St Vrain Science » opportunity

NASA OFFERS NEW SCIENCE TEACHING CERTIFICATE PROJECT

jeremyl — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:15:35 +0000

WASHINGTON — NASA has unveiled the Endeavor Science Teaching
Certificate Project, which will award more than 200 fellowships to
educators during a five year period. Educators accepted into the project
will be exposed to current NASA science and engineering and supported in
translating the information for use in classrooms.

The goal of the project is to ensure that teachers across the country
can use the discoveries that NASA makes on a daily basis to inspire the
next generation of explorers, scientists, engineers, and astronauts.

The program will provide workshops, online and on-site graduate courses
and NASA content and materials to teachers and students in
K-12 classrooms. NASA will work in partnership with state departments of
education to ensure program participants can apply credit from project
courses towards state certification requirements.

“Through the program, educators will learn to deliver cutting-edge
science into the classroom, promoting science, technology, engineering
and mathematics education,” said Joyce L. Winterton, assistant
administrator for education at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This
will include proven NASA and NASA-sponsored educational resources to
meet specific learning goals.”

Project fellows will earn a certificate of completion in Applied Science
Education from Teachers College Innovations at Teachers College,
Columbia University, N.Y., and graduate credit from other institutional
partners.

Additional project efforts include assisting and training pre-service
science teachers to help improve science instruction in U.S. schools.

The project will be administered by the U.S. Satellite Laboratory Inc.
of Rye, N.Y. Funding for the program is provided through the NASA
Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Trust Fund, in tribute to the dedicated crew
of the space shuttle Challenger.

For additional information about the Endeavor Science Teaching
Certificate Project and other NASA education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

The Great World Wide Star Count

jeremyl — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:13:01 +0000

October 20 – November 3, 2008

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/starcount

This Windows to the Universe program is an international citizen-science event that encourages everyone, astronomers and non-astronomers alike, to measure their local light pollution and report their observations online. The Great World Wide Star Count, part of the Dark Skies Awareness cornerstone project for the upcoming International Year of astronomy, is designed to raise awareness about light pollution as well as encourage learning in astronomy. No prior experience is necessary–all information needed to participate is on the Star Count Web site, along with a downloadable activity guide available in eight languages. All observations will be available online via Google Earth and as downloadable datasets.

In 2007, people from 64 countries contributed more than 6,600 observations to the inaugural Star Count. In order to build momentum in for IYA in 2009, we are hoping to double our participation this year and need your help!

Please help us spread the word to your members, families, friends, and especially any teachers that you may know. Our downloads page also contains a half-page flyer that may be freely printed and distributed.

If you or your parent organization are interested or would like more information, please contact us at starcount_info@ucar.edu <mailto:starcount_info@ucar.edu>

Kepler: A Search for Habitable Planets

jeremyl — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:21:31 +0000

Kepler: A Search for Habitable Planets

Space Science Workshop for Teachers

Celebrate NASA¹s Kepler Mission and the International Year of Astronomy

Saturday, November 15, 2008

8:15 am 5:00 pm @ LASP

Join us for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle school and high school science teachers. Dr. Jeff VanCleve will discuss the science behind NASA¹s Kepler Mission, which launches in March 2009.

Standards-based, classroom ready activities include: Human Orrery, Detecting Extrasolar Planets, Transit Tracks, and building a computer-interfaced transit model. Dr. Bill Possel will lead a tour of the NASA Mission Operations Facility at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP).

Location: LASP Conference Room, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO

Each workshop participant will receive a complete transit model, which includes a LEGO orrery, Vernier light sensor, interface and graphing software, and lamp and light bulb, a $150 value. Lunch will be provided.

A letter verifying 8 hours of professional development can be provided.

Learn about NASA¹s Kepler Mission: http://Kepler.NASA.gov

This workshop is free! To register, visit:

http://lasp.colorado.edu/education/Kepler_workshop.html and click on ³Registration Form². You will receive an email confirmation. Note: Online registration will be available next week. Follow instructions on the webpage for early registration.

Questions?? Contact Erin Wood at Erin.Wood@lasp.colorado.edu or call (303)735-0962.

Jointly hosted by NASA¹s Kepler Education and Public Outreach Program at NASA Ames Research Center, SETI Institute, and UC Berkeley¹s Lawrence Hall of Science in collaboration with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation.

kepler_wksp

Science Squad from BSI

jeremyl — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:09:07 +0000

Greetings from the Biological Sciences Initiative (BSI),

Through our Science Squad program, CU-Boulder scientists (graduate students) are available to visit Denver-area classrooms to give hands-on science presentations. Once again, Science Squad schedules are filling up very quickly for the 2008-09 school year, and we encourage you to get your requests in as soon as possible. Given BSI’s mission and sources of funding, our priority is to provide these programs to schools of greatest need and diversity.

For Science Squad biographies, presentation descriptions, and to request a presentation, please visit

http://www.colorado.edu/Outreach/BSI/k12/sciencesquad.html

Please note that we only have openings for the following presentations:

Rachael Mooney:

Fountain of Youth? Stem Cells and Tissue Regeneration (Grades 6-12)

The Bionic Human: Polymers and Tissue Engineering (Grades 6-12)

Ashley Bolden:

EAC’s: Your “Chemical Footprint” (Grades 9-12)

How to Stop a Retroviral Hijacking: Anti-HIV Agents (Grades 9-12)

Food Pyramids – It’s Not Ancient History! (Grades 4-12)

DNA – You Get to See It! (Grades 4-12)

Katrina Eike:

CSI – Your Classroom (Grades 9-12)

Extreme Microbes (Grades 4-12)

Antibiotic Resistance: The ‘Superbugs’ Among Us (Grades 4-12)

Biophysics and Molecular ‘Machines’: The Inner Life of a Cell (Grades 10-12)

Kim Nichols:

Bitter & Sweet: Evolution & Adaptation of Human Taste Perception (Grades 4-12)

(note, spring 2009 only)

Please feel free to pass this information on to your colleagues as well.

Wishing you a wonderful school year,

Jennifer Shriver

Program Assistant

Biological Sciences Initiative

303-492-8230

STEMAPALOOZA – Details

jeremyl — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:18:33 +0000

Hello All,

We are asking school groups to register in order to manage bus arrival and departure, but otherwise the event is free and open to the public.

Here is a brief summary of what we have so far:

· We have over 1200 students registered to attend, almost evenly distributed between the K-3, 5-8, and 9-12 grades with the middle school grades carrying the slightly largest percentage.

· We have sold 91 booths so far, including 15 Informal Science Education providers, multiple booths to 13 institutions of higher education, and 10 to for-profits industries such as Kendall-Hunt and Lockheed Martin. Activities in the booths will include: live animals from the Denver Zoo, Wild Wings, and the Butterfly Pavilion; interactive virtual simulations from Gizmos and PhET; a tornado generator from UNC and a wind tunnel from CCD; Earth Science manipulatives from Earth Treasures; and much more.

- A large video screen will be running STEM-related videos throughout the event. Submissions include Everest 911 from McClain Arts, video biographies of all the scientists working at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and an inquiry showcase video called â€œUpward and Outward: Scientific Inquiry on the Tibetan Plateauâ€ from CU Boulderâ€™s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES).

· We also have space in the back of the exhibit hall reserved for large scale activities including:

o Ten 80 FastTrack Racing â€“ design and race cars

o Red Rocks Community College Process Tech Trailer

o Skylab Planetarium

o WWI Airplane and full-scale sailboat built by students at North High School

o Space Foundation Rocketry â€“ design, build, and launch rockets

o National Renewable Energy Laboratoryâ€™s RnE²EW propane-powered alternative energy vehicle and a STEM-focused scavenger hunt complete with prizeso Denver Museum of Nature & Scienceâ€™s Energy at Play â€œdesign and buildâ€ class

o UCD Chemistry Department hosting student demonstrations

o DSSTâ€™s First Robotics team â€“ a student-centered, competitive robotics engineering program

o One World Learning

· Confirmed luncheon keynote will be Dr. Tom Cech (Nobel Laureate) with an introduction from Governor Bill Ritter

· MESA has confirmed eight schools for the demo area in the main exhibit space and a high school that will do demonstrations for the reception.

· Thursday evening reception at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for all exhibitors and local area leaders such as the State Board of Education, industry decision makers, and State Legislators. Speakers for the reception will include George Sparks and a Lockheed executive.

· Friday morning and afternoon discussion groups centered on the activities of the WIRED grant participants and their survey outcomes.

· An introductory letter, parent letter template, and two posters went out to every middle and high school in Colorado in August; we will be advertising on school buses in Metro Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo; and we are working on a public service announcement by the Governor.

We also still need research posters (from faculty and students) as well as volunteers. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via phone or email.

Thanks for your help,

Sharon

Sharon D. Unkart

Managing Director

Center for Applied Science and Mathematics for Innovation and Competitiveness (CASMIC)

University of Colorado Denver, Downtown Campus

Campus Box 153

PO Box 173364

Denver, CO 80217-3364

303.556.6543 O

303.556.5993 F

http://www.stemapalooza.org/

Back from a long hiatus and an opportunity for educators

jeremyl — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:44:07 +0000

Wow, I have not been here for a while. I guess summer made me relax or perhaps the birth of our second daughter kept me kind of busy. Anyway I”m back and I wanted to share this opportunity with you:

Hello all,

Don’t miss our Fall 2008 Educator’s Night. FREE to all educators and education administrators, this night is full of wonderful resources to support students and teachers. Visit the newest travelling exhibition: Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries, view an IMAX or planetarium show, and visit with many other cultural and science education providers from the Denver area.

Call 303-322-7009 or 1-800-925-2250 and book your free reservation now. Due to space limitations at this popular event we request that you come with your education coworkers only. Please no family or guests.

We look forward to seeing you Monday, September 29^th, 5:30-8:30.

Present*Preserve*Excite*Inspire

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Polly M. Andrews

Director/ Youth and Teacher Programs

2001 Colorado Boulevard

Denver, CO 80205

303-370-6320 (p)

303-370-6153 (f)

Polly.Andrews@dmns.org

New Science Teacher Academy to Select Middle and High School Science Teachers for 2008-09 Term

jeremyl — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:21:15 +0000

Applications are still being accepted to become a “Fellow” in the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy for 2008-09. New science teachers throughout the country who are entering their second or third year of teaching with a schedule that includes at least 51% science teaching time to middle or high school students are encouraged to apply.

Cofounded by the Amgen Foundation, the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy is a fellowship program created to help promote quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge. NSTA Fellows chosen for the program which runs from August 2008 through June 2009, will receive a comprehensive NSTA membership package; participation in an e-mentoring program developed by NSTA, the New Teacher Center at UC-Santa Cruz, and Montana State University; and access to a variety of web-based professional development activities including web seminars. Each NSTA Fellow will receive financial support to attend and participate in NSTA’s 2009 National Conference on Science Education in New Orleans, scheduled for mid-March.

For more information on how to apply to the New Teacher Science Academy, please visit www.nsta.org/academy. Applications must be submitted no later than May 23, 2008, to be considered. Don’t delay, apply now.

NREL Temporary Summer Employment

jeremyl — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:56:16 +0000

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.