Coherent units are critical to student understanding

Here is a nice article about how, even as we integrate more activities and information sources into our lessons, it is critical to help students build a framework within learning units.

"When science teachers adopt innovative curricula, it’s important that they structure students’ activities as a unit, rather than as a set of linear, discrete events. That’s because students learn with deeper understanding when the teacher has woven the concepts and activities into a coherent whole. Recent research by UW-Madison education professor Sadhana Puntambekar has helped to pinpoint how that’s done, and how science teachers effectively facilitate classroom discussion."

http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/news/coverStories/2009/how_science_teachers_enact.php

Blending Science (or any other subject) and Service Learning

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) journal cover story this month is about integrating service learning into the curriculum. See how "Blending Science and Service Learning" inspires you to integrate service learning into the classes you teach.

Some specific science service learning ideas can be found at
http://www.paservicelearning.org/Project_Ideas/Science.html

For more information about service learning check out, "Learn and Serve" a national service learning clearinghouse at http://www.servicelearning.org/what-service-learning

Reading 1: August 29, 2008 - College Readiness

This week's professional reading concerns college readiness. The first article asks, "Do Current State Standards and Assessments Reflect College Readiness?" The second short article is a case study called, "Improving Students' Readiness for College: Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Illinois District 233."


Please be sure to read the articles and sign off on your departmental professional reading envelope by Friday, September 5th and please return the envelope to your department chair or Ignacio Lopez.