Get ready for Fall with these great workshops and trainings. Below are links to some upcoming programs all over the state. For a more complete list visit the NCSTA Professional Development Calendar.
- The NCCAT Experience
- The Science House, NC State University
- NC Museum of Natural Sciences
- Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
- CDC Science Ambassador Program
- Free Vernier Workshops
- Science & Civics of Superfund
- SAS inSchool Institute 2006
- Overnight at the Aquarium
- PEAK Conference
- Environmental Science Study
- Wildlife Workshops
If you know a program that should be included in the next issue of the Science Reflector, email the editor.
Teacher
Renewal Seminars: The NCCAT Experience
Join us for a North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) seminar. Teachers of all grade levels and subjects who have been employed full-time in North Carolina public schools for at least three years may apply. Seminar materials, lodging, meals, substitute teacher pay, and most travel expenses are covered at no cost to the participating teacher or their school. All seminars are aligned with the NC Standard Course of Study, are multi-disciplinary, and are based on experiential learning principles.
Registration for these seminars begins February 13, 2006. Call NCCAT Teacher Services at 1-800-922-0482 or email registrar@nccat.org submitting your name, home telephone number, social security number, and seminar choice. Abridged descriptions follow; however, full descriptions of all professional development offerings are available on the NCCAT web page, www.nccat.org.
Space Camp: Your Place in Space (Huntsville, Alabama)
March 27-31, 2006: Huntsville, AL
Ten…Nine…Eight… The countdown is on! Realize your childhood dreams and train as the astronauts do at Space Camp, part of the United States Space and Rocket Center.
Environmental Tipping Points: A New Direction for Environmental Education
March 27-31, 2006: Cullowhee
Study case histories of communities around the globe that have “tipped” over into new barrenness or new richness. Learn about systems, stability and change, feedback loops, tipping points, and other basic principles of ecology. How can these principles shape community action and environmental education to guide our world towards health, sustainability, and security?
You Are What You Eat
April 3-7, 2006: Cullowhee
The foodways of a people cast light on all the big issues of human psychology. The nature/nurture debate, child development, family identity, the transmission of culture, everything from physiology to esthetics—it all bubbles up in the kitchen.
Crime Scene Investigators: The New Sherlock Holmes
April 9-13, 2006: Cullowhee
Step into the intrigue of applied science. Become detectives as we put on the hat of the forensic scientist and the criminologist using all available information to determine the facts in a simulated crime scene.
Birds of the Blue Ridge
April 17-21, 2006: Cullowhee
Come to the highlands and celebrate the spring by exploring the resident and migrant birds that make these mountains sing.
Down by the Old, Ill Stream: Creek-bank Restoration
April 17-21, 2006: Cullowhee
Become skilled in the exhilarating and practical art of creek-bank restoration while working with a group of professionals to revitalize a stream that has almost been lost.
Appalachian Spring Wildflowers
April 24-28, 2006: Cullowhee
Come to the mountains at the peak of the spring bloom and learn how to identify, record, and enjoy the wildflower bounty of western North Carolina.
The Natural Rhythms of the River
June 12-16, 2006: Cullowhee
How have rivers shaped human culture and how have humans shaped rivers? Hike and raft wild river gorges as we explore the botany, zoology, geomorphology, and cultural history of rivers.
Growing Healthy
June 12-16, 2006: Cullowhee
For centuries, the healing qualities of nature have been recognized as essential to health and renewal. Learn about current research on the connection between nature and human stress reduction.
Chattooga River: Real and Imagined
July 17–21: Cullowhee
The Chattooga River is a national wild and scenic river flowing through Georgia and South Carolina. Experience white-water rafting on this ancient watercourse and learn about mountain culture from the perspective of the river.
Capital Culture: Museum Resources of Raleigh
July 17–21: Raleigh
What do bones, plants, paint, art, and hands-on experiences have in common? They are all a part of the museum life of North Carolina’s capital city. Together we’ll explore the museums of Raleigh, often called “the Smithsonian of the South,” as we experience various approaches to museum resources available to teachers and students.
Holistic Health
July 24–28: Cullowhee
Enhance your life in and out of the classroom by learning healthier habits of mind and body. Come experience new approaches to wellness through nutrition, daily awareness, general fitness, and flexibility.
Teacher Scholars in Residence
July 31–August 4: Cullowhee
The Teacher Scholar program offers educators a short-term residential experience for study and research. Teachers pursuing projects of outstanding intellectual or artistic promise are invited to apply. Teams of up to four educators who seek time and space for collaboration also may apply. The Teacher Scholars in Residence program provides five days devoted to independent study in a scholarly, supportive environment. Preference is given to teachers with outstanding proposals who are applying to the program for the first time. A special application is required, for more information e-mail tscholars@nccat.org or dial 800-922-0482.
Waterfalls and Butterflies: Grace and Beauty in Motion
July 31–August 4: Cullowhee
From the ephemeral and short lives of butterflies to the slow geologic and hydraulic movement that creates waterfalls, explore with us the power and beauty of nature in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Multimedia in the Classroom: Empowering Student Learning
August 7–11: Cullowhee
Explore new ways technology can enhance teaching and learning. Review techniques and guidelines that ensure multimedia projects are pedagogically sound, curriculum-based, and enlivening for the child and the classroom community.
Fontana Dam: The Town that Drowned
September 18–22: Cullowhee
Learn about Fontana, a small logging town hidden deep in the mountains, which now lies beneath the lake created by one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the East. Hear stories of removal of families, and promises of access roads, ending with a road to nowhere that remains unfinished. We will travel by railroad deep within Nantahala, known to the Cherokee as the “Land of the Noonday Sun.”
Starry, Starry Night
September 18–22: Ocracoke
Wake up to the awe and mystery of the cosmos. Join us for a week on Ocracoke Island as we re-tell the myths of the constellations and focus on practical stargazing with the naked eye. Also, learn the basics of how to choose and use a telescope to view the evening sky.
The Mountain
September 25–29: Cullowhee and Mt. LeConte
Experience mountain ecology during the fall migration of birds and butterflies. Hikes include an overnight experience at rustic Mt. LeConte Lodge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This seminar is physically challenging and requires endurance, good health, and a philosophical attitude about the weather.
The Age of Sail
October 9–13: Ocracoke
Learn the language and the songs of the sea. Share hardtack with your messmates. Practice marlinespike seamanship. Tune your ear to the bosun’s pipe and the ship’s bell. Rediscover our heritage as a maritime nation and become more aware of how our history shapes our present.
Leaves: Nature, Art, and Identity
October 9–13: Cullowhee
Explore the concept and structure of individual and community identity as seen through the lens of modern brain science, creative expression (bookmaking and sketching), and encounters with the natural beauty of the changing colors of the fall in the Great Smokies.
Lost! Adventures with Map and Compass
October 9–13: Cullowhee
Where are we? Answer this question and many more while studying the history and pedagogical use of compasses, maps, navigation, and orienteering. Participants need to be able to walk several miles, uphill and down, carrying light day packs.
A Place of Refuge: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
October 16–20: Cullowhee
Discover the Great Smokies on day-hikes as we explore one of the world’s richest reserves of biological diversity. Deep forests, massive geologic formations, and clear tumbling streams lend themselves to opportunities for reflective writing, photography, and environmental education.
Salty Dogs and the Lore of the Sea
October 16–20: Ocracoke
Explore the marine ecology of the Outer Banks and the lives of the men and women who live from the sea. Work with small commercial fishermen pulling gill nets and crab pots off the shores of Ocracoke Island as you experience the culture and environment of North Carolina’s fishing industry.
Hurricanes: In the Eye of the Storm
November 13–17: Ocracoke
Learn about the structure, intensity, and effects of hurricanes: wind, storm surges, rainfall, tornadoes, erosion, and change. Explore the impact of nature’s forces on coastal communities and their inland neighbors.
Birds, Ducks, and Decoys
December 4–8: Ocracoke
Discover Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Cape Hatteras as we explore bird habitats, territorial displays, and feeding patterns. Sharpen your visual perception as we learn how to identify, sketch, and carve birds like the black skimmer, brown pelican, snowy egret, great blue heron, whistling swans, and various gulls and ducks.
How do
I apply?
Registration for January through April 2005 seminars is ongoing. Registration
for May through August seminars begins on February 1 for teachers who
have never attended an NCCAT renewal seminar and on March 1 for NCCAT
alumni. Teachers of all grade levels and subjects who have been employed
full-time in North Carolina public schools for at least three years may
choose a seminar. There is no cost to the teacher. Call NCCAT Teacher
Services at 1-800-922-0482 or email registrar@nccat.org
submitting your name, home telephone number, social security number, and
seminar choice. Or visit the NCCAT Website at www.nccat.org
to download an application. If you have any questions about particular
seminars, please feel free to contact Renée Coward, 2005 NCSTA
President and NCCAT representative.
Teacher
Programs at The Science House
Expanding Your Horizons Conference
Expanding Your Horizons Conference in Mathematics, Science, Engineering and Technology for sixth and seventh grade girls is March 7, 2006. The registration deadline for schools, volunteer presenters and guides is Monday, January 16th. We don’t want you to miss out on this phenomenal opportunity! General volunteer guides, presenters, and schools are encouraged to register for the career conference at www.science-house,org/student/eyh/.
Open Registration Professional Development
The Science House is offering open workshops again this spring. Join us for hands-on activities and inquiry that works in the classroom. Sign up now, as these workshops fill up fast! Topics include GIS in the Classroom (February 18), Using CBL Equipment (March 4), Physics from the Junk Drawer (April 22) and Safety Sense (May 20).
Learn more and register at http://www.science-house.org/workshops/open/
Year Round Science and Information Technology Opportunities for Minority Students
Photonics Xplorers program is a two-year program for ninth and tenth graders. The program goal is to encourage students to take advanced mathematics and science courses. We provide hands-on, scientific learning experiences and expose students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) environments as well as careers. Students meet for a one-week summer residential component and a monthly component throughout the year. Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a scholarship stipend. Registration for the program is open for the 2006-07 year. Rising ninth graders may learn more about the program and pre-register at www.science-house.org/student/photonics/xindex.html.
Photonics Leaders program is a two-year program for 11th and 12th grade students. The program goal is to guide and prepare high school students for success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs in higher education and the world of work. Students participate in hands-on learning experiences and internships at North Carolina State University and the Research Triangle Park. Students meet for a three-week summer component and every other week throughout the year. Upon successful completion of 300 hours, students will receive a scholarship stipend. Registration is open for the 2006-07 year. Rising eleventh graders may learn more about the program and pre-register at www.science-house.org/student/photonics/lindex.htm.
Workshops at Fayetteville Satellite Office
The Fayetteville satellite office will be offering several workshops this spring for middle and elementary science teachers. The six workshops will be held on Friday afternoons and all day Saturday: Countertop Chemistry January 27-28, Physics from the Junk Drawer February 3-4, Safety in the Science Lab February 17-18, Inquiry for Elementary Teachers March 3-4, Inquiry with CBL/MBL for Middle School March 17-18 and GoTem!/Go Link! for Elementary Teachers March 31-April 1. For more information and to register email Dennis Johnson at dennis_johnson@ncsu.edu
Isaac & Albert's Excellent Adventure
On Saturday April 29, The Science House, the Physics Department and the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences will host the annual Isaac & Albert's Excellent Adventure. This is a physics demonstration program aimed at showing kids and adults how physics relates to their everyday lives. The program will feature educational and “gee-whiz” demonstrations such as using atmospheric pressure to propel ping-pong balls across the room at over 200 m.p.h. and shattering glass with sound waves and much, much more. In fact, we believe that somebody's hair will stand on end (with the aid of a Van de Graaff generator). Check the Science House website for further details coming soon.
HS Environmental Education Opportunities
Coming soon! FREE high school environmental science lab manual; available to North Carolina high school science teachers while supplies last. This manual is Volume II of the lab manual published in 2001, and has all new labs. To order a copy, please e-mail Mary Louise Bellamy at mlbellam@unity.ncsu.edu.
Environmental Science Workshop for North Carolina high school science teachers will be held June 27, 28, and 29 at The Science House; North Carolina State University; Raleigh, NC. The workshop is free of charge, and all participants will receive a free copy of The Science House's new high school environmental science lab manual. For information on how to apply, please e-mail Mary Louise Bellamy at mlbellam@unity.ncsu.edu.
Emerging Science and Technology Short Course
How Small Can We Go? Exploring Nanotechnology - Emerging Science and Technologies Short Course - July 18-20, 2006. Learn about current and future applications of cutting edge research in Nanotechnology at NC State University. Participants receive 2.0 C.E.U.s, a stipend of $200, room, breakfast and lunch each day. For applications and additional information visit The Science House web site or http://www.science-house.org/student/hhmi/est/.
Bring the Science
House Teacher Workshops to Your School
The Science House also provides one or two-day programs to update and
refresh teachers' mathematics, science, and Internet skills. These workshops
have been taught many times in schools across North Carolina. Our workshop
participants learn skills and activities that they can immediately use
in their own classrooms. We especially emphasize programs to help meet
teacher technology competencies. Each workshop can be tailored to fit
local needs. Please visit the workshop web page (www.science-house.org/workshops/)
for more information on our workshop or contact Scott Ragan (scott_ragan@ncsu.edu)
at The Science House or call (919) 515-6118.
NC Museum of Natural Sciences Teacher Treks Cast and Mold Madness
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, February 4, 2006 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 (includes mold making materials and tracking book) Please bring a lunch or dine in the Museum’s Acro Café. Museums use casts and molds in research, animal track records, and exhibit design. In this workshop we will explore many of these methods. Learn how to make casts and molds and use those techniques to preserve animal tracks and much more. Make and take casts of Museum specimens. Brainstorm with teachers currently using casts and molds in their classrooms. Meet a member of our paleontology department and hear about his experience using this medium.
Museum Field Trips with Young Children
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC
Tuesday, February 21, 2006 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Cost: $5 Day Care Credit: 2 hours
For preschool and elementary school teachers Discover some wonderful and practical ways to maximize your museum experience. Sample pre- and post-field trip activities incorporating science, math, and language arts concepts. Leave with the tools you need to have the "Best Field Trip Ever!"
Amphibian Days and Nights
Chatham County, NC
Saturday, March 4, 2006 noon–8:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 (includes a light dinner)
Visit prime amphibian breeding sites and learn about the spring rites of some of our amazing salamanders, toads, and frogs. A Museum researcher will explain the critical importance of temporary pools as habitat for a host of creatures. Learn how you can create and preserve amphibian habitat in your community and investigate techniques for monitoring amphibian populations. Weather permitting, we will do a nocturnal ramble to see and hear amphibian delights.
Coastal Awakening
Rachel Carson National Estuarine Research Reserve and Fort Macon State Park, near Morehead City, NC
Friday, April 7 (depart Museum at 4:30 p.m.) – Saturday, April 8, 2006
Cost: $55 (includes lodging, breakfast, lunch, and transportation from Raleigh)
Join Museum and Estuarine Reserve staff as we sneak a peak at spring along the North Carolina coast. We will travel a short distance by boat to Town Marsh across from the historic town of Beaufort for some beach combing, botany, birds, and wild horses. Learn about estuarine habitats and what makes this ecosystem so important to us all. Discuss issues facing this and other coastal treasures. We will also visit a few ecological communities and the historic Civil War fort at Fort Macon State Park.
A Bounty of Bluebirds
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and
Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, April 22, 2006 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 (includes bluebird box and mounting poles)
Bluebirds are one of the most beautiful of North Carolina’s birds. Get tips on attracting them with native plantings and nest boxes. We will examine nest boxes at Prairie Ridge and you will learn how to monitor bluebird nesting.
Spring in the Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Haywood County, NC
Friday, May 5 (depart from Museum at 4:30 p.m.) — Sunday, May 7, 2006
Cost: $45 Price Reduced!
(includes transportation from Raleigh, lodging, and most meals)
Join Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Museum staff and explore spring treasures waiting to be discovered in North Carolina’s mountains. Learn practical, student-friendly biological sampling and monitoring field techniques and how to use these techniques on your school grounds. Seek glimpses of the majestic elk, reintroduced into this area after an absence of 200 years, and use nature journaling to record and reflect on your experiences.
Seminar costs reduced due to a generous gift from the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation through Friends of the Smokies
Nature Walking with Young Children - Spring Spectacular
Prairie Ridge Ecostation, Raleigh, NC
Saturday, May 13, 2006 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. 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. As we explore a native Piedmont prairie, look for small pond creatures, and find animal signs on the trails, we’ll emphasize how these experiences can be shared with young children inside and outside the classroom.
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
The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill
Misconceptions in Astronomy
Saturday, February 4, 2006
9 – 11 a.m.
Research shows that most students graduate with major misconceptions about basic scientific principles, including those in astronomy. These “personal scientific theories” are difficult to uncover and even more difficult to change through traditional instruction. What tools and techniques can we use to effectively teach these challenging concepts? Join our Star Theater Director, Richard McColman, and Star Theater Educator, Mickey Sorrell, as they team up to share their expertise in astronomy education with K-12 educators. Through hands-on models and activities, Richard and Mickey will share fun and engaging lessons on seasonal changes, moon phases and planetary motion.
Content is aligned with the NCSCS.
NC EE Criteria III credit & CEU contact hour credit available.
Space is limited to 20
Fee: $12 for MPSC members and UNC students; $18 for non-members
Link Misconceptions in Astronomy with MPSC’s Speaking of Science Series:
Following the workshop on February 4, you are cordially invited to attend our Speaking of Science Series featuring astronaut Dr. Kathy Thorton at 11:30am. Dr. Thorton was onboard for the first Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission in 1993. She will speak about her work, the Hubble mission and take questions from the audience. There is no fee associated with Dr. Thorton’s program but you must reserve your seat. Please indicate that you are interested in attending Dr. Thorton’s talk when you call to register for the Misconceptions in Astronomy workshop and we will automatically reserve a seat for you.
Telescopes: How to Use
Monday, February 6, 2006 7 – 9 p.m.
Whether you are a beginner or a long-time telescope-user, this is one class you won’t want to miss. Join us for an evening of telescope instruction and hands-on experience with expert Lee Roane. Lee will guide us through the telescope set-up and adjustment process to ensure you are making the most of your astronomical equipment. For the beginner, Lee will address setting up mounts and selecting eyepieces as well as focus and image quality. For more advanced users, Lee will discuss amplifiers as well as the types and uses of filters including filters for reducing image brightness, planetary observations, light pollution and solar observations.
Fee: $12 for MPSC members and UNC students; $18 for non-members
Desktop Astronomy
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 7 – 9 p.m.
Bring the night sky down to Earth—right to your desktop! Learn how to use your computer to support your skywatching habit. Navigate the Internet to find and print current sky charts and discover the best sites for skywatchers. Use Starry Night“ software to track planetary motion or plan your viewing sessions. Planetarium Educator Jesse Richuso will teach us how to keep the stars in our sight, even on the cloudiest of nights!
Space is limited to 15
Fee: $12 for MPSC members and UNC students; $18 for non-members
For an additional $12, purchase a copy of Starry Night“ when you call to register—then take it home with you after the class!
Starry Spring Nights
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Welcome in the spring season under a star-filled sky. Join Planetarium Educator Amy Sayle in our Star Theater as she takes us on a trip among the spring constellations, planets and other celestial objects we might encounter this time of year.
Fee: $8 for MPSC members and UNC students; $12 for non-members
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.
For more information, visit the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s website: www.moreheadplanetarium.org.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Science Ambassador Program
The Science Ambassador Program is a unique opportunity for middle and high school science teachers to work with scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Preservice science teachers from selected institutions and current middle and high school science teachers are invited to apply. In this program, teachers will travel to CDC to learn about a variety of different health topics including folic acid, birth defects genetics, Alzheimer’s disease, epidemiology, and surveillance. Participants will then work with CDC scientists to develop and publish public health science lesson plans that meet National Science Education Standards. These lesson plans will be used by teachers nationwide.
For an application or further information, please check out our website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/ScienceAmbassador.htm or contact the Science Ambassador Program by email at scienceambassador@cdc.gov or by phone at 404.498.4080.
Cost – All travel expenses are covered by CDC.
Deadline – Applications are due by March 1, 2006
Vernier Spring Workshops Educators will spend a 4-hour session learning how to integrate data-collection technology into their chemistry, biology, physics, math, middle school science, physical science and Earth science curriculum. Participants will have an opportunity to collect data on computers, TI graphing calculators and Palm OS™ handhelds. The workshops will include lunch and a Workshop Training Manual. Educators who choose to do so can earn two (quarter) Graduate Science credit hours through the Portland State University Center for Science Education (approximate cost $70 per credit hour, payable to PSU).
Educators may register online or sign up to be notified about specific workshops by e-mail. Registration is available at http://www.vernier.com/workshop/evaluation.html. All spring workshops are free for training and the manual, or educators can choose a training and hardware/software package for $250. Packages include either the LabPro Interface, Logger Pro® Software and Temperature Probe or LabPro Interface, Light Sensor and Temperature Probe.
North Carolina dates are March 13 in Winston-Salem and March 14 in Raleigh
The Science and Civics of Superfund-Lake Crabtree
Saturday, April 29, 2006
8 am - 4 pm
Recent state-wide media attention has spurned a lot of interest in the community as to the status of the Ward Transformer SuperFund Site and its effects on Lake Crabtree County Park, an Environmental Education Center located in Wake County near RDU airport. A fish consumption advisory has
been issued based on PCB contaminents, which is a first for North Carolina. Additional sediment sampling is underway and the process is still very active.
This workshop will be of interest to both Middle School and High School Science Teachers and also to High School Social Studies Teachers. Educators will learn how to incorporate this local environmental issue into their classrooms and receive FREE materials and activities to use with
students.
This workshop is FREE! Participants can receive 10 hours CEU credit with 8 contact hours and 4 hours of homework. A certificate will be issued once homework is completed. If partial credit is acceptable to local school system, a certificate can be issued for just the 8 contact hours.
This workshop will aid Science teachers in meeting their Science as Inquiry and Science and Technology-related competencies, as well as the following grade level Competency Goals:
6th Grade: Competency Goals 2 and 3.
7th Grade: Competency Goals 2, 3, and 4.
8th Grade: Competency Goals 3, 4, 5, and 7.
High School Science Competency Goals
Biology: 4 and 5
Earth/Environmental: 1, 2, and 3
AP Biology: 6 and 7
AP Environmental Science: 4, 5, 6, and 7.
High School Social Studies Competency Goals:
Civics and Economics: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10
AP U.S. Government and Politics: 6, 7, 8, and 9
For more information or to register for workshop, please contact Deborah Robertson, at (919) 460-2723 or email deborah.robertson@co.wake.nc.us.
SAS inSchool(r) Institute 2006
SAS inSchool is looking for teams of educators to attend SAS inSchool Institute(r) 2006. Our focus will be on how Curriculum Pathways(r) can help to meet academic needs. The product continues to be provided, free of charge, to public high schools in North Carolina.
Delivered online, Curriculum Pathways provides both traditional and innovative resources. Key features include the innovative integration of technology and the curriculum, research-validated instructional techniques and acknowledged best practices, learner-centered activities with measurable outcomes, and interactive materials that target higher-order thinking skills.
SAS inSchool(r) Institute 2006
For two days in July (July 17-18), teams of educators from North Carolina high schools will come to SAS to explore how that Curriculum Pathways can meet their most pressing academic needs. In partnership with SAS inSchool staff, 100 participants will receive hands-on training. They will
* Explore the product in depth
* Determine ways to integrate product resources into the curriculum
* Establish peer networks
* Work with SAS inSchool's discipline and technology experts
* Become part of the SAS inSchool community of users
To Apply
We are looking for applicants who can serve as change agents by modeling the effective integration of Curriculum Pathways into the learning process. Preference will be given to teams of educators from four disciplines, along with a technology specialist or curriculum administrator. We hope to include participants from across the state. Interested parties should
* Assemble an interdisciplinary team of educators (4 to 6 members)
* Secure administrative support
* Complete the online application at www.sasinschool.com/institute
* Submit the application by February 28, 2006
Expectations and Commitments
Participating teams will be expected to attend the entire two-day institute and
* Document the use of one Curriculum Pathways resource, per team member, between March 31 and the start of the Institute
* Meet with instructional leaders, after the Institute, to develop a plan for guiding and supporting colleagues in their use of Curriculum Pathways
* Document the use of three Curriculum Pathways resources, per team member, during the first semester of the 2006-2007 school year
Participating teams will receive two days of face-to-face professional development, hotel accommodations for one night (double occupancy), meals (two lunches, one dinner), and documentation of contact and project hours.
The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher would like to invite you to a special overnight at the aquarium. This mini conference, sponsored in part by MAMEA (Mid-Atlantic Marine Educators Association), is a great way to meet other formal and informal educators and learn ways to utilize the aquarium as an education resource. Each participant will go home with examples of activities they can use in their own classroom and during a fieldtrip to the aquarium. This overnight can be used for Criteria II or III for the NC Environmental Educators Certification.
Who: All Formal and Informal Marine Educators
What: Marine Educators Mini-conference
When: 6:00pm March 31st – 12:00pm April 1st 2006
Where: NC Aquarium Fort Fisher
How: Register at (910) 458-7468
$10 for MAMEA members, $20 for non-members
Payment at the time of registration is preferred, but we will accept walk-ups. Fees may be paid in check or money order; sorry, we cannot accept credit cards.
Don’t forget your sleeping bag, pillows, and overnight items! We have no shower facilities on-site.
PEAK Conference at Camp Greenville
The sixth annual Outdoor Education Conference at YMCA Camp Greenville will be held February 9-11, 2006.
Greenville, SC -- YMCA Camp Greenville is hosting PEAK (Preparing Educators for Adventures with Kids), the sixth annual Outdoor Education Conference, this February 9-11. This local conference will be a time for educators, camp professionals, college students, and others from related fields to network and share ideas, trends and new strategies in outdoor education.
Pre-Conference workshops will be held on February 9 and will include Project Learning Tree, Risk Management, and Leave No Trace sessions. Conference sessions will begin Friday morning, February 10, facilitated by experts in these fields: environmental education, administrative issues, alternative energy, grant writing, new trends and ideas, team building, teaching tools, and more.
For those interested in learning new outdoor education activities or would like more information about the field, this is an event full of hands-on learning, robust experiences and workshops. For more information and prices for the conference, call YMCA Camp Greenville at (864) 836-3291 ext. 106 or download the brochure at www.campgreenville.org under Special Events.
Northwestern University (NU) and University of Michigan (U of M) are offering a unique professional development opportunity for environmental science teachers. Through National Science Foundation monies, NU and U of M have designed a research study to examine the different ways teachers learn in face-to-face workshops and on-line professional development communities. Through this study, NU and U of M have the opportunity to offer free professional development to teachers who adopt Investigations in Environmental Science. Teachers who participate in this study will receive 48 hours of varying types of professional development along with a $1500.00 stipend upon completion. If interested in learning more about Investigations in Environmental Science or the Professional Development study, see www.geode.northwestern.edu/ies. Any further questions can be directed to
m-bruozas@northwestern.edu.
Wildlife Workshops
The NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education will offer the following classes in the Coastal region. Most of these classes will qualify for Component I or II of the NC Office of Environmental Education certification. Please read the workshop description for details. Unless indicated, there is no charge for these workshops.
For more information on these or other workshops offered statewide, or to get registration information, please log on to www.ncwildlife.org and click on Education/Workshops. At this link, you will also find our NC Wildlife Profiles and the NC WILD Notebook Activity, which are downloadable free of charge.
Outdoor Classes
Programs
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Basic Workshops
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Current Issue | Archives | NCSTA
The Science
Reflector
Newsletter of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association
PO Box 1783, Salisbury, NC 28145
Elizabeth Snoke Harris, Editor