Mini Science edTPA

This culminating assignment will help you plan, teach, assess, and reflect on a series of science lessons. Each piece will be due at different points in the course.

  1. Context Commentary
  2. NGSS Video Reflection
  3. Annenberg Video Reflection
  4. Concept Map10-day Unit Overview Table
  5. Parent Letter
  6. Preassessment and Rubric & commentary
  7. 2 Lesson plans (You will be required to teach 1 of these lessons)
  8. Student work assessment commentaryon lesson you taught.

I. Context Commentary -100pts. - Due February 17th

This is the edTPA template for the Elementary Literacy Context for Learning Information. Compete this (slightly adapted for science)

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach?

Elementary school:

Middle school:

Other (please describe):

Urban:

Suburban:

Rural:

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching, themed magnet, classroom aide, bilingual, team taught with a special education teacher) that will affect your teaching science learning segment.

3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that might affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan, use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.

About the Class Featured in This Assessment

1. How much time is devoted each day to science in your classroom?

2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in literacy? If so, please describe how it affects your class.

3. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for science instruction. If a textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication.

4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, classroom library or other text sets, online professional resources) you use for literacy instruction in this class.

About the Students in the Class Featured in This Assessment

1. Grade level(s): ______

2. Number of

students in the class _____

males _____ females _____

3. Complete the chart below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or modifications for your students that will affect your literacy instruction in this learning segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. Some rows have been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need. Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports or accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment.
English language learners
Gifted students needing greater support or challenge
Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans
Struggling readers
Underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge
Students with Specific Learning Needs
IEP/504 Plans: Classifications/Needs / Number of Students / Supports, Accommodations, Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Other Learning Needs / Number of Students / Supports, Accommodations, Modifications

Write a 2 page context commentary that paints an insightful portrait of the school culture. Careful observations should inform your commentary. You can consult school report card or Chapter 655 reports provided by the NY State Department of Education. While the narrative should include background information on school history and culture, the emphasis should be on the actual students in your classroom. Refer to teacher as… Mrs. M or Mr. B for example. Do not use specific students’ names.

The context statement, focused on your students, is a holistic narrative analyzing the following:

  • Student and staff demographic information
  • School Mission Statement
  • Socio-economic status of the: students in the school/classroom
  • Academic development: Describe students’ prior knowledge, key skills, developmental levels, and other special educational needs
  • Language development: Describe aspects of English language proficiency in conversational and academic language as well as in the students’ primary languages, if other than English. Describe the language development of your entire class, not just your English learners.
  • Social development: Describe factors such as the students’ ability and experience in expressing themselves in constructive ways, negotiating and solving problems, and getting along with others.
  • Socio-economic and cultural context: Describe key factors such as cultural context, knowledge acquired outside of school, and home/community resources, parental opportunities and their level of involvement.
  • Describe the characteristics and dynamics of your specific class that will affect your science instructional planning decisions.

IMPORTANT: Since you already wrote a context statement in Literacy and Social Studies methods, please use that as a starting point and add: Describe the characteristics and dynamics of your specific class that will affect your science instructional planning decisions. The critical aspect is your explanation of how your science unit is designed with your specific students’ social, emotional, and academic needs in mind.

II. NGSS Video Reflection (100 pts.)- Due February 24______

1.Watch all Next Generation Science Standards 8 Practices Videos

2. Watch at least 1 Cross Cutting concept video and 1 Content video- the one that most closely aligns with min-science edTPA.

2. Post your thoughtful response to NGSS Video Discussion Board.

State how your background knowledge grew.

Explicitly state how you will integrate 2 or more practices into your

mini-edTPA.

III. Annenberg (100pts.) – due March 10

Choose ONE of these links based on one that most closely connects with your mini Science edTPA or an area of your own that you feel you need to strengthen.

  • Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science
  • Essential Science for Teachers: Life Science
  • Essential Science for Teachers: Physical Science
  1. Review the different video concepts by reading the individual Program Descriptions.
  2. Click on the session.

A screen like this will open.

  1. Please read prior to watching video.
  1. Watch video. Pay close attention to how kids think!
  2. Then proceed through each tab:
  1. Now visit

Watch at least 2 (but preferably all 8) and

at least 2 (but preferably all 7) and

the most relevant (s) to your mini science edTPA topic.

  1. Post your thoughtful response to Annenberg Video Discussion Board.
  • State how your background knowledge grew.
  • Summarize what you found most interesting.
  • Identify possible misconceptions your students might have about unit concepts. BRIEFLY discuss ideas you have about how to help your students learn concepts presented.
  • Read and respond to at least one classmate’s post.

Please remember this resource and use when you teach. Watch some more videos throughout the semester as time permits. Doing so is incredibly valuable! There is much more to Annenberg than the Essentials For Teachers. Check out

IV. Science Unit 10-day Overview Table and Concept Map (100pts.each) – due March 24th

The goals of this assignment are for you to:

1. Outline the objectives and activities for each day within your Science Unit. The number of days will vary depending on the topic. I will be looking for evidence of a developmental progression of ideas (concepts become more complex as the unit progresses)

2. Create a concept map that shows the interlinkages of concepts.

Your table must include evidence of lessons that integrate:

  • Technology (ex. engineering design, webquest, multimedia…)
  • Cross-disciplinary connection (integrate science concept with reading, math, social studies, P.E. or art)
  • Science practices (students collect and analyze data; makes claims, evidence, reasoning)

Sample Science Unit Overview – Astronomy

Day / Lesson Title / Content Objective / Language Objective / Activity / Modifications for special needs/ gifted/ELLs
1 / Intro to astronomy
What is the moon?
What causes the moon phases / Given an activity on the phases of the moon, students will be able to identify that the reflection of the light from the sun causes the moon phases. / SWBAT orally name the phases of the moon. SWBAT draw the phases and label with appropriate spelling. / KWL on astronomy
Moon phase inquiry
Moon journal (they will record the moon phases for 1 month) / ELLs will be provided a word bank of moon phase names and Spanish equivalents. Child with auditory processing delay will practice speaking phase names with partner.
2 / Solar System / Given a webquest exploration, students will be able to identify the 8 planets and the atmospheric temperatures of each. / You get the idea…please complete each box in this column. / Webquest on solar system / Gifted student will complete additional research on a planet of choice and report back to class.
3** / How far are the planets? / Students will know that the planets in the solar system are far from each other and have different size by build a model solar system with plan. / Build model solar system / Students have choice to build model physically, virtually or create PowerPoint.
4-7 / Mars research today / Given a Mars Rover building project, students will be able to identify what scientists are currently working on in the Mars Rover project. / Watch a video on Mars Rover project
Students will build a sample Rover and operate it. / Sentence frames for communicating about design ideas.
8 / Stars / Given a story on stars, students will know that stars are balls of gas that are far away from the earth and burn. / Story on stars
Constellation art activity / Foldable on the different types of stars.
9 / Comets, black holes, review

**Lesson that I’m teaching for the mini Science edTPA.

Concept Map

Rationale: We need to know, really know, what we are teaching. We need to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that we plan to teach as described in professional, state, and institutional standards. We demonstrate our knowledge through inquiry, critical analysis, and synthesis of the subject. As teachers we absolutely must continuously grow in our understanding of what we teach. As teachers, we need to invest the time and energy it takes to become an expert on the content we are expecting our students to understand. We need to think conceptually in order to foster our students’ conceptual understandings.

A concept map is a concrete graphic illustration that shows relationships between hierarchical relationships: how various subordinate concepts connect to super ordinate concepts.

It illustrates the relationship between big ideas and small ideas.

By developing a concept map for our unit of study, we encode information in meaningful networks and gain insight.

Since we take the time to “tie it altogether” in our thinking before helping students, we enhance our ability to teach effectively.

Inspiration CmapTools helpful software to use.

As always, review rubric prior to creating your concept map.

Create a concept map that shows how the Concepts you are teaching within your topic relate to one another. Please follow these steps to create your concept map:

1. Increase your own background knowledge.

Locate sources of information that helped you learn about your unit (list at least 5):

Resource
1. Annenberg
List your specific video that you watched /
2.NGSS videos /
SPllVwaZQkS2rtZG_L7ho89oFsaYL3kUWq
2. New York State Science Core Curriculum Intermediate Level
Or
New York State Elementary Curriculum
List specific standards and page numbers that relate directly to your edTPA /
or

4. Teacher’s domain various videos
SIGN UP (Free)
Browse science related to what you are teaching. Note any videos you can use with your students. /
5. FOSS resources
Choose Interactive activities that relate to what you are teaching /
6. Phet interactive simulations
Choose Interactive activities that relate to what you are teaching /
7. Text book
other directly related concept maps /

2. Start with a list of terms (these may not all be terms that you will teach to students, but will help you know the big picture):

Astronomy

Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, comets, stars, constellations

Pluto – dwarf planet, planet, solar, system, gravity, constellations, geocentric, heliocentric, telescopes

3. It is suggested that you use a pencil with an eraser!

Use a piece of paper to brainstorm all ideas you can think of related to the concept(s) you will be teaching.

Meaningfully connect the concepts! You will have to “grapple” with this. Persist.

Through the process of creating your concept map, you will definitely be better prepared to teach conceptually which is how students learn.

4. Remember the links between and amongthese concepts are incredibly important. See Martin, et al pages 103-10 and Moodle

5. Neatly create your concept map. Use IHMC software or inspiration or whatever you prefer.

Tip~ It is hard to learn the software as you create your concept map. Create your concept map first using paper and pencil with eraser, and then use software.

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Scoring Rubric for Concept Map

CATEGORY / Unacceptable / Acceptable / Target
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
Enduring understandings, BIG IDEAS / Limited, superficial conceptual knowledge of how the science content in the mini edTPA holistically relates to one or more of the crosscutting concepts that have application across all domains of science. As such, they are a way of linking the different domains of science. They include: Patterns, similarity, and diversity; Cause and effect; Scale, proportion and quantity; Systems and system models; Energy and matter; Structure and function; Stability and change / Solid conceptual knowledge of how the science content in the mini edTPA holistically relates to one or more of the crosscutting concepts that have application across all domains of science. As such, they are a way of linking the different domains of science. They include: Patterns, similarity, and diversity; Cause and effect; Scale, proportion and quantity; Systems and system models; Energy and matter; Structure and function; Stability and change / Deep, substantive conceptual knowledge of how the science content in the mini edTPA holistically relates to one or more of the major
crosscutting concepts that have application across all domains of science. As such, they are a way of linking the different domains of science. They include: Patterns, similarity, and diversity; Cause and effect; Scale, proportion and quantity; Systems and system models; Energy and matter; Structure and function; Stability and change
NGSS Practices
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out
investigations
4.Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)
7.Engaging in argument from evidence
8. Obtaining, evaluating, and
communicating information / Does not sufficiently integrate, provides somewhat relevant and meaningful way of addressing 1 or 2 of the NGSSpractices. / Somewhat integrated, provides relevant and meaningful way of addressing 2 or 3 of the NGSS practices. / Authentically integrated by specifically identifying relevant and meaningful ways to 3-4 of the NGSS practices.
Arrangement of Concepts and content related to
Disciplinary Core Ideas
/ Contains extraneous information; is not logically arranged; lacks basic content knowledge. Subconcepts don’t consistently branch from main ideas, lacks relational understanding and coherence. / Reflects most of the essential information; is generally logically arranged; concepts presented without too many excess words; basic content knowledge demonstrated. Most subconcepts branch from main idea showing some understanding of relationships, coherence. / Reflects essential information; is logically arranged; concepts succinctly presented; substantive contentknowledge readily evident. Subconcepts branch appropriately from main idea showing understanding of key relationships, coherence.
Links and Linking Lines / Linking lines not always pointing in correct direction; linking words don’t clarify relationships between concepts. / Most linking lines connect properly; most linking words accurately describe the relationship between concepts. / Linking lines connect related terms/point in correct direction; linking words accurately describe relationship between concepts.
Graphics / Graphics used inappropriately and excessively; graphics poorly selected and don’t enhance the topic; some graphics are blurry and ill-placed. / Graphics used appropriately most of the time; most graphics selected enhance the topic, are of good quality, and are situated in logical places on the page. / Graphics used appropriately; greatly enhance the topic and aid in comprehension; are clear, crisp and well situated on the page.

Go to

Cross Cutting Concepts

Practices

Disciplinary Core Idea

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V. Parent Letter – 50 pts. - due March 31st

Parent Letter:

If your administrator, a parent or one of your students asks you, “Why are we studying this? You should be able to clearly articulate how this learning relates to the developmental needs of the learners, the big ideas in science, State Standards and National frameworks. You need to believe what you say. Convey your rationale in a less than one page “letter to the parents or guardians” communicating a general overview of what their child will be studying and why. Provide tips on how they can support their children’s efforts. Proof read for all grammar, syntax, spelling errors.