OpenCourseWare brings reality TV to OpenCourseWare

Step into my lab: MIT OpenCourseWare brings reality TV to OpenCourseWare


A new series of videos to be published this fall follow fourteen MIT freshmen through their introduction to hands-on science.

Each year, groups of MIT freshmen are introduced to MITs laboratory environment through a four-week January course called 5.301 Introductory Lab Techniques. The stakes are high—students who pass the class are guaranteed a job in an MIT research lab. This fall, MIT OpenCourseWare will follow a group of fourteen students as they face the challenges of learning Chemistry the MIT way through a unique series of videos called ChemLab Boot Camp.

The videos shot in a style that mixes the geek fun of open educational resources with the immediacy of reality TV, brings viewers closer to the experience of being an MIT student than ever before. Follow the students as they struggle to master the intricacies of working with solvents and compete to create the largest crystals. The videos are part of a broader effort funded by the Dow Chemical Corporation to foster interest in science and engineering careers.

The episodes will be released on each week though the fall, starting in September.

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1fMW_bUWjU

MIT BLOSSOMS Announces Lesson Contest for High School Teachers

MIT BLOSSOMS Announces Lesson Contest for High School Teachers


With school opening for the 2012/2013 academic year, BLOSSOMS is inviting high school teachers to submit lessons in Mathematics, Science or Engineering that they believe would make excellent video lessons. Submissions are due by Monday, December 3rd, 2012, and winners will be announced by Monday, February 4thth, 2013. Winning teachers will travel to MIT with all expenses paid to film their new BLOSSOMS lessons. For contest details, read more.

http://blossoms-newsletter.mit.edu/whats-new/september2012.html

101 Websites for Science Teachers

101 Science Web sites you might find of interest


Posted by Erik Schreefel in Educational Technology, Web 2.0 Tools on Jul 25, 2012. 2 Comments


Boldly go where no science teacher has gone before!


Your continuing mission: to discover useful new sites, to integrate them into your lesson plans and to giggle at this corny Star Trek reference.

FREE STEM Sunday Family Event at Northeastern July 8

Join us for CMMI's FREE family day at Northeastern University on July 8, 2012.

Families of K-8 students will have the opportunity to participate in fun interactive demonstrations and science and engineering activities at Northeastern's Cabot Phyiscal Education Center (building 41 on the Campus Map) .


Participants will have the opportunity to build a city of the future, draw a science mural, take home a garden kit, learn about whales, and more!

Visit http://sciencesunday.weebly.com/ for more information.

STEM Sunday is presented by Northeastern University's Center for STEM Education in collaboration with the National Science Foundation's CMMI Engineering and Research Innovation Conference, Cambridge Science Festival and Science on the Street,  Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Maker Faire, Boston Children's Hospital, NStar, American Society of Civil Engineers and the Northeastern NUTRONS.

Space is limited, families must REGISTER HERE and be entered for a raffle!

LEGO@ DNA Learning Center - Masterin Molecular Biology - May 15th - Registration required

Please email Bob Rochlin at rrochlin@comcast.net if you are interested in attending.

STEM Graduate Course Offerings

This is a notice announcing the opening of registration of graduate-level courses for science and math teachers that will be offered this summer at no cost to teachers (with the exception of a $50 registration fee).
 
Course 1 - Earth Science II: Solid Earth
Dates: July 16th–July 27th Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: Northeastern University

Instructor: Professor Malcolm Pringle and Bruce Kamerer

To register for this course please complete the on-line application at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EarthScienceII

This course will focus on the characteristics that describe and the processes that govern the solid earth. Basic earth and planetary science concepts will be emphasized including the study of the properties of rocks, minerals, and soils; the dynamics of plate tectonics; surficial processes and landforms; fossils and the fossil record; and geography and the principles of mapping. The course will help middle school teachers train students in the fundamental concepts of Earth Science (as outlined in the Massachusetts State Science Frameworks) by illustrating how these learning standards can be used to address current environmental issues (natural disasters, natural resources, and urban planning) that may elicit and engage the interests of students.


Course 2 - Energy I: Integrating the Sciences through Energy

Dates: June 28-29, July 2, 3, 5, 6, and July 9-13th Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Instructors: Professors Malcolm Pringle, Christos Zahopoulos, Steven Untersee, and Michael Clinchot

To register for this course, please complete the on-line application at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EnergyI

This course is designed to deepen teacher knowledge of energy concepts and how to connect energy concepts across content areas. This class is well suited to help elementary and middle school teachers use energy as a theme to connect their curriculum throughout the year and for high school teachers to connect it to prior and future learning. Participants will develop research-based strategies for communicating with students, especially English language learners and students with other special needs.


Course 3 - Chemistry I: The Particulate Nature of Matter
Dates: June 28, 29, July 2, 3, 5, 6 and July 9, 10, 11 & 13 Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Instructor: Professor Thomas Gilbert

To register for this course, please complete the on-line application at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ChemI

This is a contextualized chemistry content graduate level course offered to give both in-service and pre-service teachers the in depth scientific background necessary to teach chemistry effectively. This course offers an in depth exploration of fundamental principles of chemistry and will focus primarily on the particulate nature of matter, mechanisms of energy transfer, gas laws, chemical periodicity, and the use of scientific evidence to develop theories to explain nature.


Course 4 - Biology I: Cell Biology and Genetics—A Human Approach
Dates: July 16th-20th and 23rd–27th Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Location: UMASS Boston

Instructor: Professor Rachel Skvirsky
To register for this course, please complete the on-line application: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BiologyI

In-depth exploration of the biological principles, content knowledge, and pedagogical strategies needed for teaching cell and molecular biology and genetics at the middle and high school levels. The course takes a human biology approach to these areas, using activities and examples drawn from the human body. Content is aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework and the National Science Education Standards. The course consists of explanation of concepts, laboratory activities, problem-solving exercises, classroom discussion, readings, and other assignments. Emphasis is placed on gaining a rich understanding of biological concepts, while modeling the use of hands-on, inquiry-based teaching strategies.


Please note – a $50 registration fee is required. Participants will receive a $650 stipend upon completion of each course. The cost for graduate credit for each NU course is: $650 + $50 registration, making the final out-of-pocket cost $50. Teachers from all districts may pay for this course with a tuition check in the amount of $650 (made out to Northeastern University) on the first day of class, or elect to be billed by the university directly at a later time.


For more information, visit our website at: http://www.stem.neu.edu/gbsssp/gbsssp.htm or contact Feby Kiragu at 617-373-5154 or email: f.kiragu@neu.edu  if you have questions.

Physics Summer Content Institutes

Physics Summer Content Institutes
 Sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary  Education
 ______________________________________________________
 Physics I:  Mechanics and Energy
 Physics II: E&M and Waves

 - No Cost to Massachusetts Teachers
 - Great Activities
 - $500 Worth of Equipment
 - 67 PDPs
 - Optional Graduate Credit

 Contact:     Mark D.Greenman
 E-Mail:       mgreenman2@verizon.net
 Phone:       781-248-4952
 WEB Site:
 http://mhs.marbleheadschools.org/teachers/page/greenman/Prof_Development
 ______________________________________________________
 Physics I: Mechanics & Energy
 Investigations will involve the study of motion, change in motion,  force, work, energy and power.
 Dates:       July16-20 and July 23-26 (9-days), 8:00 A.M. to 3:00
 P.M.
 Follow-up: September 22, 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
 Location:   (Tentative) Boston University, Boston, MA
 ______________________________________________________
 Physics II: E&M and Waves
 Investigations will involve the study of electricity, magnetism and  waves.
 Dates:       August7-10 and August 13-17 (9-days), 8:30 A.M. to 3:30
 P.M.
 Follow-up: September 29, 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
 Location:   UMASS Lowell Olney Hall, Lowell, MA
 ______________________________________________________
 Course Overview: These will be collegial, hands-on laboratory-based  courses that are especially relevant to physics teachers in grades 7  through 12 and special education staff supporting students who are  learning physics concepts.  These physics courses will help you  develop more competencies in physics and increase your comfort in  using technology resources in support of practices that align with  the National Research Council -A Framework for K-12 Science
 Education:  Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas+ and  teaching concepts and content related to the Massachusetts state  frameworks standards in high school and middle school physics.

 We will use a mix of traditional equipment and computer probe-ware to  gather and analyze data to facilitate -learning from nature.+  The  -minds-on+ pedagogy of Interactive Laboratory Experience (ILEs) and
 - Interactive Lecture Demonstrations (ILDs), developed at The Center
 - for Science and Mathematics Teaching at Tufts University, will be
 - modeled throughout the institute. Teachers will leave this
 - institute with classroom activities, written resources and an
 - assortment of supplies and equipment to support a technology
 - enhanced physics curriculum.