SDSEA Board Positions 2000 - 2001

Executive Board

President Steve Mull

Vice President Debbie Brice

Secretary Penny Wilson

Treasurer Bernard Wright

Past-President Kathy Hepler

Content Area Representatives

Biology Barton Hays

Biotechnology Judi Heitz

Chemistry Paul Loozen

Earth Science Debbie Brice

Oceanography Kevin Harding

Physics Martin Teachworth

Technology Tanya MacMartin

Grade Level Representatives

Elementary K-2 Holly Schneidewind

Elementary 3-5 Cris Ferguson

MS/JH Virginia Madigan

Senior High Jerry Case

College/University Penny Wilson

Informal Ed. Representatives

Museums Carol Radford

Reuben H. Fleet Lynne Kennedy

San Diego Zoo Victoria Garrison

Sea World Mile Brosas

Student Organizations

Elementary Science Field Day Steve Mull

Inventors Showcase JoAnne Schaper

Science Fair Steve Rodecker

Science Olympiad Martin Teachworth

Sand Castle Engineering Martin Teachworth

Other Representative Positions

Industrial Relations Pat Winter

Newsletter Martin Teachworth

Pre-Service Teachers Jose Smith

Member-at-Large V ance Mills

Member-at-Large Fran Sloweicek

Member-at-Large Joyce Hackworth

Member-at-Large Garry Rollins

Member-at-Large Cris Ferguson

Member-at-Large Chuck Abel

Member-at-Large Bob Van Zant

Member-at-Large Jim Parker

Member-at-Large J ohn Fedors

Member-at-Large Cindy Anderson

Non-Representational Positions

Advisor - SDCOE Nancy Taylor

Advisor - SDCS Open

Liaison - CSTA Bonnie Styles

Liaison - NSTA Willa Ramsey

Newsletter Production Assistant Bette Teachworth

Nominations Slate

This year elections for the offices of SDSEA President and Treasurer will be held.

Nominated for SDSEA President

Judi Heitz and Dave Massey

Nominated for Treasurer Kathy Hepler

% / 2 &

New Members

Membership in SDSEA runs from March to March. However, membership can be acquired at ANY time during the year. With the start of a new school year, we need to remember to encourage all of our new science teachers to join SDSEA. Hundreds of new elementary teachers have been hired. What a great resource we could be to them! What a great opportunity for us to again assist the improvement of science education!

( P % (

Contact a Board Member

Need to contact a board member to leave a message, get help, or make suggestions?

Call (619) 491 - 2368

*** *** *** ***

President's Message (continued)

I hate to mention names, for fear of leaving out the many that work so hard, however, it is important to mention one key individual that has worked extremely hard for many years organizing the sessions. I am sure the entire conference committee will agree we owe an extreme debt of gratitude to Fran Slowiczek, not only for her work on the conference, but for her dedication to the science community. Fran retired from San Diego City Schools several years ago but continued to work on the committee organizing the sessions. She announced her retirement from this position this year too, so she could spend more time with her family. She deserves the rest and she deserves a thank you from the entire science community. Fran, you have made a difference in science education, we all thank you!

San Diego Science Alliance

www.sdsa.org

Fall event for teachers and business partners

was Wed. October 4, 2000

4:30 PM at High Tech High

Revised version of Resource Catalog was made available. For information:

Pat Winter, [email protected]

% ( P % ( P

PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE-

2000-2001 SCHOOL YEAR DATES

PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE (P2K) is pleased to announce 2 hour-long TV specials for Spring 2001, supported by online opportunities and hands-on activities...

LIVE FROM A BLACK HOLE Tuesday March 6, 13:00 Eastern

and

LIVE FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE AND TIME (w.t.) Tuesday April 3, 13:00 Eastern

Supernovas... pulsars... exploding galaxies... super-massive black holes... gravitational lenses... quasars... x-ray bursters... It may sound like the stuff of feature films and popular TV series, but a new generation of space-based telescopes like the CHANDRA X-ray observatory have brought us amazing images of a Universe pulsing with energy and action. The laws of Nature aren't quite the way yesterday's textbooks told us, and today's students will have plenty of discoveries to make in the future!

Lock in these dates now on your schedule for Spring 2001: March 6 and April 3, 13:00 Eastern. Check back with the PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE website in the new school year to find out more, at: https://passporttoknowledge.com The videos will be supported by a new PASSPORT TO THE UNIVERSE website that will be a portal to the best of NASA and other resources, including dynamic and easy-to-implement hands-on activities for classrooms with all levels of technology, and the usual P2K online resources of BIOGRAPHIES and FIELD

JOURNALS from participating scientists, and SITE TOURS.

[email protected] or phone 973.656.9403

% ( P % ( P

Free Safety Training Program

Flinn Scientific, the leader in laboratory safety, now has available a free safety training program called Flinn Department Meeting Safety Notes. The training can be held as part of your monthly department meeting agenda or can be organized as a short safety meeting.

The OSHA Right-To-Know law states that teachers must be trained on a regular basis in laboratory safety. Every school in the United States is required to train their staff in laboratory safety.

Once a month you will be sent an e-mail linking you to an Internet address that will allow you to print that month's Flinn Department Meeting Safety Notes. The safety notes will take between 5 and 10 minutes to present and will cover major topics of safety that need to be discussed as a department. These notes should be kept in a binder that can be used at a later date to show that a comprehensive safety-training program exists and that regular safety training meetings are held.

The long-term benefit to you and the members of your department will be enormous. New teachers will benefit because they have probably never received safety training. Veteran teachers will benefit because we all need reminders about the importance of safety. Everyone will benefit from getting together as a group to discuss and share ideas that solve safety problems.

This month's Flinn Department Meeting Safety Notes can be printed by connecting to https://www.flinnsci.com/homepage/safe/saf_docs.html

% ( P % ( P % ( P % ( P

Special Social Reception

Greetings! I am pleased to announce that a Special Social Reception has been scheduled for NSTA St. Louis National Convention Attendees from District XVI states and Pacific Territories. The reception will be Thursday, March 22, 2001 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the Lewis Room at the Regal Riverfront Hotel. The reception will be hosted by Glencoe Publishing. This will be a great opportunity to network and get to know other science leaders from throughout our region. The reception will also be listed in the convention program.

Gene Butler, Ed.D.

Secondary Science Curriculum Specialist & Acting Director, Curriculum and Professional Development &

NSTA District XVI Director Phone: (702) 799-8437 e-mail: [email protected]

Sand Castle Engineering - Dreams in the Sand

https://ljhs.sdcs.k12.ca.us/departments/science then select Sand Castle Contest

Elementary Competition Saturday April 21, 2001

MS and HS Competition Saturday April 7, 2001

South end of Mission Beach - Parking Lot off of San Diego Place

The Sand Castle Engineering Competition is a simple and fun competition combining science, sand and fun. It is organized and held with the emphasis on FUN. This is an effort by local science teachers and professionals to allow students to use basic research skills, engineering and science principles at the beach in a series of low stress but highly fun and active competitions

The contest is sponsored by SDSEA. Main organizers are Mike Thacker, Vivian Fung, (both local scientists) and Martin Teachworth. The middle and high school competitions are open to all high and middle school students in San Diego County. The elementary competition will definitely be open to third to sixth graders, but the final decision on the ability of younger students to compete has not been made. This year teams may be of similar age students sponsored by an organization other than a public school (scouts, youth groups and so on).

Students form groups of 3 to 4 and competed in five events. The competition events may be seen at the Sand Castle Web page. The events may be seen on the Sand Castle Web Page.

In 2001, the elementary competition is on a different weekend than the secondary competition. The complete rules for the elementary competition are not completely finished so look forward to announcements and notices via the newsletter and the SDSEA email list.

To find out more information, look at the Sand Castle web page (https://ljhs.sdcs.k12.ca.us/departments/science then select Sand Castle Contest) or contact Martin Teachworth ([email protected] 858.454.3081x224)

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

San Diego County Science Field Day

On May 18, forty-seven schools, public and private, from throughout San Diego County will converge on Lakeside for the Annual County Science Field Day. Events included building bridges, paddle boat races, mystery powders, tin can car races and many others. However, this is not only a competitive event, it is a celebration of science. Many non-competitive events will go on throughout the day at the celebration.

Students begin practicing early in the school year for the event. Many schools integrate the events into the science and math standards. Others use the program for gifted children or children needing an extra challenge. In any case, the children always leave with a positive attitude towards science. The event is open to students in grades four through six. For more information, check out our web site

(https://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/iss/sciweb/elemscience.html), contact Nancy Taylor at the County Office, or Steve Mull ([email protected]). Registration packets were mailed to all schools in September. Look for it, or contact us. Join us for the 2001 celebration.

INVENTORS SHOWCASE IS COMING

https://ljhs.sdcs.k12.ca.us/departments/science

INVENTORS SHOWCASE IS COMING! Make sure your students are part of this multi-disciplinary event. It is the only event in San Diego County open to students in grades K to 12 as well as teachers and put on by volunteer teachers. The goal is to get students to think creatively, to solve problems, to research then communicate results on how the problem was solved.

Mark your calendars and be sure to have a school fair and get the registrations in by the due date in early April. A conference session at the SDSEA conference in March will allow you get obtain the basic information and get ideas on how to structure and arrange a class or school Invention Convention

The 15 th Annual Inventors Showcase information, sponsored by Lloyd Pest Control and the SDSEA, has been mailed to all San Diego County school sites, public and private, Kindergarten - High School. If the information missed you and your studen ts, you may download the information at : https://ljhs.sdcs.k12.ca.us/departments/science or https://www.teachworth.net and select the Inventors Showcase link.

Registration is due and must be postmarked no later than midnight on Friday, April 6, 2001. Set up is Wednesday, May 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Center in Mission Valley. Judging follows from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Projects will be on public display Thursday, May 17, from 9 to 5 p.m. The Award Ceremony follows at 6 p.m.

Have questions? Call (619) 491-1531. Leave your name, school and phone number at the beep. Speak clearly and spell out all necessary information.

Judges Needed for Inventors Showcase

Inventors Showcase is a teacher organized and student run competition. It is designed to encourage creative thought, problem-solving, and higher level thinking skills by students in grades kindergarten to twelve. To make the competition work, judges are needed to help select the winners. Being a judge is a wonderful introduction to Inventors Showcase. It allows a person to see and understand the ideas students generate and how a project may be organized and displayed.

Being a judge is fun. You meet other intelligent adults from a wide variety of professions. The judging process works because people are willing to give up three hours on the evening of Wednesday May 17 meet at the Scottish Rite Center at 6:15 for a brief welcome and training session then go out in groups to judge. The criteria for being a judge is to be an intelligent adult, capable of recognizing good ideas, solid solutions to problems, and understand how a student might view the world.

Contact Martin Teachworth (858) 454-3081 x 224 or [email protected].
Inventions And Experiments By Scientists

https://www.bbc.co.uk/science/scienceshack

It is a science online service with the incomparable Adam Hart-Davis. He does TV shows on science where he recreates inventions and experiments by scientists from history.

INVENTIONS & INNOVATIONS

Did you know that many important inventions and innovations came about during the winter months? This is a good time of year to launch a discussion with your students about the importance of discovery. To help lighten the load, MarcoPolo has gathered together some FREE lessons about Inventions & Innovations.

Science Fair: Students win cash; teachers win lasers!

Rhonda Mason, Chairwoman of the Science Fair Committee

Optical Society of San Diego

The Optical Society of San Diego (OSSD) considers the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair to be both a competition and a valuable opportunity to nurture future scientists. Each year we send a team of judges to look over the exhibits for optics related entries, and select the two best in each class for valuable awards: helium neon lasers to the advisors of the winning junior and senior divisions and $100 and $50 cash prizes to the first and second place winners themselves. A local laser manufacturer, Melles Griot, generously contributes to this event by donating the lasers. We usually honor the winners at our June meeting. Last year�s list of winners in optics were:

1^st Place in the Junior Division: Jennifer Cater (Effects of Media and Wavelength on Refraction)

2^nd Place in the Junior Division: Gabriel Chati (Effects of Sun Spots on the Magnetic Field)

1^st Place in the Senior Division: Ashwin Kirshnan (Silicon Oxidation by Electrochemical Surface Modification)

2^nd Place in the Senior Division: Mark Smith (Effect of Light Intensity on Formation of Aggregations in Planaria)

Honorable Mention: Eric Sammuli (Predicting Laser Beam Reflections in A thin Layer of Fluid)

Be sure to bring your student's optics project to our attention using the Science Fair professional society checklist or by contacting me directly at [email protected].

( W P D Z ^ a f k o ( W P D Z ^ a f k o

Popular Science Magazine

Look for a Popular Science Magazine article, search for further information on an article, write a letter to the editor, ask questions, or submit an article idea at www.popsci.com - The official web-site of Popular Science Magazine.

A Science Club Success Story

We're all a little crazy! No worries mate!

Howard Tenenbaum

I'll tell you crazy......we started a science club at Lewis last year. It survived into this year! But that's not the crazy part. The crazy part is that almost every week there are about 50 students that fill into my room and then are separated into the adjacent room with my colleague (Liz Hunter) and still we have students coming to ask if they can join! Come on down! So far parents have been supplying refreshments for after the meetings - for 50 kids at a crack!

Every week on Wednesday at the end of period 6 I wait for no one to come so that I can feel the disappointment that I lived in fear of at the beginning, but they arrive and we get started. I keep expecting to have someone pinch me and tell me it's a dream - a science club could never be so popular at a school! .......but it is. I really think the kids are having fun!

That's crazy!

Scientific American Teacher Kits

Teacher kits from Scientific American magazine. Contact Scientific America, Dept. TK, 415 Madison Ave., New York, NY 1017-01111; fax 212-355-0408; e-mail [email protected] (Visit the publication on the web at https://www.sciam.com.)

Scientific American Frontiers

Teachers can also sign up for the free school program from Scientific American Frontiers, the popular television program hosted by Alan Alda, by accessing the program's website: https://www.pbs.org/saf/.

Biotech Labs On-line

Some nicely written up labs (and teacher guides) easily used at middle or high level.

https://biotech.biology.arizona.edu/labs/Labs.html

( P % ( P ( P % ( P ( P % ( P ( P % ( P

Water in its basic form must be wet for life to thrive -

is this a constant in the Universe?

� � � � � ² ³ � � � ¾ ½ ¼ � � ¹ � � �

SEED FAIR

San Diego Environmental Education Discovery

To �plant a seed� of environmental knowledge in the fertile minds of San Diego educators and students

SEED Fair 2001 April 27-28, 2001 at Mesa Community College

MEET THE TEST: �THE NATURE CHALLENGE�

Experience all the excitement of a game show with an environmental slant as young people from 4^th grade through 12^th grade face off Friday and Saturday, April 27-28, 2001 at San Diego Mesa College. The Nature Challenge is a FREE environmental knowledge and problem solving competition for teams of 4^th, 5^th-6^th, 7^th-8^th, 9^th-10^th, 11^th-12^th grade students. There are five components to the Nature Challenge: Bell Ringer Questions (cognitively based short answer), Dilemmas (expository essay type situations), Team Problems (indoor problem solving activities), Nature Investigations (outdoor problem solving), and Environmental Action Projects. All but the Action Project takes place during the above dates. Teams consist of 4 youths, (according to the appropriate division,) and one adult coach. Questions and activities emphasize regional ecology, natural history, and conservation, falling in seven areas of focus: biodiversity; niche/habitats; threatened and endangered species of San Diego and Imperial Counties; habitat loss; food webs/interdependence; flora and fauna of San Diego and Imperial Counties; and application (involvement in the environment). The purpose of the Nature Challenge is to motivate students, reinforce key concepts, review learning, and involve students in conservation activities in their community. All activities and events are closely aligned with the CA State subject matter Standards.

Any school or youth group can send one or more teams; each team must be individually named. Pre-registration is required. You�ll want to begin preparing your students now for the April competition. Teacher Orientation Packets with rules, coaching tips, and grade-level appropriate sample questions and activities are available. SanDCREEC can also make study recommendations. Watch for further information.

Environmental Action Projects - Each team must direct an environmental action project (EAP) of their own choosing anytime between now and May 15, 2001. These projects do not have to be complicated. The EAPs can involve the individual team, the class or the entire school—whatever, the team decides! Team Teachers/Coaches/Leaders will work directly with Dr. Neal Biggart of The Environmental Trust (619/461-8333) to select and implement the EAP.

Begin planning now to enter a team of students who will be competing for fun and special awards as well as working in behalf of the environment. Further information can be obtained from Betsy A. Leonard, SanDCREEC, Nature Challenge Coordinator 619/232-3821 extension 192 or [email protected].

So you don�t want to enter a team, but you would like to be involved. Excellent! SEED Fair needs all kinds of volunteers—judges, monitors, writers, planners, directors, etc. It is a BIG event and growing each year. Contact the SanDCREEC Coordinator to discuss your involvement.

: Betsy A. Leonard, SanDCREEC Coordinator, 619/232-3821 x 192 [email protected].

— ˜ ™ š › › – — ˜ ™ š › ›

Electric Car Race

Help Students Learn to Build Electric Model Cars

Every year the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) San Diego Chapter offers "Electric Challenge" model car kits for sale to teachers. These kits are of extremely high quality, and have improved every year since the competition's inception.

The kits include the following: motor, motor mounting bracket, battery holder, two AA batteries, battery pigtail, four wheels, four tire treads, two steel axles, motor drive gear, three driven gear ratios, on/off slide switch, plastic spacer tube for the axles, and assembly procedures for the teachers, which make excellent overhead transparencies. The kits sell for only $6.00 each and are available from myself, however, all checks should be made out to SAE and sent to:

William D. Guentzler, Director Engineering Outreach & Internships

San Diego State University, College of Engineering

5500 Campanile Drive

San Diego, California 92182-1326.

There are three separate levels of competition, which are: Elementary, Middle or Junior High, and Senior High. First, second, and third place trophies are awarded in each level of competition for the fastest car, best craftsmanship, and best replica of an existing vehicle. The San Diego County Competition will be Held on Saturday May 5, 2001 at La Jolla High School and will be sponsored by their science teacher Mr. Martin Teachworth. If anyone has any questions please have them E-mail me directly. Bevan Johnston, who is on the SAE Board of Directors and a retired mechanical engineer, will go out to schools and give a presentation on how to design and build the car kits. Those persons interested in having Bevan can request his telephone number from me personally. Bevan can also be persuaded to bring one or more of his, totally cool, remote controlled World War II tanks, complete with rotating turret an either 6 or 10 millimeter paint ball guns. He will definitely get the kids attention.

Thank you!

William D. Guentzler, Ph.D. Director Engineering Outreach & Internships

Tel: (619) 594-5807 Fax: (619) 594-3401 E-mail: [email protected]

Career Exploration

https://www.jobshadow.monster.com.

Monster.com, in partnership with Junior Achievement, has set up a website that contains testimonials and descriptions of various careers. Students can enter the website and select a mentor according to career field. The picture of a real person in that position, as well as a bio, pops up. The student can read about that person's experience in that position. There are a number of positions available and it's a fairly simple website to maneuver in, so if you'd like to assist your students with career exploration on the web visit this site.

G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G G

A very useful chemistry directory can be found at https://www.wiley.com/college/webercises

Student Work

The following article were written by a student after attending the SDSU Open House on Saturday November 18, 2000. If you have student work describing an activity, field trip or speaker, please share it with the SDSEA Editor for possible publication. Having something published may encourage more and better writing by students.

SDSU Open House November 18, 2000

Joseph Daniele, La Jolla High School Student

At the SDSU Open House I saw demonstrations on topics ranging from Astronomy to Biology to several aspects of Physics. I learned about several biochemical techniques for separating substances in solutions. In addition, I saw three physics demonstrations including a long range and high selectivity crystal radio. I also saw a demonstration of polarized light to see tensions in stressed plastics. Finally, the most interesting demonstrations was of a cloud chamber in which we could observe several forms of naturally occurring radiation.

The open house was insightful and worth the trip.

Zoo Field Trip on Veterans' Day Holiday

Patrick Klima, La Jolla High School Student

Recently, the San Diego Zoo allowed a group of students from the La Jolla High School Science Team to see what goes on behind the scenes. The tour included a look at laboratory facilities responsible for the study and preservation of endangered species, a presentation on how animals are trained, and a close-up of a jaguar at feeding time.

The first part of the tour was the laboratories and storage facilities of the Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES). The first stop was the frozen zoo, a small room with several large cooler filled with liquid nitrogen. Sitting inside the nitrogen were racks of samples, each of which contained thousands of samples of tissue, blood, eggs, and semen from each of the animals in the San Diego Zoo, and a number of animals not housed at the zoo. These large metal bins represented millions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of hours of research, and the potential, with more money and more research, for artificially reproducing and reintroducing these animals into the wild. The group was then taken upstairs to the clean lab, where the researchers had set up microscopes of various samples of different species.

They explained what type of research went on here, what the various equipment was, and finally, what kind of educational paths they had taken to get there. This was by far the most interesting oart of the tour, particularly because the group was allowed in to facilities that are usually not open to the public.

The next part of the tour was a presentation on how animals are trained. The trainer went through a quick explanation of what classical (Pavlovian) and operant conditioning are, and then asked for a volunteer from the audience. The group, along with the coach, Mr. Teachworth, volunteered his daughter, Megan. When she was up on the stage, the trainer told the audience, but not Megan, that he was going to train her to flap her arms.

He began eliciting responses from her, each time rewarding the correct response with a clicking noise and a coin, ussually a penny, nickel, or dime, and sometimes a quarter. Ten minutes later, a thoroughly embarrassed, but considerably more wealthy Megan sat down, having flapped her arms for a couple of coins in front of a whole audience of people. This, the trainer explained, was how every animal, whether in the circus or the zoo, is trained. In the zoo, the animals are taught to perform certain behaviors, either when faced with a certain situation, or when commanded to do so. This

is important for training animals to react correctly to environmental situations in the wild, and for studying animals up close. It is much safer to train an animal to assume a certain position and relax before a blood or tissue sample is taken, than having a handler try and force the animal into that position and risk injury to the animal and to himself.

Lastly, the group was introduced to Orson, a large, black, very intimidating, and very hungry jaguar that was about to be fed. The handler explained the protocol that she had to observe while feeding the animal, always keeping a fence between herself and Orson. She fed him five pounds of raw, ground beef, and explained various aspects of the enclosure and the animal itself. She said that jaguars, as well as most other large cats, are occipital crushers, whcih means that they kill their prey by taking it from behind and crushing the back of the head and neck. She also told of one time when she had placed a large 40 pound medicine ball in a tree in Orson's enclosure for him to push down later. She had locked Orson in one of the cages in the back of the enclosure. As she was working on other things inside the enclousre, the ball fell out of the tree, hitting her squarely between the shoulder blades and knocking her down. She said there is no such thing as your life flashing before your eyes before death. There's no time. She was certain that Orson had found a way out of the cage and had snuck up on her from behind. It served, she said, as a reminder of the risk involved in working with such a large, unpredictable, and not at all tame animal like Orson.

The tour never had a dull moment throughout and was very interesting. The most impressive aspect was that every person that talked to the group, from the researcher studying freezing protocols of canine semen, to the researcher that collected data on the behavior of pandas, each person had a very clear idea of what the big picture was. Each person emphasized that their work was only a small part of a world scale effort, composed of thousands of poeple like them all working towards a common goal, the return to the wild of endagnered species all over the world, now only seen in captivity. Each facet of study addressed one side of an endlessly large task, and each person knows that his work is a small part that is, nonetheless, critical to making everything else work.

Free Student Membership

All student teachers are entitled to Free membership to SDSEA. The names and addresses must be supplied in list form by student teacher supervisors from the school of Education (i.e. National, SDSU, USIU, Christian Heritage, Point Loma, UCSD).

Take your students on MayaQuest without leaving your classroom!

This February, Classroom Connect embarks on MayaQuest - the next in our series of award-winning online adventures from The Quest Channel. The expedition team returns to Central America to explore the mysterious collapse of the ancient Maya civilization. For over 600 years, the Maya developed one of the most sophisticated civilizations in the Americas. What led to the demise of this great civilization? The effects of social conflict, environmental degradation, overpopulation and natural disasters will be explored, supported by a National and State standards-driven curriculum guide. Your students will develop evidence-based reasoning skills in MayaQuest�s multi-disciplinary, web-based learning environment.

Science teachers will take particular interest in these weekly features:

Creature Feature - provides classroom opportunities for developing observation and tracking skills, studying adaptive traits, researching and building animal habitats, and investigating how to protect endangered species.

Nature Notes - provides multiple classroom opportunities to investigate scientific topics such as biodiversity, energy use, and environmental conservation. Via activities in the MayaQuest curriculum guide, students conduct research to expand their scientific knowledge.

Gross and Disgusting - Take a scientific look at some of nature�s less appealing gifts - plants, animals and biological processes. Perhaps our most popular feature, Gross and Disgusting makes science more fun than ever!

Make a Discovery - Aid academic experts around the world to solve perplexing mysteries in their research. Students develop hypotheses, research theories, analyze data, and share their ideas with experts online.

Check out MayaQuest and The Quest Channel

by visiting www.classroom.com and clicking on The Quest Channel.

To subscribe to MayaQuest call (800) 638-1639 or visit our Online Store

Classroom Connect and The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA present�

Quest Conference: MayaQuest

Learn how to incorporate this exciting program

into your classroom and spark the imaginations of your students!

Saturday, February 10^th

8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Cotsen Institute of Archaeology

University of California at Los Angeles

� Gain insights from a reknowned Maya archaeologist, highlighting the Maya collapse

� Get a first-hand view of MayaQuest from the Quest�s Expedition Team

� Preview the MayaQuest Web site and daily features

� Learn classroom integration techniques from experienced Quest teachers

� Discover ways to address your content needs in social studies, math, science, and language arts

The Quest Conference registration fee is $55.

Quest Conference participants will receive a $25 Classroom Connect gift certificate.

For more information or to register, contact the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at

(310) 206-8934

[email protected]

https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/ioa/ Click on Events and Lectures
New Teacher Focus Group

The New Teacher Focus Group had a meeting on December 2 at La Jolla High School. Several lessons and demonstrations were shared with several new teachers by veteran teachers Jim Ballantine (La Jolla HS) and Martin Teachworth (La Jolla High School).

The meeting allowed the sharing of the basic concepts of the Focus Group as well as having time for a few demonstrations and lesson. The next meeting will be at the SDSEA Conference in March. Look for the session time in the Conference Schedule then come to the meeting.

Come or encourage other teachers to come and learn demonstrations, labs and teaching techniques to help make teaching easier and more fun.

I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J I J

A Guide For New Teachers -

https://www.ed.gov/pubs/survivalguide/title.html

News You Can Use:
Land, Sea, and Air Mail on the Web

SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove have created a new monthly newsletter just for teachers. And it arrives on your e-mail �doorstep.� LAND, SEA, & AIR MAIL brings you news you can use about animals that live on the land, swim in the sea, and soar in the sky. Each issue focuses on one subject and includes classroom activities for grades K-12, animal information, links to other cool web sites, environmental action tips, and the latest updates from Julie Scardina, SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Ambassador. In addition, exceptional teachers and schools are highlighted each month.

September�s issue covered Animal Athletes, with tie-ins to the Summer Olympics in Australia. November�s issue explored the world of the Florida manatee. January�s topics will include gray whales, bird migrations, sharks, activities for Earth Day, and more.

Interested? To subscribe to LAND, SEA, & AIR MAIL go to www.seaworld.org, click on the newsletter logo (just like to one above) and scroll to the bottom of the page for subscription directions.

Don�t miss this easy and convenient source of animal information and classroom activities. Did we mention it�s free? Sign up today!

SeaWorld Education E-Store

You can now order SeaWorld educational materials on line! We have illustrated books, teacher's guides, posters, and videos on a variety of marine science topics. Visit our website at www.seaworld.org and follow the links!

SDSA Teacher Hotline

Would you like access to scientists who can answer questions, provide information about new discoveries and new areas of science, and enthuse students about scientific professions.

In San Diego County, we are fortunate to have a wealth of people resources from science-related businesses, institutions of research and higher education, museums, health networks, and scientific professional societies.

The Teachers' Hotline is a tool that can lead you to an appropriate scientist who lives and works in San Diego County, and who is eager to share scientific knowledge

HOW DO I ASK A QUESTION?

IT'S A SIMPLE PROCEDURE. ALL YOU NEED IS ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

Go to the Science Alliance home page (www.sdsa.org). Click on the blue Ask A Scientist window, and then on ASK A QUESTION.

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (

EE SYMPOSIUM: February 15, 2001

Hubbs Research Institute/Sea World 1:00 p.m -3:30 p.m.

The San Diego California Regional Environmental Education Community (SanDCREEC) has embarked on an ambitious project to host a millennium Symposium about environmental education. This EE Symposium offers a fresh vision— practical as well as inspirational— for the future of environmental education in San Diego and Imperial Counties, CREEC Region 9a. The EE Symposium will gather together many of the San Diego Region�s most important grassroots environmental leaders with prominent educators, business people, non profits, government agencies, scientists, and others to think about environment education in the 21^st century. We all hear the terms standards based education and many may wonder how to integrate environmental education into the curriculum, but what does this really mean? Exemplary programs will be showcased. The EE Symposium will explore these topics and raise the level of understanding of participants. All educators are invited to participate. For more information, contact:

Betsy A. Leonard, SanDCREEC Coordinator, (619) 232-3821 x 192 [email protected].

Gateways Summer Program Employment Opportunity

Have you ever dreamed of what teaching should be like? No papers to grade. No tests or quizzes to write. No outstanding discipline problems. Bright young students eager to learn, willing to work and wanting to be in class. Parents interested in education and supportive of the educational program. Working only four days a week with long weekends. No administrative hassles. This opportunity exists and you can be part of it. GATEWAYS Summer School is a non-profit educational opportunity organized by parents to provide enrichment classes for children. This outstanding successful program is so popular that it continues to grow with over 2000 students attending last summer. Classrooms are rented from the SDUSD.

The classes are taught during the summer in two 3-week sessions. The sessions this summer will run from June 25 to July 12 and July 16 to August 2. Classes are one hour and 20 minutes long and are offered four days a week. Class size is limited to 20 students. Teachers normally teach one or both sessions, it is their decision. Pay is $386/class. This makes a $1544 paycheck each session (before deductions) for 12 days of work. Regular summer school pays more, but you have to do all the usual paper work and discipline.

Due to the growth this summer, additional teachers will be needed. While teachers in all enrichment areas will be needed, many of the popular science classes need teachers. If you are excited about teaching, like and are willing to work with younger students (grades 3 to 7 mainly) you should consider teaching at Gateways. Some of the classes offered in past years include: Model Rocketry, Cells to Systems, Physics, Electrical Science, Chemistry, Anatomy, Oceanography, Backyard Science and many more.

The curriculum is designed by teachers to teach exciting and fun subjects. While Gateways is looking for additional teachers to teach classes offered in past years, new course offerings are always being sought. Does anyone have a concept-driven hands-on 12 day unit in Architecture? This is a new topic desired to be taught this summer at Gateways.

If you are interested in applying to teach one of the traditionally offered classes (science or otherwise), most teachers of past years are willing to share plans and offer suggestions. If you wish to offer a super class that you have dreamed of offering for years, this might be the chance. All you need to do is to contact the GATEWAYS Director, Carolyn Wood ((858) 453-8167) for an application or information.

Calling All Teachers!

It's that time to start thinking of Spring/ Summer 2001 Piggybacks, classes, and workshops at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. For those of you whom I may not have had a chance to meet yet, I am Ben Wiehe's successor as of August 2000. I anticipate a wonderful season, as the past few months have been. We are looking for teachers with class activities and lesson plans that can easily be adapted to these titles, grade levels, and time frames. See description below for further details and guidelines.

The Fleet would also like to revive successful Piggyback classes from last year and generate some new ideas for Summer 2001.

The Piggyback Program runs from July 16 through August 31 and consists of week-long half-day programs. Each class in Piggyback meets for five consecutive days (Mon.-Fri.), three hours at a time (either 9:00 - 12:00, or 1:00 - 3:00). This makes a total of 15 hours of class time. The Piggyback Program is divided into classes for three grade brackets: 1-2, 3-4, or 5-6. Other institutions in Balboa Park schedule similar programs which allow students to attend a full day of events between two institutions. You may choose to teach one week or several. We are also looking for teacher's aides to facilitate the logistics of these Piggyback programs, including lunch supervision. Class topics in the past included, but are not limited to, Weather, Machines, Space, Chemistry, Physics, Energy, and Astronomy. If you are interested in teaching a summer program, please contact me by Wednesday January 31, 2001.

This works well for teachers on the traditional school schedule by allowing supplemental income during the summer months. It is also a nice change to have only 20 students half-day for a week long class!!

Our regular workshops are similar to the workshops listed above. They typically last for two or three hours at a time, and are held during the day on weekends, or occasionally, on evenings during the week. We will also consider weekly or monthly programs such as a science club, or sequential seminars. Fleet staff will work with teachers to determine workshop general subject and grade level bracket, but a specific curriculum and lesson plan is the responsibility of the teacher.

We are open to ideas concerning classes and programs outside of the range of what has been described above. However, the above established programs and workshops are our first priority.

Details and Guidelines:

We are looking for teachers whose teaching style matches the hands-on, high energy, activity oriented educational philosophy of the Fleet. Classes must be challenging and innovative. Subjects should pertain to exhibits, IMAX� movies, and other events that are currently taking place at the Fleet, or to the physical sciences, mathematics, or technology. We need teachers with lesson plans that match subjects that we have already established as popular, as well as new topics. Our most active age range involves the 1^st through 4th grades. However, we are open to classes for all age ranges,

from Pre-K to adult.

The teaching salary is $25 per hour of instruction time and teachers receive a supply cost for each class (with receipt). Enrollment ranges from a minimum of 8 students to a maximum of 20 which is ideal for individual hands on projects as well as team activities. We have multi-media equipment for videos and slides, a total of 18 computers between two classrooms, microscopes, lab tables, and most other common classroom supplies. Teachers are encouraged to use the hands-on exhibits in the science center, as well as our IMAX� movies and SciTours motion simulator. When applicable, other institutions in Balboa Park, as well as areas in the park itself, can be included in lesson plans. Your classes will be publicized in a number of ways, including our seasonal brochures which are distributed to schools, members and the general public.

If you are interested in teaching at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, either call me, or send me a cover letter and resume via the contact information below. Your cover letter should mention the specific subjects and grade levels (K- adult) that you are interested in working with.

I look forward to working with you this year!

James G. Minor

Education Coordinator Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

Jminor@rhfleet (619) 238-1233 ext. 808

Institute for Chemical Education Summer Workshops

Application deadline is March 16, 2001.

For more information about these workshops, contact the Institute for Chemical Education at phone: 800/991-5534; fax: 608/265-8094; or email [email protected]. Applications and information are available on the ICE website at https://ice.chem.wisc.edu/applications.html.

Teams of teachers are strongly encouraged to apply, but individuals are also welcome. Participants will earn two credits in education upon completion of the program. This workshop also provides room, board, a travel allowance, and a weekly stipend for participants.

Chemistry & Materials Science workshop

Chemistry and Materials Science is a 3-week workshop to be held June 25-July 13, 2001 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It introduces chemistry and physics teachers to a body of chemistry that is not included in most pre-service education programs. It provides real-world examples of state-of-the-art chemistry that will stimulate students' interest. The workshop will model ways to merge the new content with up-to-date pedagogy and alternative assessments.

Teams of teachers (in groups of 2-4) are strongly encouraged to apply, including chemistry and physics teachers, and middle school teachers with a strong chemistry background. Individuals are also welcome to apply. Participants will earn two credits in chemistry and another credit in education upon completion of the program. This NSF-funded workshop also provides room, board, a travel allowance, and a weekly stipend for participants. Academic year support for classroom supplies and outreach presentations is also available.

Super Science Connections workshop

Super Science Connections is a 2-week workshop for K-3 teachers. It integrates children's literature, writing, mathematics, art projects, social studies, and health instruction with hands-on physical science-observing, describing, questioning, cooperating, devising experiments, hypothesizing, and drawing conclusions. It will model ways in which your classroom can become a place where all students learn and enjoy science in a variety of interesting and relevant contexts.

Periodic Table of the Elements on-line.

Click on an element and get a description of it.

Go to www.dayah.com/periodic.

********************************************************************

Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors

https://www.nsta.org/programs/craftsman.htm

The Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Awards Program challenges students to use creativity and imagination along with science, technology, and mechanical ability to invent or modify a tool. The Young Inventors Awards Program is open to all students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 in the United States and the U.S. Territories. Students must work independently to conceive and design their tool inventions. The student, with guidance from a teacher-advisor, parent, or significant adult, will design and build a tool. The tool must perform a practical function, including (but not limited to) tools that mend, make life easier or safer in some way, entertain, or solve an everyday problem

SDSEA Awards Dinner takes place in June, but plan ahead.

The SDSEA Awards Banquet is planned for Wednesday, June 6, 2001. Mark your calendars now and send in your reservation and check made payable to "SDSEA." Take the time to share this special evening to give recognition to this year's honorees and outstanding science educators.

Date: June 6, 2001

Time: No host cocktails 5:30 p.m.; dinner served at 6:00 p.m.

Location: LAS CASCADAS at Marriott AND Marina, 333 West Harbor Drive, San Diego.

Parking: DO NOT use Convention Center Parking (we can't validate your ticket). Use Marriott self-parking lot or valet parking. Bring parking ticket to dinner sign-in table for validation.

Menu: Choice of one *entr�e below:

*Kansas City Strip Sirloin

*Free Range Chicken

*Fettuccine Alfredo

Caesar Salad

Assorted Vegetables, Rice, Potatoes

Assorted Breads

Dessert: Very Berry Basket

Coffee, Tea

Price: SDSEA member: $12.00 Non-member: $17.00(includes membership)

SDSEA Awards Banquet

Name:__________________________________________________________________

Member: (circle one) YES NO

Home Phone:_____________________________________________________________

Entr�e Choice:____________________________________________________________

Name of Guest___________________________________________________________

Member: (circle one) YES NO

Entr�e Choice:____________________________________________________________

Number of Reservations enclosed:____________________________________________

Check Total enclosed: ($12 for members, $17 for non-members)___________________

Note: If you don't select an entr�e, one will be selected for you.

Make checks payable to "SDSEA" and send it with reservation form and your entr�e choice to:

Penny Wilson - SDSEA

3029 Old Bridgeport Way

San Diego, CA 92111

SDSEA Teacher of the Year Application

SDSEA Members,

It is time to nominate a peer or yourself for the SDSEA Teacher of the Year.

The benefits include a dinner for 2 at the SDSEA Banquet in June, $100 spending cash, a Plaque to display for all to see, become famous with an article about yourself in the SDSEA newsletter and the satisfaction of being recognized for what so many of you do well, teach and educate students.

Part 1

Name:__________________________________________ Home Phone:_________________________

Home Address:_______________________________________________________________________

School District:_______________________________________________________________________

School Name:________________________________________________________________________

Principal's Name:_______________________________ School Phone:__________________________

School Address:______________________________________________________________________

Current Teaching Assignment:__________________________________________________________

Part 2 - Resume - 2 pages maximum, 12 point font or larger with 1 inch margins. Include your education, professional experience, continuing education, conference / workshop presentations, award, grants, publications, achievements and other important information.

Part 3 - Provide a ONE (1) page copy ready favorite science activity which you do with your students. Illustrations can be included (Do not exceed ONE page). On a separate page indicate if it is an original activity or if it has been modified from an existing source and how it supports your curriculum.

Part 4 - A letter of recommendation - 1 page maximum - from a peer, administrator or student addressing your effectiveness as a teacher.

Part 5 - A half page biography suitable for printing in the SDSEA newsletter.

There will be three awards - 1 elementary, 1 middle and 1 high school

Entries are to be postmarked by May 3, 2001.

Send it to:

SDSEA

P.O. Box 712859

San Diego, CA 92171

New Members

Membership in SDSEA runs from March to March. However, membership can be acquired at ANY time during the year. With the start of a new school year, we need to remember to encourage all of our new science teachers to join SDSEA. Hundreds of new teachers of science have been hired. What a great resource we could be to them! What a great opportunity for us to again assist the improvement of science education!

Support Science Education - Join SDSEA

Below is an application for membership to SDSEA. If you or someone you know would like to join, please have them fill out the form below and return it to the SDSEA PO box.

San Diego Science Educators Association Membership Application

Name_________________________________________Position____________________

Subject______________________________ Grade K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12+

School__________________________________ School Phone_____________________

School Address____________________________ School District____________________

City/State ________________________________ Zip Code_________________________

Home Address____________________________ Home Phone______________________

City/State _______________________________ Zip Code_________________________

Email Address_____________________________________________________________

SDSEA Annual Dues = $5:00 (amount attached) _________________

Form Of Payment (Check or Cash) _____________________ Date _________________

In what ways are you willing to help our organization?

_____Present at Conferences _____Help with Special Interest Committees

_____Help on Conference Committees _____Other_________________________________________

Return this form and payment to: Debbie Brice, SDSEA, PO Box 712859, San Diego, CA 92171.

" #" #" #" #" #" #" #" #" #" #" #" #

Be Heard!

If you have information to share, a concern, an interesting tidbit of information, word about an outstanding job a peer or students have done, let Martin Teachworth, the SDSEA Interconnections Editor know. You may contact him via US Mail or School Mail at La Jolla High School, 750 Nautilus St. La Jolla, CA 92037, fax (858) 459-2188, or email (mteachw@adnc.com).

� . / = C J C = / . * (
This activity was written by Ruth M. Young, Elementary Science Author and Consultant and former Science Resource Teacher for Chula Vista City School District.

Dance of the Molecules - Grades K - 6

Introduction: This activity will demonstrate the motions of water molecules at different temperatures. The concepts covered in this activity are listed below.

� Water molecules, like all molecules, are constantly in motion.

� The speed with which water molecules move depends upon the temperature of the water. They move fastest when heated, and slow down as the temperature drops.

Materials: water - cold, hot, and room temperature 6 oz. (or 1 oz.) clear plastic cups

dropper bottles of dark colored food coloring unlined paper for drawing results

Preparation: Prepare containers of ice water, hot water (not hot enough to burn), and room temperature water. Pour these into the cups just before students are to use them.

Activity:

1. Divide the students into small groups. Issue a cup of room temperature water and a bottle of food coloring to each of them. Tell the students to drip one or two drops of the coloring into the water and observe what happens. Tell them not shake or stir the water. Let the groups discuss the changes they see as they observe them. Have each group make a colored drawing of what took place, showing at least three changes which resulted during the time they watched the coloring mix with the water. (Results: The coloring will drop into the water, sinking slowly to the bottom and then, slowly begin to mix with the water.)

2. Repeat #1 using hot water. (Results: The coloring will spread rapidly throughout the water.)

3. Repeat #1 using cold water. (Results: The coloring will spread along the top of the water, mixing very slowly with the water.)

4. Have each student write a brief, illustrated, explanation of what they think caused the color to mix at different rates. Discuss the students� ideas without giving any corrections. (You may wish to display these on the bulletin board for a few days before doing the extender and conclusion. This will provide time for the students to think about their observations.)

Extender: Use the largest clear jar you can find. Fill the jar with water and place it where all can see it and, where where it can sit undisturbed for hours. When the water is at room temperature and completely still, drip several drops of food coloring into the water as the students watch. Have them compare this with their own observations. Let the jar sit undisturbed and periodically call the students� attention to it so they can see that the coloring continues to spread, even though it has not been stirred. Have them suggest what they think is happening in the jar to move the coloring about. Let them make drawings to illustrate their ideas.

Conclusion: Explain that if you could break water into its smallest part, it would be a very tiny molecule. These molecules, like all others, are constantly in motion. Thus, even when seemingly perfectly still as in the large jar of water, the molecules are actually moving, and bumping into the coloring so it spreads out between them. Explain they difference in the speed of this motion at various temperatures (see Introduction).

HFH HFH HFH HFH HFH HFH HFH HFH HFH

The Span of Time

Bill Pearson [email protected] Bell Jr. High

Purpose: This is an activity that will give students a physical and visual representation of the concept of geologic time. This has an additional benefit of testing their measurement skills and giving them a feeling of metric distances.

Materials: Poster paper, markers, rulers/meter sticks, tape

Procedures: Assign each student an event, amount of time since that event and a distance that matches the amount of time with the scale being approximately 5cm = 1 million years. Each student folds a piece of paper in half and writes down the event, draws a simple illustration of the event and how long ago it was. Adventure outside the classroom and give them a start (today) line and have them measure away from today and place their card at that distance. Secure the card with a piece of tape. Have all students return to today (the start line) and journey through time to the beginning of the earth. Walk to the furthest card discussing the events as you go by them. They should come to the realization that recent events in history are insignificant on the geologic time scale and that some events took quite a long time to occur.

Years ago distance event

4.57 billion 232.25m Earth begins

3.5 billion 177.39m Life begins on Earth

3 billion 152.7m First fossils form, algae, fungi, bacteria present

550 million 28.34m Jellyfish, sponges and land worms present

450 million 22.86m First fish present

400 million 20.11m Earliest land type plants

350 million 17.37m Earliest land animals (amphibians)

310 million 15.54m First reptiles

270 million 13.71m Reptiles everywhere and well developed

245 million 12.8m Age of dinosaurs begins

180 million 9.14m Flowering plants develop

160 million 8.22m Birds evolve and dinosaurs everywhere

80 million 4m Rocky Mountains begin to rise

70 million 3.66m Modern birds develop

65 million 3.35m Dinosaurs become extinct, Age of mammals begins

50 million 2.43m Mammals and birds abundant

40 million 2.13m First elephants

5 million 25.4cm First humans

1.5 million 7.6cm Beginning of Ice ages

10,000 .5mm End of most recent ice age

1910 .1mm Mt. Vesuvius erupts in Pompeii

774 .04mm Magna Carta signed

213 .01mm Declaration of independence signed

You may wish to have the students convert the time into distance or shorten the scale to do it indoors. Events and dates borrowed from Ranger Rick�s Naturescope: Digging into Dinosaurs.

AFCEA Science Tool Awards

AFCEA, the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, is a technical professional organization that realizes the importance of encouraging students to enter science and engineering careers. We know from our own experience how a motivated science teacher can spark an interest that becomes a lifelong career. We also know that today's school budgets often leave little room for teacher innovation. To enable teachers to offer more than the standard curriculum, AFCEA has cre-ated the Science Tool Awards.

The Science Tools Awards program provides up to $1,000 to middle and high school science teachers for the purchase of consumable materials for science classes. The awards are competitive and require the approval of the science department head and school principal. To apply, fill out the en-closed form and attach a short, detailed description of how the funds will be used. Include the follow-ing information:

� Course description(s) including scientific career motivation

� How the requested materials will be used in the course(s). (Value added to course)

� Financial Need Statement

� Cost of Program. Estimate the cost per student (itemize if you can) and estimate the number of students

in the course.

� Place your name and page number at the top of each page. Use a one-inch left margin.

� Please limit the proposal to no more than 5 type written pages

(NOTE: Please remember to be as specific as possible. A panel of judges reviews your proposal. The easier it is for the judges to understand and relate your proposal with the criteria listed above, the better the chance of your award gaining approval.)

AFCEA has instituted a bi-annual Science Tool Awards program. The dates to apply may be found on the AFCEA website.

Guy R. Riddle, Sr. (619) 758-1204 [email protected]

Call for Lesson Plans

San Diego County Teachers are exciting people! They stimulate, educate, and inspire students. Submit a favorite science lesson plan in one of the following areas: K-3, 4-6, 6-8, 9-12. The winner in each area will receive a $50.00 gift certificate to The Chart House. This is done in each issue of interconnections.

The complete, copy-ready lesson plan must be a maximum of one-page typed (minimum of 12 point font). Specify grade level of the plan. Include your name, school, district, and a three sentence biography. Send to: Martin Teachworth at La Jolla High School, 750 Nautilus St. La Jolla, CA 92037, fax (858)459-2188, or email ([email protected]).

Congratulations to Ruth Young and Bill Pearson who will each receive a $50 gift certificate to the Chart House for the lessons used in this issue of the newsletter.

SAN DIEGO SCIENCE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

VANCE MILLS EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Policy and Procedures Information

Purpose:

The purpose of the scholarship fund is to provide financial aid to SDSEA member educators who show a need for funding to advance their professional growth directly related to science education. Funding will be in two categories:

1. General Category funds will be granted based on how the activity will impact the improvement of science education in San Diego County. Educational travel, in and of itself, is not considered a valid professional growth activity for the purposes of this grant.

2. Conference Category funds will be granted to cover registration costs for attending the annual SDSEA conference. Funding will be based on documented need for assistance and timely application, with preference given to new teachers (those who have been in the classroom 2 years or less).

Funding, Publicity, Application Procedures, and Limitations:

The San Diego Science Educators Association will provide the SDSEA - Vance Mills Scholarship Fund $2,000 yearly for General Category grants, made available (as funds permit) on or about July 1 each year, by vote of the SDSEA Board of Directors. Conference Category Scholarship Funds will be figured into the conference registration accounting as gratis registrations for up to 10 grant recipients per year. A sub-committee of the SDSEA Board of Directors will screen applications and recommend suitable SDSEA - Vance Mills Educational Scholarship grants to the SDSEA Board for funding. Application procedures for both grant categories will be publicized at least once a year to the membership (usually through the association's newsletter).

Members may apply for no more than one General Category SDSEA - Vance Mills Scholarship grant per fiscal year. Individual educational scholarship grants for amounts up to $250 may be applied for at any time during the fiscal year, July 1 - June 30, and will be considered on a first come first served basis. Conference Category grants may be applied for during the November, December or January immediately preceding the annual SDSEA conference the applicant is seeking to attend. Once the SDSEA - Vance Mills Educational Scholarship Fund has been depleted for the year no further applications will be accepted.

Conditions of the Educational Scholarship Grant:

As a condition for receiving either category of scholarship, recipients must agree to prepare a report of two pages or less about the professional growth activity that was undertaken, or what was gained from their conference attendance. This report should be in a form suitable for use in the SDSEA Newsletter. The report should be filed with the SDSEA Secretary within 30 days of the completion of the activity. Additionally, the recipient of General Category funds will make an oral report at one of the SDSEA Board of Directors meetings (to be arranged through the Secretary) or a presentation at the local conference (at the discretion of the conference program chair).

S D S E A - VANCE MILLS

EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND

CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE APPLICATION

Personal information Work information

Name___________________________School______________________

Address_________________________Address_____________________

City____________________________City________________________

State & Zip_______________________State & Zip__________________

Phone___________________________Phone______________________

Date of application_________________

Request for SDSEA Conference registration costs to be covered by SDSEA.

� How many years have you been a classroom teacher? ______________

� What other sources of funding (if any) will you utilize to be able to attend the conference? (who is covering substitute costs, transportation, etc.)

__________________________________________________________

� What is the level of need for your conference registration? __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

� In what ways will conference attendance advance your professional growth?

__________________________________________________________

� Are you willing to disseminate information about things you learned at the conference in a newsletter article? _________________________

Please return this form to:

SDSEA

P.O. Box 712859

San Diego, CA 92171

SDSEA�s 17th Annual Conference -- Science Connections 2001

This March 9-10, teachers attending the SDSEA annual conference �Science Connections 2001� will find several features of note. In addition to having name tags and other registration materials mailed to pre-registered attendees before the conference teachers will experience these great aspects of a great conference:

GIVE AWAYS -

At least $ 1,500.00 plus in door prizes are given out each year,

NEW TEACHER FEATURES -

To quickly get new teachers the information they need to teach science well,

Make It - Take It sessions with proven science ideas you can use on Monday

College Credit available for attendance (for both new and experienced teachers)

BETTER FOOD SERVICE -

The traditional free coffee Friday morning in the lobby, and,

An expanded �sidewalk cafe� food court area near the exhibits will provide a comfortable place to sit and visit over coffee, or grab a bite to eat.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH -

A chance to invite other decision makers/budget planners from your community and campus,

PTA/PTSA/PTO Presidents invited to attend the conference for FREE on Saturday

School Site Council Chairpersons invited to attend the conference for FREE on Saturday

Principals and Vice Principals invited to attend the conference for FREE on Saturday

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS -

A greatly expanded �Technology In Science� strand both Friday and Saturday

Live Internet access for several sessions, and a related short course �Filamentality� with internet access and service provide by Pac Bell

A partnership with San Diego Computer Using Educators (SDCUE) to provide both technical support and technology in science sessions

Apple Computer�s K-12 Manager For Curriculum Solutions (especially science)

Science software preview sessions (finally time to sit and focus on what�s good)

STATE INITIATIVES, THE LATEST INFORMATION -

See equipment & instructional materials you need to meet new state standards, all displayed in one place,

SB 1564 Science lab equipment money for grades K-12 was given to all districts last year. You have until June of 2001 to spend it. One-stop-shop in the exhibits area to wisely find the equipment and materials you will need to meet new state science standards.

The latest in state approved instructional materials which align with science standards

All this, and the main part of the conference which features over 150 sessions across all grade levels, and several short courses to help you improve science teaching in your classroom. Plan now to enhance your professionalism in science education by attending. For the latest constantly updated information, visit our new web site at www.sdsea.org on the internet.

Watch your mailbox for special flyers inviting new teachers to attend the SDSEA conference.

Alert your Principal to be on the lookout for flyers inviting Principals, Vice Principals, PTA Presidents and School Site Council Chairs to the conference. And, be sure you pre-register for the best science conference of the year!

conference reg page goes here

What Our Children Learn and Apply

The following is a true story, the names have not been changed to protect anyone.

Morgan, a college junior, a product of the US and San Diego public educational system, a bright kid, an Eagle Scout well trained in first aide and quick thinking, and possessing a well developed sense of responsibility balanced by a warped sense of humor, goes out to dinner with his friends.

A middle-aged man is lying face down in the middle of a parking lot (taking up two spaces with his body). The body is not moving, but no one is helping or approaching him. The people pass by with glances, but NOT ONE ADULT in an expensive area in Palo Alto will stop to help this person. Perhaps it is the thought that if they do not look, the man will go away. Maybe they hope someone else will solve the problem. Maybe if the man had on expensive clothes instead of a plain jacket and pants, they would help.

The responsible youth, Morgan and friends walk over to the man. Morgan feels a moral obligation, he and the other youth have been raised and trained in this way. Not just by parent, but by a public educational system and Boy Scouts of America, both organizations under fire by the press and public opinion. Morgan wonders "Is the man okay?" Why will not the older adults, the responsible people of the community, the well paid executives, the family people, middle-age adults do nothing?

Relying on the first aide training and common sense as the visions of having to do CPR on a stranger dance through his head, Morgan goes through the following sequence.

Morgan yells from a distance - "Hey, are you okay?" There is no response from the man, but people in the busy shopping mall stop to watch, not help, just watch. Next stage, Morgan approaches closer and yells louder. There is no response from the apparently lifeless form, but more onlookers are attracted to the 'entertainment.' Morgan then yells from closer distance, but not close enough to be grabbed. There is still no response from the man, but a circle of onlookers is attentive. Morgan then kicks the man's foot. There is no response from form but the audience is buzzing with excitement and wondering what will happen next.

The thoughts going through the mind of a 19-year-old student at this time go something like this. I really do not want to do CPR on this stranger. I really hope he is okay. I really do not want to do CPR on this stranger. I wish someone else would do this, I really do not want to do CPR on this guy. I am trained and can do this, but where are the trained professionals? Surely at least one of these people is a doctor, nurse or EMT.

Morgan then kicks the man's side (not hard enough to break anything) but there is still no response. He then shakes the body very vigorously, but still obtains no response. Morgan thinks over and over, I really do NOT want to do CPR on this man. Morgan finally turns the man over.

Finally a response! The man starts kicking and yelling. The words are slurred and the smell of alcohol on the breath leads to the wonderful conclusion that the man is drunk, NOT in a coma or not breathing. The man is yelling and trying to fight, so Morgan completes the turn so the man rolls and is dumped into some bushes in the center of the parking lot.

As Morgan walks away two old ladies compliment him on his willingness to help

someone he does not know. The response from this young man is "Help him? I was checking for a wallet." (ED- That's my boy!)

While the story ends with a cute and funny punch line it could have ended with CPR being given and the paramedics being called. The youth we teach are reached in many ways. Many youth take on the responsibilities we repeatedly stress or pontificate in class or at home. The training learned by the students in first aide or CPR classes in schools or scouts may actually be applied to save a live. It is a statement about today's society that supposedly responsible adults would and did stand by while obviously younger folks tried to solve an unpleasant situation. Remember the youth in your class will be the ones in similar situations. The training and ethics developed by you may determine how each of them reacts.

San Diego Science Educators Association

P.O. Box 712859

San Diego, CA 92171

ROUTE TO ALL TEACHERS OF SCIENCE

Notice: Bulk mail in not forwarded. Please write or call SDSEA promptly at 491-2368 with an address change or you will cease to receive the newsletter.

Conference and Events Update

When What Information

February 24 Walk On Water USD College of Engineering

March 9-10 SDSEA Conference Willa Ramsey or Kathy Hepler (619) 491 - 2368

March 15 SDSEA Newsletter Due Date Martin Teachworth ([email protected])

April 7 Sand Castle MS and HS Martin Teachworth 858.454.3081x224

April 21 Sand Castle Elementary Martin Teachworth 858.454.3081x224

April 28 SEED Fair @ Mesa College Betsy Leonard <[email protected]>

May 5 Electri c Car Competition Dr. Bill Guentzler (619) 594-5807

May 16-17 Inventors Showcase JoAnne Schaper (619) 491-1531

May 18 Elementary Science Field Day Steve Mull ([email protected])

June 6 SDSEA Awards Banquet Penny Wilson (619) 491-2368

June 15 SDSEA Newsletter Due Date Martin Teachworth ([email protected])

September 15 SDSEA Newsletter Due Date Martin Teachworth ([email protected])

December 15 SDSEA Newsletter Due Date Martin Teachworth ([email protected])