Instructional Unit Guidelines

2010 NY5STEM Summer Enrichment Program

At Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Projected Dates:

July 26 – July 31, 2010

August 1 – August 7, 2010

The 2010NY5STEM @RPI provides up to 350 (~ 175 per week)talented rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students the opportunity to increase their mathematics/science skills, an introduction to college life, and to stimulate interest in STEM professions as a potential career path. Participants are selected from middle schools in Yonkers and New York City.

MISSION:

The mission of the NY5STEM @RPI is to (a) establish a foundation for learning STEM disciplines in middle school and high school, (b) accelerate participating students who have demonstrated potential to succeed to more actively engage in meeting that potential, and (c) create a summer experience that serves as a means to improve learning, communication and college readiness between school, parents, teachers and students in an urban school district.

Participants are grouped into 15 member teams with each team led by two teachers per session. An instructional unit must be designed for students entering 7th, 8th, and 9thgrade, to engage students in learning and problem solving, to link with one or more learning standards, to complement or supplement school classroom instruction, and to be cost effective in terms of development, delivery and evaluation. Inter- and intra-disciplinary units are a priority for NY5STEM @RPI. Teams of teachers and or counselors are encouraged to apply.

An instructional unit is 40 hours of instruction per week, designed to focus on the fundamentals, concepts and principles of doing science and mathematics, and selected from one of the following themes: energy security (e.g., alternative energy, environment, green housing, etc.), national security (e.g., immigration, health care, cyber-security, etc.), nanotechnology, and biotechnology. Acceptable units should be designed to facilitate (a) development of critical thinking, problem solving and learning skills through a series of ‘hands-on’ project based activities, (b) how to acquire, retain, and apply discipline focused knowledge, and (c) an attitude for academic and personal excellence. Units that include technology, use of chemistry and biology laboratories, LEGO robotics, and field trips that encourage participants to actively seek and construct models representing phenomena in a meaningful way will receive the highest priority.

Thetemplates provided on pages 2 - 9are intended to serve as a planning and implementation platform for the instructional unit. Each unit will be offered twice; once per week. You may reproduce the form using a Microsoft Word format only. Instructional units will be collected and submitted as part of the project’s final report to NYC Department of Education, Yonkers City School District, and the NYS Education Department, Office of School Improvement.

The rate of pay is $50.00/hr, 80 hours instruction (2 weeks), and 40 hours preparation, for a maximum of 120 hours for a two-week unit. Housing, meals and parking is provided on the Rensselaer campus at no additional cost to participating teachers.

Instructional unit proposals must be submitted to Mark Smith, Dean of Students, at no later than April 1, 2010 for full consideration.

NY5STEM Summer Enrichment Program @ Rensselaer

Instructional Rubric

QUALITY MEASRURE
CRITERIA / Excellent / Good / Fair
Presentation /
  • Well planned presentation documenting steps leading to a conclusion
  • excellent use of graphics and written descriptions
  • students able to communicate and represent their understanding to the audience
/
  • Evidence of planning but lacked a coherent pathway to a conclusion
  • good use of graphics and written descriptions
  • students able to moderately communicate and represent their understanding
/
  • Some evidence of planning but does not present a pathway to a conclusive end
  • fair use of graphics and written descriptions
  • marginal communication and representation of their understanding

Creativity /
  • Project is original and unique
  • experimental data, knowledge and ideas are integrated into the presentation leading to new insights, a novel solution and/or outcome
/
  • Project is original and unique
  • lacks experimental data, knowledge, and ideas integrated into the presentation to lead to new insights, a novel solution and/or outcome
/
  • Project is not very original or unique
  • little or no data used to support a conclusion or outcome

Oral Presentation /
  • Excellent verbal communication, well organized and included coherent sequencing of the topic
  • exhibited confidence and enthusiasm presenting the material
/
  • Good verbal communication, evidence of some organization and included some elements of the topic
  • somewhat confident but lacked enthusiasm
/
  • average verbal communication but lacks a coherent organization and adequate use of the scientific method
  • lacks confidence and/or enthusiasm

Teamwork /
  • exhibits teamwork and responsible collaboration during project and presentation
  • equitable distribution of workload
  • adequate resolution of member conflicts
/
  • Evidence of collaboration in the presentation and project
  • Inequitable distribution of workload and project responsibility
  • some resolution to conflict but tension is evident in presentation
/
  • Some collaboration but clearly not equitable
  • Gaps evident in knowledge and participation

Scientific Concepts /
  • Applies and articulates scientific concepts independently
/
  • Applies and articulates scientific concepts but requires assistance
/
  • Unable to apply or articulate scientific principles

Mathematical Concepts /
  • Applies and articulates mathematical principles independently
/
  • Applies and articulates mathematical principles but requires assistance
/
  • Unable to apply or articulate mathematical principles

Technology Application /
  • Demonstrates and uses technological tools to improve understanding and learning
/
  • Able to use technological tools
/
  • Unable to grasp the use of technology to enhance understanding and learning

Instructional Unit Description

Instructional Unit Title:

Instructor(s):

Home Address:

City, ST & Zip:

Phone:Email:

School:

Subject(s) Taught:

Proposal Outline

(Please respond to each item and staple or attach your responses to this cover sheet.)

  • Instructional Unit Description:
  • Describe the Instructional unit. Include why you believe it is needed, what learning standards might be addressed through this unit, and how it would be disseminated into classroom instruction.
  • List the goal(s), objective(s) and expected outcome(s) of this instructional unit:
  • List and briefly describe instructional unit activities, projects and/or laboratory experiences. Include a topical, weekly outline of activities for the unit.
  • Briefly describe what, if any, classroom, laboratory, equipment and/or computing access you need to fully implement the instructional unit.
  • Outline an assessment plan linked to learning standards, goals and objectives, and expected outcomes for the instructional unit.
  • Provide a ONE-paragraph summary of your proposed project. If your project is selected for funding, this summary will be used to report and publicize the instructional unit.

Proposed BUDGET for Instructional Unit

(Final Payment upon Receipt of Instructional Unit)

Budget CategoryEstimated Cost

Instructor’s Stipend (includes preparation time [40 hours],

Instructional time [80 hours], Final Report narrative)

@$50.00/hour

Teacher 1 ()

Discipline Type

Teacher 2 ()

Discipline Type

Subtotal, Instructor’s Stipend$

Requested Instructional Supplies & Materials (Specify):

(unit cost x # units)

(unit cost x # units)

(unit cost x # units)

(unit cost x # units)

Subtotal, Instructional Supplies & Materials$

Requested Equipment (Specify):

(unit cost x # units)

(unit cost x # units)

(unit cost x # units)

Subtotal, Equipment$

Projected TOTAL COST$

/ Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Dean of Students Office
Troy, New York

NY5STEM Summer Enrichment Program

PROPOSED Instructional Unit Template

Standard:

Instructional Unit Title:

Faculty Name(s):

Desired Results


Evidence of Understanding





/ Dean Of Students Office
Pipeline Initiatives & Partnerships

NY5STEM Summer Enrichment Program

(Yonkers City School District & NYC Department of Education)

FINAL Instructional Unit Technical Report

Instructional Unit Title:

Faculty Name(s):

Checklist of Report Contents

Course Description

Course Objectives

Instructional Format

  • Lab
  • Lecture/Discussion
  • Interactive Teaching
  • Project

Final Detailed Format Description

Final Roster and Attendance

Faculty Assessment

DUE DATE: August 30, 2010

NYS STEM Summer Enrichment Program

(Yonkers City School District & NYC Department of Education)

Instructional Unit Technical Report

Instructional Unit Title:

Faculty Name(s):

I.Instructional Unit Description:

Briefly describe the instructional unit, rationale, and learning standards addressed by this unit

II.Instructional Unit Objectives and/or Goals:

Include a brief description of intended learning outcomes and assessment.

III.Instructional Unit Format:

Briefly describe the format of the unit (i.e., lab, lecture/discussion, interactive teaching, project, or combination of above) and rationale for selecting the format used in this unit.

IV.Final Detailed Laboratory/Interactive Teaching / Project Descriptions

(Instructional Unit Lesson Plans):

For each session, attach a detailed description of the session including goals and objective of that session, materials used, and a copy of worksheets, laboratories, demonstrations, projects, and any other information useful for replication of the session.

V.Final Roster and Attendance:

Attach a copy of the participant roster.

VI.Faculty Assessment:

Write a brief summary, from your perspective as developer / instructor, of the NYS STEM Summer Program instructional unit. Include comments as to appropriateness of the instruction, what went well, what did not go well, which topics were of most and least interest to participants, changes in format and instruction you would make if you had it to do over again, and recommendations for future instructional units.

VII.Evaluation Materials and Results:

Briefly describe evaluation and/or assessment measures of student performance. Attach a copy of each evaluation or assessment instrument used to measure performance and a summary of participant performance in the unit with individual scores (if applicable).

Instructional Unit Request for ProposalsPage 1