Grades 6-8 Review Guide

OKCPS

Jen, K‑8 Educational Liaison

Hi Oklahoma City Teachers,

Here's a page we put together for your review of Activate's IQWST 6-8 program. If you have questions, please reach out to me! Thanks for reviewing IQWST.

Best,

Jen

Jgutierrez@activatelearning.com

 

Grades 6-8 IQWST

What Does IQWST Stand For?

IQWST (pronounced I-Quest) was intentionally designed for the NGSS. Students learn to connect what they learn to important things in the world. In our curriculum, phenomena are the starting point. Rather than memorizing facts, students build understanding by connecting ideas across disciplines and across the middle grades. Students who do IQWST are empowered to seek answers to their own questions.

Helpful Videos

Doing Science illustration

IQWST Student Experience

Canvas Integration Video

What's Changed in IQWST 3.0.1?

Ease of Use - Our New Digital Platform User Experience

In 2021 we're launching our brand-new user interface for our Activate Learning Digital Platform to give teachers an even better teaching experience with our programs. Activate learning programs are easier to use than ever with teachers utilizing our new workflow of:

  • Plan
  • Teach
  • Assign
  • Assess
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Activate/Canvas Integration

IQWST now integrates with LMS systems, like Canvas.

logos smal

Remote Lesson Plans (RLLPs)

The Remote Learning Lesson Plans (RLLPs) are adapted from the Teacher Editions to support continuous learning everywhere. The RLLPs condense what is taught in each activity with specific teaching recommendations, and the plans identify the digital resources, print resources, and materials needed to teach and learn outside of the classroom.

(Click photo for example)

Content & Design Updates

  • We've added 1 Engineering lesson per module.
  • Content additions with a focus on human impacts on earth systems, earth & space science, geologic dating, and natural selection.
  • Updated look, feel, and usability of all print materials.
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Storylines

IQWST Storyline documents break down each lesson into:

  • Activity Phenomenon (what Ss experience to figure out the question in the last column and to ask new ones)
  • What students (Ss) DO in this Activity (Science and Engineering practices are underlined)
  • What students (Ss) have FIGURED OUT by the end (Scientific Principles are numbered and bolded)
  • Additions to the Word Wall and Driving Question Board (DQB) (WW words are italicized)
  • Assessing Ss Thinking (How do I know what they figured out?)
  • What Do We Still Have to Figure Out? (This is what Ss

(Click photo for example)

Slides

IQWST teaching slides are now available from every IQWST lesson to scaffold lesson delivery and save time on planning with sections on:

  • Getting started
  • Brainstorming
  • Activities
  • Pressing for understanding
  • Synthesizing

(Click photo for example)

Video

IQWST now features activity videos (featured on right) for nearly every materials-based lab along with setup videos.

ONPAR

ONPAR is an online classroom assessment system, designed to be accessible to all students. The picture to the right shows a typical ONPAR assessment task that contains color graphics to set the context outlining: 
  1. Speaker buttons in English and Spanish play recording of the text written at the top of the screen.
  2. A short text prompt describes the picture or asks a question at the top of the screen.  Underlined words are hyperlinked to relevant portions of the screen or pop up images/animations.  These can help students understand the meaning of words and phrases.
  3. Each performance task and screens within the task are labeled to help students gauge how long tasks are.
  4. A control bar allows students to play animations, move forward and backward, and change or submit their answers.
  5. A calculator is provided within the application so that students may perform calculations.
  6. Screen text is an extended written English version of what appears on the screen.
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Onpar provides automatic:

  • Student Feedback Reports
  • Teacher Feedback Reports
  • Overall Class Reports

Here's a teacher report that's automatically created after student's complete a task:

PocketLabs

For adoptions in 2021, schools will be able to use PocketLabs devices in IQWST, replacing our previous measuring devices or what we previously called, probe alternatives.

 

PocketLabs:

  • Are easy and intuitive to pick up and start using
  • Allow student to record and analyze data in real-time
  • Enable an overlay of data and video automatically (iOS only)

Support

PD - we'll work with you to create the perfect PD strategy for yearly teacher training & ongoing support.

Office Hours - schedule curriculum support any time during school hours.

Customer  Support - you'll have access to our amazing customer support staff with the fastest response times in the industry.

Materials - all lesson materials come in baggies, making it easy to prep for hands-on learning.

Upgrade To 3.0.1

Upgrading your current IQWST materials is easy and a fraction of the cost of a full adoption! We've created kits to move you from IQWST version 2 to IQWST version 3.0.1!

V2

Review Guide

If you'd like an in-depth refresher on IQWST you can visit our 3.0.1 programs review guide. We outline:

  • Program navigation
  • Digital program features
  • Unit/Lesson organization
  • Implementation Support
Reviewer's Guide Click Here

Oklahoma Sequence

 

 

 

Here's an example sequence that we submitted to the state department for program alignment. Of course, if you would like to request a unique sequence, we'll be happy to work with you to deliver that.

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Special Requests

Still Looking For Something? 

If there's something you need to make IQWST the right program for you, let us know and we'll scope out what we can do to help.

Used By

Across the country, we hope to Activate Learning with over 2 million students by the end of 2021.

Students
Teachers
School Districts