The Problem: Elementary Teachers Feel Unprepared to Teach Science…

2. The Problem: Elementary Teachers Feel Unprepared to Teach Science… Elementary School Teachers’ Self-Reported Preparedness to Teach Various Subjects • A survey of 543 California elementary teachers revealed that … • Only about a third of teachers felt “very prepared” to teach science.

3. …and Less Prepared for Activities Central to High Quality Instruction Elementary School Teachers’ Self-Reported Preparedness in Specific Science Instruction Activities

4. NSF ESCAPE Project • Emphasizes Next Generation Science Standards • Builds on kit-based science curriculum (FOSS) • Integrates arts-based instruction to help English language learners understand terms, concepts • Utilizes science notebooks to build both literacy and observational skills • Provides practical tools for assessing student learning in science

5. Making Science Comprehensible to Children

6. Visualizing Concepts • A science concept that high school grads often misunderstand is: What causes the seasons? • Despite repeated explanations by teachers as to the role played by the tilt of the Earth’s axis… • Many high school grads still assume that Earth’s orbit takes it closer to the Sun in the summer • They find the abstract explanation given by their science teachers just too hard to visualize • However, a picture can be “worth 1000 words…”

7. Winter Solstice (~December 21) The North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. All places below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south receive 24 hours of sunlight (Arctic Circle remains dark).

8. Using Movement to Make ConceptsMemorable Children’s urge to get out of their seats and move can also be utilized to deepen their understanding and assist with recall of concepts they have just learned. Through dance, children can physically mimic the counter-clockwise rotation of the Earth, along with the tilt of the Earth’s axis that causes the seasons. Through creative movement, children also model the placement of the Sun and Earth that would cause a person standing at a specific spot on Earth to perceive the time to be noon, midnight, 6 a.m. or 6 p.m.

9. Using images also makes concepts clear to English language learners You could probably explain this diagram – even if you do not speak a word of French

10. In the ESCAPE project the arts will be used to improve the accuracy of children’s mental representations, introduce academic vocabulary, and review concepts previously explored through science kits

11. Recruiting Schools • Teacher commitment = 64 hours / year • Teacher stipend = $1350 / year • Focus on serving Title 1 schools • We ask that 80% of teachers at a school affirm their interest in the project • Goal is to complete school selection by April • We are glad to provide brochures and explain the program to school personnel, as needed.

12. 5-Day Summer Institutes • Earth Science Institute: August 11-15, 2014 • Work with science kits in the morning • Work with teaching artists in afternoon • Follow-up during 2014-15 school year • Each teacher will co-teach three lessons in own classroom with teaching artist, attend workshops • Physical Science Institute: August 2015 • Life Science Institute: August 2016

13. Orange County Department of Education The Orange County Department of Education will recruit, train, and supervise the 3-person teams who will lead groups of 25 teachers as they work with the science kits during the Summer Institutes. Each of these teams will consist of a science pedagogy expert, an artist, and a veteran teacher with extensive experience using science kits. Prior to the Summer Institute, staff from OCDE will play a key role in designing the science notebook activities that visual artists will demonstrate during workshops. OCDE will organize the school year science notebook workshops.

14. Prepares and supervises their professional teaching artists, who train and work with participating teachers During the Summer Institute: Dance teaching artists will model creative movement lessons that teach scientific concepts Visual arts teaching artists will lead sketching workshops that train teachers to help students with sketching and observational drawing techniques During each academic year: Dance teaching artists will visit each participating teacher’s classroom three times to co-teach lessons introduced during the Summer Institute Both visual art and dance teaching artists will meet with participating teachers to build on and deepen the techniques used in classroom lessons

15. ESCAPE Research Overview • Research Aim: Measure the impact of ESCAPE on Teachers and Students. For Teachers-- increases in content and pedagogical knowledge in earth, physical, and life sciences. For Students-- increases in earth, physical, and life science achievement and specific increases for English Learners. • Research Approach: Quasi-Experimental , matched comparison study with randomly selected schools using experimental and control groups. Main variable of analysis will be Teacher and Student Pre and Post Tests. • Teacher and Student Annual Participation: Estimated time for Teachers is 2 to 3 hours per year participating in research activities. Estimated time for Students is 2-6 hours per year (Year 1:1-2 hours, Year 2: 2-4 hours, Year 3: 4-6 hours) participating in research activities.

16. Approach to Random Selection Step 1: Districts identify title one elementary schools that are willing to participate Step 2: Research Team randomly selects schools within the district that will serve as experimental schools—at least two schools from each district possibly more (flip of a coin selection) Step 3: Schools not selected are asked to participate as control schools with a teacher incentive provided and options for teacher participation at the end of year four (2017) and during year five (2018)

17. Teacher Participation Experimental Teachers: -Take a pre/post test of knowledge and pedagogy in earth, physical or life science (1-2 hours per year) -Complete an implementation log each year (30-45 minutes) -Complete a feedback form each year (10-20 minutes) -Prepare a student research roster each year (30-45 minutes)

18. Student Participation Students: -Take a NGSS earth science pre/post online test in 2014-2015 (1-2 hours) -Take a NGSS earth and physical science pre/post online test in 2015-2016 (2-4 hours) -Take a NGSS earth, physical, and life science online pre/post test in 2016-2017 (4- 6 hours)