ASU Education Partnerships

AIMS Prep Math & Science Outreach Options for Excellence STARLAB-TO-GO

AIMS Prep

AIMS Prep is designed to help teachers use the AIMS Practice Questions in their classroom instruction throughout the school year. It has two key components - the AIMS Practice Questions and the Teachers' Manual. Learn more About AIMS Practice Questions The AIMS Practice Question bank is a compilation of 556 ten-question drills in language arts and mathematics, addressing each of the standards initially assessed in Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards for grades 3, 5, and 8. The content of the practice questions is based on a comprehensive coverage of the standards at the performance objective level. A drill consists of ten questions for a specific performance objective for a concept. The format of the questions is almost exclusively multiple-choice and includes an answer key. Some suggestions for short-answer and extended-answer formats are included for the language arts sections. Strategies for assessing students' progress through the standards are also suggested. The practice questions can be accessed through this website or through the AIMS Prep CD-ROM. Note: Throughout the AIMS Practice Questions and Teachers Manual, concepts and performance objectives are referred to in an abbreviated format, e.g. Concept 2, Performance Objective b is listed as 'c2b'. About the Teachers Manual The Teachers Manual is meant to be used as a guide for teachers when using the AIMS Practice Questions. The manual contains the following:

• Case Studies-Vignettes K-8 teachers are always looking for new ways to address the concepts and performance objectives in the Arizona Academic Standards. The teachers in our case studies represent teachers, specifically in grades 3, 5, and 8, who face real issues as they strive to move their students toward the "meets the standards" goal.
• Lesson Plans and Supplemental Materials Language arts and mathematics lesson plans for each case study are included in this manual. In some cases, handouts are available for teachers to immediately use in their classrooms.
• Methods and Strategies for Using the AIMS Practice Questions
• Throughout each lesson plan are suggestions for using the practice questions in a variety of strategies. The teachers in the case studies make connections from the lesson plan to the practice questions.

For more information, please contact IT Support at Charles.Williams@asu.edu

Math & Science Outreach

The Math and Science Outreach program to strengthen the professional development of math and science teachers and to enrich the learning of elementary, middle and high school students through the availability of classroom tested materials. During the past year the program has offered teachers with opportunities for professional development in biosciences and identified and piloted earth sciences materials to be used in middle school classrooms. The program has also developed collaborations with researchers at Arizona State University to bring current topics of research and leading edge technologies to schools in the Greater Phoenix Valley. For more information, please contact the Program Director: Dr. Anna Rosa Lampis at ar.lampis@asu.edu. Learn more.

Options for Excellence

Options for Excellence is a community out-reach program, committed to providing academic support to Arizona youth. Its major goals are to assist in teacher training, curriculum building, and test preparation at the secondary level. Our staff serves as liaisons with The College Board and ACT, providing the latest research in educational theory and services to enrich SAT/ACT school-wide test scores, as well as helping districts increase the number of students receiving college credit through Advanced Placement, IB, or CLEP programs. The Options for Excellence program forms partnerships with Arizona's secondary school communities, assisting them in creating challenging curriculums, which meet state testing standards and prepare students for the university experience. Website resources and links, teacher mentoring, and assistance with teacher training programs as well are provided. Options for Excellence also works with middle schools to help develop a culture of learning that continues through to high school. In addition, it hosts yearly conferences dealing with current Arizona educational issues and programs for vertical team development and AP teacher preparation. For more information, please contact Program Director: Patricia Nash at options@asu.edu Learn more

STARLAB-TO-GO

With the purchase of the STARLAB Portable Planetarium and its ancillary equipment, i.e. projector and cylinders, the Office of Youth Preparation collaborates with the ASU Mars Education Program to provide information and training to teachers in grades K-12. For the past two years, the STARLAB Portable Planetarium has been used by educators at 13 different sites across the state including schools in Mesa, Gilbert, Concho, Eager, Phoenix, Elfrida, and Clifton. STARLAB-To-Go, aka STARLAB Portable Planetarium Educator Training (K-12), trains teachers to set up and care for the planetarium . Participants in the workshop are eligible to check out the portable planetarium for use at their schools. Learn more