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Department
of Energy Academies Creating
Teacher Scientists
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Los
Alamos National Laboratory
Educators as Investigators Program (first two years)
Educators as Researchers Program (third year)
June 2 - 27, 2008
Southwest Science Teachers' Academy
The purpose of Southwest Science Teachers' Academy is to provide professional
development and enrichment activities and to create science experiences
for 10-15 middle and high school science teachers that will help teachers
create classroom environments where scientific thinking can thrive.
Science content will focus on Earth and Space Science, geology, and
ecology. Teachers will be recruited from New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Texas.
The Academy will be coordinated through Los Alamos National Laboratory's
(LANL) Education and Postdoc Office. LANL, a multi-disciplinary
lab, will have Master
Teachers in partnership with LANL scientists who will serve as mentors
to offer inquiry-based, hands-on experience to the participants. The
Academy will feature
hands-on field investigations at two unique area locations, the Valles
Caldera National Preserve and Fenton Hill Observatory. The Valles Caldera
National
Preserve uses science-based management to assist in decision-making, monitoring
the impact of hikers on nature trails, inventorying wildlife and plants,
and studying the underlying geology of the area. The Fenton Hill
Observatory also
provides unique opportunities for hands-on learning in space sciences.
Year 1: Teachers will build foundational science skills and research methods
using technology and an intensive hands-on experience in a natural environment.
The setting of the field work will be the Valle Calderas and Fenton Hill
Observatory.
Year 2: Teachers will reinforce 1st year skills and develop the use
of scientific tools in a more abstract, data based, research and
thinking
environment.
LANL's unique strength and resources in Space Science will be the focus
of the year's
work.
Year 3: Teachers will have an intense, individual research experience
with a LANL scientist/mentor focused on refining skills learned and
practiced
during the first, two years of the program.
Throughout the program, teachers will be required to submit plans
for integrating their knowledge into the classroom, and into the
classrooms
of the other
Academy teachers. Building teacher knowledge in this target group
of teachers will
help increase student achievement in science in their schools.
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