Science
The ESD 105 Regional Science Education Cooperative is a unique, hands-on, inquiry-centered science education program for kindergarten to sixth grade students that has been developed for implementation throughout school districts in the South Central Washington region.
ESD 105 (in partnership with 24 school districts and two private schools) manages the Science Education Cooperative. The Science Cooperative Board members include all 24 district superintendents plus a representative from the two private schools. An Executive Committee meets quarterly to conduct the cooperative business. Executive committee members are: Peter Finch (West Valley School District), Mary Masten (Yakima School District), Gary Vegar (Sunnyside School District), and Paul Farris (Ellensburg School District).
Teacher training
In the K-6 program, classroom teachers receive at least 54 hours of intense, content-specific professional development over three years. The professional development is purposely designed to deepen teachers' understanding of science and inquiry-centered learning methods. The K-6 curricula has been adopted region-wide and is supported by the National Science Foundation. This professional development also promotes integration of science with reading, writing, and mathematics. Master trainers for each of the 19 science units are being developed to meet future training needs.
The Cooperative's inquiry-based science professional development training is designed to meet the LASER project goals in our region. All teachers receive the same two-day Initial Kit Use training (on specific grade level kits) and a one-day content deepening training.
The Cooperative supports teachers as they become master teachers at the Initial Use level. Some teachers progress from master teacher to master trainer by following a timeline that includes implementing the kit in their classroom, attending the professional development manual training, shadowing a training, co-presenting lessons at a training, co-leading or leading a training. The teacher/trainers are also taught how to integrate mathematics, writing, and reading, along with WASL language, into the Initial Use trainings. The Cooperative's goal is to have two master trainers for each of the 19 Curriculum Program units available to provide training for the Cooperative's 1,100 teachers.
Since 2007, ESD 105 has also offered middle school inquiry-based instructional materials training for teachers from school districts that have purchased their own kits.
Science kits
Through the Co-op's integration efforts, students throughout our school districts receive consistent, inquiry-based science instruction. The Regional Science Education Co-op provides 19 "Science and Technology for Children" kits for teachers to use in their classrooms (three kit programs for grades 1-6, one for kindergarten). The kits contain all materials a teacher needs to implement in the classroom. Providing a great cost benefit to participating districts, these kits are shared in a sequenced rotation schedule three times a year, and are refurbished and stored at the Yakima School District's Math and Science Resource Center (contact Center manager Brian Kelley at 509-494-2973).
• K-6 science kit curriculum and rotation schedule
• Access login page for Spanish language teacher guides
LASER Science Program
The Washington State LASER (Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform) science program combines private sector, state and national resources to bring innovative hands-on learning curriculum to our region's schools.
The vision of the Regional Science Education Project is to:
• Enable our 60,000 students in the region to perform at world-class levels in science.
• Eliminate academic performance gaps among gender, ethnic, and socio-economic groups.
• Prepare students for their adult roles of living, learning, and working in a society increasingly shaped by science and the technology-driven economy of the 21st century.
Join Us — Become a Partner!
We invite businesses and individuals to help our students succeed in science! For us to reach our goals, we invite partners to support our work by providing funds that will allow us to train more teachers, build a network of master science teachers, purchase and refurbish science kids, and keep the project coordinated and cost-effective. You can also provide consumable materials for refurbishment.
Contact Information:
Mike Brown
Science Education Coordinator (Secondary)
Phone: (509) 454-2852
E-mail: mike.brown@esd105.org
Mark Cheney
Science Coordinator (Elementary)
Phone: (509) 853-2046
E-mail: mark.cheney@esd105.org
Kathy Moritz
Administrative Secretary for Science (Elementary Science)
Phone: (509) 454-5309
E-mail: kathy.mortitz@esd105.org
Gayle Ames
Administrative Secretary for Science (Secondary Science)
Phone: (509) 454-2485
E-mail: gayle.ames@esd105.org
Terrie Geaudreau
Planning Director
Phone: (509) 454-3124
E-mail: terrie.geaudreau@esd105.org
