Fermilab Education Program E-Alert — January - August 2008
Calendar • What we're planning • What we're reading
Spread the word to your colleagues.
Find interesting opportunities and resources in the Fermilab Education Office E-Alert biannual newsletter. E-mail sdahl@fnal.gov to be added to our mailing list.
Visit our redesigned website – http://ed.fnal.gov
For more details on programs, follow any of these links from the home page:
"Quick Links to Programs" links to “Teacher Workshops.” Use the “Calendar.”
"Search Programs" lets you set the parameters for programs of interest to you.
Use the “Educators” tab or follow the links listed below.
Calendar
January 27 - Fermilab Family Open House
February 20 – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics High School Career Expo
March 30 – Wonders of Science
April 27 – Fermilab SPARKS Family Fair
June 16-20 - Summer Secondary Biology Institute
June 16 - Summer Secondary Science Institutes – Physics begins four one-week sessions.
June 24-26 - The Prairie – Our Heartland
July 21-25 - Beauty and Charm
July 14-18 - Particles and Prairies
TBD - Phriendly Physics
What we’re planning
Fermilab Family Open House
January 27, 2008 – 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
http://ed.fnal.gov/ffse/openhouse.html
Join us for this party for children who bring an adult with them to learn about the world of physics. (Plenty for grown-ups too.) Take a tour to see the Cockroft-Walton accelerator, linear accelerator gallery, and Main Control Room. Explore physics concepts with hands-on activities. Ask a scientist your physics questions. Enjoy exciting science demonstration shows. The open house will be most appropriate for families with children in grades 3 and up. Tours restricted to those ages 10 and up. The program is free, and no registration is required this year! Contact edreg@fnal.gov (preferred) or 630-840-5588 with questions.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics High School Career Expo
February 20, 2008 – 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
http://ed.fnal.gov/programs/careerfair/
High school students from Kane and DuPage counties are invited to meet scientists, engineers and technicians from many STEM careers. Ask career questions of the experts. Learn about academic options from school and professional association representatives. Attend panels to hear more. The program to be held at Fermilab’s Wiilson Hall (high rise) is free, and no registration is required. For more information, send e-mail to edreg@fnal.gov.
Wonders of Science (Grades 4-12)
March 30, 2008 – 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
http://ed.fnal.gov – Link on this event through the "Calendar" link.
Help Fermilab celebrate the wonders of science by attending our twenty-first annual show! Award-winning high school chemistry and physics teachers will present a fast-paced series of demonstrations on chemical and physical phenomena that will involve you and your young scientists mentally and at times, physically! Portions of this show have been seen on many national television broadcasts including Inside Edition, the CBS Evening News, and David Letterman. The presenters are master science teachers who have been recognized locally and nationally for their ability to reach young minds. Tickets: $4.00/person (nonrefundable). Contact edreg@fnal.gov (preferred) or 630-840-5588 with questions. Printable registration forms available at:
http://eddata.fnal.gov/lasso/program_search/wos_form.html
Family Outdoor Activity Fair presented by Fermilab and SPARKS (Grades K-6)
April 27, 2008 – 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
http://ed.fnal.gov – Link on this event through the "Calendar" link.
Bring your family to the Lederman Science Center to explore a variety of outdoor activities together. Activities include walking the emerging tallgrass prairie, netting for land and water critters and visiting the bison herd. The fair is free. Contact edreg@fnal.gov (preferred) or 630-840-5588 with questions.
Summer Secondary Biology Institute
June 16-20, 2008
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshops”
The Summer Secondary Biology Institute is a two-week workshop designed to help high school biology teachers actively involve their students in biology concepts. Hands-on activities and proven classroom strategies will be presented with a study of major topics in biology. Participants receive, and add to, a Strategy/Curriculum notebook, study how and when to use technology and engaged learning techniques to help students learn, develop questioning skills and the appropriate updating of traditional lab activities. Participant needs will be addressed. For more information, send e-mail to edreg@fnal.gov or Tom Knutson, tomknutson1@comcast.net.
Summer Secondary Science Institutes – Physics
Begins June 16, 2008
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshops”
The Summer Secondary Physics Institutes are four one-week workshops on physics content and classroom experiments and techniques for high school teachers. The one-week workshops will be independent but linked, so you can sign up for only those that meet your needs, or all four for the complete experience. Master teachers will provide content and techniques for engaging students in hands-on laboratory experience. Lab explorations will include both activities with readily available materials and activities incorporating classroom technology. For more information, send e-mail to edreg@fnal.gov.
The Prairie – Our Heartland (Grades 3-5)
June 24-26, 2008 – 8:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshop”
What was the Midwest like 200 years ago? Tens of thousands of square miles of glorious color, waves of grass and diverse animal populations inhabited what we now call home. How and why has this amazing ecosystem changed? Using observation, experience, inquiry and critical thinking, convey the story of the prairie through science, language arts, mathematics, social science and art to your students! Participants of this workshop are eligible to bring their students to Fermilab for a docent-led field trip.
Beauty and Charm Teacher Workshop (Grades 6-9)
July 21-25, 2008 - 9:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshops”
Beauty and Charm at Fermilab is a physical science program for grades 6-9 that features themes such as “Methods of Science,” “Seeing the Unseen,” and the “Human Element” of science. This unit uses Fermilab physics as a context to convey to students how scientists think and work, and how we can learn about things that we cannot see. Participants of this workshop are eligible to bring their students to Fermilab for a docent-led field trip.
Particles and Prairies (Grades 6-8)
July 14-18, 2008 – 8:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshops”
Three ecosystems in one workshop: prairie, savanna and stream. Look at abiotic and biotic aspect of these three systems. Learn biological principles and how to use standard ecologic measurement techniques to teach students to assess and compare these different habitats. Background information and hands-on classroom activities will give the teacher confidence to use this unit in the classroom. Participants of this workshop are eligible to bring their students to Fermilab for a docent-led field trip. This is a great way to get motivated for a new school year.
Phriendly Physics Teacher Workshops (Grades K-5)
Date to be determined, 2008
For details follow the links from: http://ed.fnal.gov - “Teacher Workshops”
Phriendly Physics is a series of simple, open-ended experiments for students in grades K-5. The workshop features facilitated exploration and thorough discussion and reflection with a master elementary school teacher and Fermilab scientists. Mathematics applications help achieve No Child Left Behind goals. Participants of this workshop are eligible to bring their grade three and up students to Fermilab for a docent-led field trip.
Classroom Presentations
http://ed.fnal.gov/trc_new/demos/index.html
Fermilab volunteers offer classroom presentations. If your school is within reasonable driving distance of the Lab, Fermilab scientists, engineers and technicians bring presentations on physical science topics to enhance your classroom science curriculum. Presentations are geared toward students in grades 2 through 12 and are free of charge to classrooms.
Scholarships for Teacher Workshops, Science Adventures and Transportation
http://ed.fnal.gov/ffse/ed_ffse_scholarships.html
Funding for professional development for teachers and enrichment for students such as doing science in the field is becoming increasingly difficult for schools. We also know that not all families have the opportunity to enroll students in science and math enrichment classes. Fermilab Friends for Science Education offers scholarships for teachers to attend summer workshops, assist with field trip transportation expenses and provide scholarships to families for student classes held at Fermilab.
Science Adventures
The Science Adventures informal classes for students in grades PreK-7 continue throughout the school year. See the home page link for Science Adventures to see a listing of current classes.
What we’re reading
What we're reading on the web, in journals and good books.
Science Scope, "What’s in a Word: How Word Choice Can Develop (Mis)conceptions about the Nature of Science"; from National Science Teachers Association, http://www.nsta.org, members can login online or you can come to the TRC to see the issue.
The October 2007, volume 31, no. 2 issue of Science Scope focuses on the history of science. This article includes Fig. 1 which shows how some older (“dead”) terminology should be replaced with current nature of science thinking, e.g., proof should be replaced by support/evidence. Fig. 2 shows how we can change our own questioning strategies to avoid student misconceptions about the nature of science.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
Preview this book online about America’s first scientist and one of our founding fathers.
Scientific American, “The Secret to Raising Smart Kids,” November 28, 2007
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids
Should students be rewarded more for their efforts or their intellect? What does the research on human motivation tell us? This article can provoke some interesting discussion. Do you agree with this statement? “Young people who believe that their intelligence alone will enable them to succeed in school are often discouraged when the going gets tough.”
Contact Program Staff
Marge Bardeen, mbardeen@fnal.gov
Susan Dahl, sdahl@fnal.gov
Laura Mengel, lauram@fnal.gov
Spencer Pasero, spasero@fnal.gov
Liz Quigg, liz@fnal.gov
Sue Sheehan, sheehan@fnal.gov