Science Department Meeting Friday, September 25th, 2015 (7:20 am – 7:50 am) H103 – BioHaz Meeting Room
I. Important Dates
a. September 28th – last day to for AP and Honors drops by teacher or petition by student with four signatures (counselor, parents and 2 teachers involved)
b. September 29th – Happy Birthday Mike
c. October 12th – Faculty Inservice
d. October 14th – Happy Birthday Gerry and Testing Day
e. October 16th – Professional Development Plans Due
Sept 28 – last day to drop AP/Honors Mike – Switzerland, visited Einstein’s house, super collider, etc. Oct 12 – faculty in-service, first part is VIRTUS training, 2nd part – science dept. teachers are presenting to the department. Oct 16 – professional dev. Plans due to Fawzia – include last year’s plans and update on progress for each item. For this year’s plans – meeting with Rick feedback helping to form the plans. Once Fawzia has them – between Oct 19-23rd meetings with Fawzia to discuss during free periods.
II. Shared Calendar
a. Department meetings and BioHaz hosting schedule (Thank you Kimberly)
b. Next Department Meeting – Thursday, October 28th (Thank you Paul) – Thursday morning
III. Professional Development Plans (Due Friday, October 16)
a. Last year’s plans were emailed
b. Include this year’s plans and update on last year’s plans with completed/in-progress/not completed
c. Meetings with Rick
d. October 19th to 23rd will schedule short meeting to discuss plans (via email)
IV. PLC’s
a. Second meeting mini inservice
b. No meetings week of October 12th
c. October 19th second and third meetings
PLC’s – 2 meetings in computer lab – tech info. The next two are mini inservices – Oct. 19th second and third meetings begin.
V. Technology Department
a. Lance wants to make videos highlighting cool projects/tech implementation (will contact active teachers)
Lance emailed Fawzia – he wants to make videos on each department and what goes on during the school year.
VI. Discussion (Updates/Department Goals)
a. 70 minute periods
i. Time for Student Reflection ii. Pacing
b. “Homeruns”
c. Science Practices (future discussion – vertical alignment)
a) 70 minute schedule – updates – time for student reflection? How is the pacing? More time for student reflection – Robb – first unit had to cut out some info, looking forward what can be pulled out to be made shorter – Paul – able to have them connect a bit better the different types of learning in the course. – Joining things up in the class a bit more. Kim/Fawzia – block schedule nice for the AP courses and the labs. On pace with planning – going faster – something to gauge as the year goes on – effect on students. Stress level of students? After a couple more weeks – inquire how the stress level is for the students. Eddie – talked to a few students – multiple days to do a homework assignment – only that free if you are on task.
Exam pacing? – Only using the 50-55 minutes – how to use the rest of class? Review discussion before – study process – work after? Exam beginning of the class – end with hook for the next chapter that we are going to start. Start next unit/lab prep – finished some exam review before hand or working after the exam.
b) Homeruns – Anything interesting happening in the classroom? With Flex time – Chemistry club Seniors what they have learned in Psychology vs. Biology course – making the connections. That Physics is the foundation for all sciences – nice to hear that type of discussion among the students. Jim – student reflection and thinking through the inquiry methods. Making frequent connections between experience in chemistry and what they are seeing in Biology.
c) Science Practices – first 8 from NGSS, last 7 from AP Science Practices. Look over the science practices for future discussion for vertical alignment and how we are doing with the practices in the fresh/soph courses in preparation for AP courses.
Friday, September 25th, 2015 (7:20 am – 7:50 am)
H103 – BioHaz Meeting Room
- I. Important Dates
- a. September 28th – last day to for AP and Honors drops by teacher or petition by student with four signatures (counselor, parents and 2 teachers involved)
- b. September 29th – Happy Birthday Mike
- c. October 12th – Faculty Inservice
- d. October 14th – Happy Birthday Gerry and Testing Day
- e. October 16th – Professional Development Plans Due
Sept 28 – last day to drop AP/HonorsMike – Switzerland, visited Einstein’s house, super collider, etc.
Oct 12 – faculty in-service, first part is VIRTUS training, 2nd part – science dept. teachers are presenting to the department.
Oct 16 – professional dev. Plans due to Fawzia – include last year’s plans and update on progress for each item. For this year’s plans – meeting with Rick feedback helping to form the plans. Once Fawzia has them – between Oct 19-23rd meetings with Fawzia to discuss during free periods.
- IV. PLC’s
- a. Second meeting mini inservice
- b. No meetings week of October 12th
- c. October 19th second and third meetings
PLC’s – 2 meetings in computer lab – tech info. The next two are mini inservices – Oct. 19th second and third meetings begin.- V. Technology Department
- a. Lance wants to make videos highlighting cool projects/tech implementation (will contact active teachers)
Lance emailed Fawzia – he wants to make videos on each department and what goes on during the school year.- VI. Discussion (Updates/Department Goals)
- a. 70 minute periods
i. Time for Student Reflectionii. Pacing
- b. “Homeruns”
- c. Science Practices (future discussion – vertical alignment)
a) 70 minute schedule – updates – time for student reflection? How is the pacing? More time for student reflection – Robb – first unit had to cut out some info, looking forward what can be pulled out to be made shorter – Paul – able to have them connect a bit better the different types of learning in the course. – Joining things up in the class a bit more. Kim/Fawzia – block schedule nice for the AP courses and the labs. On pace with planning – going faster – something to gauge as the year goes on – effect on students. Stress level of students? After a couple more weeks – inquire how the stress level is for the students. Eddie – talked to a few students – multiple days to do a homework assignment – only that free if you are on task.Exam pacing? – Only using the 50-55 minutes – how to use the rest of class? Review discussion before – study process – work after? Exam beginning of the class – end with hook for the next chapter that we are going to start. Start next unit/lab prep – finished some exam review before hand or working after the exam.
b) Homeruns – Anything interesting happening in the classroom? With Flex time – Chemistry club Seniors what they have learned in Psychology vs. Biology course – making the connections. That Physics is the foundation for all sciences – nice to hear that type of discussion among the students. Jim – student reflection and thinking through the inquiry methods. Making frequent connections between experience in chemistry and what they are seeing in Biology.
c) Science Practices – first 8 from NGSS, last 7 from AP Science Practices. Look over the science practices for future discussion for vertical alignment and how we are doing with the practices in the fresh/soph courses in preparation for AP courses.