Developing A District Wide One-Week Developing A District Wide One-Week Unit on Light for Bellevue School Unit on Light for Bellevue School

District That Uses HOU!District That Uses HOU!

A Brain Storm!A Brain Storm!

Jenifer Perazzo Pleasanton School District, Jenifer Perazzo Pleasanton School District, Science Specialist/teacher 1st-5th Grade, Science Specialist/teacher 1st-5th Grade,

LBNL Summer Worker LBNL Summer Worker

Carl Pennypacker, HOUCarl Pennypacker, HOU

Light Unit- the NeedLight Unit- the Need

• We believe that before a student can understand, for example, the We believe that before a student can understand, for example, the phases of the moon, a deeper conceptual understanding of light phases of the moon, a deeper conceptual understanding of light must evolve in the student.must evolve in the student.

• The National Academy of Sciences study “How PeopleThe National Academy of Sciences study “How PeopleLearn Learn Science” Science” ((http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10126.html) indicates that children come to school with many rich and valuable preconceptions, based on their experience and reasoning abilities. But pre-conceptions do not have as great a predictive power as we may want.

• Most children emerge from Middle School believing moons phases are due to earth’s eclipse ( Nat. Assesments of Ed. Progress - NAEP)

Light Unit- the Need -- Light Unit- the Need -- continued -- a bigger picturecontinued -- a bigger picture• Most United States Science Curriculum is not coherent -- Most United States Science Curriculum is not coherent --

not a big theme interconnecting units, units don’t build on not a big theme interconnecting units, units don’t build on each other year to year little technology use or real data each other year to year little technology use or real data use, etc.use, etc.

• Try to embed HOU into the whole district innate in the Try to embed HOU into the whole district innate in the curriculum, easily.curriculum, easily.

• Build good pedagogy (as evidenced by many HOU teachers) Build good pedagogy (as evidenced by many HOU teachers) into a good recipe that allows teachers to teach creatively, into a good recipe that allows teachers to teach creatively, but the same content in all classes, and also use best but the same content in all classes, and also use best pedagogy (CPU physics template)pedagogy (CPU physics template)

Overview: Bellevue Washington -- all Overview: Bellevue Washington -- all curriculum on web, teachers teach same curriculum on web, teachers teach same units:units:

Overview: Bellevue Washington -- continuedOverview: Bellevue Washington -- continued

•• 8th grade physics (CPU by Goldberg) for all 8th grade physics (CPU by Goldberg) for all students, and three years of science in High Schoolstudents, and three years of science in High School

•• Curriculum coherence and fidelity biggest Curriculum coherence and fidelity biggest driver for improvement of teaching and learningdriver for improvement of teaching and learning

•• Teacher subject matter knowledge with real Teacher subject matter knowledge with real science courses being implemented.science courses being implemented.

•• 90 minutes of in-service a week, and 5 days 90 minutes of in-service a week, and 5 days of inservice each summer.of inservice each summer.

One week lesson overview: One week lesson overview: Light Propagation & Light Propagation & Shadows Shadows

Pedagogical Template (inspired by CPU Pedagogical Template (inspired by CPU physics)physics)