We kicked off our Localizing Amplify Science Working Group with participants on our Bainbridge Island…
August 16, 2023
“If there are ANY students in the class who seem disconnected from science or if you as a teacher feel disconnected from science, then localizing science will help immeasurably. And even if ALL students are engaged, localizing can be used as an opportunity to transfer what they learn from the Amplify-provided phenomenon to our local context, which is ultimately what we want to happen.”
“[Localizing Science Working Group] was a special dynamic, one that highlights the power of partnership – partnership between teachers, between districts and curriculum developers, between community-based organizations and teachers, etc. Each entity brough its own expertise to the Summit and worked to build something meaningful – something that has the potential to impact how kids engage with science for years to come.”
Last week we began the second year of our Localizing Science Working Group with participants on our Bainbridge Island campus! Educators from all over Puget Sound were at IslandWood to join forces for a year-long continuation of the work started in 2022 – with a plan to build on the appendices that were created and piloted and create a few new ones.
Amplify Science Unit appendices will provide teachers and districts who have adopted the national Amplify Science curriculum with ideas for incorporation of localized content, students’ own personal and cultural identities, regional data sets, and relevant climate science.
With the generous support of OSPI ClimeTime funding, the working group this year is endeavoring to continue and finalize appendices started last year towards producing appendices for Amplify Science’s 4th grade Energy Conversion, 5th grade Ecosystems Restoration, and 6th grade Earth’s Changing Climate units.
We selected this year’s working group from applicants that included K-8th grade teachers and district science leads experienced with the Amplify Science curriculum.
The 2023 – 24 group includes:
- Lisa Buckley – Meridian School District
- Barbara Martin – Edmonds Schools
- Steve Garlid – Seattle Public Schools
- Cynthia Castle – Seattle Public Schools
- Rachel Hall – Seattle Public Schools
- Sofi Grellner – Seattle Public Schools
- Jessica Levine – Seattle Public Schools
- Rachel Hall – Seattle Public Schools
- Sara Hoofnagle – Seattle Public Schools
- Kristyna Fauland – Lake Stevens Schools
Members and planning team of the 2023-24 Localizing Science Working Group.
Members of the Localizing Science Working Group during lunch in the Dining Hall on IslandWood’s Bainbridge Island Campus.
“If there are ANY students in the class who seem disconnected from science or if you as a teacher feel disconnected from science, then localizing science will help immeasurably. And even if ALL students are engaged, localizing can be used as an opportunity to transfer what they learn from the Amplify-provided phenomenon to our local context, which is ultimately what we want to happen.”
– Sue Myette, 2022-23 Working Group Member
The planning team is a collaborative effort between staff from IslandWood, Seattle Public Schools, UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Northwest and Olympic Educational Service Districts.
The planning team includes:
Brad Street – IslandWood
Kate Martin – IslandWood
Vera Schoepe – IslandWood
Dr. Liz David – Seattle Public Schools
Rebecca Abbott – The Lawrence Hall of Science
Bethany Sjoberg – Seattle Public Schools
The appendices resulting from the working group will all be tested by teachers this year with the hope of eventually sharing with a larger audience in spring of 2024. Later this year, we will begin working with the ESDs and Middle School OpenSciEd teachers to explore what it means to localize OpenSciEd science units. Keep your eye out for opportunities if you are interested.
We thank everyone for participating and look forward to another year of working with these dedicated educators!
“[Localizing Science Working Group] was a special dynamic, one that highlights the power of partnership – partnership between teachers, between districts and curriculum developers, between community-based organizations and teachers, etc. Each entity brough its own expertise to the Summit and worked to build something meaningful – something that has the potential to impact how kids engage with science for years to come.”
– Kate Bedient, IslandWood Director of Urban School Programs
Rebecca Abbott from UC Berkley’s Lawrence Hall of Science speaking in from of the working group class
A group member taking notes at IslandWood during the August planning kick off
A group member during the August kick off at IslandWood taking a break between meetings
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