September kicks off what is to be a busy year for the science department. In addition to the new standards roll-out, two other main foci this year include science safety and increased participation in the science fair.

Science Safety Seminar- All high schools are required to send at least one teacher (preferably a chemistry teacher) to our first Science Safety Seminar on Monday, September 19th from 4:00-7:00 pm at Hawthorne. This teacher, along with another school peer, will become the school-based science safety committee over the next year as we inventory and organize chemical stock rooms, disposing of old and potentially hazardous chemicals. Compensation will be included for this position. Register here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CobbSafetySeminar

2017 Cobb-Paulding Regional Science Fair: Our science fair follows the same rules as the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF) and Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). There are many rules to follow and several important forms that students must complete PRIOR to experimentation that can be confusing for both students and teachers alike. We have made this instructional video to guide teachers through the process: Science Fair Video

Please note that elementary school projects will not require these forms but will be subject to the other Display and Safety regulations in the exhibitor handbook (p. 7-9):

Volunteers Needed for GHP Interviews: We are seeking teacher volunteers to help interview Governors Honors Program nominees on Thursday, November 3rd from 5:00-8:00 pm at Sprayberry HS. Please register here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CobbScienceGHP

Save the Date: Dodgen Middle School Science Olympiad Student-Coach Training

This annual training is helpful for students and coaches new to Science Olympiad. It will occur at Dodgen on Saturday, October 22nd. More information coming soon!

Please join us on Thursday, September 15th for a Quarter 2 Science Preview. This opportunity is for elementary (3-5) and middle school teachers to review the upcoming standards, discuss common student misconceptions and how to address them, and experience a Title 1 Literacy Kit (ES) or PBL unit (MS). The sessions are held at Hawthorne from 3:15-4:45 (ES) and 5:00-6:30 (MS). Register here:

ES Teachers: www.signupgenius.com/go/8050448aeae2fa20-science1

MS Teachers: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050448aeae2fa20-science4

Walton High School Chemistry teacher Amanda Edwards first learned about modeling as an MSP participant at KSU. Now finishing her EdD in Chemistry Education and recently published in the Journal of Chemical Education, she reflects on the use of this important practice in the classroom:

"I thought that using modeling concepts would fit very well with the abstract nature of Chemistry, as well as with the way I teach. The more research I read and the more I experienced the subject matter with models, the more I came to see modeling as an integral part of how I should be teaching.

For my students, the experience of modeling in class enhances their learning in so many ways: my students are more confident in their explanations of concepts we learn, they are better able to support their explanations with evidence, and they are very good at evaluating illustrations, graphs, diagrams, and simulations from different sources for strengths and weaknesses and feel comfortable offering suggestions on how to make these visual aids better.

When I first started incorporating modeling in my class, I relied on ready-made activities developed by teachers and published in the Journal of Chemical Education. These activities helped me learn pacing, questioning, and the nuances of introducing and incorporating modeling into my classes. As my confidence developed, my colleagues and I re-worked some of our existing coursework to add aspects of modeling where we felt they would be most comfortable for us as teachers and would make the most sense for the students. Slowly and diligently we approached making changes only where we thought that modeling would be valuable to our students. Now, three years later, we have developed a curriculum they relies heavily on modeling and model-based inquiry."

Check out Amanda's article here:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00125