Photos from PDA #1 (February 14-16, 2008)

TXESS Revolution Seismology/Tectonics

View some of the excitement from one of our academies integrating hands-on activities, interactive technology, group interaction and field experiences. This professional development workshop, offered in October of 2006 in Austin, included a module on seismology and plate tectonics.

The Big Idea: Water

Example Professional Development Academy Topic

The Role of Water in the Rise and Fall of Civilizations


Learning Activities / Processes:

• Research the role of water in civilization.
• Draw connections between Maya population collapses and drought—an inquiry-based learning activity using authentic Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) core geochemical data from the Carioca Basin (Leg 165).
• Learn about ocean drilling technology and the collaborative nature of Earth and Space Science—The JOIDES Resolution (drillship).
• Research the importance of water in your community / region. Where does it come from? What is the use-rate over time? Record your own use, precipitation patterns, and the influence of weather and climate events.
• Examine groundwater/surface flow interaction in Barton Springs—an inquiry-based learning activity using real USGS data.
• Present results and interpretations.
• Explore water with tools that allow data comparisons and visualizations—examples are My World GIS, Google Earth, NOAA / NASA satellite imagery and web-based visualizations, maps, etc.
• Interact with guest scientists who will present on their respective areas of expertise and the connection to the “Big Idea”.
• Participate in a field trip such as to Inner Space Caverns, Natural Bridge Cavern, or Barton Springs.

Assessment:
Participate in a role-playing scenario to apply knowledge to address a real-world situation. For example, water-management—predict water use in the future and design a water and environment 10-year management plan.

Extension:
Design an experiment to explore for water on Mars.

PDA Components:
Establish and review the prerequisites for the topic—i.e., basic knowledge of water cycle, fundamentals of chemistry, physics, technology such as Excel, GPS-GIS, spatial skills, etc..

Characteristics:

• Teamwork.
• Do science.
• Learn about and use 21st Century technology.
• Incorporate reflective journaling.
• Engage in scientific writing and peer review, including web-based peer- review tools.
• Collaborate (with other learners, teachers and scientists).
• Become critical consumers of science information.
• Apply and integrate physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, technology, writing and oral presentation skills.
• Hone inquiry skills through a strong field / lab component that includes hands-on activities, the use of authentic data, and computer-based data retrieval and analysis.

Texas Regional Collaboratives Announce Professional Development in Preparation for Teaching the New Texas Earth and Space Science Capstone Course

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution is a rigorous, high-quality, 5-year geoscience professional development program for 8th – 12th grade minority-serving science teachers and teacher mentors in Texas.Sponsored by the National Science Foundation’s Opportunities to Enhance Diversity in the Geosciences and augmented with support form the Texas education Agency and the Jackson School of geosciences, the project will prepare teachers for Texas’ new capstone Earth and Space Science (ESS) course. The innovative program is offered by The University of Texas’ Jackson School of Geosciences and Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, TERC (a not-for-profit company in Massachusetts with 30 years experience in designing science curriculum), and the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence In Science and Mathematics Teaching. Who Should Participate?Minority and minority-serving teachers who would like to teach the new Earth and Space Science capstone course, or their mentors.

Requirements, Responsibilities, Benefits

Teacher participants will:

• Attend 4 professional development academies (PDAs) over a 2 year academic period (2007 – 2009) as part of a two-person TRC instructional team.
• Receive 24 hours of training during each PDA, requiring absence from the classroom for a maximum of 3 days for each PDA (total of 12 days over 2 years).
• Present the training to at least 25 other TRC teachers.Participate in the online “virtual café” (resources, idea and materials exchange, personal blogs, and communication channel to project investigators and evaluator).
• Assemble a portfolio to chart progress and demonstrate competence to teach ESS.
• Take tests to demonstrate proficiency and gains in knowledge and skills.

Participants will benefit by/ from:

• Competency in ESS.Receiving Certificates of Participation from the Jackson School of Geosciences and the Texas Education Agency.
• Earning SBEC credits.
• Opportunities to become a leader in ESS implementation and training.
• Opportunities to meet and establish professional relationships with scientists.
• Receiving rigorous training materials.
• A professional portfolio that can be used for career advancement.
• Chances to participate in optional summer institutes, PDAs and field programs.

School administrators will:

• Be able to offer ESS as an option for the 4th year of science at their schools.
• Have a teacher on staff who is a leader in ESS implementation and training.
• Be able to reach out with a rigorous and relevant science curriculum to minority students who are typically underrepresented in the sciences.

For more information and to apply, visit: http://thetrc.org/trc/calendar.html

or contact:

Marsha Willis , TRCPD Coordinator marshawillis@mail.utexas.edu
Dr. Kathy Ellins, JSG kellins@ig.utexas.edu