Forty-five educators attended the most recent informational session about the new NYS grade 5 and grade 8 science assessments. For those that were unable to attend, this article will serve as a summary of that day.

What will be on the test?
The Grade 5 test will include all science standards from the 3-5 grade band and the Grade 8 test will include all science standards from the 6-8 grade band. According to the Science Test Guidance document released by the state, each domain of science (Life, Physical, Earth & Space, and Engineering) will be represented on the test proportionally to its appearance in the standards. These two documents (ELS and ILS) can help to see the breakdown of what Science Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and which science domains will be emphasized most on the respective exams. Test questions will be written at a level 2, 3, and 4 from the Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs).

​How can we prepare our students?
Many teachers are looking for a vocabulary list, a set of practice questions, or a list of “what our kids need to know”, however the new science standards (NYSSLS) do not operate as a factual list of what students need to know, rather how they figure things out.
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Teachers should be using the Science Practices and Crosscutting Concepts (two of the three dimensions) regularly in class to have students figure out the “facts” of science. If explicit teaching of these two dimensions has not been happening up to this point, NOW IS THE TIME TO START. If nothing else, teachers should be using the Science Practices and Crosscutting Concepts language as they engage in science content leading up to the exam.

There is not a review book that can be purchased with practice questions. The state has released 4 clusters of questions that strongly resemble the way questions will look on the actual exam. Teachers can have students access these questions and work through them on the site – probably the best method to practice CBT skills as well. Teachers may also print these out, or they can be found in Castle Learning. Other ways to practice questions directly related to NYSSLS is using Inner Orbit, an online assessment-building platform accessible to all students and teachers at the 5th and 8th grade levels.

I have also gone through the NYS Science Learning Standards with a comb (not necessarily fine-toothed) to create vocabulary lists at each grade band level. I have created this more as a vertical alignment tool than a test-prep tool. I would strongly encourage teachers to start with the SEP and CCC vocabulary before worrying as much about the DCI (Disciplinary Core Idea) vocabulary.

Other preparation resources:

• Grade 5 Science Review - Student Packet
• Grade 5 Science Review - Teacher Guide
• Grade 5 Science Review – related Gifs and images
• Mini Lessons for explicitly teaching SEPs and CCCs
• Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs) - Elementary
• Performance Level Descriptions (PLDs) - Intermediate

How do the NYS Science Investigations tie into the exam?
The NYS Science Investigations that were released in October 2022 are to be used as performance activities at the end of the unit of study related to the tasks. These should be run as any science activity is run with all students in the classroom – including scaffolding for a variety of needs and appropriate modifications for students with IEPs. Every student should have exposure to all four of these Investigations prior to taking the Grade 5 or Grade 8 NYS Science Assessment. It is in the student’s best interest that they are proficient at these activities, however it is not required. Approximately 15% of the test will be indirectly related to the Investigations. The questions will NOT directly ask about the Investigations, but rather will be within the realm of the content in the Investigations, as well as the skills that are practiced by the students.

By:  Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Regional STEM Coordinator, worked with Enchanted Mountains to produce four videos on their website that explain the solar eclipse that will take place in our region on April 8, 2024.  

Kelli explores the answers to four central questions:  

• What is a total solar eclipse?
• When will the total solar eclipse happen?
• Why is it a big deal?
• Where to look?

Check out these videos on the Enchanted Mountains website.  

An inch of rain in the entire month of May. Heavy snows followed the next day by massive melts. Ticks, ticks, boom. Wildfire smoke invading our clean summer air.
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…And we thought western NY was a climate oasis.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, even impacting “climate oases” like our region. It is critical that we take a proactive role in educating our students about this important topic. As the next generation of leaders, it is so important that young people understand the science behind climate change, its impacts, and the actions they can take to mitigate its effects.

Climate change is a scientifically established fact, with the overwhelming majority of climate scientists in consensus that the Earth’s climate is changing rapidly and that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, are contributing to this change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other scientific organizations have warned that if we do not take immediate action to reduce our carbon emissions, the impacts of climate change will become increasingly severe, including rising sea levels, more frequent and intense heatwaves, droughts, and natural disasters, and the loss of biodiversity.

In order to tackle this issue effectively, it is essential that students have a strong understand of the science behind climate change. This will help them to make informed decisions about the actions they can take to mitigate its effects, such as reducing their carbon footprint by using public transportation or renewable energy sources, or by supporting local leaders who prioritize action towards sustainability. Furthermore, by educating students about climate change, we can help to foster a sense of environmental stewardship and encourage students to become advocates for sustainability and leaders of tomorrow.

Climate change is a global issue that affects everyone. It has the potential to impact every aspect of our lives, from the food we eat and the water we drink, to the air we breathe and the places we live. As such, it is important for students to understand the implications of climate change for their own lives, as well as for the lives of people around the world.

Learning about climate change can also help students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skill. Climate change is a complex and multi-faceted issue that requires creative solutions. By engaging in discussions about the causes and potential impacts, students can learn to analyze information, consider different perspectives, and collaborate with peers to develop solutions. This type of hands-on learning can be particularly powerful, as students are more likely to remember what they have learned when they have had the opportunity to apply it in a meaningful way.

Learning about climate change can help to foster a sense of global citizenship and promote empathy and compassion. Climate change affects everyone, regardless of race, religion, or socio-economic status, and it is important for students to understand the impact that their actions can have on people in their community and around the world. By learning about the ways in which our changing climate is affecting people in different parts of the world, students can develop a greater sense of empathy and compassion for others, and be inspired to take action to make a positive difference in the world.
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Finally, it is important that we teach about climate change because it is a rapidly evolving issue that is changing the world in real-time. As such, it is essential that students have access to accurate and up-to-date information about his issue in order to understand its implications for their lives and be prepared for their futures.  

In conclusion, teaching about climate change is a vital obligation for us as educators. By giving our students the opportunity to learn about climate change and sustainability, we can foster a sense of environmental responsibility, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, promote empathy and compassion, and help them find a meaningful and successful path for their lives.

Stay tuned to hear more about why and how our students can benefit from climate change education in future articles.

By:  Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Many people think that clouds form due to the process of the water cycle phase, evaporation. It is true that without evaporation, clouds would not exist. Evaporation is the process of liquid water turning into gaseous water, or water vapor. Without evaporation as a part of the water cycle, water would only cycle from liquid to solid, and would never make it off the ground.

Liquid water is relatively “sticky”, the molecules when water is in a liquid state are attracted to each other creating a lattice of water molecules. Think about how water can “stick” to the sides of a glass, your mirror during a shower, or itself when you’ve poured a glass of it too high, and it domes up above the edge of the glass (try it!).
When liquid water molecules have enough energy, some of them break away from the liquid water lattice. A single water molecule is less dense than our typical air molecules (nitrogen and oxygen) so it rises up through the air. That’s usually where water vapor hangs out, amid our air molecules. But we don’t see it.
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Water molecules floating around alone are far too small to see. Even so, a common misconception exists that evaporation, liquid water becoming water vapor, creates clouds. But we can see clouds!  And we can see liquid water. So at some point, the water vapor must turn back to liquid water, otherwise known as the process of condensation.
Remember that it takes water molecules with energy to break away to form water vapor, so the opposite needs to happen to water vapor molecules to slow down enough to allow their natural attraction to take hold. The temperatures further from the surface of Earth are colder due to less pressure (“thinner” air), so as water vapor rises in the air, it cools, or the molecules lose energy and slow down. In addition to sticking to each other, water molecules tend to need a surface to form onto. Our atmosphere is full of microscopic dust which provides a perfect surface for microscopic water molecules to cling to as they lose energy. The lattice formed between the clinging water and dust is our cloud!
So in a typical graphic that appears in many student textbooks, we can see the cause and effect that creates this cycle of cloud formation:

In a recent workshop, fifth grade teachers from Franklinville, Randolph Academy, West Valley, and Genesee Valley practiced an activity they do with their students in the Models of the Earth Advancing STEM Kit. 

This activity helps students understand the conditions needed for a cloud to form. There are different scenarios represented by four combinations of water and air: (1) cold water/cold air; (2) cold water/warm air; (3) warm water/cold air; and (4) warm water/warm air. You can see in the picture that water droplets have formed on the top of one of the cups enclosing the land. What do you think is the combination that created this “cloud”?  This activity goes along great with one of the third grade NYS Required Science Investigations: Cloud in a Bottle.

Another great activity to do with kids or by yourself is Cloud BINGO. This fun activity can help develop keen observation skills and practice prediction. Record the date and time when you see a type of cloud and record the weather going on at the time you see this cloud. You can make this a competition if you set a time frame, say three weeks, and whoever has seen the most clouds, wins! 

Follow-up questions to a few weeks of cloud observations might be: What type of weather would you expect with thin, wispy clouds?  What type of weather would you expect with thick, fluffy clouds?  What type of weather would you expect with dark clouds? What did you find were the most common types of clouds?  The least common?  Are there any clouds that indicate bad weather or good weather is on the way?  Are there any clouds that signify a storm is now over? Did you discover any other types of patterns?

By: Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Just last week we hosted over a dozen fourth grade teachers for an Advancing STEM training. Now that the Elementary NYS Science Assessment has ended for 4th grade (moving to 5th grade in 2024), these teachers got busy learning about the new science standards (NYSSLS) and the CA BOCES Advancing STEM kits. Our Advancing STEM kits are inquiry-based science units that are aligned with the NYS Science Learning Standards.
 
Earlier in July, middle school teachers worked on learning the SEPUP Lab-Aids middle school science curriculum. One unique characteristic of this company is their dedication to embedding literacy strategies into the lessons. They make use of a Science Lab Notebook as students reflect, explain their understanding, revise their models and explanations, make predictions, prepare oral arguments, and take notes to guide their reading.
 
Especially true with the new science standards, students need opportunities to read, write, and talk like scientists do. Knowing how and when to use these skills is scientific literacy. The means to discovery and the acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and nature of science heavily relies on literacy skills like reading, writing, and talking. However, literacy skills should not be the end unto themselves. Students should have a purpose to reading as they learn literacy skills. “Literacy is a domain in search of content” according to Dr. Jacquey Barber, and “Science is a discipline in need of communication”. So literacy needs science and science needs literacy!
 
There has always been a question about how students best learn science and as literacy has been more and more emphasized over the past couple of decades, disciplines such as science have become progressively marginalized in elementary classrooms. Some educators insist students must be engaged in hands-on open-ended activities, whereas others have their students read about scientific ideas to gain an understanding of science concepts.
 
Based on a study by Dr. Barber, students who engaged in a combination of doing and talking, and reading and writing gained much more scientific knowledge than students who engaged in a strictly hands-on approach or students who engaged in a strictly reading and writing approach. Students involved in the do-talk-read-write approach were motivated to read as they investigated a scientific phenomenon. They were excited to discuss and write about their discoveries.
 
The NYSSLS are transformational. They include science literacy practices within the standards: Constructing explanations, engaging in argument from evidence, obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information are integral to the discipline of science. We are not born knowing how to do these skills, and so they must be explicitly taught so students understand how to figure out the phenomenon and communicate about it.
 
Instead of science being a marginalized subject, what if it provides a storyline for math and literacy? Science lessons should be framed with a scientific purpose where students are using science (literacy) skills to figure something out. This scientific purpose provides a common thread to link literacy skills (and math skills!).  Our Advancing STEM kits already provide this storyline.
 
I’m hoping to work over this coming school year with elementary teachers of our region to integrate more literacy strategies into our kits so students are reading, writing, and talking like scientists as they investigate real-life phenomena. Stay tuned for collaboration opportunities that I would love to have your elementary teachers be a part of!
 
If you’re a podcast person, this: Summer '22 Rewind: The symbiotic relationship between literacy and science with Jacquey Barber (buzzsprout.com) expands on much of what you’ve read here and offers some other resources that I will be delving into as I work on this project!

By: Kelli Grabowski, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Teachers and students in the Cattaraugus and Allegany County region have all-access to many high-quality online resources.  Check out our guide.  All resources can be accessed at http://resources.caboces.org  Contact anyone on our team for username and password assistance.  

On February 5th and 6th, CA BOCES’ Digital Star Lab visited Friendship Central School (FCS) providing students in pre-k through fifth grades a sampling of what the digital planetarium offers.  David Yochum, the middle/high school science teacher, arranged for the visit and offered four of his 10th grade students an opportunity to instruct an eighth-grade class on pertinent topics using this technology.

During my two days at FCS I was able to introduce students to an outer space view of planet earth, moon phases, constellations, nebulas, the milky way, and the planets in our solar system.  Each field trip ended with watching the sun rise from the surface of Mars.  Students were awed by the experience and demonstrated an increased awareness of our solar system as the planetarium allows for on-demand instruction regardless of temperature and time.
Collaboration with your school librarian is made easy when resources, like the following suggestions, are paired with lessons:

• Pre-school & Kindergarten: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown; Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
• Kindergarten – 2nd Grades:  Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes; Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn Branley; Gravity by Jason Chin; The Big Dipper by Franklyn Branley and Molly Coxe; The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons.
• 3rd -5th Grades: Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter; Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations by Jacqueline Mitton; Find the Constellations by H. A. Rey; They Dance in the Sky: Native American Star Myths by Ray A. Williamson.
• 6th Grade – 12th Grades: Heroes of the Night Sky: The Greek Myths Behind the Constellations by Tom Kindley; Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw by Elaine Scott; Planet Hunter: Geoff Marcy and the Search for Other Earths by Vicki Oransky Wittenstein; Earthrise: My Adventures as an Apollo 14 Astronaut by Edgar Mitchell; The Dialogues: Conversations about the Nature of the Universe (Cartoon Book) by Clifford V. Johnson; The Cartoon Guide to Physics by Larry Gonick.

The StarLab may be reserved through the SNAP system at snap.caboces.org. 

​By:  Cece Fuoco, CABOCES Learning Resources

This summer, Cuba Rushford Elementary School incorporated a STEAM camp into their summer school curriculum. Students were hand-picked to participate in this innovative twist on learning and spent time working with coding, robotics, research projects, and solar ovens.
 
All of the projects were interesting to the students. But the solar ovens had a prize at the end! I will give you s’more information on that later!
 
As part of this experiment, a great deal of work was spent digging deeper into the Engineering Design Process, wherein students are encouraged to ask, imagine, plan, design, and then improve. Students researched to discover the mathematical relationship between reflection, transmission and absorption. They didn’t stop there, though! Students then applied their knowledge to building and testing a solar oven based on the supplies provided through CABOCES. In an extension, students investigated how these principles can be used as sustainable energy sources for our area through passive solar heating.

After the testing phase was completed and all the kinks were worked out, the students put their solar ovens in the sun and let the cooking begin! Chocolate and marshmallows were placed on a graham cracker. After about an hour and a half: voilà! Success. It was so good, some kids wanted s’more!
Interested! Order solar ovens from our SNAP page and get cooking!

By:  Alex Freer, CA BOCES Learning Resources

Check out this month's Advancing STEM Challenge!

Sliding Down a Slippery Slope

Advancing STEM Challenges are designed to bring engineering and design to your classroom in a simple, easy-to-implement, challenge-based way.  Modify our Advancing STEM Challenges for your classroom.  A new challenge will be posted monthly.  ​

Over 300 school librarians converged in Buffalo May 4-6, 2017 to attend the state’s annual school librarians conference. Thirty-nine vendors were available to discuss databases, continuing education programs, cataloging systems, and books that support learning standards as well as popular fiction.  Co-chaired by Pioneer school librarians Maria Muhlbauer and Tina Pierce, this year’s theme Make. Learn. Inspire. was a hit! 

Make. Learn. Inspire. offered professional development workshops specific to the needs of the school librarian.  Keynote speaker Gene Luen Yang, a former high school teacher, has been a recipient of several national book awards. Yang’s engaging style, peppered with humor, brought attention to using comics in education and the importance of representing diversity through the comics medium.  Yang’s message was fitting in that it supports the current initiative by CA BOCES’ Brendan Keiser and Cece Fuoco in building graphic novel kits for classroom use next school year. 

Thirty-six workshops were made available including“Fostering Civic Engagement Through Archival Research”, “The Differentiated Makerspace”, “Sensory Storytime”, “Game Design”, and “Genrefying Your Library”.  One workshop held by Scio librarian, Mary Zdrojewski, had a packed room of 75 attendees who came to learn about using a Breakout Box to teach library skills.  Bolivar-Richburg librarian, Karen Fox, (see photo) presented to over 50 attendees on “21st Century Toolbox for the School Librarian”. Fox capitalized on skills she learned as an employee of Apple and Starbucks to streamline the process for managing her library resources and tracking students.  

Librarians also enjoyed hearing CA BOCES’ S.T.E.M. coordinator, Clay Nolan discuss using common fiction stories to create S.T.E.M. activities to support ELA standards.  After introducing the book Timing Races: Measuring Time by Dianne Irving, Nolan challenged participants with Zometools to create an object that could spin and outlast others (see photo).  It was a fun activity and participants’ phones were busy capturing the learning and competition taking place.

Returning to their schools across the state, librarians left inspired to make new learning opportunities for students. 

By:  Cece Fuoco, CA BOCES Learning Resources 

Library makerspaces are becoming more popular in schools and using technology is often part of the experience.  Some school librarians in CA BOCES are becoming familiar with coding, programming, and open source software.  As a result, makerspaces are frequently the place where students can explore, create, and learn.  eTextiling is one method of using technology to engage students with varied interests. 
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eTextiles use circuitry to create interaction between the wearer and his or her environment.  As a way to introduce fashion and technology to teachers, an eTextiling workshop was offered through the 510 Coser.  Facilitated by S.T.E.M. Coordinator Clay Nolan, and School Library System Coordinator, Cece Fuoco, participants learned the basics of circuitry through the use of copper tape, a battery and an LED light. 

Participants then used conductive thread to sew a circuit. 

Open source technology allows for programming a component to make an LED light respond to sound or movement.  The opportunity exists for students to work together, especially when a student’s interest is stronger than his or her ability. 

An eTextiling workshop will be available again next year with the anticipation that this year’s participants will share what their students have created.  If you would like more information about eTextiling, please contact Clay at [email protected] or Cece at [email protected].

By:  Cece Fuoco, CA BOCES School Library Coordinator

In December the Board of Regents approved new Science Standards that will take effect in July of 2017.  This means schools will need to coordinate their transition away from 1996 Science Standards into new standards so that students are prepared for assessments that will likely be implemented in three years.

It is predicted that new Science assessments will begin in 2020, three school years away.  With this in mind, CA BOCES will begin transitioning Science Curriculum Kit titles so that students reach their assessment prepared.  Title transition will take place over a three year period.  The chart below outlines the planned transition.  

All curriculum kit titles can be explored at our new website:  www.advancingSTEM.com

Explore the new New York State Science Learning Standards: www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/sci/nyssls.html

Teams have been hard at work since the school year began to prepare for the Southern Tier Lego League Tournament on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at Houghton College.  It's exciting to see the program continue to grow in our region.  CABOCES is ready to host the largest Southern Tier Lego League Tournament ever!

First Lego League, a world-wide robotics program, was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in Science and Technology.  Each year a new program is designed to motivate kids to get excited about research, engineering, math and problem solving, while building self confidence, knowledge and life skills.

The Campus Center at Houghton College is the place to be this Saturday to see almost two hundred 9-14 year old students, their coaches and families, and over 3 dozen volunteers discover innovative ways to explore robotics while having fun!  Please consider attending and help us celebrate all the teams who accepted this challenge.  We will announce, at the Closing Ceremony, the five teams who will be advancing to the Championship Tournament at the University of Rochester on December 11.

Call or email BOCES Student Programs at 716-376-8323 if you'd like more information.  Also, to learn more about this year's Challenge, check out the link:firstinspires.org/robotics/fll/challenge-and-season-info
We're looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, November 19!  Thanks for supporting our Southern Tier Lego League teams! 

Transportation details:
For GPS purposes, use Houghton College, 1 Willard Avenue, Houghton College, Houghton, New York 14744.

Watch for Lego League signs, once on campus.

The tournament will be held in the Reinhold Campus Center Lounge, the Student Union at Houghton College.

Parking is available in the Gillette and Gym parking lots.

Tournament details:
There are 18 teams competing this year.  This is our largest Southern Tier Tournament!
The Tournament Tables will be in the Campus Center Lounge.
The Matches will be projected onto a big screen for viewing.
The Pit Area will be in the Campus Center downstairs Rec & Cafe Area.

*Southern Tier FLL Qualifying Tournament 2016*
(times are approximate and subject to change)
12:00 Opening Ceremony
12:20 Competition Rounds begin
3:00 Alliance Round & Dance Party
3:45 Awards Presentations & Closing Ceremony

This Just In:
It's official!  CABOCES will be hosting the largest Southern Tier Lego League Tournament ever on Saturday, November 19 at Houghton College.  See flyer for details.

First Lego League, a world-wide robotics program, was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in Science and Technology.

​Each year a new program is designed to motivate kids to get excited about research, engineering, math and problem solving, while building self confidence, knowledge and life skills.
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​For the past few times I’ve been meeting with teachers, I’ve been introducing them to STEM Challenges. These challenges have the participants work together to solve a problem I pose. Sometimes the problem has a fictional story attached to it or connects to the real world, but all of the challenges have the teachers working as engineers to find a solution.
 
Once the problem is introduced, I tell them the criteria and constraints that go along with the challenge. For example, there might be a time limit, only certain materials available or limits on the amount of material to be used, requirements that need met, etc. Participants get to ask questions about the challenge, imagine their ideas, plan it out with team members, create their solution, test it out, and then improve upon it, which is known as the Engineering Design Process.

​So far, participants I’ve worked with have designed packages to keep a glass ornament safe, earthquake resistant buildings, towers made out of index cards and a foot of tape to hold a stuffed animal, boats to save the gingerbread man, windmill blades to lift a cup of washers, sails to catch the wind, Trojan horse carts to roll down a ramp, and built cup towers using only a rubber band and strings.
 
Through all of these challenges, I noticed the participants were engrossed with the challenge and trying to do their best to solve the problem. When their design wasn’t working, they were very eager to go back to the drawing table and figure it out how to make it work. When they were successful, it was a great scene to watch. Participants were high-fiving, cheering each other on, applauding one another, jumping up and down, and making sounds of joy and excitement. After the challenge, I posed to them that if this is how you are feeling, can you imagine how excited your students would be doing the same thing?

At Whitesville CSD on Tuesday, May 10, teachers were exposed to various STEM related products and activities.   Teachers explored, Little Bits, Coding Apps on the I pad, online resources through their SNAP account and a Global Design Squad activity entitled; Seismic Shake-Up with staff specialists from CABOCES.  Over the past several years, STEM/STEAM has become increasingly important within the school curriculum.   Research has stated, that STEM education is important for our students to be competitive in the workforce.  According to the National Department of Education:
 
The United States has developed as a global leader, in large part, through the genius and hard work of its scientists, engineers, and innovators. In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information. These are the types of skills that students learn by studying science, technology, engineering, and math—subjects collectively known as STEM.

One activity explored with Karen Insley of CABOCES  was the Seismic Shake-Up!  In this activity, students/teachers think about the need for earthquake resistant structures around the world, and determine what it takes to make a structure that is strong enough to withstand an earthquake.  Through collaboration, design, problem solving, testing and researching; students learn and explore what it takes a to design and build a structure that can  withstand an earthquake.

A second activity the teachers dove into was Coding with Clay Nolan from Learning Resources at CABOCES.  Coding is one of the hot phrases of today and is important for ALL students to be exposed to programming as early as kindergarten.   According to Eric Missio of the National Parent/Teacher organization states: 
 
Coding (also called programming or developing) is telling a computer, app, phone or website what you want it to do. Some educators and experts are calling it the ‘new literacy’--a subject so important that every child needs to know the basics to excel in our rapidly changing world. Four- and five-year-olds can learn the foundations of coding and computer commands before they can even write and spell words. Older kids can learn to code through classes, mentors and online tutorials (see below for learn-to-code resources for all ages).

Learning to code prepares kids for the world we live in today. There are tons of jobs and occupations that use code directly, like web designers, software developers and robotics engineers, and even more where knowing how to code is a huge asset—jobs in manufacturing, nanotechnology or information sciences. However, for most kid-coding advocates, reasons for learning to code run much deeper than career prep.
 
Clay’s session started with the basics of human coding and advanced to applying this basic knowledge to a coding app or coding program on the ipad.  The teachers began to make a code for other teams to follow in order to build a tower out of cups.  The basic concepts of human code allows teachers and students to practice and understand the language of a coding program better.  After the towers were built by following the developed codes, teachers explored two coding apps: Hopscotch and Code.org.

By: Tessa Levitt, CA BOCES Professional Development

​Teaching science today in the classroom can be time consuming. There may not be time to fit in all the components from a CA-BOCES science kit due to time constraints. Students might be missing out on the hands-on activities, important vocabulary, and science concepts each learning experience is geared for only because of time’s sake. Also when getting that buckhorn science kit and opening it for the first time, it can be a bit overwhelming with the supplies, manual, books, live animal coupons, and reading that is needed to prepare the kit.

Last week, a few teachers wanted to explore a few of the science kits offered by CA-BOCES. Teachers went through some of the experiences, examined and manipulated the supplies in the kit, debriefed themselves on the manuals, learned about additional resources that coincide with the kit, and discussed implementation plans in their classrooms.
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Hinsdale third grade teachers, Lisa Morrow and Christine Goodling, were both surprised and intrigued by how many ELA skills were intertwined with the science kit, Life Cycles and Traits of Frogs. They noted that it could easily be used during their ELA block because students need to pull main ideas, details, conclusions, evidence, sequencing, and inferences from the texts all while learning science concepts.  The teachers also commented how excited the students would be to engage with the topics and activities since they would have actual eggs, tadpoles, and frogs in their classrooms. After their new found knowledge of the science kit and realizing its ease of use, teachers left rejuvenated and excited to bring science back to the classroom knowing how much the students would gain from this experience. 

​As our society becomes increasingly dependent on engineering and technology, it is more important than ever that everyone be aware of what engineers do and understand the uses and implications of the technologies they create. Yet few American citizens are technologically literate, largely because technology and engineering have not been taught in our schools (Pearson, 2004).
 
Children (and many adults) know shockingly little about technology and engineering. In fact, the vast majority believe the term “technology” refers only to electronics and computers and that engineering and science are basically the same (Lachapelle and Cunningham, 2007; Pearson and Young, 2002). To understand the human-made world in which we live, it is vital that we increase engineering and technological literacy among all people, even young children!
 
Children are born engineers—they are fascinated with designing their own creations, with taking things apart, and with figuring out how things work. In 2003, the Engineering is Elementary (EiE, www.mos.org/eie) project was initiated to take advantage of the natural curiosity of all children to cultivate their understanding and problem-solving in engineering and technology.

​On January 29, the Pk-5  Whitesville Elementary teachers took part in a mini-workshop with Clay Nolan (CABOCES staff specialist for Learning Resources) about the new NYS science standards and how to incorporate engineering and hands on projects in the elementary classroom.  Teachers were asked to design an earthquake-resistant building, integrating 21st century skills in a STEM activity.
 
The Activity; After watching Twig films about earthquakes, each group will invent an earthquake-resistant building and test the efficiency of the building according to certain criteria and constraints with the option of being reinvented. Students will also act as entrepreneurs by using job-readiness skills that enhance workplace productivity and career options based on what they learn from constructing the earthquake-resistant building. Finally, they will briefly engage with financial education and the economy in society by constructing a budget. The final activity was to reflect and collaborate their viewpoints and assess their peer’s presentation or writing. 

​The PK-5 teachers at the workshop reflected how engaging the activity was and how kids used various skills  and content to complete the activity.  Teachers noted that the students would be working and problem solving with their peers and learning the idea of trial and error, construction, mathematics, reflection and the idea that it may not work the first 5 times, but that is all part of the process of learning.

By: Tessa Levitt, CA BOCES and Whitesville Central School