Welcome Back to the 2007-2008 School Year from DPI Science Consultants!

We hope you enjoyed a restful summer! Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

DPI Resources

We have recently updated our Science Website. Please check our Science FAQs at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/faq/ and the secondary resources links at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/science/secondary/ .

List Serves

Now is the time to make sure new teachers are signed up for the list serves that can keep them updated on curriculum, testing, professional development, grants, contests, and teacher resources. And if your e-mail address has signed be sure you have made the change with all the list serves you subscribe to.

DPI has a number of list serves to help keep teachers and administrators informed of news affecting science educators. The following list serves are available: K12 Science Supervisors, Elementary Curriculum Support, Middle Grades Curriculum Support, High School Curriculum Support. For the Elementary Science Listserve please contact Lisa Mackey, Elementary Science Consultant at lmackey@dpi.state.nc.us.To sign up for or change your information for any of the others please e-mail Susan Hart at shart@dpi.state.nc.us. Let her know your first and last name, LEA, e-mail address and phone and let her know which list serve you wish to join.

Science House http://www.science-house.org/info/comm.html has a great resource summarizing how to join various NC Science List Serves. We encourage everyone with an interest in Science Education to join NCSciteach which carries many non-DPI announcements of professional development opportunities, etc.

Fall Facilitative Services Meetings

The Middle Secondary Division will be holding a series of Regional Professional Development Sessions this fall. There will be separate sessions for science, math English language arts, social studies, and K-12 Programs. Science will focus on the power of Professional Learning Communities. Each district has been invited to send one representative per content area. Registration materials have been sent to each superintendent.

Fall Science Supervisors Meeting

Save the Date! Please hold November 14 for the Department of Public Instruction Fall Science Supervisors Meeting in Greensboro. Our meeting will be held in conjunction with the North Carolina Science Leadership Association (NCSLA) meeting and the North Carolina Science Teachers Association (NCSTA) meeting. The purpose of these meetings is to update you on current North Carolina issues and initiatives in science education.

Our meeting will be held at the Koury Convention Center/Sheraton at Four Seasons in Greensboro, North Carolina. Driving Directions and Koury Center information can be found on line at http://www.sheratongreensboro.com/default.shtml Registration for the DPI meeting will cost $75.00 per participant this year and includes breakfast and materials. Registration forms will be available in late September on our website at http://community.learnnc.org/dpi/science/ or by e-mailing Susan Hart shart@dpi.state.nc.us The meeting will begin with a light breakfast and registration at 8:00 a.m. and include brief updates and information for:

• Elementary, Middle and High School Science
• Standard Course of Study Revision
• Science Safety
• Graduation Project
• New Units - aligned to Revised Blooms Taxonomy
• Virtual Public School Science Courses
• Physics enrollment and brochures
• Science Competitions 
• LASER institute and initiative
• CCSSO STEM education initiative update
• Testing updates, Physics test on-line
• Presidential awards
• Summer Professional Development Opportunities
• MSP Project updates
• Effects of tracking on science achievement
• Exemplary Science programs

In the afternoon we will continue our meeting in conjunction with NCSLA’s Fall meeting. The featured speaker will be Jerry Valadez, Past President of National Science Education Leadership Association. His topic will target Science and English Language Learners.

NCSTA Fall Institute

Please drop by and visit with us at DPI’s booth at the Fall Institute! We look forward to meeting you. Teacher Leaders and DPI Consultants will provide sessions on Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Environmental, Physical Science and Physics. DPI Consultants will also provide a session on increasing enrollment in higher-level science courses.

DPI Summer Science Leadership Institute
The 2007 High School Summer Science Leadership Institute was held at the New Bern River Front Convention Center. We had many inspirational presentations including Keynote Speakers Diana Beasley, NC Teacher of the Year and Dr Anthony Atala from the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

Teachers also had the opportunity to share their thoughts with Deputy Superintendent J.B. Buxton in an interactive forum. He listened to many comments on the current testing and accountability systems.

We also had a variety of presentations to help teachers encourage students to do science related graduation projects, presentations on formative assessment, test development, and on each curricular area.

Plan early to join us next year! We plan to return to New Bern for our 2008 Institute – Please Save July 14-17 and come with a team from your LEA.

NC DPI 2007 Summer Science Institute for Middle Grades Teachers

The Centers of the North Carolina Mathematics and Science Education Network, in collaboration with the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction provided professional development for middle grades science teachers at four centers across the state this summer. East Carolina University, Appalachian State University, UNC Chapel Hill and the NC School for Science & Math along with UNC Charlotte served as host sites for the week long sessions.

Teachers received strategies to effectively implement the North Carolina Standard Course of Study in Science related to increasing content knowledge and lesson design based on the 5-E learning cycle. During the 5-day workshops teachers participated in hands-on activities focusing on energy transfer in ecosystems, motion and forces, chemistry and microbiology. The NC DPI Middle Grades Support Documents and Extensions were reviewed and highlighted with technology. Teachers also reviewed NAEP and SCASS released-test items. Finally, teachers were encouraged to write a 5-E lesson by the end of the week.

Our presenters for the week included Betty Dean, Ann Scarborough-McClung, Nelda Phillips and Shirley Grimsley.

Plan early to join us next year! We plan to go to New Bern for our 2008 Institute – Please Save July 17-19 and come with a team from your LEA..

DPI 2007 Elementary Science Summer Leadership Institutes

The Elementary DPI Science and Contracted Consultants conducted three-one week science institutes across North Carolina during the summer. Fifty elementary teachers participated in the sessions focused on science content and inquiry instruction. The teachers expressed their excitement and enthusiasm and looked forward to implementing the content and instructional strategies in their classroom.