AP Physics: CTSR

Students took the CTSR today so that I can have some data to help decide whether to use that or the FCI next year, though I’m leaning towards the FCI since the responses on individual questions is much more meaningful. In the past I gave the CTSR because I was in a PLC with a chemistry teacher, so we wanted an assessment we could both use, and it lead to great conversations about how to build reasoning skills across grade levels. I think if all of the science classes gave the CTSR each spring, especially if we developed some common language using materials like Sayer & Addy’s Curriculum Analysis Taxonomy and the NGSS Science Practices, there is the potential for some really interesting department-wide vertical alignment.

Earth Science: Ancient Minnesota

Students examined a poster of Minnesota’s geologic history to reinforce the relative lengths of time and see how the geology has changed over time. Afterwards, I gave students some information about Minnesota’s Paleozoic geology so they could complete an activity similar to Friday’s look at Precambrian Minnesota.