COURSE TITLE: Western Scientific Thinking and Investigation about the World Around Us

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Using fieldtrips, experiments, and science museums, teachers will study the cycles of rocks, water, and life in order to understand inorganic and organic matter. By studying these cycles, teachers will understand that the Earth’s systems contain a fixed amount of matter in the form of solids, liquids, and gases that cycle among land, water, the atmosphere, and living things. Due to the properties of these different kinds of matter, all of which are composed of elements, they react and interact in response to changes in their environment. The story of these elements and their properties will be explored through experimentation and mastery of The Periodic Table of the Elements.

Logistics

• Locations: Albuquerque — Pueblo Cultural Center, Museum of Natural History, National, Atomic Museum, EXPLORA Museum, Santa Fe — Santa Fe Indian School
• Saturdays 9:00-5:00: September 10, 17—October 8, 22—November 5, 12
• Friday 8:00 – 4:00: February 17
• Instructors: Duane M. Moore, Ph.D. Geology (UNM); Ara Kooser, M.S. Physical Chemistry (Sandia Laboratory, Youth Build); Shelley Roberts, Ph.D. Education (Professional Development Trainer)
• Maximum Class Size: Participation is limited to 20. A waitlist of 5 will be generated, and all 25 are encouraged to attend the first two classes so any openings may be filled by October.

Credit

Non-credit Option: Teachers are expected to attend the workshops, to demonstrate proficient scientific understanding by completing the required lab reports and science journaling, and to write curriculum plans in order to receive a $450.00 stipend and travel reimbursements. One excused absence allowed with permission granted by NMTC staff.

Credit Option: PHYS 110 and PHYS 110L , Northern New Mexico College, 4 credits (3 content, 1 lab) Course grade will depend on attendance, completion rate of work, and the degree of scientific understanding demonstrated in the assignments and assessments. In addition to attending the workshops, completing the required lab reports and science journaling, and writing curricular plans, teachers receiving academic credit are expected to conduct a chemistry research project in their community with e-mentoring support from the faculty. Course requirements must be completed by February 17, 2006 to receive credit. Tuition fees will be paid by NMTC, and those who receive an A or B will receive a stipend of $700.00 and travel reimbursements. Students receiving a C will receive $450.00 and mileage reimbursements. Those who earn a D or F will not receive a stipend or mileage.

Grading: Grading will be based on a mastery approach with the opportunity to resubmit revised work.

• NI= Needs Improvement: demonstrates beginning or developing scientific understanding, needs to resubmit using feedback provided by instructors
• ME= Meets Expectations: demonstrates proficient scientific understanding, fulfills assignment components
• E= Exemplary: demonstrates excellent scientific understanding, exceeds assignment requirements

Attendance: Requests for excused absences must be submitted to Anya Dozier Enos at NMTC (505-989-6340) before missing class; in case of emergency, leave a message on the voicemail.

• A= All required assignments and assessments completed; completed work receives grades of 75%-100% Exemplary /0%-25% Meets Expectations; no absences.
• B= All required assignments and assessments completed, completed work receives grades of 100% Meets Expectations, or 50%-74% Exemplary/50%-26%Meets Expectations on assignments and assessments; no more than one excused absence.
• C= Up to 25% of assignments or assessments either missing or below expectations; and/or one unexcused absence.
• D= 26%-50% of assignments or assessments either missing or below expectations; and/or two unexcused absences.
• F=More than 50% of assignments or assessments either missing or below expectations; and/or more than two unexcused absences.

Assignments and Assessments:

• Pre-/post-test at beginning and end of workshops
• Lab reports
• Science journaling about readings
• Periodic Table games, quiz bowl
• Science Curriculum Planning: Choice between curricular mapping, lessons planning, Family Science Night planning
• Community chemistry research project

LEARNING GOALS

Scientific Thinking and Practice

• Teachers will master the processes of scientific investigations and use inquiry and scientific ways of observing, experimenting, predicting, and validating.
• Teachers will be able to glean useful information from technical publications without having to fully understand the topic covered by the source.

Content of Science

• Teachers will be able to explain the western scientific theories of the origin of the Earth and the existence, proportions, and characteristics of elements in the Earth’s crust and atmosphere.
• Teachers will know that an element is composed of one, and only one, kind of atom.
• Teachers will understand that the Earth’s systems contain fixed amounts of matter that cycle in the forms of gas, liquids, and solids among land, water, the atmosphere, and living things.
• Teachers will understand the general connections between inorganic and organic matter.
• Teachers will master how to access information from The Periodic Table of Elements.

Science Education

• Teachers will gain skills in science curriculum mapping, science lesson planning, and Family Science Night planning.

SATURDAY CLASSES (9:00-5:00)

• September 10—Albuquerque (Pueblo Cultural Center)
  • Introduce course and faculty, pretest
  • Distribute binders with 3 dividers: Resources, Lab Reports, Curriculum
  • Geology Fieldtrip to explore the Albuquerque’s geoscape, elements, rock cycle
  • Introduce Periodic Table and hydrologic cycle
• September 17—Albuquerque (Museum of Natural History)
  • Museum is the classroom lab for the fieldtrip follow-up assignments.
  • Periodic Table: relative amounts of elements, positive and negative charges,
  • orbits and satisfying orbitals, importance of relative sizes, types of bonding, the concept of heat as the vibration of atoms, order from chaos
  • Museum staff will provide information about educational programs for teachers and students. Teachers can purchase teaching materials at the museum gift shop (10% discount)
• October 8—SFIS (Home Economics room)
  • Introduce connection between inorganic and organic world (soils, photosynthesis, medicinal and edible plants)
  • Kitchen Chemistry—edible elements, extracting iron from breakfast cereals, Periodic Table card games, ionic and covalent bonding, molecular structures, native food experiments
  • October 22— SFIS (Home Economics room)
  • Introduce acid/base chemistry and biochemistry
  • Kitchen Chemistry—cabbage juice, homemade ink, making cheese and plastic from milk, gas laws demonstrated with a comparison of different native bread making techniques, making tempera paint from eggs and locally found pigments.
• November 5—Albuquerque (National Atomic Museum)
  • Museum is the classroom lab for discovery assignments about isotopes and radioactivity.
  • Science curriculum mapping, lesson planning, Family Science Night designing
  • Museum staff will provide information about educational programs for teachers and students.
  • Teachers can purchase teaching materials at the museum gift shop (10% discount)
• November 12—Albuquerque (EXPLORA Museum)
  • Museum is the classroom lab for experimentation with cleaning agents: What’s the difference between soap, detergent and natural soap made from yucca roots?
  • Science curriculum mapping, lesson planning, Family Science Night designing
  • Museum staff will provide information about educational programs for teachers and students.
  • Teachers can purchase teaching materials at the museum gift shop (10% discount).

For Credit Required FRIDAY CLASS (8:00-4:00)

• February 17, 2006 – Santa Fe (Santa Fe Indian School)
  • Participants taking this course for credit will present research findings to peers in a Science Fair format during the CENAC School Reform Rally
  • Instructors and peers will evaluate presentation using Science Fair Rubric