What Every Principal Should Know about STEM Education

November 16, 2012Maine Principals Association Conference

Portland, ME

Introductions

My name is Dan Smith, Principal at…

Goals … You will

• Gain an understanding of the history of Science and Math Standards in Maine and why STEM is so important

• Gain an understanding of how new STEM standards should be used to guide instruction

• Discuss a instructional vignette aligned to NGSS

• Learn how to access available math and science resources

• Offer advice about supports for Maine Principals

History of Math and Science Standards in Maine

New approaches are needed to address:

• Reduction of the United States' competitive economic edge

• Lagging achievement of U.S. students• Essential preparation for all careers in the

modern workforce• STEM literacy for an educated society

• 1997 – State of Maine Learning Results• 2007 – State of Maine Learning Results revised• 2010 – Adopted Common Core State Standards

for Mathematics into the Maine standards • 2013 – Anticipated adoption of the Next

Generation Science Standards into the Maine standards

• 2014/2015 school year – First administration of the Smarter Balanced Assessment for mathematics and ELA

Common Core State Standards for

Mathematics

Math Shifts

• Change in culture focusing on the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practices (K-12)

• Domains begin and end, not all domains span grades K-12

• Deeper focus on Number & Number Sense K-5• Focus on fractions grades 3-5, application of fractions

grades 6-8• Probability & Statistics focus in grades 6-HS• Algebra focus begins in grades 6-8

http://maine.gov/education/lres/math/standards.html

Next Generation Science Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

The Standards The Vision for the Standards

Maine Learning Results Design

NGSS Design

• Not separate treatment of “content” and “practices” and “crosscutting concepts”

• Curriculum and instruction needs to do more than present and assess scientific ideas – they need to involve learners in using scientific practices to develop and apply the scientific ideas.

Building Instruction from Standards

Aligning Instruction

Science Mathematics

The Vignette

Middle Level Science: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

The NGSS Architecture

The Vignette

Middle Level Science: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

Read from 2nd paragraph p. 6 through the end.

What is familiar about the instruction?

What is different about the instruction?

• Cluster performance expectations

• Focus on what students are doing

• Connect practices and content and crosscutting concepts for “seamless integration”

What supports do Maine Principals need?

Who should provide those supports?

What tools?

Available Math Resources

• MDOE Math Webpage: http://maine.gov/education/lres/math/index.html

• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: http://maine.gov/education/lres/math/index.html

• Illustrative Mathematics Project: http://illustrativemathematics.org/

Available Math ResourcesNoteShare Notebooks:

•Grades K-2: http://mlti.cross.doe.msln.net/NoteShare/Notebooks/CommonCore/MathK2/ 

•Grades 3-5: http://mlti.cross.doe.msln.net/NoteShare/Notebooks/CommonCore/math35/ 

•Grades 6-8: http://mlti.cross.doe.msln.net/NoteShare/Notebooks/CommonCore/Math68/

•High School: http://mlti.cross.doe.msln.net/NoteShare/Notebooks/CommonCore/Math912/

SciTech Framework

http://www.scitechframework.wordpress.com

National Science Teachers AssociationPractices Webinars

http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/Ngss/webseminar.aspx

Next Generation Science Standards and ELLs

Webinar with Helen Quinn and Okhee Lee

http://ell.stanford.edu/event/next-generation-science-standards-ells

S5. Use mathematics & computational thinkingM6. Attend to precision

M7. Look for & make use of structure

E3. Respond to the varying demands of audience, talk, purpose, & discipline

E1. Demonstrate independence

E7. Come to understand other perspectives & cultures

S2. Develop and use models

M4. Model with mathematics

M1. Make sense ofproblems & persevere in solving them

M8. Look for & expressregularity in repeated reasoning

S1. Ask questions &define problems

S3. Plan & carry outinvestigations

S4. Analyze & interpretdata

E2. Build strong content knowledgeE4. Comprehend as well as critiqueE5. Value evidenceM2. Reason abstractly & quantitativelyM3. Construct viable argument & critique reasoning of othersS7. Engage in argument from evidenceS6. Construct explanations & design solutionsS8. Obtain, evaluate & communicate informationE6. Use technology & digital mediaM5. Use appropriate tools strategically

MATH SCIENCE

ELA

Source: Working Draft, 12-6-11 by Tina Cheuk, ell.stanford.edu

Question and Comments?

Contact Information

• Anita Bernhardt – MDOE Science and Technology Specialist: anita.bernhardt@maine.gov 207-624-6835

• Michele Mailhot – MDOE Mathematics Specialist: michele.mailhot@maine.gov

207-624-6829