August 2008

1. Recruiting Teachers for AKT2 Content Curriculum Advisors

April 2008

1. POLAR-PALOOZA

January 2008

1. 2008 National Youth Science Camp

September 2007

1. Teachers Apply Now to Participate in PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) PolarTREC 2008/2009
2. NASA Engineering Design Challenge

July 2007

1. Project Highlights Science of International Polar Year
2. International Year of Planet Earth: Get on Board!
3. Get a Free Trial Issue of Geotimes Magazine Online

June 2007

1. New Science Teacher Academy for early-carrer science teachers.

May 2007

1. International Polar Year web portal offers email alerts for educators

April 2007

1. Register Now for for 2007 Field Seminars and Teacher Trainings in Denali National Park!



August 2008

The State of Alaska Department of Education & Early Development is seeking the professional services of four teachers (one math, one science, and two special education teachers) to assist in the development of a list of content specific teaching competencies, instructional strategies, and techniques with support materials for Alaska Transition to Teaching (AKT2) candidates. The teachers selected will serve as Content Curriculum Advisors (CCAs) to the Alaska Transition to Teaching design team and will be compensated up to $2,500 for their services. The teachers selected will be required to hold an Alaska business license and adhere to the State of Alaska Standard Agreement Form for Professional Services.

Interested applicants need to respond by email or fax no later than 4:30PM on August 4, 2008. If you are interested in becoming a Content Curriculum Advisor, send a brief letter of intent and the attached proposal outline to Woody Woodgate, AKT2 Program Manager, at woody.woodgate@alaska.gov or fax the information to (907) 465-2441. Selected applicants will be required to hold a valid business license and adhere to the State of Alaska Standard Agreement Form for Professional Services (available upon request).


 

April 2008

In honor of the International Polar Year 2007-2008, a coordinated campaign of research in polar science, an exciting national educational tour on global climate change is coming this May to the Anchorage Museum of History and Art (AMHA) and the University of Alaska Museum of the North (UAMN). This national tour on climate change, polar science and our changing planet, called POLAR-PALOOZA, presents polar science and climate change information in new and engaging ways. The events associated with POLAR-PALOOZA will include programs for families, students, teachers and the general public.

POLAR-PALOOZA is teaming up with Project WILD and Project Learning Tree to offer a K-12 teachers' Climate Change workshop. The workshop will demystify this complex subject and engage teachers and students to take action to help find solutions. Educators can take this workshop in Anchorage or Fairbanks. The workshop will be held at AMHA in Anchorage from 6-9pm Tuesday, 6 May and 9am-4:30pm Saturday, 10 May. The workshop at UAMN in Fairbanks will be 4:30-8:00pm Thursday, 8 May and 9am-4:30pm Saturday, 10 May. Teachers may earn continuing education credit through the University of Alaska Anchorage on completion of the workshop.

The main event of POLAR-PALOOZA, "Stories from a Changing Planet," a multimedia presentation, will take place from 7-9pm Monday, 5 May in the AMHA Auditorium in Anchorage, and from 7-9pm Friday, 9 May at West Valley High School in Fairbanks (polar science-related activities will be available the hour prior to the performance in Fairbanks). This amazing and unusual program combines video footage from the poles with in-person dramatic presentations from leading polar researchers, arctic experts and residents affected by global climate change.

For further information about the teacher climate change workshop,
please contact:
John Tyson
Phone: 907-267-2216
Email: john.tyson@alaska.gov
For further information about Polar-Palooza, please go to:
http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp04.php


January 2008
Applications to attend the 2008 National Youth Science Camp are now available online at www.nysc.org/2008. Two graduating high school students will be selected to represent Alaska at the all-expenses paid honors program which will be held from June 29 through July 26, 2008.To apply, please download the application packet from www.nysc.org/2008 and follow the enclosed instructions. For more information about the NYSC, please visit www.nysc.org. For questions about the application process, please contact Ms. Cynthia Curran at 907-465-2857 or by E- mail at cynthia.curran@alaska.gov. The NYSC is hosted and operated by the National Youth Science Foundation (www.nysf.com)
Applications are due no later than 4:30 pm February 18, 2008.

September 2007
APPLICATIONS FOR POLARTREC 2008/2009 TEACHERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
PolarTREC is currently accepting applications from teachers for the second year of teacher research experiences. Teachers are invited to submit an application to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2008 (Arctic) or 2008-2009 (Antarctic) field seasons. More information and application forms are available at:
http://www.polartrec.com.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM PolarTREC is a three-year (2007-2009) program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) focusing on a wide variety of research activities occurring in both the Arctic and Antarctic during and after the International Polar Year. PolarTREC pairs K-12 teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. The program integrates research and education to produce a legacy of long-term teacher-researcher collaborations, improved teacher content knowledge, and broad public interest and engagement in polar science.
The International Polar Year presents an outstanding opportunity for researchers to share their passion for polar research through topics that naturally engage students and the wider public. PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation. Through PolarTREC, over 40 U.S. teachers will spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. PolarTREC teachers and researchers will be matched based on similar goals and interests and teachers will be trained to meet the program requirements prior to the field season. While in the field, teachers and researchers will communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of tools including satellite phones, online journals, podcasts, and interactive "Live from IPY" events and web-based seminars. Teachers and research projects will be selected and matched to fill the openings available. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program including transportation to and from the field site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs. We expect that teachers will be notified of selection decisions in December 2007.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Teacher Application Deadline: Friday, 5 October 2007

POLARTREC INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR
Interested teachers, researchers, and the public are encouraged to participate in a PolarTREC informational webinar (web conference), scheduled for Thursday, 13 September 2007, at 3:00 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (4:00 p.m. PDT; 5:00 p.m. MDT; 6:00 p.m. CDT; 7:00 p.m. EDT).


An online webinar registration form is available at:
http://www.polartrec.com/join/informational-webinar/form
Instructions will be sent to all registered participants. Participation in the webinar is optional and is not a prerequisite for applying to the PolarTREC program.
Webinar Registration Deadline: Tuesday, 11 September 2007

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information about PolarTREC, including program goals, requirements, expectations, and frequently asked questions, is available at:
http://www.polartrec.com
For further information, please contact:
E-mail: info@polartrec.com
Phone: 907-474-1600

============================================

As NASA plans to return to the moon, plant growth will be an important part of space exploration. NASA scientists anticipate that astronauts may be able to grow plants on the moon in specialized plant growth chambers. Come participate and build your own lunar growth chamber in the NASA Engineering Design Challenge!

Through the NASA Engineering Design Challenge, elementary, middle and high
school students will:
* Design, build, and evaluate lunar plant growth chambers
* Receive cinnamon basils seeds flown on STS-118
* Test lunar growth chambers by growing and comparing both space-flown and
earth-based control seeds

Visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge to register and to
receive more information about the NASA Engineering Design Challenge. You
can also sign up for the NASA Express listserv to receive e-mail updates
about the challenge.
Join the NASA Engineering Design Challenge and be part of space exploration
by growing seeds flown in space!

July 2007
****************************
Project Highlights Science of International Polar Year (IPY)
****************************
Middle and high school students and their teachers in the eastern United States and Western Europe are invited to participate in "The Science of IPY," a live, interactive, one-hour videoconference hosted by local science centers on Friday, Oct. 19, at 9:30 a.m. EDT (2:30 GMT). Dr. Rhian Salmon of the IPY Programme Office and Dr. Waleed Abdalati of NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Branch will take participants on a guided virtual tour of Earth's polar regions and explore some of the key questions that scientists are trying to answer about how the poles are changing. Students and teachers will be engaged, including a question-and-answer period with featured scientists. Participants will convene at select science centers in the eastern United States, the United Kingdom, and France. To learn how to register,stay tuned for instructions to be posted on the websites of Earth Science Week at http://www.earthsciweek.org and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) at www.astc.org/iglo. ASTC's IGLO (International Action on Global Warming) project is an international organization of science centers and museums furthering understanding of climate science.
This event will kick off a series of videoconferences to be served over Internet2 during the two-year span of IPY. The series is sponsored and conducted jointly by NASA, NOAA, the IPY Programme Office, and the Internet2 network service provider MAGPI.
****************************
International Year of PlanetEarth: Get on Board!
****************************
Earth Science Week participants are encouraged to take part in the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE). Spanning from February 2007 to December 2009, IYPE aims to demonstrate new and exciting ways in which Earth science can help future generations meet the challenges involved in ensuring a safer and more prosperous world. While the IYPE science program concentrates on issues of complex
interactions within Earth systems and their long-term sustainability, the outreach program includes educational ventures at all levels, such as lecture tours, geology excursions, articles, competitions, and many other items and activities.
IYPE is a joint initiative by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences. To learn more about IYPE, visit http://www.esfs.org online.
****************************
Get a Free Trial Issue of Geotimes Magazine Online
****************************
AGI's Geotimes magazine now offers a trial issue as a free, downloadable PDF. Each month, Geotimes offers clear and engaging articles about the Earth, energy, and the environment - topics for readers interested in understanding the science of the planet and its impact on society. By shifting to a PDF version of the magazine for trial review, Geotimes is now more accessible to individuals throughout the world while at the same time conserving paper and other natural resources. The PDF, formatted for screen viewing, is nearly identical to the regular print issue.
To download a free trial copy of Geotimes magazine, go to the Geotimes website at http://www.geotimes.org and click on Trial Issue. For more information, contact AGI's John Rasanen at jr@agiweb.org.

June 2007

NEW SCIENCE TEACHER ACADEMY FOR EARLY-CAREER SCIENCE TEACHERS

Triangle Coalition member, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), has unveiled a new program designed to encourage and support new middle and secondary school science educators in their first three years of teaching. The NSTA New Science Teacher Academy, co-founded by the Amgen Foundation with a three-year, $3 million grant, is a professional development initiative created to help strengthen quality science teaching, enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge. The Academy will initially support up to 200 science teachers across the nation each year. There are two tiers of participation in the New Science Teacher Academy, NSTA Fellows and NSTA Associate Fellows. Both fellowship programs will include a year-long immersion in a host of science-related activities and professional development opportunities. In addition, NSTA Fellows and Associate Fellows will receive a comprehensive NSTA membership package and financial support to attend and participate in NSTA's National Conference on Science Education.

NSTA Fellows will also receive online mentoring with trained mentors who teach in the same discipline. Each year, the 200 Fellows supported by the Amgen Foundation will be named Amgen-NSTA Fellows and Amgen-NSTA Associate Fellows. A selection committee, comprised of NSTA leaders, will choose the 2007 Amgen-NSTA Fellows and Associate Fellows to participate in the 2007-2008 Academy. For more information about the NSTA New Science Teacher Academy or to learn how to apply to become an NSTA Fellow or Associate Fellow, visit www.nsta.org/academy .

May 2007

Teachers can now sign up for e-mail alerts immediately informing them when news about federally funded educational materials, classroom resources, and information about opportunities to assist scientists in the field is added to the U.S. government's web portal for the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008. IPY is a global scientific campaign that began in March 2007. It promises to advance our understanding of how the Earth's remote polar regions affect global climate systems, to bring about fundamental advances in many areas of science, and to promote enthusiasm among young men and women for careers in science and engineering. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the lead federal agency for IPY and maintains the IPY portal.

Current offerings in the ipy.gov "Explore and Learn" section include links to the "NASA Polar Express," the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's storehouse of multimedia information about the Polar Regions of the Earth, the Moon and Mars; a collection of images and illustrations of seals and whales maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Mammal Laboratory, and a link to NSF's award-winning website on the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Other items include a link to the NSF-funded ARMADA Project, which allows K-12 teachers to participate in ocean, polar, and environmental science research; lesson plans about Antarctica for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 developed by the Boston National Public Radio affiliate in conjunction with a reporter's visit to the Antarctic Peninsula; and a U.S. Geological Survey site that contains animations explaining how scientists track animal migrations in Alaska. Find out more at www.ipy.gov <http://www.ipy.gov/> .


April 2007

1. The Murie Science and Learning Center, in cooperation with the National Park Service, announces its summer courses designed to immerse participants in different aspects of Denali National Park and Preserve. Classes are small, but the classrooms are grand – the mountains, forests, and tundra of Denali National Park!

Most courses are taught by experts in each subject area and are three days in length. Field seminars are open to all participants, while teacher trainings are designed specifically for teachers. Professional development credit is available for all courses through the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Field Seminars include:

Bears of Denali
Dall Sheep and their Predators
High Country Wildflowers: A Closer Look
Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants
Denali Field Journaling
Ecology of Birds
The Science of Fly-Fishing
Denali's Large Mammals
Geology of Denali
Denali Fault & Nenana Canyon: A Geology Exploration
Family Field Seminars

Teacher Trainings include:

The World of Wolves
Denali Dinosaurs
Using iMovie to Capture Interest in Science
Science Writing in the Heart of Denali

Most courses are based out of the Murie Science and Learning Center Field Camp, located 30 miles inside Denali National Park along the Teklanika River. From this spectacular location participants set out daily to explore Denali's diverse environments. The Field Camp includes rustic tent cabins and a common dining tent. All meals, accommodations, transportation, and instruction are included in the course fee, which averages around $320 per course.

For more information or to register: Please visit www.murieslc.org <http://www.murieslc.org/> or call 907-683-1269 or toll free 1-888-688-1269.

 


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