Wall Township School DistrictK-5 Science Program Evaluation

K-5 Curriculum DepartmentDr. Lisa GleasonMrs. Kelly BondMrs. Cathleen BrennerDr. Rachel Lella

June 2019

Committee Members

Mrs. Jaclyn LattinMrs. Michelle HolzapfelMrs. Melissa BramleyMr. Joshua TennantMrs. Jennifer GreenerMs. Jill TurnerMrs. Jamie IannicelliMs. Kristin MoranoMrs. Eleni Abeal

Mrs. Meghan LozanoMs. Katelyn SchochMrs. Andrea DevineMrs. Kerry MaloneyMrs. Christine ShanklinMrs. Dina TangoMs. Erin KramerMr. Joshua RaposoMrs. Margaret McChesneyMs. Jennifer Patterson

Areas of Focus

➢ NJSLS - NGSS➢ Historical Review➢ Research➢ Comparison Districts➢ Stakeholder Surveys➢ Site Visit Discussion Topics➢ Recommendations➢ SMART Goals

Program Evaluation Timeline

➢ September 2018○ Committee formation

■ Teachers from elementary and high school

➢ October 2018 - February 2019○ Subcommittee formation and work

■ Research NGSS■ Compare with high performing districts■ Vendor Visits■ Site Visits

➢ March - April 2019○ Reports from subcommittees○ Program recommendations from subcommittees

NJSLS - NGSS

➢ Adopted by New Jersey in July 2014○ Inquiry based learning○ Students pose questions to phenomena and experiment to be able to explain these

phenomena○ Consists of Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Disciplinary Core Ideas.

Historical Review➢ Class periods - current program is based on 60 minute classes daily for a full

year.➢ Foss Science Kits, Delta Science Modules and Engineering is Elementary

modules➢ Rigorous programs relying on a combination of guided experiments with

corresponding reading materials too often not at students’ reading levels.

Research

➢ Project Based Learning○ Hands on activities, to improve spatial reasoning, inquiry skills, and

facilitate a cross curricular approach. Students will gain 21st century skills to help with building collaboration, communication and presentation skills, problem solving, and critical thinking.

➢ Problem Based Learning○ Student and teacher driven learning around a collaborative effort in

setting goals and sharing outcomes.

Research➢ Future careers in Science

○ The future of science careers is changing and elementary curriculum should be evaluated and changed as needed to meet the skills students will need to be successful. Some of these skills are problem solving, communication, and critical thinking.

○ In order for students to be engaged, students need to be actively involved in the process. They need to create ideas and see their ideas come to life to solve problems in the world and to deepen their understanding of science. The more involvement students have in their science experience,

○ the more they will connect with the content and the more they will○ identify science in their everyday lives.

Comparison Districts

In choosing districts for comparison purposes, we looked at the following criteria:

● High performing districts● Districts similar to Wall Township in structure and demographics● Neighboring districts in Monmouth county using a variety of program

resources

Comparison Districts

Districts:

● Belmar School District - HMH Science Dimensions● Colts Neck School District - STEM labs● Cranberry School District - Inspire Science - McGraw Hill● Matawan School District - Discovery Education Techbook - Discovery Education● Howell School District - Mystery Science - Mystery Science Publishers

Comparison Districts

Site visits were conducted at:

● Cranberry School District - Inspire Science - McGraw Hill● Matawan School District - Discovery Education Techbook - Discovery

Education● Howell School District - Mystery Science - Mystery Science Publishers

Student Stakeholder Surveys536 students in K-2 responded

● 76.5% enjoy participating in experiments● 60.4% enjoy learning science through videos● 49.1% enjoy learning science through making models

613 students in 3-5 responded

● 77% enjoy participating in experiments● 62.3% enjoy learning science through videos● 53.7% enjoy learning science through making models● 73.4% would enjoy participating in a Steam Tank Maker Fest

Parent Stakeholder Surveys119 parents in K-5 responded

● 68.9% feel their child exhibits excitement for science learning● 61.3% would like to participate in a science event at their child’s school● 58.8% believe their child is successful in learning science

Teacher Stakeholder Surveys66 teachers responded

● 81.8% use nonfiction articles and videos to supplement science teaching● 72.7% develop their lessons around experiments● 66.7% feel their lessons are student centered● 56.1% feel that demonstration of experiments is necessary given time

constraints and the program requirements

Site Visit Discussion TopicsK-5 Site Visit Conversation Topics

1. How many days per marking period, week, month do you teach science?

2. How long is your science period?3. How many units of science do you teach at each grade level? What are they?4. How does your program align to the NGSS?5. What is the breakdown of hands on vs researching science topics?6. What best practices do teachers utilize that they feel work well?7. How do you grade science?8. What is the strongest component of your Science program? Please explain. 9. What kind of PD was offered before, during and after you adopted a new

science program?

Recommendations - Page 29

➢ Core Science Program○ Mystery Science -

➢ Supplemental Reading Program - Grades 2-5○ Newsela -

➢ Additional○ Tower Garden for each school

SMART Goals - Pages 30-33

➢ Goal 1○ By June 2024, revise the current science curriculum to include enhanced instructional

strategies to improve student achievement aligned with the rigor of the NJSLS.

➢ Goal 2○ By June 2024, ensure students and teachers have access to technology to increase the

capacity for personalized learning and innovative instructional technologies.

➢ Goal 3○ By June 2024, develop Teacher Leadership Academy that supports best practices and

sustainability in high-quality instructional strategies, including instructional technology, assessment, differentiation, and student engagement.

ReferencesBoard on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. (2012). A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K-12 Science Education Standards National Research Council. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Bevan, B., Petrich, M., & Wilkinson, K. (2015). Tinkering is serious play. Educational Leadership, 72(4), 28-33.

Blikstein, P. (2013). Digital fabrication and ‘making’ in education: The democratization of invention. In J. Walter-Herrmann & C. Büching (Eds.), FabLab: Of machines, makers and inventors (pp. 2–22). Bielefeld: Transcript Publishers.

Collins, A. & Halverson, R. (2018). Rethinking education in the age of technology. New York: Teachers College Press.

Cullen, T., & Jackson, C.D. (2018). Problem-based learning in the life science classroom, K-12. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem Based Learning, 12(1). Retrieved from: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ijpbl/vol12/iss1/9/

References cont.Guzey, S. S., & Roehrig, G. H. (2009). Teaching science with technology: Case studies of science teachers’ development of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 25-45.

Metz, S. (2011). Promoting STEM careers starts in the K–12 classroom. ASCD Express, 6(24). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/624-metz.aspx NSTA Board of Directors (2014). NSTA position statement: Early childhood science education Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org/about/positions/earlychildhood.aspx

Petit, S. (2016). 5 future STEM careers that don’t exist yet and how to prepare for them. Retrieved from: https://www.stemjobs.com/future-stem-careers/

Social Market Foundation for EDF Energy. (2016). Jobs of the future. Retrieved from https://www.edfenergy.com/sites/default/files/jobs-of-the-future.pdfVossoughi, S., Escudé, M., Kong F., & Hooper, P. (2013). Tinkering, learning and equity in the after-school setting. Paper presented at FabLearn. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University, October 23, 2013.

References Cont.Weyers, M.J. (2014). Combining intrinsic motivation and student autonomy for sustained success. ASCD Express, 9(8). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol9/908-toc.aspx