SCIENCE NIGHTS IN WAKE COUNTY

1. SCIENCE NIGHTS IN WAKE COUNTY Presented for WCPSS Wednesday, December 14 CISCO Systems Gretchen Ross, Wiley Carol Wooten, Hunter Kyle Hamstra, Davis Drive

2. Tiers of organization • Parents and Teachers Collaborative Effort • Teacher Coordinated • Starting Simple

3. Wiley International Magnet School: Science Night • Coordinated by PTA parents and teachers to volunteer • Includes hands-on experiences in all of the classrooms, student presenters, Broughton high school students, (assisting presenters), presenters (teachers, parent scientists, college faculty, community scientists, local organizations) • Tiered family project w/ rubric- gives every student and opportunity to participate

4. PLanning • Start meeting after Winter Break • Decide on theme • Delegate responsibilities Past Themes: Wiley Goes Green-Land Wiley Goes Green-Air Wiley Goes Green-Water Mythbusters

5. Vertical Alignment Life Science ·         Kindergarten: Animals 2 X 2 ·         1st Grade: Organisms ·         2nd Grade: The Life Cycle of the Butterfly ·         3rd Grade: Plant Growth & Development, Soils ·         4th Grade: Animal Studies ·         5th Grade: Ecosystems Earth Science ·         Kindergarten: Weather, Investigating Properties ·         1st Grade: Pebbles, Sand, & Silt ·         2nd Grade: Air & Weather ·         3rd Grade: Soils, Objects in the Sky ·         4th Grade: Earth Materials ·         5th Grade: Landforms, Investigating Weather Systems Physical Science ·         Kindergarten: Comparing & Measuring, Investigating Properties ·         1st Grade: Balance & Motion, Solids & Liquids ·         2nd Grade: Sound, Changes ·         3rd Grade: The Human Body ·         4th Grade: Food Chemistry, Magnetism & Electricity ·         5th Grade: Motion & Design

6. Parent Responsibilities • Schedule and/or attend planning meetings • Create an agenda for each meeting • Email committee with updates and ask questions • Contact and invite presenters • Send and collect presenter forms • Create a volunteer schedule • Create a map of school including exhibits • Create and copy passport • Arrange for food for presenters and teacher presenters • Certificates and Award prize to top participating class

8. Teacher Responsibilities • Attend planning meetings • Ensure curriculum alignment and relevance • Design Family Project Rubric • Send home/email information and reminders to parents • Recruit fellow teachers to present • Present in classroom on Science Night • Reserve space in Media Center to reserve Family Projects *Teacher Presenters- only need to prepare classroom exhibit and communicate plan to committee

9. Family Project • Create a poster • Write a how-to booklet • Create a game out of recycled materials • Build a model K- Is It an Animal? 1st- Is It a Solid? 2nd- Does It Have a Life Cycle? 3rd- What is in soil? 4th- Batteries, Bulbs, and Wires 5th-Is It a Model?

10. Family Project with a focus on Mythbusters Please choose one of the projects below to complete with your family.

11. Science night set up • Volunteer Check-in/Delegate • Presenter Check-in • Signs on Classrooms • Distribution of passports as families arrive • Set up Door Prizes • Set up Presenter food spread in teacher’s lounge

12. HUNTER GT MAGNET ELEMENTARY • Coordinated by teachers • Includes science projects and presenters (parent scientists, college faculty, community scientists) • Also have student presenters (fifth graders) sharing out science kit inquiry processes and curriculum content, Science Olympiad students conduct a presentation • Student ambassadors • Last year: 300+ science projects (3rd -5th grade) and 25+ presentations.

13. Hunter gt magnet elementary • To view a slide show about Hunter’s Science Night and learn more about the components included in the checklist, go to the Science Night tab on the following website: http://carolwooten.weebly.com

14. Hunter gt magnet elementary • Send out speaker invitations • Format is floating, held 5:30 pm-8:00 pm where projects are open for viewing at 5:30 and presentations begin at 6:00. Pizza is served (pre-order process) from 6:00-7:00.

15. MORE INFORMATION: hunter • When getting started, we look at our overall goals for the Science Night, create a detailed checklist that enables us to make sure all components are carried out for a successful night, and continually reflect on how to make Science Night even better. • Many parents may have connections to presenters. Or, we have had many parents enthusiastic about presenting! For instance, both the engineering and medical science presentations were conducted by parents.

16. More information: hunter • Enlist others to assist with stations, especially the hands-on components (teachers, parents, high school or college students). You can even use a free online volunteer coordinator program such as signupgenius.comto help arrange volunteers. • Each school is different, so develop a night that works for your school and community! 

17. Family Science Night: Starting Simple Davis Drive Elementary April 26, 2011 K, 2, 4 – 5:30-6:30 1, 3, 5 – 6:30-7:30

18. Purpose: Students will teach their parent(s) about curriculum-based concepts by demonstrating science investigations. What Teachers Do • Teach science curriculum. • Verbalize key vocabulary. • Choose 3-5 investigations per strand per grade level. • Prepare resources (classroom space, kit materials, time). • Design an informative pamphlet: (see example). • Participate, be enthusiastic! What Students Do • Learn science curriculum. • Demonstrate key vocabulary. • Practice demonstrating all investigations at school. • Help teacher set up materials, investigations, exhibits. • Follow the pamphlet: teach parents about science. • Show your parents why you love science! Use your science notebook and class materials.