2008 Courses
Summer 2008 Courses
»Science Inquiry-based Teaching: an Immersion Course for K-12 Teachers
»The Salad Bowl
»Nutrition Education Workshop for Elementary, Middle & High School Teachers
»Current Research in Physics, Workshop for Middle & High School Teachers
»Learning with Light, Summer Science Teacher Workshop
»Celebrate the Potato
»Science Inquiry in the Elementary Classroom
»Native Wisconsin Trees
Fall 2008 Courses
»Reefs and Rainforests for Teachers
»Field Methods in Ecology
Summer 2008
Science Inquiry-based Teaching: an Immersion Course for K-12 Teachers
June 16-20, 2008, 8 am-4:30 pm
Cost: $50
Place: Wisconsin Heights Middle School (10173 Highway 14, Mazomanie)
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
Instructors: Michelle Harris, Ph.D. and Janet Batzli, Ph.D., UW-Madison Biocore Program and Kevin Niemi, Ph.D., UW-Madison Center for Biology Education
This full week course for K-12 teachers allows them to observe and experience science inquiry. Part one of this course will run concurrently with a week-long Wisconsin Heights Summer Science Camp for 4-12th graders organized and taught by Biocore instructors, Biology Outreach Club graduate students, and undergraduates from the Biocore Outreach Ambassador Program. K-12 teachers will observe Science Camp activities from 8:30am-noon and then stay for the afternoons to share observations, experience and discuss the practical classroom applications of inquiry as well as the underlying research on student learning and cognition. Connections to standard curricula like FOSS and STC and to other areas in the Wisconsin science standards will be covered. Part 2 of this course will occur during Fall 2008, when teachers will develop and implement an inquiry-based lesson in their own classrooms and engage in discussions with other teachers regarding the implementation of the inquiry lesson online and after school. This course will give registration priority to Wisconsin Heights teachers and has a maxiumum enrollment of 10 teachers.
Contact Michelle Harris, maharris@wisc.edu or Kevin Niemi, kjniemi@wisc.edu for further information.
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July 7-11, 2008
Cost: $25
Place: UW-Madison campus
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost of $301.45
Instructors: Professor Emeritus Raymond Kessel and faculty associate Chris Day
This course will focus on the reproductive aspects of fruits and vegetables. We will demonstrate how common foods can be valuable in teaching about the genetics and reproductive strategies used by plants. The understanding of these aspects of plant biology provide unique opportunities to understand how our food evolves and was selected for domestication and mass production for the fresh food market and industrialization for food and by-products.
The course will be focused on the middle and high school levels. The format will include hands-on inquiry based instruction using readily available materials and equipment. There will be built-in time for participants to develop their own ideas for integrating the materials into their own classroom. A field trip will be arranged to explore how aspects of fruits and vegetables can be integrated into a regular classroom curriculum in an exciting and informative way.
The course will be directed by Prof. Emeritus Raymond Kessel and faculty associate Chris Day. They will involve UW faculty and staff who are working on various fruits and vegetables to share their own knowledge and excitement of the plants and the direction of current research.
Discussions will be held to explore ways in which course participants can continue to work as a learning community, sharing ideas, gaining new knowledge, discussing successes and failures and encouraging the interaction with UW faculty and staff to benefit themselves and their students.
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Nutrition Education Workshop for Elementary, Middle & High School Teachers
Date: July 14, 15, 16, 2008
Time: 9 am-3 pm daily
Cost: No cost, unless you want UW-Madison credit. Cost for one credit is $301.45
Location: Rm. 1408, Genetics/Biotech Ctr. Bldg., 425-G Henry Mall (enter the bldg. on the corner of Randall St.and University Avene)
Questions: Contact Ruth Owens, 608-262-1006 or reowens@wisc.edu
If you are taking it for credit, please follow instructions under the registration procedures.
The eating habits of children and teens are known to have an impact on their present and future health, their ability to learn and their physical performance (athletics). However, many young people are not making the grade nutritionally. Obesity and other related diseases are becoming more prevalent in today’s youth while nutritional needs for health are not being met. Eating well can make a positive difference in a student’s ability to achieve in school. Students learn to choose healthy foods through effective nutrition education.
This 3-day Nutrition Education Workshop is designed to help you learn about the science of food and nutrition as well as give you an opportunity to improve your nutritional health. Participants in this course will investigate various content areas applicable to child and adolescent nutrition and their own eating habits. These areas include:
- Current nutrition and health statistics
- Nutrition as it relates to the individual educator
- An overview of macro and micronutrients
- Essential habits of good eaters
- How nutrition affects the teaching and learning process
- Sports nutrition
- Eating disorders and body image
- Using "My Pyramid" and 2005 Dietary Guidelines in the classroom
- Weight management and fad diets
- Role of the school environment in supporting good nutrition
- Using the New Wisconsin Nutrition Education Guidelines
Course participants will be required to complete reading assignments, take a pre and post assessment quiz and complete an out of class assignment related to the development of a lesson plan, tailored to a nutrition topic and core subject and/or or grade level of interest.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
K-12 teachers and educators who are interested in learning about and teaching nutrition lessons in their classroom.
INSTRUCTOR: Jill Camber Davidson, RD, CD
Jill is a registered dietitian employed at the Department of Public Instruction as a Nutrition Education Consultant. She has previous work experience as a nutrition counselor, foodservice director, and clinical dietitian. She is the chair of Wisconsin Action for Healthy kids, the past-president of the Wisconsin Dietetic Association and has recently been elected to the Sun Prairie school board.
CLASS SIZE is limited to 16 participants.
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Current Research in Physics, Workshop for Middle & High School Teachers
July 14-16, 2008, 9 am-3 pm daily
Cost: $50 (includes lunch and supplies)
Place: Chamberlin Hall, UW-Madison
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
The Physics Department and the Wonder of Physics are sponsoring a three day workshop for middle and high school teachers. Current Research in Physics is an opportunity for teachers to tour research labs, meet scientists, and pick up some cool demos to take back to the classroom. This three-day workshop will focus on a different cutting-edge topic in physics each day. In addition to filling in the modern part of your curriculum, these topics can be integrated into your study of classical physics. This workshop is designed for physical science teachers of grades 7-12.
Download pdf file for workshop.
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Learning with Light, Summer Science Teacher Workshop
July 21, 22, and 23, 2008
Cost: $40
Place:
UW Madison’s Synchrotron Radiation Center
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
This three-day workshop at the state’s national lightsource laboratory was designed to offer high school science teachers the opportunity to learn about how light is used as a tool for research, the science behind it, and how to incorporate these ideas into the classroom.
Participants will learn about the fascinating scientific research conducted at the facility, practice using a teaching resource developed by the lab which allows students to take data remotely over the internet, learn about the many educational resources offered by the laboratory, practice using light-related lessons developed at the lab for teachers to take back to their schools, interact with teaching colleagues while sharing experiences, and to develop ideas offered during the workshop for their own teaching.
Workshop Details:
- The workshop is offered by the education and outreach group at SRC and is funded by the National Science Foundation.
- The workshop is intended for high school science teachers.
- A current Wisconsin high school physics and chemistry teacher will serve as one of the instructors at the workshop.
- This is a resident workshop, thus participants will stay in a dorm setting at the facility for the duration of the workshop.
- SRC is located about ten miles south of Madison in rural Dane County.
- All meals, housing, handouts, and other materials are included.
- The workshop will be limited to eight teachers.
Feedback from the 2007 workshop:
- “Excellent context, usable experiments, and ideas.”
- “I can use a lot of the information especially on synchrotron radiation, spectroscopy, labs, and demonstrations.”
- “A lot of the material can be incorporated into my curriculum.”
For more information about the workshop or to apply please contact Chris Moore, SRC education and outreach coordinator at: cmoore@src.wisc.edu or (608) 877-2137. To learn more about SRC, visit www.src.wisc.edu.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JUNE 1, 2008
(Note: Because the workshop will be limited to eight teachers,
registration will close once the workshop is filled.)
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July 21-25, 2008
Cost: $25
Place:
UW Madison campus
Optional credit: $301.45
The United Nations has declared 2008 to be “The International Year of the Potato.” In celebration of this event, this course will explore ways in which the world’s most widely used crop can be useful to teach many aspects of biology. We will examine the geographical distribution of the potato, the evolution of the potato as we know it, the unusual aspects of reproduction and genetics, the link between agricultural technologies, environmental science and consumer influences. The biochemical and molecular knowledge that influences many aspects of the use of this amazing plant will also be covered.
The course will also provide opportunities to discuss how this special year can be used as a way of integrating agricultural, biological and social science into a classroom. Plans are developing for a late fall event for students to attend which will showcase the potato and the University of Wisconsin’s contribution to the success of the crop.
The course will be targeted at the middle and high school level for biology, agricultural and social science teachers. Teams from one school would enable collaboration within a school. Elementary school teachers would find it useful even though the intended level for students will be higher, they can adapt the materials to their classroom level.
The tentative topics of the course include:
- The origin of the potato as a food crop.
- The social history of the potato and its influence on people’s lives in the past, present and future.
- The genetics of a clonal reproducing plant, including polyploidy reproduction, compatibility and evolution.
- The production and marketing aspects of the potato to meet industrial and commercial preferences.
- The pests and diseases which raise important issues of the future of this food source.
- Field trip to learn about the cultural aspects of the potato, uniformity at the farmers markets, community gardens, supermarkets and visit research facilities on UW campus.
Participants will develop outlines of projects in which they can use the materials in their own classrooms.
The course will be coordinated by Prof. Emeritus Raymond Kessel and faculty associate Chris Day. They will involve UW faculty and staff who are working on the cutting edge of research using the potato. The course will also include some field trips in the Madison area.
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Science Inquiry in the Elementary Classroom
August 4-8, 2008, 9 am - 4 pm
Cost: $50 (for supplies and materials)
Place: UW-Madison, Center for Biology Education
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
Kevin Niemi, Ph.D. of the Center for Biology Education, is offering a full week engagement for elementary teachers with science inquiry. The practical classroom applications of inquiry as well as the underlying research on student learning and cognition will be the emphasis of the week. Connections to standard curriculum like FOSS and STC and to other science areas in the elementary standards will be covered.
Contact Kevin Niemi, 608.262.5480, kjniemi@wisc.edu for more information.
Limit: 20 teachers
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Native Wisconsin Trees
Wisconsin Tree Identification
August 18-24, 2008 (includes weekend day trips on Aug. 23 and 24)
Cost: $75 (includes materials)
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
Interested in learning to identify Wisconsin's native trees? If so, this 1-week combination online-and-outdoor workshop is for you! Taught by Catherine Woodward, PhD in Botany, this intensive workshop includes 4 online lessons that participants may login to anytime during the week of August 18 - 23 prior to the field trips. The two field excursions into Wisconsin's woods will take place on Saturday, August 23 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the Baraboo Hills and on Sunday, August 24 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the UW-Madison Arboretum and other sites in the Madison area. Tree identification materials, worksheets and evaluation is included. Note: Participants must provide carpool transport and bag lunches for field trips.
Limit: 20 teachers and/or natural resource professionals
Contact Catherine Woodward, cwoodwar@wisc.edu, 608-242-8644, for more information.
Visit the webpage for this course.
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Science Masters Institute
Science Masters Institutes bring together 10 school districts and UW-Madison in a collaborative effort to extend and deepen conceptual understanding and improve achievement of middle school students in science through professional development opportunities for middle school science teachers, and teachers supporting student learning in science classes.
| Course Content/Title | Dates | Location | UW Faculty & Department |
| Weather & Water | 2/11; 2/16; 2/25; 3/1 | LaFollette HS | Scott Lindstrom & Margaret Mooney, Space Science & Engineering |
| Earth's History | 4/7; 4/12; 4/21; 4/26 | LaFollette HS | Basil Tikoff, Geology |
| Properties & Changes in Matter | June 16-19 | UW Chemistry | John Moore & Teri Larson, Chemistry |
| Genetics, Natural Selection, and Evolution | June 23-26 | LaFollette HS | Colin Dewey, Biostatistics & Medical Informatics |
| Transfer of Energy & Electronics | July 14-17 | West HS | Amy Wendt, Electrical & Computer Engineering |
| Unity & Diversity of Life | Aug 4-7 | LaFollette HS | David Baum, Botany |
| Motion & Forces | 9/8; 9/13; 9/22; 9/27 | LaFollette HS | Nicola Ferrier, Mechanical Engineering |
| Human Brain & Senses | 10/6; 10/11; 10/20; 10/25 | West HS | Tom Yin, Physiology |
| Earth in the Solar System | 11/3; 11/8; 11/17; 11/22 | Memorial HS | Eric Wilcots, Astronomy |
The Science Masters model involves 20 hours face-to-face contact and 10 hours online. The courses are offered in a series of three so that over the course of year, all three courses will be taken by the same cohort of teachers.
Science Masters is funded by a Title IIB grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. School districts involved in this grant and thus eligible for the courses are: Beloit, Deerfield, Kettle Moraine, Madison Metropolitan School District, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Sauk Prairie, Sun Prairie, and Wisconsin Heights.
For more information on the Science Masters Institutes, contact Andrea Anderson, Madison Metropolitan School District Instructional Resource Teacher, Teaching & Learning, (608) 663-1978 or amanderson2@madison.k12.wi.us.
Download of the Science Masters Institute flyer.
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Fall 2008
Reefs and Rainforests for Teachers
Online!
Fall semester offering!
Professional Development For Science Teachers (Grades 7-12)
October 1 - December 14; 1-2 credits, ask about no-credit options
Instructor: Catherine Woodward, Ph.D.
See course website for more info!
This entirely online course is a virtual exploration of rainforests and coral reefs, two of Earth's most diverse ecosystems! Delve into the principles of ecology and environmental science in the context of the the astounding biodiversity and complexity of these environments. Learn about the new discoveries scientists are continually making in these systems, and why it is important to conserve and protect them. Online lecture presentations will align with Wisconsin science standards, and online discussions will allow reflection on how to bring rainforests and reefs into your classroom. Contact the instructor for more information.
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Dates T.B.A. (Two weeks in early fall, including 3 weekend field trips)
Cost: $75 (includes materials)
Credit: 1 credit available at additional cost
Enrich your biology and ecology classes with science in the field! This 3-week class provides hands-on experience and review of standard field methods applied to scientific inquiry in ecology. Online lessons and field activities are designed to teach experimental design and randomization, plot and transect sampling techniques, mapping, vegetation measurement, and aquatic sampling. Participants also will discuss ways to include field-based scientific inquiry into their curriculum.
The class is taught by Catherine Woodward, PhD, a plant ecologist with extensive field research and teaching experience. Time commitment for this class includes 2 online lessons each week that can be taken at any time during the week, and three field trips (two on Saturday and Sunday at the end of the first week, and one on Saturday at the end of the second week). Note: Participants must provide carpool transport and bag lunches for field trips.
Limit: 20 teachers and/or natural resource professionals
Contact Catherine Woodward, cwoodwar@wisc.edu, 608-242-8644, for more information.