The National Middle School Association is holding its Middle Level Essentials Conference this week, April 3-5, 2008 in Minneapolis. The Middle School Portal will be presenting Friday, April 4, from 10:30-11:45 AM in ballroom C. The title of the presentation is Science Standards, Curricula, and Assessment: What, When, and How. The goals are to discuss issues related to science curricula and instruction; become familiar with a new conception of science teaching and learning including core concepts, learning progressions, and four strands of science proficiency; provide ideas and resources for formative assessments; and to gain access to resources that support this new conception of teaching and learning.

Attendees will have opportunity to discuss issues and to learn how others are dealing with these issues in science education. There will be opportunity to brainstorm and propose changes in the what, when, and how of curricula and assessment based on a new conception of science education. Attendees will receive a handout containing links to 10 on-line resources that support district personnel as they re-conceptualize science teaching, learning, assessment, and professional development. Also included is a sample rubric to assess the four strands of science proficiency. In addition, each week for nine weeks after the conference, attendees will receive an e-mail “take-home” designed to help them put to use what they learned at the presentation.

We hope to see you there, but if you cannot attend, you can still access the PowerPoint presentation here as well as the handout.

If you do attend and have feedback to offer, please add it here in the comment box below.