@SDUSDScience

Science: bit.ly/sdusdscience

STEAM: bit.ly/sdusdsteam

K-12 San Diego Unified Science Collective: RSVP for 12/14 here

We are excited to announce that we are soon doubling our number of Science Resource Teachers! Sarah Moynes will be joined by Tali Lerner, who will be a phenomenal resource to secondary science and has experience and expertise in both Physics and Middle School Science.

We hope to have her in place soon!

Follow us on Twitter @SDUSDScience

Email smoynes@sandi.net your Twitter handle! We want to follow you and share the awesome things you are doing!

We are on a journey this year to gather information about how to structure Standards Based Learning, Grading and Reporting in Science. Last year we released the Critical Concepts or PPE and Proficiency Scales for Science in 6th - Physics. This year folx are trying them out and we are listening for feedback and identifying ways to refine them. Our Science Fellows will also work to provide supports in terms of curriculum alignment and sample assessments. We are preparing to dive into the world of Gradebooks, and how they might be structured, by exploring different models. As part of this journey, we are meeting with and learning from other districts and teachers within our district who are implementing Standards Based Grading.

If you would like to contribute or discuss, please join us at our December Think Tanks! Available 12/7,9,13,15 from 4-5pm. Sign up in Professional Learning.

We are currently recruiting 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Science and High School Physics. Join us!

21-22 SD Unified Science Fellows Project - Fellows will work with the SD Unified Science Leadership team to refine the Critical Concepts and Proficiency Scales, they will work on curriculum alignment, and curate supporting assessments. This team will have early access to this updated resource.

If you have any questions about the SD Unified Science Fellow Program, please contact Sarah Moynes smoynes@sandi.net

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SD Unified Science Fellows can expect hourly paid time for participation towards the fellows project.

Application: https://forms.gle/E7PVejA1F9Kcoun18

Let's get together and talk about GVC! Sarah will be there to answer questions, listen for feedback and provide space for colleagues to collaborate.

Sign up in Professional Learning Today!

• Biology: The Living Earth GVC Support
Monthly, First Monday 3:30-4:30 PL Section #32248
• Chemistry in the Earth System GVC Support
Monthly, First Tuesday 3:30-4:30 PL Section #32249
• Physics of the Universe GVC Support
Monthly Second Monday 3:30-4:30 PL Section #32250

https://start.amplify.com/up-your-amplify-science-game/

These tutorials offer opportunities to learn how to implement and make the most out of Amplify Science.

The Up Your Amplify Science Game training collection equips teachers to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule.

If you only have 5 minutes to spare, you can watch the short training video of the week or read the brief help article. If you have a little more time, you'll find a link to dive deeper.

Grade 3 Unit 2 Discussion 3

Monday, December 6th

4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/89529597880

Grade 2 Unit 3 Mix It Up!

Monday, December 13th

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/87645086665

Grade 1 Unit 3 ONE with Nature

Monday, January 10th

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/88160040950

TK/K Unit 4 Game ON!

Monday, January 10th

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/85443980050

Grade 3 Unit 3 Loving Life

Monday, January 10th

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/89529597880

The California Science Project is recruiting twelve elementary teachers in grades 3-5 from across California to participate in a one-year, online professional learning community (PLC) focused on supporting students who are labelled as English language learners (“ELLs”) in science. In this PLC, you will be provided with opportunities to design and test strategies to promote the participation of ELLs in scientific sensemaking through engagement in science practices in your own classroom. We will engage in cycles of inquiry in which we identify challenges in our own teaching contexts, develop and implement practices and tools to overcome these challenges, and collaboratively reflect on evidence of their effectiveness. Teachers will be offered an honorarium of $1,200 for their participation in the project.

For more detail, including eligibility and the 6 dates for the online PLC, please click HERE

Application link: https://tinyurl.com/TowardsEquityinScience

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub). The Hub links the K–12 school system with non-formal environmental education providers!

The Hub helps build capacity among educators to integrate environmental education into their instruction by highlighting standards-aligned learning opportunities with the goal of advancing environmental literacy for all K–12 students. Best of all, this service is being provided completely free to all districts, schools, and educators! Check out this promotional video highlighting some of the key features of the Hub.

You can create an account here: https://caeli.greenguardians.com/signup

Women in Science Society at UC San Diego is interested in holding science demonstrations for K-8 schools in SDUSD! Science demonstrations range from fun, colorful experiments to ones that connect to the science topics that are currently being taught in your class. Please feel free to reach out to Nicole Ramos (niramos@ucsd.edu) if you’re interested.

Explore phenomena, understand the science, engage with solutions, and integrate Indigenous knowledge with units created by Climate Champions Teacher Leaders.

These units for secondary science align with NGSS, center student learning, use 5E pedagogy (Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, Elaborate), include strategies for English learners, integrate standards and practices for math and language arts, and can be adapted for other disciplines

https://climatechampions.ucsd.edu/k12-curriculum/

The updated California Science Test (CAST) item specifications are now posted on the CDE CAST Item Specifications webpage! A total of 175 item specifications are organized by grade and science domain — 45 for 5th grade, 59 for 8th grade, and 71 for high school. These resources help educators gain a better understanding of the three-dimensional nature of the CAST. Along with the 2016 Science Framework, they can be used to develop items for classroom assessments. A useful flyer, Introducing the CAST Item Specification, is located on the CDE CAST webpage.

Explore Lake Hodges on Dec. 11 from 9 to 11 a.m. while honing observation techniques that can be used anywhere, whether you are in a nature reserve, schoolyard, or local park. Register for the Hike-Explore-Learn event.

UCSD Winter Research Scholars - scholarship opportunities! 3 courses available. One of them is in person at the Boz Lab. Please share with Students & Parents!

The scholarship deadline is Dec 13th

Program information can be found HERE and the scholarship application can be found HERE.

Envision is UC San Diego’s Society of Women Engineers’ annual, free all-day conference that educates high school girls like you about career possibilities in engineering and computer science. The day’s program will include guest speakers from industry and academia, hands-on computer science and engineering activities, lab tours, and a project team fair at the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering.

Envision will be held on Saturday, January 29th, 2022 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

The Envision 2022 interest form is available at:

https://forms.gle/NN9kzovHA4WDmhKp9

We invite you to fill out the interest form so you can be notified when the official application is released.

For more information, see our website at:

http://ucsdenvision.wix.com/envision

Welcome back to school! Salk Institute has been eagerly awaiting the return to school and our SciChats @ Salk. SciChats are a free and unique opportunity to bring a scientist into your classroom virtually. SciChats’ mission is to function as an interactive learning experience for students and a hands-on communication exercise for scientists.

Your students will be able to learn about current research, what life looks like as a scientist, and how they too can become a scientist. If you and your students are interested in a specific topic, let us know! We might have the perfect fit for you.

Request a SciChat for your classroom or alternative learning here: https://bit.ly/scichat2021

If you have additional questions, please reach out through our email, education@salk.edu

Inspired by John Muir Laws, be the first to join San Diego’s first Nature Journaling Club to be launched in January 2022! Co-sponsored by San Diego Children and Nature and SDCOE, this hybrid program will be open to formal and informal educators and will meet on the second Wednesday and Saturday of the month. On Wednesdays we will meet virtually from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday morning will be an in-person, two-hour field program. Registration will be available in December on the SDCOE Environmental Literacy webpage. If you want to learn more about this exciting program, email Tara at tfuad910@gmail.com.

CASE Members: $20 | Non-Members: $25

Link to Flyer

-BLOW OFF STEAM

- NETWORK AND SHARE IDEAS! (BRING A GREAT LESSON, RESOURCE, CLASSROOM MOVE TO SHARE)

- TOUR BALLAST POINT: MIRAMAR'S STATE-OF-THE-ART QUALITY LAB

- LEARN ABOUT THE SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR BEER

- Admission includes: two drink tickets and appetizers

Register today at https://bit.ly/3vvOmBf

Through a partnership with DonorsChoose, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has set aside $250,000 in shareholder funding to help local educators supplement classroom education with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects. This is the second year that SDG&E has expanded the program to support needs caused by the pandemic, such as supplies that can no longer be shared among students or equipment needed for distance learning.

Teachers at public schools within SDG&E’s service territory can apply and view the matched projects at the link. Eligible projects at schools in disadvantaged communities as defined by CalEnviroScreen will have donations to their projects matched with $2 for every $1 that they raise. The campaign will run until funds are exhausted.

https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom-support/san-diego-gas-electric/21771198/

Have you read that book about helium? I couldn’t put it down!

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• Instructional Technology Department http://bit.ly/sdusdtechtips