HR: 11:40h
AN: ED32B-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Bringing Polar Science to the Classroom
AU: Bruccoli, A
EM: arlynb@tops-tele.com
AF: TEA, University of RI, Office of Marine Programs, Narragansett Bay Campus , Narragansett, RI 02882 United States
AU: Madsen, J M
EM: james.madsen@uwrf.edu
AF: University of Wisconsin at River Falls, Physics Department, 410 South Third Street, River Falls, WI 54022 United States
AU: * Porter, M
EM: marjorieporter@sbcglobal.net
AF: TEA Program, Somers High School, CT, Ninth District Road, Somers, CT 06071 United States
AB: The NSF sponsored IceCube (OPP-0236449) and Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) projects have developed a model for engaging K-12 teachers in a variety of scientific disciplines using polar science as a unifying theme. An intensive workshop, Science in the Ice, provided teachers with background content knowledge and seed ideas for activities aligned with national teaching standards. These activities were used to support the introduction of authentic science investigations related to current polar research in the classroom. The pilot workshop, sponsored by the NSF supported Math-Science Partnership SCALE (0227016), demonstrated the viability of this approach for involving a continuum of teachers from novice to master in a meaningful professional development model that can lead to sustainable classroom changes. This model for teacher professional development is based on the premise that the most robust educational outreach efforts involve teachers that are prepared, supported, and connected to a network of researchers and educators. This network can also serve to both stimulate interest in polar research and as a vehicle for delivering classroom materials related to the International Polar Year. An overview of Science in the Ice will be provided to show how the natural fascination with extreme environments can be used to introduce on-going research to the classroom from multiple disciplines---glaciology, geology, and astrophysics---with a common thread of polar science. The case for involving teachers now to fully capitalize on the potential of the International Polar Year, by providing professional development opportunities including field experiences with researchers, will be made.
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
DE: 0830 Teacher training
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting