# data[].attributes.body
1.      “Promoting scientific literacy among all of the nation’s people is a democratic ideal worthy of focused attention, significant resources, and continuing effort.”  For this to happen, the text suggests that educators must set high academic goals for students at all grade level while at the same time provide equal opportunities for all students to learn.  Without deeper knowledge of science and engineering among all members of society, one cannot fully participate as an informed citizen to deal with issues such as environmental conservation, food production and safety or even consider occupations with a strong foundation of science and engineering.  Educators must practice social justice and equity in the classroom to provide what each student needs in order to provide a more equitable access to the knowledge and practices associated with science and engineering literacy.

2.      Students’ preparation in other subjects, especially literacy and mathematics, also affects their achievement in science.”  For many students, it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.  They attend the undesirable schools, receive little or no support at an early age to build effective reading skills, and continue to fall behind as they move from one grade to another.  Due to personal failures and challenges, these students significantly lower their chances of being successful in science and engineering pathways throughout their K-12

education and ultimately lower their motivation to pursue higher education.

3.      “Educational standards should therefore establish science and engineering learning goal that reflect common expectations for all students. Just as they are expected to learn how to read and write, they should also be expected to learn the core ideas and practices of science and engineering.”  Firsthand experiences in this class, I now realized the lack and time devoted to science instruction in the primary grades as mentioned by many participant on this online discussion medium.  Due to high stakes testing in reading and math, teachers and administrators have different expectations when it comes to high quality education in science.   No supportive conditions and lack of resources in place to improve science instructions, students develop all sorts of misconceptions of scientific understandings.  These “resource gaps or gaps in opportunities to learn “as the author called it resulted in noticeable consequences.  “Achievement gaps are well documented, in science as well as in other subject areas, for black, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian students. High school dropout rates are disproportionately high for these same groups. Girls’ interest in science dramatically declines compared with boys’ as students transition into middle school, and women continue to be underrepresented in a number of science and engineering fields and on the science and engineering faculties of many colleges and universities.”

Note to teachers:  If you want to close the achievement gaps in our educational system, you need to promote educational equity in learning science and engineering.  You need to create detailed lesson plans and allocate proper resources and time to devote to science curriculum, instruction, and assessment just like in reading and mathematics.  All teachers need to have an open-mind and a positive outlook on professional development to acquire the knowledge needed to help all students achieve their full potential.  The absence of opportunities to engage in science learning deprives students of a rich opportunity for language development that goes beyond basic vocabulary, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Three most interesting things from this week:
1. The socio-economic challenges as well as gender and race when it comes to science & engineering. The academic vocabulary is much lower of those entering schoooling from lower socio-economic groups. The struggle is real when it comes to leveling the playing field for these groups of students.
2. The context of relevant science and engineering is tied to the community. For example understanding how the fish travel, effective bait and methods may be more relavant to communities that depend on this as a means to economic growth. Where as in more developed counties it's important to introduce relavent technology that is used in the context relevant, such as 3D printing to create working parts --> 3D printing to make prosthetics.
3. I liked this quote: "Learning science depends not only on the accumulation of facts and con- cepts but also on the development of an identity as a competent learner of sci- ence with motivation and interest to learn more". This really resignates with me as we seek to interest students in meaningful discovery to them.
What I want all of my teacher friends to know:
Science no ngineerign go hand in hand. They allow students to explore and create. The greatest problem I see with current science teaching/learning is doing "experiments" where the outcome has already been determined. Why not allow students to build their own experiments within the realm of the standards?

# data[].attributes.body
This reading reminded me of many of the discussions we had during the Earth and Space Science course some of us took with Dr. Nickels over the summer. Other than that course I have very little knowledge of how earth and space sciences are taught at American schools. The three things I found most interesting were:
1 . There are three core ideas within which all content is split, namely Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems and Earth and Human activity.
2. The Human activity core idea has got content overlap with biology (biodiversity) as well as with environmental science (resource use, human effects on the planet, and climate change).
3. I am not sure how well implemented it is, but I found it interesting that Climate change can be taught from elementary school level with grade band endpoint of students having learnt that if global mean temperatures continue to rise, the lives of humans will be affected in various ways.

I found this last point the most interesting, and I would like all my science teacher friends to know that the national research council includes grade point endpoints to teach global climate change from elementary school all the way through to grade 12, enabling a more knowledgeable generation on this topic.

# data[].attributes.headline
Weekly Readings: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Ch. 11

# data[].attributes.subject
Weekly Readings: A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Ch. 11

# data[].attributes.body
Three most interesting things from the readings:
1. This chapter highlights two primary factors of inequality in educational feats and patterns of science learning among students of various demographic populations:
a. Inequities across schools, districts, and communities; and
b. Differentiated instructions that are more or less inclusive and motivating for diverse student populations.
2. According to researcher McDermott and Webber, the goal of science education should aim towards equipping students with the essential background knowledge and skills to formulate and launch scientific questions, investigations, data, and understanding that tie in with any aspect of their life situations and interests.
3. According to researchers Lave and Wenger, science education should focus on enabling students not just to take in facts and concepts but also develop a strong sense of self-efficacy towards learning science.

What I want my teacher friends to know:
In order to ensure equity and diversity in science and engineering for all students of various diverse populations (ethnic, cultural, learning styles, etc.), there should be a greater emphasis on allocating resources and expanding learning goals that tie in students' learning, understanding, and application of scientific principles, skills, and knowledge to their cultural or other personal upbringing and interest.

# data[].attributes.headline
Course Readings--Ch. 11 and Did You Really Prove It?

# data[].attributes.subject
Course Readings--Ch. 11 and Did You Really Prove It?

# data[].attributes.body
Chapter 11--Three interesting things:
1. Promoting scientific literacy among all of the nations people is so important. This allows for citizens to become involved in what is happening in their world, the changes that are happening, as well as what they can do to help with issues they are seeing.
2. The growing number of important occupations are heavy in scientific analysis, argumentation, communication, and engineering design. These fields include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
3. Personal interest is an important factor in children's involvement in learning science. When you design lessons that incorporate student interest they will be motivated to learn more and go beyond what they were taught in the classroom.
What I want all my teacher friends to know:
Culture plays a huge role in the beliefs of students. They are often taught in informal learning environments that are influenced by perspectives and history of the group. They don't simply "check their beliefs at the door" and should be encouraged to share their thoughts ,and misconceptions should be addressed in a respectful way.

Did You Really Prove It?--Three interesting things:
1. Ms. Washington's four strategies used in her lesson to help students better understand the nature of science:
--Reading and discussing historical stories that illustrate the characteristics of the nature of science.
--Frequently reviewing concepts using a Question of the Day.
--Critically analyzing and distinguishing between the methods used in scientific and technological studies, as reported in news articles, and
--Ensuring that pre-lab activities included explicit instruction about why certain procedures are used, and post-lab reports are analyzed by a checklist to identify misconceptions.
2. Activities used should not take an entire class period and should be incorporated into the curriculum. It's good to have small chunks of a large lesson broken up into several class periods to allow students to learn material at a more manageable pace.
3. It is a good idea for students to discuss the different concepts used in small group discussions. They will be able to use science notebooks or journals to record thoughts and is a good way to organize thoughts.
What I want all my teacher friends to know:
Although many teachers may be hesitant to incorporate Content Standard G into lessons, there is great value in doing so. They may use historical stories, lab activities, news accounts, and daily mini-reviews that students will be able to use. This can help with retention of information of a lesson, as well as student understanding.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Interesting Things

I found it interesting that the text stated that the rigorous standards should be appropriate for all students.  This to me seems like common sense. Obviously, you want standards that students can master. Whether or not 100% of students reach mastery seems situationally independent of the expectation.

The text also states that students learn science best by being actively engaged in scientific experiences. This is important, because writing down definitions and copying down information is not how students will learn science best. We need to get away from this style of teaching.

A classroom that is rich in discourse can provide a challenge for ELL students. This is something teachers need to take into consideration. Discourse is great, but we have to make sure all students, if not participating are getting the info they need in order to be successful. If the info is coming through student discourse the teacher needs to make sure they reiterate to students who may not be getting the information through discourse.

I Want Everyone to Know:

I want everyone to know that math and science are skills and subjects that all students can be successful at. Students just need to believe they can be successful. Teaching at a Title I school has shown me that if students believe they can do something, then more often than not they will. Students come to us with may labels, and it is up to us to not let those labels interfere with our expectations for student learning.

# data[].attributes.body
a) Equity and Diversity in science education is important for the next generation of jobs. Most low performing schools get an extra hour of school but focus on reading. Some schools drill reading skills without having the students have hands-on engagement of math and science concepts. Our school only give 15 minutes for science and that is the last 15 minutes of the day.
b) If we incorporate science and math with hands on activities and real world experiences, then students have more chances to use appropriate language and more discourse with each other.  This also engages better cooperation and communication skills.
c) Timed tests are not appropriate for all students. If we truly want to know what the students understands, then we need to give some students more time to devise plans, revise plans and then give their best work.  Students learn differently so we need to test their abilities differently.

Teacher take away - All students can learn and need more exposure with math and science concepts.  When schools and districts are too focused on tests and grades, then teachers have no flexibility with teaching and flexibility with student learning.

# data[].attributes.body
1) Low expectations and bias stereotypical views about interests or abilities of particular students curtail students educational experience.

2) Student preparation in other subjects such as math and literacy affect student achievement in science.

3)All individuals can engage in and learn complex subject matter especially if it connects to areas of personal interest when supportive conditions and feedback mechanisms .

For teachers: You have a role to play in student interests and achievement  in science and engineering. You should have high expectations for all students and strive to help them succeed. If you stereotype students or don't expose them to activities and scenarios that relate to them and their culture. Then I honestly believe you are doing your students a disservice.

# data[].attributes.headline
Ch. 11 and Did You Really Prove It? article

# data[].attributes.subject
Ch. 11 and Did You Really Prove It? article

# data[].attributes.body
A Framework for K-12 Science Education Ch. 11

Three interesting things:

1. The author mentioned that students’ abilities in reading and writing can inhibit their success in science as well as other subject areas.  This has been a topic at many parent conferences over the course of my years in education.  Currently being a third grade teacher, I consider that the year that bridges the primary years and learning to read with the intermediate years and beyond when students will be reading to learn.  The same holds true for writing and being able to communicate what has been learned with written expression.

2. Often times teachers focus on using correct content vocabulary to the detriment of students who have not yet mastered the academic language.  This author points out that we should accept students’ informal or native language as valid while supporting their transition to the academic vocabulary.  This is especially helpful for second language learners and provides a rich language learning environment.

3. Finding topics of interest to students greatly increases their motivation and engagement in learning science.  If we can “hook” children on science topics in the early elementary years, it may create a thirst for them to continue pursuing that knowledge in later years.

Takeaway for Teachers:

As teachers, we need to be sure we are introducing our students to scientists from diverse cultures and women.  These role models can help students realize that anyone can be a scientist.  Concerning our high-stakes testing, perhaps redesigning them to allow multiple means of demonstrating competence is a worthwhile undertaking.

Reading in Science Methods, K-8 – Did You Really Prove It?

Three interesting things:

1. The four strategies for correcting student misconceptions are: Read and discuss historical stories that illustrate the nature of science.  Review concepts using a Question of the Day.  Use news articles to distinguish between science and technology.  When completing labs, use prelab activities to ensure students understand the procedures and why they are used.  Use post lab reports to analyze misconceptions.

2. Historically, scientists were often ridiculed by society because their new ideas did not match with the conventionalities of the time.  We now take for granted things that took a long time to be accepted by other scientists and society.

3. It is important for students to learn about scientific contributions made by people from different cultures and the adversities they faced trying to gain acceptance for their ideas in the time they lived.

Takeaway for Teachers:

Students have many misconceptions about the nature of science.  Teachers can implement some strategies into their existing curriculum to help remedy this problem.  When students realize that scientists find tentative explanations rather than proven facts, they have a better understanding of the nature of science.

# data[].attributes.body
K-12 Science: Chapter 11 and Did You Really Prove it?

1.  Chapter eleven hones in on educational equity within the science standards framework.  The goal being high academic standards for all students.  A classroom environment that engages students in discussions, using scientific discourse to apply their thoughts into engaging tasks.

2.  This chapter points out what I see from year to year, that as students move through elementary school if they “fail to become effective readers and writers by late elementary school, teachers have difficulty helping them to make progress- not only in science but also across all subject areas”.  When they move into middle and high school they’re now on this “low-expectation track” which reduces their opportunities to science courses because they’re now doubling up on math and reading courses to hopefully get them back on “track”.

3.  In the article “Did You Really Prove It?” Ms. Washington learns that the standard involving the nature of science is a challenge for students to correctly understand, however she suggests ways to incorporate this standard throughout existing science units.  In doing so, students gain a stronger understanding of the relationships within science.

Teachers- Misconceptions can be better understood if discussed.  One way to easily discuss misconceptions is by using them as a “question of the day” to start off each class period.

# data[].attributes.body
1. All students should be able to learn about the broad set of possibilities that modern life offers and to pursue their aspirations, including their occupations of interest.  All students should have the opportunity to explore the science and engineering throughout their elementary, middle and high school years, but we know that this is not true in many of our schools and school districts.  I just think about the science and the lack of engineering programs we offer for middle school students here in Seminole county.  The science classes lack the curriculum that are accessible for all students.   For example, some of our Exceptional Education students in middle school usually do not have the opportunity to explore science through experiments and project-based instruction that may spark an interest for future possibilities.  These science classes are usually not equipped with a science lab or materials needed for experiments.  In addition, those students who lack grade level reading skills in some of the elementary schools do not have the opportunity to have a science class due to having a double block of reading.

2. Students’ own motivation and interest in science and engineering can also play a role in their achievement and pursuit of these fields in secondary school and beyond. Thus attention to factors that may motivate or fail to motivate students from particular demographic groups is important to keep in mind when designing instruction.

3. Some groups of students fail to become effective readers and writers by late elementary school, teachers have difficulty helping them to make progress not only in science but also across all subject areas. These students fall further behind, and the problem for teachers grows more complex and challenging.  In fact, teachers expect less from these students.  We think that these students low achievement is bound up in the children themselves.  We use statements such as “These students don’t try.”  “They don’t care.”  “Their culture don’t value education.”  These excuses are some of the most common that explains the achievement gap for those lower preforming students from other students.

The most pressing challenge facing U.S. education is to provide all students with a fair opportunity to learn. Many schools lack the material resources and instructional supports needed to provide exemplary science instruction.  Learning science depends not only on the accumulation of facts and concepts but also on the development of an identity as a competent learner of science with motivation and interest to learn more.  To establish the equity in education requires detailed attention to the circumstances of specific demographic groups.  In order for us to provide all students the opportunity to accelerate and increase their chances to go to college, is to include all students’ in rigorous mathematics and science classes.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Interesting Things:

1.  I thought it was interesting how students who live in a rural environment develop a more sophisticated understanding of the natural world than their peers who live in an urban or suburban environment.  It makes sense that rural students would understand the natural world more because they usually interact with it more, but it was something that I had not thought about prior to reading the chapter.

2.  Instruction needs to be designed so that it reflects the cultures of the students in your class.  This acts as an engagement tool for students in your classroom because what students see as important is tied directly with what the community finds useful and valued.  Classroom environments that give students chances to participate in valuable and authentic experiences create the potential for students to retain the scientific content learned.

3.  Allowing students to express their learning with multiple modes of expression is an exemplary assessment practice that can help provide equity in the classroom.  The reading stated that tests do not make sure of contemporary views of learning and can often fail to assess higher order skills or conceptual understanding.  In addition, they may be culturally biased and some learners, especially ELL learners, can have a hard time saying what they know.  Figuring out how students can demonstrate competence in a variety of ways can provide student choice and also create equity within the classroom through multiple means of expression and multiple contexts.

Just for teachers:

All students can learn science when the teacher provides supportive conditions as well as feedback.  In return, students need to make a sustained effort.  Teachers need to know that students have very different life experiences that can sometimes create unequal learning opportunities.  If teachers don’t respond to that, than the student is on an unequal playing field compared to students who have different life experiences more conducive to traditional science learning.

# data[].attributes.body
1.      I liked how the chapter was broken into three core ideas and had subsets for each section. Earth science can be very difficult and it nice to see it can be broken up and have different directions for each grade.

2.      Next, I liked the explanation of what teachers should know by the end of each school year. This will give the teacher a gauge if there on task for the end of the school year.

3.      I liked the section about how humans change the planet. This can be a real-world problem solving for the class. The students can figure out how they can make the changes in their own life to improve the health of the planet.

The most interesting is the how humans change the planet. This could be a great STEM project. Students can figure out what is causing problems for the planet and ways we could correct them.

# data[].attributes.body
1.     Teaching Earth’s Place in the Universe is a fun, yet abstract topic to teach.   You can use many visuals and simulations, but still not something students can grab on to. To help, this chapter encourages is to find patterns and observe other solar systems help us to better understand our planet.

2.     I had no idea there was an official way to predict planetary motions by using Kepler’s three empirical laws.  It helps to predict climate changes based on the amount of sunlight that the Earth receives.

3.     Studying the history of Earth can be very interesting for students.  Having students explore rocks and fossils is a great start to exploring how we can determine the age of the object.  It’s neat to see the young ones realize that the Earth is super old.

Teaching students about Earth and Space can be an abstract topic for some students but can be fun to teach. This chapter does a good job breaking down what students are expected to know by a certain grade level.  It’s our job to try and make it relatable to them and provide them with experiences where they can better understand our Earth and what lies outside of our planet.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Interesting Things

1 – The chapter talked about how the science we teach today is much more rich and deep than what has been taught in the past.  It is interesting to think about how as technology and the sciences advance, new theories and understandings are developed and thus change the instruction. I think this would be a good topic of conversation to have with older students.

2 – This chapter also talked about students learning about the size of the earth in comparison to galaxies.  This concept is difficult to wrap your mind around for many adults, not to mention children.

3 –I like how the chapter is split into different ideas and then each idea is given grade band specific knowledge and skills.  This is very helpful for teachers when designing lessons.

1 Thing I Want Every Teacher to Know

We often think of science as something that just is.  However, this chapter described how humans have a great impact on science, including Earth and Space: “Only in the relatively recent past have people begun to recognize the dramatic role humans play as an essentially geological force on the surface of the earth, affecting large-scale conditions and processes.”

# data[].attributes.body
a) I love the questions that the books answers for each section, especially "What is the Universe and what is Earth's place in it?"  This is a great starting point for young students to get a grasp of this core idea.  All of the information in the Universe section was presented in a way to help teachers understand what core ideas to be taught at specific times in their learning process.
b) Earth Systems - This section has a lot of information about weather, climate and how these systems play an role in the impact of our changing Earth.  It makes me wonder what would the Earth look like without the industrial revolution and our human impact on water availability.  It most of the fresh water is underground or in glaciers (and they are melting at a rapid pace), how are we going to have enough water for our ever changing population (doubling every 40 years).
c) Earth and Human Activity - GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE - enough said! Our impact has negatively affected plants, animals, land formation and natural phenomenon. Having students recognize this early is very important so they can understand the importance of reducing, reusing, recycling and changing their views of what is important. Water, Land, Nutrients, Plants and Animals will fluctuate on their  own accord, but when students understand their role and place in the Earth and Universe, only then will real positive global initiatives happen.

Teacher take away - this is a great resource for teachers to have a starting point of what to teach to students in each grade level.

# data[].attributes.body
1.  I appreciated how the book showed the grade band endpoints for each standard.  This shows teachers what was expected of the students before they enter the next band and what needs to be covered before "releasing them" to the next level.  It shows the relationship as to how the standards build from one to another.   I liked looking at my grade level band as compared to my plans for this year. The chapter also showed me how the basics of weather (primary grades), for example, grows dramatically to talking about weather and the global climate change (12th grade). You can truly see the depth an application increase over each band.
2.  " By the end of grade 12. Resource availability has guided the development of human society. All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks, as well as benefits. New technology and regulation can change the balance of these factors. "  I like how we see not just the science, but the political part of the resources playing a part in the teaching of the higher grade levels.   The students will be more prepared to take care our world and have the much needed knowledge of science in the world of politics.
3. " While humans cannot eliminate natural hazards, they can take steps to reduce their impacts. For example, loss of life and economic costs have been greatly reduced by improving construction, developing warning systems, identifying and avoiding high-risk locations, and increasing community preparedness and response capability. " Again, I love how these standards build on one another and then grow into other discipline areas.   This would be a great example for "Why do I need to know this?" questions.

Teachers to know: Looking deeper into what we are currently teaching, where the students came previously in knowledge, and where the students will ultimately move towards will give teachers a better idea of what to tell students in terms of the importance of each level.

# data[].attributes.body
is from Gina Passini; I am using a different computer and did not realize I did not log into Padlet after I submitted it. :( sorry!

# data[].attributes.body
The chapter divides Earth and Space into 3 core ideas: Earth's place in the universe, Earth's systems, and Earth and Human Activity.
Three things I find interesting:
1. I like how the chapter gives background information about Earth and space for the teacher. That is always appreciated.
2. On page 172, it is stated that the current standards are different from the previous standards, and they attribute that to the increase in human population and how these standards have shifted.
3. Primary grades have talked about taking care of our planet since pre-k: we talk about recycling, keeping the Earth clean, reducing materials used, etc. But we do not talk too much about global climate change in the primary grades, and I admit hearing about it so much in the media and with this past election, I feel like I am more aware of it. I am not sure how or if global climate change should be talked about in the primary grades.

What I Want Teachers to Know:
NASA in Brevard County is a wonderful resource for teachers. The website and the facility is a great place for field trips, and they offer many workshops for teachers.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Interesting Things

The first thing I found interesting was that the chapter states the increased emphasis on Earth space science is due to the relevance as it pertains to human society. I think this is interesting, because it seems to be a way to educate the youth on how to protect our planet. This is something that is obviously important for the long term existence of the human race.

I always find that teaching students at the 5th grade level about the size of the planet and size as it pertains to other objects in the solar system is interesting. The article states that students should have an understanding that Earth is small relative to the universe. This is something we teach at the 5ht grade level, but based on my experience I am not sure students at this age can fully grasp the concept of Earth being “small” as in comparison to the universe.

The chapter also has information regarding weather. This is an area in which students to seem to be able to make more sense of what is being taught. They understand that weather is a day to day variation, and can change from one minute to the next. This is obviously due to the fact that they experience these instances almost daily.

I Want Everyone to Know:

I want everyone to really think about the section on Earth’s resources. Science teachers should really give this part of the science unit a decent amount of discussion and think time. I feel that many adults are wasteful, and do not think about long-term harm as it pertains to the planet. Students, on the other hand are very open to discussing this issue, and a quick discussion could go a long way regarding the education of environmentally conscious student’s.

# data[].attributes.headline
Chapter 7: Disciplinary Core Ideas – Earth and Space Sciences

# data[].attributes.subject
Chapter 7: Disciplinary Core Ideas – Earth and Space Sciences

# data[].attributes.body
3 interesting Things

1.  Due to technological advances in computation models, satellites, and improved research resulting in vast amounts of new data, the story of the Earth and its evolution is understood more than ever.  These advances allow instruction at the K-12 level to provide students with much richer instruction than what students have been taught in the past.  This evolution has the capability to allow students to have a stronger view of science, as long as the teacher gives students the opportunity.

2.  When students understand natural hazards, it helps them prepare and respond to them in a timely manner.  Understanding these hazards helps people take steps to reduce the hazard’s impact, potentially from protecting against loss of life and minimizing economic recovery costs associated with the hazards.  In addition, advances in understanding natural hazards has resulted in improved warning systems, construction, and increased community preparedness for both predictable and unpredictable hazards.

3.  Science based predictive models allow us to anticipate long term climate change more effectively.  Since global changes happen slowly, it is difficult for climate change to be recognized.  The mathematical climate models that that have been built are able to simulate how Earth’s systems interact with each other and allows the long term change to be predicted so that we can make plans to slow or change the rate of climate change.

Just for teachers:

Since the Earth is made up of complicated and ever changing sets of systems that are interconnected, it is important that students understand each system and how they relate to each other so that they can have a strong macro understanding on how and why the Earth is constantly changing.

# data[].attributes.body
The three most interesting things in this chapter:
1. Earth’s Place in the Universe: It is interesting how this is chunked into grade level benchmarks that slowly progress to include more complex understandings beginning with understanding the patterns and advancing to understanding how the patterns of the sun, moon and earth affect things like radioactive decay.
2. Earth’s Systems: Reading through the various levels of understanding  I though about the variety of way that these topics could be modeled to bring them to life for the students. This topic of the earths systems really lends itself to leading right into global warming and the affect that we have on the earth.
3. Earth and Human Activity: The author talked in the into about the affect of ppolulation alone and the affects on the Earth saying "The rapidly rising number of humans on the planet—doubling in number roughly every 40 years—combined with increased global industrialization, has also stressed limited planetary resources of water, arable land, plants and animals, minerals, and hydrocarbons. Only in the relatively recent past have people begun to recognize the dramatic role humans play as an essentially geological force on the surface of Earth, affecting large-scale conditions and processes." This is important because we need to make choices to preserve our planet such as recycling and using more renewable energy.

Page 173

What I want all of my teacher friends to know:
This chapter was all about what we learned over the summer. I though about the technological advanced that have been made allowing students to understand the patterns of the sun, moon and earth. This is something I recall struggling with because these resources weren't available and the explanation with two balls and a flashlight just didn't help me to make sense of what we happening. Knowing about the resources that are available I encourage my teacher friends to utilize them. I also challenge my math friends to utilize earth space science for the content of lessons about exponents. The more that we connect ideas and expose students through various subject areas the more they are able to make connections and apply their knowledge.

# data[].attributes.body
The three most interesting things in this chapter was about how natural hazards affect individuals and societies.

1. Natural hazards and other geological events have shaped the course of human history, sometimes significantly altering the size of human populations or driving human migrations.  While humans cannot eliminate natural hazards, they can take steps to reduce their impacts. For example, loss of life and economic costs have been greatly reduced by improving construction, developing warning systems, identifying and avoiding high-risk locations, and increasing community preparedness and response capability.

2. Natural hazards and other geological events have shaped the course of human history, sometimes significantly altering the size of human populations or driving human migrations. Natural hazards can be local, regional, or global in origin, and even local events can have distant impacts because of the interconnectedness of human societies and Earth’s systems.

3. The skill progression levels for this discipline:  2nd grade- Weather scientists forecast severe weather so that communities can prepare for and respond to these events. 5th grade – Hazards that result from natural processes such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, severe weather, floods, and coastal erosion. 8th grade- Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geological forces can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.  12th grade- Natural hazards and other geological events have shaped the course of human history by destroying buildings and cities, eroding land, changing the course of rivers, and reducing the amount of suitable land.

Students need to understand the effects of natural disasters on human systems around the world. Through the study of this discipline students will be able to identify how humans in different parts of the world adapt to and prepare for disasters.  This could also provide the opportunity for the teacher to discuss why the United States and other economically developed countries and regions might be better prepared than less developed nations to handle hazards.

# data[].attributes.body
1.  Earth's place in the Universe:  for my county this is taught in 6th grade.  Though kids find "space" cool and interesting they do have a difficult time grasping the sheer size and magnitude of not only our solar system but the universe as a whole.  I think that most adults have difficulty grasping this as well.  Though in the middle school years we focus mainly on the movement of the sun, earth, and moon and that the universe began with the "big bang" and that our solar system is part of a much larger expanding universe.
2.  Earth systems tend to be a bit easier for students as it is something that they can wrap their minds around and for the most part can see or visualize.  This is mainly due to the fact that we are talking about our own planet so students can visualize the spheres as we discuss them.  They can comprehend and understand that all of the systems work together to sustain life on our planet.  A big part of these processes is plate tectonics, water cycle (hydrosphere), weather and how all of these affect us.
3.   A big push has been talking about Human Impact on our planet.  For students this is something they hear not only in school but on the internet, in the news, on social media, etc.  This is in how we use the planets resources, what we are doing to the land around us, the destroying of habitats and the effects on the animals around us.  They are much more in tune to what is happening around them then we give them credit for.  This is an area where we need to make sure that kids understand the impact we have and how they can come up with solutions.  Future generations will need to fix what has been done and come up with mutually beneficial ways of using and restoring the planet.

Key Take Away:  the human impact part of the this in my opinion is so powerful and needs to be addressed with as much importance as the other aspects of the Earth Space Science Curriculum.

# data[].attributes.headline
Framework for K-12 Science Education (CH 7: Earth and Space Science Reading Reflections)

# data[].attributes.subject
Framework for K-12 Science Education (CH 7: Earth and Space Science Reading Reflections)

# data[].attributes.body
1. “It may seem as if natural hazards, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, have been more active in recent years, but this is primarily because the growing population of cities has heightened their impacts.  The rapidly rising number of humans on the planet—doubling in numbers roughly over 40 years—combined with increased global industrialization, has also stressed limited planetary resources of water, arable land, plants and animals, minerals, and hydrocarbons”(p. 172-173). It is therefore very important to teach or help students at the K-12 level to understand the history of Earth and the evolution of its systems in order for them to recognize the dramatic role humans play as a geological force on the surface of the Earth.

2. I really like the grade band endpoints or expected essential knowledge for the three Earth & Space core ideas discussed to promote Earth & Space literacy at the juncture of specific grade levels(that is, at the end of grades 2, 5, 8, and 12 respectively).  Consequently, this can help educators at the elementary grades through the high school level with planning and lesson delivery to explicitly teach new content in their respective grade level and use students’ prior knowledge to make connections about Earth’ place in the universe, Earth’s systems, global climate change and humans impact on Earth systems.

3. “Much energy production today comes from nonrenewable resources, such as coal and oil.  However, advances in related science and technology are reducing the cost of energy from renewable resources, such as sunlight, and some regulations are favoring their use.  As a result, future energy supplies are likely to come from a much wider range of sources” (p. 191-192).  Too often students at the K-12 and even adults do not fully understand how these resources can affect the environment in multiple ways.  Earth and Space Science teachers have an obligation to help students become informed citizens. They need to understand why these resources are unevenly distributed around the planet, the associated economic, social, environment and geopolitical costs and risks, as well as benefits.

Finally, I would like to say to all my fellow teachers that “though the magnitudes of humans’ impacts are greater than they ever been, so too humans’ abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.  Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the oceans, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.  Thus science and engineering will be essential both to understanding the possible impacts to global climate change and to informing decisions about how to slow its rate and consequences—for humanity as well as for the rest of the planet”(p. 198).  I truly believe that if we are aware (both young and mature) and are well informed about our impacts on the planet; we will be more adamant and willing to learn about the development of alternative energy sources that can potentially reduce the environmental impacts  caused by our use of fossils fuels.

# data[].attributes.headline
Weekly Readings: A Framework  for K-12 Science Education- Ch. 7 

# data[].attributes.subject
Weekly Readings: A Framework  for K-12 Science Education- Ch. 7 

# data[].attributes.body
Three interesting things from the readings:
1. While Earth and space sciences (ESS) comprises traditional disciplines of geology- that is, identification, analysis, and mapping of rocks- ESS also embodies interdisciplinary branches of physical sciences (i.e., inquiries of forces as means of understanding the Earth's size, structure, etc.) and life sciences (i.e., analysis of fossils rooted in geological record of rocks), yielding various science subjects like geobiology and astrophysics.
2. The following three disciplinary core ideas of ESS are:
a. Core Idea ESS1: Earth's Place in the Universe
i. ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars
ii. ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System
iii. ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
b. Core Idea ESS2: Earth's Systems
i. ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems
ii. ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
iii. ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth's Surface Processes
iv. ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
v. ESS2.E: Biogeology
c. Core Idea ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
i. ESS3.A: Natural Sciences
ii. ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
iii. ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
iv. Global Climate Change
3. Thanks to ongoing research in ESS, the K-12 science and engineering framework recognizes the impact of the rapidly increasing human population and global industrialization on the large-scale dynamics of Earth's processes and structures, such as global warming and deforestation.

What I want my teacher friends to know:
As a 6th grade Life Science teacher, I acknowledge the interdisciplinary nature of ESS on the aspects of life sciences, along with physical sciences and engineering, technology, and applications of science (ETS). One of the core ideas of life science, LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity emphasizes the history and diversity of life on Earth, such as fossil records and genetic relationships among species, so that humans realize and do not take for granted the ongoing impact of biological evolution on the natural resources that they must rely on for survival throughout their lives.

# data[].attributes.body
1) I found most interest in the Earth and human activity affects on the Earth. Humans depend on the planet for resources,some are renewable and replaceable and some are not. As humans we have influence on the Earths climate, resources, and hazards. Reading this helps me realize we have a responsibility to be good to our Earth and to be educated on how we can minimize the negative impact and maximize what we can do to make sure that future generations can have access to the resources that we take for granted.

2) Humans affect the quality, availability and distribution of Earths water through modification of streams, lakes, and ground water. Large areas such as wetlands,forests and grasslands are being transformed by human agriculture, mining and expansion of settlements and roads. We as humans use up the resources and tear up the ecosystems causing animals to become extinct.

3) By using science -based predictive models we can anticipate long-term changes more effectively than ever before and plan accordingly. Accumulated human knowledge with scientific research can help people learn more about the challenges and guide the responses.

For educators it is our responsibility to educate our students and expose them to affects that humans are having on the environment. This creates students who are environmentally conscious. That way students can be apart of the solution as oppose to the problem.

# data[].attributes.body
1. The section “Human Impacts on Earth Systems” is a great subtopic to integrate social justice. Students could research how politics and economic status play a role in determining positive and negative consequences for our planet.

2. I enjoyed reading the progression of each topic because it helps me determine where my students should be at the end of each topic/unit and what they should already know by the time they enter 5th grade.

3. The first core component, “Earth’s Place in the Universe” will have students engaged by curiosity. Although many students find it of interest, it is challenging for them to imagine the vastness of our solar system, let alone our universe. I think that the subtopics: The Universe and its Stars, Earth and the Solar System, and The History of Planet Earth will assist with guiding them to understanding.

I would like all of my colleagues to know the importance of the progression of all core components. One could “cross-cut” these components for integration purposes. Earth-Space Science is a large umbrella and it is crucial for students to be exposed to all of these core ideas in an effective manner. A deficiency in one area could lead to challenges in others.