GAVRT PWS FINAL 2008.doc

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

GAVRT Project

DoDEA PK-12 Science Content Education

1.0 Background

1.1.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) serves the educational needs of the dependents of military and civilian employees by providing PK-12 instruction to approximately 90,000 students in seven states, twelve foreign countries, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The number of students varies based on the deployment of military troops worldwide. DoDEA’s curriculum, resources, and student achievement scores on standardized assessments compare favorably to high-performing US public schools.

1.2 DoDEA is divided into three administrative areas. DDESS (Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools) covers seven states, Puerto Rico, and (for administrative purposes) Cuba. DoDDS (Department of Defense Dependent Schools) is divided into DoDDS-Europe and DoDDS-Pacific. DoDDS-Europe consists of England, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, and Bahrain. DoDDS-Pacific includes Korea, Japan (mainland and Okinawa), and (for administrative purposes) Guam.

2.0 Introduction

2.1 The Contractor shall prepare and present the following workshops during the summer of 2008:

2.1.1 Physics, Earth and Space Science (Elementary Grades 4-6) approximately 40 participants.

2.1.2 Physics, Earth and Space Science (Middle Grades 7-8) for approximately 25 participants.

2.1.3 Physics Modeling Workshop (High School), for approximately 25 participants.

3.0 Scope of Work

3.1 DoDEA needs to provide content-focused professional development for teachers working with grade 4-12 students. The professional development will assist DoDEA teachers in understanding the way to incorporate an instructional approach in science education that provides a bridge between DoDEA instructional materials and the implementation of the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) Project.

3.1.1 The GAVRT Project allows teachers and students to conduct real-time scientific experiments, and data collection, using a 400-ton radio telescope. Student work provides data for the planetary studies conducted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. These professional scientists have used GAVRT student data in refining the precision of measurements conducted by in-situ spacecraft orbiting Jupiter and Saturn, as well as providing data regarding the roughness or smoothness of Mars Exploration Rover (MER) landing sites.

3.2 To accomplish the professional development, the Government requires four different workshops during June-July 2008.

3.2.1 The three workshops are Physics and Earth and Space Science (Elementary), Immersion in Physics and Earth and Space Science (Middle Grades), and Modeling Physics (High School).

3.2.2 The three workshops will be designed to provide foundational science content in physics, earth, and space science. This information will provide an effective bridge to the understanding of the radio astronomy and related science concepts for the GAVRT Project.

3.2.3 The three workshops will provide inquiry-based instructional approaches that engage students in understanding the key ideas in physical, earth and space science. Through inquiry-based investigations, teachers will learn to identify terms and concepts that students most often misunderstand.

3.2.4 The basic building block of the workshops’ design and implementation is the current DoDEA Science Content Standards, which may be found on the DoDEA website at the following URL: http://www.dodea.edu/instruction/curriculum/curriculum.htm.

3.2.5 A key feature of the three workshops will grade-appropriate approaches to the construction and use of scientific models to describe, to explain, to predict, and to control physical phenomena.

3.3 Two workshops, which will require access to physics labs are Physics, Earth and Space Science (Elementary) and Modeling Physics Workshop (High School). The other workshop—Immersion in Physics, Earth and Space Science (Middle Grades) will be held near the GAVRT site in Apple Valley, California.

4.0 Requirements

4.1 Each workshop shall be four days long and provide teachers with effective learning strategies that include experiences appropriate to each grade level for exploring ideas and conducting well-designed investigations in physics, and earth and space science. These experiences shall include the use of sophisticated science equipment and experiments. The lessons shall provide teachers with ways to focus on problem-solving, inquiry, standards-based instruction, and incorporate the relevance of GAVRT and ROVER (Remotely Operated Vehicle for Environmental Research) studies to other fields of science.

4.2 A certified modeling physics instructor shall teach the 10-day Modeling Workshop, which is for high school physics teachers and which will utilize the Arizona State Modeling Physics program to help teachers build student understanding of concepts. These experiences shall incorporate the use of sophisticated science equipment to conduct well-designed investigations in physics. Each workshop shall provide teachers with a focus on understanding students’ thinking so that instructional decisions can be better aligned with the needs of students.

4.3 For all workshops, the Contractor shall utilize the DoDEA science standards as the basis for curriculum, instruction, and assessment with a special emphasis on inquiry-based instruction to develop and provide written presentation materials, perform workshops and ensure that all the requirements outlined in the Performance Work Statement are included in the workshops.

4.4 All workshops shall model inquiry-based investigations that incorporate the following components: 1) Testable Question, 2) Prediction or Hypothesis, 3) Well-Designed Procedure, 4) Conclusion, and 5) Communication and Discussion. These investigations shall examine the way students develop key ideas in physical, earth, and space science and how to structure the learning environment and curriculum to facilitate learning.

4.5 All workshop presentations shall:

4.5.1 Analyze current pedagogy with research-based strategies with an emphasis on differentiated instruction.

4.5.2 Discuss what effective student-centered instruction looks and feels like in the classroom.

4.5.3 Explore ways in which a variety of assessment methods can reveal different information about student’s thinking and inform instruction.

4.5.4 Develop and provide written workshop presentation materials, and include but not be limited to the following:

4.5.4.1 Detailed agendas

4.5.4.2 Handouts and resources materials

4.5.4.3 Articles and related research to expand teacher understanding of the science content

4.5.4.4 Resource lists, e.g., bibliographies and internet sites

4.5.4.5 Pack and ship the instructional materials provided to each participant’s home school.

The Contractor shall:

4.6 Arrange, for the workshops, participants’ meals and lodging and daily transportation between the participant lodging and the training site.

4.7 Participate in a post-award teleconference NLT seven business days after the contract award in order to review the contract requirements and expectations.

4.8 Meet with DoDEA staff at a mutually agreeable time and place in the spring of 2008 for the purpose of reviewing content plans for the workshops and finalizing details related to the training.

4.9 Instructional Support: Provide real-time instructional support for teachers and students in the US, Europe, and Pacific using the GAVRT radio telescope and ROVER programs.

4.10 Web-based Resources: Provide online resources to support (1) teacher professional development needs related to the aforementioned workshops as well as the GAVRT radio telescope and ROVER programs and (2) students’ needs vis-à-vis the GAVRT radio telescope and ROVER programs.

4.11 Administrative Support: Provide general administrative and operational support for this program.

4.12 Technical Support: Provide real-time technical support for teachers and students in the 5

5.0 Technical Requirements

5.1 The Contractor will provide facilities appropriate to support these content-based foundational science education workshops.

5.2 Supporting documents, including lessons, resources, and templates, should be in Word, PDF, PowerPoint, or Excel format

6.0

CONTRACTOR TRAVEL COSTS

Contractor costs for government authorized travel are included in this contract. All travel shall be in accordance with FAR 31.205-46 and the Joint Travel Regulation (JTR). Contractor payment claims shall include applicable airfare and hotel/lodging receipts, as well as any receipts valued at or above $75.00.

7.0 Performance Requirement and Timeline

7.1 The Contractor shall furnish all services to be performed and all items to be delivered in accordance with the following delivery schedule: