CANCELLED!
- Designed for science teachers; new teachers are especially welcome
- Five Saturdays each term; 8:30-1 at UMass Amherst, Lederle Grad Towers 1033 (except as noted)
- Educational materials, refreshments, parking, PDP's included
- Advance registration is required; capacity is limited
- Cost $30 per session, $120 for all five sessions
- 4 PDP's per half day session; option for 3 grad credits at reduced cost with extra work
Register: https://www.umassk12.net/sess/register.html
Sept. 6. Using Birds to Teach Biology. Bruce Byers, Biology. Observations of organisms in their natural environments can spark a life-long interest in biology. Charismatic organisms are especially well suited to this role. For example, birds are conspicuous inhabitants of urban, suburban, and rural environments, and are intrinsically appealing to almost everyone. They are easily observed at feeders and elsewhere, and engage in a variety of fascinating behaviors. In this workshop, we will share ideas for inquiry-based activities and exercises, centered around observations of birds, that address key elements of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for science, especially those Frameworks related to ecology and evolutionary biology.
Oct. 4. Illuminating Life: What's New and Noteworthy in Luminescence Spectroscopy and Imaging? Pat O'Hara, Chemistry, Amherst College. Many of today's advances in biotechnology and medical imaging have been made possible through clever coupling of mature ideas from physical chemistry and new advances in molecular biology. Over 100 years ago, physicists such as Stokes and Rayleigh provided a framework for understanding such phenomena as the fluorescence of light from excited molecules and the scattering of light from large particles in solution. Today these ideas and others have been co-opted by incredibly clever molecular biologists who have put them to work for in vivo tumor imaging, or to understand disease morphology in Tay-Sachs or Alzheimer's disease. This workshop will explore several of these technological breakthroughs and use them as a vehicle for exploring the foundational physical and chemical ideas that make them possible.
Nov. 1. Traffic Engineering and the Everyday World. Mike Knodler, Civil and Environmental Engineering. This workshop introduces students to basic traffic engineering principles with emphasis on the safe and efficient operation of intersections. More importantly, the sociological impacts of transportation on everyday life will be explored in detail. Over 40,000 people are killed each year on United States roadways, many at intersections. In addition, increasing traffic volumes has led to congestion requiring improved vehicle movement efficiency at intersections. Topics to be covered include: vehicle, operator, and roadway characteristics; traffic control; roadway capacity; geometric design objectives and plan formulation; demand forecasting; and economic, social, and environmental evaluation. The workshop features several hands-on activities that can be adapted for all grade levels.
Nov. 15 Weather cancellation makeup date.
Dec. 6. Recall for those registered for graduate credit. Hasbrouck Lab.
Graduate credit option: There is a charge of $300 for 3 Continuing Education credits plus a $45 registration fee. This is in addition to the $120 STEM Education Institute fee. Teachers may obtain credit for the seminar as many terms as they wish, but only 3 credits may be applied to UMass Amherst degrees. A lesson plan and a book report will be required for those enrolled for graduate credit. Register with Continuing Education or the UMass Graduate School for NatSciM 697A: Contemporary Science and Engineering, or Educ 615Y (Sci/Engin Seminars).
Questions: Mort Sternheim, mort@umassk12.net, 413-545-1908, www.umassk12.net/sess
Online seminar registration and payment: www.umassk12.net/sess/register.html Required for everyone whether or not they are registering for graduate credit.