The Living Environment

Resources & Getting Started

August 31, 2007

Gary Carlingcarlin@schools.nyc.gov

(718) 828-4007

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Activity One

Find Someone Who …

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Activity Two

What Do You Think?

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Activity Three

Through The Window:

Science Literacy

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Science Literacy• “Is the knowledge and understanding of scientific

concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity.”

• Ask for, find, or determine answers to questions about everyday experiences.

• Describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena.

National Science Education Standards

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Starting at the Beginning …

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Guidelines to Develop Curriculum

• The Living Environment Core Curriculum

• pdf file - 161K (Adobe Acrobat)

• Content and skills to be assessed at the commencement level

• http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/scirg.html

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Living Environment Core Curriculum

• Is NOT a syllabus

• “Lack of detail”

• Focus on conceptual understanding, important relationships, processes, mechanisms, and applications of concepts.

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NYS Learning Standards in MST• 1. Analysis, Inquiry & Design

• 2. Information Systems

• 4. Science

• 6. Interconnectedness

• 7. Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

• http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/ls.html

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Key Ideas (#)“What do students need to know to have science literacy within that broad theme?”

• Broad, unifying general statements of what students need to know.

Key Idea 1:

The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing and creative process.

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Performance Indicators (·)• Statement of what students should be able to

do to provide evidence they understand the Key Idea.

Performance Indicator 1.1

• Elaborate on basic scientific and personal explanations of natural phenomena, and develop extended visual models and mathematical formulations to represent one’s thinking.

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Major Understandings• Specific details about the concepts

underlying each Performance Indicator.

• Flexibility, creativity in instruction and greater variation in assessment.

Major Understanding 1.1a:• Scientific explanations are built by combining

evidence that can be observed with what people already know about the world.

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Standard 1

Analysis, Inquiry and Design

Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

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Analysis, Inquiry & Design KISCIENTIFIC INQUIRY• 1. The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to

develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process.

• 2. Beyond the use of reasoning and consensus, scientific inquiry involves the testing of proposed explanations involving the use of conventional techniques and procedures and usually requiring considerable ingenuity.

• 3. The observations made while testing proposed explanations, when analyzed using conventional and invented methods, provide new insights into phenomena.

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Performance Indicators1. The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop

explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process. (KI)

Students:• elaborate on basic scientific and personal explanations of natural

phenomena, and develop extended visual models and mathematical formulations to represent their thinking.

• hone ideas through reasoning, library research, and discussion with others, including experts.

• work toward reconciling competing explanations; clarifying points of agreement and disagreement.

• coordinate explanations at different levels of scale, points of focus, and degrees of complexity and specificity and recognize the need for such alternative representations of the natural world.

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Standard 4

Science

Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

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Activity Four

Condensing Information

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LE Key Ideas• 1. Living things are both similar to and different from each other and

nonliving things.

• 2. Organisms inherit genetic information in a variety of ways that result in continuity of structure and function between parents and offspring.

• 3. Individual organisms and species change over time.

• 4. The continuity of life is sustained through reproduction and development.

• 5. Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.

• 6. Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.

• 7. Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment.

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Performance Indicators1. Living things are both similar to and different from

each other and nonliving things. (KI)

Students (PI):• explain how diversity of populations within ecosystems

relates to the stability of ecosystems.

• describe and explain the structures and functions of the human body at different organizational levels (e.g., systems, tissues, cells, organelles).

• explain how a one-celled organism is able to function despite lacking the levels of organization present in more complex organisms.

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Standards of Lab Skills

“It is expected that laboratory experiences will provide the opportunity for students to develop the scientific inquiry techniques in Standard 1, the use of information systems as outlined in Standard 2, the interconnectedness of content and skills and the problem-solving approaches in Standards 6 and 7, and the skills identified on the laboratory skills checklist found in Appendix A.”

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Standard 2

Information Systems

Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

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Standard 6

Interconnectedness: Common Themes

Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.

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Standard 7

Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

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Appendix A – Laboratory Checklist• Follows safety rules in the laboratory• Selects and uses correct instruments• Uses graduated cylinders to measure volume• Uses metric ruler to measure length• Uses thermometer to measure temperature• Uses triple-beam or electronic balance to measure mass• Uses a compound microscope/stereoscope effectively to see specimens clearly, using

different magnifications• Identifies and compares parts of a variety of cells• Compares relative sizes of cells and organelles• Prepares wet-mount slides and uses appropriate staining techniques• Designs and uses dichotomous keys to identify specimens• Makes observations of biological processes• Dissects plant and/or animal specimens to expose and identify internal structures• Follows directions to correctly use and interpret chemical indicators• Uses chromatography and/or electrophoresis to separate molecules• Designs and carries out a controlled, scientific experiment based on biological processes• States an appropriate hypothesis• Differentiates between independent and dependent variables• Identifies the control group and/or controlled variables• Collects, organizes, and analyzes data, using a computer and/or other laboratory equipment• Organizes data through the use of data tables and graphs• Analyzes results from observations/expressed data• Formulates an appropriate conclusion or generalization from the results of an experiment• Recognizes assumptions and limitations of the experiment

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Laboratory Requirement

“Therefore, as a prerequisite for admission to the Regents examination in the Living Environment, students must have successfully completed 1200 minutes of laboratory experience with satisfactory written reports for each laboratory investigation.”

Completed 1 week prior to exam.

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Required State Labs

• #1: Relationships and Biodiversity

• #2: Making Connections

• #3: The Beaks of Finches

• #5: Diffusion Through a Membrane

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Obtaining the State Labs• Please send an email request to

Clare Caroll: ccaroll@mail.nysed.gov.

• The request must include the:

Principals Name and School Address.

• Labs sent to a teacher contact –

but must be sent directly to the school.

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Science Safety Manual K-12• New York State Right-to-Know Laws

• OSHA Guidelines

• New York State Education Law Section 305, Subdivision 19

• Environmental Protection Agency regulations

• New York City Fire Codes

• NYC Department of Education directives (ie. Chemical Inventory)

• http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/TeachLearn/OfficeCurriculumProfessionalDevelopment/DepartmentofMathandScience/DepartmentofScience/NYCInstructionalPublicationsforScience/sciencesafety.htm

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Just Remember …

“Real teaching . . . happens inside a wild triangle of relations - among teachers, students, subject - and all points of the triangle shift continuously.”

• MST Resource Guide

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MST Resource Guide

•Establishes connections between State learning standards and classroom instruction

•Suggests ways to plan grade level curriculum based on the State standards.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/guides/mst/

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MST Resource Guide

Planning Standards-Based Curriculum:• Part 1: Curriculum Essentials: Best Practices,

Scope & Sequence, Teaching/Learning Strategies

• Part 2: Learning Experiences: Seedlings, How is Disease Transmitted, Biology Career Exploration

• Part 3: Assessment Models: MST Models

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NYC Performance Standards• “How good is good

enough?”

• Clear Expectations

• Excerpts from other Standards

• Student work samples

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Performance Standards: Science

• S1: Physical Science Concepts

• S2: Life Science Concepts

• S3: Earth Science Concepts

• S4: Scientific Connections & Applications

• S5: Scientific Thinking

• S6: Scientific Tools & Technologies

• S7: Scientific Communication

• S8: Scientific Investigations

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S2: Life Science ConceptsDemonstrates understanding of:

• S2a Characteristics of organisms.

• S2b Life cycles of organisms.

• S2c Organisms and their environments.

• S2d Change over time.

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S5-S8 Examples …• S5a Asks questions about natural phenomena;

objects organisms; and events and discoveries.

• S5f Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and ideas.

• S6a Uses technology and tools to gather data and extend the senses.

• S7a Represents data and results in multiple ways.

• S8a Demonstrates scientific competence by completing an experiment.

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NYC Performance Standards

Pdf Version• http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/TeachLearn/

OfficeCurriculumProfessionalDevelopment/psscience.htm

Web Version• http://schools.nyc.gov/offices/teachlearn/

documents/standards/science/index.html

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Activity Four

The Envelope Sort

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Envelope Sort Activity

• The title of this diagram would read:

The Effect of Spraying a Pesticide on a Population of Insects Over Three Generations

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The diagram below shows the effect of spraying a pesticide on a population ofInsects over three generations.

Which concept is represented in the diagram?

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New York City Department of Education

Scope & Sequence

Living Environment

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Semester 1• 1. Scientific Inquiry 10 days

• 2. Origin of Life 3 days

• 3. Ecology 22 days

• 4. Org & Patterns in Life 20 days

• 5. Homeostasis & Immunity 25 days

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Semester 2• 6. Reproduction & Devel 15 days

• 7. Genetics & Biotech 25 days

• 8. Evolution 15 days

• 9. Human Inf on the Env 15 days

• 10. Review 10 days

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LE Resource Guide

• Aims

• Major Understandings

• Instructional Objectives

• Activities & Enrichments

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Environmental Science Resource Guide

• Aims

• Performance Objectives

• Motivations

• Activities & Enrichments

• Suggested Questions

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Regents Examinations• Regents Exams from June 1999 - Jan 2007

• June, January, and August exams, and Archive

• Translated Editions (Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish)

• Scoring Keys and Rating Guides

• Conversion Charts

• http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/hsregents.html

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Regents Correlation to Standards

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Test Software

• Eduware: Test Wizardhttp://www.eduware.com/888-338-9273 http://www.eduware.com/html/free_demo.html

• Examgenhttp://www.examgen.com/newyorkcity/

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Review Books• Reviewing Biology: The Living Environment –

AMSCO

• Let’s Review Biology: The Living Environment, Barron’s

• Brief Review for NY: The Living Environment – Pearson Learning/Prentice Hall

• Cracking the Regents: Living Environment

• The Living Environment, UPCO

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On-Line Test Preparation for the Living Environment

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Regentsprep.orgOswego City School District• Unit Review of Living Environment:

1.Organization of Life• 2.Heredity and Genetics• 3.Evolution: Change Over Time• 4.Reproduction and Development• 5.Homeostasis• 6.Ecology• 7.Human Impact on the Environment• 8.Laboratory Skills: Scientific Inquiry and

Technique

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Regents Review Live! 2007

• Produced by The New York Network, SUNY collaboration - Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers NYS.

• Streaming Video

• Regents Exams with Answer Keys

• http://www.regentsreviewlive.net/

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Edusolution.com• NYS Regents Exams

• Test Your Self

• Lesson Plans

• Classroom Techniques

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New York Science Teacher

• Living Environment Review Games

• Living Environment Review Sheets

• Required Lab Review Sheets

• http://www.newyorkscienceteacher.com/default/NYST/LivingEnvi/Review/LEreview.htm

• http://www.edusolution.com/default.htm

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Mr. Comet’s Online Lab Manual

• 17 Complete Labs (pdf files)

• 20 Review Quizzes (pdf files)

• Living Environment Vocabulary

• http://www.southlewis.org/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=2859&catfilter=78&timestamp=1118957382#showDoc

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National & State Science

Organizations

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National Science Teacher Association• NSTA

• Books & Journals

• The Science Teacher

• Conferences on Science Education

• PD Opportunities

• www.nsta.org

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National Association of Biology Teachers

• Bio Lessons for Prospective & Practicing Teachers

• The Biology Project• Science Standards & Lesson Bank• Lessons for Teaching Evolution & the Nature of

Science• Science Learning Network• Nourishing the Planet in the 21st Century • http://www.nabt.org/sites/S1/index.php?p=5

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National Association of Research in Science Teaching

• Worldwide organization of professionals committed to the improvement of science teaching and learning through research.

• Help all learners achieve science literacy.

• Newsletter e-NARST

• http://www.narst.org/

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American Association for the Advancement of Science

• Science (journal)

• ScienceNetLinks http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/

Lessons, Tools, Resources, Benchmarks

Weekly Science Updates

• http://www.aaas.org/programs/education/SchTeachLib/index.shtml

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Science Teachers Association of NY State• STANYS Newsletter

• State Conference

• PD Opportunities

• The Science Teachers Bulletin

• Clearinghouse for Employment

• Learning Resources

• http://www.stanys.org/

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The New York Academy of Science• Science Conferences and Symposia

• NY Science and Engineering Fair

• Science Research Training

• NYAS eAlerts

• Science & The City – “The week’s best events by email every Tuesday. Free!”

• www.nyas.org

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SciEduNet - NYAS• Web Resources: Online Guides and Resources -

700 Websites, for example:

• EPA’s Teaching Center

• Discovery Lesson Plan Library

• Earth Trends: The Environ Info Portal

• Electronic Field Trips

• BioInteractive (4 virtual labs)

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Environmental Science?

• Living Environment – 2, 3, or 4 semesters

• Start with a one year Environmental Science course (+ lab component).

• Environmental Science curriculum is correlated to Living Environment Regents.

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Quick WriteActivity

What will be your pervading theme in teaching The Living Environment?

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Reflection

• What Do You Think? - Wrap-up

• Q and A

• Workshop Evaluation