on the SDCOE COVID-19 webpage.

Open SciEd, known for its high-quality middle school science units, has released free COVID-19 and health equity units available for grades K-2, 3-5, middle school, and high school.

FOSS For One is made for today's remote and hybrid learning environments. With FOSS For One, your students aren't just reading and watching science, they're experiencing FOSS. Portable, individually packaged, packs are available for all K-5 FOSS modules. Each pack supports one student throughout the module, and all are priced to put synchronous hands-on learning within reach of everyone. Get in touch with richard.pacheco@schoolspecialty.com today to learn more. If you live outside of San Diego County, check for your representative’s information here.

The California Association of Science Educators (CASE) is now accepting proposals for the upcoming California Science Education Conference Oct. 8 to 10. This year’s conference will be virtual. CASE is seeking workshops that address a variety of learning needs in our community, which varies by hybrid and virtual learning, by grade band, role in implementation (including classroom teachers, district-level coaches or TOSAs, informal science educators, preservice teachers, and higher-ed faculty), and level of implementation. Proposals are being accepted now for 90-minute workshops and short courses. For more information, visit the Proposal Submission page of the CASE website. Proposals are due by March 26.

SDSU’s School of Teacher Education Mathematics and Science Education faculty are recruiting teachers for its one-year masters of arts in teaching program in grades K-12 mathematics and science teaching. Through coursework designed to connect directly to the K-12 classroom, teachers will explore students’ ideas in mathematics and science and investigate how those ideas can be leveraged to support powerful mathematics and science learning. Visit MathSciEd.sdsu.edu for details and information on how to apply. No GRE scores required. To join the mailing list to learn about future informational meetings, please RSVP.

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.