OSGC Educational Resources Blog

The U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative has opened registration for its free summer workshops. Each workshop will target specific grade levels and content areas. A number of workshops will be held across the country. Registration for the workshops is currently open and space is limited. For more information and to register online, visit the links below.

June 18-19, 2008: Denver, Colo.

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Mint are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Colorado History Museum in Denver, Colo. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading and history strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. Tours of the U.S. Mint building will also be offered. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=76  

June 25-26, 2008: Nashua, N.H.

The U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Aviation Administration are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, N.H. This workshop provides opportunities to learn mathematics, science and reading strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=77

July 9-10, 2008: Lower Manhattan

The U.S. Department of Education and the National Park Service are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop in Lower Manhattan in New York City at the site of the African Burial Ground Memorial. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, history and science strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=84

July 10-11, 2008: Newport News, Va.

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Energy are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Jefferson Lab in Newport News, Va. This workshop provides opportunities to learn math, science and reading strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=81

July 15-16, 2008: Fort Worth, Texas

The U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Aviation Administration are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Tarrant County Community College Northwest Campus in Fort Worth, Texas. This workshop provides opportunities to learn math and science strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=90

July 17-18, 2008: New Orleans, La.

The Office of Charter Schools at the U.S. Department of Education is sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, La. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, science and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=85  

July 22-23, 2008: Washington, D.C.

The Office of Charter Schools at the U.S. Department of Education are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Carlos Rosario Public Charter School and Career Center in Washington, D.C. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, science, history and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=86  

Aug. 4-5, 2008: Lakewood, Wash.

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity is sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Lakeview Hope Academy in Lakewood, Wash. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, math and science strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=89  

Aug. 7-8, 2008: Philadelphia, Pa.

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Mint are hosting a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pa. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading and history strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. Tours of the U.S. Mint will also be offered. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=82

Aug. 11-12, 2008: 29 Palms, Calif.

The U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Defense Education Activity are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop on the Marine Corps Base in Twentynine Palms, Calif. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=88  

Aug. 13-14, 2008: Los Angeles, Calif.

The Office of Charter Schools at the U.S. Department of Education and the California Charter Schools Association are sponsoring a free Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative workshop at the Pacific Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades, Calif. This workshop provides opportunities to learn reading, science, history and math strategies from prominent teachers and district officials who will share research-based practices they have successfully applied in their schools and classrooms. https://www.t2tweb.us/Workshops/EventInfo.asp?EventID=87

The MESSENGER Educator Fellowship Program is recruiting new Fellows for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 academic years. A cadre of about 30 Fellows will be selected to conduct teacher training workshops nationally for pre-K-12 educators. These workshops will introduce educators to educational materials related to the MESSENGER mission to Mercury.

Fellows will attend an all-expense-paid, five-day workshop in Washington, D.C. Fellows will also receive materials needed to conduct workshops and an annual allowance to cover workshop expenses.

Applications are due April 18, 2008.

For more information about the MESSENGER Educator Fellowship Program and how to apply, visit http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/teachers/ao.php

PENN STATE SCIENCE WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS 2008
Stipend Notification: March 21, 2008
Application Deadline: May 31, 2008

Choose from six different content area workshops designed to meet classroom curriculum requirements. Keep pace with the latest science research, engage in standards-based classroom activities, and explore ways to make science fun as you work side by side with Penn State faculty.

Grants, sponsored in part by NASA, provide all participants with a private room in the newly built Brill Hall, reimbursements for travel costs up to $100, breakfast in the dining commons, and an allotment for lunches and dinners. In addition, tuition subsidies are available for ALL of the workshops on a competitive basis. Depending upon funding availability, additional tuition subsidies may be provided after March 21. Sign up today and find out why most of our teachers come back to take additional courses in our series!

2008 course titles:

• Exploring Renewable Energy Technologies and the Materials that Make it Happen (NEW)
• Earth’s History: Interaction Between Life and the Environment (NEW)
• Extreme Particle Astrophysics
• Evolution - How important is it to a good science education?
• Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomical Inquiry (NEW)
• Black Holes: Gravity’s Fatal Attraction (NEW)

For more information and the on-line application, visit http://teachscience.psu.edu . If you have questions about this opportunity, please e-mail Leah Bug at teachscience@psu.edu .

The 2008 MY NASA DATA Teacher Workshop will take place at NASA’s Langley Research Center on June 22-27. This workshop will include hands-on sessions designed for educators of students in grades 6-12. The workshop will focus on the implementation and use of Earth system science data sets developed for the pre-college education community as part of the MY NASA DATA program.

Participating teachers will explore topics in Earth system science (especially atmospheric science), educational application of data sets, and hands-on classroom activities. Participants will take informative field trips and benefit from the expertise of nationally recognized atmospheric researchers. The teachers will also explore how data sets can be used to enhance their curriculum and how students can use this data for inquiry-based learning and research.

Applications must be postmarked by April 9, 2008. For more information, visit http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/workshop.html

NASA and NSTA are partnering to present a symposium for elementary educators of grades 3-5. Each participant will be exposed to the NASA 21st Century Explorer project.

Symposium participants will be introduced to the 12 hands-on scientific exploration activities that are part of the project and conduct one during the workshop. Each of these activities promotes higher-order thinking skills and expands the space exploration knowledge base of the bilingual educator, learner and family. The 12 educational packages also provide career connections. These connections introduce students to the subject matter experts who helped create each of the science concepts for the hands-on activities and provide a link to the specific researcher, scientist or engineer. Participants will also have an opportunity to participate in an assessment of the project by providing educator-based comments for improvement of the activities.

All participants will receive educational materials written in English and Spanish and information about resources at NASA. A drawing for prizes will be held at the end of the program. Graduate credit may be available at an additional cost to participants.

This symposium will take place on March 27, 2008, from 1:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in Room 257A of the Boston Convention Center. NASA will provide a stipend of $60 to all participants attending this symposium upon its completion.

For more information about this symposium, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/boston08/NASA-Explorers/symposium.aspx

NASA and NSTA are partnering to present a symposium for elementary, middle and high school educators of grades 4-12. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled to launch in October 2008, will carry the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter. LOLA will produce topographic maps of the moon.

In this symposium, participants will learn how to create a topographic map and use it to determine the path a robot will traverse through Lunar Land, a 150-centimeter-square mock-up of a surface with obstacles of various heights. This experience engages participants in an activity analogous to that which real lunar scientists might do. Along with other possibilities, the activity offers an opportunity to discuss lunar science, fundamentals of measurement (including measurement uncertainty), spatial resolution in the context of remote sensing, and graphical representation and analysis of data.

All participants will receive educational materials and information about resources at NASA. A drawing for prizes will take place at the end of the program. Graduate credit may be available at an additional cost to participants.

This symposium will take place on March 28, 2008, from 1:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in Room 257A of the Boston Convention Center. NASA will provide a stipend of $60 to all participants attending this symposium upon its completion.

For more information about this symposium, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/boston08/NASA-Mapping/symposium.aspx

“Floods and Flows: Exploring Mars Geology on Earth,” a NASA-sponsored workshop for educators, will be held July 13-19, 2008. Spend the week with planetary scientists visiting the site of ancient Glacial Lake Missoula and tracing its flood waters through Montana, Idaho and into Washington. From these field experiences and accompanying classroom activities, participants will build an understanding of surface processes on Earth, including water flow, volcanism, glaciation and sedimentation. Attendees will extend their understanding to interpret what the features on the surface of Mars suggest about the past environments and history of the Red Planet.

The experience will be divided between the field and lab, where participants work with classroom-tested, hands-on inquiry-based activities and resources that can be used to enhance Earth and space science teaching in the classroom. Participants receive lesson plans, supporting resources and presentations.

Applications are due April 7, 2008.

For more information about the workshop and to submit an application online, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/fieldtrips/2008/floods20081st.shtml

POLAR-PALOOZA is a national tour featuring public presentations entitled “Stories From a Changing Planet.” These tales of adventure and science are told by a charismatic “cast” of characters, using HD video and authentic props — such as a piece of ice core 2,000 years old, or a caribou parka — to bring polar research to life. Each stop on the tour will include special programs for schools, workshops for K-12 educators and museum volunteers, briefings for local news media and business leaders, and camp-ins for Girl Scouts and Boys and Girls Clubs.

March 13-14, 2008 — Washington, D.C.
April 17-19, 2008 — Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah Museum of Natural History
April 21-22, 2008 — Norman, Okla.: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
May 4-6, 2008 — Anchorage, Alaska: Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
May 8-10, 2008 — Fairbanks, Alaska: University of Alaska Museum of the North
May 24-25, 2008 — Raleigh, N.C.: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Sept. 12-13, 2008 — Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Sept. 19-20, 2008 — Chicago, Ill. : Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and the Adler Planetarium
Oct. 22-24, 2008 — Richmond, Va. : Science Museum of Virginia
Oct. 27-29, 2008 — St. Louis, Mo. : St. Louis Science Center
Nov. 11-12, 2008 — Boise, Idaho: Discovery Center of Idaho
Nov. 14-15, 2008 — Denver, Colo. : Denver Museum of Nature and Science

For more information about the Polar-Palooza events, visit http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp04.php

The NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center is sponsoring a workshop on exploring and using Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer data in conjunction with the Annual Association of American Geographers Meeting in Boston, Mass.

The MISR instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite measures aerosols, clouds and land surface characteristics. The workshop is intended for new and experienced MISR data users. Participants will learn about the scientific applications, calibration, geometry and analyses of the MISR measurements. This workshop will also focus on the available data products and tools to view and analyze the data, as well as how to obtain the products. Computers will be available for a hands-on experience.

The workshop will take place on April 14, 2008. For more information, visit: http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/PRODOCS/misr/workshop/current_workshop.html .

The Penn State Science Workshops for Educators offer innovative ways to teach science in the classroom, information on the latest science research, content-rich subject material and standards-based activities. Educators of grades 6-12 from across the country are encouraged to apply. Attendees will work side by side with Penn State faculty; many of whom are involved with NASA sponsored research.

Grants provide all participants with a private room in the newly built Brill Hall, reimbursements for travel costs up to $100, breakfast in the dining commons, and an allotment for lunches and dinners. Tuition subsidies are available for all of the workshops on a competitive basis. Tuition subsidies will be awarded on March 21, 2008; however, depending upon funding availability, additional tuition subsidies may be provided after March 21, 2008.

The 2008 Workshops include:
–Exploring Renewable Energy Technologies and the Materials That Make It Happen (NEW).
–Earth’s History: Interaction Between Life and the Environment (NEW).
–Extreme Particle Astrophysics.
–Evolution — How important is it to a good science education?
–Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomical Inquiry (NEW).
–Black Holes: Gravity’s Fatal Attraction (NEW).

The tuition subsidies are need-based and assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Notification of tuition subsidies will be sent on March 21, 2008; however, applications may be submitted until May 31, 2008. Depending upon funding availability, additional tuition subsidies may be awarded after March 21, 2008.

For more information and the online application, visit http://teachscience.psu.edu  . If you have questions about this opportunity, please e-mail Leah Bug at teachscience@psu.edu .