Registration Open for COSI Summer Teacher Workshops in Columbus and Newark

Integrating Science & Literature
PreK–8 Teachers
June 7-8, 2012 (The Works, Newark) free for Licking County teachers
July 11-12, 2012 (COSI, Columbus)

Integrating Science with Math & Language Arts
K-8 Teachers
June 25-29, 2012 (Ohio Dominican University, Columbus)

Summer Academy: Mobile Learning
PreK–8 Teachers
July 17-19, 2012 (ITSCO, Westerville)

Inquiry Into Water
Grade 3-10 Teachers
July 25-26, 2012 (COSI, Columbus)

Bridging the Gap with the Ohio Core for Physical Science
Grade 4-8 Teachers
August 1-2, 2012 (COSI, Columbus)

For more information and registration, visit the COSI website.

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.

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.

From ODE: “Focus Two of the Revised Standards and Model Curricula Rollout Meetings to Begin in January

In January, ODE will begin offering Focus Two of the Targeted Professional Development Meetings. These after-school workshops that run through May 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. In Focus Two, participants will take a deeper look at the 2010 revised standards and how to transition from the 2002 standards. Registrants should plan to take one workshop session in each of the subject areas they teach.
Registration is available in STARS by searching keywords: targeted professional development. Beginning Jan. 3, participants should download 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@ode.state.oh.us.

From ODE: “Revised Standards and Model Curricula Meetings Scheduled Throughout School Year”

ODE is conducting late afternoon and evening workshops this school year to help educators respond to Ohio’s revised academic content standards and model curricula in social studies, English language arts, mathematics and science. Each subject-specific session includes a general introduction to the revised standards and model curricula, and describes how participants can deepen their content knowledge and make other classroom practice changes to increase student achievement. Registrants should plan to take one workshop session in each of the subject areas they teach during each of these two periods: Focus 1 – now through December (Standards and Model Curricula 101); and Focus 2 – January through May (Curriculum Revision). In other words, an elementary teacher who teaches all four subjects may want to take four workshops during Focus 1 and four workshops during Focus 2. A teacher who teaches only social studies would take one workshop during Focus 1 and one during Focus 2.

Registration is available in STARS by searching the keywords: Targeted Professional Development. Fall sessions are listed now; 2012 meeting dates will be listed by Dec. 1. 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@ode.state.oh.us.

Is Your District Evaluating Resources to Teach the New Science Standards?

The Ohio Department of Education has developed a rubric to help evaluate resources and materials for use in science instruction. The Science Resource Filter may be found along with other resources on the ODE website for implementing the revised Science Education Standards and Model Curriculum.

ODE Science Resource Filter

From ODE: “Call for Stakeholder Nominations – OAA/OGT Alignment Review Meetings”

ODE’s Office of Curriculum and Assessment is looking for Ohio educators and other stakeholders to help with aligning the current Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA) and Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT) with Ohio’s revised standards in science and social studies, and the Ohio-adopted Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics.

These meetings will provide a review of the alignment between existing test items and the 2010 standards, and provide feedback for use in alignment work for the next generation of assessments. ODE is looking statewide for stakeholders who have knowledge of, and some experience with, the 2010 standards at the elementary, middle school and high school grade levels and can work cooperatively to conduct this alignment review work. All meetings will be held in Columbus. Please note the following:

• Meeting participants who live more than 45 miles from the meeting location will be provided hotel accommodations;
• For all eligible meeting participants, costs for substitute teachers will be reimbursed directly to school districts;
• All meeting participants will be reimbursed for mileage ($.50 cents per mile); expense forms and reimbursement guidelines will be distributed at the meeting.
• Science alignment review meetings will be held in January:

Alignment Review Meeting Dates
Grade 5 Science 1/24/12 – 1/26/12
Grade 8 Science 1/24/12 – 1/26/12
OGT Science 1/18/12 – 1/20/12

To nominate yourself or someone else to participate in one of the alignment review meetings, please contact Marie-Elena (Lana) Hall at (614) 387-2285 (desk), (614) 446-0223 (general office phone number), or marie-elena.hall@ode.state.oh.us.

From ODE: “Ohio Chosen as a Lead State for the Development of the Next Generation Science Standards”

ODE was chosen to be one of 20 states to help lead the development of national Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The standards will define the natural science and engineering content and practices students must learn from kindergarten through high school graduation. The goal is to build a strong science foundation in the nation’s students that leads to improved college and career-readiness.

The first standards-development step was completed recently when the National Research Council (NRC) released A Framework for K-12 Science Education. The document identifies core natural science and engineering concepts students should know by graduation. Ohio will participate in step two, working with other lead-state partners to guide the standards writing process, gather and deliver feedback from each other and address common issues and challenges. For more information, visit the Next Generation Science Standards website.

Three informational webinars are scheduled to provide an introduction to the development process for the Next Generation Science Standards:

• Friday, October 28, 1:00-2:30 pm ET
• Thursday, November 3, 6:00-7:30 pm ET
• Wednesday, November 9, 6:00 -7:30 pm ET

To join any one of the three sessions listed above, log in at https://sas.elluminate.com/d.jnlp?password=12YI20ZWCYXR97RPN1MK&sid=vclass.

While there may be some changes that occur when the NGSS are developed, it would benefit teachers to begin using Ohio’s 2010 state standards and model curriculum document to infuse technology and engineering, real-world application and science practices into the standards’ more rigorous content. This will provide consistency with both the 2010 state science standards and the work at the national level.

In addition, the new state assessments (beginning in 2014-2015) will be aligned to the 2010 revised science standards and model curriculum. The bank of current science items is currently being aligned with the new standards to identify needs for item development and the required field-testing of these items. This process takes time, so if Ohio does decide to adopt the NGSS, assessments for those new standards will not be ready within that 2014-2015 timeframe. Students will be assessed on the 2010 revised science standards and model curriculum in 2014-2015.

[Blog post updated 10/23/2011 with NGSS webinar dates]

From ODE: “Targeted Professional Development Meetings Scheduled for Ohio Educators”

More than 500 evening workshops for English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies educators have been scheduled on the topic of Ohio’s revised standards and new model curricula. To help participants develop a deeper understanding of these elements of Ohio’s education system, ODE has trained content-specific regional content facilitators to facilitate the meetings. Registration is available by accessing STARS through individual SAFE accounts and searching for keywords: targeted professional development. Although the meetings begin this month and continue through May 2012, registrants should sign up for only two of the meetings: one during the period of October through December (Standards and Model Curricula 101) and one from January through May (Curriculum Revision).

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 more information concerning registration, contact lisa.simpson@ode.state.oh.us.

Upcoming SECO Workshops on New ODE Science Model Curriculum

Do you have an interest in learning about the new ODE Model Curriculum for science? The Science Education Council of Ohio (SECO) is sponsoring free fall workshops, developed with ODE, to complement ongoing introductory seminars at the Educational Service Centers (ESCs). The SECO sessions will:

• provide an overview of the Science Model Curriculum
• promote examples of inquiry-based instruction
• discuss the features and benefits of the Science Model Curriculum

Session locations and dates so far include:

• Cincinnati: Saturday, October 15 from 9am-12pm at Lakota Administrative Offices
• Columbus: Saturday, October 15 from 8:30am-1:30pm at COSI
• Dayton: Saturday, October 15 from 9am-12pm at University of Dayton
• Mt. Gilead: Saturday, October 29 from 9am-2pm at Mt. Gilead High School
• Kirkland: Wednesday, November 2 from 4pm-7pm at Holden Arboretum
• Marietta: Thursday, November 3 from 4:30pm-7:30pm at Marietta College
• Elyria: Tuesday, November 8 from 9am-12pm at Elyria ESC

To learn more about these regional offerings, find one in your region, and to register, go to www.secoonline.org.

Please contact Tracy Cindric (tlkcap@yahoo.com) with any questions.

[Blog post updated 10/23/2011 with new workshop dates]