TEA Collaborative Learning Group
Team Meetings

Ellison
2004

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Date: January 19, 2004
Duration: 1 hour
Location: Yampah Mountain High School (YMHS)
Parcticipants: Susy Ellison, Leigh McGown-Kauffman, Mike Podmore, Aaron Garland

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review my time in Antarctica 2. set focus for science group for the winter/spring

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
reviewed tea journals, how the site was used while i was 'on the ice' reviewed the passage that Leigh had written while i was gone that guided her students to review my journals and write me emails discussed options for the rest of the school year

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
discussed the use of the tea website during and after my experience on the ice discussed need for 'canned' passages for students to use to guide independent studies

Additional reflections:
Leigh's passage provided a great framework for her students to follow me in antarctica. she spent 20 hours working on it and doing it with her students--i will be adding that to this year's mentoring hours.

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. apply the concept of 'teacher of record' to review student passages and teacher-generated passages

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
the session was part of our weekly curriculum-focused staff meeting with all the YMHS staff present. our task during those meetings was to review current course offerings and student passages to insure rigorousness and 'validity' of concepts and educational philosophy.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
in each session we reviewed selected student-generated passages in a variety of subject areas (including science). we reviewed the passages for educational rigorousness, content, and applicability of the activities and final projects to learning goals.

Additional reflections:
This was part of our weekly YMHS staff meeting--we manage to squeeze a discussion of science into our more generalized discussions of school and pedagogy during many of the meeting periods. Staff meets for one hour each week.

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. apply the concept of 'teacher of record' to review student passages and teacher-generated passages

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
the session was part of our weekly curriculum-focused staff meeting with all the YMHS staff present. our task during those meetings was to review current course offerings and student passages to insure rigorousness and 'validity' of concepts and educational philosophy.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
in each session we reviewed selected student-generated passages in a variety of subject areas (including science). we reviewed the passages for educational rigorousness, content, and applicability of the activities and final projects to learning goals.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. apply the concept of 'teacher of record' to review student passages and teacher-generated passages

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
the session was part of our weekly curriculum-focused staff meeting with all the YMHS staff present. our task during those meetings was to review current course offerings and student passages to insure rigorousness and 'validity' of concepts and educational philosophy.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
in each session we reviewed selected student-generated passages in a variety of subject areas (including science). we reviewed the passages for educational rigorousness, content, and applicability of the activities and final projects to learning goals.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. go over arcticle on inquiry-based science with YMHS staff

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
i had given each staff member a copy of an arcticle about inquiry-based science and the scientific method. In this meeting I reviewed the arcticle and we talked about the implications for our portfolio requirement of 'demonstration of the scientific method'.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
we discussed inquiry-based science and the process of moving from questions to answers. we also discussed the application of concepts of inquiry across the curriculum

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review sessoins/info from 2004 NSTA conference that i attended

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
shared information and resouce materials from the 2004 NSTA conference. we discussed how to incorporare some of this information into classes and how to make the info available to students and other staff members

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
examined information and resources along concept lines of inquiry-based science discussed ways of using the information to create science passages that integrate science with social studies and math concepts (eg population information, climate change, etc.)

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. apply the concept of 'teacher of record' to review student passages and teacher-generated passages

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
the session was part of our weekly curriculum-focused staff meeting with all the YMHS staff present. our task during those meetings was to review current course offerings and student passages to insure rigorousness and 'validity' of concepts and educational philosophy.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
in each session we reviewed selected student-generated passages in a variety of subject areas (including science). we reviewed the passages for educational rigorousness, content, and applicability of the activities and final projects to learning goals.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. Review available science resource material 2. assign 'canned' passages to team members to create as summer homework

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
We went through some of the stacks of booklets, books, arcticles, etc. that I have been collecting and we each identified 1-4 passages that we would be willing to create for specific topics. Each of us assigned ourselves approx. 20 hours of work for the summer to create up to three passages that we would bring for review in the fall. These passages would be self-directed study units that would be made available to students.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
we discussed (once again) inquiry-based science and how to incorporate it into self-guiding units for students. discussion also focused on selecting relevant, high-interest topics and creating units that would integrate at least 1 other subject area with science.

Additional reflections:
we left for the summer with high hopes!!

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review what we had done over the summer

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
we looked at the units Mike produced over the summer (and bemoaned the fact that the rest of us had not yet done our homework). after we finished looking through his 4 units (alternative fuels, geology/rock climbing, paleaontology/dinosaurs, and science experiments) we discussed how the rest of us were going to get our work done and what the units might look like.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
we evaluated the units Mike wrote

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. conduct general discussion with the YMHS staff on upcoming classes, student work, and preparing 'canned' passages (study units) for students

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
the staff met to create a generalized schedule for class periods for the fall semester. we discussed class format and the need for relevance, hands-on type stuff, etc. general discussion on science classes and student-generated science studies; topics/content, rigorousness, breadth/depth required to meet school and state requirements

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
we discussed school and state requirements for depth and breadth of science education

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review class outlines and passages

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
we were all given copies of passages written for specific classes for review and comment

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
reviewed class passages; goals, activities, relevance, how they address the state standards, how science classes address the 'doing' of science and incorporation of inquiry concept

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. discuss the concept of 1 week minicourses

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
This was part of a staff meeting. We considered the idea of having at least 1 week during the school year devoted to a weeklong mini-course experience. The mini-courses would be varied, but should create some sort of academically integrated experiences for our students. examples presented were a course on sustainable agriculture, climbing and geology, working with our local alternative energy center (solar energy international),etc.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
addressed the need to create relevant, hands-on experiences have students as active learners actually 'doing' science research(in the science-oriented courses)

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. develop concrete focus for the year for our mrg

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
reviewed last year's passage 'homework--only Mike received an 'A', but Susy, Aaron, and Leigh promised to get their work done (Susy--passages on resource use, land use planning, and watersheds, Aaron--passages on evolution and the human brain, Leigh--passages on population growth, and basic biology passages for the girls in her teen parent program). We decided to put our energy towards developing a project-based class that focused on biodiesel and alternative fuels. Our goal will be to run our schoolbus on a biodiesel blend. The first step would be to write a grant to a local foundation to cover costs for this project. We were all given tasks for intitial examination of this idea. we also decided to investigae what it would cost to use a local science outreach center to provide some hands-on classes for our teen parent program and wellspring program

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
we discussed the science, social studies, and math that would be involved in developing an alternative fuels curriculum.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. Brainstorm details for grant 2. assign tasks for grant writing

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
brainstormed format for biodiesel project--goals, activities, etc. assigned individual chores for getting information that will be needed for the grant--community resources, biodiesel information, financial data, etc. we will bring our assigned information to the next meeting so that it can be put together.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
technology--the diesel engine in our schoolbus that uses almost 100 gallons per week.

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. finalize project and grant

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
we presented the information gathered and I volunteered to compile it and write the grant. the due date is november 15th--i will ciculate it to mrg members prior to submission.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
discussed science concepts involved in this project (alternative fuels, climate change, etc.) and the integration with social studies and math

Additional reflections:

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review grant and send it in

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
all members of the mrg reviewed the grant, declared it perfect, and we sent it off to the foundation (Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation)

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
reviewed the grant and its educational merits.

Additional reflections:
we hope we get funded!! this could be really cool--as part of this project students will learn about biodiesel and we will work with a local coop to make our own for the bus. students will ersearch diesel use by the school district and create a powerpoint presentation to extoll the virtues of switching to biodiesel. we will also use the presentation as a starting point for seeking more permanent funding to cover the additional costs of running our bus on biodiesel.

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. create 4 'canned' passages (guided independent study units) for students to use.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
Mike developed self-guided study units in the following areas: paleontology/dinosaurs. alternative energy, rock climbing/geology, and science experiments. He and I discussed the units before and during production, and reviewed available resource materials.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
Each unit included information about inquiry-based science. Each unit includes guidelines for students that combine 'book' research with hands-on field experiences and appropriate computer-based technology (computer programs, internet research).

Additional reflections:
While these units might not seem to be a big deal, it is gratifying to me to have a high school social studies teacher begin to create science units for students. In addition, it is great to see how the theme of science has begun to infiltrate our multi-disciplinary offerings.

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. review Roadside Geology of Colorado and notes from the geology class that Leigh could not attend in the summer of 2003 to plan a course for her class sometime in the 2004/5 school year.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
I reviewed the notes with Leigh from our 2003 geology/paleontology class. Leigh also was assigned specific chapters of the book Roadside Geology of Colorado to read--esp those pertaining to Glenwood Canyon, local geology of the Roaring Fork Valley, and the geology of Colorado National Monument.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
The class applied concepts of inquiry and 'doing' science through learning about area geology and paleontology.

Additional reflections:
We are planning to do a short geology course with her class sometime in the spring of 2005 (or Fall 2005). It is somewhat difficult to do trips that are longer than a few hours with Leigh's class, since they are teen mothers with babies. This will be a challenging project!