St Vrain Science

Connecting Science and Technology to the Classroom

Archive for March, 2008

NREL Temporary Summer Employment

Posted by jeremyl on 27th March 2008

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is looking for science teachers seeking summer employment in the education office supporting several key education programs. Please see the job description.

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NBPTS ASSESSORS – TEACHERS NEEDED!

Posted by jeremyl on 27th March 2008

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is currently accepting applications for the DENVER 2008 summer scoring session. Participate in this unique professional development opportunity! Score NBPTS candidate responses and earn $150 per day. (Scoring sessions typically run from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, although Saturday scoring may be necessary. Lunch will be provided. NBPTS does not reimburse for travel or lodging expenses.) Eligibility Requirements: • Baccalaureate degree • Valid teaching license/certificate (or valid state license as a school counselor, if applying to assess the ECYA/School Counseling certificate), if required by the state • Three years of teaching experience in a preK-12 setting • Currently teaching at least half-time in the certificate area for which you are applying to assess, or a National Board Certified Teacher® in the certificate area. Retired teachers or teachers with new assignments should visit www.nbpts.org for a complete list of eligibility requirements • Not be a current or nonachieving candidate for National Board Certification® • Willing to successfully complete the required NBPTS assessor training Summer 2008 the following certificates will be scored in DENVER

Subject Area Dates*

AYA/SCI – BIO 9TH -12TH grade 7/21-7/30

AYA/SCI – CHEM 7/21-7/25

 EA/MATH 6th-8th grade 7/21-7/30

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2008 Earth Day E-Packet

Posted by jeremyl on 25th March 2008

Hello, 

Don’t forget to sign up for your free 2008 Earth Day E-Packet! This  year’s packet is focused on Climate Change Educational Resources. The  Electronic Packet will feature the best of climate literacy and climate change on-line educational resources. The E-Packet is great for  teachers, community leaders, non-profits and parents! If you signed up  for an E-Packet last year, no need to sign up again, you will automatically receive one each year! You will receive your E-Packet in early April.  Sign up

Posted in Resource | 1 Comment »

PD opp with stipend for 6th - 9th grade teachers

Posted by jeremyl on 13th March 2008

For 6th-9th grade teachers…

Hello Everyone,
I want to let everyone know about a professional development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers.  We are also accepting 5th grade teachers who have some science background.
This program is ideal for early career teachers as well as those teachers teaching outside of their subject areas.  Please spread the word!

The Partnership in Innovative Preparation for Educators and Students (PIPES)ScienceEducatorAcademy
June 2-13 and six Friday/Saturday sessions
Sabin Middle School, Colorado Springs, CO
ThePIPESScienceEducatorAcademy(formerly PPRISM) offers 6th-9thgrade science teachers:
10 graduate science credits

a $1200 stipend

an opportunity to expand content knowledge in chemistry, physics, biology, and geology

high quality instruction from professors, K12 master teachers, the BSCS, and the Space Foundation

lab kits, materials, and handouts provided for immediate classroom use

ongoing dialogue with other teachers
Online Registration Available at:www.uccs.edu/pipes/academy.htm

Dave Khaliqi

Director, Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (CSTEME)

University of Colorado, ColoradoSprings

www.uccs.edu/pipes

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Climate Change Discussion - Working with Non-believers

Posted by jeremyl on 13th March 2008

I am very concerned about a small group of AP Environmental Science students (3) who have taken an aggressive stand opposing my teaching of climate change.  I already teach it from the perspective of “here’s the data, figure it out” but they think that I made the data up.  I showed them where it came from (NASA and NOAA) and they think it is a conspiracy by the left wing to infiltrate and brainwash the American public.

Normally, I would let it go but these kids are being disruptive and belligerent to the point that I have had to refer them to the administration. 

I feel like there are two things I need to do here:
1) diffuse the situation so that we can move forward
2) create a packet of peer reviewed literature that is understandable for hs students

Does anyone out there have any suggestions?

Regards,

Science Teacher

Posted in Discussion | 14 Comments »

Colorado Space Science Teacher’s Summit for Middle and High School Teachers

Posted by jeremyl on 11th March 2008

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics is holding a teacher’s summit.

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Perspectives on Evolution

Posted by jeremyl on 7th March 2008

Join us for this special day of guest speakers and hands-on activities exploring different facets of evolution. We will begin with a talk by *U.S. Federal District Judge John E. Jones,* who issued the decision in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case in December 2005. He ruled that the school district’s policy requiring biology teachers to teach Intelligent Design was unconstitutional. Nearly forty years earlier, in 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that the State of
Arkansas’ 1928 anti-evolution law was unconstitutional in the Epperson v. Arkansas case.
Our second guest speaker, *Susan Epperson,* was teaching 10^th -grade biology in Little Rock at the time, and was asked by the Arkansas Education Association to be the plaintiff in this landmark case. Susan currently teaches biology and chemistry at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and will speak about her experience. BSI Science Squad
members will lead four breakout sessions that emphasize hands-on evolution activities for the classroom:

1) Horizontal Gene Transfer, Bacterial Evolution, and Antibiotic Resistance;
2) The Human Body in Primate Time;
3) Cultural Evolution, Natural Selection and Population Growth;
4) Natural Selection, Adaptive Radiation and Phylogenetic Trees Using Galapagos finches.

*Date*: Saturday, April 5, 2008
*Time*: 9 am - 5 pm
*Location*: University of Colorado at Boulder

*Workshop Cost*: Free
*CDE Credit*: .5 (free)
*CU Graduate Credit*: .5 ($35)
*Designed for*: Middle and high school teachers
*Instructors: *BSI Science Squad
You may register online at:
*www.colorado.edu/Outreach/BSI/k12/reserve.cgi**
We will confirm your registration by email; please call (303) 492-8230 if you do not hear from us.

To check out other BSI workshops and opportunities for teachers, visit:
http://www.colorado.edu/Outreach/BSI/k12.html

Address: BSI, 470 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309
Phone: 303-492-8230
Fax: 303-492-4916
Email: BSI@colorado.edu
*

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