2011 SHS Science Department Presentation

Somerville High School Science Dept. 2010-2011:

Somerville High School Science Dept. 2010-2011 Presented to: Somerville School Committee Presented by: Sebastian LaGambina, Science Department Chair Chris Angelli, Biotechnology & Biology Michael Maloney, Physics & Engineering Lauren Poussard, Biology Karen Woods, Biology

A Review:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School A Review Course options and sequence Curriculum Samples of topics and instruction in Physics and Biology Mission Statement Alignment Partnerships Still going strong! Department Initiatives An update… New initiatives…

Curriculum:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School Curriculum Aligned with School/ District Standards Quarterly Portfolio Assignments Interdisciplinary Project (Science Fair Project) Book Project Aligned with SHS Mission Statement Student Expectations for Learning Aligned with State Frameworks AP Classes are Authorized

Science Courses Sequence:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School Science Courses Sequence Full Year Course Electives : Earth and Space, Human Physiology, Biological Science, Conceptual Physics, Physics Voc Tech, Engineering the Future, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics Semester Course Electives : Oceanography, Ecology, Biotechnology 1, Biotechnology 2, MCAS Prep Biology 9 th Grade 10 th Grade 11 th Grade 12 th Grade Biology I *recommended sequence Chemistry I Physics I Elective Pre-Biology Biology I Chemistry I Physics I or Elective Introductory Physics Biology I Chemistry I Physics I or Elective

Textbooks:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School Textbooks Course Title Publisher Copyright Intro to Physics Conceptual Physics Prentice Hall 2009 Standard Physics Conceptual Physics Prentice Hall 2009 Honors Physics Physics Holt, Reinhart Winston 2001 AP Physics College Physics Wiley 2006 Standard Chemistry Modern Chemistry Holt, Reinhart Winston 2000-2010 Honors Chemistry Modern Chemistry Holt, Reinhart Winston 2000-2010 AP Chemistry Chemistry the Central Science Prentice Hall 2002 Pre-Biology Biology McDougall Littlell 2008 Standard Biology Modern Biology Holt, Reinhart Winston 20002-2008 Standard Biology (ELL) Essentials of Biology Holt, Reinhart Winston 1998 Honors Biology Modern Biology Holt, Reinhart Winston 2002-2008 AP Biology Biology - AP Edition Pearsons 2006 Earth Science Modern Earth Science Holt, Reinhart Winston 2002 Human Physiology Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology Cummings 2002

An Update: MCAS Data:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: MCAS Data MCAS Performance Level Advanced/Above Proficient Proficient Needs Improvement Warning/Failing Biology MCAS Scores – 4 Year Trend

An Update: MCAS Data (continued):

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: MCAS Data (continued) MCAS Performance Level Advanced/Above Proficient Proficient Needs Improvement Warning/Failing Physics MCAS Scores – 3 Year Trend

Partnerships:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School Partnerships Biogen IDEC W.R. Grace Broad Institute University Partnerships Tufts University MIT Boston University NSSP/Northeastern University MA State Science & Engineering Fair

An Update: Engineering at SHS:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: Engineering at SHS Standard level engineering class Based on the Museum of Science Engineering the Future Curriculum Guided around 4 projects: Design the Best Organizer Design the Building of the Future Improve on a Patented Design Electricity and Communication Systems Goals are to have students … Develop a deep and rich understanding of the term "technology" and the engineering design process Understand the complementary relationships among science, mathematics, technology and engineering and how advances in technology affect human society

An Update: Engineering at SHS:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: Engineering at SHS Honors level engineering class Geared toward students who plan on pursuing a career in engineering/ architecture Similar to a freshman college engineering student experience Projects developed around student interests ( see video ) Bridge design with computers and real life construction Computer aided design with Google Sketchup and ProE Aeronautic projects with model planes and parachutes New robotics projects based on grant funding

An Update: Honors Engineering:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: Honors Engineering

An Update: MIT Partnership:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: MIT Partnership UbiqBio Games Study: Two year long project creating four Biology games on Smart phone devices and curriculum that tie in directly to the Massachusetts Biology Standards Students play games in class and for homework Surveys and tests are given after each unit and at the end of the year to monitor progress and understanding Game Topics: Protein Synthesis Genetics Evolution Ecology

An Update: Tufts Partnership:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: Tufts Partnership The SHS Biotechnology program has been instrumental in the creation of the Chemistry Organized Outreach Partnership (CO-OP) CO-OP: A program run by the Dr. David Walt lab at Tufts Provides Biotech equipment, reagents, and samples to local area high schools Through this partnership, the Somerville High Biotechnology and AP Biology students have been able to do three advanced lab activities: Getting the Dirt on Somerville Has our Food been Genetically Modified? Where are our Ancestors from? The Dr. Walt lab has also taken in students from SHS for two month long job shadow sessions

An Update: BioTeach Program & Grant:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School An Update: BioTeach Program & Grant The BioTeach partnership provides grant money and career development opportunities to students in the Somerville High Biotechnology Program The Biotechnology Program at SHS has recently received $13,000 in grant money from BioTeach This money will be used to purchase a SmartBoard for the Biotech classroom and for consumables and equipment for labs and activities BioTeach has also set up and funded numerous career development field trips for our Biotechnology students Most recently to Formatech Inc. in Andover MassBioEd names Somerville High School Biotechnology Innovative School of the Year!

New Initiative: Enhancing Science Instruction in Grades 7-12:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School New Initiative: Enhancing Science Instruction in Grades 7-12 Major goals include: Increasing collaboration & communication between high school and grade 7/8 science teachers Assist in standardizing students’ science experiences in grades 7 and 8 throughout the district Discussing and implementing ways to augment the current middle school science curriculum to best prepare students for the rigor of high school lab classes and increase student achievement at all levels

New Initiative: Enhancing Science Instruction in Grades 7-12 (continued):

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School New Initiative: Enhancing Science Instruction in Grades 7-12 (continued) How will these goals be accomplished? High school class visits and science demonstrations at the elementary schools Grade 7/8 science teacher visits to SHS science classes Professional development between high school and middle school science teachers Creation of a laboratory “lending library” at SHS (if needed) Tufts Middle School Science Fair Project Mentoring Program

New Initiative: ePortfolios:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School New Initiative: ePortfolios ePortfolio Initiative funded through OneVille Potential to tie in with the school-wide technology assessments Classroom incorporation could include: For Teachers: ( video ) dialogue with students video solutions “how-to” videos online storage of documents sharing of info via GoogleDocs For Students: ( video ) reflections with peer response online lab portfolios best examples of work per discipline best examples of work per modality brag sheet/Honor Society form resume

New Initiative: ePortfolio for Teachers:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School New Initiative: ePortfolio for Teachers

New Initiative: ePortfolio for Students:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School New Initiative: ePortfolio for Students Lab Rubric

Upcoming Initiatives:

Science Department 2011 Somerville High School Upcoming Initiatives Pipeline Partnership for the Advancement of Engineering Education: Bunker Hill Community College & the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) Students can complete up to 11 STEM credits at BHCC for free Tufts University: Sustainable Materials Applied to Research and Teaching (SMART) Program Graduate students from Tufts will work with faculty at SHS to support the integration of sustainable engineering and design content into classes Atlantic Partnership: Salem State College, Universidad de Puerto Rico en Humacao , various school districts in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico, and the curriculum development company TERC Seeks to develop a teacher professional development model focusing on the needs of Latino students The science focus of the project is on coastal and forest microbial and community ecology and related conservation to integrate the study of genes to ecosystems