• Nature of Science;
• Earth and Space Science;
• Physical Science; and
• Life Science concepts.

The administrator of the school requested that I reinforce the importance of writing and journals within the science classroom, as well as across the disciplines. Thus, a major focus of the teacher training workshop involved the teachers maintaining a journal throughout the session. We spent the early part of the morning exploring the school yard. Making observations, collecting leaves, seeds, soil samples, insect exoskeletons, and more… While outside the teachers recorded their observations in their student notebooks. When we returned to the classrooms teachers were given time to reflect on their observations within their journals, observe specimens with eye loupes and microscopes. Teachers then attached specimens inside of their journals. Additionally, were introduced:

•  To effective strategies to differentiate between weathering and erosion;
• How living things interact with their environment via designing and constructing a bottle biology ecosystem;
• Botanical concepts;
• States of Matter;
• Differences between chemical and physical changes; and
• Differences between mixtures and solutions.

At the end of the teacher training session, the teachers left the session with their arms filled with models they had constructed, references, manuals, and an interactive student notebook/ journal from the session. I’m quite certain that these teachers will incorporate many of the strategies they were introduced to as they implement the Next Generation Sunshine State Science Standards  (NGSSS) in their classrooms.

• Conducted investigations to explore classification concepts (animal)
• Conducted investigations to explore classification concepts (plant)
• Conducted investigations to explore life cycles within the plant and animal kingdoms
• Conducted investigations to compare and contrast among the plant and animal kingdoms
• Designed and constructed a model of a plant or animal cell using a ziplock bag filled with Karo Syrup (represents cytoplasm), with additional materials placed within the bag to represent the cell organelles.
• Designed and constructed a classroom terrarium representing a complete ecosystem (garden snails, pill bugs, earthworms, bird seed, soil, water, and decaying plant material were placed inside aquariums). Concepts covered included: interdependence, ecology, environment, food web, community, sun, energy, energy transformation, producers, consumers, and decomposers.
• The key concept integrated within all investigations undertaken was structure and function in the plant and animal kingdoms.

Teacher uses a microscope to observe pond water organisms.

Teacher builds model plant cell from simple household materials.Cell model lab sheet used in making model of plant and animal cell.

Teachers used interactive student journals during teacher training workshop.

Teacher builds classroom terrarium to teach about life science concepts.

Teachers studied the Hibiscus plants as well as the animals that live on or near the Hibiscus plants.