PTSOS – Page 13

Teachers In Space Workshop / California 2009

Dear Educator,

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to be part of history and shape the future of education! Join us for the Teachers In Space luncheon and workshop / California 2009!

Teachers In Space . . . then back to class

The Space Frontier Foundation and Teachers In Space invite you to join us at NASA Ames Research Center as we make history! Fifty years after the Mercury Seven, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, we are rebooting the American space program. This July 20th we will introduce the next generation of space explorers who will boldly go where no astronaut has gone before . . . back into the classroom!

Teachers In Space wants to put a thousand astronaut teachers into American classrooms within the next decade. Teachers In Space will provide these educator astronauts with professional development classes in STEM academics, followed by a sub-orbital flight. These Pathfinders will be the first astronaut teachers to fly in space and then return to the classroom to inspire the next generation.

Currently, Teachers In Space is working with educators across the country to design the ideal professional development component for this cutting edge program. Over 100 educators have participated in workshops conducted in Massachusetts, Texas and Arizona. Teacher-generated ideas compiled from these sessions will fuel this program for success in schools across America and we want the input of enthusiastic, experienced Californiateachers added to the tank.

If you appreciate the value of space education and have a passion to motivate and encourage students in pursuing STEM academics please join Teachers In Space on this incredible adventure. Help write a new chapter in American history!

Teachers In Space Workshop / California 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009
NewSpace 2009 Conference / http://newspace2009.spacefrontier.org
NASA Ames Research Center / Mountain View, California
11:00 AM / Pathfinders Introduction Ceremony
12:00 PM / luncheon / catered by Maverick’s Barbeque
1:00 to 3:00 PM / workshop / participants will receive two recertification hours
Registration Fee of $45 / includes Pathfinders Intro, lunch and workshop

Enter your information
Go to Meal Events
Select Teachers In Space Event and Lunch and submit
Registration deadline is July 17, 2009

If you are planning to attend or have any questions, please contact:

Colleen Howard
SIM Coordinator / Mesa Public Schools
Education Coordinator / Teachers In Space
choward@mpsaz.org

Physics Instant Update – A Workshop for High School Physics Teachers (USC)

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Organizers- Topics

Ty Buxman (S. Heart Flintridge) – Refresh Physics Knowledge
Bill Layton (UCLA) – New Technology in Science Education
Stephan Haas (USC) – Design In-Class Demonstrations
Dean Papadakis (South Pasadena High) – Physics in the Laboratory
Stephen Cronin (USC) – Science & Religion

Schedule:

9:30-10:15 Secrets of Quantum Information Science (Todd Brun, USC Engineering)
10:15-11:00 The Question of Why. How do religions view science and how do scientists view religion? (Stephan Haas, USC Physics)
11:00-12:00 Science and Religion – a Buddhist Perspective (John Daishin Bukzbazen, Zen Center of Los Angeles)
12:00-1:00 Lunch (provided)
1:00-1:30 Incorporating Webcasts in the Classroom (Gene Bickers, USC Physics)
1:30-2:15 Tour of Studio Classrooms at the USC Distance Education Network (Binh Tran, USC Distance Education Network)
2:15-3:00 Microbe Power (Moh El Naggar, USC Physics)
3:00-4:00 Demonstrations, Activities and the California Standards (Bill Layton, UCLA Physics)

Location:

University of Southern California
Irani Hall (RRI) 421
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Participation, parking and lunch are free of charge.

Please register by contacting:

Stephan Haas (shaas@usc.edu or 213-740-4528)
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0484

Web site discussing California High School Physics Standards

This is to announce a new web page that might be of interest to California High School Physics teachers. This page considers each of the High School Physics Standards individually, with a discussion of content, demonstrations, activities, misconceptions, etc., that might be of assistance to a new physics teacher. The page was created after a careful reading of the California Science Framework but rather than just discussing physics content, it also includes suggestions on how to teach the particular Standard. Every Standard is considered individually but also, every effort has been made to make the discussion brief.

The URL is: http://www.physics.ucla.edu/HighSchoolPhysics (The upper case in HighSchoolPhysics is necessary as well as the lack of spaces.)

The format of the page is to place each of the 5 Physics Standard Sets into a PDF package and each individual standard as a MS Word document. This means you can download the MS Word documents and revise them as you wish but the PDF document is not so easily altered. This and other details are explained in the introduction to the web page and the Table of Contents has the links to all of the PDF and MSWord documents.

Let me know if you see obvious mistakes or needs for improvement. I plan to add links specific to each Standard as I gather ideas from others in the physics teaching community.

I hope this effort will be useful so someone.

Sincerely,

Bill Layton layton@physics.ucla.edu

The daVinci Project Residential Summer Workshops

Residential Summer Workshops at the
University of Connecticut’s
School of Engineering
The daVinci Project

July 13-17, 2009

The UConn School of Engineering is holding its 10th annual daVinci Project. It is a week long (Mon-Fri) residential series of hands-on workshops for middle and high school science and math teachers. This year it’s being held July 13-17. Teachers live on campus and participate in one of 5 workshops (Fuel Cell-Construction and Operation, Bio-Fuels/Sustainable Energy, Nanotechnology, Bio-materials: Bones/Joints/Tissues and Water-Processes and Principles).

An on-line 2009 application and more information can be accessed at
http://www.engr.uconn.edu/davinci/

Registration deadline: June 26, 2009.

Confirmation will be sent after your registration is received.
If you have questions or need further information please contact Sharon Mcdermott at sharon@engr.uconn.edu<mailto:sharon@engr.uconn.edu> or 860-486-5536.

Hubble Space Telescope, The Space Shuttle Servicing Mission and the International Year of Astronomy Educator Conference

May 30-31, 2009 at the

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA

The Hubble Space Telescope was launched on a 15-year mission to explore the universe. Now, just past it’s 19th birthday, it is getting a new lease on life. Space Shuttle mission STS-125 (scheduled for launch on May 11) is slated to replace and repair science instruments, computers, batteries,
gyroscopes and blankets. This, the last Hubble servicing mission, should
allow Hubble to operate as a fully operational enhanced astronomical observatory for many more years. At JPL we are taking this opportunity to
revisit the Hubble mission and the work of JPL’s Wide Field and Planetary
Camera 2, Hubble’s workhorse science instrument. The camera has taken most of the revolutionary images attributed to Hubble. We’ll recap the Shuttle mission activities as well. 2009 is also the International Year of Astronomy (IYA).

This event is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture and marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. The aim of the Year is to stimulate interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme “The Universe, Yours to Discover.” We will discuss IYA2009 events and activities and ways to promote a greater appreciation of the inspirational aspects of astronomy.

Who

All educators (including museum staff) and students high school and above interested in Earth and space science and exploration. The conference content is generally non-technical but does include some detailed scientific and engineering content. The objective of the conference is to tell the exciting tale of real-life exploration and new discovery in a way that will excite and inspire students. Students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a registered adult.

When

All day Saturday, May 30, and the morning of Sunday, May 31, 2009. Check-in begins at 7:45 A.M. On Saturday the conference will conclude by 5:00 pm. On Sunday the conference will end at noon for a total of 12 hours of professional development time.

Where

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s von Kármán Auditorium. JPL is located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains north of the Rose Bowl.

For directions please visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/about_JPL/maps.cfm.

Pre-registration is required; walk-up registration will not be possible for this conference. Note that you will need to show a photo ID at JPL’s security checkpoint upon arrival each day.

Registration

To register for this conference please send a check postmarked by Friday, May 22, 2009, for $40.00 payable to “Jet Propulsion Laboratory” to: Hubble Educator Conference
Attn: Mary Kay Kuehn
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
M/S 180-109
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena CA 91109

Please register by Friday, May 22, 2009. The $40 registration fee includes continental breakfast and breaks both days and a box lunch on Saturday. For registration questions please call the JPL Education Office at 818-393-0561. For updates and information visit the JPL Education Gateway at http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/.
Name________________________________________
Title_________________________________________
Organization/School_________________________________________________
Address_______________________________________ State____ Zip________
Grade(s) Taught/Enrolled_____________________________________________
Subject(s) Taught/Enrolled____________________________________________
Contact info for confirmation & last minute changes:
E-mail: ________________________________
Phone: ________________________________

$40 Registration Fee Enclosed
Check # ____________