News

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY
Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy (CASE)
WIND AND SOLAR ENERGY WORKSHOP
in partnership with The NEED Project
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND REGISTER TODAY!

DATE
October 30, 2020
Virtual Workshop
Zoom details will be provided closer to workshop date

HOW CAN YOU ATTEND?
Click and complete your registration!
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=hyzzrodab&oeidk=a07ehck41q59b394e4b

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• 5^th-12^th grade teachers
• CTE educators

FOR THE ATTENDEES:

• Substitute reimbursement/stipend
• pre workshop materials
• NEED curriculum packet

 

Agenda

Before workshop: Pre-test (emailed link)

8:45 a.m.            Teachers begin to log in

9:00 a.m.            Introductions, norms, goals        

Introduction of sponsors and facilitators, Zoom norms and expectations, and goals for the workshop

9:10 a.m.            Renewable Energy Mentimeter Teachers participate in fun online response forum

9:30 a.m.            Science of Energy transformation and forms and sources

10:00 a.m.          Candy Collector and Electric Connections

10:55 a.m.          Quick Break

11:00 a.m.          Introduction to Wind Energy 

11:15 a.m.          Wind energy activity breakout   

Breakout groups will do Wind Can Do Work and Build an Anemometer and report back.

12:15 p.m.          Break for lunch 

12:45 p.m.          Wind Reporting – Successes and challenges

1:00 p.m.            Introduction to Solar Energy

Teachers will learn about solar energy, its limitations, and its benefits

1:15 p.m.            Quick Break

1:20 p.m.            Solar Energy Activity Breakout

Build a Solar oven challenge and work with UV beads and report back

2:05 p.m.            Solar Reporting – successes and challenges

2:20 p.m.            Wrap-up             

                              Posttest and evaluation links shared

2:30 p.m.            Adjourn

 

QUESTIONS?
Contact Wendi Moss at wmoss@need.org or
call 1-800-875-5029

Virginia Academy of Science Mentorship Assistance Program

If you are a high school teacher with an interest in having a mentor work with your class, please fill out the form found at: https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=116443

Deadline Approaching for The Teaching of Geology Mini-grant Proposal

The reviewers are looking for proposals that will result in more hands-on activities, and a better understanding of the importance of geologic resources, and/or geologic principles.

All K-12 educators, public and private, are eligible to apply.

Deadline is August 20.

Click here for more information.

The Summer Edition of The Science Educator Is Now Available

In this issue, dedicated to the November PDI, you will discover:

• unique experiences being planned;
• the schedule at-a-glance;
• exciting keynote speakers;
• a wide variety of presentations on every level; and,
• details on over 120 live and prerecorded sessions!

Click here to download your copy.

Last year the Virginia Academy of Science launched a new outreach effort in which mentors recruited from the Commonwealth’s colleges, universities, and research centers worked long-term with students in high school classrooms on a research project of local interest.  For 2020-21, there will be a strong need for supporting K-12 classrooms across the Commonwealth that will be suffering from uncertainty about the ability to meet in person and to work on science projects. To that end, we are looking to recruit both mentors (grad students, postdocs, instructors, scientists, etc.) and high school teachers who would like their students to participate in a virtually-driven long-term research project.  To do this, we would like to offer high school instructors the opportunity to either do a project of local interest or to participate in a “Citizen Science” type initiative in which their class will work with others across the Commonwealth and (sometimes) the nation in the collection and analysis of data. 

If you might be interested in serving as a mentor in this project, please fill out the form found at: https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=117158 

If you are a high school teacher with an interest in having a mentor work with your class, please fill out the form found at: https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=1164432

Reminder! The deadline to submit an article for winter 2020 JVSE publication is fast approaching.  Articles are due by July 31! The theme is Science: An Opportunity to Improve Students' Literacy Skills. We welcome manuscripts focused on this important topic but welcome contributions on any topic. The journal accepts manuscripts that fall within one of three categories: Lesson Activities, Research, and Sharing Solutions. Guidelines for each of these categories are described on the journal homepage. If you have any questions please feel free to email Amanda Gonczi, journal editor, at journal@vast.org.

The latest edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of Virginia Science Education is now available to read and download. Member login required. 

The Academy of Integrated Science at Virginia Tech is hosting a Virtual Nanoscience Professional Development Workshop for High School Teachers!  The workshop is FREE and classroom kits will be mailed to each teacher participant.  Virtual activities will take place the weeks of July 6^th, July 13^th, July 20^th, and July 27^th.  We hope that you can come! 

Click here to see a flyer with additional details including the registration link.  Learn about nanoscience and how you can add it into YOUR classroom activities!

Please let me know if you have any questions and I hope to see you (virtually) this summer!

Thanks so much,

Charlotte Parks

Academic Advisor and Recruiter

Academy of Integrated Science

Hahn Hall South, Suite 2108, 800 West Campus Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061

540-231-8131

crobrtz@vt.edu

Dear Elementary Mathematics & Science Educators:

Since January, Sabrina and I have been planning our summer research study focusing on how mathematics and/or science teachers have made decisions based on the updated mathematics and science standards. We invite your participation by sharing your knowledge and expertise about your approach to professional development by completing our Google form survey.  Below, you will find the link to the questions. We anticipate the survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. All responses will be analyzed as a group so that individual confidentiality will be maintained.

Our overall research question:

Deeper Learning: How do elementary mathematics and science teachers acquire strategies and content knowledge to promote student success?

Deeper learning:

For the purpose of this study, we are using the description of deeper learning to include:

“...experiences equipping students with the skills to find, analyze, and apply knowledge in new and emerging contexts and situations, and prepare them for college, work, civic participation … and lifelong learning in a fast-changing and information-rich world.” (Darling-Hammond & Oakes, 2019 p.4)

https://forms.gle/dTgx28EUXBykp4Z19

We appreciate your questionnaire response by Friday, June 19th

At the end of the survey, you will have an opportunity to continue dialogue on this topic by signing up for one of our  "virtual chats" with other teachers who have similar interests in elementary mathematics & science education. Participants who complete the survey and participate in our "virtual chat" forums, will receive a $15 Panera lunch voucher.

Sincerely,

Dr. Cheryl Lindeman, Assistant Professor of Education

clindeman@randolphcollege.edu

Sabrina Johnson, Elementary Education Major Class of 2021

During the unprecedented COVID-19 times  our Education Field Programs are suspended through July 31, 2020. All summer courses through July 31^st are being moved online. We have updated out Learn Outside, Learn at Home website to include new video learning, field investigation lessons and printed watershed curriculum as well as resources from our experts. For any questions or more online learning support please contact chesapekaclassrooms@cbf.org

CBF provides high-quality professional learning that meets the evolving needs of teachers and schools across the watershed through the Chesapeake Classrooms® program. Our program enables teachers and school administrators to involve the entire school community in outdoor learning experiences that are aligned with local school system standards.

Chesapeake Classrooms focuses on methods for incorporating environmental education into the core subject areas of reading, math, science, and social studies. The resources used in Chesapeake Classrooms meet state educational standards in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Chesapeake Classrooms increases students' achievement and engagement in learning while improving their environmental literacy and stewardship ethic.Chesapeake Classrooms offers:

·         Five-day online summer immersion courses. More than 20 courses are available in June, July, and August 2020!

·         We have designed courses to fit any schedule. All courses cost only $50! 

·         An online Resource Library full of video lessons and student investigations for year-round support of course participants.

·         The opportunity to design a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience with collaboration and feedback provided by peer and mentor teachers. 

PRINCIPALS ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Through the Principals Environmental Leadership Program, CBF provides high-quality professional learning that meets the evolving needs of administrators and schools. Through field experience, training, resources, and collegial discussion, these key leaders learn how to design a school program that utilizes and benefits the local environment and their schoolyard.
ALL JUNE AND JULY PRINCIPAL COURSES ARE POSTPONED AND WILL RESUME SUMMER 2021.