Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
Office of Mathematics and Science
For news items or information contact:
www.fldoestem.org cindy.yeager@fldoe.org
Science Standards Update
Public input has been received, and the writers met on January 9-11, 2008, in
Tallahassee for final editing of the standards. Upon completion of their work on the
final draft, the standards will be posted online at this Web site:
http://www.fldoestem.org/FLDOE_STEM/Review_FL_Science_Standards.aspx
The presentation of the Science Standards to the State Board of Education will be
during the February 2008 meeting.
State Science Day
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State Science Day is scheduled for Friday, May 16.
•
Theme will be new science content standards related to wind and wind energy.
•
OMS is planning to ask teachers and science curriculum specialists to
submit model lessons related to selected science benchmarks by
February 29. Selected lessons will be highlighted on State Science Day.
State Math Day
The Office of Mathematics and Science at the Florida Department of Education
is introducing the first annual Florida Math Day on
May 1, 2008
. On this day,
every school in the state will be invited to teach a specific mathematics lesson.
There will be a lesson for high school, a lesson for middle school, a lesson for
intermediate elementary school, and a lesson for primary school.
The newly adopted Sunshine State Standards for mathematics include a new
body of knowledge for secondary mathematics: Financial Literacy. The theme
for all of the mathematics lessons on Math Day will be financial literacy.
The Office of Mathematics and Science is inviting teachers and other interested
mathematics educators to submit lesson plans to be considered for the State
Math Day lessons. The respective lesson plans will focus upon the following
benchmarks at the high school, 7
th
grade, 5
th
grade, and 2
nd
grade levels:
OFFICE STAFF
Mary Jane Tappen
Executive Director
Cindy Yeager
Administrative Assistant
Todd Clark
Deputy Director
Lance King
Secondary Science
Specialist
VieVie Baird
Elementary Science
Specialist
Rob Schoen
Mathematics Specialist
Evrim Erbilgin
Mathematics Specialist
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
Grade Level
Benchmark
Code
Benchmark
2
MA.2.G.5.3
Identify, combine, and compare values of
money in cents up to $1 and in dollars up to
$100, working with a single unit of currency.
5
MA.5.A.2.2
Add and subtract fractions and decimals
fluently and verify the reasonableness of results,
including in problem situations.
7
MA.7.A.1.2
Solve percent problems, including problems
involving discounts, simple interest, taxes, tips
and percents of increase or decrease.
High School
MA.912.F.3.4
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of
deferred payments.
With all of the schools in Florida participating in this event, teachers can submit lesson
plans that potentially involve every school in the state. The lessons selected for
implementation will be offered through the new Florida Standards Database. The
writers of these model lessons will be declared Florida Mathematics Educators of the
Day on the first annual Florida Math Day and will be offered the opportunity to model
the lesson in their classrooms.
Lesson plans will be due no later than
February 15, 2008
. Committees of mathematics
teachers and financial experts will review the proposed lessons and score them
according to a rubric that was developed by the Office of Mathematics and Science.
The highest scoring lesson plan for each benchmark will be developed and offered to
Florida schools as the model lesson for Math Day.
Lessons may be written and submitted by individuals or groups. Lessons may be
designed for implementation in a single day or over multiple days with a culminating
lesson on May 1, 2008. To download and review the scoring rubric and the suggested
template for proposed model lessons, please visit the following Web site:
http://www.fldoestem.org/FLDOE_STEM/State_Math_Day.aspx
Model lesson writers will have access to resources from the Office of Mathematics and
Science, the Florida Knowledge Network, and the Florida Center for Research in
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) to assist with the
implementation and dissemination of the lesson. These resources may include Web site
space, video capabilities, and more.
Lessons may be submitted electronically to Rob Schoen at the Office of Mathematics
and Science (robert.schoen@fldoe.org). Supporting materials such as video of the
lesson being implemented may be submitted in hardcopy to Rob Schoen at the Office
of Mathematics and Science (325 West Gaines Street, Suite 501-A, Tallahassee, FL
32399-0400). Lessons may refer to a live, non-commercial Web site.
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
Advertisements or inclusion of commercial products will disqualify lesson plans.
Lesson ideas may be borrowed from other sources, but failure to reference or cite non-
original ideas will result in disqualification of lessons. Collaboration on lesson plans is
encouraged.
Please join us in making the first annual Florida Math Day a chance to teach
mathematics in a rich and useful context and an opportunity for our mathematics
classrooms to come together as a state. If you have a lesson plan or idea for a rich
mathematics lesson with a financial literacy context, please consider sharing it with
teachers across the state for Florida Math Day!
Florida Forestry Teachers’ Tour
The Florida Forestry Teachers' Tour brings 45 teachers from across the state to
Fernandina Beach each June to see firsthand how forestry works in Florida.
Participants visit a research forest, a privately-owned tree farm, a paper mill, a saw mill
and a chemical lab that manufactures fragrances from tree by-products. They see all
aspects of forestry practices, from the planting and growing processes to the mills and,
finally, to the end products. Learning that over 5,000 products are made from trees,
teachers see how chemical by-products from the paper-making process are used in
products like soap, fabrics, and food.
Applications for the summer 2008 tour are due by March 14, 2008. For applications
and more information, visit http://www.floridaforest.org/teachers_tour.php.
FCAT Explorer Announces “Science Voyager” for 8
th
Grade Students
The Office of Mathematics and Science has worked closely with the Bureau of School
Improvement to review materials for a new 8
th
grade module for Science as part of the
FCAT Explorer program – called “Science Voyager.” The 5
th
grade science module,
“Science Station,” was released in 2007 and has already become the fourth most
popular module being used as part of the FCAT Explorer program. See the brochure on
the next page for more information about “Science Voyager.”
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (FCR-STEM) Research on Technology Use in Math Classrooms
FCR-STEM is conducting research on technology integration in mathematics education
in middle and high schools in Florida as one of its initial studies. This project has
developed a survey for Florida teachers of mathematics aimed at understanding how
current technologies, such as the graphing calculator, are used in teaching and learning.
The project’s primary goal is to help improve mathematics education through the
innovative use of instructional technologies.
The URL for the survey is http://www.survey.coe.fsu.edu/Login.aspx . Participants will
need to go through a very brief registration, log in, and enter the survey ID “
8ILJ564
”
to take the survey. Please note that the survey ID is case-sensitive and should contain
no spaces before or after.
To encourage widespread response to the survey, we are offering five new TI-NSpire
handheld graphing calculators to be selected randomly for five survey respondents. In
addition, we would appreciate your support and encouragement for participation in the
survey, as this is the only way we can collect required baseline data for this important
study.
FCR-STEM on Content Enhancement Routines
FCR-STEM is providing free professional development in Content Enhancement
Routines, developed by the University of Kansas, to middle and high schools in Florida
during the 2007-08 school year.
Applications from 67 schools, representing 27
counties in Florida, were received. Three hundred twenty-eight math teachers, 396
science teachers, 53 teachers of other areas, and 95 school leaders were in the pool of
applicants. The target for the first year (academic year 2007-2008) is to provide
professional development for up to 125 teachers and instructional leaders in their
schools. For more information, please visit
http://www.fcrstem.org/Research_Centers/FCR-STEM/FCR-
STEM_News_and_Events.aspx.
For an article regarding this initiative in Leon County, see
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771213008.
Training Workshop for Mentoring Program
A one-day training workshop for Mentoring Program Coordinators, entitled “Mentoring
and Mythbusting: Cultivating Gender Equity in Emerging Technologies” will be held
on Friday,
February 29, 2008,
at Indian River Community College - Ft. Pierce. The
workshop is designed to support secondary and post-secondary educators and
counselors, career and technical education coordinators, and others committed to
developing mentoring programs for high school women to encourage participation in
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
advanced and emerging technologies, STEM careers and studies, and non-traditional
programs. The workshop is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and
is free to registered participants. The workshop is designed to teach coordinators how
to develop and sustain mentoring programs in their regions. Topics for discussion
include: program design, planning, marketing, management and evaluation. For more
information about the organization sponsoring this workshop, visit
http://www.genderequitycollaborative.org.
To register, please visit http://genderequitycollaborative.org/workshop-registration.php.
Recognition of the District Finalists for the Sunshine State Scholars Program
Congratulations to all of the District Sunshine State Scholars, listed below. These
scholars competed in a statewide competition on January 9, 2008, to be selected as a
regional scholar. All regional scholars will be recognized, together with their most
influential math and science teachers, at a meeting in Tallahassee on March 9-11.
District
District
Scholar(s)
Alachua
Jimmy
Wong
Baker
Bradley
Burnsed
Bay John
Hawk
Bradford
Chad
Parmenter
Brevard
Kyla
Horn
and
Kern
Vijayvargiya
Broward
Lisa Gutermuth, Joyce Wang, Sida Huang,
Shepard Berg, and Andrew Li
Calhoun Nicholas
Stoltzfus
Charlotte Alexander
Wynn
Citrus Sonia
Shah
Clay
Emily Anne Dougherty
Collier Jaclyn
Arcy
Columbia Katherine
Reichert
DeSoto Kyle
Cogswell
Dixie Trudie
Clark
Duval
Chris Perera and Jordan Hester
Escambia William
Doenlen
FAMU Lab School
Rishandrea Evans
Flagler Joshua
Hawes
FL School for the Deaf and Blind
Justin Chan
Franklin Haley
Wood
FSU Lab School
Kadmiel Perez
Gadsden Alejandra
Hurtado
Gilchrist Ashli
Vanhorn
Glades Jessica
Concha
Gulf Molly
Matty
Hamilton Kathryn
Burnam
Hardee Jacob
Barone
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
District
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District
Scholar(s)
Hendry Cathy
McVay
Hernando Camille
McAvoy
Highlands Amy
Hart
Hillsborough
Derrick Archer, Patricio Velez, and John Colby
Holmes Ty
Short
Indian River
Milton Guy
Jackson David
Williams
Jefferson
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Amber
MacDonald
Lafayette Kevin
Waters
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Lake Shamik
Patel
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Lee
David Huang and Alicia Gaidry
Leon Chenyu
Lin
Levy James
Guerry
Liberty Kierstan
Monahan
Madison Joshua
Isom
Manatee
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Matthew
Talbert
Marion
?
Renfei
Tu
Martin
?
Daniel
Cushing
Miami-Dade
?
Cindy Guan, Chen Lossos, Jancarlo Perez,
Gaurav Sen, Alexander Li, and Luis Yamashita
Monroe
?
Robert
Idsardi
Nassau Ghermayn
Baker
Okaloosa Kyle
Schenthal
Okeechobee Jesse
Bryant
Orange
Bo Sun, Kevin Fuhr, and Lorena Perez
Osceola Dylan
Billiodeaux
Palm Beach
Roger Rozanski, Dustin Katzin, and Mason Bogue
Pasco
Coleby Friedland and Harry Helmrich
Pinellas
Aman Mittal, Eric Yuan, and Karan Sagar
PK Yonge (U. of FL Lab School)
Juliana Hughes
Polk
Lauren Kessell and Monica Bhutiani
Putnam
?
Alexander
Gaw
Santa Rosa
Justin Engle
Sarasota Jordan
Arnold
Seminole
?
Wenxuan Hu and Adrian Chase
St. Johns
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Justin Lanier
St. Lucie
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Neel Patel
Sumter Lindsey
Tillman
Suwannee Patrick
Smith
Taylor Caleb
Reaves
Union James
Wring
Volusia
Kevin McDermott and Chase Wilson
Wakulla Matthew
Cozzy
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Walton Auatin
Buzzett
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Washington
?
Allison
Ellis
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
Recognition of State Science Finalists for the Presidential Award for Excellence in
Mathematics and Science Teaching
Pictured from left to right:
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Robert Dull, Finalist from Pinellas County
•
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VieVie Baird, Department of Education’s Presidential Award Coordinator
for Science
•
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Kathleen Poe, Honorable Mention from Duval County
•
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Allen Phipps, Finalist from Broward County
•
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Missing from the picture – Lisa Peake, Finalist from Pasco County
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
(PAEMST) is the highest recognition that a mathematics or science teacher may receive
for outstanding teaching in the United States. Enacted by Congress in 1983, this
program authorizes the President to bestow up to 108 awards each year. The National
Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of The White House Office of
Science and Technology Policy.
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The teachers are recognized for their contributions to teaching and learning and their
ability to help students make progress in mathematics and science. In addition to
honoring individual achievement, the goal of the award program is to exemplify the
highest standards of mathematics and science teaching. Awardees serve as models for
their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of
mathematics and science education.
Florida sent the following three finalists’ applications to Washington for consideration
as the national awardee:
Robert Dull has been teaching for twenty-eight years. He presently teaches IB
Organic Chemistry, AP Chemistry, and Chemistry I at Palm Harbor University
School in Pinellas County.
Allan Phipps has been teaching for six years. He presently teaches AP
Environmental Science and Senior Executive Internship/Research at South
Plantation High School in Broward County.
Lisa Peake has been teaching for five years. She presently teaches Chemistry I
Honors and AP Chemistry at Wesley Chapel High School in Pasco County.
Also, this year the state selection committee recognized an outstanding teacher with an
Honorable Mention Award:
Kathleen Poe has been teaching for thirty-five years. She presently teaches
Comprehensive Science at Duncan U. Fletcher Middle School in Duval County.
Good luck to the three Florida Finalists! The Florida National Winner will be
announced by the White House in the spring and receive the following:
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A citation signed by the President of the United States;
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A paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a weeklong series of
recognition events and professional development opportunities;
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Gifts from program sponsors from around the country; and,
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A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
For more information about this year’s program, please visit www.paemst.org.
Teachers Selected to Receive “ScienceMaster” Grant Scholarships
Three teachers from the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC) member
school districts have been selected to receive the ScienceMaster Grant Scholarship.
Deborah Morgan in Wakulla County from Crawfordville Elementary School; Shannan
Romer in Calhoun County from Blountstown Middle School; and April Bidwell in Gulf
County from Wewahitchka Elementary School received the ScienceMaster Grant,
funded as part of Florida’s Math and Science Partnership (MSP) funds. The
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Issue #2 – January 15, 2008
ScienceMaster Grant was awarded to Manatee School District with a focus on
improving classroom instructional strategies for science teachers. One component of
the grant includes providing the opportunity for 60 teachers in Florida to receive a
master’s degree in space and science education.
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