Workshop on Central Ohio Environmental Education Resources June 14

Science Resources Within Your Reach
June 14, 2012
8:00am-3:00pm
Highbanks Metro Park Nature Center

School administrators, curriculum advisors, principals, and teachers are invited to discover Central Ohio’s environmental education resources. Participants will learn ways to fund field trips, engage in hands-on activities and learn about resources available from various parks, organizations and agencies that specialize in environmental education. In-class and field trip opportunities will be discussed. Included in the day is a resource fair with information available for all grade levels. Although this workshop is designed primarily for those in traditional school/classroom settings, all are welcome to attend.

Additional Notes:

• Workshop is free.
• Morning and afternoon sessions for presentations and activities and afternoon (11:45-1:30 p.m.) resource fair
• Participants seeking graduate credit or CEUs must contact Susan Boggs 614-895-6211 or sboggs@metroparks.net.

From ODE: “Technology Education teachers sought for professional development opportunity”

Teachers in Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia are invited to participate in the Transforming Teaching through Implementing Inquiry (T2I2) project, funded by the National Science Foundation. The project involves development of a web-based professional development system that teachers will access from their schools and homes. During the 2012-2013 school year, selected non-National Board Certified Technology Education teachers will enroll in a series of 16 online modules which include general pedagogy, lesson plan development, student assessment and serving special populations. Upon completion of the modules, teachers will receive stipends of $500 and their school systems can award them up to three continuing education credits. If you are interested in participating, please register though this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/t2i2pilot_1213. For more information about the project, contact Dr. Jeremy Ernst at jvernst@vt.edu.

From ODE: “Ohio Academic Content Standards-Extended released for public comment”

Educators are invited to comment on the Ohio Academic Content Standards-Extended (OACS-E) during the public comment period that ends Feb. 29. The extended standards are designed to help teachers provide meaningful access to the state academic content standards for instruction of students with significant cognitive disabilities, while concurrently allowing the development of an adaptive on-demand performance-based alternate assessment. The OACS-E are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for English language arts and mathematics, as well as the revised academic content standards for science and social studies.

Please take a few moments to review the OACS-E and provide feedback through the online survey, which are both accessible here. This Web page also can be found at education.ohio.gov, keyword search: extended standards. ODE greatly values the input of Ohio’s educators, as well as other stakeholders interested in these projects. For more information, contact Andrew Hinkle, Office for Exceptional Children, at (614) 644-7304 or andrew.hinkle@education.ohio.gov, or Bill Sternberg, Office of Curriculum and Assessment, at (614) 466-0223 or bill.sternberg@education.ohio.gov.

Middle School Portal Webinars Focus on Next Generation Science Standards

What can science educators do now to prepare for the new science standards coming in the Fall of 2012? Understanding the Framework for K-12 Science Education will help tremendously! Join us in this series of webinars where we focus on the middle level and delve into each section of the Framework for K–12 Science Education using the NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Framework as a guide. Both of these documents are free to download.

Getting Ready for the Next Generation Science Standards, Part 1: Core Concepts
February 22, 2012
6:30-7:30 pm ET
RSVP on the MPS2 event page

In this webinar, we’ll focus on the introduction and conceptual framework (Chapters 1 and 2) and the Core Concepts (Chapters 5-8) of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the corresponding chapters in the Reader’s Guide.

Getting Ready for the Next Generation Science Standards Part 2: Scientific and Engineering Practices
March 21, 2012
6:30-7:30pm ET
RSVP on the MPS2 event page

In this webinar, we’ll focus on the Scientific and Engineering Practices (Chapter 3) of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the corresponding chapter in the Reader’s Guide.

Getting Ready for the Next Generation Science Standards Part 3: Crosscutting Concepts
April 18, 2012
6:30-7:30pm ET
RSVP on the MPS2 event page

In this webinar, we’ll focus on the Crosscutting Concepts (Chapter 4) of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the corresponding chapter in the Reader’s Guide.

Getting Ready for the Next Generation Science Standards Part 4: Integrating the Three Dimensions
May 16, 2012
6:30-7:30pm ET
RSVP on the MPS2 event page

In this webinar, we’ll focus on the Integrating the Three Dimensions (Chapter 9) of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and the corresponding chapter in the Reader’s Guide.

From ODE: “Focus Two of the revised standards and model curricula meetings continue”

ODE is now offering Focus Two of the Targeted Professional Development Meetings. The second of two series presented this school year, these after-school workshops run through May and are designed to help educators respond to Ohio’s revised academic content standards and model curricula in social studies, English language arts, mathematics and science. For Focus Two, participants will be taking a deeper look at the revised 2010 standards to assist in the transition from the 2002 standards. Registrants should plan to take one workshop session in each of the subject areas they teach.

Registration is available through SAFE accounts by accessing STARS and searching keywords: Targeted Professional Development. Participants should download the materials needed for the meetings from ODE’s Academic Content Standards section by visiting their specific content area (accessible through links at left) and opening the relevant Targeted Professional Development page. The Academic Content Standards section also is accessible at the bottom of ODE’s home page under the Educators heading. Contact hours will be awarded for attendance. For questions about registration, contact lisa.simpson@education.ohio.gov.