Spring 2023 California Classroom Science – Vol. 35 Issue 3
President's Message
Why We Teach Science
It’s Springtime, and the school year is getting to feel a bit long in the tooth. Testing might be zapping the life out of the year, and students and teachers are starting to count days. It’s been a very rough few year(s), and summer is calling loudly.
It’s a good time to remind yourself why you teach science anyway. What is it that inspires you…
FYI
Planned Happenstance in Career Exploration
We’ve grown up being asked that question as early as Kindergarten and we continue to ask that of each other and ourselves throughout our years. From an early age we are conditioned to pick a title/career and focus solely on that career as we navigate our way through school choices, course options, and opportunities.
Phenomenal Science Notebooks
It was a packed house at the CASE conference for my two sessions! Over 250 teachers came to learn about phenomenal science notebooks. The first session focused on sketchnoting in science. Taking lecture notes plays an important role in what students do to learn content in their science class.
STEAM Micro-Credentialing: Cultivating Educator Excellence
How can we cultivate and validate educator expertise in STEAM?
As the number of schools identifying themselves as STEAM increases, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Human Resources Division developed and launched a research- and competency-based STEAM Micro-Credentialing Program in 2018.
Science Education in an Age of Misinformation
Today, students turn to the internet for information about a range of science-related issues, like COVID variants and climate change. However, misinformation (misleading information shared by mistake) and disinformation (fake information shared with the intent to deceive) can spread easily online.
Making a Case for Elementary Science through STEAM
This October at the CASE conference in Palm Springs, the Call to Action for Science Education was heard loud and clear. One point really stood out to me: “Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people navigating the world, not just for scientists and other…STEM professionals.” Effective action at the district level can make…
Increasing English and Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Proficiency Through Science
Academic learning and achievement is often a synergistic process, with student learning in one subject potentially bolstering learning in other subjects. Districts that used STEMscopes Science had higher science, ELA, and mathematics proficiency rates than districts that did not. Learn more about how this was concluded and how STEMscopes Science…
Beyond the Use of Academic Language
“Using academic language,” a session attendee offered. This was in response to a question about what norms need to be in place so we can create a classroom environment that is conducive to productive talk. This suggestion gave me pause, but I ended up moving on in my session on “Productive Talk in the Science Classroom.”
Region 2 Events
Region 2 Update: Spring 2023
It’s that time of the year when many of our students, teachers and administrators in Region 2 (and across the state) are gearing up for their annual Science Fairs. Many have continued with the tradition of the large Science and Engineering Fair like the one of the largest that’s held every March in Silicon Valley, the “Synopsis Science and…
Region 4 Events
Region 4 Update: Spring 2023
The CA NGSS have an important birthday this year! 10 years ago, the State Board of Education adopted the CA NGSS as our science standards. With this exciting birthday, we want to celebrate the amazing work that is happening in Southern California to bring CA NGSS into classrooms. Districts across the region are using the highly recommended Toolkit…
Spotlight
Sky happenings for March 2023 and beyond
March opens with a spectacular pairing of the two brightest planets at dusk, Venus and Jupiter. They appear closest to each other, just half a degree apart – about the apparent width of the Moon’s disk – on Wednesday, March 1st. They’re still 11°-12° above the western horizon at nightfall, as twilight ends, nearly one and a half hours after sunset.…
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California Classroom Science
CASE's signature publication, is an electronic publication that is produced bimonthly. The publication consists of mostly original content produced by CASE members and provides information of interest to California science educators.
CCS is packed with information, news, resources, ideas, and activities of current interest to science educators. CCS is delivered to CASE members electronically via e-mail and is available on our website for all to enjoy.
Science Classroom Move
CASE’s newsletter, California Classroom Science, has always had great articles about resources, lessons, planning tools, and issues in science education. But sometimes the things that help us the most are the little things: A classroom move. This is a new interactive column that allows you to share those little moves. We’d love to hear from all of you!