SEPUP
Middle School
Blueprint for Success
Table of Contents Overview 1 SEPUP’s Embedded Learning Strategies 2 SEPUP Texas Middle School Programs are TEKS Tough 4 TEKS Tools 6 Student Book 6 Teacher’s Guide 8 Teacher’s Resource 11 Science Equipment Packages 13 Multi-Platform Technology 14 Professional Development 15
The SEPUP Approach To Teaching and Learning 16 Literacy Strategies in SEPUP 18 Diverse Learning Strategies in SEPUP 19 Guided and Open Inquiry 20 Assessment 21
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We believe that students will engage science when relevant issues are the driving force Changing the Way Students Think About Science The SEPUP Texas Middle School program is designed to turn your students into active learning participants who possess a continual thirst for answers. SEPUP’s approach is based on the belief that understanding the interaction between science, technology and the environment is imperative for an informed society. SEPUP also stresses that decisions should be based on science and discovery rather than mere words. Students are encouraged to question why things are and how science plays a specific role in their immediate world. What’s more, students are continually engaged in the learning process, utilizing guided scientific inquiry to build on ideas. Essentially, your students are prompted to dig deeper for knowledge and to take that knowledge further. In the SEPUP Texas Middle School program your students will experience science behind these and other relevant issues:
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SEPUP’s Embedded Learning Strategies The SEPUP Texas Middle School program has been extensively field tested with students to ensure the programs are challenging and appropriate for the full range of students. The following 11 instructional strategies are central to the learning experience: 1. Talking it Over
7. Project
2. Investigation
8. View and Reflect
3. Laboratory
9. Computer Simulation
4. Reading
10. Problem Solving
5. Roll Playing
11. Field Study
6. Modeling This variety provides learning opportunities for students with different learning styles and stimulates all students to improve their laboratory, research, reading and writing skills.
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The SEPUP Texas Middle School Program is a Rich, Issue-Oriented Science Education Program The SEPUP Texas middle school science program is a different kind of science program. It is not a text-only program. By reviewing only the student book, you will see only a portion of what your students will learn. We believe that all your students can and should want to be STEM-literate. To achieve this goal this three-year science program was developed by SEPUP (Science Education for Public Understanding Program) at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California – Berkeley and supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). This program is structured around issue-oriented activities in order to engage and excite your students in the study of science. For example, your students will: Observe and test the properties in elements and compounds and conduct chemical reactions. Use models to study the atoms and molecules that make up all matter, the role of genes in heredity, and human body systems. Design and conduct investigations to explore human responses and investigate energy transfer Use a microscope to investigate and compare plant and animal cells. Work with computer simulations to investigate the causes of earthquakes and volcanoes and the reasons for the seasons The SEPUP Texas Middle School Science program has an unique approach with significant instructional advantages: We present the TEKS and support and reinforce them by using over eleven (11) instructional strategies that are embedded in this book and the associated activities. You will engage your students through a combination of experiments, readings, models, debates, role plays and projects that will help them uncover the nature of science and its relevance. We spiral science concepts and skills through each unit and course. Important scientific ideas come up again and again in different activities. Your students will be expected to do more than just memorize these concepts. In addition, vocabulary is introduced in one activity and applied again in later activities to enhance your student’s understanding and retention. Our textbook is a combination textbook/lab book, structured by units that embed a sequence of activities and include case studies built around issues that are relevant to the students to help engage them regardless of learning levels. We use an Issue-Based approach that builds scientific knowledge by beginning each activity with a challenge, a specific question or goal, followed by investigations and readings to help collect evidence and make connections to the central issue. Your students will be asked to explain and apply them. In particular, they will improve their decision-making skills by using evidence and data to weigh outcomes and to decide what they think should be done about the issues facing our society. We have embedded a formative and summative assessment system that is tied to integrated literacy strategies to help all learning levels process new science content. We know that this is the best way to learn science. The research on science education supports it. It was customized for Texas to be TEKS Tough from a NSF-funded research-based program where we had teachers test our ideas, the results were interpreted and the program revised. Most of the activities were tested by hundreds of students and their teachers. We believe that the results you will experience in your classroom will show you that your students will find learning about science is important, enjoyable and relevant to their lives. SEPUP TOOLS ARE
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The SEPUP Texas Middle School Program is TEKS Tough! The SEPUP Middle School Program was customized specifically for Texas to be TEKS Tough -- 100% conforming to the TEKS. The program is built around a series of activities built into issue-oriented units to address the content of the TEKS and give teachers the opportunity to exceed them without having to ‘find the time.’ The program’s activities and investigations require students to apply scientific evidence to and analyze the tradeoffs involved in personal and societal decisions. The process TEKS and content TEKS are combined so that students use the process TEKS in meaningful ways. Collaboration is emphasized while maintaining a personal responsibility for learning. The program has an embedded and coherent approach to literacy and the research-based assessment system that fully support and conform to the ELPS. SEPUP’s integrated literacy strategies help students process new science content, develop their analytical skills, connect related concepts, become more proficient readers, and express their knowledge orally and in writing. The built-in assessment system helps teachers identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses from the beginning of the course.
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Full Year Program, or Units Looking for more flexibility? Although Science Grade 6, Science Grade 7 and Science Grade 8 were designed as fullyear courses, we recognize that every school district is a little bit different. All of the units can be easily mixed and matched to create a customized, integrated science program that is right for your district. Also, if you’re looking for a replacement unit or issue-oriented science activities to enhance your curriculum, these are a great choice.
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AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL: The SEPUP Middle School Units
GRADE
EARTH SCIENCE
LIFE SCIENCE
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
The Earth
Organisms and Environment
Chemistry
Exploring the Solar System
Energy Motion and Simple Machines
Environmental Change
Body Systems Cell Structures and Functions Genetics Ecology Evolution
Ecosystems
Force and Motion
The Earth and Weather
The Chemistry of Materials
Cycles and Seasons The Universe
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TEKS TOOLS Student Books - SEPUP Style for Texas Student books are written in a lively, engaging style and are easy to read. The books are presented in a format that is appealing without being overly busy. The Student Book guides investigations and provides related readings. The Student Book uses a variety of approaches to make science accessible for all students. SEPUP’s integrated literacy strategies help students process new science content, develop their analytical skills, make connections between related concepts, and express their knowledge orally and in writing. The built-in assessment system helps teachers identify students’ strengths and weaknesses from the beginning of the course. This allows them to adjust activities when needed so that all students get the best chance to build their knowledge and appreciation of science. SEPUP features eleven different activity types, designed to focus on concept and skill development. They include: Labs, Investigations, Modeling, Readings,Talking It Over, Role Plays, View and Reflect, Projects, Field Studies, and Problem Solving. Students master definitions through their observation and discussion of phenomena. SEPUP Core Curriculum introduces new words operationally. Students learn about a word in the context it is used and on an as-needed basis. The Analysis Questions at the end of an activity ask students to apply or evaluate their knowledge. These types of higher level thinking questions prepare students for state and national assessment tests. One of SEPUP’s goals is to introduce middle school students to a variety of STEM careers. The career references are not isolated in boxes of text, but are described in a variety of places, including in the introduction to an activity, captions to photos, the readings, and questions. In some cases, students assume the roles of individuals in different specialties.
There are a variety of activity types. Each is designed to focus on concept and skill development. Every activity begins with an introduction that sets the stage and often relates the activity to work previously done. The introduction can be read or summarized by the teacher. A motivating challenge question helps students focus on the purpose of the activity.
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A list of materials is provided, with grouping suggestions common to most middle school settings. Safety information is highlighted. The procedure provides step-by-step directions, which are often supplemented with illustrations so that most students can work independently. Activities become more open-ended and contain fewer specific directions as the course progresses.
Analysis questions guide student post activity reflection. In many cases, this involves examining the data for trends and patterns. Students may be asked to apply or evaluate their knowledge. This exercise can be done by individual students or by groups of students. Opportunities for extensions or going further provide direction for expansion or revision of the activity. Technology links direct students to the SEPUP website, where they can find links to more information or share experimental data with students across the country.
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TEKS TOOLS Teacher’s Guide We believe novice and experienced teachers should be provided all of the guides, resources and professional development necessary to help facilitate the best learning experiences for their students, including gifted, special ed and English-Language Learners. The TEACHER GUIDE provides full support for teaching the program, included in each lesson: Activity Overview / Goals of what students do and are expected to learn Key Concepts, Process Skills (with correlation to NSE 5-8 Content Standards) Key Vocabulary (SEPUP Approach to vocabulary development) Materials and Advance Preparation Safety Concerns Teaching summary outlines day-by-day teaching and learning interactions Background information
Follow-Up Group discussion and summary of activity, address the challenge Emphasis on content development, spiraling of key concepts Differentiated instruction strategies Extensions and use of electronic technology Benchmarked answers to student analysis questions Student exemplars that address the assessment scoring
References Teaching Suggestions Getting Started
Additional support resources found in the TEACHER GUIDE include: SEPUP’s Approach to Teaching and Learning
Discussion prompts and responses to student questions
Classroom strategies and guidance setting up a SEPUP Learning Environment
Determination of prior knowledge and/or misconceptions
Inquiry in SEPUP and a checklist for Inquiry-Based Science
Doing the Activity Icons and descriptions of embedded assessment opportunities Cooperative learning strategies Teaching procedure and safety guidelines Links to literacy Use of notebooks, student sheets and transparencies Teacher’s Note – specific instructional guidelines
Getting Started with SEPUP Tips on Facilitating Issue-Oriented Science SEPUP Implementation Continuum Lab Materials and Safety Unit Overviews include Activity Descriptions, Key Concepts & Processes, Literacy, Mathematics Tools, Advance Preparation, Assessment, and Teaching Periods Strategies for Diverse Learners Resource Section • Students with Learning Disabilities • English-Language Learners • Academically Gifted Students
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TEKS TOOLS Teacher’s Guide (Continued) Facilitating Group Interaction Developing Communication Skills and Science Skills Student Sheets Literacy Strategies Embedded throughout activities including Keeping a Science Notebook and Writing a Formal Investigation Report Overview of the SEPUP Assessment System • Scoring Guide Rubrics, Scoring Guide Transparencies, Black Line Masters • Assessment Blueprints • Scoring Exemplars • Test Item Bank with Answer Keys Student Sheets and Black Line Masters Student Data Collection Transparencies and Black Line Masters Additional Content Support Transparencies and Black Line Masters Glossary Suggested Resources section lists DVDs, software, websites, books, print materials Key Skills Matrix by Activity Teacher Guide CD which includes all information in the Teacher Guide print version The resources listed above are often referred to as ‘ancillary resources’ and are packaged separately from the core teacher materials. SEPUP includes these resources as an essential component of the instruction therefore not separating them from the core Teacher Guide.
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TEKS TOOLS Teacher’s Guide (Continued)
Materials and Advanced Preparation
Activity Overview Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Key Concepts Key Vocabulary
Teaching Summary Background Information References
Teaching Suggestions
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TEKS TOOLS Teacher’s Resources The Teacher Resource binder for Texas is a tremendous asset for teaching the Program. It includes the following sections: Course Essentials The Student Book The Teacher’s Edition Implementing SEPUP Approaches Classroom Learning Environments Questions and the Learning Environment Inquiry in SEPUP Getting Started with SEPUP Tips for Facilitating Issue-oriented Science Classroom Management Tips for New Teachers Resources on Classroom Management Becoming a Master SEPUP Teacher SEPUP Implementation Continuum Lab Materials and Safety The SEPUP Science: Texas Edition Kit Classroom Safety Science Laboratory and Field Work Observation Checklist Unit Overviews Student Activity Sheets Electronic Transparencies Strategies for Diverse Learners Strategies for Teaching Students with Varying Abilities and Backgrounds Eliciting and Addressing Students’ Ideas Addressing Conceptual Change SEPUP Approaches to Address Conceptual Development and Change Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities Strategies for English Language Learners Strategies for Academically Gifted Students Facilitating Group Interaction Evaluating Group Interaction Developing Communication Skills Science Skills Science Skills Transparencies
Science Skills Student Sheets Literacy Introduction Table of Literacy Strategies in SEPUP Science: Texas Edition Literacy Strategies Strategies for Supporting Reading Comprehension Strategies for Enhancing Students’ Writing Strategies for Facilitating Group Discussion Strategies for Understanding Concepts Science Notebooks Vocabulary Development References and Resources Literacy Transparencies Literacy Student Sheets The SEPUP Assessment System Assessment Support in Teacher Resource Material Assessment Support in Teacher’s Edition Materials Formative and Summative Assessment Using the SEPUP Scoring Guides Assessment and Grading Assessment Moderation Getting Started with the SEPUP Assessment System A Lesson Plan for Introducing Assessment to Students Hints for Using the SEPUP Assessment System SEPUP Science: Texas Edition Assessment Blueprints SEPUP Scoring Guides and Assessment Components Scoring Exemplars Moderation Form Item Banks TEKS Correlation Correlation by activity to the TEKS SEPUP TOOLS ARE
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TEKS TOOLS Teacher’s Resources (Continued) Teachers love our unit overviews. It details information to help plan instruction. The table includes key concepts, advance prep, assessment strategy, number of teaching periods needed for each activity and more.
At the end of each unit, you will find black line masters for transparencies and/or student sheets. Permission to reproduce these copyrighted materials for classroom use is also included.
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We believe teachers should spend time in the classroom rather than searching for materials, and that those materials should be safe and designed to enable doing science in any classroom type All SEPUP Science Equipment Packages are designed by LAB-AIDS and are produced with teachers, students and environmental considerations in mind. Traditional laboratory-style classrooms are not necessary and the packages are designed to meet your needs. It’s important to note that materials are consumed at various rates, therefore, it will not be necessary to replace all consumable items every year. Materials are required for these programs. We have designed SEPUP Science Equipment Packages to fit your needs. These packages are designed to support 160 students (5 classes of 32 students). The options are: GOLD – Includes the equipment and consumables required for ALL of the program’s activities packaged in specially designed insert trays inside storage boxes that can be used as drawers. In addition, this package includes five annual REFRESH-A-KITs, which include a complete replacement of all consumable items delivered before school opens*
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Color-coded labels are used on all chemicals. The labels help to eliminate confusion by clearly differentiating similar solutions.
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Specially designed “Signature Items” like the Maracondo Fever game board are unique to the SEPUP Program.
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Drawer contents are listed for every drawer.
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Heavy-duty locking wheels for easy movement from storage room to classroom.
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Plastic tray inserts help keep materials organized. This feature makes it easy to identify missing components and greatly reduces the time it takes to distribute, collect and store materials.
SILVER – Includes the equipment and consumables required for ALL of the program’s activities packaged in specially designed insert trays inside storage boxes that can be used as drawers* BRONZE - Includes all of the equipment required for specific program activities. Commodities that can be otherwise sourced are not included. * The LAB-AIDS Storage Solution, a speciallydesigned storage cart recommended for purchasers of the Silver and Gold SEPUP Science Equipment Packages.
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TEKS TOOLS Multi-Platform Technology Content in the media you need. Provide your students textbooks in the media of your choice. Printed Texts In addition to printed textbooks, Online Page at a Time Viewer students can access the same exact page for page content on-line via our innovative, multi-platform Page-at-a-Time viewer through our Student Portal. The Viewer provides fast access even with slow internet connections. Digital Device Download Students can download their book to any tablet, reader or mobile device. On CD The Download and CD versions of the Student Book work with Adobe’s Read Aloud functionality, enabling text to be read to the students. As a learning anchor to every activity, Analysis Questions are presented in Microsoft Word so students can download, complete their responses, and keep a digital portfolio of their work. We have found that students are more likely to create a higher quality response in this format. LAbsent. You might be thinking, “Yes, this program seems like the direction we should be going, but what about my absent students?” If a student misses a “lab” activity, he can still “experience” the activity by viewing videos created to replicate each lab activity. The student will complete a guided worksheet using information from the video in combination with results acquired from other students within his group. Texas Teacher Portal. A new Teacher Portal has been developed specifically for Texas Teachers. It organizes all of the Resources to teach the program by activity. Student pages, Teacher Guide pages, LAbsent activities, Student Worksheets and Electronic Whiteboard/Transparencies are grouped by unit, then by activity to making the planning process easy and fast. ExamView Test Generating Software. Developed by eInstruction®, this tool makes it easier to assess, track, and analyze student performance. Comprised of the Test Generator, Test Manager, and Test Player, ExamView is the industry standard for paper, Internet, and LAN-based question and test development. Teachers can create assessments, quizzes, study guides, and worksheets using multiple question formats, pictures, tables, graphs, charts, and other multimedia elements. They then collect results and generate comprehension reports in minutes. Test Manager also manages class rosters and automatically collects performance data from the school network to analyze student results and identify areas of concern. New tests can be created in a matter of minutes with easy step-by-step navigation. ExamView supports 14 question formats. All these Tools work together to make the program TEKS Tough.
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We believe access to high quality professional development is essential At Your Side, Ahead of Your Needs Science educators have come to trust LAB-AIDS as a source of innovative, hands-on kits and inquiry based core curriculum. We now offer a complete line of other quality science education services. Through the LAB-AIDS Institute, we’ll work side by side with science teachers, helping them acquire new knowledge while collaborating with them to enhance their teaching skills. Whether they’re veteran teachers, new to the profession or somewhere in between. We’ll help teachers stay a step ahead of the latest trends, ensuring that they remain on the cutting edge of the newest innovations in science education. We can also help administrators monitor and evaluate their science programs or develop and fine tune new curricula, in response to new state and federal mandates. Research suggests that investing in the professional development of teachers can pay huge dividends in terms of classroom performance and individual student achievement. LAB-AIDS offers a wide variety of services designed with that very goal in mind. We are a leader in hands-on science teaching and learning. Because of that you have the advantage of working with the finest in their field. Our professional development consultants are accomplished classroom teachers, science supervisors and college faculty. From classroom assessment...to literacy for learning...to new technology for the science classroom, LAB-AIDS professional development programs and workshops are highly informative and enlightening for science teachers – empowering teachers to make science learning more engaging and fun for their students!
SEPUP Program Training Although SEPUP programs are written for “off the shelf” use, most teachers tell us that professional development from our certified SEPUP trainers has greatly enhanced their use of the materials. Training, which is conveniently available in half and full-day increments, can be provided on all SEPUP products, courses, units and modules. All SEPUP-certified trainers are skilled and experienced classroom teachers as well as very effective presenters. Training is available either on-site or on a regional basis, and can be scheduled during the academic year, or in the summer.
Professional development is included with your purchase based on order size.
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We believe all your students can and should want to be STEM-literate The SEPUP Approach to Teaching and Learning SEPUP is a science education project developed primarily by former and current classroom science teachers at the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley. SEPUP develops instructional materials and approaches to support classroom science education. Using an instructional model that integrates scientific inquiry with a thematic approach for teaching science in the context of personal and social issues. The phases of the model are illustrated in the diagram below. The SEPUP Middle School Program incorporates: 1. Personal and societal issues to introduce science An issue-oriented approach that engages students in learning science and helps students understand the everyday relevance of scientific concepts. 2. The role of scientific evidence and tradeoffs in decision-making SEPUP uses issues to go beyond engaging students in science. As students evaluate issues, they consider the types of evidence required to make an informed decision. Students learn how scientific ideas and processes can provide evidence and are expected to apply their knowledge of scientific evidence to their decision-making.
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3. Different approaches to hands-on inquiry SEPUP supports student inquiry by providing numerous opportunities for hands-on investigations. The instructional activities follow an inquiry continuum, from more guided to more open-ended. Guided inquiry introduces students to important ideas and gives students a model for scientific approaches. More open-ended-inquiry experiences encourage students to develop their ability to ask and investigate questions, to understand how to apply science to new problems, and to think critically about scientific evidence. 4. Age-appropriate teaching strategies Using different strategies, such as simulations, projects, analysis of data, and physical and computer models stimulates students to improve laboratory, research, reading, and writing skills. It also provides increased learning opportunities for students with different learning styles. 5. Spiraling of key concepts and skills over time SEPUP utilizes a learning-cycle approach in which concepts and skills spiral throughout the curriculum. Key concepts and vocabulary introduced in one activity are used repeatedly in later activities, enhancing student understanding and retention. 6. Formative and Summative Assessments that are embedded in the curriculum SEPUP materials provide both a well constructed multiple choice item bank and a research-based assessment system developed in cooperation with the University of California Graduate School of Education. 7. The 4-2-1 approach to cooperative learning SEPUP’s approach to cooperative learning ensures individual learning while maximizing the benefits of group interaction. The “4-2-1” refers to how responsibilities are shared:
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A group of four students share certain lab materials, such as bottles of chemicals. This sharing facilitates interactions within the group.
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Each pair of students within a group of four performs the procedure.
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Each student is expected to have access to a copy of the student book/pages. Students keep individual records of data, observations, and written responses.
8. SEPUP designs curriculum using the best of research and practice SEPUP first identifies research-based techniques that can help students learn. These techniques are integrated into the development of the curriculum, which is then trial-tested by classroom teachers and their students. Only after addressing the input of teachers, scientists, and other experts are the materials commercially published. 9. Explicit connections to other disciplines, such as technology and literacy SEPUP materials provide students with opportunities to learn science utilizing relevant history, technology mathematics, and language.
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We believe literacy strategies should be naturally embedded in science instruction Literacy The SEPUP Texas Middle School program provides frequent opportunities for students to develop their language skills. Students are expected to read informational text and procedures. The Analysis Questions, Designing Investigations activities, and science notebook entries all involve writing clearly. Students practice their oral language skills in Role-plays, Discussions, Debates, and Presentations. Teachers who are looking for ways for science classes to help students develop language literacy will find these exercises particularly helpful. The literacy strategies in the SEPUP Texas Middle school program provides an array of ideas about how to help students improve their abilities to read, write, talk, and think about science. Not every strategy is appropriate for every activity, nor is a strategy necessarily limited to specific activities. Teachers typically employ the strategies as written. As they move along through the activities they evaluate when students most need a literacy strategy, and which strategies are most helpful. Eventually teachers customize the selection and use of literacy
The Science Lab Notebook The use of a science journal or notebook is embedded. The journal not only models the way scientists work, but it helps to develop and reinforce students’ science learning and literacy skills. The LAB-AIDS Science Lab Notebook is 112 three-hole punched pages which allow students to capture a year long course in it’s pages. It has a 2 column design and plenty of room for notes and responses to Analysis Questions. GraphAnywhere allows data tables and graphs to be drawn in a fraction of the usual time. The Science Lab Notebook was designed with “Best Practices” in mind.
Literacy Strategies Embedded in SEPUP Core Curriculum Literacy Category
Literacy Strategy
Supporting reading comprehension
Anticipation Guide • Directed Activities Related to Text (DART) • Listen, Stop, Write • Reading Scientific Procedures • Three-Level Reading Guide
Enhancing student writing
Keeping a Science Notebook • Writing a Formal Investigation Report • Writing Frame Writing Review • Research Project • Assessment: Communicating Scientific Information
Facilitating group discussion
Discussion Web • Intra-act • Oral Presentation • Walking Debate • Assessment: Group Interaction
Synthesizing concepts and vocabulary
Categorization Activity • Concept Map • KWL • Talking Drawing • Venn Diagrams
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We believe a variety of inquiry-based scientific and engineering practices and other complementary instructional strategies are necessary to support diverse learning styles Diverse Learning Strategies SEPUP develops curriculum with the knowledge that many teachers face the challenge of having in the same class students with a wide range of educational backgrounds, abilities, and needs. SEPUP’s field-test classrooms have demonstrated that the variety of instructional approaches used in the SEPUP Texas Middle School program helps all students succeed. This section describes how the program addresses the needs of diverse learners, and includes suggestions and tools for facilitating group interactions, additional support to help students acquire science skills, background on the program’s literacy strategies, and templates that you can use to prepare additional literacy support if needed. In 1996, the National Research Council declared in the National Science Education Standards its goal for science education: that all students achieve science literacy. This goal challenges schools and teachers to make sure that science is accessible to students of different abilities, learning styles, and cultural backgrounds. To help them accomplish this, SEPUP curriculum incorporates flexible approaches to laboratories, modeling activities, simulations, role-plays, readings, and discussions. Each activity also includes features that differentiate instruction and assessment in ways that address students’ varying learning needs. Research has shown that differentiating instruction and assessment is not only beneficial to the target student group, but for the entire class as it provides multiple ways for students to access and engage with new material. The table below summarizes the differentiated learning strategies embedded in the SEPUP curriculum.
Students with Learning Disabilities
• Hands-on activities provide concrete experiences • Optional student sheets provide step-by-step procedures for open inquiry labs • Literacy strategies support improvement of reading comprehension and writing skills • Discussion strategies facilitate communication • Scoring guides state clear assessment goals • Vocabulary is introduced with operational definitions that connect concepts to learning experiences
English Language • 4-2-1 cooperative groupings encourage student interactions in a non-threatening environment Learners • Discussion strategies enhance speaking and listening skills • Literacy strategies strengthen reading and writing skills
• Issues stimulate evaluation of problems in real-world contexts
Academically Gifted • Lab activities encourage students to design complex investigations Students • Scoring guides challenge students to demonstrate their depth of understanding • Extension activities encourage in-depth inquiry into related topics
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Guided and open inquiry experiences are included Inquiry is a multifaceted activity that involves making observations; posing questions; examining books and other sources of information to see what is already known; planning investigations; reviewing what is already known in light of experimental evidence; using tools to gather, analyze and interpret data; proposing answers, explanations and predictions and communicating the results. Inquiry requires identification of assumptions, use of critical and logical thinking and consideration of alternative explanations. (National Science Education Standards, NSES, 1996 p. 23) The use of inquiry-based learning strategies is central to the SEPUP Texas Middle School instructional design. SEPUP programs support the essential features of classroom inquiry, as set forth in Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 2000, p25). By using SEPUP, students will: Engage in scientifically-oriented questions Give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate explanations for their questions Formulate explanations from evidence to address those questions Evaluate their explanations in light of alternative explanations, particularly those reflecting scientific understanding Communicate and justify their proposed explanations SEPUP’s guided inquiry gives equal weight to knowledge and skills through a hands-on, activity-based focus that relies on strong academic content. The early activities in each unit offer students considerable guidance and structure through detailed procedures, pre-made data tables and questions that call for fairly concrete answers. These early activities also provide models of scientific investigations that students can explore and evaluate. The later activities provide increasingly less structure and ask students to assume more responsibility for collecting, recording and analyzing data. The sequencing of these experiences leads students to practice and grow confident in their abilities to: Explore science concepts and principles in real-world situations Use evidence to reason through a problem or issue Use scientific concepts to reach independent conclusions or decisions justified by evidence Students experience the processes by which evidence is collected, tested, evaluated and put to use. These inquiry strategies, together with the SEPUP issue-oriented instructional design, provide powerful and motivating tools to engage your students in authentic science learning activities. They are also keys to achieving a scientifically literate society as well as the TEKS goals for school science.
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We believe that combining formative and summative assessment is essential for accurate guidance for instruction The SEPUP Assessment System has been developed with input from researchers, the SEPUP staff and hundreds of teachers across the country. The Berkeley Evaluation and Assessment Research (BEAR) group at the University of California at Berkeley collaborated with SEPUP to develop the Assessment System with support from the National Science Foundation. It has been cited in numerous journal articles and publications, including Knowing What Students Know (National Research Council, 2001. pp. 115-120) and Classroom Assessment and the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 2001, pp. 65-69). The SEPUP Assessment System is integrated into the curriculum for both formative and summative evaluation. Teachers can use the SEPUP Assessment System to collect evidence on what students have learned, help students improve their learning skills and performance, to work with other teachers to develop clear and consistent expectations within a school district or a school’s science department. As with all other aspects of the program, the embedded assessments and item banks are based on research and classroom trials.
NINE ASSESSMENT VARIABLES Designing Investigations Organizing Data Analyzing Data Understanding Concepts Recognizing Concepts Evidence and Trade-offs Communication Skills Organizing Scientific Ideas Group Interaction
ASSESSMENT TASKS for each variable
SCORING GUIDES (rubrics) describing 4 competency levels for each variable
ASSISTANCE FOR TEACHERS BLUEPRINTS / OVERVIEWS of assessment tasks throughout course or module
EXEMPLARS for each competency level in Scoring Guide
MODERATION collaboration with other teachers for scoring
The diagram above illustrates the three core components of the assessment system and three additional components that support teachers. Nine variables define key aspects of the program that are assessed. Student progress is measured through assessment questions or tasks, which are generally embedded as part of the students’ daily work. Each of these tasks assesses students on one or more of the assessment variables. Student responses are scored using scoring guides, or rubrics. Each variable has an associated rubric, which provides detailed criteria for each level (0-4) of performance.
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How will you know that this approach would work for you? It’s a challenge when you make long-term curriculum decisions, especially with today’s budget challenges. We believe that it is essential for the providers of science and STEM education programs to partner and contribute in the decision making process. The LAB-AIDS Catalyst Project is a unique program that allows teachers to try our programs at no cost to their district. This includes the curriculum, equipment, and professional development. The Catalyst program is customized and can range from a single unit to a full year program. The Catalyst program is the most effective and convenient method to ensure you are making the correct decision when selecting your science curriculum for the next 6-8 years. Experience the LAB-AIDS Catalyst and EXPERIENCE SCIENCE at its best! Sign up to be a Catalyst, to experience this program, our high quality professional development, and most importantly for you to gather evidence from your student work and experiences.
The next step? Have a conversation with your local LAB-AIDS representative to take advantage of this opportunity, request a sample, or set up an appointment.
Just visit www.lab-aids.com/your-state or call 800.381.8003. L-1030-TX01
LAB-AIDS® 17 Colt Court Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
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