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Early Childhood
GENERALIST
Portfolio Instructions (For retake candidates who began the Certification process in 2013-14 or earlier.)
Part 1 provides general instructions for preparing, developing, and submitting your portfolio entries.
Part 2 provides portfolio entry directions as well as cover sheets and forms you use to submit your portfolio entries.
PI-EC/GEN-05 Prepared by Pearson for submission under contract with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards l All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Early Childhood/Generalist
Contents PART 1: GENERAL PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS How to Use the Portfolio Instructions 1-1
Navigating the Portfolio Instructions Retake Candidates
Phase 1: Prepare
Locating and Using Important Resources Understanding the Portfolio Entries Following Policies and Guidelines Learning Portfolio-Related Terms
Phase 2: Develop
Writing about Teaching Recording Video Entries Analyzing Student Work Organizing Your Portfolio Components Managing Your Time
Phase 3: Submit
Avoiding the 4 Most Common Submission Errors
PART 2: ENTRY DIRECTIONS EC/Generalist Portfolio Entry Directions 2-1
Overview of Early Childhood/Generalist Portfolio Entries Entry 1: Examining Children’s Literacy Development Entry 1: Cover Sheets Entry 2: Building a Learning Environment Entry 2: Cover Sheets Entry 3: Integrating Mathematics and Science Entry 3: Cover Sheets Entry 4: Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning Entry 4: Cover Sheets Electronic Submission at a Glance Student Release Form Adult Release Form
Appendix: Excerpts from National Science Education Standards
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Early Childhood/Generalist
Part 1: General Portfolio Instructions This resource is available on our website at www.boardcertifiedteachers.org/certificate-areas.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Part 2 provides instructions for developing and submitting your portfolio entries for the Early Childhood/Generalist certificate area:
EC/Generalist Portfolio Entry Directions contains detailed instructions for developing each of four portfolio entries.
EC/Generalist Electronic Submission at a Glance provides detailed instructions for assembling material for submission.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Overview
EC/Generalist Portfolio Entry Directions This section contains the directions for developing each EC/Generalist portfolio entry and assembling it for submission. Entry directions include
a list of the Standards that are the foundation for each entry; suggestions for planning your portfolio entries and choosing evidence of your teaching
practice; questions that must be answered as part of your Written Commentary; an explanation of how to assemble and submit your portfolio entries.
Overview of Early Childhood/Generalist Portfolio Entries
Following is a description of each entry. In addition to reading the entry directions, you may also wish to read “Part 1: General Portfolio Instructions.”
Entry 1
In the Early Childhood/Generalist portfolio, the entry based on children’s responses is “Entry 1: Examining Children’s Literacy Development.” In this entry, you select two children to feature as examples of your work with children in fostering literacy development. Your approach to assessment of the children’s abilities and needs, your response to that assessment in the design and implementation of instruction, a Written Commentary that provides an analysis and a context for your instructional choices, and selected work samples demonstrating the children’s literacy development are the focus of this entry.
Entry 2
In the Early Childhood/Generalist portfolio, there are two entries based on video evidence, one of which is “Entry 2: Building a Learning Environment.” In this entry, you submit a 15-minute video recording that demonstrates your knowledge and ability to deepen children’s understanding of a social studies topic, concept, or theme; your ability to integrate the arts (visual arts, music, drama); and your interaction with children during whole-class or small-group discussion that illustrates your approach to creating a climate in the learning environment that promotes children’s development of social and interpersonal skills. You provide a Written Commentary analyzing the video recording and instructional materials.
Entry 3
“Entry 3: Integrating Mathematics and Science” is the other Early Childhood/Generalist entry based on video evidence. In this entry, you submit a 15-minute video recording of and instructional materials for an integrative learning sequence designed to deepen children’s understanding of mathematics and science concepts through unifying concepts and processes in science and to develop children’s skills in using mathematical and scientific ways of observing, thinking, reasoning, and communicating. You provide a Written Commentary analyzing the video recording and instructional materials, including your use of technology to support children’s learning.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Overview
Entry 4
In the Early Childhood/Generalist portfolio, the entry based on documented accomplishments is “Entry 4: Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning.” In this entry, you illustrate your partnerships with children’s families and community, and your development as a learner and collaborator with other professionals, by submitting descriptions and documentation of your activities and accomplishments in those areas. Your description must make the connection between each accomplishment and its impact on student learning.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
Entry 1: Examining Children’s Literacy Development In this entry, you select two children to feature as examples of your work with children in fostering literacy development. Your approach to assessment of the children’s abilities and needs, your response to that assessment in the design and implementation of instruction, a Written Commentary that provides an analysis and a context for your instructional choices, and selected work samples demonstrating the children’s literacy development are the focus of this entry.
Standards Measured by Entry 1 This entry focuses on the following Standards:
I. Using Knowledge of Child Development to Understand the Whole Child
II. Partnering with Families and Communities
III. Fostering Equity, Fairness, and Appreciation of Diversity
IV. Knowing Subject Matter for Teaching Young Children
V. Assessing Children’s Development and Learning
VI. Managing the Environment for Development and Learning
VII. Planning for Development and Learning
VIII. Implementing Instruction for Development and Learning
IX. Reflecting on Teaching Young Children
The following statements from the Standards provide some examples of accomplished teaching practice.
Accomplished Early Childhood/Generalists
use theories of growth and development to understand individual children and to inform their practices.
learn from parent’s observations about children’s growth, development, behavior, and language. They partner with families for opportunities to learn crucial information about children and also about the resources families have to foster children’s learning and development.
adapt learning experiences and approaches to instruction in ways that ensure equitable participation.
design appropriate learning experiences in literacy that will challenge and motivate children.
assess what children know, set challenging yet attainable goals, and design learning activities that help children achieve those goals.
design meaningful learning environments that support the strengths, interests, and needs of individual learners within a group context.
responsibly and systematically plan for young children’s learning and development with clear goals and objectives in mind.
advance development and learning through a variety of strategies and resources, including play and appropriate use of technology, which foster children’s active engagement and ensure that all children achieve.
reflect in order to optimize the way in which their instruction supports children’s development and learning and to critique assumptions underlying their teaching practices.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
For the scoring rubrics and an explanation of how the rubrics are used to assess your portfolio entries, refer to the Early Childhood/Generalist Scoring Guide for Candidates.
What Do I Need to Do? This entry captures your ability to assess and support children’s literacy development.
In this entry, you
demonstrate your skill in assessing and supporting children’s literacy development; describe the ways in which you foster literacy in your classroom; analyze work samples from two children, discuss their development, and outline your
approach to supporting their learning; provide evidence of your ability to describe, analyze, and evaluate children’s literacy
development; help parents support their child’s literacy development; and reflect on your practice.
For this entry, you must submit the following:
Student work samples (6, 9, or 12 pages maximum, depending on option selected, for both children combined) to illustrate your analysis of the children’s literacy development.
Written Commentary (13 pages maximum) that provides a context for your instructional choices and analyzes and evaluates your support for these children’s literacy development.
Read all directions for this entry before beginning to work on individual components. It can also help to have a colleague review your work. However, all of the work you submit as part of your response to any entry must be yours and yours alone. The written analyses and other components you submit must feature teaching that you did and work that you oversaw. For more detailed information, see “Ethics and Collaboration” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1) and the National Board’s ethics policy.
Detailed directions for developing each component follow. See “Entry 1 Cover Sheets” for a list of the forms required to assemble and submit your materials.
You must submit student work samples and a Written Commentary. If any component is missing, your response will not be scored.
The student work entry (1) and video recording entries (2 and 3) must be from different lessons and different units of instruction.
Selecting Student Work Samples Make two important and interconnected choices for this entry—select children and their work samples. Choose two children and select work samples representing the these children’s literacy development.
Selecting the Children
Select children whose literacy development you want to feature. You may want to collect work samples for several more children than this entry requires you to feature. Collecting extra work samples gives you more choices when deciding which children to feature and ensures that you have sufficient work samples in the event that a child permanently leaves your class prior to the completion of all assignments for your featured lesson for this entry.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
Choose two children who allow you to display the depth of your understanding of literacy and your skill in nurturing children’s literacy development. These children may reflect any level of literacy skill and need not be able to write connected text. It is not necessary that the children you select to feature make dramatic gains over the time span covered by this entry. The focus is on your teaching practice and understanding of literacy development, not on the level of the children’s performance.
Selecting Materials
Select children’s work samples that you can use to discuss the children’s literacy development. You may submit work samples in three different forms: as dictation and drawing, as dictation and writing, or as writing alone. (See the section “Selecting Options,” below, for more detail.) The specific work samples from these children must allow you to demonstrate how you have assessed their abilities and how you have used this information to promote their learning.
Submit children’s work samples that consist of the children’s writing or dictation collected from three distinct points in time. The time span covered by these work samples must be at least eight weeks. What you submit will differ depending on whether the children you are describing are able to write connected texts.
Selecting Options
Option A: Dictations and Drawing/Brief Writing Samples. This option is intended for children who have limited ability to use print in conventional ways. Such children are likely to be able to produce marks that reflect their understanding of the nature and uses of print, but these marks do not reflect conventional ways of forming letters. At the same time, these children are able to tell stories, report events, draw pictures, and describe objects. Document a child’s emerging literacy skills by collecting the child’s work samples. Strive to collect samples that reflect a broad range of the ways that children use print and oral language. The samples you collect must
cover a span of time of at least eight weeks and be taken from three distinct points in time during the current school year;
include three samples of each child’s writing and/or drawing. Each sample must be accompanied by a dictation that you wrote as the child described the sample or told you a story based on the sample. Altogether, the samples and dictations must total no more than 12 pages (3 pages of a child’s writing and/or drawing for each child and 3 pages of teacher dictation for each child);
include both the illustration and the writing on the same side of the page (if you choose to include illustrations);
include all translations of the dictation in English.
Option B: Samples of Extended Writing. This option is intended for children who are able to express themselves in writing, alone or with support. (Submissions of work samples with illustrations are acceptable.) Select samples that reflect each child’s ability to do different kinds of writing (e.g., story, report, poem). The work samples you collect must
cover a span of time of at least eight weeks and be taken from three separate points in time;
include three samples for each child. Altogether, these must total no more than 6 pages of children’s work;
be first drafts produced by the child in the context of normal classroom routines. These must be accompanied by a typed copy that you produce on a separate piece of paper. Do not change the child’s words; simply provide a legible version that is spelled using conventional spelling. This is important to facilitate scoring. The typed pages do not count toward the page limit; only children’s work pages count toward the page limit.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
Student Work Samples Format Specifications
Use a new Student Work Sample Cover Sheet for each student work sample.
The student work samples you submit must satisfy the following criteria and be prepared as follows: Criteria Student work samples must represent each child’s original work.
Student work samples must come from children who are in the class that is the basis for your Written Commentary.
Student work samples must be from two different children from three distinct points in time.
Format Pages must be no larger than 8.5" × 11". If submitting a smaller item (e.g., a photograph), you must photocopy it onto an 8.5" x 11" page or print a digitized image of that smaller item onto an 8.5" x 11" page. Several smaller items can be grouped on a single page.
Note: If a student work sample was created in a multimedia software program (such as PowerPoint presentation software or HyperStudio®), you may format up to six slides on one 8.5" × 11" sheet. Each sheet counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: If a student work sample contains Web pages, each Web page printout (one 8.5" × 11" sheet) counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: Do not reduce full-sized pages of student work samples in order to fit more than one student work sample onto a single sheet of paper. Note: Do not send video recordings, audiotapes, models, and so on. If a child creates such a product, have the child write a 1-page description of the assignment and what the child made. You may include photograph(s) or child-made drawings to accompany the description, if appropriate. The 1-page description counts toward your page total.
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name.
Clearly label all pages as “Student 1” or “Student 2” and “Option A” or “Option B.”
Page count Submit no more than 12 pages total if you choose Option A for both children (three 1-page samples per child
and 3 pages of teacher dictation per child); 6 pages total if you choose Option B for both children (three 1-page samples per child); 9 pages total if you choose Option A for one child and Option B for the other child (three
1-page child samples and 3 pages of teacher dictation for the Option A child; three 1-page child samples for the Option B child).
Additional pages will not be read. Cover sheets and translations do not count toward these totals.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
Composing Written Commentary Organize your Written Commentary into sections under the following headings, which will direct assessors to the required information:
1. Instructional Context2. Analysis of Two Children’s Literacy Development3. Supporting Literacy Development4. Reflection
Your Written Commentary must address the italicized questions provided below for each section. Statements in plain text that immediately follow an italicized question help you interpret the question. It is not necessary to include the italicized questions within the body of your response.
Your Written Commentary must be no longer than 13 typed pages. Suggested page lengths are included to help you make decisions about how much to write for each of the four sections. (See “Written Commentary Format Specifications” for more detail.)
1. Instructional Context
Provide the following information in addition to the context that you supply on the Contextual Information Sheet, which focuses on the early educational program, school, or district at large. In this section, address the following questions about your selected class:
What are the number, ages, and grades of the children in the class featured in this entry, and what is the subject matter of the class? (Examples: 12 children in preschool, ages 3 and 4, literacy; 24 children in grade 2, ages 7 and 8, language arts)
What are the relevant characteristics of this class that influenced your instructional strategies for this period of instruction: ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity; the range of abilities of the children; the personality of the class?
What are the relevant characteristics of the children with exceptional needs and abilities, including those with gifts and talents, or health issues that influenced your planning for this period of instruction (for example, the range of abilities and the cognitive, social/behavioral, attentional, sensory, and/or physical characteristics of the children)? Give any other information that might help the assessor “see” this class.
What are the relevant features of your teaching context that influenced the selection of this period of instruction? This might include other realities of the social and physical teaching context (e.g., available resources, scheduling, space allocation—own classroom or shared space) that are relevant to your response.
Suggested total page length for Instructional Context: 1 page
2. Analysis of Two Children’s Literacy Development
In separate sections labeled with each child’s first name, address the following questions:
What are the relevant characteristics of each child you have selected? Why did you select each child? Give a brief sketch of each child, including any important information that will help assessors understand your assessment and instructional strategies. State in this section which option you have selected for each child, Option A or Option B. (See “Selecting Options,” above, for more details.)
What questions did you have about each child’s literacy development, and how did you gather information that helped you answer them? Include information about both formal and informal methods of assessment that you used and why you selected those particular assessments.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
What are the relevant features of each child’s developing abilities to produce and understand oral language for varied purposes? What are the relevant features of each child’s abilities to read and write? Be sure to focus on each child’s skills as these relate to discrete features of text (e.g., sounds, letters, words) as well as larger units (e.g., sentences, accounts of personal experiences, comprehension, stories). Analyze specific work samples that support your discussion and explain other sources of information that you used. Refer to these work samples by the number on the Student Work Sample Cover Sheet.
What patterns of behaviors (strengths, interests, needs, and preferences) does each child exhibit toward literacy-related activities? Discuss activities that involve both print and oral language (e.g., book reading, discussions, journals, and dramatic play). Refer to specific work samples by the number on the Student Work Sample Cover Sheet to support your discussion and explain other sources of information that you used.
Suggested total page length for Analysis of Two Children’s Literacy Development: 6 pages
3. Supporting Literacy Development
In separate sections labeled with each child’s first name, address the following questions:
How do you ensure fairness, equity, and access for each child you have selected? Cite specific examples.
In what ways did the materials and the daily routines in your classroom support each featured child’s literacy development?
What instructional strategies will you employ in the coming weeks to support each child’s learning objectives? Explain why you have chosen these strategies and objectives. Describe how they connect with your assessment of each child’s abilities stated in the preceding section, “2. Analysis of Two Children’s Literacy Development.”
Which strategies did you employ to partner with families to help foster each selected child’s literacy development? Explain why you selected these strategies, how you used them over this period of time, how you facilitated two-way communication, and how each child benefited.
Suggested total page length for Supporting Literacy Development: 5 pages
4. Reflection
In this section, address the following questions:
How successful was this planned learning experience? What is your evidence? Identify specific examples from the learning experience that reflect success.
If you were given the opportunity to teach this particular sequence again with these children, what alternative strategies would you use? Why?
Suggested total page length for Reflection: 1 page
Written Commentary Format Specifications
Your response will be scored based on the content of your analysis, but it is important to proofread your writing for spelling, mechanics, and usage.
Your response must be organized under these section headings (described in detail above):
1. Instructional Context2. Analysis of Two Children’s Literacy Development3. Supporting Literacy Development4. Reflection
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 1
Your Written Commentary must also meet the following requirements: Language Write in English.
Format Type and double-space text. Do not use 24-point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF
file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name. If you are using a word-processing program, you can save time by creating a “header” that prints your candidate ID number on each page.
Page count Submit no more than 13 typed pages in total. If you submit a longer Written Commentary, only the first 13 pages will be read and scored.
For advice on developing your Written Commentary, see “Writing about Teaching” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
Entry 1 Cover Sheets All cover sheets and forms required for this entry are listed in this section. To read and print these documents, you must install Adobe® Reader® software on your computer. You may download Adobe Reader for free by following the instructions provided on the Adobe Systems website (www.adobe.com).
As you prepare your portfolio, keep in mind some cover sheets contain directions that are not repeated elsewhere; follow these directions carefully.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
NO
TE
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION SHEET
This form asks you to describe the broader context in which you teach: • If you teach in different schools that have different characteristics, and this entry features students from
more than one school, please complete a separate sheet for each school associated with this entry.• If a completed Contextual Information Sheet also pertains to another entry, submit it with that entry as
well.
In each entry, you are asked to provide specific information about the students in the class you have featured inthe entry. This is in addition to the information requested here. Please print clearly or type. (If you type, you mayuse the system default font, size, and spacing.) Limit your responses to the spaces provided below. For clarity,please avoid the use of acronyms.
1. Briefly identify• the type of school/program in which you teach and the grade/subject configuration (single grade,
departmentalized, interdisciplinary teams, etc.):
• the grade(s), age levels, number of students taught daily, average number in each class, and courses:Grades Age Levels Number of Students Average Number of Students in Each Class
Courses
2. What information about your teaching context do you believe would be important for assessors to know tounderstand your portfolio entries? Be brief and specific. Note: You might include details of any state ordistrict mandates, information regarding the type of community, and access to current technology.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Student Work Sample COVER SHEET
Student: (1 or 2)
Option: (A or B)
Work Sample (or Dictation) Number:
Title of this student work sample (or dictation):
Date this student work sample (or dictation) was created:
Context in which this student work sample (or dictation) was produced: [two sentences] (e.g., free exploration time, following a field trip to an aquarium, an ongoing project)
If the student work sample is longer than 15 lines, number the lines.
Use this cover sheet as many times as needed.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
Entry 2: Building a Learning Environment
In this entry, you submit a 15-minute video recording that demonstrates your knowledge and ability to deepen children’s understanding of a social studies topic, concept, or theme; your ability to integrate the arts (visual arts, music, drama); and your interaction with children during whole-class or small-group discussion that illustrates your approach to creating a climate in the learning environment that promotes children’s development of social and interpersonal skills. You provide a Written Commentary analyzing the video recording and instructional materials.
Standards Measured by Entry 2 This entry focuses on the following Standards:
I. Using Knowledge of Child Development to Understand the Whole Child
III. Fostering Equity, Fairness, and Appreciation of Diversity
IV. Knowing Subject Matter for Teaching Young Children
VI. Managing the Environment for Development and Learning
VII. Planning for Development and Learning
VIII. Implementing Instruction for Development and Learning
IX. Reflecting on Teaching Young Children
The following statements from the Standards provide some examples of accomplished teaching practice.
Accomplished Early Childhood/Generalist teachers
• move children into and out of a variety of social groups as a way of developing the senseof social identity essential for understanding social studies, while supporting individualdevelopment and identity.
• help children move from being primarily concerned about themselves to being able toacknowledge the needs of others.
• know that social interaction is essential to children’s linguistic and cognitive development,and they can express the importance of this aspect of development to families.
• are keenly aware of their responsibility for establishing a social climate that fosterslearning and develops life skills for young children.
• nurture communities in which all children respect diversity and treat each other fairly.• understand the importance of providing high-quality experiences that promote the
learning and development of all young children.• design and select core academic subjects and the arts using their knowledge of child
development, individual children, and the community in which children live.• apply knowledge of core academic subjects, the arts, and developmentally appropriate
practices when designing spaces, selecting resources, and managing time.• analyze children’s social, cognitive, linguistic, physical, emotional, and ethical development
when designing the environment to meet their diverse needs.• skillfully help young children learn how to formulate questions, think through their ideas,
pose additional questions, unscramble confusions, and develop their own hypotheses.• focus on particular aspects of their teaching as well as on overarching elements of their
professional work, such as the ways in which it advances equity, diversity, and fairnessand the quality of partnerships with parents and the wider community.
Social interaction supports children’s learning from each other and is a key strategy that accomplished teachers employ. Accomplished teachers encourage children to communicate
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
about what they are thinking and experiencing and they understand the importance of such decisions in helping children form, extend, and refine their theories and explanations. Their conversations with children about the climate and interactions in the learning environment provide these teachers with insight and direction. These observations and discussions shape their decisions about the future directions of their work.
For the scoring rubrics and an explanation of how the rubrics are used to assess your portfolio entries, refer to the Early Childhood/Generalist Scoring Guide for Candidates.
What Do I Need to Do? In this entry, you
demonstrate your knowledge and ability to deepen children’s understanding of an important topic, concept, or theme in social studies through the integration of social studies and the arts;
demonstrate your ability to describe and illustrate how you sustain an environment that supports children’s growth, learning, social and emotional development, and ability to understand a social skill/concept particular to your class;
display your ability to observe and analyze the interactions in your classroom.
For this entry, you must submit the following:
One video recording (15 minutes maximum) that shows you interacting with your whole class or a small group of children (no fewer than six children) as they engage in the discussion that addresses a social studies topic, concept, or theme; the integration of the arts; and the goal of building a learning environment.
Instructional materials. Instructional Material Cover Sheet responses (four cover sheets, 1 page
maximum of responses per cover sheet). Instructional materials (four items, 4 pages maximum combined [1 page
maximum for each]) related to the lesson featured on the video recording and that will help assessors understand what occurred during the lesson.
Written Commentary (12 pages maximum) that explains and illustrates your approach to building a learning environment.
Read all directions for this entry before beginning to work on individual components. It can also help to have a colleague review your work. However, all of the work you submit as part of your response to any entry must be yours and yours alone. The written analyses and other components you submit must feature teaching that you did and work that you oversaw. For more detailed information, see “Ethics and Collaboration” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1) and the National Board’s ethics policy.
Detailed directions for developing each component follow. See “Entry 2 Cover Sheets” for a list of the forms required to assemble and submit your materials.
You must submit a video recording, instructional materials, and a Written Commentary. If any component is missing, your response will not be scored.
The student work entry (Portfolio Entry 1) and video recording entries (Portfolio Entries 2 and 3) must be from different lessons and different units of instruction.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
Recording Your Video Entry Video-record a whole-class or small-group discussion (no fewer than six children).
Selecting the Topic
First, select a skill/concept in social development and an important topic, concept, or theme in social studies that can be integrated with the arts and involves children in class discussions that promote community and social studies understanding.
Video Recording
Choose which 15-minute video segment you wish to submit. Show the portion of the lesson during which children are most meaningfully engaged in discussion. For the purpose of this entry, the word “discussion” does not refer to sessions during which children are asked to recall information or to generate the correct answers to teacher questions; rather, refers to talk among children, and between you and the children, in which they express ideas and respond to one another’s ideas. Make sure that it is the group’s discussion that appears on the video recording, not the introduction to the lesson. This also means that assessors need to be able to hear the children featured and not just see a wide view of the entire group. Your video segment should provide evidence of how you facilitate children’s discussion.
You must have the parents/guardians of all children you plan to include in the video recording complete Student Release Forms before you make any video recordings. You must have any adults who will appear in the video recording (for example, teacher’s aides, parents, student teachers, or colleagues) sign an Adult Release Form prior to recording.
Video Recording Format Specifications
Your video recording must meet the following requirements: Formats Your video recordings must be submitted as an flv, asf, qt, mov, mpg, mpeg, avi, wmv,
mp4, or m4v file.
Compression Settings
The ePortfolio system has a 500 MB file size limit for each file that is uploaded. You must compress larger video files before submission. Please follow the instructions in the “Video Compression Guide”.
Length Submit a video recording that is no longer than 15 minutes. If you submit a longer video recording, only the first 15 minutes will be viewed and scored.
Editing Make sure that your video recording is continuous and unedited. Caution: Stopping and restarting the camera or the sound is regarded as editing.
DO NOT stop and start the camera, except as specified in the entry directions.
DO NOT turn off the microphone during recording.
DO NOT add graphics, titles, or special effects (e.g., fade in/out).
Recording Use a camera angle that includes as many faces of the children in the class as possible. The video recording should show as much of the class as possible, but it is acceptable to focus on a particular child while he or she is talking, singing, or playing an instrument. You must be shown in the video as well.
Make sure that sound quality is good enough that the assessor can understand all of what you say, sing, or play and most of what children say, sing, or play.
Language Show conversations that occur in English unless you registered for World Languages (French or Spanish).
If a small portion of your video occurs in a language other than English and it is important that an assessor understand it, provide a brief description in the Written Commentary of what was communicated.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
For advice on recording your lesson, see “Recording Video Entries” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For more information on the use of languages other than English, see “Language Accommodations Policies” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1).
Choosing Instructional Materials You must submit four instructional materials (limited to 1 page each) that support your lesson. These four supporting instructional materials will provide assessors with important information about how you planned and implemented the effectiveness of the lesson:
Two of the instructional materials you choose should support your discussion of what came before, during, or after the video-recorded lesson. These materials might include teacher- constructed materials, for example, or other materials that will help assessors understand the nature and involvement of children’s learning.
The other two of the four instructional materials you choose should support your discussion of the integration of social studies and the arts. If these are multidimensional, a photograph is acceptable (see “Instructional Materials Format Specifications” for more detail).
It is important to select instructional materials that will help an assessor understand (1) the role the arts played in promoting children’s learning of a social studies topic, concept, or theme, and (2) the content of the video recording. You or the children may have used these materials before, during, or after the activity featured on the video recording.
Instructional Materials Format Specifications
Assemble each set of instructional materials together in the following order:
Instructional Material Cover Sheet (use a new cover sheet for each of the four items of instructional materials)
responses to the questions found on the cover sheet (typed on a separate page, not on the cover sheet)
any relevant instructional materials that would help assessors understand the lesson (handouts, excerpts from teacher guides, instructions to children, copies of projected materials, etc.)
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
The cover sheet responses you submit must meet the following requirements: Format for responses to cover sheet questions
Type your responses on a separate sheet of paper. Double-space your text; do not use 24-point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF
file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Labeling Number each of your responses to match the corresponding question number on the cover sheet.
Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of the page. Do not include your name.
Page count Submit no more than 1 typed page per cover sheet. Additional pages will not be read.
For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
The materials you submit must meet the following requirements: Format for instructional materials
Materials must be no larger than 8.5" × 11". If submitting a smaller item (e.g., a photograph), you must photocopy it onto an 8.5" x 11" page or print a digitized image of that smaller item onto an 8.5" x 11" page. Several smaller items can be grouped on a single page.
Note: If an instructional material was created in a multimedia software program (such as PowerPoint presentation software or HyperStudio®), you may format up to six slides on one 8.5" × 11" sheet. Each sheet counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: If an instructional material contains Web pages, each Web page printout (one 8.5" × 11" sheet) counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: Do not reduce full-sized pages of instructional materials in order to fit more than one instructional material onto a single sheet of paper. Note: If instructional materials that are important for assessors to see are impractical to submit or do not show up clearly in the video recording (e.g., overhead transparency or slide projections, writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard, software, three-dimensional objects), submit a drawing, photocopy, digitized image, photograph, or description/transcription of the material. (If you submit a description/transcription, it must be typed in double-spaced text with 1" margins on all sides using 12-point Times New Roman font.)
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name.
Number each item of instructional material and refer to it by number in your Written Commentary.
Page count Submit exactly 4 pages of instructional materials (four items, 1 page for each). Additional pages will not be read. Cover sheets, translations, and sheets containing your responses to the questions on the cover sheets do not count toward this total.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
Composing Written Commentary Organize your Written Commentary into sections under the following headings, which will direct assessors to the required information:
1. Instructional Context2. Planning and Instruction3. Analysis of the Video Recording4. Reflection
Your Written Commentary must address the italicized questions provided below for each section. Statements in plain text that immediately follow an italicized question help you interpret the question. It is not necessary to include the italicized questions within the body of your response. Your Written Commentary must be no longer than 12 typed pages. Suggested page lengths are included to help you make decisions about how much to write for each of the four sections. (See “Written Commentary Format Specifications” for more detail.)
1. Instructional Context
Provide the following information in addition to the context that you supply on the Contextual Information Sheet, which focuses on the early educational program, school, or district at large. In this section, address the following questions about your selected class:
What are the number, ages, and grades of the children in the class featured in this entry, and what is the subject matter of the class? (Examples: 12 children in preschool, ages 3 and 4, social studies; 24 children in grade 2, ages 7 and 8, social studies)
What are the relevant characteristics of this class that influenced your instructional strategies for this learning experience: ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity; the range of abilities of the children; the personality of the class?
What are the relevant characteristics of the children with exceptional needs and abilities, including those with gifts and talents, or health issues that influenced your planning for this period of instruction (for example, the range of abilities and the cognitive, social/behavioral, attentional, sensory, and/or physical characteristics of the children)? Give any other information that might help the assessor “see” this class.
What are the relevant features of your teaching context that influenced the selection of this learning experience? This might include other realities of the social and physical teaching context (e.g., available resources, scheduling, space allocation—own classroom or shared space) that are relevant to your response.
What particular instructional challenges does the class chosen for this entry represent? What particular dynamics of the class does an assessor need to know about to understand the sequence of instruction? This might include, but is not limited to, a description of your children’s skills, knowledge, and previous experiences that relates to your teaching.
Suggested total page length for Instructional Context: 1 page
2. Planning and Instruction
In this section, address the following questions:
What is the social skill/concept addressed during this lesson? Why is this appropriate for children with different developmental characteristics and levels of knowledge of concepts?
What is the social studies topic, concept, or theme addressed during this lesson? Why is this topic, concept, or theme important for establishing a foundation for future social studies instruction?
What knowledge, skills, and concepts from the arts are addressed during this lesson? How do they support the theme you have selected in social studies?
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
How did you integrate social studies and the arts into your overall instructional goal(s) for children’s learning with this topic? Why did you choose the goal or goals? Include a discussion of the ways the goal(s) illustrate the knowledge and concepts from within social studies and the arts that you hope children will learn as well as the skills children will develop during this lesson. How does the goal or goals fit into your overall goals for the year?
How does the lesson fit into the context of what came before and after in the instructional unit?
What instructional materials from the arts and social studies were used during this integrative lesson? What was the rationale for using these materials during this featured lesson?
What strategies or methods from this lesson show how you foster fairness, equity, and access for all children in your class? Describe how you structured this lesson.
Suggested total page length for Planning and Instruction: 4 pages
3. Analysis of the Video Recording
This information focuses on your description and analysis of the lesson shown on the video recording. When citing specific evidence, it may be helpful to assessors if you identify specific locations in the video recording by describing specific dialogue, events, and/or children (e.g., “the girl in the green sweater”). In this section, address the following questions:
What occurred prior to and after the video segment that is important to know in order to understand and interpret the video segment? How does the video segment fit into the lesson as a whole? Provide information that assessors would need in order to understand the interactions depicted on the video recording.
What is the focus of the discussion featured on the video recording? Give an example from the video recording of how the integration of social studies and the arts has furthered children’s understanding of the lesson.
How do the interactions seen in the video recording illustrate children’s efforts toward the stated social goals? Analyze specific child-to-child interactions and explain how they show children’s efforts to relate to one another.
How did you facilitate this discussion/activity? What specific procedures and teaching strategies did you use in the lesson in support of children’s understanding and learning? Why did you choose these procedures and strategies? Cite specific evidence from the video recording to support your answer.
Give an example from the video recording of how the instructional materials from both the arts and social studies supported children’s learning.
Give specific examples of how you address issues of equity, fairness, and access for all of the children in your class.
Suggested total page length for Analysis of the Video Recording: 4 pages
4. Reflection
In this section, address the following questions:
How well were the objectives for this lesson achieved? To what degree did the children become involved in and understand the main points of
your lesson? What is your evidence? Address both the children who actively participated and those who did not.
To what extent do you think your efforts to help the children understand the social skill/concept, the arts skill/concept, and the social studies topic, concept, or theme have been successful? Describe how the integration and execution of this lesson have helped
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
the children grow in this respect. Where appropriate, refer to specific events on the video recording that support your conclusions. Identify critical moments or choices you made during the lesson.
What, if anything, would you do differently if you had the opportunity to teach this lesson again to these children? Why?
Suggested total page length for Reflection: 3 pages
Written Commentary Format Specifications
Your response will be scored based on the content of your analysis, but it is important to proofread your writing for spelling, mechanics, and usage.
Your response must be organized under these section headings (described in detail above):
1. Instructional Context2. Planning and Instruction3. Analysis of the Video Recording4. Reflection
Your Written Commentary must also meet the following requirements: Language Write in English.
Format Type and double-space text. Do not use 24-point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF
file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name. If you are using a word-processing program, you can save time by creating a “header” that prints your candidate ID number on each page.
Page count Submit no more than 12 typed pages in total. If you submit a longer Written Commentary, only the first 12 pages will be read and scored.
For advice on developing your Written Commentary, see “Writing about Teaching” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 2
Entry 2 Cover Sheets All cover sheets and forms required for this entry are listed in this section. To read and print these documents, you must install Adobe® Reader® software on your computer. You may download Adobe Reader for free by following the instructions provided on the Adobe Systems website (www.adobe.com).
As you prepare your portfolio, keep in mind some cover sheets contain directions that are not repeated elsewhere; follow these directions carefully.
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NO
TE
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION SHEET
This form asks you to describe the broader context in which you teach: • If you teach in different schools that have different characteristics, and this entry features students from
more than one school, please complete a separate sheet for each school associated with this entry.• If a completed Contextual Information Sheet also pertains to another entry, submit it with that entry as
well.
In each entry, you are asked to provide specific information about the students in the class you have featured inthe entry. This is in addition to the information requested here. Please print clearly or type. (If you type, you mayuse the system default font, size, and spacing.) Limit your responses to the spaces provided below. For clarity,please avoid the use of acronyms.
1. Briefly identify• the type of school/program in which you teach and the grade/subject configuration (single grade,
departmentalized, interdisciplinary teams, etc.):
• the grade(s), age levels, number of students taught daily, average number in each class, and courses:Grades Age Levels Number of Students Average Number of Students in Each Class
Courses
2. What information about your teaching context do you believe would be important for assessors to know tounderstand your portfolio entries? Be brief and specific. Note: You might include details of any state ordistrict mandates, information regarding the type of community, and access to current technology.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
CLASSROOM LAYOUT FORM (For Informational Purposes Only)
Please show the physical layout of the “classroom” (i.e., “setting in which t h e instruction took place”) as it appears in the video recording. This visual will provide assessors with a context for the video since the camera cannot capture the whole instruction area a t once.
It is helpful to assessors for you to identify where particular students are located in the room by using the same student identifiers that you refer to in your Written Commentary (e.g., “the girl in the green sweater”).The sketch will not be scored.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Instructional Material COVER SHEET
Instructional Material #:
Do not write or type on this cover sheet in response to the questions below. Provide your responses to the questions contained in the box below in a separate document using double-spaced 12-point Times New Roman font. Your responses must fit on one page. Group your response sheet directly behind this cover sheet.
1. What is important to know about this one item of instructional material tounderstand what is shown on the video recording?
2. How was this one item of instructional material used?
Group the following with this cover sheet: • Your response sheet• One relevant item of instructional material
Use this cover sheet as many times as needed.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Entry 3: Integrating Mathematics and Science
In this entry, you submit a 15-minute video recording of and instructional materials for an integrative learning sequence designed to deepen children’s understanding of mathematics and science concepts through unifying concepts and processes in science and to develop children’s skills in using mathematical and scientific ways of observing, thinking, reasoning, and communicating. You provide a Written Commentary analyzing the video recording and instructional materials, including your use of technology to support children’s learning.
Standards Measured by Entry 3 This entry focuses on the following Standards:
I. Using Knowledge of Child Development to Understand the Whole Child
III. Fostering Equity, Fairness, and Appreciation of Diversity
IV. Knowing Subject Matter for Teaching Young Children
V. Assessing Children's Development and Learning
VI. Managing the Environment for Development and Learning
VII. Planning for Development and Learning
VIII. Implementing Instruction for Development and Learning
IX. Reflecting on Teaching Young Children
The following statements from the Standards provide some examples of accomplished teaching practice.
Accomplished Early Childhood/Generalists
provide opportunities for children to examine, explore, compare, classify, describe, and ask questions about their environment.
design mathematical tasks that engage children in doing mathematics in authentic ways. know unifying mathematical ideas and understand how these big ideas connect
mathematical strands as well as connect essential subject matter facts, concepts, and processes.
are adept at teaching the unifying concepts and themes of science, and they realize the significance of process standards to support those ideas.
understand ways of using inquiry to engage children in hands-on science that supports the learning of scientific concepts and processes.
judiciously select appropriate assessment tools for a given purpose based on a deep understanding of child development and the ways in which they show their subject matter conceptions.
value the thinking processes behind children’s naïve conceptions and design developmentally appropriate learning experiences to help children uncover explanations that are increasingly accurate.
provide tools and technologies that facilitate multiple methods of representation, connections, and communication.
are resourceful in creating, selecting, combining, and adapting a wide variety of appropriate materials that assist children in their development and learning.
ensure that learning experiences are coherent and connected across tasks, lessons, and units.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
create rich environments in which children select from among manipulatives, mathematical tools, and technology as means to solve problems.
deliberately analyze teaching events to guide their consideration of future actions.
For the scoring rubrics and an explanation of how the rubrics are used to assess your portfolio entries, refer to the Early Childhood/Generalist Scoring Guide for Candidates.
Unifying Concepts and Processes in Science and Scientific Inquiry As explained in the National Science Education Standards, unifying concepts and processes cut across the branches of science and inform fundamental understandings of each branch. Examples include
systems, order, and organization; evidence, models, and explanation; constancy, change, and measurement; evolution and equilibrium; form and function.
Descriptions of these examples are included in the Appendix in the excerpted section from Content Standard: K–12 of the National Science Education Standards developed by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences.
Discussions of science education emphasize that there are many contexts and content topics through which to study unifying concepts and processes in science. For example, a teacher may help children understand the use of scientific models and how evidence can be used to test and refine these models. This exploration can be done with equal effectiveness by studying plants, the phases of the moon, or magnets.
The key question for teachers to consider is not What is taught? but How is the topic taught? Teaching children only to name the parts of plants, for example, would not constitute the teaching of unifying concepts and processes. Instruction that helps children understand and examine the relationship between plant structure and how plants grow and survive in their environment, however, can be used to address various unifying concepts and processes in science, depending on the focus of instruction.
It is also important to recognize how children learn science. The National Science Education Standards make clear that it is not sufficient simply to tell children about complex relationships that help them understand the world. Learning science means learning how to
inquire, ask questions, develop models, seek and describe evidence, develop scientific explanations and arguments.
Teaching unifying concepts and processes in science also means teaching children how to explore particular topics through important scientific reasoning processes.
What Do I Need to Do? This entry captures evidence of your ability to plan, describe, implement, illustrate, assess, and reflect on your teaching practice. For the purposes of this entry, “learning sequence” is defined as a series of lessons or activities that are part of a larger unit of instruction.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
In this entry, you
plan and implement an integrative learning sequence, which includes the use of technology, that is designed to deepen children’s understanding of mathematics and science concepts through unifying concepts and processes in science;
engage children in mathematical and scientific ways of observing, thinking, reasoning, and communicating.
For this entry, you must submit the following:
One video recording (15 minutes maximum) that demonstrates how you engage all children in your class in a science activity.
Instructional materials. Instructional Material Cover Sheet responses (four cover sheets, 1 page
maximum of responses per cover sheet). Instructional materials (four items, 4 pages maximum combined [1 page
maximum for each material submitted]) related to the segment featured on the video recording and that will help assessors understand what occurred during the learning sequence. Note: At least one of the instructional materials submitted must be related to the mathematics integrated in the learning sequence.
Written Commentary (11 pages maximum) that contextualizes, analyzes, and evaluates the teaching and integration of the math and science instruction.
You are not required to demonstrate the integration of mathematics directly in the video recording, although you may do so if you choose. You must, however, provide evidence of the meaningful integration of mathematics in the context of the science activity featured in the video recording through one or more of the instructional materials you submit and your Written Commentary.
Read all directions for this entry before beginning to work on individual components. It can also help to have a colleague review your work. However, all of the work you submit as part of your response to any entry must be yours and yours alone. The written analyses and other components you submit must feature teaching that you did and work that you oversaw. For more detailed information, see “Ethics and Collaboration” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1) and the National Board’s ethics policy.
Detailed directions for developing each component follow. See “Entry 3 Cover Sheets” for a list of the forms required to assemble and submit your materials.
You must submit a video recording, instructional materials, and a Written Commentary. If any component is missing, your response will not be scored.
The student work entry (Portfolio Entry 1) and video recording entries (Portfolio Entries 2 and 3) must be from different lessons and different units of instruction.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Selecting Unifying Concepts and Processes and a Theme in Science and a Mathematical Application
Choose unifying concepts and processes and a theme in science to address in the learning sequence. Unifying concepts and processes can be studied through many contexts and content topics; basic needs of organisms, properties of objects and materials, or changes in seasons are just a few examples. The important characteristic of the theme for this learning sequence is that acquiring and drawing on unifying concepts and processes in science should enrich the understanding of the theme and the related science and mathematics concepts. Thus, the explorations of the theme and of the unifying concepts and processes should mutually inform one another. Two important things to keep in mind about unifying concepts and processes in science are they (1) cut across the branches of science and (2) inform fundamental understandings of each branch.
For guidance in your choice of unifying concepts and processes and a theme, review the section “Unifying Concepts and Processes in Science and Scientific Inquiry” on page 2-24 and “Excerpts from National Science Education Standards” in the Appendix.
Also select an application of a mathematical concept that can be integrated in a meaningful way into this science learning sequence that will enhance children’s learning. The content you choose should be important to the study of mathematics. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the following: using standard and nonstandard units of measurement, estimating, performing operations, representing data in various ways (e.g., tables, pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs), detecting patterns or trends in data, and applying basic principles of geometry.
Your learning sequence must also incorporate the use of technology to support children’s learning.
Recording Your Video Entry Video-record an activity in which children are engaged in science learning as part of an integrated learning sequence.
Selecting a Video Recording
Choose a whole-class learning experience you wish to record on video in which you show children engaged in science. Remember that the video recording is the only direct evidence of the children’s engagement in this learning sequence. In addition, this video recording must demonstrate how you explore scientific concepts with children. It should also demonstrate how children use scientific ways of observing, thinking, reasoning, and communicating. You want to show the portion of the learning sequence during which children are most meaningfully engaged in learning. For the purposes of this entry, the phrase “meaningful engagement” does not refer to sessions in which children are asked to recall information or to generate the correct answers to teacher questions; rather it refers to exploration, discovery, and talk among children and between you and children in which they express ideas and respond to one another’s ideas. Make sure that it is these moments that appear on the video recording, not the introduction to the teaching/learning or the transition to activities. This also means that assessors need to be able to hear the children on the video recording and not just see a wide view of the entire room. It is helpful to make several video recordings before you make your final choice so that assessors can see the best evidence of your practice.
You must have the parents/guardians of all children you plan to include in the video recording complete Student Release Forms before you make any video recordings. You must have any adults who will appear in the video recording (for example, teacher’s aides, parents, student teachers, or colleagues) sign an Adult Release Form prior to recording.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Video Recording Format Specifications
Your video recording must meet the following requirements: Formats Your video recordings must be submitted as an flv, asf, qt, mov, mpg, mpeg, avi, wmv,
mp4, or m4v file.
Compression Settings
The ePortfolio system has a 500 MB file size limit for each file that is uploaded. You must compress larger video files before submission. Please follow the instructions in the “Video Compression Guide”.
Length Submit a video recording that is no longer than 15 minutes. If you submit a longer video recording, only the first 15 minutes will be viewed and scored.
Editing Make sure that your video recording is continuous and unedited. Caution: Stopping and restarting the camera or the sound is regarded as editing.
DO NOT stop and start the camera, except as specified in the entry directions.
DO NOT turn off the microphone during recording.
DO NOT add graphics, titles, or special effects (e.g., fade in/out).
Recording Use a camera angle that includes as many faces of the children in the class as possible. The video recording should show as much of the class as possible, but it is acceptable to focus on a particular child while he or she is talking, singing, or playing an instrument. You must be shown in the video as well.
Make sure that sound quality is good enough that the assessor can understand all of what you say, sing, or play and most of what children say, sing, or play.
Language Show conversations that occur in English unless you registered for World Languages (French or Spanish).
If a small portion of your video occurs in a language other than English and it is important that an assessor understand it, provide a brief description in the Written Commentary of what was communicated.
For advice on recording your lesson, see “Recording Video Entries” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For more information on the use of languages other than English, see “Language Accommodations Policies” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1).
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Choosing Instructional Materials You must submit four instructional materials (limited to 1 page each) that support your teaching/learning sequence. You may include a photocopy or a description of relevant materials that will help the assessor understand the content and interactions seen on the video recording. These may include materials related to what came before, during, and/or after the segment on the video recording. Include instructional materials that relate to the activity you are submitting on the video recording. Instructional materials include, but are not limited to, children’s responses, assignments/prompts, visuals, and teacher-generated worksheets.
You must submit at least one instructional material that provides evidence of how you integrated mathematics in the context of the science activity featured in the video.
Instructional Materials Format Specifications
Assemble each set of instructional materials together in the following order:
Instructional Material Cover Sheet (use a new cover sheet for each of the four items of instructional materials)
responses to the questions found on the cover sheet (typed on a separate page, not on the cover sheet)
any relevant instructional materials that would help assessors understand the lesson (handouts, excerpts from teacher guides, instructions to children, copies of projected materials, etc.)
The cover sheet responses you submit must meet the following requirements: Format for responses to cover sheet questions
Type your responses on a separate sheet of paper. Double-space your text; do not use 24-point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF
file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Labeling Number each of your responses to match the corresponding question number on the cover sheet.
Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of the page. Do not include your name.
Page count Submit no more than 1 typed page per cover sheet. Additional pages will not be read.
For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
The materials you submit must meet the following requirements: Format for instructional materials
Materials must be no larger than 8.5" × 11". If submitting a smaller item (e.g., a photograph), you must photocopy it onto an 8.5" x 11" page or print a digitized image of that smaller item onto an 8.5" x 11" page. Several smaller items can be grouped on a single page.
Note: If an instructional material was created in a multimedia software program (such as PowerPoint presentation software or HyperStudio®), you may format up to six slides on one 8.5" × 11" sheet. Each sheet counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: If an instructional material contains Web pages, each Web page printout (one 8.5" × 11" sheet) counts as 1 page toward your page total. Note: Do not reduce full-sized pages of instructional materials in order to fit more than one instructional material onto a single sheet of paper. Note: If instructional materials that are important for assessors to see are impractical to submit or do not show up clearly in the video recording (e.g., overhead transparency or slide projections, writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard, software, three-dimensional objects), submit a drawing, photocopy, digitized image, photograph, or description/transcription of the material. (If you submit a description/transcription, it must be typed in double-spaced text with 1" margins on all sides using 12-point Times New Roman font.)
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name.
Number each item of instructional material and refer to it by number in your Written Commentary.
Page count Submit exactly 4 pages of instructional materials (four items, 1 page for each). Additional pages will not be read. Cover sheets and sheets containing your responses to the questions on the cover sheets do not count toward this total.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Composing Written Commentary Organize your Written Commentary into sections under the following headings, which will direct assessors to the required information:
1. Instructional Context2. Planning and Instruction3. Analysis of the Video Recording4. Reflection
Your Written Commentary must address the italicized questions provided below for each section. Statements in plain text that immediately follow an italicized question help you interpret the question. It is not necessary to include the italicized questions within the body of your response.
Your Written Commentary must be no longer than 11 typed pages. Suggested page lengths are included to help you make decisions about how much to write for each of the four sections. (See “Written Commentary Format Specifications” for more detail.)
1. Instructional Context
Provide the following information in addition to the context that you supply on the Contextual Information Sheet, which focuses on the early educational program, school, or district at large. In this section, address the following questions about your selected class:
What are the number, ages, and grades of the children in the class featured in this entry, and what is the subject matter of the class? (Examples: 12 children in preschool, ages 3 and 4, science and mathematics; 24 children in grade 2, ages 7 and 8, science and mathematics)
What are the relevant characteristics of this class that influenced your instructional strategies for this learning sequence: ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity; the range of abilities of the children; the personality of the class?
What are the relevant characteristics of the children with exceptional needs and abilities. including gifts and talents, or health issues that influenced your planning for this learning sequence (for example, the range of abilities and the cognitive, social/behavioral, attentional, sensory, and/or physical characteristics of the children)? Give any other information that might help the assessor “see” this class.
What are the relevant features of your teaching context that influenced the selection of this learning sequence? This might include other realities of the social and physical teaching context (e.g., available resources and technology, scheduling, space allocation— own classroom or shared space) that are relevant to your response.
What particular instructional challenges does the class chosen for this entry represent? What particular dynamics of the class does an assessor need to know about to understand the sequence of instruction? This might include, but is not limited to, a description of the children’s skills, knowledge, and previous experiences that relates to your teaching.
Suggested total page length for Instructional Context: 1 page
2. Planning and Instruction
In this section, address the following questions:
What theme and unifying concepts and processes in science did you address during this learning sequence? Discuss why this theme was selected, the length of time of this sequence, and how it related to the unifying concepts and processes in science you chose.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
How does the selected theme and unifying concepts and processes deepen children's understanding of mathematics and science concepts?
What were your overall math and science goals for the learning sequence? What were your reasons for selecting these goals?
What was the nature and flow of the learning sequence in your instruction? Describe the integration of mathematics and science throughout the learning sequence.
What were your instructional mathematics and science objectives for this learning sequence? What were your reasons for selecting these objectives? Explain the relevance of the mathematics objectives to the science objectives in the learning sequence. What are your plans for assessing children’s knowledge in light of these objectives?
What learning activities/experiences did you choose as a way to achieve your goal(s) and objectives? Why did you choose these learning experiences as a way to achieve your goals? Pay particular attention to children’s knowledge, natural curiosities, and experiences prior to the learning experience, and to the diversity of the children in your classroom.
How have you chosen to integrate technology into this learning sequence? Describe the type of technology(ies) and the methods and rationales for using it. How did this decision to use this particular type of technology enhance your teaching and children’s learning?
What instructional materials and resources were used? What was the rationale for using these materials and resources in your teaching sequence?
Suggested total page length for Planning and Instruction: 4 pages
3. Analysis of the Video Recording
This information focuses on your description and analysis of the teaching/learning shown on the video recording. When citing specific evidence, it may be helpful to assessors if you identify specific locations in the video recording by describing specific dialogue, events, and/or children (e.g., “the girl in the green sweater”). In this section, address the following questions:
Where does the video segment fit in your learning sequence? In other words, what occurred immediately prior to and after the video segment that is important to know in order to understand and interpret the video segment?
What were the specific objectives for the teaching/learning featured on the video recording? Explain how these related to your goals for the entire sequence.
What was the sequence of events seen in the video-recorded lesson? Briefly describe the sequence of events seen in the video recording. Why did you choose to sequence the events this way?
What evidence of inquiry, intellectual engagement, discussion, and content are demonstrated in your video recording? How did you further the children’s knowledge and skills and engage them intellectually?
How does the discussion/activity featured on the video recording reveal children’s reasoning and understanding? Cite specific examples of children’s understanding, misunderstandings, misconceptions, errors, and progress.
How do particular exchanges demonstrate a productive, open, and enriching learning environment? Cite interactions from the video recording that show how you support this climate for learning.
How do you ensure fairness, equity, and access for all of the children in your class? Cite specific examples from the video recording.
Suggested total page length for Analysis of the Video Recording: 4 pages
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
4. Reflection
In this section, address the following questions:
How might you conduct this learning sequence differently if you were to do it again? Explain how this learning sequence did or did not meet your stated goal(s) and objectives and explain how you determined children’s progress as it pertains to your stated goal(s) and objectives.
How did the learning that resulted from the experience featured on the video recording influence subsequent lessons? Explain how, in your subsequent planning and teaching, successes were built upon and missed opportunities were addressed.
Suggested total page length for Reflection: 2 pages
Written Commentary Format Specifications
Your response will be scored based on the content of your analysis, but it is important to proofread your writing for spelling, mechanics, and usage.
Your response must be organized under these section headings (described in detail above):
1. Instructional Context2. Planning and Instruction3. Analysis of the Video Recording4. Reflection
Your Written Commentary must also meet the following requirements: Language Write in English.
Format Type and double-space text. Do not use 24-point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF
file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Anonymity guidelines
If materials include names or other identifying information, show the child’s first name only; delete children’s last names, teachers’ names, or any identifying information about the children’s families.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name. If you are using a word-processing program, you can save time by creating a “header” that prints your candidate ID number on each page.
Page count Submit no more than 11 typed pages in total. If you submit a longer Written Commentary, only the first 11 pages will be read and scored.
For advice on developing your Written Commentary, see “Writing about Teaching” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Written Materials” i n “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions, Cover Sheets, and Forms
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 3
Entry 3 Cover Sheets All cover sheets and forms required for this entry are listed in this section. To read and print these documents, you must install Adobe® Reader® software on your computer. You may download Adobe Reader for free by following the instructions provided on the Adobe Systems website (www.adobe.com).
As you prepare your portfolio, keep in mind some cover sheets contain directions that are not repeated elsewhere; follow these directions carefully.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
NO
TE
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION SHEET
This form asks you to describe the broader context in which you teach: • If you teach in different schools that have different characteristics, and this entry features students from
more than one school, please complete a separate sheet for each school associated with this entry.• If a completed Contextual Information Sheet also pertains to another entry, submit it with that entry as
well.
In each entry, you are asked to provide specific information about the students in the class you have featured inthe entry. This is in addition to the information requested here. Please print clearly or type. (If you type, you mayuse the system default font, size, and spacing.) Limit your responses to the spaces provided below. For clarity,please avoid the use of acronyms.
1. Briefly identify• the type of school/program in which you teach and the grade/subject configuration (single grade,
departmentalized, interdisciplinary teams, etc.):
• the grade(s), age levels, number of students taught daily, average number in each class, and courses:Grades Age Levels Number of Students Average Number of Students in Each Class
Courses
2. What information about your teaching context do you believe would be important for assessors to know tounderstand your portfolio entries? Be brief and specific. Note: You might include details of any state ordistrict mandates, information regarding the type of community, and access to current technology.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Instructional Material COVER SHEET
Instructional Material #:
Do not write or type on this cover sheet in response to the questions below. Provide your responses to the questions contained in the box below in a separate document using double-spaced 12-point Times New Roman font. Your responses must fit on one page. Group your response sheet directly behind this cover sheet.
1. What is important to know about this one item of instructional material tounderstand what is shown on the video recording?
2. How was this one item of instructional material used?
Group the following with this cover sheet: • Your response sheet• One relevant item of instructional material
Use this cover sheet as many times as needed.
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
CLASSROOM LAYOUT FORM (For Informational Purposes Only)
Please show the physical layout of the “classroom” (i.e., “setting in which t h e instruction took place”) as it appears in the video recording. This visual will provide assessors with a context for the video since the camera cannot capture the whole instruction area a t once.
It is helpful to assessors for you to identify where particular students are located in the room by using the same student identifiers that you refer to in your Written Commentary (e.g., “the girl in the green sweater”).The sketch will not be scored.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Entry 4: Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning
In this entry, you illustrate your partnerships with children’s families and community, and your development as a learner and collaborator with other professionals, by submitting descriptions and documentation of your activities and accomplishments in those areas. Your description must make the connection between each accomplishment and its impact on student learning.
Standards Measured by Entry 4 This entry focuses on the following Standards:
I. Using Knowledge of Child Development to Understand the Whole Child
II. Partnering with Families and Communities
III. Fostering Equity, Fairness, and Appreciation of Diversity
IX. Reflecting on Teaching Young Children
X. Exemplifying Professionalism and Contributing to the Profession
The following statements from the Standards provide some examples of accomplished teaching practice.
Accomplished Early Childhood/Generalists
seek out relevant research in child development and apply that knowledge to meet all children's needs.
understand that establishing reciprocal communication and relationships of trust with families of young children is essential to successful collaboration.
advocate on behalf of young children and their families by engaging colleagues and by networking for information and social support.
employ multiple approaches to learn about how parents perceive their child and what long-term goals they have for their child.
find creative and mutually beneficial ways to partner with collaborators outside the classroom or immediate learning environment.
are adept at working within and beyond their immediate institution to secure resources necessary to ensure the learning of every child.
engage in a variety of reflective processes, individually and with colleagues, collecting information on teaching and young children’s learning that provides a strong basis for analyzing practice and improving subsequent engagement.
use reflection to deepen their understanding of children’s social, cognitive, linguistic, physical, emotional, and ethical development, as well as their subject matter knowledge.
know that systematic reflection not only improves their own work, but also serves as an example that can improve the work of colleagues and thus strengthens practice in the early childhood profession.
are committed to children, families, and colleagues and uphold professionals early childhood codes of ethics in their school, community, and profession.
work with colleagues to construct curricula, plan and implement instruction, and design and evaluate assessments.
use their professional knowledge and standards for ethical practice to articulate their concerns to administrators and school boards to devise creative responses and solutions that safeguard the interests of children, families, and communities.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Your response will be judged on the extent to which it provides clear, consistent, and convincing evidence of your ability to impact children’s learning through your work with families and the community, with colleagues and other professionals, and as a learner.
For the scoring rubrics and an explanation of how the rubrics are used to assess your portfolio entries, refer to the Early Childhood/Generalist Scoring Guide for Candidates.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
What Do I Need to Do? This entry captures evidence of the way in which your role as a teacher is broader than your direct interaction with students in your classroom. In your role in your learning community, you work with students wherever learning takes place—be it classroom, resource room, library media center, studio, gymnasium, auditorium, workshop, outdoors, and so on. You also interact with members of the broader community to enhance and support student learning.
In this entry, you demonstrate your commitment to student learning, through your work with students’ families and
community and through your development as a learner and as a collaborator and/or leader;
your commitment, through evidence of your efforts to establish and maintain partnerships with students’ families and the community; through evidence of your growth as a learner; and through work that you do with other teachers at a local, state, or national level;
how what you do outside of the classroom (or beyond explicit student instruction) impacts student learning.
For this entry, you must submit the following: Description and Analysis (a combined total of 10 pages maximum for up to
8 activities or accomplishments). Each Description and Analysis must clearly and specifically describe why each accomplishment is significant in your teaching context and what impact each has had on student learning.
Documentation (a combined total of 16 pages maximum for all accomplishments) that supports the activities or accomplishments that you have chosen to describe. Documentation can take the form of artifact(s), a Communication Log, and/or Verification Form(s).
Reflective Summary (2 pages maximum) that reflects on the significance of your accomplishments taken together and your future plans to improve student learning.
Read all directions for this entry before beginning to work on the individual components of the entry.
You must demonstrate your work in each of three categories: 1. as partner with students’ families and community (current year)2. as learner (within the last five years)3. as collaborator and/or leader (within the last five years)
You may choose to demonstrate discrete accomplishments in each category, or you may address broader accomplishments that cut across multiple categories. While an accomplished response must contain evidence for all three categories, you may submit no more than 8 accomplishments. Your accomplishments must demonstrate an impact (direct or indirect) on student learning. Impact on student learning is meant in a broad sense. Your descriptions of your accomplishments must demonstrate to assessors why or how improved student learning is a likely result. Specific examples of impact, where appropriate, are helpful.
All of the work you submit as part of your response to any entry must be yours and yours alone. For more detailed information, see “Ethics and Collaboration” in “Phase 1: Prepare” (in Part 1) and the National Board’s ethics policy.
Detailed directions for developing each component follow. See “Entry 4 Cover Sheets” for a list of the forms required to package and submit your materials.
You must submit Description and Analysis, documentation, and a Reflective Summary. If any component is missing, your response will not be scored.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Writing Description and Analysis The Description and Analysis of each accomplishment should clearly and specifically explain what the accomplishment is and why it is significant in your teaching context, including how it has had an impact on student learning.
You are allowed to submit a maximum of 8 accomplishments and must describe them within a maximum of 10 pages of Description and Analysis.
Describe the accomplishments that you have chosen so that someone who does not know you or your teaching context can appreciate the significance and impact of what you have described. Explain acronyms used in your school or district, as they may not be familiar to assessors who work in different contexts.
Make your Description and Analysis specific because accomplishments often sound alike, and their actual significance in a particular place and time may not be clear just from their names or brief descriptions. You must describe what is important about these accomplishments— that is, tell what the accomplishment is, explain why it is significant, and describe how you know it impacts student learning. All parts of the description—what, why, and how—are important. Assessors should see a clear connection between the Description and Analysis and documentation and a clear connection between the accomplishment and student learning.
Dedicate each Description and Analysis to a single accomplishment. An accomplishment may be a single activity or event, or a set of related activities and events that are logically related to a unified goal or outcome. You may use as few or as many pages as you like for each description—whatever it takes to describe the accomplishment and explain its significance and impact on student learning—as long as the combined total number of pages for all Description and Analysis does not exceed 10 typed pages for up to 8 accomplishments.
You are not permitted to put several unrelated activities under a single accomplishment. If you do so, each activity will be counted as a separate accomplishment.
For each accomplishment you choose, you must write a Description and Analysis that answers EACH of the following questions. Provide this information in addition to the context that you supply on the Contextual Information Sheet, which focuses on the school or district at large.
What is the nature of this accomplishment? Be very specific. Remember that the assessor will know nothing about you or your teaching context.
Why is this accomplishment significant? To be significant, the accomplishment must be an important effort or achievement that demonstrates your work as a partner with students’ families and their community; as a learner; and as a collaborator and/or leader with colleagues or other professionals.
How has what you have described had an impact on students’ learning? You need to connect your accomplishment to the learning of your students or the students of your colleagues. Where appropriate, cite specific examples.
You must provide supporting documentation for each Description and Analysis. Details on how to choose your accomplishments or activities and the types of documentation you may submit are provided later in these entry directions.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Description and Analysis Format Specifications
Your Description and Analysis must meet the following requirements: Language Write in English.
Format Type your responses on a separate sheet of paper. Double-space your text; do not use 24- point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name. If you are using a word-processing program, you can save time by creating a “header” that prints your candidate ID number on each page.
Label to indicate the number of the accomplishment. Place a title at the top of the first page of each Description and Analysis, specifying the accomplishment number (e.g., “Accomplishment #1”).
Page count In a Description and Analysis, a “full page” is a page that is more than 50% text; a “half page” is a page that is 50% or less text. Given these definitions, your Description and Analysis may be more than 10 pages if you choose to begin the Description and Analysis of each accomplishment on a separate page; however, you are not required to do so. It is permissible to provide the Description and Analysis of more than one accomplishment on a single page as long as you precede the Description and Analysis for each accomplishment with an identifier such as “Accomplishment #1”. Regardless, the total amount of text must not exceed 10 pages.
Submit no more than 10 pages in total.
For more information about writing your Description and Analysis, see “Writing about Teaching” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Formatting Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
Collecting Documentation of Accomplishments
Choosing Your Accomplishments
Choose activities and accomplishments carefully, because the Standards on which this entry is based value those activities that have both significance in your teaching context and a positive impact on student learning.
The following procedures are designed to help you choose the most appropriate accomplishments:
With you and your teaching context in mind, read “Standards Measured by Entry 4” (at the beginning of this entry) and the scoring criteria provided in the Scoring Guide for Candidates.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Think of all your activities and accomplishments that might be relevant to the Standards for this entry.
Carefully review the three categories of accomplishments for which you require documentation.
Begin to list your activities and accomplishments that seem relevant to the three categories and to meeting the Standards for this entry.
Consider all possible resources when writing your initial list: your files, professional colleagues, family, personnel folder, old calendars, previous years’ planning books, and so on.
Once your initial list is complete, think about what documentation you can provide to support your accomplishment.
When selecting your accomplishments, consider the following three categories of involvement that must be addressed:
1. Teacher as partner with students’ families and community: Provide evidence ofhow you value parents and other interested adults as partners in your students’development and education; how you facilitate ongoing, mutually beneficialinteractions between the students and the wider community; and how you foster two- way dialogue with parents and other interested adults. You also need to show howyour interactions impact student learning. (In the current year)
2. Teacher as learner: Provide evidence of how you have engaged in ongoingprofessional development strengthening your knowledge, skills, and abilities relevantto your teaching context (e.g., how you seek information on current theories andresearch—and their applications—through familiarity with professional literature;participate in and support professional organizations; or take advanced course workrelevant to your teaching and learning context). You also need to show how theseactivities impact student learning. (Within the last five years)
3. Teacher as collaborator and/or leader: Provide evidence that you have workedcollaboratively with colleagues and that you have shared your expertise in aleadership role with other educators to improve teaching and student learning withinthe school or in the wider professional community. (Within the last five years)
You do not have to have separate accomplishments for each of these categories; in fact, you may find that many of your accomplishments overlap the categories.
The Documented Accomplishments Categories Diagram below provides one way of thinking about how the three categories intersect and overlap. This diagram is not prescriptive, but it may help you think about your activities outside the classroom in as wide a manner as possible. For example, the category of teacher as learner might include documentation describing how you improved your understanding of teaching skills or your content knowledge in an area that you teach or how you sought to better understand your students. The diagram shows how the aspects of your work outside the classroom might overlap.
This diagram is meant to be an aid to identifying and categorizing the different kinds of activities in which you engage outside the classroom. It is also designed to show how you can submit one accomplishment that addresses more than one category.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Remember, accomplishments relating to your work with students’ families and the community must come from the current year (i.e., for the 12 months preceding the opening of your ePortfolio submission window) AND accomplishments relating to your work as a learner and collaborator and/or leader must come from within the five years preceding the opening of your ePortfolio submission window. You are not required to cite accomplishments spanning all of the last five years, nor are you required to cite accomplishments for each individual year of the five-year period.
The Categories Chart
To help you make your final selections, we encourage you to use a Documented Accomplishments Categories Chart like the one that follows to track and organize your accomplishments and the related documentation. Write down the significance and impact of each accomplishment before you decide which activities and accomplishments to submit. Remember that the emphasis is on significance and impact, not on quantity. If you cannot complete the boxes on the chart for a particular accomplishment, it is probably not a good choice to submit for this entry.
This chart is organized into categories that help you think about the different areas in which you work outside the classroom to improve student learning. Your accomplishments might overlap more than one category.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Documented Accomplishments Categories Chart
Category— Accomplishments that demonstrate . . .
Activity Significance Impact on Student Learning
Documentation
Your work with the families and community of your students (in current year)
Your development as a learner (within last five years)
Your work as a collaborator and/or leader (within last five years)
Some activities in which all teachers must engage may not make the best examples of accomplishments for this entry unless you perform them in a way or to a degree that makes them very effective in promoting students’ learning. For example, almost all teachers are required to attend an open house for parents each new school year. This is, of course, a form of communication with parents and caregivers. In and of itself, this activity shows little or no significant accomplishment or impact, because according to the Standards, it is both routine and required. However, if your contribution to the open-house night went beyond the routine, making it an effective avenue to engage parents about their child’s learning, you should make that very clear in your Description and Analysis.
Not everything you do outside the classroom is appropriate for this entry. For example, community volunteer work or personal interests are worthwhile endeavors, but for those activities to be valued in this entry, your involvement must have had an impact on student learning.
On the other hand, if you have been involved in an activity that has had great impact on student learning, you must discuss that impact and how it made a difference in student learning to provide the necessary evidence for an accomplished score. Assessors are trained not to make inferences in this area; you must clearly describe the impact on student learning.
Choosing Your Documentation Carefully select and organize the documentation for each accomplishment that you feature. Documentation is defined as evidence that verifies that you have done what you say you have done in the Description and Analysis. Assessors do not evaluate the documentation; they are looking only for a clear connection between documentation and your accomplishment. You are allowed to submit a maximum of 16 pages of documentation for this entry. Therefore, be selective and make each choice count.
The accomplishments you feature may involve a set of activities or events all related to a unified goal or outcome. Such complex accomplishments may require lengthy descriptions in which you detail all or most of the steps taken or activities in which you were engaged. It is not necessary to provide a specific piece of documentation for every part of a complex accomplishment as long as the documentation you choose to submit supports the overall picture painted by your Description and Analysis. For example, you may have attended multiple workshops addressing a single topic, such as classroom management or a new area of curriculum. You do not need to provide documentation that you attended each and every workshop. Because of page-number limitations, perhaps a better choice would be documentation of your attendance at one workshop, followed by documentation that shows your growth in understanding and the new skills you acquired over the course of prolonged study. You must submit documentation for each accomplishment, but you may choose the type of documentation that is best suited to that accomplishment and that most clearly
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
communicates the nature of your accomplishment. There are three types of documentation that you can submit: artifact(s), Verification Form(s), and a communication log.
Artifacts
What they are These are documents produced by engaging in such activities as writing an article, developing a newsletter, receiving a letter from a parent, or presenting a workshop.
You may wish to provide documents that support descriptions of curricula, professional articles or other publications, workshops or presentations that you developed or conducted, grant proposal abstracts, or syllabi for professional classes you have taught.
Guidelines for use
For long artifacts, such as publications (e.g., an article or newsletter), you may submit the title page only.
For multiple artifacts such as correspondence with parents, one or two letters may suffice.
Confirm that your name and the date of the accomplishment appear on one of the pages of the artifact you are submitting to document an accomplishment. If they do not appear on the artifact, submit a Verification Form in addition to your artifact to strengthen your evidence.
Verification Forms
What they are These are forms completed by colleagues, parents, or others who comment on your description of an accomplishment and confirm its accuracy.
When they are required
You do not need to submit a Verification Form for every accomplishment. Generally, you would submit either an artifact or a Verification Form with each activity or accomplishment.
However, if your artifact does not provide enough of the required information (as described in “Documentation Format Specifications” below), submit both your artifact and a Verification Form to validate your activity or accomplishment.
Further, if you do not have an artifact at all—that is, if an activity or accomplishment does not leave a paper trail of supporting documents that you could photocopy and submit as documentation—you must submit a Verification Form to document your activity or accomplishment.
Guidelines for use
When you determine that you should submit a Verification Form, you must find someone who has firsthand knowledge of the accomplishment you are describing. Example: If you have mentored a new teacher in your school, your verifier would have firsthand knowledge of your work with that new teacher. The verifier need not be a supervisor or someone in authority in your school or district; for example, a parent or student could be a verifier.
Note: If a parent or student is a verifier, his or her last name should appear on the Verification Form.
A single verifier is sufficient for any one accomplishment. The same person may not verify more than one accomplishment per category.
Fill out the top section of the Verification Form prior to requesting that the verifier sign the form. Use the space provided to describe the accomplishment you have chosen to submit. You may type or handwrite this information on the form. If you type, you may single-space the text using 12-point Times New Roman font.
When you provide your verifier with the Verification Form, you must also provide the Verification Cover Letter. Please direct the verifier to read the cover letter (which asks the verifier to attest to the accuracy of your
description); read the top half of the form (which you have already completed); complete the bottom section of the form (including the date); return the form to you.
The Verification Cover Letter and Verification Form are provided in the “Cover Sheets” section.
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PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Communication Log
What this is This is a running log for the current school year in which you can briefly record pertinent information shared with or about students’ families at the time of the communication. It may be difficult to document some activities and accomplishments with an artifact or a Verification Form because of the nature of communications with families and others outside your classroom. A communication log provides one way to track your contacts with people outside the classroom concerning your students and their learning, and that shows you have gone above and beyond routine efforts to build communication.
See an example of a page from a completed communication log as well as a blank communication log below. You can use these as guides if you decide to create your own log.
A communication log includes each of the following pieces of information: dates of communication participants (delete last names to preserve confidentiality) descriptions of the nature of each contact, its purpose(s), and/or its outcome(s)
Each entry in a communication log can be short but must be specific. Assessors look for information regarding the variety of communications you make and the frequency with which you communicate with other people about your students. Be sure to record not just outgoing communications but those you receive from others who are significant in students’ lives.
Guidelines for use
A communication log is not mandatory, but we encourage you to submit a sampling of pages from one if you use one. Select pages that demonstrate the variety of communication you have with families and other parties.
Whether you submit originals or photocopies of your communication log pages, what you submit must be legible. If you are unable to make legible photocopies, you may transcribe the information from your communication log pages onto either the blank communication log provided or sheets that you create using the sample communication log as a model.
Cautions
You may not reduce full-size pages of text or images in order to fit more than 1 page of text/images onto a single page. For example, do not reduce 2 full pages of text in order to place both on a single page. Doing so would reduce the font to smaller than 12 point and make it difficult for assessors to read. If the print is so small that it cannot be read, that page will not be scored. If you submit pages in a reduced format, assessors will count that page as 2 pages.You may, however, place more than one small piece of documentation related to the same accomplishment on the same page. For example, if you wrote a journal article, you could reduce the title page and part of the first page of the article slightly in order to fit them on a single page.Regardless of whether or not a piece of documentation has been reduced in size, if the text is illegible, assessors will not read it, and it will not count in your score.
A curriculum vitae or résumé is not a good choice for documentation because it lacks descriptions to place the activities and accomplishments in context or to explain their significance. In addition, using a curriculum vitae or résumé would still require you to attach additional documentation in support of the particular accomplishments that you wished to highlight. Furthermore, the curriculum vitae or résumé itself would count as pages in your response.
2-40 © 2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Sample of Communication Log
Datemm/dd/yy
Contact Type of Communication (telephone, written, e-mail, or in person)
Nature of Communication (reason for communication, outcome of communication)
3/6 Juan’s father Phone call Juan has been showing dramatic progress. Spoke with father to encourage his continued support.
3/10 Tara’s mother Phone call Tara’s mother called me with some concerns about Tara’s behavior at home. We discussed her incomplete class work. I suggested a reward system.
3/11 Felicia’s parents E-mail Felicia’s parents responded to my initial request to all parents for information about their children. Learned that Felicia loves science!
3/13 PTA president E-mail Sent draft agenda for Family Math Night; scheduled appointment to plan activities and determine materials that we need.
3/20 All parents Newsletter Sent newsletter home and invited parents to attend and assist with upcoming student performances—waiting for responses.
3/23 Justin’s mother In person Justin will be moving into my class. Met with Justin and his mother for a smooth transition. Will call home after two weeks to keep mother informed.
3/27 Rotary Club Phone call Contacted president regarding the group members’ Career Day visit to school.
4/1 Tara’s mother Phone call Tara’s mother called to inform me that Tara’s behavior has improved. I mentioned that Tara had turned in her completed class work.
2-41 © 2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Communication Log
Datemm/dd/yy
Contact Type of Communication (telephone, written, e-mail, or in person)
Nature of Communication (reason for communication, outcome of communication)
2-42 © 2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Documentation Format Specifications
Your documentation must meet the following requirements: Language For evidence in a language other than English or the target language, submit a separate
sheet that translates the documentation or verification. This separate sheet will not count toward the total page count for documentation.
Format Make sure documentation is no larger than 8.5" × 11". For larger materials or three- dimensional objects, submit photographs rather than the objects themselves.
Make sure documentation is legible. Multiple pages of evidence should not be reduced to one sheet unless the resulting font size is no smaller than 12 point, nor should small pieces of evidence from different Description and Analysis sets of activities and accomplishments be put on the same page.
Artifacts: Confirm that your name and the date of the accomplishment appear on one page of the artifact you are submitting as documentation for an accomplishment. Your artifact must show your name as evidence that you were responsible for or participated in the work and must show the date of the work. Artifacts not meeting these criteria may be submitted but must be accompanied by a Verification Form. Verification Forms: You may type or handwrite this information on the form. If you type, you may use the system default font, size, and spacing. Communications logs: This should be an accurate representation of your outreach with families and the community. Do not “cut and paste” random entries; instead, choose whole pages that best illustrate the interactive communication between you and your students, families, and others interested in students’ learning. Example: You can describe a communication that spans several weeks while submitting only a sample of this communication.
Anonymity guidelines
Note: These guidelines are designed to protect the identities of students and to ensure that assessors do not draw conclusions about your response based on ideas about where you teach:
Remove information that identifies you geographically. Do not use the last names of students and their families. Remove information, such as a parent’s last name, that identifies a third party.
Exceptions to anonymity guidelines
You must not remove information that identifies you from the artifact you submit, because assessors must know whose evidence they are evaluating.
Do not remove last names from Verification Forms of colleagues and others who have signed them. For example, if a parent signs a Verification Form, do not remove his or her last name.
Leave last names in place when an artifact is printed matter that is not confidential in nature. For example, do not remove last names from a newspaper article, a journal article, school-board letterhead, and similar documents.
It can be very difficult to remove all traces of school identity from an artifact, since the impact of many school-related documents is at least partly derived from the authority behind the institution. Therefore, it is acceptable to leave in school and institution identifiers if this information is significant.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages.
Label to indicate the number of the accomplishment. It is critical that you label every page of documentation so that it is clearly identified as pertaining to a particular accomplishment. At the top of each page of documentation, write “Documentation for Accomplishment #_” and fill in the number of the accomplishment.
2-43 © 2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Page count Submit no more than 16 pages in total. For this documentation, this means no more than 16 sheets of paper, whether or not each piece of paper has text and/or images on the entire page.
Preparing a Reflective Summary When you finish writing your Description and Analysis and collecting your documentation, critically review the materials and write a 2-page Reflective Summary. The summary should not restate your Description and Analysis; rather, it should analyze the effectiveness of your accomplishments. This is your opportunity to highlight the significance of your accomplishments as a whole and to reflect on them and their impact on student learning.
Respond to the following questions for your Reflective Summary. (It is not necessary to include the italicized questions within the body of your response.)
In your work outside of the classroom (beyond explicit student instruction), what was most effective in impacting student learning? Why?
Considering the patterns evident in all of your accomplishments taken together, what is your plan to further impact student learning in the future?
Reflective Summary Format Specifications
Your Reflective Summary must meet the following requirements: Language Write in English.
Format Type your responses on a separate sheet of paper. Double-space your text; do not use 24- point line spacing.
Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Do not use condensed or compressed fonts.
Materials will be submitted electronically as a Microsoft Word, Open Office or PDF file. Page size must be 8.5" × 11" with 1" margins on all sides.
Make sure materials are legible.
Labeling Place your candidate ID number in the upper right corner of all pages. Do not include your name. If you are using a word-processing program, you can save time by creating a “header” that prints your candidate ID number on each page.
Page count Submit no more than 2 typed pages in total.
For more information, see “Writing about Teaching” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1). For examples of appropriate line spacing and font formatting, see “Specifications: Formatting Written Materials” in “Phase 2: Develop” (in Part 1).
2-44 ©2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Assembling Your Accomplishments and Reflective Summary When you have completed each Description and Analysis, gathered your documentation, and written the Reflective Summary, group the parts of your entry in three files:
Description and Analysis – 10 pages maximum for up to 8 accomplishments Documentation – 16 pages maximum, not counting cover sheets Reflective Summary – 2 pages maximum
Organize these materials within the Documentation file as outlined below so that assessors can easily see how the Description and Analysis and documentation fit together. Assessors are trained to score your entry by first reading the Description and Analysis of an accomplishment and then reviewing the documentation for that accomplishment.
Follow these guidelines to label, number, and insert cover sheets:
Labeling your Description and Analysis. You must label each Description and Analysis with a number that identifies which accomplishment you are describing. Place a title at the top of every page of each Description and Analysis, specifying the accomplishment number (e.g., “Accomplishment #1”).
Labeling your documentation. It is also critical that you label every page of documentation so that it is clearly identified as pertaining to a particular accomplishment. At the top of each page of documentation, write “Documentation for Accomplishment # ” and fill in the number of the accomplishment.
Cover sheets. After you have assembled all of your documentation and numbered the pages, find the Accomplishment Cover Sheet located in the “Cover Sheets and Forms” section that follows the Entry 4 directions. Make multiple copies so that you have a cover sheet for each accomplishment, and number each cover sheet in the space provided. Then insert Accomplishment Cover Sheet #1 in front of the first page of documentation for your first accomplishment. Place Accomplishment Cover Sheet #2 in front of the first page of documentation for your second accomplishment, followed by the page(s) of documentation for your second accomplishment, and so on for the rest of your accomplishments.
2-45 ©2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Entry 4
Entry 4 Cover Sheets All cover sheets required for this entry are listed in this section. To read and print these documents, you must install Adobe Reader software on your computer. You may download Adobe Reader for free by following the instructions provided on the Adobe Systems website (www.adobe.com).
As you prepare your portfolio, keep in mind some cover sheets contain directions that are not repeated elsewhere; follow these directions carefully.
2-45 ©2015 National Board for Professional Teac hing Standards | All rights reserved.
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CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION SHEET
This form asks you to describe the broader context in which you teach: • If you teach in different schools that have different characteristics, and this entry features students from
more than one school, please complete a separate sheet for each school associated with this entry.• If a completed Contextual Information Sheet also pertains to another entry, submit it with that entry as
well.
In each entry, you are asked to provide specific information about the students in the class you have featured inthe entry. This is in addition to the information requested here. Please print clearly or type. (If you type, you mayuse the system default font, size, and spacing.) Limit your responses to the spaces provided below. For clarity,please avoid the use of acronyms.
1. Briefly identify• the type of school/program in which you teach and the grade/subject configuration (single grade,
departmentalized, interdisciplinary teams, etc.):
• the grade(s), age levels, number of students taught daily, average number in each class, and courses:Grades Age Levels Number of Students Average Number of Students in Each Class
Courses
2. What information about your teaching context do you believe would be important for assessors to know tounderstand your portfolio entries? Be brief and specific. Note: You might include details of any state ordistrict mandates, information regarding the type of community, and access to current technology.
©2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Accomplishment COVER SHEET
Accomplishment #
Area of accomplishment
The checklist below is intended only to help you confirm for yourself that you have submitted accomplishments in all the categories. Assessors are trained to consider the substance of your accomplishments, not whether you have correctly labeled the ca tego ry .
This accomplishment reflects (check all that apply):
❏ Your work with your students’ families, showing ongoing, interactive, two-waycommunication (current year)
❏ Your work as a learner (within the last five years)
❏ Your work as a leader and collaborator at the local, state, and/or national level
(within the last five years)
Use this cover sheet as many times as needed.
©2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
VERIFICATION COVER LETTER
Dear Colleague:
The teacher whose name appears on the attached verification form is a participant in the assessment for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. The teacher has been asked to describe his or her accomplishments regarding the Standards for Family and Community Partnerships, Professional Partnerships, and Reflective Practice and to provide documentation of these accomplishments.
The teacher has identified you as someone personally knowledgeable about his or her accomplishments. We would appreciate your help in verifying the accuracy of the candidate’s description of the accomplishments being reported to the National Board. Please read the verification form, which the teacher has prepared. Return the form directly to the candidate. We may need to obtain additional information about these activities from you at a later time. Please call us at 1-800-22TEACH® if you have any questions.
Thank you for your assistance in this important effort.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
©2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
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VERIFICATION FORM Note: You may handwrite or type the information on this form. If you type, you may single-space the text using the system default font. If you handwrite, the form must be digitized prior to entry submission.
To be completed by the candidate:
Candidate Name:
Below, briefly describe the accomplishment(s) being verified by the signer of the form. Explain what the accomplishment is, why it is significant, and how it has impacted student learning.
To be completed by the verifier after the candidate has completed the top section:
Is the candidate’s description of his or her activities accurate? Yes No don’t know
How do you know of these activities?
Signature: Date:
Name (please print):
Title or Position:
Phone Number: ( )
Address:
Please return this completed form directly to the candidate.
©2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Communication Log This log may be used to track your contacts with various people outside the classroom concerning your students and their learning.
Date mm/dd/yy
Contact Type of Communication (telephone, written, e-mail, or in person)
Nature of Communication (reason for communication, outcome of communication)
Copyright © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. All rights reserved.
Documented Accomplishments Categories Chart Use this chart to help you think about the different areas in which you work outside the classroom to improve student learning. Your accomplishments might overlap more than one category.
Category– Accomplishments that
demonstrate… Activity Significance
Impact on Student Learning
Documentation
Your work with the families and community of your students
(in current year) Your development as a learner
(within last five years) Your work as a collaborator and/or leader
(within last five years)
Copyright © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. All rights reserved.
PORTFOLIO INSTRUCTIONS Part 2: Portfolio Entry Directions
Early Childhood/Generalist Your Submission at a Glance for EC/Generalist
Your Electronic Submission at a Glance for EC/Generalist
The following chart provides an overview of the EC/Generalist portfolio contents—cover sheets, forms, and the materials you collect and/or prepare—as well as a list of the forms you keep for your records.
Enclosing complete and appropriate materials in the correct order is essential for the proper submission of your portfolio.
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© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
EC/GEN_ESAAG_03 Prepared by Pearson for submission under contract with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
Early Childhood/Generalist Electronic Submission at a GlanceSubmit your evidence of accomplished teaching using the ePortfolio system (see the Guide to Electronic Submission). Use this chart to understand how to group your evidence and submit it electronically for the Early Childhood/Generalist portfolio assessment.
Entry 1: Submit 3 files Examining Children's Literacy Development
Entry 2: Submit 5 files Building a Learning Environment
Entry 3: Submit 5 files Integrating Mathematics and Science
Entry 4: Submit 4 files Documented Accomplishments: Contributions to Student Learning
Retain for Your Records
Contextual Information Sheet(s) Written Commentary (13 pages max.)
Student Work Samples Submit 6 work samples in 1 file; based on option selected, 6, 9, or 12 pages max. for all samples combined—cover sheets do not count in page totals
Student 1 Set • 3 Student Work Sample Cover
Sheets each with associatedwork sample
Student 2 Set • 3 Student Work Sample Cover
Sheets each with associatedwork sample
Contextual Information Sheet(s) Written Commentary (12 pages max.) Entry 2 Classroom Layout Form Video recording (15 minutes max.)
Instructional Materials Submit 4 materials in 1 file; 4 pages max. combined—cover sheets and cover sheet responses do not count in page total
Instructional Materials 1–4: 4 Instructional Material Cover Sheets each with associated: • cover sheet response (1 page
max. for each)• instructional material (1 page
max. for each)
Contextual Information Sheet(s) Written Commentary (11 pages max.) Entry 3 Classroom Layout Form Video recording (15 minutes max.)
Instructional Materials Submit materials in 1 file; see “Entry 3: What Do I Need to Do?” in Portfolio Instructions: Part 2 for evidence totals
Instructional Materials: 4 Instructional Material Cover Sheets each with associated: • cover sheet response (1 page
max. for each)• instructional material (1 page
max. for each)
Contextual Information Sheet(s) Description and analysis (10 pages max.) for up to 8 accomplishments Documentation (16 pages max., not counting cover sheets) • Accomplishment Cover Sheet
for each documentedaccomplishment
• Documents: Artifacts,Communication Log, and/orVerification Form(s)
Reflective Summary (2 pages max.)
• Student Release Forms • Adult Release Forms • Verification Cover Letter
Document. Submit as doc, docx, odt, or pdf file. Video recording. Submit as flv, asf, qt, mov, mpg, mpeg, avi, wmv, mp4, or m4v file.
STUDENT RELEASE FORM (to be completed either by the parents/legal guardians of minor students who are involved in this project
or by students who are more than 18 years of age and are involved in this project)
Dear Parent/Guardian:
I am a participant this school year in an assessment to certify teachers as outstanding practitioners in teaching. My participation in this assessment, which is being conducted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® (NBPTS®), is voluntary. The primary purposes of this assessment are to enhance student learning and encourage excellence in teaching.
This assessment requires that I submit short audiovisual recordings and/or photographs of lessons being taught in your child’s class. Although the recordings/photographs will show or involve students, the primary focus is on my instruction, not on the students. In the course of this assessment, your child’s image and voice may be recorded on the video, and your child may be photographed, with the recordings/photographs then submitted to NBPTS. Also, as part of the assessment, I may be asked to submit samples of student work (Student Work) as evidence of teaching practice; that Student Work may include some of your child’s work. No student’s last name will appear on any materials that I submit as part of my assessment.
NBPTS has broad rights to use my Submissions (which include my written commentary sheets, instructional materials, essays, classroom plans, assignments, and comments, but which definition excludes Student Work) and I assign to NBPTS all of my rights in and to the Submissions. NBPTS also obtains certain rights with respect to the Student Work. Specifically, NBPTS may use my Submissions and the Student Work in any way it chooses consistent with the mission of NBPTS, which includes any activity deemed by NBPTS to further education. For instance, without limitation, in addition to uses related to my assessment by NBPTS and its third-party assessors, NBPTS may use and distribute the Submissions and Student Work, such as by posting in a password-protected online database, and grant others the same rights, for educational, research, and professional development purposes, and may use the Submissions and Student Work in NBPTS works and publications. NBPTS may receive fees from those to whom it grants rights related to the Submissions and Student Work. These uses may make my Submissions and the Student Work available for viewing by a broad range of individuals, educators, and students. By providing permission below, you are granting NBPTS a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, and unrestricted license to use any Student Work by your child that I submit as part of my assessment, and to have and to use any copyright, rights of publicity, and other rights associated with any Student Work, and you are releasing NBPTS from all claims (including invasion of privacy) in connection with such use.
If you agree to your child’s participation in the activities as outlined above and NBPTS’s right to use the Submissions and Student Work in the manner described above, please sign the Permission Slip. I will retain this form documenting your permission, but may provide it to NBPTS upon request. If you do not consent to your child’s participation, your child will be out of view in making the recordings and photographs, and I will not include your child’s work in the Student Work I submit. Thank you very much.
Sincerely, (Candidate Signature)
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
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Student Release Form Permission Slip
Student Name:
School/Teacher:
Your Address:
I am the parent/legal guardian of the child named above. I have received and read your letter regarding a teacher assessment being conducted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and agree to the following:
D I DO give permission to you to record my child’s image and voice on video and take photographs as my child participates in a class conducted
at (Name of School)
by (Teacher’s Name)
and/or to provide NBPTS with copies of materials that my child may produce as part of classroom activities, all on the terms and conditions described above. No last names will appear on any materials submitted to NBPTS.
D I DO NOT give permission to you to record my child’s image or voice or to reproduce materials that my child may produce as part of classroom activities.
Signature of Parent or Guardian:
Date:
I am the student named above and am more than 18 years of age. I have read and understand the project description given above. I understand that my performance is not being evaluated by this project and that my last name will not appear on any materials that may be submitted.
D I DO give permission to you to record my image and voice on video and take photographs of me as I participate in a class conducted
at (Name of School)
by (Teacher’s Name)
and/or to provide NBPTS with copies of materials that I may produce as part of classroom activities, all on the terms and conditions described above.
D I DO NOT give permission to you to record my image or voice or to reproduce materials that I may produce as part of classroom activities.
Signature of Student:
Date: Date of Birth :
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
FORMULARIO DE AUTORIZACIÓN (para ser completado por padres o tutores de estudiantes menores que participen en este proyecto o por estudiantes mayores de
18 años y que participen en este proyecto)
Estimados padres/tutores: Este año escolar soy uno de los participantes en una evaluación para certificar a maestros como
educadores profesionales destacados. Mi participación en esta evaluación, llevada a cabo por el “National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®” (NBPTS®)/ Comité Nacional de Normas Profesionales para la Enseñanza, es voluntaria. Los objetivos principales de esta evaluación son mejorar el aprendizaje estudiantil y fomentar la excelencia en la enseñanza.
Esta evaluación requiere que yo entregue grabaciones audiovisuales cortas y/o fotografías de las lecciones que se enseñan en la clase de su hijo(a). Aunque las grabaciones o las fotografías mostrarán o incluirán a estudiantes, el enfoque principal será en mi práctica educativa, no en los estudiantes que puedan estar representados. Durante este proyecto, la imagen y la voz de su hijo(a) podrían ser grabadas en el vídeo, y se le podrían sacar unas fotos a su hijo(a), las cuales se entregarán al NBPTS. Además, como parte de la evaluación se me puede pedir que presente muestras del trabajo de los estudiantes (Trabajo Estudiantil) como evidencia de la práctica docente y ese Trabajo Estudiantil podría incluir algún trabajo de su hijo(a). Los apellidos de los estudiantes no aparecerán en ningún material que presente como parte de mi evaluación.
El NBPTS tiene amplios derechos para utilizar mis Entregas (las cuales incluyen mis comentarios escritos, materiales didácticos, ensayos, planes de lecciones, asignaciones y otro material cuya definición no cae en la categoría de Trabajo Estudiantil) y le asigno al NBPTS todos mis derechos en cuanto a estas Entregas. El NBPTS también obtiene ciertos derechos en respecto al Trabajo Estudiantil. En concreto, el NBPTS puede usar mis Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil en cualquier forma que elija en consonancia con la misión del NBPTS, la cual incluye cualquier actividad que se considere por el NBPTS como beneficiosa para promover la educación. Por ejemplo, sin limitaciones, además de los usos relacionados con mi evaluación por NBPTS y sus asesores externos, el NBPTS puede utilizar y distribuir las Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil mediante su publicación en una base de datos por Internet protegida con una contraseña y conceder a otros los mismos derechos con fines educativos, de investigación y desarrollo profesional, y puede utilizar las Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil en obras y publicaciones del NBPTS. El NBPTS puede recibir cuotas o aranceles de aquellos a quienes otorga los derechos relacionados con las Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil. Estos usos pueden hacer que mis Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil estén disponibles para ser consultados por diferentes individuos, educadores y estudiantes. Al dar su permiso abajo, usted otorga al NBPTS una licencia perpetua, irrevocable, sin regalías y sin restricciones para usar cualquier Trabajo Estudiantil llevado a cabo por su hijo(a) que entrego como parte de mi evaluación, además usted otorga el derecho de tener y de usar cualquier derecho de autor, de publicidad, y otros derechos asociados con cualquier Trabajo Estudiantil, y además libera al NBPTS de todas las reclamaciones (incluyendo la invasión de privacidad) en relación con tal uso.
Si está de acuerdo con la participación de su hijo(a) en las actividades descritas arriba y el derecho del NBPTS al uso de las Entregas y el Trabajo Estudiantil de la manera en que se describe arriba, por favor firme la hoja de autorización. Yo retendré este formulario para documentar su permiso, pero se me puede pedir su entrega al NBPTS. Si usted no da su consentimiento para que su hijo(a) participe, su hijo(a) no será incluido(a) cuando se hagan las grabaciones o se tomen las fotografías, y no incluiré el trabajo de su hijo(a) en el Trabajo Estudiantil que yo entregue. Muchas gracias.
Atentamente, (Firma del Candidato/ de la Candidata)
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
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Hoja de Autorización
Nombre del/de la estudiante:
Escuela/Maestro(a):
Su dirección:
Soy el padre/la madre/ el tutor/la tutora del/de la estudiante mencionado(a) arriba. He recibido y leído su carta acerca de una evaluación para maestros que está siendo conducida por el National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), y estoy de acuerdo con lo siguiente:
D SÍ, autorizo a que se graben la imagen y la voz de mi hijo(a) en videograbaciones y que saquen fotografías cuando mi hijo(a) participa en una clase guiada
en (nombre de la escuela)
por (nombre del maestro/de la maestra)
y/o que se le provea al NBPTS copias de materiales que mi hijo(a) pueda producir como parte de las actividades de clase, tal y como se expresa en los términos y condiciones descritos arriba. No aparecerán apellidos en ninguno de los materiales presentados a NBPTS.
D NO, no autorizo a que se graben ni la imagen ni la voz de mi hijo(a) o que se reproduzcan materiales que mi hijo(a) pueda producir como parte de sus actividades en la clase.
Firma del padre/de la madre, o del tutor/de la tutora:
Fecha:
Soy el estudiante/la estudiante mencionada arriba y soy mayor de 18 años de edad. He leído y entiendo la descripción del proyecto mencionado arriba. Entiendo que mi desempeño no está siendo evaluado en este proyecto y que mi apellido no se mencionará en ninguno de los materiales que puedan ser entregados.
D SÍ, autorizo a que se graben mi imagen y mi voz en videograbaciones y que me saquen fotos cuando participo en una clase guiada
en (nombre de la escuela)
por (nombre del maestro/de la maestra)
y/o que se le provea al NBPTS copias de materiales que yo pueda producir como parte de mis actividades en la clase, tal y como se expresa en los términos y condiciones descritos arriba.
D NO, no autorizo a que se me graben ni la imagen ni la voz en videograbaciones o que se reproduzcan materiales que yo pueda producir como parte de mis actividades en la clase.
Firma del/de la estudiante:
Fecha: Fecha de Nacimiento: / / MM DD AA
© 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards | All rights reserved.
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ADULT RELEASE FORM (to be completed by non-students who are involved in this project)
Dear Sir or Madam: I am a participant this school year in an assessment to certify teachers as outstanding practitioners in teaching. My participation in this assessment, which is being conducted by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® (NBPTS®), is voluntary. The primary purposes of this assessment are to enhance student learning and encourage excellence in teaching.
This assessment requires that I submit short audiovisual recordings and/or photographs of lessons being taught in class. Although the recordings/photographs will show or involve students and others, the primary focus is on my instruction. In the course of this assessment, your image and voice may be recorded on the video, and you may be photographed, with the recordings/photographed then submitted to NBPTS.
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Activity Planner Worksheet Use this worksheet to plan your time on each of the activities required to complete your portfolio entries.
ACTIVITY Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Read the Standards and all of the portfolio directions. Use as a reference
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Describe your accomplishments and collect documentation for Documented Accomplishments.
Video record classes, and collect student work samples.
Review your video recordings and student work samples.
Select your video recordings and draft your Written Commentaries for them.
Select your student work samples and draft your Written Commentary for them.
Do self-assessment of your entries.
Begin final drafts of your Written Commentaries.
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Complete final drafts of your Written Commentaries.
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Gather all materials for the four entries.
Prepare your portfolio and refer to the directions in “Phase 3: Submit” (in Part 1) for important information about organizing, uploading and submitting your portfolio electronically.
Copyright © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2015 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards®. All rights reserved.
Appendix: Excerpts from National Science Education Standards The material on the following pages is reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by the National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Please note that the pages that follow are only excerpts from the National Science Education Standards publication, not the entire published document. The pages included in this appendix contain only the information pertinent to completion of the portfolio for the specific certificate area you have chosen to pursue.
You can use the information from these excerpted pages to assist you in completing your portfolio entries. References contained in these excerpted pages are those shown in the original, published document, and do not correspond to information previously shown in the portfolio instructions.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
2
distinct—teachers should develop students’understandings continuously across grades K-12.
Systems and subsystems, the nature ofmodels, and conservation are fundamentalconcepts and processes included in thisstandard. Young students tend to interpretphenomena separately rather than in termsof a system. Force, for example, isperceived as a property of an object ratherthan the result of interacting bodies.Students do not recognize the differencesbetween parts and whole systems, but viewthem as similar. Therefore, teachers ofscience need to help students recognize theproperties of objects, as emphasized ingrade-level content standards, whilehelping them to understand systems.
As another example, students in middleschool and high school view models asphysical copies of reality and not asconceptual representations. Teachers shouldhelp students understand that models aredeveloped and tested by comparing the modelwith observations of reality.
Teachers in elementary grades shouldrecognize that students’ reports of changes insuch things as volume, mass, and space canrepresent errors common to well-recognizeddevelopmental stages of children.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDSome of the fundamental concepts that
underlie this standard are
SYSTEMS, ORDER, AND ORGANIZATION
The natural and designed world is complex; itis too large and complicated to investigate andcomprehend all at once. Scientists andstudents learn to define small portions for theconvenience of investigation. The units ofinvestigation can be referred to as “systems.”A system is an organized group of relatedobjects or components that form a whole.
Systems can consist, for example, oforganisms, machines, fundamental particles,galaxies, ideas, numbers, transportation, andeducation. Systems have boundaries,components, resources flow (input andoutput), and feedback.
The goal of this standard is to think andanalyze in terms of systems. Thinking andanalyzing in terms of systems will helpstudents keep track of mass, energy, objects,organisms, and events referred to in the othercontent standards. The idea of simple systemsencompasses subsystems as well as identifyingthe structure and function of systems,feedback and equilibrium, and the distinctionbetween open and closed systems.
Science assumes that the behavior of theuniverse is not capricious, that nature is thesame everywhere, and that it isunderstandable and predictable. Students candevelop an understanding of regularities insystems, and by extension, the universe; theythen can develop understanding of basic laws,theories, and models that explain the world.
Newton’s laws of force and motion, Kepler’slaws of planetary motion, conservation laws,Darwin’s laws of natural selection, and chaostheory all exemplify the idea of order andregularity. An assumption of order establishesthe basis for cause-effect relationships andpredictability.
Prediction is the use of knowledge toidentify and explain observations, or changes,in advance. The use of mathematics,especially probability, allows for greater orlesser certainty of predictions. [See ProgramStandard C]
Order—the behavior of units of matter,objects, organisms, or events in the universe—can be described statistically. Probability is therelative certainty (or uncertainty) thatindividuals can assign to selected eventshappening (or not happening) in aspecified space or time. In science,
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
3
reduction of uncertainty occurs throughsuch processes as the development ofknowledge about factors influencingobjects, organisms, systems, or events;better and more observations; and betterexplanatory models.
Types and levels of organization provideuseful ways of thinking about the world.Types of organization include the periodictable of elements and the classification oforganisms. Physical systems can be describedat different levels of organization—such asfundamental particles, atoms, and molecules.Living systems also have different levels oforganization—for example, cells, tissues,organs, organisms, populations, andcommunities. The complexity and number offundamental units change in extendedhierarchies of organization. Within thesesystems, interactions between componentsoccur. Further, systems at different levels oforganization can manifest different propertiesand functions.
EVIDENCE, MODELS, AND
EXPLANATION Evidence consists ofobservations and data on which to basescientific explanations. Using evidence tounderstand interactions allows individuals topredict changes in natural and designedsystems.[See Content Standard A (all gradelevels)]
Models are tentative schemes or structuresthat correspond to real objects, events, orclasses of events, and that have explanatorypower. Models help scientists and engineersunderstand how things work. Models takemany forms, including physical objects, plans,mental constructs, mathematical equations,and computer simulations.
Scientific explanations incorporate existingscientific knowledge and new evidence fromobservations, experiments, or models into
internally consistent, logical statements.Different terms, such as “hypothesis,”“model,” “law,” “principle,” “theory,” and“paradigm” are used to describe various typesof scientific explanations. As students developand as they understand more science concepts
As students develop and...understand
more science concepts and processes,
their explanations should become
more sophisticated...frequently
reflecting a rich scientific knowledge
base, evidence of logic, higher levels
of analysis, and greater tolerance of
criticism and uncertainty.
and processes, their explanations shouldbecome more sophisticated. That is, theirscientific explanations should more frequentlyinclude a rich scientific knowledge base,evidence of logic, higher levels of analysis,greater tolerance of criticism and uncertainty,and a clearer demonstration of therelationship between logic, evidence, andcurrent knowledge.
CONSTANCY, CHANGE, AND
MEASUREMENT Although most things arein the process of becoming different—changing—some properties of objects andprocesses are characterized by constancy,including the speed of light, the charge ofan electron, and the total mass plus energyin the universe. Changes might occur, forexample, in properties of materials,position of objects, motion, and form andfunction of systems. Interactions withinand among systems result in change.Changes vary in rate, scale, and pattern,
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
5
EVOLUTION AND EQUILIBRIUMEvolution is a series of changes, some gradualand some sporadic, that accounts for thepresent form and function of objects,organisms, and natural and designed systems.The general idea of evolution is that thepresent arises from materials and forms of thepast. Although evolution is most commonlyassociated with the biological theoryexplaining the process of descent withmodification of organisms from commonancestors, evolution also describes changes inthe universe.[See Content Standard C (grades 9-12)]
Equilibrium is a physical state in whichforces and changes occur in opposite and off-setting directions: for example, opposite forcesare of the same magnitude, or off-settingchanges occur at equal rates. Steady state,balance, and homeostasis also describeequilibrium states. Interacting units of mattertend toward equilibrium states in which theenergy is distributed as randomly anduniformly as possible.FORM AND FUNCTION Form and functionare complementary aspects of objects,organisms, and systems in the natural anddesigned world. The form or shape of anobject or system is frequently related to use,operation, or function. Function frequentlyrelies on form. Understanding of form andfunction applies to different levels oforganization. Students should be able toexplain function by referring to form andexplain form by referring to function.[SeeContent Standard C (grades 5-8)]makingmodels.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
2
Full inquiry involves asking a simple
question, completing an investigation,
answering the question, and presenting the
results to others. In elementary grades,
students begin to develop the physical and
intellectual abilities of scientific inquiry.
They can design investigations to try things
to see what happens—they tend to focus on
concrete results of tests and will entertain
the idea of a “fair” test (a test in which only
one variable at a time is changed). However,
children in K-4 have difficulty with
experimentation as a process of testing
ideas and the logic of using evidence to
formulate explanations.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental abilities and concepts
that underlie this standard include
ABILITIES NECESSARY TO DO
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
ASK A QUESTION ABOUT OBJECTS ,
ORGANISMS, AND EVENTS IN THE
ENVIRONMENT. This aspect of the
standard emphasizes students asking
questions that they can answer with
scientific knowledge, combined with
their own observations. Students should
answer their questions by seeking
information from reliable sources of
scientific information and from their
own observations and investigations.
PLAN AND CONDUCT A SIMPLE
INVESTIGATION. In the earliest years,
investigations are largely based on systematic
observations. As students develop, they may
design and conduct simple experiments to
answer questions. The idea of a fair test is
possible for many students to consider by
fourth grade.
EMPLOY SIMPLE EQUIPMENT AND
TOOLS TO GATHER DATA AND EXTEND
THE SENSES. In early years, students
develop simple skills, such as how to
observe, measure, cut, connect, switch, turn
on and off, pour, hold, tie, and hook.
Beginning with simple instruments,
students can use rulers to measure the
length, height, and depth of objects and
materials; thermometers to measure
temperature; watches to measure time;
beam balances and spring scales to measure
weight and force; magnifiers to observe
objects and organisms; and microscopes to
observe the finer details of plants, animals,
rocks, and other materials. Children also
develop skills in the use of computers and
calculators for conducting investigations.
USE DATA TO CONSTRUCT A REASON-
ABLE EXPLANATION. This aspect of the
standard emphasizes the students’ thinking
as they use data to formulate explanations.
Even at the earliest grade levels, students
should learn what constitutes evidence and
judge the merits or strength of the data and
information that will be used to make
explanations. After students propose an
explanation, they will appeal to the knowledge
and evidence they obtained to support their
explanations. Students should check their
explanations against scientific knowledge,
experiences, and observations of others.
COMMUNICATE INVESTIGATIONS AND
EXPLANATIONS. Students should begin
developing the abilities to communicate,
critique, and analyze their work and the
work of other students. This communication
might be spoken or drawn as well as
written.
See Teaching
Standard B
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
3
UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
■ Scientific investigations involve asking and
answering a question and comparing the
answer with what scientists already know
about the world.
■ Scientists use different kinds of investiga-
tions depending on the questions they are
trying to answer. Types of investigations
include describing objects, events, and
organisms; classifying them; and doing a
fair test (experimenting).
■ Simple instruments, such as magnifiers,
thermometers, and rulers, provide more
information than scientists obtain using
only their senses.
■ Scientists develop explanations using
observations (evidence) and what they
already know about the world (scientific
knowledge). Good explanations are based
on evidence from investigations.
■ Scientists make the results of their
investigations public; they describe the
investigations in ways that enable others
to repeat the investigations.
■ Scientists review and ask questions about
the results of other scientists’ work.
Physical ScienceCONTENT STANDARD B:
As a result of the activities in
grades K-4, all students should
develop an understanding of
■ Properties of objects and materials
■ Position and motion of objects
■ Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism
DEVELOPING STUDENTUNDERSTANDING
During their early years, children’s natural
curiosity leads them to explore the world by
observing and manipulating common objects
and materials in their environment. Children
compare, describe, and sort as they begin to
form explanations of the world. Developing a
subject-matter knowledge base to explain and
predict the world requires many experiences
over a long period. Young children bring
experiences, understanding, and ideas to
school; teachers provide opportunities to con-
tinue children’s explorations in focused set-
tings with other children using simple tools,
such as magnifiers and measuring devices.
Physical science in grades K-4 includes
topics that give students a chance to increase
their understanding of the characteristics of
objects and materials that they encounter
daily. Through the observation, manipula-
tion, and classification of common objects,
children reflect on the similarities and
differences of the objects. As a result, their
initial sketches and single-word descriptions
lead to increasingly more detailed drawings
and richer verbal descriptions. Describing,
grouping, and sorting solid objects and
materials is possible early in this grade
range. By grade 4, distinctions between the
properties of objects and materials can be
understood in specific contexts, such as a set
of rocks or living materials.
Young children begin their study of matter
by examining and qualitatively describing
objects and their behavior. The important
but abstract ideas of science, such as atomic
structure of matter and the conservation of
Full inquiry involves asking a simplequestion, completing an investigation,answering the question, andpresenting the results to others.
See Program
Standard C
See Content
Standard G
(grades K-4)
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
4
energy, all begin with observing and keeping
track of the way the world behaves. When
carefully observed, described, and measured,
the properties of objects, changes in
properties over time, and the changes that
occur when materials interact provide the
necessary precursors to the later
introduction of more abstract ideas in the
upper grade levels.
Students are familiar with the change of
state between water and ice, but the idea of
liquids having a set of properties is more
nebulous and requires more instructional
effort than working with solids. Most
students will have difficulty with the
generalization that many substances can
exist as either a liquid or a solid. K-4
students do not understand that water exists
as a gas when it boils or evaporates; they are
more likely to think that water disappears or
goes into the sky. Despite that limitation,
students can conduct simple investigations
with heating and evaporation that develop
inquiry skills and familiarize them with the
phenomena.
When students describe and manipulate
objects by pushing, pulling, throwing, drop-
ping, and rolling, they also begin to focus
on the position and movement of objects:
describing location as up, down, in front, or
behind, and discovering the various kinds
of motion and forces required to control it.
By experimenting with light, heat, electricity,
magnetism, and sound, students begin to
understand that phenomena can be
observed, measured, and controlled in
various ways. The children cannot under-
stand a complex concept such as energy.
Nonetheless, they have intuitive notions of
energy — for example, energy is needed to
get things done; humans get energy from
food. Teachers can build on the intuitive
notions of students without requiring them
to memorize technical definitions.
Sounds are not intuitively associated with
the characteristics of their source by
younger K-4 students, but that association
can be developed by investigating a variety
of concrete phenomena toward the end of
the K-4 level. In most children’s minds,
electricity begins at a source and goes to a
target. This mental model can be seen in
students’ first attempts to light a bulb using
a battery and wire by attaching one wire to a
bulb. Repeated activities will help students
develop an idea of a circuit late in this grade
range and begin to grasp the effect of more
than one battery. Children cannot distinguish
between heat and temperature at this age;
therefore, investigating heat necessarily must
focus on changes in temperature.
As children develop facility with language,
their descriptions become richer and
include more detail. Initially no tools need
to be used, but children eventually learn
that they can add to their descriptions by
measuring objects—first with measuring
devices they create and then by using
conventional measuring instruments, such
as rulers, balances, and thermometers. By
recording data and making graphs and
charts, older children can search for patterns
and order in their work and that of their
peers. For example, they can determine the
speed of an object as fast, faster, or fastest in
the earliest grades. As students get older,
they can represent motion on simple grids
and graphs and describe speed as the
distance traveled in a given unit of time.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
5
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental concepts and principles
that underlie this standard include
PROPERTIES OF OBJECTS AND
MATERIALS
■ Objects have many observable properties,
including size, weight, shape, color,
temperature, and the ability to react with
other substances. Those properties can be
measured using tools, such as rulers,
balances, and thermometers.
■ Objects are made of one or more materials,
such as paper, wood, and metal. Objects
can be described by the properties of the
materials from which they are made, and
those properties can be used to separate
or sort a group of objects or materials.
■ Materials can exist in different states—
solid, liquid, and gas. Some common mate-
rials, such as water, can be changed from
one state to another by heating or cooling.
POSITION AND MOTION OF
OBJECTS
■ The position of an object can be described
by locating it relative to another object or
the background.
■ An object’s motion can be described
by tracing and measuring its position
over time.
■ The position and motion of objects can
be changed by pushing or pulling. The
size of the change is related to the strength
of the push or pull.
■ Sound is produced by vibrating objects.
The pitch of the sound can be varied by
changing the rate of vibration.
LIGHT, HEAT, ELECTRICIT Y, AND
MAGNETISM
■ Light travels in a straight line until it
strikes an object. Light can be reflected
by a mirror, refracted by a lens, or
absorbed by the object.
■ Heat can be produced in many ways, such
as burning, rubbing, or mixing one sub-
stance with another. Heat can move from
one object to another by conduction.
■ Electricity in circuits can produce light,
heat, sound, and magnetic effects.
Electrical circuits require a complete
loop through which an electrical current
can pass.
■ Magnets attract and repel each other and
certain kinds of other materials.
Life ScienceCONTENT STANDARD C:
As a result of activities in grades
K-4 , all students should develop
understanding of
■ The characteristics of organisms
■ Life cycles of organisms
■ Organisms and environments
DEVELOPING STUDENTUNDERSTANDING
During the elementary grades, children
build understanding of biological concepts
through direct experience with living things,
their life cycles, and their habitats. These
experiences emerge from the sense of
wonder and natural interests of children who
ask questions such as: “How do plants get
food? How many different animals are there?
Why do some animals eat other animals?
What is the largest plant? Where did the
dinosaurs go?” An understanding of the
characteristics of organisms, life cycles of
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
6
organisms, and of the complex interactions
among all components of the natural
environment begins with questions such as
these and an understanding of how individual
organisms maintain and continue life.
Making sense of the way organisms live in
their environments will develop some
understanding of the diversity of life and how
all living organisms depend on the living and
nonliving environment for survival. Because
the child’s world at grades K-4 is closely
associated with the home, school, and
immediate environment, the study of
organisms should include observations and
interactions within the natural world of the
child. The experiences and activities in grades
K-4 provide a concrete foundation for the
progressive development in the later grades of
major biological concepts, such as evolution,
heredity, the cell, the biosphere,
interdependence, the behavior of organisms,
and matter and energy in living systems.
Children’s ideas about the characteristics of
organisms develop from basic concepts of
living and nonliving. Piaget noted, for
instance, that young children give
anthropomorphic explanations to organisms.
In lower elementary grades, many children
associate “life” with any objects that are active
in any way. This view of life develops into one
in which movement becomes the defining
characteristic. Eventually children incorporate
other concepts, such as eating, breathing, and
reproducing to define life. As students have a
variety of experiences with organisms, and
subsequently develop a knowledge base in the
life sciences, their anthropomorphic
attributions should decline.
In classroom activities such as classification,
younger elementary students generally use
mutually exclusive rather than hierarchical
categories. Young children, for example, will
use two groups, but older children will use
several groups at the same time. Students do
not consistently use classification schemes
similar to those used by biologists until the
upper elementary grades.
As students investigate the life cycles of
organisms, teachers might observe that
young children do not understand the
continuity of life from, for example, seed to
seedling or larvae to pupae to adult. But
teachers will notice that by second grade,
most students know that children resemble
their parents. Students can also differentiate
learned from inherited characteristics.
However, students might hold some naive
thoughts about inheritance, including the
belief that traits are inherited from only one
parent, that certain traits are inherited
exclusively from one parent or the other, or
that all traits are simply a blend of
characteristics from each parent.
Young children think concretely about
individual organisms. For example, animals
are associated with pets or with animals kept
in a zoo. The idea that organisms depend on
their environment (including other organ-
isms in some cases) is not well developed in
young children. In grades K-4, the focus
should be on establishing the primary associ-
ation of organisms with their environments
and the secondary ideas of dependence on
various aspects of the environment and of
behaviors that help various animals survive.
Lower elementary students can understand
the food link between two organisms.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
7
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental concepts and principles
that underlie this standard include
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF
ORGANISMS
■ Organisms have basic needs. For example,
animals need air, water, and food; plants
require air, water, nutrients, and light.
Organisms can survive only in environ-
ments in which their needs can be met.
The world has many different environ-
ments, and distinct environments support
the life of different types of organisms.
■ Each plant or animal has different
structures that serve different functions
in growth, survival, and reproduction.
For example, humans have distinct body
structures for walking, holding, seeing,
and talking.
■ The behavior of individual organisms is
influenced by internal cues (such as
hunger) and by external cues (such as a
change in the environment). Humans and
other organisms have senses that help
them detect internal and external cues.
LIFE CYCLES OF ORGANISMS
■ Plants and animals have life cycles that
include being born, developing into
adults, reproducing, and eventually
dying. The details of this life cycle are
different for different organisms.
■ Plants and animals closely resemble
their parents.
■ Many characteristics of an organism are
inherited from the parents of the organ-
ism, but other characteristics result from
an individual’s interactions with the
environment. Inherited characteristics
include the color of flowers and the
number of limbs of an animal. Other
features, such as the ability to ride a
bicycle, are learned through interactions
with the environment and cannot be
passed on to the next generation.
ORGANISMS AND THEIR
ENVIRONMENTS
■ All animals depend on plants. Some
animals eat plants for food. Other
animals eat animals that eat the plants.
■ An organism’s patterns of behavior are
related to the nature of that organism’s
environment, including the kinds and
numbers of other organisms present, the
availability of food and resources, and
the physical characteristics of the
environment. When the environment
changes, some plants and animals survive
and reproduce, and others die or move to
new locations.
■ All organisms cause changes in the
environment where they live. Some of
these changes are detrimental to the
organism or other organisms, whereas
others are beneficial.
■ Humans depend on their natural and
constructed environments. Humans
change environments in ways that can be
either beneficial or detrimental for
themselves and other organisms.
See Content
Standard F
(grades K-4)
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
8
Earth and SpaceScienceCONTENT STANDARD D:
As a result of their activities in
grades K-4, all students should
develop an understanding of
■ Properties of earth materials
■ Objects in the sky
■ Changes in earth and sky
DEVELOPING STUDENTUNDERSTANDING
Young children are naturally interested in
everything they see around them—soil,
rocks, streams, rain, snow, clouds, rainbows,
sun, moon, and stars. During the first years
of school, they should be encouraged to
observe closely the objects and materials in
their environment, note their properties,
distinguish one from another and develop
their own explanations of how things
become the way they are. As children
become more familiar with their world, they
can be guided to observe changes, including
cyclic changes, such as night and day and the
seasons; predictable trends, such as growth
and decay, and less consistent changes, such
as weather or the appearance of meteors.
Children should have opportunities to
observe rapid changes, such as the
movement of water in a stream, as well as
gradual changes, such as the erosion of soil
and the change of the seasons.
Children come to school aware that
earth’s surface is composed of rocks, soils,
water, and living organisms, but a closer
look will help them identify many additional
properties of earth materials. By carefully
observing and describing the properties of
many rocks, children will begin to see that
some rocks are made of a single substance,
but most are made of several substances. In
later grades, the substances can be identified
as minerals. Understanding rocks and
minerals should not be extended to the
study of the source of the rocks, such as
sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic,
because the origin of rocks and minerals has
little meaning to young children.
Playgrounds and nearby vacant lots and
parks are convenient study sites to observe a
variety of earth materials. As students
collect rocks and observe vegetation, they
will become aware that soil varies from
place to place in its color, texture, and
reaction to water. By planting seeds in a
variety of soil samples, they can compare
the effect of different soils on plant growth.
If they revisit study sites regularly, children
will develop an understanding that earth’s
surface is constantly changing. They also
can simulate some changes, such as erosion,
in a small tray of soil or a stream table and
compare their observations with photo-
graphs of similar, but larger scale, changes.
By observing the day and night sky
regularly, children in grades K-4 will learn
to identify sequences of changes and to look
for patterns in these changes. As they
observe changes, such as the movement of
an object’s shadow during the course of a
day, and the positions of the sun and the
moon, they will find the patterns in these
movements. They can draw the moon’s
shape for each evening on a calendar and
then determine the pattern in the shapes
over several weeks. These understandings
should be confined to observations,
descriptions, and finding patterns.
Attempting to extend this understanding
into explanations using models will be
limited by the inability of young children to
understand that earth is approximately
spherical. They also have little
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
9
understanding of gravity and usually have
misconceptions about the properties of light
that allow us to see objects such as the
moon. (Although children will say that they
live on a ball, probing questions will reveal
that their thinking may be very different.)
Students can discover patterns of weather
changes during the year by keeping a journal.
Younger students can draw a daily weather
picture based on what they see out a window
or at recess; older students can make simple
charts and graphs from data they collect at a
simple school weather station.
Emphasis in grades K-4 should be on
developing observation and description
skills and the explanations based on
observations. Younger children should be
encouraged to talk about and draw what
they see and think. Older students can keep
journals, use instruments, and record their
observations and measurements.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental concepts and principles
that underlie this standard include
PROPERTIES OF EARTH MATERIALS
■ Earth materials are solid rocks and soils,
water, and the gases of the atmosphere.
The varied materials have different
physical and chemical properties, which
make them useful in different ways, for
example, as building materials, as sources
of fuel, or for growing the plants we use
as food. Earth materials provide many of
the resources that humans use.
■ Soils have properties of color and texture,
capacity to retain water, and ability to
support the growth of many kinds of
plants, including those in our food supply.
■ Fossils provide evidence about the plants
and animals that lived long ago and the
nature of the environment at that time.
OBJECTS IN THE SKY
■ The sun, moon, stars, clouds, birds, and
airplanes all have properties, locations,
and movements that can be observed
and described.
■ The sun provides the light and heat
necessary to maintain the temperature
of the earth.
CHANGES IN THE EARTH AND SKY
■ The surface of the earth changes. Some
changes are due to slow processes,
such as erosion and weathering, and
some changes are due to rapid processes,
such as landslides, volcanic eruptions,
and earthquakes.
■ Weather changes from day to day and
over the seasons. Weather can be
described by measurable quantities, such
as temperature, wind direction and
speed, and precipitation.
■ Objects in the sky have patterns of
movement. The sun, for example,
appears to move across the sky in the
same way every day, but its path changes
slowly over the seasons. The moon moves
across the sky on a daily basis much like
the sun. The observable shape of the
moon changes from day to day in a cycle
that lasts about a month.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
10
Science andTechnologyCONTENT STANDARD E:
As a result of activities in grades
K-4, all students should develop
■ Abilities of technological design
■ Understanding about science and
technology
■ Abilities to distinguish between
natural objects and objects made
by humans
DEVELOPING STUDENT ABILITIESAND UNDERSTANDING
The science and technology standards
connect students to the designed world, offer
them experience in making models of useful
things, and introduce them to laws of nature
through their understanding of how
technological objects and systems work.
This standard emphasizes developing the
ability to design a solution to a problem and
understanding the relationship of science and
technology and the way people are involved
in both. This standard helps establish design
as the technological parallel to inquiry in
science. Like the science as inquiry standard,
this standard begins the under-standing of
the design process, as well as the ability to
solve simple design problems.
Children in grades K-4 understand and
can carry out design activities earlier than
they can inquiry activities, but they cannot
easily tell the difference between the two,
nor is it important whether they can. In
grades K-4, children should have a variety of
educational experiences that involve science
and technology, sometimes in the same
activity and other times separately. When
the activities are informal and open, such as
building a balance and comparing the
weight of objects on it, it is difficult to
separate inquiry from technological design.
At other times, the distinction might be
clear to adults but not to children.
Children’s abilities in technological
problem solving can be developed by
firsthand experience in tackling tasks with a
technological purpose. They also can study
technological products and systems in their
world—zippers, coat hooks, can openers,
bridges, and automobiles. Children can
engage in projects that are appropriately
challenging for their developmental level—
ones in which they must design a way to
fasten, move, or communicate. They can
study existing products to determine
function and try to identify problems
solved, materials used, and how well a
product does what it is supposed to do. An
old technological device, such as an apple
peeler, can be used as a mystery object for
students to investigate and figure out what it
does, how it helps people, and what
problems it might solve and cause. Such
activities provide excellent opportunities to
direct attention to specific technology—the
tools and instruments used in science.
Suitable tasks for children at this age
should have clearly defined purposes and be
related with the other content standards.
Tasks should be conducted within
immediately familiar contexts of the home
and school. They should be straightforward;
there should be only one or two well-
defined ways to solve the problem, and there
should be a single, well-defined criterion for
success. Any construction of objects should
require developmentally appropriate
manipulative skills used in elementary
school and should not require time-
consuming preparation and assembly.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
11
Over the course of grades K-4, student
investigations and design problems should
incorporate more than one material and
several contexts in science and technology.
A suitable collection of tasks might include
making a device to shade eyes from the sun,
making yogurt and discussing how it is
made, comparing two types of string to see
which is best for lifting different objects,
exploring how small potted plants can be
made to grow as quickly as possible,
designing a simple system to hold two
objects together, testing the strength of
different materials, using simple tools, testing
different designs, and constructing a simple
structure. It is important also to include
design problems that require application of
ideas, use of communications, and
implementation of procedures—for instance,
improving hall traffic at lunch and cleaning
the classroom after scientific investigations.
Experiences should be complemented by
study of familiar and simple objects through
which students can develop observation and
analysis skills. By comparing one or two
obvious properties, such as cost and
strength of two types of adhesive tape, for
example, students can develop the abilities
to judge a product’s worth against its ability
to solve a problem. During the K-4 years, an
appropriate balance of products could come
from the categories of clothing, food, and
common domestic and school hardware.
A sequence of five stages—stating the
problem, designing an approach,
implementing a solution, evaluating the
solution, and communicating the problem,
design, and solution—provides a framework
for planning and for specifying learning
out-comes. However, not every activity will
involve all of those stages, nor must any
particular sequence of stages be followed.
For example, some activities might begin by
identifying a need and progressing through
the stages; other activities might involve
only evaluating existing products.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental abilities and concepts
that underlie this standard include
ABILITIES OF TECHNOLOGICAL
DESIGN
IDENTIFY A SIMPLE PROBLEM. In
problem identification, children should
develop the ability to explain a problem in
their own words and identify a specific task
and solution related to the problem.
PROPOSE A SOLUTION. Students should
make proposals to build something or get
something to work better; they should be
able to describe and communicate their
ideas. Students should recognize that
designing a solution might have constraints,
such as cost, materials, time, space, or safety.
IMPLEMENTING PROPOSED SOLUTIONS.
Children should develop abilities to work
individually and collaboratively and to use
suitable tools, techniques, and quantitative
measurements when appropriate. Students
should demonstrate the ability to balance
simple constraints in problem solving.
EVALUATE A PRODUCT OR DESIGN.
Students should evaluate their own results
or solutions to problems, as well as those of
other children, by considering how well a
product or design met the challenge to solve
a problem. When possible, students should
use measurements and include constraints
and other criteria in their evaluations. They
should modify designs based on the results
of evaluations.
See Content
Standard A
(grades K-4)
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
12
COMMUNICATE A PROBLEM, DESIGN,
AND SOLUTION. Student abilities should
include oral, written, and pictorial
communication of the design process and
product. The communication might be
show and tell, group discussions, short
written reports, or pictures, depending on
the students’ abilities and the design project.
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY
■ People have always had questions about
their world. Science is one way of
answering questions and explaining the
natural world.
■ People have always had problems and
invented tools and techniques (ways of
doing something) to solve problems.
Trying to determine the effects of solutions
helps people avoid some new problems.
■ Scientists and engineers often work in
teams with different individuals doing
different things that contribute to the
results. This understanding focuses
primarily on teams working together and
secondarily, on the combination of
scientist and engineer teams.
■ Women and men of all ages, back-
grounds, and groups engage in a variety
of scientific and technological work.
■ Tools help scientists make better observa-
tions, measurements, and equipment for
investigations. They help scientists see,
measure, and do things that they could not
otherwise see, measure, and do.
ABILITIES TO DISTINGUISH
BET WEEN NATURAL OBJECTS AND
OBJECTS MADE BY HUMANS
■ Some objects occur in nature; others
have been designed and made by
people to solve human problems and
enhance the quality of life.
■ Objects can be categorized into two
groups, natural and designed.
Science in Personaland SocialPerspectivesCONTENT STANDARD F:
As a result of activities in grades
K-4 , all students should develop
understanding of
■ Personal health
■ Characteristics and changes
in populations
■ Types of resources
■ Changes in environments
■ Science and technology in
local challenges
DEVELOPING STUDENTUNDERSTANDING
Students in elementary school should have
a variety of experiences that provide initial
understandings for various science-related
personal and societal challenges. Central
ideas related to health, populations,
resources, and environments provide the
foundations for students’ eventual
understandings and actions as citizens.
Although the emphasis in grades K-4 should
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
13
be on initial understandings, students can
engage in some personal actions in local
challenges related to science and technology.
Teachers should be aware of the concepts
that elementary school students have about
health. Most children use the word “germs”
for all microbes; they do not generally use
the words “ virus” or “bacteria,” and when
they do, they do not understand the
difference between the two. Children
generally attribute all illnesses to germs
without distinction between contagious and
noncontagious diseases and without
understanding of organic, functional, or
dietary diseases. Teachers can expect
students to exhibit little understanding of
ideas, such as different origins of disease,
resistance to infection, and prevention and
cure of disease.
Children link eating with growth, health,
strength, and energy, but they do not under-
stand these ideas in detail. They understand
connections between diet and health and that
some foods are nutritionally better than
others, but they do not necessarily know the
reasons for these conclusions.
By grades 3 and 4, students regard pollu-
tion as something sensed by people and know
that it might have bad effects on people and
animals. Children at this age usually do not
consider harm to plants as part of environ-
mental problems; however, recent media
attention might have increased students
awareness of the importance of trees in the
environment. In most cases, students recog-
nize pollution as an environmental issue,
scarcity as a resource issue, and crowded
classrooms or schools as population
problems. Most young students conceive of
these problems as isolated issues that can be
solved by dealing with them individually. For
example, pollution can be solved by cleaning
up the environment and producing less waste,
scarcity can be solved by using less, and
crowding can be solved by having fewer
students in class or school. However,
understanding the interrelationships is not
the priority in elementary school.
As students expand their conceptual
horizons across grades K-12, they will
eventually develop a view that is not
centered exclusively on humans and begin
to recognize that individual actions
accumulate into societal actions. Eventually,
students must recognize that society cannot
afford to deal only with symptoms. The
causes of the problems must be the focus of
personal and societal actions.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental concepts and principles
that underlie this standard include
PERSONAL HEALTH
■ Safety and security are basic needs of
humans. Safety involves freedom from
danger, risk, or injury. Security involves
feelings of confidence and lack of anxiety
and fear. Student understandings include
following safety rules for home and
school, preventing abuse and neglect,
avoiding injury, knowing whom to ask
for help, and when and how to say no.
Central ideas related to health,populations, resources, andenvironments provide the foundationsfor students’ eventual understandingsand actions as citizens.
See Content
Standard C
(grades K-4)
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
14
■ Individuals have some responsibility for
their own health. Students should engage
in personal care—dental hygiene, cleanli-
ness, and exercise—that will maintain
and improve health. Understandings
include how communicable diseases,
such as colds, are transmitted and some
of the body’s defense mechanisms that
prevent or overcome illness.
■ Nutrition is essential to health. Students
should understand how the body uses
food and how various foods contribute
to health. Recommendations for good
nutrition include eating a variety of foods,
eating less sugar, and eating less fat.
■ Different substances can damage the
body and how it functions. Such
substances include tobacco, alcohol, over-
the-counter medicines, and illicit drugs.
Students should understand that some
substances, such as prescription drugs,
can be beneficial, but that any substance
can be harmful if used inappropriately.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CHANGES
IN POPULATIONS
■ Human populations include groups of
individuals living in a particular location.
One important characteristic of a human
population is the population density—
the number of individuals of a particular
population that lives in a given amount
of space.
■ The size of a human population can
increase or decrease. Populations will
increase unless other factors such as dis-
ease or famine decrease the population.
T YPES OF RESOURCES
■ Resources are things that we get from the
living and nonliving environment to
meet the needs and wants of a population.
■ Some resources are basic materials, such
as air, water, and soil; some are produced
from basic resources, such as food, fuel,
and building materials; and some
resources are nonmaterial, such as quiet
places, beauty, security, and safety.
■ The supply of many resources is limited.
If used, resources can be extended
through recycling and decreased use.
CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTS
■ Environments are the space, conditions,
and factors that affect an individual’s and
a population’s ability to survive and their
quality of life.
■ Changes in environments can be natural
or influenced by humans. Some changes
are good, some are bad, and some are
neither good nor bad. Pollution is a
change in the environment that can
influence the health, survival, or activities
of organisms including humans.
■ Some environmental changes occur
slowly, and others occur rapidly. Students
should understand the different
consequences of changing environments
in small increments over long periods as
compared with changing environments
in large increments over short periods.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN
LOCAL CHALLENGES
■ People continue inventing new ways of
doing things, solving problems, and
getting work done. New ideas and
inventions often affect other people;
sometimes the effects are good and
sometimes they are bad. It is helpful to
try to determine in advance how ideas
and inventions will affect other people.
See Content
Standard D
(grades K-4)
See Content
Standard E
(grades K-4)
See Content
Standard C
(grades K-4)
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
15
■ Science and technology have greatly
improved food quality and quantity,
transportation, health, sanitation, and
communication. These benefits of
science and technology are not available
to all of the people in the world.
History andNature of ScienceCONTENT STANDARD G:
As a result of activities in grades
K-4 , all students should develop
understanding of
■ Science as a human endeavor
DEVELOPING STUDENTUNDERSTANDING
Beginning in grades K-4, teachers should
build on students’ natural inclinations to
ask questions and investigate their world.
Groups of students can conduct
investigations that begin with a question
and progress toward communicating an
answer to the question. For students in the
early grades, teachers should emphasize the
experiences of investigating and thinking
about explanations and not overemphasize
memorization of scientific terms and
information. Students can learn some things
about scientific inquiry and significant
people from history, which will provide a
foundation for the development of
sophisticated ideas related to the history and
nature of science that will be developed in
later years. Through the use of short stories,
films, videos, and other examples,
elementary teachers can introduce
interesting historical examples of women
and men (including minorities and people
with disabilities) who have made
contributions to science. The stories can
highlight how these scientists worked—that
is, the questions, procedures,and
contributions of diverse individuals to
science and technology. In upper elementary
grades, students can read and share stories
that express the theme of this standard—
science is a human endeavor.
GUIDE TO THE CONTENT STANDARDFundamental concepts and principles
that underlie this standard include
SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOR
■ Science and technology have been
practiced by people for a long time.
■ Men and women have made a variety of
contributions throughout the history of
science and technology.
■ Although men and women using
scientific inquiry have learned much
about the objects, events, and
phenomena in nature, much more
remains to be understood. Science will
never be finished.
■ Many people choose science as a career
and devote their entire lives to studying
it. Many people derive great pleasure
from doing science.
Reprinted with permission from the National Science Education Standards, copyright © 2008 by theNational Academies Press, Washington, DC.
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