TEXAS COUNCIL OF ELEMENTARY SCIENCE TEXAS COUNCIL OF ELEMENTARY SCIENCE
President's
Message
| Hello, Elementary Science Educators! THANK YOU ! As a fifth grade science teacher (with Science TAKS just past), I want to thank you for your work in science with our Texas students! It takes all of us to educate our students today for their future which we know will include science, mathematics, engineering and technology! As you are winding down your school year, I urge you to plan some time for you this summer. Take advantage of the many activities that are available near you. Our state park system (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/) is wonderful! Many parks have interpretative centers and nature trail maps to help you learn about the geology, plants and wildlife in the area. Take your journal so you’ll remember to tell your students what you observed! Other resources are great science museums and zoos in our cities. Many offer summer activities for teachers and for students. Cathy Barthlemy has listed several terrific Informal Science opportunities in this newsletter. Put November 6-8 on your calendars. This is the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST). It will be in Fort Worth this year. Last year’s conference had a record 6,800 in attendance at Austin. Housing registration will be on the STAT website (http://statweb.org/) by mid-May. Register early to be sure you’ll have a hotel near the convention center! TCES will have an elementary workshop strand. We will also have our conference Share-a-thon and luncheon. Consider volunteering at CAST. There are many opportunities including helping in the TCES booth! The annual TCES Leadership Symposium has been planned. It will be in Port Aransas January 18 – 20, 2009 at the Port Royal Resort (www.port-royal.com). We’ll be focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities for our elementary classrooms. We have Gulf-view rooms and easy beach access! What a super way to get re-energized in mid-winter for the spring! Watch for more information, including registration forms, to be posted on the TCES web page. Remember, we are the foundation for students’ future. It is exciting to be an elementary teacher, but it is also a big responsibility and challenge. TCES is here to help you. Contact any of our officers if you need information or help. Please share antidotes and science opportunities from your classroom or region. You may email me at roberta.marshall@msn.com. Roberta |