Join us as we discuss two challenging topics in the elementary and middle school curriculum - day and night and seasons from both science and literacy perspectives. We'll review scientific principles, examine common misconceptions and formative assessment strategies, and discuss how to approach these topics by integrating science and literacy. We'll share resources from Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, the National Science Digital Libraries' Middle School Portal, and other high-quality content providers.

1. Timely Teachings: Seasons and the Cycles of Night and Day beyondpenguins.ning.com Royal Society Range, Antarctica Steven Profaizer, NSF

2. Jessica Fries-Gaither Project Director, Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, and Education Resource Specialist with The Ohio State University beyondpenguins.ning.com About Us Kimberly Lightle Director, Digital Libraries The Ohio State University

4. Day and Night beyondpenguins.ning.com Earth rotates on its axis once every ~24 hours (23 h 56 m 4.09 s) Counterclockwise Rotation (west to east) Creates periods of darkness and light that vary with season and latitude Image generated from Earth and Moon Viewer http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/vplanet.htm Diagram: http://www.polaris.iastate.edu/NorthStar/Unit3/unit3_sub1.htm

5. What’s wrong with this picture? Enter your responses in the chat. beyondpenguins.ning.com Image courtesy of Quite Interesting http://www.qi.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p=121093

8. beyondpenguins.ning.com Content Knowledge for Elementary Teachers http://beyondpenguins.nsdl.org Polar Patterns: Day, Night, and Seasons May 2008 (Issue 3)

9. beyondpenguins.ning.com MSP2 Science Guides http://msteacher2.org Content Knowledge for Middle School Teachers

10. Misconceptions beyondpenguins.ning.com Developmental - Elementary students’ understanding of day and night Nonscientific beliefs - May include religious beliefs, mythical teachings, etc Conceptual misunderstandings - Earth is closer to the sun in the summer and farther away in the winter. - Seasons happen at the same time everywhere on Earth. - Seasonal characteristics and change are the same everywhere on Earth.

11. Formative Assessment beyondpenguins.ning.com “ Darkness at Night” Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 2 (NSTA Press, 2007) “ Summer Talk” Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 3 (NSTA Press, 2008) “ What to Wear?” Asks students to consider how seasons vary across Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

14. Integrating Children’s Literature http://nsdl.org Best for Grades K-2 Best for Grades 3-5 beyondpenguins.ning.com

15. Integrating Children’s Literature beyondpenguins.ning.com Check out the Teaching with Trade Books resource guide at MSP2! Appropriate for middle school students

20. Sunset at South Pole Station, Antarctica. Chris Demarest, NSF. Questions?