Next Generation Science Standards

This sign was outside the bookstore, where I thought I'd find a lot of science trade books.

On April 2nd, I spent the day in and around Boston.  I was fortunate to be able to attend an all-day professional development session on the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS) at the National Science Teacher's Association Conference.  I sat at a round table with science teachers from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas and Ethiopia!  The people running the session created the new standards.  The most controversial element of NGSS was not evolution or climate change, but waves.  Since waves power so many everyday things, like cellphones, they felt it was important to include the topic.

This exhibit caught my eye.

The practices were familiar; they're the steps scientists follow to do their research.  At the table, we did a couple of experiments, recorded our observations and created models.  Disjointed strands of the old standards have been braided together to make a solid rope of practices, cross-cutting concepts and core ideas.  By doing hands-on experiments, kids will become engaged and they'll have a deeper learning experience.   The end result is more of a big picture or systems approach to understanding.   

We had fun wearing goggles for one experiment.

I asked if they had looked at how other countries taught science when they developed the standards.  The answer was yes, several.  One country was Finland.  These standards are based on the most up-to-date research on how we learn.  Given my background in technology and systems design, I was enthusiastic and so were the teachers at my table.  One said the hands-on approach was much better than "spoon feeding" the kids.    

We did some modeling for a syringe experiment.

Afterward, I listened to a talk by author, Carla Killough McClafferty.  She spoke about using fiction techniques in nonfiction.  It was interesting hearing examples from her books.  One of them is now on my reading list.  It was a long day, but an enlightening one.

Although the exhibit hall wasn't open, I could still look down and check it out.

The Laurel Marsh Trail, Manchester

To the right, is a boardwalk across the marsh.

On Wednesday, I'm going to the National Science Teacher's Association Conference at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center.  I was surprised and delighted that I would be allowed to sit in on the Professional Development Institute about the Next Generation Science Standards!  After the conference, I plan to stop in Randolph MA to hear Carla Killough McClafferty speak about using fiction techniques to write nonfiction.  It's going to be a long day.

I'm working very hard trying to get two things ready for a critique mailing tomorrow, so I'm going to relish an out-of-state break.

I thought the trail ended here, but it veered left in front of this sign.

As the snow was melting, I thought I'd squeeze in one more snowshoe adventure.  The Laurel Marsh Trail was a challenge on snowshoes.  The trail goes under the highway four times and the snow turns to gravel beneath those bridges.  I didn't want to keep taking my showshoes on and off, so I tried to tiptoe across the gravel and surely wore down and scraped up my footwear.

The pines make a great blind to observe marsh wildlife.

The boardwalk goes right into the marsh, which makes it a great place to observe birds and wildlife.  However, both times on the trail, I left thinking it needed to be marked better.  When I saw the orange no admittance sign, I had to stop a car and ask the driver where the trail went.  I want to go back some time during the spring to walk the boardwalks, listen to the birds and absorb nature without snowshoes on my feet.   

This tree fort seemed so out of place with no homes nearby.

Yesterday, I was in Hartford for the National Science Teachers Association Conference. It's interesting to note that what I got out of presentations often differed dramatically from what I thought I'd get out of them. For instance, there was a workshop about how the NSTA committee picks award winning books that I thought might be depressing (I have lots of magazine articles!). It was excellent. I got a whole sheet of what reviewers look for in science books, things to think about when I write. They spoke highly and enthusiastically about their selections and mentioned subjects they rarely see. Another workshop about how we learn was quite interesting and material about standards made me feel like I'm right on target with my subject matter.

I could have spent more time in the exhibit hall where I entered a dark semi-spherical moonbounce structure, a digital starlab. The larva of a Mexican jumping bean trying to repair its broken bean captivated me for a long while. I viewed it with a microscope that worked like a computer mouse. As a kid, I had jumping beans.

I drove into Hartford on a raw rainy day and came home to find October snow on the back deck. Some of the stuff I got at the conference is in the top photograph. The thin sheets of antibacterial soap were really nouveau, although I surely contaminated them when I pulled them all out. Shhhh. It's my little secret. Anyone need some dirty soap?