CDC's 2008 Science Ambassador ProgramApplicationHelp Us Get the Word Out Teachers across the nation are invited to compete in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Science Ambassador Program. The program is an innovative career development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers. Selected teachers will attend an intensive 5-day workshop to collaborate with CDC scientists who lead discussions on the history of public health and current public health concerns. The workshop includes lectures that are based on current research and interventions affecting public health worldwide. Previous topics include HIV/AIDS, teen dating violence, environmental lead exposure, and alcohol abuse. The program provides the training and resources that participants need to introduce public health topics into the classroom in ways that support state science education and National Science Standards. Teachers attend Workshop I (June 16-20, 2008), or Workshop II (July 21-25) to work with peers and CDC scientists to create two lesson plans based on topics presented during the workshop. Once these lesson plans have been reviewed and published on the CDC website, teachers will implement and evaluate them in the classroom. Because you have a connection with science teachers throughout your state, CDC welcomes your assistance in letting others know about Science Ambassador. To help you, we have attached the 2008 Science Ambassador application. Please share it with teachers and other colleagues who might be interested. The application is due to CDC by March 21, 2008, so do not delay. Science Ambassador is a great opportunity for science teachers to work closely with CDC scientists and bring new and innovative materials to science classrooms in your state. This is a competitive program, so please help get this information to teachers as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Science Ambassador Program at 404-418-7246, or scienceambassador@cdc.gov. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.cdc.gov/excite/ScienceAmbassador/. Texas Educational Tools has done it again!This spring we will be offering a variety of new and exciting Professional Development Workshops. Whether you are looking for assistance in Science or Math, Texas Educational Tools has got it all! Think Like a Scientist: An innovative workshop that will enable teachers to explore the four categories of science standards. Teachers will learn the essential steps for effective lesson planning and gain the skills necessary for teaching the fascinating world of Science to today’s youth. This workshop will have a special emphasis on Earth Science!!! PDF Mad About TAKS Math: Come learn new approaches to traditional math standards! Teachers will learn how to incorporate the math standards into real-life experiences. Participants will discover strategies to differentiate instruction in the classroom and collaborate with peers in the planning and development of math lessons. PDF Workshops will include:
For more information please see the attached flyers! To register log on to http://www.txedtools.com/pd.asp or call 800.586.9940 Best regards, Lauren Little Texas Educational Tools 800.586.9940
Calling All
Scientists:
Discovery Education/3M
Young Scientist Challenge Announces Call For Entries
3M Joins Discovery
Education to Host Premier National Science Competition for
all
Middle School Students
Nationwide
Silver Spring, MD (March 18,
2008) - Discovery Education and 3M have joined forces to
present the 2008 Discovery Education/3M Young Scientist Challenge,
which is officially open for submissions through June 15. 3M
joins the Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier science
competition for middle school students, as it heads into its 10th year
of nurturing the next generation of American scientists. The
Discovery Education/3M Young Scientist Challenge reaches out to
students during the critical years when research indicates that their
interest in science begins to fade, encouraging them to explore
everyday scientific concepts and creatively share their findings with
peers.
In 1999, Discovery Communications launched
the Young Scientist Challenge in response to evidence that academic
performance and interest among American students declines dramatically
beginning in middle school. The Young Scientist Challenge is
open to all 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders nationwide.
"The Young Scientist Challenge is an
example of Discovery Education's long-standing commitment to science
education," said Bill Goodwyn, President of Discovery Education.
"This competition is especially important for students who were
enthusiastic about science in elementary school, and who need
encouragement to deepen their interest in scientific inquiry as they
approach high school and college."
3M is, at its core, a science-based company
committed to developing innovative technologies that produce thousands
of imaginative products. This commitment has also fostered the
desire to deepen an interest in the sciences and ignite a spirit of
innovation in students nationwide. In addition to sponsoring the
Young Scientist Challenge through 2010, 3M is providing 200 schools
across the country access to Discovery Education Science, the
comprehensive multimedia resource that supplements existing school
curriculum with high-quality digital science content in a flexible
online format.
"Our partnership with Discovery
Education provides yet another platform to cultivate interest in
science among students across the country," said Robert
MacDonald, President, 3M Foundation. "As a bedrock of
innovation, it is critical for companies like 3M to nurture such
curiosities and talents for our future, and we are very proud to do so
with Discovery."
As a diversified technology company, 3M understands the value of science and math education supporting youth development. For decades, 3M scientists and engineers have shared their enthusiasm for science and sparked student interest in science careers through several 3M-sponsored Science Encouragement Programs: Science Training Encouragement Program (STEP); Visiting Wizards; Technical Teams Encouraging Career Horizons (TECH); and Teachers Working in Science and Technology (TWIST). A student's innovative use of everyday
technology to communicate scientific knowledge is a key component of
the 2008 Discovery Education/3M Young Scientist Challenge. Since
its inception, the competition's philosophy has been that scientific
knowledge is most valuable and effective when shared. As part of
their entry, this year's Young Scientist Challenge competitors will
shoot short videos demonstrating their understanding of a scientific
concept, modeling the same techniques creative educators across the
country use when they employ digital media to convey critical or
complex concepts to students.
In the past nine years, more than 540,000
middle school students have been nominated to participate in the
competition and nine exceptional young people have been honored as
"America's Top Young Scientist of the Year" - the student
who has the best understanding of, and ability to communicate, key
scientific concepts. Winners have gone on to appear on local and
national television, speak in front of members of Congress, work with
the nation's top scientists and pursue academic careers in
science.
Submission Process In order to enter, students must be in
grades 5 through 8, residing in the United States, and must submit a
video entry online at www.discoveryeducation.com/youngscientist
. The competition is open for entries
between now and June 15, 2008. Students will be
challenged to create a one- to two-minute video about a specific
scientific concept, which they will select from a list of concepts
provided by the Young Scientist Challenge judges. All concepts
will relate to the 2008 Young Scientist Challenge theme, "The
Science of Space." Each entry must demonstrate the
student's understanding of the scientific concept explained and his or
her comfort level discussing science in general.
Videos do not need to be "produced,"
as judges are not evaluating production skills. Videos may be
recorded on cell phones or simple digital cameras, for example.
In addition, local libraries and schools may be able to loan cameras
to students. Videos will be screened to determine whether they
meet all entry requirements and will then be presented to a panel of
online judges.
During the summer, judges will review the video submissions and choose 51 semifinalists: one from each state and Washington, D.C. Winning entries will be based on the average of scores awarded by a panel of judges who will be evaluating creativity, persuasiveness, classroom suitability and content standards. The Finals In the fall, 10 finalists will receive an
all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the competition finals,
consisting of a series of individual and team challenges, some of them
in front of a live audience. These age-appropriate challenges
are developed and administered by Steve Jacobs, a science educator and
the Young Scientist Challenge's head judge.
Finalists will be judged on their
communication and scientific problem solving skills. At the end
of the competition, America's Top Young Scientist will be awarded a
$50,000 savings bond (valued at $25,000 USD). Other finalists
will receive secondary prizes.
For more information about the 2008 Discovery Education/3M Young Scientist Challenge or to enter the competition, visit www.discoveryeducation.com/youngscientist . For more information on Discovery Education Science, or any other products and services from Discovery Education, please visit www.discoveryeducation.com or call 800-323-9084. About Discovery Education Discovery Communications revolutionized
television with the Discovery Channel and is now transforming
classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the #1
non-fiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines
scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic
user community in order to empower teachers to improve student
achievement. Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access
Discovery Education digital services. Explore the future of
education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
About 3M A recognized leader in research and
development, 3M produces thousands of innovative products for dozens
of diverse markets. 3M's core strength is applying its more than
40 distinct technology platforms - often in combination - to a wide
array of customer needs. With $24 billion in sales, 3M employs
75,000 people worldwide and has operations in more than 60
countries.
# # # For more information, please contact:
--Stephen Wakefield, Discovery Education,
240-662-2893, stephen_wakefield@discovery.com
--Glenn Carter, 3M , 651-737-0687, gacarter1@mmm.com
Perimeter InstituteDear Colleague,We are very pleased to inform you about a brand-new, free, in-class resource for high school science teachers that you can share with your membership or colleagues. Our new and exciting classroom resources entitled Perimeter Explorations have been designed to help teachers introduce and guide students through a variety of topics in physics. The first module in the series, The Mystery of Dark Matter, presents content related to curricula that isat the leading edge of scientific knowledge. The DVD, Teachers Guide and Student Worksheets can be viewed online and are free to order (by teachers only), while quantities last. Perimeter Explorations are being made available to teachers as a service by Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) situated in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. PI is an independent, non-profit organization that has the twin mandates to conduct scientific research and educational outreach at international levels. This first of several modules to come helps fulfill the number one request from hundreds of educators around the globe who visit the Institute’s teacher workshops - to receive PI lessons in a comprehensive and easy-to-use format that can be used in-class with students. The Mystery of Dark Matter was created with the participation of over 100 teachers, researchers and outreach staff. Click here for full details and news article. Thank you in advance for sharing the news about this free, useful resource with your membership by:
Respectfully, About Perimeter InstituteCanada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is an independent, non-profit, scientific research and educational outreach organization where international scientists cluster to push the limits of our understanding of physical laws and calculate new ideas about the very essence of space, time, matter and information. The award-winning research centre provides a multi-disciplinary environment to foster research in areas of Cosmology, Particle Physics, Quantum Foundations, Quantum Gravity, Quantum Information, Superstring Theory and related areas. The Institute, located in Waterloo, Ontario, also provides a wide array of educational outreach activities for students, teachers and members of the general public across the country and beyond in order to share the joy of scientific research, discovery and innovation. The activities are supported through a successful public-private partnership involving generous philanthropists and the Governments and Canada and Ontario. STAT Webmaster |
