Science Curriculum Council

October 18, 2010

Welcome!

Essential Question

How can Red Clay science teachers take an active role in recommending and delivering quality science curriculum and instruction to our students using the Delaware science standards and assessment evidence effectively?

Why are we here???

Curriculum Council: A body of 10-20 teachers of all grade levels that will advise the district office of recommendations concerning (science) curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development in science (Think CIA-PD).

Each Curriculum Council will be chaired by the content supervisor and one other teacher, to be elected by the Council.

Responsibilities of the Curriculum Council

Monitor the effectiveness of the instructional program

Make recommendations about standards based curriculum and instruction based on study of relevant research and best practices

Make recommendations about purchase of materials and about professional development needs

Make recommendations about issues concerning science laboratory safety

Hmmm. The Science Curriculum Council is making a lot of

“recommendations.” To whom are we making these “recommendations”?

The Curriculum Council will make recommendations to a Curriculum Cabinet that will consist of the two co-chairs (Content Supervisor and elected Council member) from each curriculum council and the Director of Instruction.

The Cabinet will meet regularly to discuss recommendations made by the various Councils. The Cabinet will decide if these recommendations will be approved.

How will Council Meetings be run?

Meetings will be chaired by the Science Supervisor and the co-chair.

Meeting minutes will be recorded by a designated Council member (or members) and distributed to all teachers and administrators shortly after the meeting by the Science Supervisor.

The Council will meet once per month, usually the third Monday of the month.

All teachers and administrators are invited to Council meetings. Only Council members will have voting privileges.

Agenda: The Council co-chairs will prepare an agenda together and send it electronically to all teachers and administrators one week before each meeting. Any attendee wishing to bring new business to a Council meeting should inform the Supervisor before the meeting.

Old business: Matters that were brought before the Council in previous meetings will be discussed or voted upon as appropriate.

New business: Any attendee may bring new business before the Council. Any proposal brought as new business will be tabled until the next meeting to allow for necessary research and discussion by designated experts.

What kinds of issues will the Council discuss?

Curriculum: DE science standards STEM initiatives Science Coalition units Curriculum maps Cross-curricular units Coordination of

curriculum with electives

Instruction:

Best practices Materials and

materials management Laboratory safety Textbook resources Probeware and

probeware sharing

Assessment:

Coalition assessments

DSTP or DCAS assessment preparation

DCAS assessment results interpretations and recommendations

High school common assessments

Professional Development:

District level science kit training

Science literacy

Content enrichment—Praxis 2 preparation

Use of district in-service days

Safety training for teachers and administrators

How will the Council decide what to

recommend to the Cabinet?

As needs related to CIA-PD arise, the Council will create sub-committees to research literature, invite guest experts to advise, and to create/use any relevant protocols for meeting the identified need.

Council sub-committees will present findings at Council meetings and when appropriate, will call for a vote from the rest of the Council.

Next meeting November 20, 2010

Your Homework Meet with your departments and tell them

about the Science Curriculum Council.

Bring back any feedback, questions, suggestions, or concerns that relate to CIA-PD.

Remember to tell your colleagues they are all invited to the meetings.

Thank you for attending!