Science Department Meeting Thursday September 1, 2016 H103 – BioHaz Meeting Room
I. Important Dates
a. Birthdays (Fawzia 9/6, Robb 9/14, Andrew 9/20, Mike 9/29)
b.Back to School Nights Frosh/Soph Wednesday 9/7 Junior/Senior Tuesday 9/13
c. September 9th – last day for AP and Honors to drop without permission
d.September 30th – last day to for AP and Honors drops by teacher or petition by student
e. NSTA: Portland Nov 10-12 (Regional); Los Angeles Mar 30-Apr 2
(National)
II. Letter of Recommendation Questionnaires
Gina – letter of rec. Questionnaires – 1 form for the kids – one general question that the counselors would want to know about, and then each department would come up with a questionnaire that was more particular for your department. Just one or two questions that could be incorporated into a questionnaire on their Naviance. The counselors would also be able to access it to see their responses. Subject specific questions to include on a questionnaire – in depth on maybe 2 questions that are very subject specific. Generate a couple questions and send to Gina. More detailed about one specific accomplishment, etc. that is very detailed and gives much more light into a student. Particularly important to know if the student is planning on majoring in the sciences or elsewhere. Fawzia – will do a shared GoogleDoc of the questionnaire and develop a couple questions for students to answer specifically in depth.
III. PLC’s
a. Update from group leaders
b.NGSS alignment; update Science Department Handbook PLC’s – group leaders updates, etc. on what you decided to do during the PLC time. Set our own goals for the PLC’s. -Kimberly (Chemistry): discussing the NGSS alignment, revisiting chemistry demos-spent time going on the electrolysis of water demo new activity for our chemistry students, etc. 70-minute planning and how it is working for us and the AP courses, etc. BTSN prep. -Lee (Physics): started with looking at the common final exam – move some curriculum into a different semester to give some scope and sequence. A bit of a redesign, how they are using technology. Sent Rick the updates of what we are doing, etc. Quality time to sit down and look at questions for the common final exam, etc. -Stefan (Biology): different subjects in the PLC group, a bit of a difficulty with the PLC group. Stefan and Paul, Gary (on own), difficult to find in depth subject related things to work on. Spending the time producing some videos, lecture videos, etc. using Andrew’s broadcasting room experimenting with that. Robb – PLC time better used sitting in on Eddie’s class during Period 2 to better utilize his PLC time, waiting on confirmation from Rick and Frank. Robb setting up the SparkView Element – tablet that has the equivalent of capstone on it already and sensors already on the device itself, wireless sensors on the device itself. Wireless probe to connect to phone Bluetooth – pair with Element and sparkview app (they can download the app on their phone and use it with the wireless probeware).
NGSS Alignment – align our Loyola science standards to the NGSS standards – Biology is done on a wiki – Physics has redesigned the course to hit all the NGSS points. Chemistry – need to get our alignment done and as long as it is documented on a course outline, etc.
Thursday September 1, 2016
H103 – BioHaz Meeting Room
- a. Birthdays (Fawzia 9/6, Robb 9/14, Andrew 9/20, Mike 9/29)
b.Back to School NightsFrosh/Soph Wednesday 9/7
Junior/Senior Tuesday 9/13
- c. September 9th – last day for AP and Honors to drop without permission
d.September 30th – last day to for AP and Honors drops by teacher or petition by student- e. NSTA: Portland Nov 10-12 (Regional); Los Angeles Mar 30-Apr 2
(National)- II. Letter of Recommendation Questionnaires
Gina – letter of rec. Questionnaires – 1 form for the kids – one general question that the counselors would want to know about, and then each department would come up with a questionnaire that was more particular for your department. Just one or two questions that could be incorporated into a questionnaire on their Naviance. The counselors would also be able to access it to see their responses. Subject specific questions to include on a questionnaire – in depth on maybe 2 questions that are very subject specific. Generate a couple questions and send to Gina. More detailed about one specific accomplishment, etc. that is very detailed and gives much more light into a student. Particularly important to know if the student is planning on majoring in the sciences or elsewhere.Fawzia – will do a shared GoogleDoc of the questionnaire and develop a couple questions for students to answer specifically in depth.
- III. PLC’s
- a. Update from group leaders
b.NGSS alignment; update Science Department HandbookPLC’s – group leaders updates, etc. on what you decided to do during the PLC time. Set our own goals for the PLC’s.
- Kimberly (Chemistry): discussing the NGSS alignment, revisiting chemistry demos-spent time going on the electrolysis of water demo new activity for our chemistry students, etc. 70-minute planning and how it is working for us and the AP courses, etc. BTSN prep.
- Lee (Physics): started with looking at the common final exam – move some curriculum into a different semester to give some scope and sequence. A bit of a redesign, how they are using technology. Sent Rick the updates of what we are doing, etc. Quality time to sit down and look at questions for the common final exam, etc.
- Stefan (Biology): different subjects in the PLC group, a bit of a difficulty with the PLC group. Stefan and Paul, Gary (on own), difficult to find in depth subject related things to work on. Spending the time producing some videos, lecture videos, etc. using Andrew’s broadcasting room experimenting with that. Robb – PLC time better used sitting in on Eddie’s class during Period 2 to better utilize his PLC time, waiting on confirmation from Rick and Frank. Robb setting up the SparkView Element – tablet that has the equivalent of capstone on it already and sensors already on the device itself, wireless sensors on the device itself. Wireless probe to connect to phone Bluetooth – pair with Element and sparkview app (they can download the app on their phone and use it with the wireless probeware).
NGSS Alignment – align our Loyola science standards to the NGSS standards – Biology is done on a wiki – Physics has redesigned the course to hit all the NGSS points. Chemistry – need to get our alignment done and as long as it is documented on a course outline, etc.
- V. Reminders
- a. PD Plans (due early October)
b.Department Calendar/Biohaz mornings