Tier #2 Ambitious Science Teaching (AST) Session #2 AST Practice 1 - Planning for engagement with important science ideas [Half-day PM]

Instructor(s): Peney E. Wright and Eric Yoder

Description of Activity: Planning practices for designing a unit of instruction.

Important ideas in science are about the relationships between a natural phenomenon and a causal explanation that helps us understand why something in the world unfolds the way it does (phenomena are events or processes— things that happen). Studying events or processes rather than “things” or abstract ideas really interests students and helps them develop deep and interconnected understandings of science concepts.

Model a set of protocols in developing or shifting lessons and units to focus on the Big Ideas, the Disciplinary Core Ideas, that we want students to learn. Bring one unit to shift towards phenomena-based, 3D Teaching and Learning to “self pilot” in April or May 2024.Use an AST model unit plan as an exemplar for sessions #2-#5

Highly Recommended: Visit https://ambitiousscienceteaching.org/ to preview the website (Getting Started) and watch the Planning for engagement with important science ideas video, 15;27.  Also read Ambitious Science Teaching: Chapters 2-4, Appendices A and B

Prerequisites include one or more of the following Tier #1 STEELS PL:

• School Leaders Establishing Foundations for the STEELS Academic Standards: NGSX PLANS
• Implementing the STEELS Standards: Developing Science Leadership Teams
• STEELS Experience for K-12 Teachers
• SY ‘22-23 ENGINE of Central PA STEM Ecosystem: 3-Dimensional STEELS Educator Community of Practice (CoP)

AND

• AST Session #1: (AST) Session #1 Introduction to Ambitious Science Teaching and Culturally Relevant Science Teaching