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Spring 2024 California Classroom Science – Vol. 36 Issue 3


President's Message

Science on the Dashboard!

Science on the Dashboard!

Yes, science will be on the California School Dashboard as a placeholder by December 1, 2024. Coming next, science will be included in differentiated assistance in 2025 and part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reporting by 2026.
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FYI

Exploring Perspectives on Classroom Dissection: Insights from CASE, PETA, and Beyond

Exploring Perspectives on Classroom Dissection: Insights from CASE, PETA, and Beyond

A few years back the California Science Teachers Association (CSTA then CASE now) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) found themselves on opposite sides of a dissection debate in Sacramento. PETA was supporting a bill to ban classroom dissection K-12 in public schools. CASE, representing science teachers from around the state,…
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Why Animal-Free Anatomy Lessons are the Future of Education

Why Animal-Free Anatomy Lessons are the Future of Education

Science is always evolving, so why are some of the methods we use to teach it—like dissecting dead animals—stuck in the past? We can better prepare students for the future by leaving behind old ways in favor of innovative and exciting new approaches that don’t harm anyone. Let’s “dissect” one way we can make science education engaging, effective,…
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Evaluating Alternatives to Dissection with the SynFrog

Evaluating Alternatives to Dissection with the SynFrog

At the 2023 California Science Education Conference in Palm Springs, the Keynote Speaker was the inspiring Dr. Tyrone Hayes, who introduced himself as “a boy who loved frogs.” I asked him after the keynote, how he felt about frog dissection, and he replied that when he had to do it as part of his research, it was one of the hardest things he had to…
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Invaluable Learning Experiences: Thoughtful Design and Implementation of Dissections

Invaluable Learning Experiences: Thoughtful Design and Implementation of Dissections

When people recall their science experiences in school, those with strong memories often describe times when they were actively engaging with content, having hands-on exploration, and participating in the process of science. Many describe conducting dissections that were memorable but not often couched in broad concepts beyond the anatomy of the…
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A Student's Experience with High School Dissection

A Student's Experience with High School Dissection

Like most high school students, I took a course called Human Physiology. I knew it entailed learning about the human body and that I might see images that made me uncomfortable. I was also aware that dissecting an animal carcass was part of the curriculum.
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Changing My Thinking About Dissection

Changing My Thinking About Dissection

The article describes a workshop by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, showcasing a more engaging approach to squid dissection. Unlike traditional methods, this workshop involved group discussions and inquiry-based learning, connecting the activity to real questions about squid anatomy and behavior.
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Green Engineering Design: Stand-Alone Solar Electric Systems

Green Engineering Design: Stand-Alone Solar Electric Systems

Are you keen to include more lessons on energy in your curriculum but are unsure where to start? Would you like to help your students understand the benefits of solar energy and get them interested in pursuing the plethora of careers offered in the booming industry?
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Empowering Students to  Design Tomorrow's Microgrids Today

Empowering Students to Design Tomorrow's Microgrids Today

Energy is Everything’s 9-12th grade workshop, Teach Your Students to Become Smart-Energy Managers on Campus, covers the United States’ energy system, energy resilience, and transition toward decentralized energy generation. With this, educators can design a classroom experience that encourages students to think like energy managers.
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The Spectrum of “Our Why?” behind CASE and DEI

The Spectrum of “Our Why?” behind CASE and DEI

The article reflects on the diverse motivations of science educators and the benefits of professional engagement through CASE It highlights educators' passion for teaching science, their commitment to equitable education, and the value of collaboration in enhancing teaching practices. Through testimonials from educators, the article emphasizes the…
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A New Framework for Teaching “Reasoning” in Claim-Evidence-Reasoning

A New Framework for Teaching “Reasoning” in Claim-Evidence-Reasoning

Science requires precise thinking and well-structured writing, which many students struggle with. That’s how we zeroed in on strategies for teaching Claim-Evidence-Reasoning as the subject for a recent educator webinar.
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Using High Interest Books to Teach Environmental Science Concepts

Using High Interest Books to Teach Environmental Science Concepts

At a recent meeting of CASE’s Environmental Literacy Committee, we were discussing the power of using engaging reading books as a way to introduce, explore, and teach environmental literacy. We discussed several books that we have successfully used in the past, or heard of others using successfully to do just that...
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Region 4 Events

Region 4 Update: Spring 2024

Region 4 Update: Spring 2024

It is so exciting to see teachers out of their classrooms for professional learning experiences! In Southern CA we have had the amazing opportunity to bring teachers together for science professional learning related to climate change topics.
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California Classroom Science

CASE's signature publication, is an electronic publication that is produced bimonthly. The publication consists of mostly original content produced by CASE members and provides information of interest to California science educators.

CCS is packed with information, news, resources, ideas, and activities of current interest to science educators. CCS is delivered to CASE members electronically via e-mail and is available on our website for all to enjoy.

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Science Classroom Move

CASE’s newsletter, California Classroom Science, has always had great articles about resources, lessons, planning tools, and issues in science education. But sometimes the things that help us the most are the little things: A classroom move. This is a new interactive column that allows you to share those little moves. We’d love to hear from all of you!

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