Comments for NSTA Blog http://nstacommunities.org/blog Talk about science and science teaching Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:48:33 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on New blog on the block by EllaJay Parfitt http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/03/05/new-blog-on-the-block/comment-page-1/#comment-270 EllaJay Parfitt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:48:33 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=2350#comment-270 I am glad that CAG's are able to communicate in this manner I think we will become a more vocal group I am glad that CAG’s are able to communicate in this manner I think we will become a more vocal group

]]> Comment on Conference request by EllaJay Parfitt http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/01/20/conference-request/comment-page-1/#comment-269 EllaJay Parfitt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:28:53 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=1787#comment-269 Bring the program BOOKS back and show all the sessions offered Then show them your PD plan of all the sessions you attended. Then with your fellow teachers all the GOODIES you picked up to use in your classrooms Talk to the exhibitors and get their cards and make that contact which will assist you as you plan for the future. Bring the program BOOKS back and show all the sessions offered
Then show them your PD plan of all the sessions you attended.
Then with your fellow teachers all the GOODIES you picked up to use in your classrooms
Talk to the exhibitors and get their cards and make that contact which will assist you as you plan for the future.

]]> Comment on Conference first-timer by EllaJay Parfitt http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/02/25/2250/comment-page-1/#comment-268 EllaJay Parfitt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:25:33 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=2250#comment-268 Enjoy Enjoy you are about to enter a brave and wondrous three day. Be a sponge and soak it up. Find a friend and tag team the sessions and exhibit hall. Enjoy Enjoy you are about to enter a brave and wondrous three day. Be a sponge and soak it up. Find a friend and tag team the sessions and exhibit hall.

]]> Comment on Memories of conferences past by EllaJay Parfitt http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/02/22/memories-of-conferences-past/comment-page-1/#comment-267 EllaJay Parfitt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:21:26 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=2168#comment-267 Returning to Philly is a great joy. I can drive and I can pick up something for every teacher in my department Returning to Philly is a great joy. I can drive and I can pick up something for every teacher in my department

]]> Comment on Formative assessments by MaryB http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/02/02/formative-assessments/comment-page-1/#comment-266 MaryB Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:04:18 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=1993#comment-266 We received this comment from "Jim" via email: I want to suggest another set of resource tools for Assessing Student Learning. Please see www.Diagnoser.com which has been developed bridge between teacher practice and research on learning and teaching, to relate to learning goals and to students' valuable and problematic thinking with respect to those learning goals. There is a related chapter (3) in the 2008 book on assessment for learning, published by NSTA. That book also is a great source of suggestions for formative assessment. We received this comment from “Jim” via email: I want to suggest another set of resource tools for Assessing Student Learning. Please see http://www.Diagnoser.com which has been developed bridge between teacher practice and research on learning and teaching, to relate to learning goals and to students’ valuable and problematic thinking with respect to those learning goals. There is a related chapter (3) in the 2008 book on assessment for learning, published by NSTA. That book also is a great source of suggestions for formative assessment.

]]> Comment on A picture is worth a thousand words by MaryB http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/03/07/a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words/comment-page-1/#comment-265 MaryB Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:00:32 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=2347#comment-265 These are beautiful works of art, and you can also see them from the train, the highways, or on a taxi ride from the airport. Keep your eyes open! These are beautiful works of art, and you can also see them from the train, the highways, or on a taxi ride from the airport. Keep your eyes open!

]]> Comment on Formative assessments by MaryB http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/02/02/formative-assessments/comment-page-1/#comment-264 MaryB Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:25:44 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=1993#comment-264 Thanks, Susan. You make a valuable point about using the results of these assessments to adjust the lesson if necessary. Thanks, Susan. You make a valuable point about using the results of these assessments to adjust the lesson if necessary.

]]> Comment on Seasonal scavenger hunt by Marie Faust Evitt http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/03/05/seasonal-scavenger-hunt/comment-page-1/#comment-260 Marie Faust Evitt Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:51:58 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=2311#comment-260 Children will love the "hunt" aspect of this activity. Here in California where I teach, the change in seasons is often subtle but this task will help children see the signs. I would add ants, spiders, spider webs, earthworms, and butterflies to the insects and small animals list. Children will love the “hunt” aspect of this activity. Here in California where I teach, the change in seasons is often subtle but this task will help children see the signs. I would add ants, spiders, spider webs, earthworms, and butterflies to the insects and small animals list.

]]> Comment on Formative assessments by Susan Morrison http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2010/02/02/formative-assessments/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Susan Morrison Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:47:38 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=1993#comment-259 I may have commented on this before. The easiest formative assessment is to constantly query students as you're teaching. Keep track of who've you queried on a photocopy of your seating chart. Make sure you query everyone equally EXCEPT query the least capable kids the most. This keeps them constantly accountable and lets you know that if they "get it," probably everyone else gets it, too, and you can move on. If they stumble, you can coach them into an acceptable response, which helps them to succeed and serves as a review for others. Another quick assessment is a 4 question pop quiz. These are fast to check. Benchmark tests are terrific formative assessments if they give you breakdowns of how students responded to every question. If the majority of kids got a question wrong, it is informative to see what answers they chose, reflect on how you taught the lesson that the question addresses, figure out how they misunderstood you, and then re-teach the lesson. I may have commented on this before. The easiest formative assessment is to constantly query students as you’re teaching. Keep track of who’ve you queried on a photocopy of your seating chart. Make sure you query everyone equally EXCEPT query the least capable kids the most. This keeps them constantly accountable and lets you know that if they “get it,” probably everyone else gets it, too, and you can move on. If they stumble, you can coach them into an acceptable response, which helps them to succeed and serves as a review for others.

Another quick assessment is a 4 question pop quiz. These are fast to check.

Benchmark tests are terrific formative assessments if they give you breakdowns of how students responded to every question. If the majority of kids got a question wrong, it is informative to see what answers they chose, reflect on how you taught the lesson that the question addresses, figure out how they misunderstood you, and then re-teach the lesson.

]]> Comment on Are children getting enough direct experience with natural materials? by Never Be Within Doors… | Purple For Parenting http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2009/10/25/are-children-getting-enough-direct-experience-with-natural-materials/comment-page-1/#comment-258 Never Be Within Doors… | Purple For Parenting Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:40:12 +0000 http://nstacommunities.org/blog/?p=527#comment-258 [...] stress reduction, attention restoration, and healthy development.”  More anecdotally, science teachers are increasingly questioning the impact of students’ lack of basic experience with the natural world on their ability to [...] [...] stress reduction, attention restoration, and healthy development.”  More anecdotally, science teachers are increasingly questioning the impact of students’ lack of basic experience with the natural world on their ability to [...]

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