Museum of Natural History Teacher Treks

Hummingbird Magic
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, near Southern Pines, NC
Monday, August 22, 2005 9:00 am–5:00 pm Cost: $15
Join Museum and park staff as we discover the magic of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with hummingbird researcher, Susan Campbell. Learn about the nesting cycle, food habits, migration, and other life history aspects of these fascinating birds. Tips on feeding and plantings that will attract hummingbirds will be discussed. Susan will also share some of her findings on vagrant winter hummingbirds in NC and will attempt to capture and band hummingbirds during the workshop.

Dragonflies & Damselflies: Flying Jewels
Bass Lake Park and Retreat Center, Holly Springs, NC
Saturday, September 10, 2005 10:00 am–4:00 pm Cost: $15 (includes dragonfly field guide)
Learn about the fascinating life history of dragonflies and damselflies. Get tips on identification, where to locate them, and what behaviors can be observed. Gain insights into creating habitats for these flying jewels on your school grounds or at home. Also learn about educational and recreational opportunities and the wonderful facilities now open at Bass Lake Park and Retreat Center.

Introduction to NC Deep Sea Research
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC
Saturday, September 17, 2005 10:00 am–4:00 pm Cost: $10
In October 2005, North Carolina researchers and educators will spend 20 days stationed off the coast of the Carolinas. During this research mission, they will collect data and specimens, which will help our understanding of deep-water ecosystems. Find out how you and your students can be connected via the Web with this research off the coast of the Carolinas. Talk to research scientists involved in deep sea research. Meet educators who have participated in previous missions and the educator heading out this year. Take back specimens and materials to help bring this trip alive in your classroom.

Geology Adventure
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and Wake Co, NC
Saturday, September 24, 2005 9:00 am–5:00 pm Cost: $15
Learn how to identify rock and mineral samples and investigate the teaching possibilities of the Museum's geological exhibits. Practice your identification skills in the field and explore a variety of geologically interesting sites in Wake County. Take-home materials include a jeweler's loupe and a classroom set of rock samples.

NCCAT and Museum Fall Workshop
The Mountain, Cullowhee and Mt. LeConte, NC
Monday, September 26—Friday, September 30, 2005
Examine the mountain as a symbol and explore it as an ecological reality with staff from the Museum and the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Hike several mountain trails, including an overnight experience at Mount LeConte in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For registration information for this workshop, contact Teacher Services at the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teaching at 800.922.0482 or visit www.nccat.org.

Insect Collections
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, October 8, 2005 9:00 am–5:00 pm Cost: $25 (includes instruction manual, pinning equipment)
A quick primer on collecting insects for both temporary and permanent displays, followed by an in-depth workshop on the preparation, care, and display of specimens. Learn how to pin insects, relax dried specimens, label collections, and manage pests.

Nature Journaling with Clare Walker Leslie
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC
Friday, October 7, 2005 7:00 pm— 9:00 pm Cost: $5
Join well known artist, naturalist, author, and educator Clare Walker Leslie for an evening of talk and fun exercises in the Art of Seeing Nature. Clare will tell stories of her adventures in book writing and teaching people around the country how to use simple methods of drawing to observe the natural world throughout the seasons and across the land. Begin your own Nature Journal as a wonderful way to record your own adventures with nature. Scientists throughout history have recorded their encounters with plants, animals, landscapes, and seasons. Journaling supplies will be provided, and Clare's books will be available for purchase.

Nature Walking with Young Children Autumn Wonders
Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, October 15, 2005 9:00 am— 3:00 pm Cost: $15 Day Care Credit: 5 hours
For preschool and elementary school teachers. Learn easy hands-on approaches to teaching about nature at the Museum's Prairie Ridge Ecostation, near the NC Museum of Art. We'll focus on the wonders of autumn: migrating birds, jumping grasshoppers, creeping caterpillars, and more! Learn how to bring the wonders of the outside world into to your classroom and how to take your students outside to experience these wonders for themselves.

River Roundup
Eno River State Park, Durham, NC
Saturday, October 22, 2005 9:00 am— 5:00 pm Cost: $15
Spend the day with Museum staff rounding up, identifying, and marveling over the aquatic macroinvertebrates living in Few's Ford on the Eno River. Use different sampling methods to explore the diverse community of these intriguing creatures and create ways to bring your new discoveries into your teaching. Receive information on installing an aquatic habitat on your school grounds or in your own backyard. Bring your lunch and prepare to be amazed!

Got Elk?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Haywood County, NC
Friday, October 28 — Sunday, October 30, 2005
Cost: $95 (includes transportation from Raleigh, lodging, and some meals)
Be a part of something magical in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Join us as we search for the majestic elk, reintroduced to the park after an absence of over 200 years. Generous support materials will help you to share the magic of this animal with your students. We will join with the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center staff at Purchase Knob to sample activities used to document the biodiversity of the GSMNP. Discover how you can bring the excitement of field research into your teaching.

104 Discovering Chimpanzees
North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro, NC
Saturday, November 5, 2005 10:00 am— 3:30 pm
Cost: $20 (includes lunch, admission to the zoo, and a complementary pass to the Museum's special exhibit "Discovering Chimpanzees.")
Explore the world of chimpanzees at the NC Zoo. Meet with zookeepers caring for the chimpanzees and take a behind the scenes tour. Learn about the survival and vitality of wild chimpanzee populations including the impact of the bush meat trade. Activities will foster the development of keen observation and critical thinking skills. Teacher activity packet with lots of hands-on activities will be provided as well as a complementary pass to the Museum's special exhibit, Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall.

111 Watefowl in Winter
Lake Mattamuskeet and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges, near Plymouth, NC
Friday, December 9 (depart Museum at 4:30 p.m.) – Saturday, December 10, 2005
Cost: $60 (includes lodging, breakfast, lunch, and transportation from Raleigh)
Spend a day in the wilds of eastern North Carolina observing one of the largest concentrations of winter birds along the East Coast. Learn how to identify waterfowl, raptors, and other species. Short hikes and easy viewing from the Museum van make this an ideal trip for both novice and seasoned birders. Offered as a joint public and school programs outing for educators and their friends or families (minimum age 14 when accompanied by registered adult).

112 Backyard Bird Bonanza
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, January 7, 2006 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Cost: $15
Birds are an ideal topic for classroom study—they are easy to attract, fun to watch, and offer many opportunities for scientific observation. Learn to identify species common to school grounds and woodlands in North Carolina and how to create bird feeding and observation areas. Participate in activities designed to acquaint your students with the life history of birds. Learn about citizen scientist projects such as the Great Backyard Bird Count, Nest Box Surveys, and Project FeederWatch that are available for you and your students
 
To register, visit our web site at http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/tt_reg_form.html for registration form and http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/tt_app_form.html for application form Mail with deposit to address indicated on forms.
Or contact
Mike Dunn, Coordinator of Teacher Education
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
919.733.7450 ext. 620
Fax 919.715-6439
mike.dunn@ncmail.net

Science Extravaganza

September 16, 2005, Charlotte Convention Center
Do not miss this opportunity to discover new ideas, strategies, and resources for using inquiry-based classroom activities to teach the NC Science Standard Course of Study. You can select specific topics of interest from over fifty clinic sessions lead by regional educators, university faculty, NC Department of Public Instruction consultants, and representatives from NSTA, NCSTA, NCCAT, Discovery Place, The Science House, TASC, LEARN NC and many more. Presenters of clinic sessions will model inquiry-based classroom activities linked to the NC Science Standard Course of Study. During the breaks, you can chat with educators from other school districts about planning and implementing a successful science program. You will have many opportunities throughout the day to learn about science resources from the many exhibitors. Additional information and online registration for this conference can be found at www.SouthwestEducationAlliance.com .

The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill

*Beginners’ Skywatching Course: *6 Tuesdays, Sept 13-Oct 18; 7-9pm
This introductory course is designed to jump start your stargazing skills! Have you ever wanted to identify objects in the night sky? Find North using the stars? Understand why we sometimes see the Moon during the day? Join us on an amazing journey in our Star Theater as we answer these questions and much more. Classes will focus on what can be seen with just the unaided eye and will include hands-on activities, classroom instruction, and a “solar system walk.” All participants receive a copy of Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terence Dickinson, a planisphere and a red light for night sky viewing.
Space is limited to 20 participants.
Criteria III NC EE Certification Credit and Contact Hour Credit available upon completion of course.
Fee: $80 members, $100 nonmembers

*Starry Fall Nights: *1 class; Wednesday, September 21, 7:30-9pm
Explore the wonder of the autumn sky in our Star Theater. Learn how to identify visible planets, bright stars and constellations while enjoying stories from various cultures about star patterns in the heavens. Education staff will also share information about meteor showers and other special celestial events.
Fee: $8 members, $12 nonmembers

*Starry Winter Nights*: 1 class; Wednesday, December 21, 7:30-9pm
Enjoy the holidays under the stars! Warm up to the winter skies in the comfort of our Star Theater. Learn about planets, stars and constellations specific to the winter season. Which is hotter—a red or blue star? Journey across the Milky Way with us to find out!
Fee: $8 members, $12 nonmembers

*Registration*
Advanced registration is required for all classes. *To register, please contact the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center Visitor Services office at 919-962-1236. *

All classes are held at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Questions? Please contact Michele Kloda at mkloda@email.unc.edu or 919.843.9071.

Fulbright Teacher Exchange

The Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program is accepting applications from U.S. secondary schools to host school principals from Brazil. Award-winning secondary school principals from 27 Brazilian states will visit the United States in November/December 2005 to share best practices in school leadership and administration, teacher development, and community involvement. DEADLINE: OCTOBER 1, 2005 Specific details about this program and the hosting application can be found on the OTHER OPPORTUNITIES page of our website:
http://www.fulbrightexchanges.org/View/ViewOtherOpps.asp

APS Classroom Resources and Teacher Fellowship

Free Careers in Physiology Brochure
Turn your students on to dynamic life science career possibilities with the APS Careers in Physiology brochure. This FREE color brochure explains what physiology is, what physiologists do, why physiology is important, and how to become a physiologist. As part of the careers outreach program of The American Physiological Society, the brochure was produced in conjunction with a careers website (http://www.the-aps.org/careers/careers1/index.htm). The website features information for students at all grade levels (elementary-graduate school), including hands-on experiments, biosketches of physiologists, extensive information on careers in physiology and other life sciences, awards available to students, resources specifically for minority students, and much more. For your free copy of the APS Careers in Physiology brochure, send your request to education@the-aps.org. Up to 300 copies are available free to teachers and for career fairs. For additional copies, the cost is $10/100.

Frontiers in Physiology Fellowship - $8500 Summer Research Opportunity
Science teachers of grades 6-12 are invited to apply for this year-long immersion in the world of cutting-edge physiology research. Teamed with a local scientist, Fellows do hands-on research for seven-eight weeks during the summer as well as explore and practice teaching methods that integrate inquiry, equity and the Internet into their classrooms. The Fellowship concludes with a trip to a scientific conference in Washington, DC. Awardees receive a stipend of up to $8500 over the year that includes travel and a materials mini-grant. Applications are due January 12, 2006. For more information about the Fellowship, see the American Physiological Society's web site (http://www.the-aps.org/education/frontiers/app.html) or contact Kathleen Kelly (kkelly@the-aps.org) in the APS Education Office.

Resources for K-12 life science educators
Check out the American Physiological Society's web site for K-12 science teaching resources, including dozens of free classroom labs/activities written by teacher participants in APS fellowship programs. Also, you'll find order forms for a FREE classroom set of "The Science of Life" student comic book and links to APS Learning Cycle Units including "Physiology of Fitness" and "Neural Networks." Go to http://www.the-aps.org/education/edu_k12.htm to get started.