Other Standards: ACEI & ISTE

Standard/Accomplished Practice

Task

Task Description

ACEI:

2a) Central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of content

2c) Science

3c) Development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills

ISTE:

V.c. Apply technology to increase productivity

4 Critical thinking: Uses appropriate techniques and strategies that promote and enhance critical, creative, and evaluative thinking capabilities of students.

The preprofessional teacher is acquiring performance assessment techniques and strategies that measure higher order thinking skills in students and is building a repertoire of realistic projects and problem-solving activities designed to assist all students in demonstrating their ability to think creatively.

Concept mapping

Create a concept map that illustrates a concept taught at the elementary level in science. Your concept map illustrates visually the topics that relate to a broad science concept. The illustration shows details about the relationships among the topics. Choose a main concept and organize topics below. Rank topics from general to more specific. Connect topics with links that describe their relationship.

ACEI:

5b) Reflection and evaluation

Portfolio

Your course portfolio is a reflective tool that integrates and describes your experiences with course activities in and out of class. Keep a regular log describing your reactions, analysis, self-evaluation, and wonder about science and teaching. Record responses to class activities as soon as possible after class. The length of portfolio entries will vary. Also include summary statements that unify themes in your portfolio. See the attached portfolio guide for more information about portfolio structure and assessment.

Your portfolio will be a systematic collection of evidence presented to demonstrate what you have learned and how you learned it. At the end of the course, decide what to include and what it means for you as a science teacher. Some evidence will be responses to your experiences. The main purpose of this portfolio is for you to show your evolving knowledge of how you can guide successful student learning of science concepts. Using the portfolio, you will show your emerging understanding of the complexities of science teaching, and you will link theory to practice.

At the completion of the course, your task will be to select items that show your initial understanding of student science learning, and how your understanding has grown. Evidence can include discussions, forum entries, assignments, classroom observations, responses to readings, interviews, your mini-lesson, and observations of children at play.

Each entry must be accompanied by a rationale that explains why the material was chosen and why it serves as evidence of your skill. Each entry must also include a reflection, a written statement about each example

ACEI:

2a) Central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of content

2c) Science

8 Knowledge of subject matter: Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

The preprofessional teacher has a basic understanding of the subject field and is beginning to understand that the subject is linked to other disciplines and can be applied to real world integrated settings. The teacher’s repertoire of teaching skills includes a variety of means to assist student acquisition of new knowledge and skills using that knowledge.

Lesson plan

You will choose one lesson from the unit which you’ve had primary responsibility for writing, and you will be evaluated on that lesson.

Lesson Plan Checklist:

1.             Lesson title

2.             Purpose paragraph describing lesson conceptual objectives, importance, rationale, sequence, and intended learning outcomes

3.             Connections to Sunshine State Standards

4.             Materials needed by teacher and students

5.             Safety and management guidelines

6.             Lesson introduction specifying expected duration of events, important questions for discussion, relation to prior knowledge and how knowledge in this lesson will be developed in future lessons

7.             Development of lesson, including hook or invitation, description of events, the teacher’s role and student activities, application of the learning cycle

8.             Lesson closure, detailing how lesson will conclude, and connections to other content

9.             Assessments of learning, demonstrating how you will know that the intended learning outcome has been achieved.

ACEI:

1) Development, learning, and motivation

2a) Central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of content

2c) Science

2i) Connections across the curriculum

3a) Integrating and applying knowledge for instruction

3d) Active engagement in learning

4) Assessment for instruction

ISTE:

II. a. design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support diverse needs of learners

III. a. facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards

Unit plan and mini-lesson

As a member of a group, you will develop a unit of learning experiences centered around a common theme.  Each group member will be evaluated on the unit as a whole and on the group’s presentation of an example mini-lesson from the unit. 

The unit plan will include:

·               A rationale for the theme

·               An overview of the audience, scope and sequence of lessons

·               A concept map

·               A visual activity organizer map or chart

·               At least 6 lessons fully outlined and including handout sheets.  At least one lesson has special needs adaptations.  At least two lessons integrate content from nonscience subjects. At least three lessons have hands-on activities. At least one lesson uses a site outside the classroom: schoolyard, MOSH, zoo, park, or other field trip site.

·               A range of student assessment strategies, including at least one rubric

·               A list of the contributions of each group member

ACEI:

5a) Practices and behaviors of developing career teachers

Issue paper

Science and education, as human endeavors, change constantly. In order to develop skills in investigating current trends in science education, you will choose an issue in science education to explore in depth. Use a range of current sources to research the issue, synthesize your findings into a paper, and include your analytical reflections on the issue. Your response to the issue will include three categories of thought, similar to Bloom’s taxonomy: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Include the following:

a)      Reaction (Affective domain, feeling). What was your emotional response to the information you read about the issue? Provide citations from the texts that illustrate your response.

b)      Relevance (Cognitive domain, thinking). How do your sources treat the issue, and how do they compare and contrast? Is the issue meaningful, and for whom? What are the alternate points of view on the issue? Provide citations to support your perspective and others.

c)      Responsibility (Psychomotor domain, doing). How will the knowledge and perspectives gained from this reading be used in your professional practice? Give examples of possible applications in your personal or professional life. Discuss questions you still have about the issue.

In a 4-6 page double-spaced paper using 12-point font, define the issue you are investigating.  Discuss the importance of the issue to children, teachers, parents, and society. Read reports from a variety of sources, including a balance of print and electronic media. Make sense of the different viewpoints on the issue and communicate them clearly.  Use the information you’ve read to make recommendations about how the issue should be handled, including your own viewpoint. Use standard APA or MLA style to list at least four references for the paper.