Improve Your Knowledge of Physical Science
Grades 3-9 teachers—improve and refresh your content knowledge through two NSTA online short courses, Light and Force and Motion. Under the guidance of Dr. Matt Bobrowsky, each week participants will meet virtually to strengthen their physical science concepts through synchronous learning. Follow up discussions are continued in an online forum, along with self-paced completion of corresponding course materials (SciPack, SciGuide, e-Book, and Journal articles), all contributing towards boosting your knowledge of the subject.

Upcoming Short Courses:
Force and Motion-Beginning Monday, February 1, 2010, and continuing through the following four consecutive Mondays:  2/1, 2/8, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8. The course is held from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Light-Beginning Wednesday, February 3, 2010, and continuing through the following four consecutive Wednesdays, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 and 3/3. The course is held from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Participants are eligible to earn two graduate professional development credits from the University of Idaho. For more details and to register, visit the NSTA Learning Center or email ptingler@nsta.org.

Second semester has begun and summer seems a long way away. But the good news is that People are actually Giving Away Science stuff! So take a few moments to peruse the following site from the NSTA.  You will find several sites listed there  with things to offer that just might get you excited about lighting up the eyes of your students again.

http://www.magnetmail.net/actions/email_web_version.cfm?recipient_id=101865769&message_id=746444&user_id=NSTA&VERSION=TEXT

(Refer back to Oct. 2007 for a description of how the debates were set up)

I said I would let you know how the debates are going and I am glad to say that they are going well. Some students need more guidance and encouragement to be prepared than others but overall their desire to perform well in front of their peers has motivated them to be well prepared. This year I am going to give them a preliminary list of controversial subjects in science that they can all investigate before choosing their topics. Then the entire class will have had more exposure and the team members for each topic should have a better idea of the issues involved before choosing a topic.

Positive results include improvements in finding real evidence for their positions, increased abilities to discuss topics with logic and organization and a widening interest in the STS issues confronting our society.

Calling All K–12 Science Teachers: Toyota TAPESTRY Program Now Accepting Entries for the 20th Annual Science Grant CompetitionThe Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and administered by NSTA, is now accepting entries for the 2009–2010 competition. Now in its 20th year, the program offers grants up to $10,000 to K–12 science teachers for innovative projects that enhance science education in their school and/or school district over a one-year period.
Fifty large grants and a minimum of 20 mini-grants totaling $550,000 will be awarded this year. Individual science teachers or a team of up to five teachers can submit proposals in one of three categories: physical science application; environmental science education; and integrating literacy and science. A judging panel convened by the NSTA will select the award-winning projects based on several criteria, including their innovative approach in teaching science and ability to create a stimulating and hands-on learning environment.
Since the program’s inception in 1990, Toyota TAPESTRY grants totaling more than $8.6 million have been awarded to science teachers across the country. More than 2,000 teachers have used those funds to develop and execute extraordinary programs that helped hundreds of thousands of students nationwide make a passionate connection with science.
For more information about the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program or to learn how to apply, visit www.nsta.org/pd/tapestry. Applications must be submitted no later than January 18, 2010 to be considered. Don’t delay, apply now!

Here is the abstract of Ophelia’s submission. Fascinating project! We wish her the best and hope that she will keep us apprised of how this project works out.

A Study of Mycorrhizal and Saprophytic Fungi in Washington County and the Surrounding Areas and Their Role in Forest Ecosystems 

Students will study saprophytic and mycorrhizal mushrooms in Washington County, MD and the surrounding areas. They will learn how to use characteristics such as habitat, appearance, and microscopic features to identify species. They will investigate the various roles fungi play in forest ecosystems and in our lives. Topics for projects include: edible mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, fungi used in medicine, mycoremediation of the environment, mycofiltration of water, the role of fungi in conservation, and other relevant subjects. Students will participate in guided forays and workshops to collect (for scientific study),photograph,and identify various fungi under the tutelage of experts in mycology. They will inoculate certain forest areas with mushroom mycelia to facilitate growth and renewal. Based on what they learn students will develop a website featuring the project and produce a pamphlet entitled “Wild Mushrooms of Washington County, MD and Surrounding Areas.”

It’s been a long time acoming, but Change HAS come!
Lloyd and I just returned from Portland where we had the opportunity to be revived by energized, creative teachers sharing what they do best. Highlights included a tour of the OHSU Primate research facility and learning about the progress being made in HIV research and vaccine development and neuro-degenerative disease research as well as several other areas. They were desperate to find applicants for their Partners in Science Program as the deadline was that day. Eight weeks of research in the summer rubbing elbows with the best in the field sounded pretty exciting to me; perhaps I’ll apply another year when I have more than an afternoon to prepare an application.

When we returned to the convention center I was accosted by the lady at the Einstein fellowship booth who was also looking for potential applicants. This program is for 10-11 months in Washington D.C working with NASA, NIH, NSF, the DOE or in the House or Senate to help shape national education policies in math or science. The stipend is at least twice what any of us earn and who knows, it could be just the ticket to infuse new vitality into your classroom. The website is www.scied.science.doe.gov just in case you might be interested. After all, there has been a change!

Later, back in the session rooms I witnessed one of the most well-organized, convincing lectures on global climate change that I have ever seen. Joseph Levine of Levine and Miller biology textbooks had a terrific slide show with great NASA satellite footage of ocean currents, wind patterns, and seasonal changes in photosynthetic rates to demonstrate the effect that living organisms have on the earth’s atmosphere. All sorts of interesting tidbits on their website millerandlevine.com including one that I’d rather not share as there are only 5 openings.

Let me know if you have read this post. Who knows, it could Change your life!

Do you wonder if your students will ever glimpse the relevance of science to their lives? Have your impassioned discourses on the ethical implications of stem cell research, human cloning, physician assisted suicide, genetically engineered crops, etc, etc, been met by vacant stares? If so, I share your frustration.

This year, in yet another attempt to educate our “citizens of tomorrow” I decided to try debates in my classroom. I started by asking my students to name some current science issues. After a very brief discussion, I suggested that they talk with their families and friends and then hand in a list of 5 controversial subjects with an explanation of how they are related to biology. From those lists I selected the 9 most frequently mentioned topics and passed around a sign-up sheet. The students chose three topics and I selected the members of the proponent teams and the opponent teams for each topic. Then I searched the internet for information on the duties of each team member, debate protocols and scoring systems which I used to make a packet for each teammember. The audience participates by taking notes, scoring points and by asking questions before the closing comments. I scheduled the debates for one Friday per month (30 minute periods) which works out pretty well as we don’t have to transition to another activity.

When I handed out the lists of teams, I explained to my students that I had chosen the teams because I did not want these debates to be about personal beliefs. I want them to find evidence to support the position of their team and learn how to present that information logically and to respond to the arguments of the opposing team in a relevant manner.

My goals for my students are to raise their awareness about the issues, learn how to locate information and evaluate the validity of sources and express themselves rationally, clearly and concisely. I am not interested in convincing my students of any particular position. I just want them to consider the evidence and think for themselves. So far I have been overwhelmed by the results. The students have a strong desire to be well prepared and to perform well and are improving with each debate. I will let you know how it goes as the year progresses.

The Language of God: A scientist presents evidence for belief. Written by Francis Collins, an evangelical Christian who is the director of the National Human Genome Project.

Reviews may be found at the following sites:

http://www.atoday.com/news/atnewsbreak/2007/01/24

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/january/32.62.html

Post your comments under the Recent Discussions heading on the lower right side of this page. We await with bated breath!

Our organization is growing! We welcome you and hope that you will log on frequently so that you can become connected with other science teachers across the continent. I have already read great questions and helpful answers as members have made posts to the site and the more people we have logging on regularly, the greater will be our effectiveness as we reach out to one another. We also plan to have some regular features on this site that will be helpful to everyone. We welcome any suggestions of topics that would be helpful to you.

So check in at least once a week beginning in mid-August and you will be surprised with what we have in store!

With the new school year about to begin I want to get you on the list to receive the discount on your Fisher Science orders. I will be working on that over the next few weeks. If I have somehow missed you please let me know at Walla Walla Valley Academy 509.525.1050 ext. 238.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

We welcome you! Click on the yellow button at the top right. All you need is your credit card! Student missionaries are free!