Meeting+17+-+Aug+'13

** Friday, August 30th, 2013 (7:15am – 8:00am) ** ** H103 – BioHazard Meeting Room **
 * Science Department Meeting **


 * 1) Welcome Back

NOTES - Robb - going to get around to more classes to view teaching in action * those that had sabbatical this summer will be presenting to the faculty, few minute presentation to the department with Rick and Frank present. Will go on the calender in the future BioHaz hosting - each responsible for hosting 3 dates. Bring in coffee, pastries, basic setup. Keep stocked with refreshments, hosting is done in 3 consecutive hosting days. Firs time take fridge inventory (diet coke, etc.) Voluntary days of collaboration in BioHaz - 7:30am-8:00am i. Biology – Andrew, Mike Laveson (Paul to Palm Springs) ii. APES – Robb (Craig to Palm Springs) iii. Chemistry – Fawzia, Kimberly & Eddie iv. Physics (Rick P.) – Mike Lew, Gary, Gerry & Lee NSTA Portland - regional conference - opportunity to go as a department to a science convention. As many members as possible, especially new members. Some members of the department are presenting at the conference. Let the administration know that the members of the department are presenting - Gina will tell the administration (MIke, Robb, Andrew, Craig). CSTA meeting same weekend as NSTA 1. Robb will be sending out sub budgets to each person in charge of the budget. If asked for it, you received it - nothing was turned down. Separation between Oceanography, APES, etc. Each elective has their own individualized budget 2. Update cell phone 3. Put family photo in BioHaz 1 - Due October 1st to Robb, sit down with Robb for meeting and finalize plan to RIck on Nov 1st. Robb will be sending out an electronic copy of a sample PD plan template. *New members can sit down with Robb for more explanation. AP exams are going through changes - tailor teaching style and curriculum in Active courses so students are prepared for AP * **Robb** - passed out master grid for science faculty - visit classes during your prep period. Great for guests coming on campus. i. Science Ramifications – All Students will take Phy-9 ii. Currently 256 of 315 are enrolled (81%) i. Sub-goal Discussions 2. Hire one more science faculty?
 * 1) Quick Summer PD Share – One Highlight.
 * 1) Looking Ahead – Important Dates to Note
 * 2) Happy Birthday Fawzia – Friday, Sept 06
 * 3) Back to School Night(s) – Tue, Sept 10 (9th & 10th) & Mon, Sept 16 (11th & 12th)
 * 4) NSTA (Portland, Oct 23-26) / CSTA (Palm Springs) / CUE / ISTE
 * 5) Birthdays and Biohazard Collaboration (BioHaz “Host” Schedule)
 * 6) Next Department Meeting – Thur, Sept 27
 * Google Calendar link with Dept meeting dates indicated.
 * 1) NSTA Portland
 * 2) October 23-26 (Register ASAP)
 * 3) Budgets will Cover Convention PD costs so Plan Accordingly
 * 1) Department Logistics
 * 2) Budgets – (Good News)
 * 3) Phone Numbers (Update)
 * 4) Please Update Family Photo in BioHaz
 * 1) Professional Development Plans (Due Tuesday, October 1, 2013)
 * 2) Example of Last Year’s PD Plan
 * 3) PD Template
 * 1) Recent (& Future) Changes to the Physics, Chemistry & Biology AP Exams
 * 2) Physics – Gerry
 * 3) Chemistry – Fawzia
 * 4) Biology - Paul
 * **Physics - Gerry**: Fall 2014 change to AP Physics B - taken AP Physics B and split up in to the same content areas of Physics C - AP Physics 1 and 2. AP Physics 1 is introductory, classical physics. AP Physics 1 matches our Freshman physics curriculum, algebra based, mechanics, waves, etc. no E&M. AP Physics 2 - fluids, thermo, E&M. AP Physics 2 not recommended as first year physics course. They think students should be able to take them concurrently. IN depth conversation of what we will be offering. Each one is still 3 college credit units. AP Physics 1 covers 1 semester of college course. AP Human Geography course freshman take now, just 1 section and they all passed. Food for thought to think about - re implement a science placement exam? Math placement and HSPT to see if freshman will be placed in AP class. AP class for freshman. If they start offering at Human Geo level might be 2 AP for freshman. 7 period schedule - could double up and have a double period for the AP Physics. Freshman taking Physics 9 would have a new experience if taking AP Physics 1 as a freshman. Want to get a good foundation for all freshman to take Active - we need to evaluate mate in the AP Physics course (systems of eqns), 1/6 freshman get in Honors Geometry as a freshman - could be candidates for Honors Physics - and option to take AP exam. Some universities will not allow a student to get units for two AP Physics course, have to pick one. If pass AP exam freshman year, and take AP Physics C senior year, one will go into elective university credit. **Gina** will ask the question at the UC conference.
 * **Chemistry - Fawzia:** Old framework - 22 labs tested (1 lab question), if student had not done lab but knew fundamentals, could answer the question. Study 5 types of questions, and you would get them right. You knew ahead of time what the question types were - predictable, prescribed. Strong in math, could preform well for the test. New - focus is on the fundamental concepts - divided into 6 big ideas --> broken down into enduring understandings that have essential knowledge and science practices and daily learning objectives. Many of the exclusionary statements assume that the content is covered in the previous year. Students still responsible for the same amount of content. A lot of the big ideas are similar to what we had before, but the structure is different - broken down into enduring understand and essential knowledge. NEW - Science Practices - students who take freshamn physics and have good lab skills, very impt. 7 science practices, students need to be able to think about modeling, new AP text a lot more pictures, sample AP exam every question has a picture or data table. Bottom line - is new exam easier or harder? They cannot fake it anymore, need to actually be able to understand the chemistry concepts. New exam 60 m/c questions, cut down number of m/c questions because they will be looking at data and analyzing data and looking at graphs, or pictures of molecules. 2 lab questions - one is on experimental design, need to be able to set up the lab.
 * **Biology - Paul:** Last year was the first year of the new AP exam. Many of the changes similar to chem - big ideas. Refer to handout. New - concepts are very explicit spelled out into 154 learning objectives. Old labs were very procedural, new labs - 8 required labs, can choose whichever you want, open ended, student designed, no procedure given. Students have to design the lab. 25% course time is lab work. AP Exam - has changed in terms of emphasis. New - 50% weight is multiple choice, upped the weight of free response to 50% - 63 m/c questions - all incorporate looking at data sets that correspond to one of the learning objectives. Calculators are now required - expected to use mathematics in m/c questions. 6 grid-in questions - no answer choices provided, need to do computations. Free response - changed to 6 short answers (4-5 sentences) single learning objective. 2 long responses mufti-part question, at least one involves statistical analysis. Our Loyola students did slightly better than national averages. 5% nationally were given a score of 5, used to be 12-13%.
 * 1) Department Goals for 2013-14
 * 2) Prepare for switchover to 7-period schedule (“It’s going to happen”)
 * 1) Continue Search for Senior Level Project-Based Course Offerings
 * 2) Utilize and Revise (if necessary) the Department Observation Form
 * 3) 100% Participation as Presenters at NSTA Long Beach (Dec, 2014)
 * 1) Update technology (GLX’s?, Clickers?, etc)