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December 2008
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STAT Award Winners CAST Pictures CAST 2009 Information
About Us
We are STAT, the Science Teachers Association of Texas. STAT is committed to the enhancement of the teaching of science in Texas at all levels and in all science disciplines. For STAT Position Statements, go to: http://www.statweb.org/news/position.php STAT is: o A statewide organization of elementary, middle level, and high school teachers, college educators, supervisors of science, and others dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of science and education in our schools. o A chapter of the National Science Teachers Association o Visit the NSTA site o View the NSTA online calendar STAT seeks to: o Serve as a unified voice for the science teachers of the state. o Keep science teachers and other members informed about current trends in science education. o Provide opportunities for members to examine techonology, curriculum, materials, and services. o Inform members of local, state and national meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops related to sciences. o Cooperate with other science oriented organizations and teacher associations in the promotion of teaching of science. History: STAT, Science Teachers Association of Texas, was formally organized in 1957 during the 4th Annual Conference for the Advancement of Science & Mathematics Teaching (CASMT). STAT membership is more than 6,000 strong!
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Contacts
President’s Message ....................................8 Calendar ........................................................9 Affiliate News ............................................10 Regional Ramblings .................................14 Continuing Education ..............................19 CAST Award Winners ............................................28 Photo Gallery...............................................33 CAST 2009 ...................................................40
Elected Officers ..............................................4 Appointed Positions ......................................4 Affiliate Congress ..........................................5 Regional Directors .........................................6 Texas State Board of Education ......................7
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A Message from President Baldwin
This has been an exciting year for STAT members and for science education in Texas. From the state level to the students in my biology class, new discoveries, controversies, and challenges have been confronted and addressed. We had a great CAST in Ft. Worth and we are planning another great event in Galveston. The State Board of Education is overseeing the revisions of the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. While we are concerned that ideology does not interfere with educational excellence, STAT will continue to monitor to make sure that politics doesn’t interfere with the development of quality standards. Our Executive Director, Chuck Hempstead and his incredible staff have been working around the clock on getting our new on-line newsletter up and running and making sure the science teachers of Texas are informed through our STAT blasts to name a few tasks. Along with the big issues, a group of my students has been sorting out the bones of 14 million year old merycodus remains, while another group has been exploring the increase in the number of species and the number of rare tropical butterflies that have been appearing in South Texas, and another group of students has been studying the bite marks on a number of Cretaceous mosasaur bones trying to deduce what happened 70 million years ago. All of these issues are important, but as I reflect back, it is what happens to one-hundred-forty 9th graders in my biology class that really gets me excited.
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April 2009
Officer Elections Close April 1, 2009 Texas Science Olympiad April 24 -25, 2009 College Station, TX
May 2009 January 2009
TASA Mid-Winter Conference January 26 - 28, 2009 Austin, TX TSELA Meeting January 30, 2009 Austin, TX Board Meeting May 8-9, 2009 McKinney Roughs, TX
June 2009
STARS Program June 8 - July 31, 2009 Dallas, TX TESTA Iceland Trip June 13 - 22, 2009 Iceland
February 2009
Board Meeting February 20-22, 2009 Austin, TX Region 4 Science Conference February 21, 2009 Houston, TX Region 7/8 Mini-CAST February 28, 2009 Kilgore, TX
October 2009
Rio Grande Valley Science Association Conference October 9 - 10, 2009 Mercedes, TX NSTA Area Conference October 29-31, 2009 Minneapolis, MN
March 2009
Region 5 Mini-CAST March 7, 2009 Beaumont, TX NSTA National Conference March 19 - 22, 2009 New Orleans, LA Texas Science and Engineering Meeting March 28 - 31, 2009 Austin, TX TMEA Meeting March 28 - 29, 2009 San Angelo, TX
November 2009
CAST 2009 November 5-7, 2009 Galveston, TX NSTA Area Conference November 12-14, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, FL
For a more extensive calendar, go to: www.statweb.org/calendar.php
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Texas Earth Science Teachers Association TESTA
by Diann Valentine Once again, TESTA has had an outstanding CAST 2008 in Fort Worth, TX! Let me begin with our booth activities. On Thursday, Dr. Louis Jacobs, world-renowned paleontologist, showed a video from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, SVP, which celebrates the extraordinary world of vertebrate paleontology and provides a unique glimpse into the diversity of its scientists and pursuits. Dr. Jacobs served as one of its scientific consultants. During this time, he also graciously autographed copies of his book, Lonestar Dinosaurs. Thank you Dr. Jacobs for spending your time visiting with our Texas teachers! Friday and Saturday featured Charles Swift, showing slides of Iceland as he shared information about the TESTA sponsored field trip to “Iceland Fire and Ice”. See our ad in this STATellite as well as below for more information about this wonderful adventure. Thanks to Lale Bilir, Lisa Stone, Kathie Poff and Dr. Linda Knight for manning our busy booth! TESTA presented a strand of short courses and workshops thanks to our talented members. Beginning on Thursday morning, Kathryn Barclay presented her requested performance from last year with “Increasing Student Achievement Using Interactive Student Notebooks”. Teachers learned how to design teaching units that build and connect broad understanding of concepts while placing greater learning expectations on the students. Back by popular demand, Vernon Dye presented “Bringing Students Into the Fold” where teachers received instructions for and practiced folding origami models to reinforce some TEKS before the TAKS. Friday morning began with an outstanding 9-hour field trip “Ocean Dallas” led by Dr. Louis Jacobs. Teachers studied the characteristic features and fossils found in rocks and the order of rock layers to uncover the geologic history of the DFW area. Besides collecting fossils, participants received an autographed copy of Lonestar Dinosaurs. Alexia Bieniek and Dr. Debra Mullinax presented a three-hour short course titled “Playing in the Mud and the Teks” This session was designed to teach the processes and products of weathering, erosion and deposition. All activities utilized inquiry and teachers practiced converting “cookbook” activities into inquiry. Everyone had a good time with the hands on labs and finished looking very clean after playing with the mud! TESTA member Youlanda Marshall presented her first workshop “Rock Cycle and Plate Tectonics You Can Eat” to a full house of 140 teachers. Hands-on activities allowed teachers to create edible models of the rock cycle and mountain building/uplift. Of course everyone enjoyed eating their “models” and overheard in the crowd was what a fabulous job she did. Concluding our Friday sessions was the TESTA Rock/Mineral/Fossil Raffle. A full house purchased raffle tickets of over 100 specimens in our $0.25 and $1 tables that were offered for teachers to win. Co-chairs Charles Swift and Vernon Dye filled the room with knowledge about every specimen collected. Diann Valentine, Donna Novak Wolfe, Kathie Poff, Alexia Bieniek, and new members Scott Henry and Tom Killen rounded out all the work it takes to put on this awesome event. Good job everyone!!! If you missed the raffle this year, please make plans to attend during our Galveston CAST.
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TESTA (cont’d.)
On Saturday, we started the day with two short courses. Lisa Stone presented “It’s A Cycle Thing” which included hands on, classroom tested activities for teaching seasons, moon phases, eclipses and tides. Dr. Jill Bailer, last year CAST Teacher of the Year, presented “To Every Time There is a Season”. This short course focused on student misconceptions concerning earth-moon system. Teachers then explored several activities designed to overcome those misconceptions. Finally teachers built a model of the earth-moonsun system that could be reproduced in their classroom. The TESTA Share-A-Thon began at 9 AM. Many CAST attendees came by and collected various activities, labs and demonstrations that they could use in their classroom. I would like to thank Kathryn Barclay, Alexia Bieniek, Jennie Day, Jan Grout, Molly Nipper, and Katie Wagner who joined me in presenting at the session. CAST share-a-thons should not be missed since it is like attending 8 to 10 sessions in one! You do not need to bring anything to share (we take care of that), but just come, browse the offerings, collect what you like and need and then leave when you are ready. This is also a good way to start presenting items that you have developed for your classroom without doing a full session. If you are interested in being a presenter at the Galveston Share-A-Thon, please feel free to contact me since we are always looking for new involvement by our members! Also on Saturday, we closed CAST 2008 with our annual TESTA luncheon. During the luncheon we visited with old friends and welcomed new ones. Our guest speaker was Charles Finsley, Curator Emeritus, Dallas Museum of Natural History, presented a wonderful journey through his life as a geologist who loved working in and with museums. Thank you for sharing your many discoveries with us! TESTA honored and recognized the members who made the many presentations during CAST. Dr. Alison Hennings from Rice University was recognized with our Friends of TESTA award. Our Teacher of the Year, Ms.Youlanda Marshall from Long Middle School, Houston ISD, was honored and recognized for her outstanding work with students and the TESTA organization. We are certainly proud of our past president, Kathryn Barclay, for being chosen Science Teacher of the Year by CAST. Congratulations!!! During this luncheon we had a surprise visit from Chris Comer, former TEA science director. Currently, Chris is Senior Project Leader at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning, Cambridge, MA. She presented to us an exciting opportunity for a private-public partnership that could advance Earth science education substantially. TESTA has been asked to serve as an advisory council to provide quality curricula for Earth science in Texas. This curriculum will also serve as a template to the Earth science community in the country. Our TESTA members voiced a willingness to be part of this endeavor. More information can be found in the Proposal to the Noyce Foundation for Earth and Space Science Course Development Phase I at www.terc.edu Also at this time, Charles Swift presented information on a TESTA sponsored field trip “Exploring the Geological Wonders of Iceland” June 13-22, 2009. The primary emphasis over the 10 days is earth science, cultural awareness and natural history. Educational connections are geology with plate boundaries/rift valley, volcanoes, hot springs, ocean caves, waterfalls, glaciers and icebergs, geothermal power, biodiversity, marine ecology, conservation Icelandic history as well as Viking sagas and ruins. See our ad in this STATellite. For more information contact chswift@suddenlink.net or Kelly@holbrooktravel.com. Deadline is quickly approaching!
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TESTA (cont’d.)
Current science director, Dr. Kenn Heydrick joined us for coffee. He updated us on the new revisions of the science TEKS. He urged all to review these and in particular the capstone Earth and Space Science course. He asked us to give feedback on the online response link at TEA. Emphasis was placed on letting the newly elected SBOE members know how important for the State of Texas to move into the 21st century with current scientific information being used. Our students should use geologic time records, fossils and critical thinking to enable our students to excel in the world. In closing, TESTA would like to say thanks to those that contributed to our rock raffle and door prizes for our luncheon. Please consider patronizing the following: the Dallas and Houston Gem and Mineral Associations, AmberWay Jewelry, Bitterroot Rocks and Fossils, Fantastic Stones and Accessories, Stone Crystals, Earth Works, The Rare Earth Trading Company, Blue Caribe Jems, H&P Minerals and Gems, Crystal Monster, Lone Star Meteorites, Gilligan’s Isle Brazil Treasures, The Geode Gallery, Carved Opal and Obsidian, San Juan Gems, Geoblox, Lonestar Learning, Dynanotes, Geoblox, McDonald Observatory, US Forestry Service, Wards, and all of our members and supporters for their generous donations to our organization. TESTA urges everyone to begin making plans to attend the 52nd Anniversary CAST to be held in Galveston at Moody Gardens! Additionally, if you did not attend CAST this year or did not renew your TESTA dues, please do so today so we can continue to offer earth science services and programs. If you need to contact me, Diann Valentine - TESTA President, please email me at dvalenti@houstonisd.org.
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Texas Marine Education Association TMEA
by Nathan Veatch JOIN US IN SAN ANGELO MARCH 28, & 29, 2009 for “A river runs through it,” The Colorado River and its tributaries Join The Texas Marine Educators Association in San Angelo for the first part of a multi-part workshop to study the movement of water through the Colorado River watershed system from its headwaters down to where it empties into Matagorda Bay. This workshop is designed to help teachers of all disciplines gain a better understanding of how we impact the world of water in many ways. The first stop of this tour will develop an understanding of the ecology, history, usage, and problems of water in West Texas. The tour group, with the help of the UCRA, will explore the Concho River, a tributary of the Colorado River, and Lake Nasworthy. We hope to see you there! MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER CAST. To register for this workshop, check our website: http://statweb.org/TMEA/ TMEA was busy at CAST- Fort Worth November 6-8th. TMEA President, Mark Stamp led another great marine geology fieldtrip and a full complement of workshops was presented in the TMEA Strand by Greg McDonald, Gina Diseldorf, Marolyn Smith, Rick Tinnin, and John Williams. Many “old salts” manned the TMEA Affiliates booth in the exhibit hall. At the annual business meeting and luncheon, Trish Lowe assumed the office of President, Marolyn Smith was elected as President-elect, and Luz Tellez was re-elected as Treasurer. Mark Stamp was thanked for his contributions during the past two years. “Exploring the Coastal Wetlands of Texas”- September 26-28, 2008 in Rockport and Port Aransas: Jay Tarkington, Director of the Aquatic Education Program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Center for Coastal Studies took twenty participants on a cruise of Aransas Bay aboard the 36 foot Ed Rachal R/V Wetland Explorer. While visiting a nature preserve and his newly completed stilt-house on the Intracoastal Waterway, Jay explained the changing ecology of the mid coast and the history of the area. The day ended with a social and shrimp boil on the motel grounds, thanks to past TMEA president, John Williams. On Sunday, workshop participants toured the newly completed Wetland Education Center at UTMSI. TMEA urges all STAT members to look at the first draft of the proposed Science TEKS posted at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/scienceTEKS.html and submit their comments.
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Region 1
by Robert Soper Region 1 Director The Rio Grande Valley Science Association (RGV SA) will host its Annual Conference next year on October 9-10, 2009, at the South Texas ISD in Mercedes. The featured speaker will address students and then the community at large, free of charge, on Friday the 9th. The Conference begins Saturday the 10th and will feature workshops, exhibitors, CPE, and updates about CAST and TEA. Please note the dates. The RGV SA is also planning a summer camp for minority girls in elementary school for two weeks this summer in June. It is planned to consist of one week of hands on activities in the classroom and one week of field trips. Ideas for field trips and sponsorships are invited. Likewise, suggestions for a speaker for the Conference in next October are being solicited. The speaker should be nationally and or internationally known and able to speak to a variety of audiences: students, community, and teachers of all grade levels. This past October the RGV SA hosted its Annual Conference in conjunction with the South Texas ISD and had in attendance well over 400 teachers,, 50 exhibitors, and 50 workshops. Robert Soper 300 Hollywood Dr. Edinburg, Texas 78539-6118 956-381-0690
Region 5
by Patsy Magee STAT President-Elect Each year, more than 300 science teachers from throughout Region 5 in Texas participate in Mini-CAST (Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching), which provides a variety of workshops to improve one’s ability to teach science to students of ALL ages. This year’s Mini-CAST will be held from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, March 7. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers of all grade levels to sharpen their science teaching skills.
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Global warming is a reality and man’s contribution to this event has been well established by studies such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). More information on the research base for global warming can be found at: http://www.whrc.org/resources/online_publications/warming_earth/index.htm. What is not totally understood or confirmed, among other things is the rate and short- and long-term consequences of this phenomenon. Two or three of my ninth grade students from Hanna High School are studying public data from North American Butterfly Association and the Rio Grande Valley Butterfly Festival and their own observations to analyze if there are any trends in the number of species and the number of sightings of rare tropical butterflies Zebra Heliconian, (Heliconius charithonia) in the Rio Grande Valley. Although inconclusive Photographed by Mike Baldwin11/26/2008 at this time, it does appear that there is a marked increase in the number and types of tropical butterflies observed. This increase could be attributed to several factors besides global warming (climate change) including: habitat changes (urbanization), short-term weather changes (recent lack of hard freezes), and increased interest in butterfly watching, as well as other factors. Never-the-less, the student research shows how biological studies can provide interesting points of discussion for scientists and the public. Another pair of students has been studying a set of 14 million year old bones that were found near a stock pond in Nebraska. These bones appear to belong primarily to Merycodus, an antelope-like animal the size of a small dog. Since the large amount of bones and bone fragments found at the fossil site appear scattered, mixed, and from several different animals, the students hypothesized that the animals died in some sort of natural disaster, probably a flood. The students were able to partially reconstruct a skel14 mil. yr. old Merycodus bones eton by combining the bones of several individuals. (A phoPhotographed by Mike Baldwin11/30/2008 tograph of the skeleton is included.) Scientific debate on these animals continues. Scientists are not debating if these animals evolved, but rather to which species are these animals most closely related. Possibly, this descriptive project will contribute some evidence to solve this mystery. 15
The students who completed this project were not so much focused on the evolutionary links, but were rather studying the anatomy of the animal to reconstruct the skeleton and see what they could learn about the animal’s habitat and how it interacted. A third group of students have been studying teeth marks and other signs of predation on loose vertebrae found at another fossil location in northeastern Nebraska to see what sorts of inferences can be made from clues derived from these fossils. Although only fragments of a much larger skeleton, these isolated vertebrae help tell a story of what life was like in the inland ocean around 70 million years ago. The students have some vertebrae that appear w/ tooth marks to have been digested and others that show distinct teeth marks Mosasaur vertebrae Mike Baldwin Photographed by 11/30/2008 of large predators. Since mosasaurs themselves were ferocious predators, it is interesting to note that there were other animals or perhaps individuals of their own species that could and would devour them when given an opportunity. Besides these individual and group projects, students have been learning about biochemistry, cells, and cell functions. Students have learned about how insulin keys important protein transporter proteins to move these proteins to the cell membrane so that glucose can diffuse into cells. Students are learning about cell cycles and cell processes that were not even discovered when I was in high school or college. The amount of information available to students and needed to be scientifically literate is perhaps beyond the scope of most curricula and impossible to teach in the timeframe that teachers are given in our present system. Considering this information overload and the need for citizens to be able to make sound decisions about technological, environmental, and science-related issues, it is especially important that we have a well thought out science curriculum that focuses on the essentials and includes skills and knowledge needed for today’s world. STAT is playing an active role in assuring that the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science is of the quality needed for the 21st century. First, we were proactive in reviewing the science standards and providing a set of recommendations before the official process was initiated by TEA (see the TEKS recommendations posted on our website). In the last year, we have been diligent in providing information and support to the State Board of Education regarding the issue of evolution and the misleading “strengths and weaknesses” language. If we truly wish our students to be critical thinkers we need to make sure that the TEKS are clear and support current 16
understanding of science and the way that science works. The “strengths and weaknesses” language as stated in the original TEKS was vague and misleading as to how scientific theories are developed and refined. Also, some groups of individuals with distinct religious views would have used this language to insert their religious beliefs into our public schools which could have detrimental effects on not only what students learn in school, but on the quality of textbooks, and on the content of our Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. The Conference for the Advancement of Science continues to be the major event and focus for STAT. This year our conference in Ft. Worth must rate as one of the best. We had 5,000 teachers from all over the state of Texas and close to 400 exhibiters and numerous workshops, field trips, short courses and special presentations. We were able to streamline registration with many participants picking up their bag and program right at their hotel. The biggest concern this year was the number of no-shows for workshops. This problem occurred for numerous reasons, but we hope to minimize this issue for the next conference. Please be aware that if you submit a proposal and fail to do a workshop, this could jeopardize your chances to present at future CAST conventions. Even with the no-shows, we still had over 800 different presentations from experts and teachers from all over Texas and the United States. Next year our conference moves to the beautiful Galveston Island. Some STAT members have expressed concerns about Galveston after the damage from hurricane Ike. The Galveston Island conference infrastructure is fully functional including the hotels and restaurants. Although Galveston Island and the people who live there have suffered tragically, it would not be in the best interests of STAT or the people of Galveston to move the conference. Galveston Island depends on tourism and conferences such as ours. Also, the expense and logistics of cancelling contracts and moving the conference would be devastating financially for STAT. Galveston is still our best option and also probably the most interesting and educational site for our members. Galveston Island has many locations of interest to science teachers and the Moody Gardens as a science education center is phenomenal. Our membership will enjoy visiting the Moody Gardens pyramid rainforest, aquarium, and museum, as well as the IMAX theatre and other Galveston education sites. Even so, after a year, the teachers and students of Galveston will be feeling the effects of the storm. The school district has suffered tremendous damage and many people have lost most of their possessions. STAT would like to take the opportunity of 17
CAST to do something special for the community. At this time we are looking at ways of combining our conference, our resources, and our conference and exhibit partners to provide educational resources for the communities affected by Hurricane Ike. We are planning on using our presence in Galveston to make a positive impact on the schools in the area. As with all our CAST conferences, the event is primarily organized and delivered by volunteers from the local area. This year’s committee is still dedicated and working hard even considering the ordeal that they have had to endure. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Along with our efforts to provide the best science conference in the U.S., we are upgrading our newsletter. This edition will be our first electronic newsletter. The electronic newsletter will save thousands of pounds of paper and resources. Although electronic newsletters have advantages and disadvantages, the savings in natural resources is substantial. We at STAT are trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible and an electronic newsletter will be more economical as well as environmentally friendly. We also should be able to improve our timeliness and meet our deadlines better with an electronic format. We hope you like the new look. As science educators we continue to be concerned with big issues such as the quality and accuracy of our science standards, and we continue to look for ways to grow professionally and look for opportunities for professional dialogue and networking provided by CAST. We look to the STATellite to keep informed of events and science information. Most of all we are proud of the accomplishments of our students and perhaps our greatest reward comes when our own students become teachers themselves. I hope that you are as proud as I to be a science teacher and a member of the Science Teachers Association of Texas. Please let me know how we at the STAT offices can better serve you. Mike Baldwin, President Science Teachers Association of Texas
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McDonald Observatory is holding a series of weekend workshops from June 18 - July 29, 2009. June 18-21, 2009 “Formation of Planetary Systems” Recommended for Grades 7-12 teachers 30 SBEC credit hours The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNX07A183G issued through the Office of Space Science. June 23-25, 2009 “Explore Our Solar System” Recommended for Grades K-8 teachers Cost: $550 20 SBEC credit hours The fee for this workshop is $550. This covers lodging, meals, program fees, and instructional materials. June 28-July 2, 2009 “Chandra: Stellar Evolution from Formation to Destruction” Recommended for Grades 9-12 teachers 60+ SBEC credit hours This program is supported by funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the Chandra X-Ray Center. July 9-13, 2009 “The Age of the Milky Way” Recommended for Grades 9-12 teachers 30+ SBEC credit hours This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award# 0607480). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Additional Support for Program number HST-EO-11141.08-A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
July 20-22, 2009 “MONET: Using a Remote Telescope” Recommended to Grades 9-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours Support for HST-ED 90312.01A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555. July 23-25, 2009 “Light and Optics” Recommended to Grades 6-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNG06GC45G issued through the Office of Space Science. July 27-29, 2009 “Worlds Beyond Our Solar System” Recommended to Grades 7-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award# 0807992). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Additional support was provided by the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation Education Endowment, the Carolyn Keenan and Charlie Gaines Endowment for McDonald Observatory Education and Outreach, and the Hugh Gragg Educational Endowment. For more information and to apply: http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/profdev/
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Swift’s Super Safaris & Texas Earth Science Teachers Association presents
Exploring the Geological Wonders of Iceland
June 13-22, 2009
Iceland is an island of contrasts, a land of glaciers, erupting volcanoes and the midnight sun. Geology and its northerly latitude combine to shape Iceland’s culture. The sun shines round-the-clock in the summer months and under it Vikings created ancient seafaring history. Experience the natural contrasts during this 10-day excursion as you explore glaciers, icebergs, volcanoes and hot springs.
Land pricing: 9 participants 14 participants 21 participants $4281 $3901 $3991
Program Highlights:
Reykjavik • Soak in the geothermal seawater of the Blue Lagoon • Exp lore the ocean caves of Hellnar with unique geological formations • Visit the Marine Research Center • Taste Icelandic Shark from a local farmer Skaftafell • Explore ecology and geology of Skaftafell National Park • Enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Hekla, the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, and the immense glacier of Vatnajokull • Boat in the ice lagoon of Breiðdamerkursandur Skalholt • Explore the history and sagas of the Vikings • Learn how to ride the famous Icelandic Horse • Investigate geothermal power at the Nesjavellir power plant • Visit Gullfoss waterfall, the most famous in Iceland Snaefellsnes Peninsula • Explore the Borgarfjörður area including visits to more
waterfalls and hot springs
Air pricing: Approximately $1380.00 from DFW Approximately $1350 from Houston
For more information with terms & conditions please contact either: Charles H Swift at 806-799-7059 or chswift@suddenlink.net Kelly Jarvis at 800-375-2414 or kelly@holbrooktravel.com
AQUATIC SCIENCES ADVENTURE CAMP!!!
Presented by the Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center at Texas State University-San Marcos Teachers are needed to assist with the one or more weeks of camp Earn Continuing Professional Education units, TEEAC, and Gifted and Talented credit hours
This is a co-ed camp for students; sessions are available for ages 9-11, 11-13, 13-15. Students learn about water resources in the beautiful Central Texas Hill Country. The camp features a variety of educational and recreational activities. Educational activities include collecting aquatic organisms from ponds and streams, microscope labs, water chemistry labs (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity testing) and viewing aquatic wildlife and spring systems from a glass-bottom boat. Recreational activities include tubing, swimming, river rafting, a scuba/snorkeling lesson and a trip to Sea World.
Week-long and 2-day sessions are available for summer 2009 For information call 512-245-3541, e-mail LG16@txstate.edu or visit our website: www.eardc.txstate.edu/camp.html
……………………………………………………….Detach and mail form………………………………………………………………
Aquatic Sciences Adventure Camp 2009
Please send me a registration packet (circle student camper or teacher).
Student camper packet.
Teacher packet.
(If you are requesting a teacher registration packet, please indicate this on the form.) Name _____________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________ City________________________________State______________Zip_____ Phone ___________________________ Age _________ Sex _________ E-mail ______________________________ Please mail this form to: EARDC, 248 Freeman Bldg., Texas State University – San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666-9989 Texas State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educational institution
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DISCOVER & IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A CULTURE ENVIRONMENT OF CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of the world’s foremost research institutions with four active Nobel laureates, more than any other medical school in the world, 16 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 19 members of its Institute of Medicine. We have more than 2,500 research projects under way and are leading the way in a new era of scientific discovery in the 21st century. Objective: Each summer, the STARS Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center offers opportunities for
teachers to work one-on-one with faculty researchers on an investigative project in a laboratory setting. The purpose of this program is to provide teachers the opportunity to perform biomedical research as a way to help bring new ideas to the classroom and to rekindle their interest in science. Teachers will be matched with a faculty mentor with similar interests and will work on a laboratory research project during the course of the summer. As part of the program, participants will develop a classroom activity related to their research experience and give an oral presentation at the conclusion of the summer session.
Eligibility: The program is open to any secondary science teacher (grades 7-12) currently employed in the
state of Texas. Participants will be selected based upon classroom performance, enthusiasm, and a willingness to develop and incorporate new ideas into the science curriculum. Applicants with 3-5 years teaching experience and little to no previous research experience are particularly urged to apply. Each applicant will be required to submit an application detailing the expected benefits of the program and a letter of recommendation from their principal. Teachers will also be interviewed as part of the selection process.
Compensation: The eight-week program will begin on June 8th and end on July 31, 2009. This program is
a FULL TIME (M-F, 8hrs/day) commitment and will require a considerable amount of time and effort on the part of the participants, therefore, no other major activities should be planned for the duration of the program. A stipend of $4500 will be paid to each teacher, plus $250 for classroom supplies for their participation in the program. from your principal.
How to apply: Teachers must provide a completed application form, essay, and letter of recommendation
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT WWW.UTSOUTHWESTERN.EDU/STARS
Application materials must be POSTMARKED and/or received by 4p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009. If you would like to obtain an application or need additional information please visit our website at www.utsouthwestern.edu/stars or contact:
STARS Summer Research Program for Teachers UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390-9137 (214) 648-9505 Fax (214) 648-9508 STARSmail@UTSouthwestern.edu
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Elementary School Outstanding Science Teacher
Nancy Gardner, 5th Grade Teacher Elliott Elementary Frisco ISD In Ms. Gardner’s nine years of teaching, she has engaged her elementary students in science learning and exploring. The classrooms, the playground, the field behind the school are all learning environments for good science teaching in her eyes. Gardner was quoted as sying, “I truly love my job and feel very lucky to be able to teach every day. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still be in the classroom teaching science.” Ms. Gardner received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Ms. Gardner was my 4th grade science teacher at Gunstream Elementary in 2006-2007. Before having Ms. Gardner as my teacher, science was not my favorite subject. She always made our lessons fun and I looked forward to science class each day.” Cale Coor 6th Grade Student
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Middle School Outstanding Science Teacher
Kathryn Barclay, 8th Grade Teacher Dulles Middle School Fort Bend ISD For 18 years, Kathryn Barclay has engaged her middle school students in science experiences through phenomena that occur in the natural world. Students in Kathryn’s classes are taught to recognize science as a facet in their daily lives; such an approach will produce citizens who are scientifically literate. In addition to her teaching at the middle school level, Kathryn was noted for her science work with colleagues across Texas. Ms. Barclay received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Kathryn works will with all types of students. I’ve seen her inspire the teachers in her building to be creative and do their best as classroom teachers.” Kathie Poff Past President of TESTA
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High School Outstanding Science Teacher
Lisa Dalton, 9th - 12th Grade Teacher / Department Chair Sundown High School Sundown ISD With over 30 years of teaching experience, Lisa Dalton has been noted by both colleagues and administrators for her commitment to science education at the secondary level. With such a wide range of science courses that she prepares for and teaches, students in the small town of Sundown, Texas have a multitude of experiences to explore and examine as they move through their high school years. Ms. Dalton received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Lisa is, without a doubt, on of the wisest and most competent teachers I have had the honor to work with and supervise. I am continually amazed at her natural talents and abilities to inspire young people.... Lisa’s students and colleagues are blessed each day by her ethic and gentle, generous spirit.” Jack Gaskins Principal, Sundown High School
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STAT Awards
Outstanding Science Teaching Award - Elementary School Level Nancy Gardner, Frisco ISD Outstanding Science Teaching Award - Middle School Level Kathryn Barclay, Fort Bend ISD Outstanding Science Teaching Award - High School Level Lisa Dalton, Sundown ISD Recognition of Service to Science Education Award Kevin Fisher, Lewisville ISD Recognition of Service to Science Education Award Business / Industry Edwards Aquifer Authority Distinguished Leadership in Science Education Award (Administrator) Lisa Leach, Roosevelt ISD Lawrence Bufurd Regional Directors Award (Membership) Patsy Magee, Beaumont ISD Grady Parker Membership Award Barbara Tharp, Baylor College of Medicine STAT Past President’s Award Karen Hewitt, Retired Virginia Woods Award for Exceptional Contributions and Leadership in Science Education Alton Biggs, Retired STAT Honorary Life Membership Award Phyllis Kirkpatrick, The Dana Center Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching Finalists Candy Ellard, Pillow Elementary School Amanda Santana, The Rice School
Do you know someone who has made significant contributions to science education in Texas? Nominate them for a 2009 STAT Award: Click here to nominate an outstanding teacher. Click here to nominate a longstanding STAT member for the Virginia Woods award. Click here to view the nomination form for all other awards. 31
CAST-2008 EXHIBITS SET A RECORD
The 2008 CAST exhibition sold out and set a record with 262 exhibitors occupying 381 booth spaces. The previous record was 377 booths last year in Austin. Vendors generally regard CAST as the largest regional science teachers convention in the country and make exhibiting at CAST a priority. Exhibitors add significantly to the CAST experience of teachers. Their booth fees help to finance CAST and reduce the registration cost to teachers. Some sponsor CAST activities, many put on workshops, and a few even host private receptions. The CAST exhibition is a wonderful place to build relationships with vendors, pick up a few freebies, buy some cool stuff, and get exposed to exciting developments in science education. Reservations of exhibit space for CAST-2009 in Galveston are now being taken. Those interested in exhibit space should contact
An aisle scene at the CAST-2008 exhibition
The Delta Education / CPO Science Booth
Frank Butcher CAST Exhibits and Advertising Manager 237 Ilfrey Street Baytown, TX 77520 Frank.Butcher@comcast.net
Heath Scientific
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Photos
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STAT Awards Ceremony
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Out to lunch.
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Preparing for
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Opening the exhibit hall
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thank you, teachers,for making Cast 2008 a success!
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It’s not too early to start looking forward to CAST 2009 in Galveston.
The proposal site for workshops, field trips and short courses opens February 1. The deadline is May 1, so get yours started today.
For the CAST safety guidelines, go to: www.statweb.org/Minimum Safety Guidelines.pdf
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STATellite Due Dates
Due dates for publication of articles in The STATellite are: Submission Deadline
January 1 May 1 July 1 November 1
Publication Date
February 15 June 15 August 15 December 15
Text files or Microsoft Word documents are preferable, but PDF, InDesign, PageMaker, or QuarkXPress files are also acceptable. Please send pictures and text separately.
Mail or e-mail your submissions to: Jon Rodriguez, Editor The STATellite 5750 Balcones Dr., Ste 201 Austin, TX 78731 stat@bizaustin.rr.com
Changing your e-mail address? Let us know! Send us an e-mail with your name and your new e-mail address.
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STAT Award Winners CAST Pictures CAST 2009 Information
About Us
We are STAT, the Science Teachers Association of Texas. STAT is committed to the enhancement of the teaching of science in Texas at all levels and in all science disciplines. For STAT Position Statements, go to: http://www.statweb.org/news/position.php STAT is: o A statewide organization of elementary, middle level, and high school teachers, college educators, supervisors of science, and others dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of science and education in our schools. o A chapter of the National Science Teachers Association o Visit the NSTA site o View the NSTA online calendar STAT seeks to: o Serve as a unified voice for the science teachers of the state. o Keep science teachers and other members informed about current trends in science education. o Provide opportunities for members to examine techonology, curriculum, materials, and services. o Inform members of local, state and national meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops related to sciences. o Cooperate with other science oriented organizations and teacher associations in the promotion of teaching of science. History: STAT, Science Teachers Association of Texas, was formally organized in 1957 during the 4th Annual Conference for the Advancement of Science & Mathematics Teaching (CASMT). STAT membership is more than 6,000 strong!
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Contacts
President’s Message ....................................8 Calendar ........................................................9 Affiliate News ............................................10 Regional Ramblings .................................14 Continuing Education ..............................19 CAST Award Winners ............................................28 Photo Gallery...............................................33 CAST 2009 ...................................................40
Elected Officers ..............................................4 Appointed Positions ......................................4 Affiliate Congress ..........................................5 Regional Directors .........................................6 Texas State Board of Education ......................7
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A Message from President Baldwin
This has been an exciting year for STAT members and for science education in Texas. From the state level to the students in my biology class, new discoveries, controversies, and challenges have been confronted and addressed. We had a great CAST in Ft. Worth and we are planning another great event in Galveston. The State Board of Education is overseeing the revisions of the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. While we are concerned that ideology does not interfere with educational excellence, STAT will continue to monitor to make sure that politics doesn’t interfere with the development of quality standards. Our Executive Director, Chuck Hempstead and his incredible staff have been working around the clock on getting our new on-line newsletter up and running and making sure the science teachers of Texas are informed through our STAT blasts to name a few tasks. Along with the big issues, a group of my students has been sorting out the bones of 14 million year old merycodus remains, while another group has been exploring the increase in the number of species and the number of rare tropical butterflies that have been appearing in South Texas, and another group of students has been studying the bite marks on a number of Cretaceous mosasaur bones trying to deduce what happened 70 million years ago. All of these issues are important, but as I reflect back, it is what happens to one-hundred-forty 9th graders in my biology class that really gets me excited.
(cont’d. on pg 15) 8
April 2009
Officer Elections Close April 1, 2009 Texas Science Olympiad April 24 -25, 2009 College Station, TX
May 2009 January 2009
TASA Mid-Winter Conference January 26 - 28, 2009 Austin, TX TSELA Meeting January 30, 2009 Austin, TX Board Meeting May 8-9, 2009 McKinney Roughs, TX
June 2009
STARS Program June 8 - July 31, 2009 Dallas, TX TESTA Iceland Trip June 13 - 22, 2009 Iceland
February 2009
Board Meeting February 20-22, 2009 Austin, TX Region 4 Science Conference February 21, 2009 Houston, TX Region 7/8 Mini-CAST February 28, 2009 Kilgore, TX
October 2009
Rio Grande Valley Science Association Conference October 9 - 10, 2009 Mercedes, TX NSTA Area Conference October 29-31, 2009 Minneapolis, MN
March 2009
Region 5 Mini-CAST March 7, 2009 Beaumont, TX NSTA National Conference March 19 - 22, 2009 New Orleans, LA Texas Science and Engineering Meeting March 28 - 31, 2009 Austin, TX TMEA Meeting March 28 - 29, 2009 San Angelo, TX
November 2009
CAST 2009 November 5-7, 2009 Galveston, TX NSTA Area Conference November 12-14, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, FL
For a more extensive calendar, go to: www.statweb.org/calendar.php
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Texas Earth Science Teachers Association TESTA
by Diann Valentine Once again, TESTA has had an outstanding CAST 2008 in Fort Worth, TX! Let me begin with our booth activities. On Thursday, Dr. Louis Jacobs, world-renowned paleontologist, showed a video from the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, SVP, which celebrates the extraordinary world of vertebrate paleontology and provides a unique glimpse into the diversity of its scientists and pursuits. Dr. Jacobs served as one of its scientific consultants. During this time, he also graciously autographed copies of his book, Lonestar Dinosaurs. Thank you Dr. Jacobs for spending your time visiting with our Texas teachers! Friday and Saturday featured Charles Swift, showing slides of Iceland as he shared information about the TESTA sponsored field trip to “Iceland Fire and Ice”. See our ad in this STATellite as well as below for more information about this wonderful adventure. Thanks to Lale Bilir, Lisa Stone, Kathie Poff and Dr. Linda Knight for manning our busy booth! TESTA presented a strand of short courses and workshops thanks to our talented members. Beginning on Thursday morning, Kathryn Barclay presented her requested performance from last year with “Increasing Student Achievement Using Interactive Student Notebooks”. Teachers learned how to design teaching units that build and connect broad understanding of concepts while placing greater learning expectations on the students. Back by popular demand, Vernon Dye presented “Bringing Students Into the Fold” where teachers received instructions for and practiced folding origami models to reinforce some TEKS before the TAKS. Friday morning began with an outstanding 9-hour field trip “Ocean Dallas” led by Dr. Louis Jacobs. Teachers studied the characteristic features and fossils found in rocks and the order of rock layers to uncover the geologic history of the DFW area. Besides collecting fossils, participants received an autographed copy of Lonestar Dinosaurs. Alexia Bieniek and Dr. Debra Mullinax presented a three-hour short course titled “Playing in the Mud and the Teks” This session was designed to teach the processes and products of weathering, erosion and deposition. All activities utilized inquiry and teachers practiced converting “cookbook” activities into inquiry. Everyone had a good time with the hands on labs and finished looking very clean after playing with the mud! TESTA member Youlanda Marshall presented her first workshop “Rock Cycle and Plate Tectonics You Can Eat” to a full house of 140 teachers. Hands-on activities allowed teachers to create edible models of the rock cycle and mountain building/uplift. Of course everyone enjoyed eating their “models” and overheard in the crowd was what a fabulous job she did. Concluding our Friday sessions was the TESTA Rock/Mineral/Fossil Raffle. A full house purchased raffle tickets of over 100 specimens in our $0.25 and $1 tables that were offered for teachers to win. Co-chairs Charles Swift and Vernon Dye filled the room with knowledge about every specimen collected. Diann Valentine, Donna Novak Wolfe, Kathie Poff, Alexia Bieniek, and new members Scott Henry and Tom Killen rounded out all the work it takes to put on this awesome event. Good job everyone!!! If you missed the raffle this year, please make plans to attend during our Galveston CAST.
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TESTA (cont’d.)
On Saturday, we started the day with two short courses. Lisa Stone presented “It’s A Cycle Thing” which included hands on, classroom tested activities for teaching seasons, moon phases, eclipses and tides. Dr. Jill Bailer, last year CAST Teacher of the Year, presented “To Every Time There is a Season”. This short course focused on student misconceptions concerning earth-moon system. Teachers then explored several activities designed to overcome those misconceptions. Finally teachers built a model of the earth-moonsun system that could be reproduced in their classroom. The TESTA Share-A-Thon began at 9 AM. Many CAST attendees came by and collected various activities, labs and demonstrations that they could use in their classroom. I would like to thank Kathryn Barclay, Alexia Bieniek, Jennie Day, Jan Grout, Molly Nipper, and Katie Wagner who joined me in presenting at the session. CAST share-a-thons should not be missed since it is like attending 8 to 10 sessions in one! You do not need to bring anything to share (we take care of that), but just come, browse the offerings, collect what you like and need and then leave when you are ready. This is also a good way to start presenting items that you have developed for your classroom without doing a full session. If you are interested in being a presenter at the Galveston Share-A-Thon, please feel free to contact me since we are always looking for new involvement by our members! Also on Saturday, we closed CAST 2008 with our annual TESTA luncheon. During the luncheon we visited with old friends and welcomed new ones. Our guest speaker was Charles Finsley, Curator Emeritus, Dallas Museum of Natural History, presented a wonderful journey through his life as a geologist who loved working in and with museums. Thank you for sharing your many discoveries with us! TESTA honored and recognized the members who made the many presentations during CAST. Dr. Alison Hennings from Rice University was recognized with our Friends of TESTA award. Our Teacher of the Year, Ms.Youlanda Marshall from Long Middle School, Houston ISD, was honored and recognized for her outstanding work with students and the TESTA organization. We are certainly proud of our past president, Kathryn Barclay, for being chosen Science Teacher of the Year by CAST. Congratulations!!! During this luncheon we had a surprise visit from Chris Comer, former TEA science director. Currently, Chris is Senior Project Leader at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning, Cambridge, MA. She presented to us an exciting opportunity for a private-public partnership that could advance Earth science education substantially. TESTA has been asked to serve as an advisory council to provide quality curricula for Earth science in Texas. This curriculum will also serve as a template to the Earth science community in the country. Our TESTA members voiced a willingness to be part of this endeavor. More information can be found in the Proposal to the Noyce Foundation for Earth and Space Science Course Development Phase I at www.terc.edu Also at this time, Charles Swift presented information on a TESTA sponsored field trip “Exploring the Geological Wonders of Iceland” June 13-22, 2009. The primary emphasis over the 10 days is earth science, cultural awareness and natural history. Educational connections are geology with plate boundaries/rift valley, volcanoes, hot springs, ocean caves, waterfalls, glaciers and icebergs, geothermal power, biodiversity, marine ecology, conservation Icelandic history as well as Viking sagas and ruins. See our ad in this STATellite. For more information contact chswift@suddenlink.net or Kelly@holbrooktravel.com. Deadline is quickly approaching!
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TESTA (cont’d.)
Current science director, Dr. Kenn Heydrick joined us for coffee. He updated us on the new revisions of the science TEKS. He urged all to review these and in particular the capstone Earth and Space Science course. He asked us to give feedback on the online response link at TEA. Emphasis was placed on letting the newly elected SBOE members know how important for the State of Texas to move into the 21st century with current scientific information being used. Our students should use geologic time records, fossils and critical thinking to enable our students to excel in the world. In closing, TESTA would like to say thanks to those that contributed to our rock raffle and door prizes for our luncheon. Please consider patronizing the following: the Dallas and Houston Gem and Mineral Associations, AmberWay Jewelry, Bitterroot Rocks and Fossils, Fantastic Stones and Accessories, Stone Crystals, Earth Works, The Rare Earth Trading Company, Blue Caribe Jems, H&P Minerals and Gems, Crystal Monster, Lone Star Meteorites, Gilligan’s Isle Brazil Treasures, The Geode Gallery, Carved Opal and Obsidian, San Juan Gems, Geoblox, Lonestar Learning, Dynanotes, Geoblox, McDonald Observatory, US Forestry Service, Wards, and all of our members and supporters for their generous donations to our organization. TESTA urges everyone to begin making plans to attend the 52nd Anniversary CAST to be held in Galveston at Moody Gardens! Additionally, if you did not attend CAST this year or did not renew your TESTA dues, please do so today so we can continue to offer earth science services and programs. If you need to contact me, Diann Valentine - TESTA President, please email me at dvalenti@houstonisd.org.
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Texas Marine Education Association TMEA
by Nathan Veatch JOIN US IN SAN ANGELO MARCH 28, & 29, 2009 for “A river runs through it,” The Colorado River and its tributaries Join The Texas Marine Educators Association in San Angelo for the first part of a multi-part workshop to study the movement of water through the Colorado River watershed system from its headwaters down to where it empties into Matagorda Bay. This workshop is designed to help teachers of all disciplines gain a better understanding of how we impact the world of water in many ways. The first stop of this tour will develop an understanding of the ecology, history, usage, and problems of water in West Texas. The tour group, with the help of the UCRA, will explore the Concho River, a tributary of the Colorado River, and Lake Nasworthy. We hope to see you there! MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER CAST. To register for this workshop, check our website: http://statweb.org/TMEA/ TMEA was busy at CAST- Fort Worth November 6-8th. TMEA President, Mark Stamp led another great marine geology fieldtrip and a full complement of workshops was presented in the TMEA Strand by Greg McDonald, Gina Diseldorf, Marolyn Smith, Rick Tinnin, and John Williams. Many “old salts” manned the TMEA Affiliates booth in the exhibit hall. At the annual business meeting and luncheon, Trish Lowe assumed the office of President, Marolyn Smith was elected as President-elect, and Luz Tellez was re-elected as Treasurer. Mark Stamp was thanked for his contributions during the past two years. “Exploring the Coastal Wetlands of Texas”- September 26-28, 2008 in Rockport and Port Aransas: Jay Tarkington, Director of the Aquatic Education Program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Center for Coastal Studies took twenty participants on a cruise of Aransas Bay aboard the 36 foot Ed Rachal R/V Wetland Explorer. While visiting a nature preserve and his newly completed stilt-house on the Intracoastal Waterway, Jay explained the changing ecology of the mid coast and the history of the area. The day ended with a social and shrimp boil on the motel grounds, thanks to past TMEA president, John Williams. On Sunday, workshop participants toured the newly completed Wetland Education Center at UTMSI. TMEA urges all STAT members to look at the first draft of the proposed Science TEKS posted at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/scienceTEKS.html and submit their comments.
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Region 1
by Robert Soper Region 1 Director The Rio Grande Valley Science Association (RGV SA) will host its Annual Conference next year on October 9-10, 2009, at the South Texas ISD in Mercedes. The featured speaker will address students and then the community at large, free of charge, on Friday the 9th. The Conference begins Saturday the 10th and will feature workshops, exhibitors, CPE, and updates about CAST and TEA. Please note the dates. The RGV SA is also planning a summer camp for minority girls in elementary school for two weeks this summer in June. It is planned to consist of one week of hands on activities in the classroom and one week of field trips. Ideas for field trips and sponsorships are invited. Likewise, suggestions for a speaker for the Conference in next October are being solicited. The speaker should be nationally and or internationally known and able to speak to a variety of audiences: students, community, and teachers of all grade levels. This past October the RGV SA hosted its Annual Conference in conjunction with the South Texas ISD and had in attendance well over 400 teachers,, 50 exhibitors, and 50 workshops. Robert Soper 300 Hollywood Dr. Edinburg, Texas 78539-6118 956-381-0690
Region 5
by Patsy Magee STAT President-Elect Each year, more than 300 science teachers from throughout Region 5 in Texas participate in Mini-CAST (Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching), which provides a variety of workshops to improve one’s ability to teach science to students of ALL ages. This year’s Mini-CAST will be held from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, March 7. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers of all grade levels to sharpen their science teaching skills.
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Global warming is a reality and man’s contribution to this event has been well established by studies such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). More information on the research base for global warming can be found at: http://www.whrc.org/resources/online_publications/warming_earth/index.htm. What is not totally understood or confirmed, among other things is the rate and short- and long-term consequences of this phenomenon. Two or three of my ninth grade students from Hanna High School are studying public data from North American Butterfly Association and the Rio Grande Valley Butterfly Festival and their own observations to analyze if there are any trends in the number of species and the number of sightings of rare tropical butterflies Zebra Heliconian, (Heliconius charithonia) in the Rio Grande Valley. Although inconclusive Photographed by Mike Baldwin11/26/2008 at this time, it does appear that there is a marked increase in the number and types of tropical butterflies observed. This increase could be attributed to several factors besides global warming (climate change) including: habitat changes (urbanization), short-term weather changes (recent lack of hard freezes), and increased interest in butterfly watching, as well as other factors. Never-the-less, the student research shows how biological studies can provide interesting points of discussion for scientists and the public. Another pair of students has been studying a set of 14 million year old bones that were found near a stock pond in Nebraska. These bones appear to belong primarily to Merycodus, an antelope-like animal the size of a small dog. Since the large amount of bones and bone fragments found at the fossil site appear scattered, mixed, and from several different animals, the students hypothesized that the animals died in some sort of natural disaster, probably a flood. The students were able to partially reconstruct a skel14 mil. yr. old Merycodus bones eton by combining the bones of several individuals. (A phoPhotographed by Mike Baldwin11/30/2008 tograph of the skeleton is included.) Scientific debate on these animals continues. Scientists are not debating if these animals evolved, but rather to which species are these animals most closely related. Possibly, this descriptive project will contribute some evidence to solve this mystery. 15
The students who completed this project were not so much focused on the evolutionary links, but were rather studying the anatomy of the animal to reconstruct the skeleton and see what they could learn about the animal’s habitat and how it interacted. A third group of students have been studying teeth marks and other signs of predation on loose vertebrae found at another fossil location in northeastern Nebraska to see what sorts of inferences can be made from clues derived from these fossils. Although only fragments of a much larger skeleton, these isolated vertebrae help tell a story of what life was like in the inland ocean around 70 million years ago. The students have some vertebrae that appear w/ tooth marks to have been digested and others that show distinct teeth marks Mosasaur vertebrae Mike Baldwin Photographed by 11/30/2008 of large predators. Since mosasaurs themselves were ferocious predators, it is interesting to note that there were other animals or perhaps individuals of their own species that could and would devour them when given an opportunity. Besides these individual and group projects, students have been learning about biochemistry, cells, and cell functions. Students have learned about how insulin keys important protein transporter proteins to move these proteins to the cell membrane so that glucose can diffuse into cells. Students are learning about cell cycles and cell processes that were not even discovered when I was in high school or college. The amount of information available to students and needed to be scientifically literate is perhaps beyond the scope of most curricula and impossible to teach in the timeframe that teachers are given in our present system. Considering this information overload and the need for citizens to be able to make sound decisions about technological, environmental, and science-related issues, it is especially important that we have a well thought out science curriculum that focuses on the essentials and includes skills and knowledge needed for today’s world. STAT is playing an active role in assuring that the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science is of the quality needed for the 21st century. First, we were proactive in reviewing the science standards and providing a set of recommendations before the official process was initiated by TEA (see the TEKS recommendations posted on our website). In the last year, we have been diligent in providing information and support to the State Board of Education regarding the issue of evolution and the misleading “strengths and weaknesses” language. If we truly wish our students to be critical thinkers we need to make sure that the TEKS are clear and support current 16
understanding of science and the way that science works. The “strengths and weaknesses” language as stated in the original TEKS was vague and misleading as to how scientific theories are developed and refined. Also, some groups of individuals with distinct religious views would have used this language to insert their religious beliefs into our public schools which could have detrimental effects on not only what students learn in school, but on the quality of textbooks, and on the content of our Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. The Conference for the Advancement of Science continues to be the major event and focus for STAT. This year our conference in Ft. Worth must rate as one of the best. We had 5,000 teachers from all over the state of Texas and close to 400 exhibiters and numerous workshops, field trips, short courses and special presentations. We were able to streamline registration with many participants picking up their bag and program right at their hotel. The biggest concern this year was the number of no-shows for workshops. This problem occurred for numerous reasons, but we hope to minimize this issue for the next conference. Please be aware that if you submit a proposal and fail to do a workshop, this could jeopardize your chances to present at future CAST conventions. Even with the no-shows, we still had over 800 different presentations from experts and teachers from all over Texas and the United States. Next year our conference moves to the beautiful Galveston Island. Some STAT members have expressed concerns about Galveston after the damage from hurricane Ike. The Galveston Island conference infrastructure is fully functional including the hotels and restaurants. Although Galveston Island and the people who live there have suffered tragically, it would not be in the best interests of STAT or the people of Galveston to move the conference. Galveston Island depends on tourism and conferences such as ours. Also, the expense and logistics of cancelling contracts and moving the conference would be devastating financially for STAT. Galveston is still our best option and also probably the most interesting and educational site for our members. Galveston Island has many locations of interest to science teachers and the Moody Gardens as a science education center is phenomenal. Our membership will enjoy visiting the Moody Gardens pyramid rainforest, aquarium, and museum, as well as the IMAX theatre and other Galveston education sites. Even so, after a year, the teachers and students of Galveston will be feeling the effects of the storm. The school district has suffered tremendous damage and many people have lost most of their possessions. STAT would like to take the opportunity of 17
CAST to do something special for the community. At this time we are looking at ways of combining our conference, our resources, and our conference and exhibit partners to provide educational resources for the communities affected by Hurricane Ike. We are planning on using our presence in Galveston to make a positive impact on the schools in the area. As with all our CAST conferences, the event is primarily organized and delivered by volunteers from the local area. This year’s committee is still dedicated and working hard even considering the ordeal that they have had to endure. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Along with our efforts to provide the best science conference in the U.S., we are upgrading our newsletter. This edition will be our first electronic newsletter. The electronic newsletter will save thousands of pounds of paper and resources. Although electronic newsletters have advantages and disadvantages, the savings in natural resources is substantial. We at STAT are trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible and an electronic newsletter will be more economical as well as environmentally friendly. We also should be able to improve our timeliness and meet our deadlines better with an electronic format. We hope you like the new look. As science educators we continue to be concerned with big issues such as the quality and accuracy of our science standards, and we continue to look for ways to grow professionally and look for opportunities for professional dialogue and networking provided by CAST. We look to the STATellite to keep informed of events and science information. Most of all we are proud of the accomplishments of our students and perhaps our greatest reward comes when our own students become teachers themselves. I hope that you are as proud as I to be a science teacher and a member of the Science Teachers Association of Texas. Please let me know how we at the STAT offices can better serve you. Mike Baldwin, President Science Teachers Association of Texas
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McDonald Observatory is holding a series of weekend workshops from June 18 - July 29, 2009. June 18-21, 2009 “Formation of Planetary Systems” Recommended for Grades 7-12 teachers 30 SBEC credit hours The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNX07A183G issued through the Office of Space Science. June 23-25, 2009 “Explore Our Solar System” Recommended for Grades K-8 teachers Cost: $550 20 SBEC credit hours The fee for this workshop is $550. This covers lodging, meals, program fees, and instructional materials. June 28-July 2, 2009 “Chandra: Stellar Evolution from Formation to Destruction” Recommended for Grades 9-12 teachers 60+ SBEC credit hours This program is supported by funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the Chandra X-Ray Center. July 9-13, 2009 “The Age of the Milky Way” Recommended for Grades 9-12 teachers 30+ SBEC credit hours This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award# 0607480). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Additional Support for Program number HST-EO-11141.08-A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555.
July 20-22, 2009 “MONET: Using a Remote Telescope” Recommended to Grades 9-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours Support for HST-ED 90312.01A was provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555. July 23-25, 2009 “Light and Optics” Recommended to Grades 6-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides support for this project under an Education and Public Outreach supplement to Grant/Contract/Agreement NNG06GC45G issued through the Office of Space Science. July 27-29, 2009 “Worlds Beyond Our Solar System” Recommended to Grades 7-12 teachers 20 SBEC credit hours This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award# 0807992). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF. Additional support was provided by the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation Education Endowment, the Carolyn Keenan and Charlie Gaines Endowment for McDonald Observatory Education and Outreach, and the Hugh Gragg Educational Endowment. For more information and to apply: http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/profdev/
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Swift’s Super Safaris & Texas Earth Science Teachers Association presents
Exploring the Geological Wonders of Iceland
June 13-22, 2009
Iceland is an island of contrasts, a land of glaciers, erupting volcanoes and the midnight sun. Geology and its northerly latitude combine to shape Iceland’s culture. The sun shines round-the-clock in the summer months and under it Vikings created ancient seafaring history. Experience the natural contrasts during this 10-day excursion as you explore glaciers, icebergs, volcanoes and hot springs.
Land pricing: 9 participants 14 participants 21 participants $4281 $3901 $3991
Program Highlights:
Reykjavik • Soak in the geothermal seawater of the Blue Lagoon • Exp lore the ocean caves of Hellnar with unique geological formations • Visit the Marine Research Center • Taste Icelandic Shark from a local farmer Skaftafell • Explore ecology and geology of Skaftafell National Park • Enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Hekla, the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, and the immense glacier of Vatnajokull • Boat in the ice lagoon of Breiðdamerkursandur Skalholt • Explore the history and sagas of the Vikings • Learn how to ride the famous Icelandic Horse • Investigate geothermal power at the Nesjavellir power plant • Visit Gullfoss waterfall, the most famous in Iceland Snaefellsnes Peninsula • Explore the Borgarfjörður area including visits to more
waterfalls and hot springs
Air pricing: Approximately $1380.00 from DFW Approximately $1350 from Houston
For more information with terms & conditions please contact either: Charles H Swift at 806-799-7059 or chswift@suddenlink.net Kelly Jarvis at 800-375-2414 or kelly@holbrooktravel.com
AQUATIC SCIENCES ADVENTURE CAMP!!!
Presented by the Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center at Texas State University-San Marcos Teachers are needed to assist with the one or more weeks of camp Earn Continuing Professional Education units, TEEAC, and Gifted and Talented credit hours
This is a co-ed camp for students; sessions are available for ages 9-11, 11-13, 13-15. Students learn about water resources in the beautiful Central Texas Hill Country. The camp features a variety of educational and recreational activities. Educational activities include collecting aquatic organisms from ponds and streams, microscope labs, water chemistry labs (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity testing) and viewing aquatic wildlife and spring systems from a glass-bottom boat. Recreational activities include tubing, swimming, river rafting, a scuba/snorkeling lesson and a trip to Sea World.
Week-long and 2-day sessions are available for summer 2009 For information call 512-245-3541, e-mail LG16@txstate.edu or visit our website: www.eardc.txstate.edu/camp.html
……………………………………………………….Detach and mail form………………………………………………………………
Aquatic Sciences Adventure Camp 2009
Please send me a registration packet (circle student camper or teacher).
Student camper packet.
Teacher packet.
(If you are requesting a teacher registration packet, please indicate this on the form.) Name _____________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________ City________________________________State______________Zip_____ Phone ___________________________ Age _________ Sex _________ E-mail ______________________________ Please mail this form to: EARDC, 248 Freeman Bldg., Texas State University – San Marcos, San Marcos, TX 78666-9989 Texas State is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educational institution
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DISCOVER & IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A CULTURE ENVIRONMENT OF CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of the world’s foremost research institutions with four active Nobel laureates, more than any other medical school in the world, 16 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 19 members of its Institute of Medicine. We have more than 2,500 research projects under way and are leading the way in a new era of scientific discovery in the 21st century. Objective: Each summer, the STARS Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center offers opportunities for
teachers to work one-on-one with faculty researchers on an investigative project in a laboratory setting. The purpose of this program is to provide teachers the opportunity to perform biomedical research as a way to help bring new ideas to the classroom and to rekindle their interest in science. Teachers will be matched with a faculty mentor with similar interests and will work on a laboratory research project during the course of the summer. As part of the program, participants will develop a classroom activity related to their research experience and give an oral presentation at the conclusion of the summer session.
Eligibility: The program is open to any secondary science teacher (grades 7-12) currently employed in the
state of Texas. Participants will be selected based upon classroom performance, enthusiasm, and a willingness to develop and incorporate new ideas into the science curriculum. Applicants with 3-5 years teaching experience and little to no previous research experience are particularly urged to apply. Each applicant will be required to submit an application detailing the expected benefits of the program and a letter of recommendation from their principal. Teachers will also be interviewed as part of the selection process.
Compensation: The eight-week program will begin on June 8th and end on July 31, 2009. This program is
a FULL TIME (M-F, 8hrs/day) commitment and will require a considerable amount of time and effort on the part of the participants, therefore, no other major activities should be planned for the duration of the program. A stipend of $4500 will be paid to each teacher, plus $250 for classroom supplies for their participation in the program. from your principal.
How to apply: Teachers must provide a completed application form, essay, and letter of recommendation
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT WWW.UTSOUTHWESTERN.EDU/STARS
Application materials must be POSTMARKED and/or received by 4p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009. If you would like to obtain an application or need additional information please visit our website at www.utsouthwestern.edu/stars or contact:
STARS Summer Research Program for Teachers UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390-9137 (214) 648-9505 Fax (214) 648-9508 STARSmail@UTSouthwestern.edu
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Elementary School Outstanding Science Teacher
Nancy Gardner, 5th Grade Teacher Elliott Elementary Frisco ISD In Ms. Gardner’s nine years of teaching, she has engaged her elementary students in science learning and exploring. The classrooms, the playground, the field behind the school are all learning environments for good science teaching in her eyes. Gardner was quoted as sying, “I truly love my job and feel very lucky to be able to teach every day. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still be in the classroom teaching science.” Ms. Gardner received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Ms. Gardner was my 4th grade science teacher at Gunstream Elementary in 2006-2007. Before having Ms. Gardner as my teacher, science was not my favorite subject. She always made our lessons fun and I looked forward to science class each day.” Cale Coor 6th Grade Student
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Middle School Outstanding Science Teacher
Kathryn Barclay, 8th Grade Teacher Dulles Middle School Fort Bend ISD For 18 years, Kathryn Barclay has engaged her middle school students in science experiences through phenomena that occur in the natural world. Students in Kathryn’s classes are taught to recognize science as a facet in their daily lives; such an approach will produce citizens who are scientifically literate. In addition to her teaching at the middle school level, Kathryn was noted for her science work with colleagues across Texas. Ms. Barclay received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Kathryn works will with all types of students. I’ve seen her inspire the teachers in her building to be creative and do their best as classroom teachers.” Kathie Poff Past President of TESTA
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High School Outstanding Science Teacher
Lisa Dalton, 9th - 12th Grade Teacher / Department Chair Sundown High School Sundown ISD With over 30 years of teaching experience, Lisa Dalton has been noted by both colleagues and administrators for her commitment to science education at the secondary level. With such a wide range of science courses that she prepares for and teaches, students in the small town of Sundown, Texas have a multitude of experiences to explore and examine as they move through their high school years. Ms. Dalton received $5000 and a plaque in her honor. “Lisa is, without a doubt, on of the wisest and most competent teachers I have had the honor to work with and supervise. I am continually amazed at her natural talents and abilities to inspire young people.... Lisa’s students and colleagues are blessed each day by her ethic and gentle, generous spirit.” Jack Gaskins Principal, Sundown High School
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STAT Awards
Outstanding Science Teaching Award - Elementary School Level Nancy Gardner, Frisco ISD Outstanding Science Teaching Award - Middle School Level Kathryn Barclay, Fort Bend ISD Outstanding Science Teaching Award - High School Level Lisa Dalton, Sundown ISD Recognition of Service to Science Education Award Kevin Fisher, Lewisville ISD Recognition of Service to Science Education Award Business / Industry Edwards Aquifer Authority Distinguished Leadership in Science Education Award (Administrator) Lisa Leach, Roosevelt ISD Lawrence Bufurd Regional Directors Award (Membership) Patsy Magee, Beaumont ISD Grady Parker Membership Award Barbara Tharp, Baylor College of Medicine STAT Past President’s Award Karen Hewitt, Retired Virginia Woods Award for Exceptional Contributions and Leadership in Science Education Alton Biggs, Retired STAT Honorary Life Membership Award Phyllis Kirkpatrick, The Dana Center Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching Finalists Candy Ellard, Pillow Elementary School Amanda Santana, The Rice School
Do you know someone who has made significant contributions to science education in Texas? Nominate them for a 2009 STAT Award: Click here to nominate an outstanding teacher. Click here to nominate a longstanding STAT member for the Virginia Woods award. Click here to view the nomination form for all other awards. 31
CAST-2008 EXHIBITS SET A RECORD
The 2008 CAST exhibition sold out and set a record with 262 exhibitors occupying 381 booth spaces. The previous record was 377 booths last year in Austin. Vendors generally regard CAST as the largest regional science teachers convention in the country and make exhibiting at CAST a priority. Exhibitors add significantly to the CAST experience of teachers. Their booth fees help to finance CAST and reduce the registration cost to teachers. Some sponsor CAST activities, many put on workshops, and a few even host private receptions. The CAST exhibition is a wonderful place to build relationships with vendors, pick up a few freebies, buy some cool stuff, and get exposed to exciting developments in science education. Reservations of exhibit space for CAST-2009 in Galveston are now being taken. Those interested in exhibit space should contact
An aisle scene at the CAST-2008 exhibition
The Delta Education / CPO Science Booth
Frank Butcher CAST Exhibits and Advertising Manager 237 Ilfrey Street Baytown, TX 77520 Frank.Butcher@comcast.net
Heath Scientific
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Photos
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Photos
STAT Awards Ceremony
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Out to lunch.
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Preparing for
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Photos
Opening the exhibit hall
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thank you, teachers,for making Cast 2008 a success!
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It’s not too early to start looking forward to CAST 2009 in Galveston.
The proposal site for workshops, field trips and short courses opens February 1. The deadline is May 1, so get yours started today.
For the CAST safety guidelines, go to: www.statweb.org/Minimum Safety Guidelines.pdf
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STATellite Due Dates
Due dates for publication of articles in The STATellite are: Submission Deadline
January 1 May 1 July 1 November 1
Publication Date
February 15 June 15 August 15 December 15
Text files or Microsoft Word documents are preferable, but PDF, InDesign, PageMaker, or QuarkXPress files are also acceptable. Please send pictures and text separately.
Mail or e-mail your submissions to: Jon Rodriguez, Editor The STATellite 5750 Balcones Dr., Ste 201 Austin, TX 78731 stat@bizaustin.rr.com
Changing your e-mail address? Let us know! Send us an e-mail with your name and your new e-mail address.
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This document is © 2008 by STAT - all rights reserved.
