@SDUSDScience

Science: bit.ly/sdusdscience

STEAM: bit.ly/sdusdsteam

Please share photos and other exciting news from your class with us! We would love to feature it here, on our site and on social media.

Our students take the CAST in 5th, 8th and 11th grade. This test assesses the NGSS for the entire grade band, so for example it is not an 8th grade test, it is testing 6th-8th in the 8th grade. The blueprint for the test is updated for this year's administration, highlights and links to more information are below.

Changes to the CAST Blueprint: Implemented for 2022 Administration

• Fewer standalone items

• Three performances tasks, one from each science domain

• All performance tasks have a constructed-response item

Resources:

• About the California Science Test (CAST) - CAASPP
• California Science Test - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System (CA Dept of Education)

• Practice and Training Test

• Scoring Guides

This month we are are working to assemble banks of assessments for each course tied to the Critical Concepts and Proficiency Scales. These will include assessments from the GVC and will also supplement and enrich the curriculum with additional assessment opportunities.

To contribute to these assessment banks, please use the forms below:

6th: https://forms.gle/j3oRau45DNKhe6oi8

7th: https://forms.gle/A5qh8JomGStZb2r96

8th: https://forms.gle/XQCBX7EimgmFzx4V7

Bio:LE: https://forms.gle/M8RBFSjMDm3Xyufd7

ChemES: https://forms.gle/uKby4y2AcGWAFTLX7

PhysU: https://forms.gle/tAs9dhxTMieBwujk8

Questions/ Comments/ Concerns? Submit this form: https://forms.gle/TWmDC8Xntx6JiveTA

If you would like to see more frequent updates on secondary science standards based grading, learning, and reporting, to help review resources, give input etc, please visit this document, which will be updated each Thursday

From Mann Middle School 8th grade- Evolutionary history unit:

Students, as paleontologists, make careful and precise observations to look for similarities in body structures in order to decide whether species belong together.

David Sattler, a professor at Western Washington University working on international research examining climate change issues, has generously donated copies of his photography book “The Miracle of Life at La Jolla Cove” to our district. Please fill out the form if you are interested in a copy. (Link to book info: https://www.royalternpress.com/)

Form: https://forms.gle/5RRFLUwaskXmb1nt9

Please submit the form by March 10th.

Just Scroll down to “Language Development Through Science:” https://sites.google.com/view/mcap-digital-academies

Mission Bay High School APES students share their water and soil quality and biodiversity sampling with the public at Love Your Wetlands day at the Kendall Frost Salt Marsh. Each lab station designed its own experiments to test the impacts of urbanization on their local ecosystems and the impacts of Mission Bay separating Rose Creek from the Marsh. The students taught kids and adults how to use their testing methods and explained what they are learning!

The science department has specimen vials available at the Revere center.

The vials are not heat resistant but can be used for water sampling or similar activities.

Watch this video to see what X-STEM is all about.

When: April 19, 2022, 9:30AM-2:00PM

Where: San Diego Convention Center

Who Should Attend: Middle & High School Students (grades 6-12)

How to Attend: Advance Registration is Required - there is NO COST to attend.

REGISTER and Learn More HERE

Parking for school buses is FREE

Teachers can plan now to join Ilumina's The Future is Bright campaign to observe DNA Day on April 25, with events happening all April long. This year, educators can participate in one of two ways:

· Strawberry DNA extraction kit - Teachers can order materials for 32 experiments that can be done in class or sent home; or receive a single kit to demo in front of students. Kits are in limited supply and are shipped in early March.

· Illumina STEM professional - Match your classroom with a guest speaker to learn about their career.

Visit the DNA Day website for more details and to explore all the events and resources. There is no cost to participate.

CLEAN is putting on their regular professional development webinar series again this spring. They host this to help teachers learn how to use the CLEAN collection to teach about climate and energy. We also have a new webinar this year highlighting climate change and mental health!

Here is a link to more information on their site: https://cleanet.org/clean/community/webinars/webinars.html

ScienceBridge offers lab curriculum and training for Biology teachers with exciting lab activities to do with your students.

Bookmark the new ScienceBridge website

ScienceBridge will hold an in-person teacher training for 2 of their kits on May 14th, 8:30am – 1:00pm at Mira Mesa High School. Please see the website for details.

The 2022 San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering is just around the corner. The Festival is the largest event of its kind in Southern California. It’s a collective effort between industry, business leaders, government, community organizations, public outreach centers, academia, schools and school districts, and parents. This year we are happy to feature Classroom Connections, a program matching classrooms with industry partners to cultivate STEAM excitement and career awareness. This year the Classroom Connections program will be made available to Grade 3, Grade 7, and High School science and select CTE courses. The program delivery will take place between March 14 – April 15. Depending on the COVID-19 protocols of your district, industry partners will have the opportunity to deliver the lessons in-person or virtually to the classes. Complete the 2022 Classroom Connections - Educator Survey to have your classroom matched with an industry partner.

SPARK is a student organization at the University of California, San Diego. This organization is a science theater outreach program with the goal of sparking students’ interest in STEM fields at an earlier age. The program is free and due to the Covid-19 pandemic is offered remotely via Zoom, Google Classroom, etc.

Our organization designed two science shows geared towards middle school / high school students. These interactive shows will provide students with a chance to be exposed to exciting scientific-centered scenarios that will hopefully foster their interest in STEM subjects, providing more insight into the fascinating world of science!

Click here for a brochure about the shows and their alignment with Next Generation Science Standards. For additional information please visit our website at: https://sparkatucsd.weebly.com/

Every year North Island Credit Union acknowledges exceptional students through their scholarship program. This year they are awarding 10 scholarships of $1000 each! Please see the information below if you would like to apply.

• Resident of Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego or Orange Counties OR a North Island Credit Union member/dependent of a member who may live outside of our core service area
• Graduating high school senior enrolling into a two- or four-year college OR community college student transferring into a four-year university
• Minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA)
• Evidence of community and/or school involvement

Selection criteria include academic performance, school or community involvement, a letter of recommendation, and an essay submission.

For more information click here.

Applications are available through Friday, April 8, 2022. Interested students can apply at northisland.ccu.com/studentscholarship.

What is the difference between a seal and a sea lion?

One electron! It's a seal-ion!

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