Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(37)

Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Modeling workshops at Winona State University

Registration for the meeting is online,
Week 1, http://winona.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=232
Week 2, http://winona.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=234
Note that there are two versions of each meeting, that come with/without dorm housing.

NGSS Preview Meetings:

Check out an NGSS preview meeting near you: http://www.sciencematterswi.org/previewmeetings.html

-- Opportunities

Real Time Conversation with ISS Crewmembers

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/students/ariss.html

NASA is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between November 1, 2012 and May 1, 2013.  To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and can integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.  Proposals are due July 2, 2012.

Gr 5-12:  Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) Mission #3 to ISS

http://ssep.ncesse.org/2012/04/announcing-new-ssep-flight-opportunity-mission-3-to-the-international-space-station-for-the-2012-2013-academic-year/

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, in partnership with NanoRacks, invites school districts across the U.S. to participate in the SSEP program.  An 8-week competition in your school or district, held Fall 2012, will allow grades 5-12 students to engage in real scientific research of their own design.  The selected submissions from across the country will then be flown on each community's previously reserved mini-lab slot on ISS. You need to indicate your district's intent to participate by September 12, 2012.

-- Science Spotlight

 SpaceX launch to ISS: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120522-spacex-launch-falcon-9-international-space-station-science/?source=link_tw20120521news-spacex

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched today in the early morning darkness carrying what could soon be the first commercial spacecraft to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

-- Website of the Week

Misconceptions-Oriented Standards Based Assessments Resources for Teachers

http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/smgphp/mosart/testinventory_2.html

Tests are FREE to educators; however, since their structure and use differ from many assessment instruments with which you may be familiar, anyone seeking access to these instruments is required to complete tutorials about their design and proper usage.  The site will keep track of your progress through the tutorials, and give you direct access to the tests once the tutorials are complete.

Natural Inquirer – A science journal for middle school students.

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(36)

Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

LEAF Day: June 13 10-3, LEAF’s Annual field day provides an opportunity to get together with others that share your commitment to environmental education.  Visits to school sites, networking, and resources!

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ac77avfab&v=001Udjluc4seekmNUgETWH7Ak0TcwfklgW_8WbCgzdfKv27CbqyOrkFsNdG3DpWOoTuGetYiQDpssrxwJQJGBvWgOtxWAObZSOO0urE2xa31yw%3D

Unleash Your Inner Scientist!

Employing and Enjoying Inquiry in the Classroom and Lab

A Workshop on Biological Inquiry

Join BEACON and BioQUEST for a five day, residential workshop at the Kellogg Biological Station for biology teachers interested in increasing inquiry in the classroom and lab.  The workshop is appropriate for all biology teachers, and AP biology teachers interested in inquiry with the new AP lab manual are encouraged to attend.

August 6-10, 2012

Kellogg Biological Station, MI

Registration deadline: July 6, 2012

More information and registration: http://bioquest.org/beacon2012/

NGSS PREVIEW MEETINGS

A list of preview meetings for the Next Generation Science Standards is located here:

http://www.sciencematterswi.org/ngsspreview.html

-- Science Spotlight

Foundations of complex language have been found in colonies of unusual furry animals called hyraxes.

Hyraxes, which resemble rodents but are more closely related to elephants or manatees, often cluck, snort, squeak, tweet and wail songs from the perches of their rocky colonies. By recording hundreds of the animals’ songs and applying clever mathematics, researchers discovered that differences in note arrangement, or syntax, in hyrax songs vary as the distance increases between colonies — a surprising occurrence of dialect.

 http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/hyrax-song-complexity/

-- Website of the Week

International Science Benchmarking Report

Achieve conducted a comparative analysis of 10 countries’ science standards, selecting countries based on their strong performance on international assessments and/or their economic, political, or cultural importance to the United States. Achieve’s report is based on patterns of special interest that emerged from analyzing the coding of more than 25,000 standards statements across the 10 selected countries.

http://www.achieve.org/international-science-benchmarking-report

-- Video of the Week

YouTube Space Lab: http://www.youtube.com/user/spacelab/

YouTube Space Lab is about space. We believe that space is more exciting and accessible than ever. On this channel, you can discover space by watching the amazing videos we find from across YouTube.

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague! 

-- Next Generation Science Standards Update

The public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards will be released Friday afternoon (2:00).  They will be available for download or online access at http://www.nextgenscience.org/ 

The review period for the draft will be open until June 1.  I will send a “special addition” of Science Matters In Wisconsin Friday afternoon with additional NGSS resources.  Science Matters will return to its normal format next week!

-- NGSS Preview Meetings

Over the next few weeks, the Wisconsin DPI Science Leadership team will be hosting “Preview Meetings” throughout the state.  The purpose of these meetings is to provide an overview of the NGSS process and time for a facilitated exploration of the draft standards.  Please RSVP directly to the facilitator listed for the meeting you wish to attend. Additional meetings may be scheduled and will be sent out in future newsletters.

The list:

Preview Meeting @ UW Oshkosh

Date: May 16

Time: 5:30 – 7:30

Location: Room 2212 Sage Hall, UWO

Facilitators: Eric Brunsell (UWO) & John Whitsett (Fond du Lac School District)

RSVP: Please RSVP by May 11 to Eric Brunsell brunsele@uwosh.edu

NOTE: This meeting is already almost at capacity!

Preview Meeting @ CESA 10

Date: May 14

Time: 5:00 – 7:00

Location: CESA 10 Main Conference Center

Facilitator: Thersea Buzynski

Preview Meetings @ Milwaukee

Date:  May 9

Audience: High School Department Chairs

Date: May 16

Audience: K-8 Science Teachers, workshop

Date:  May 21

Audience: K-12 Science Cohort

Date: May 25

Audience: Milwaukee Science Education Coalition

Facilitators: District science leadership team, Mary Staten, Coordinator, statenme@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Preview Meeting @ CESA 8

Date: May 18

Time: 8:30 – 11:30

Location: CESA 8

Facilitators: JoAnn Miller (Oconto Falls) &Eric Larsen (CESA 8), elarsen@cesa8.k12.wi.us]

Preview Meeting @ Kenosha and Racine Counties

Date: May 17

Time: 4:30 -6:30

Location: Starbuck Middle School Auditorium, Racine

Facilitator: John Surendonk Racine School District, john.surendonk@racine.k12.wi.us

Preview Meeting @ UW Stout

Date: May 29

Time 5:00 – 7:00

Location: UW Stout

Facilitator: Kevin Mason, (UWS) masonk@uwstout.edu

Preview Meeting @ Sun Prairie (CESA 2)

Date: May 23

Time 5:00 – 7:00

Location: Sun Prairie District Office

Facilitators:  Kris Miller (SPSD) kamuell@spasd.k12.wi.us  & Tim Peterson (MMSD) tpeterson2@madison.k12.wi.us

Preview Meeting @ CESA 3

Date: May 24

Time:  9:00 am

Location: CESA 3 office

Facilitator: Patti Schaefer, Patricia.Schaefer@mp.k12.wi.us, Jerry Redman, jerry.redman@teaching2learning.com

Preview Meeting @ Lake Geneva

Date: May 21

Time: 4:00 - 6:00

Location: Lake Geneva

Facilitators: Karen Nesbit, karen.nesbit@franklin.k12.wi.us, Vince Kluth, kluth@twinlakes.k12.wi.us

Preview Meeting @ CESA 4

Date:  May 23

Time: TBD

Location: CESA 4 Office

Facilitators: Mike LeDocq, ledocqm@westerntc.edu, Billie Finco, bfinco@cesa4.k12.wi.us

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx  and sign up as a “Point of Contact”

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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The public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards will be released at 2:00 on Friday May 11.  You will be able to download them from http://www.nextgenscience.org/.  The public will be able to provide feedback on this initial draft through June 1.  NSTA has created a guide to help individuals or small groups participate in this feedback phase.  The Guide for Leading Study Groups is located here: http://www.nsta.org/about/standardsupdate/default.aspx

The writing of the Next Generation Science Standards is being led by Achieve.  The National Academies of Science, National Science Teachers Association, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science are heavily involved in the development.  This process has been enabled through a grant from the Carnegie Foundation.  Wisconsin science educators have also been actively engaged in this process.  We have a colleague on the writing team.  NSTA also held a meeting on the UWO campus to bring together a group of classroom teachers from across the state to critique the initial draft of the standards. Additional information on the NGSS development is located here: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/science-standard-common-core-education-eric-brunsell

NGSS is an exciting “step up” for science standards.  Not only do the standards describe the content that students should be learning about, they also clearly articulate what students should be able to do in order to show their understanding (clear performance expectations!).  These performance expectations merge disciplinary content, cross-cutting concepts (like energy), and the practices of science and engineering.  Additionally, NGSS is focused on a coherent set of core ideas that clearly outline age-appropriate content.  Careful curriculum and course alignment to these standards will help all of us unburden our curriculum so that we can focus on depth of understanding and high-quality thinking.

NGSS Preview Meetings

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has established a Science Leadership Team composed of representatives from throughout Wisconsin.  This team has met several times over the past year and will continue to meet as it works to establish and communicate a “roll out plan” to assist districts throughout the state.  As part of this effort, the team is planning “Preview Nights” for late May.  The goal of these meetings is to provide an overview of NGSS as it is related to Wisconsin, to give small groups a chance to “dig in” to the standards, and to collect feedback on issues specific to NGSS efforts in Wisconsin.

Two meetings have been formally set.  I will send an update later this week with additional locations.

Preview Meeting @ UW Oshkosh

Date: May 16

Time: 5:30 – 7:30

Location: Room 2212 Sage Hall, UWO

Facilitators: Eric Brunsell (UWO) & John Whitsett (Fond du Lac School District)

RSVP:  Please RSVP by May 11 to Eric Brunsell brunsele@uwosh.edu  

Preview Meeting @ CESA 10

Date: May 14

Time: 5:00 – 7:00

Location: CESA 10 Main Conference Center

Facilitator: Thersea Buzynski

RSVP: Please RSVP by May 11 to Thersea Burzynski (tburzynski@cesa10.k12.wi.us)

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Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(34)

Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Next Generation Science Standards Update

Coming sooner!  It seems nearly certain that the public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards will be released sometime next week.  As soon as they come out, I will it out on this list.  I will also include information about how you can provide feedback to the writing team.  The DPI Science Leadership Team is currently organizing “Preview” meetings around the state.  I will send out that information when it is available!  This may mean that you might get more frequent e-mails from me over the next couple of weeks.  I know you don’t need an overflowing inbox, so I promise I won’t turn into a spammer…

-- Professional Development

The BTC Institute, located in Madison, WI is  pleased to be able to offer summer teacher courses, Biotechnology: The Basics (July 16-20, 2012)  and Biotechnology: Beyond the Basics (July 23-27, 2012).   Please see our website: http://www.btci.org/k12/twc/twc.html for details.  Optional graduate education credits from Viterbo University and Edgewood College will be available. Some scholarships will be available, scholarship information will be posted on the website by May 25, 2012. 

-- Science Spotlight

Bats & Wind Turbines: n the push to develop new forms of sustainable energy, the wind power industry is at the forefront. Turbines that harness the power of wind already serve as effective power sources across the globe, and this proven effectiveness has led to vast increases in the number of turbines currently under construction. The general impact of wind turbines on the environment is likely far less than that of conventional power sources. However, recent evidence shows that certain species of bats are particularly susceptible to mortality from wind turbines. Bats are beneficial consumers of harmful insect pests, and migratory species of bats cross international and interstate boundaries. http://paper.li/scimatters_wi/1313980410#

-- Website of the Week

Check out The Evolution of Life website.  It provides animations, simulations and other teaching materials. http://www.evolution-of-life.com/en/home.html

-- Video of the Week

Check out these “Beyond Tomorrow” clips of futuristic products from the Science Channel’s YouTube channel.

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(30)

Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

>IMPORTANT:  The April 16^th Next Gen Standards meeting at UW Oshkosh has been canceled.  If you registered, you should have received an e-mail from me.  The release of the public draft has been delayed to early May.  I will provide an update when they are released!

>TWO DAYS LEFT:  Apply for Science Futures before April 6! http://www.wsst.org/sciencefutures/

>Join producers and scientists from Discovery Channel's groundbreaking series Frozen Planet for a free LIVE classroom webinar: Earth Day: What the Ice and Penguins Tell Us About Our Changing Planet Thursday, April 12, 2012, 1:00pm ET REGISTER TODAY  (http://siemensstemacademy.com/index.cfm?event=showResource&resourceId=edcbfc4e-1438-bbfa-6024-cecf51636fce )    NSTA’s book, Climate Change: Pole to Pole, has a FREE chapter (and activity) focused on penguins, ice cover, and climate change: http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781933531236

>The Agriculture-based Renewable Energy Professional Development Workshop will provide 20 community college and high school agriculture and science teachers from the Midwest with the opportunity to learn ways to bring research on ag-based renewable energy technologies to the classroom. This hands-on workshop will be held from June 11‒14, 2012 at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. Lodging and meals are provided, as well as $200 for travel costs and a $200 stipend. Additionally, there will be an option to receive either graduate credits or continuing education credits from Iowa State University. Please see the website for a flier with more information and an application: http://ateec.org/ag-workshop. Application deadline is April 16, 2012. If you have any questions, please e-mail Nick Ohde at ohde@iastate.edu

-- Science Headline

Great Blue Herons lay between two and six 2-inch-long eggs per clutch, and they can have up to two broods in a single year. The stars of the Heron cam, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, have laid four eggs every year for the past three years, and all of them have fledged.  HERON CAM: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/great-blue-heron-cam/

-- Video of the Week

New videography techniques have opened up the oceans' microscopic ecosystem, revealing it to be both mesmerizingly beautiful and astoundingly complex. Explore this hidden world that underpins our own food chain -- in the first-ever TEDTalk given by a fish ... http://www.ted.com/talks/the_secret_life_of_plankton.html

-- Website of the Week

(via Shelley Lee, DPI) An invisible, ancient source of energy surrounds us—energy that powered the first explorations of the world, and that may be a key to the future. http://hint.fm/wind/

-- Resource

The Role of Informal Education in STEM Education

Hot off the wire is a new National Governors Association policy brief for governors that focuses on why states should include informal science in their STEM education policies and councils.  http://www.nga.org/cms/home/nga-center-for-best-practices/center-publications/page-edu-publications/col2-content/main-content-list/the-role-of-informal-science-in.html

-- Video of the Week

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

This week is all summer professional development opportunities!

Science Futures http://www.wsst.org/sciencefutures/

Seeking twenty-four K-12 teachers of science with 1+ years of classroom experience who want to improve their own professional development and leadership potential in science education.
Dates: July 22-July 27 (Begins Sunday at 3 PM & Concludes Friday at 12 PM)
Location: Pigeon Lake Field Station, Drummond, WI
Credit: 3 FREE Graduate Credits Available
Full Year Commitment - 1 Credit Summer (Face to Face), 1 Credit each Fall & Spring (Online)
Registration Fee: $50 (Included meals & lodging)
Application Deadline: April 6, 2012

Wisconsin Land Legacy Report (http://dnr.wi.gov/master_planning/land_legacy/)

There are additional copies of the Wisconsin Land legacy Report by DNR is available for science teachers to use in their classrooms with students. The hyperlink is for the poster that accompanies the publication. Teachers can receive classroom sets of the publication, in lots of 24 by sending an email: Shelley.lee@dpi.wi.gov

Physics Content Courses for Secondary School Teachers

This summer, the Physics department at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls will continue its decades-long tradition of offering high quality, in-person physics courses for practicing teachers.   Our courses have proven valuable both for teachers who are new to physics and are working toward getting licensed to teach physics, as well as those who have been teaching the subject for many years.  Dorm housing is available.

The courses typically feature a large variety of laboratory and hands-on activities that can be brought back to your own classrooms.

This summer, UWRF is offering three courses:

Electricity and Magnetism for Secondary School Teachers,     4 credits,    June 18 - July 6

Using Videos to Teach Physics,      2 credits,    July 9 -13

Parallels in Physics and Art,      2 credits,    July 16 – 20

Contact us for course descriptions, tuition rates and online applications.

715-425-3560

Eileen.Korenic@uwrf.edu

www.uwrf.edu/PHYS/Summer.cfm

2nd Annual Teacher Educators Networking for Environmental Education Summit in Marshfield on July 9-10

We will be holding the 2nd Annual Teacher Educators Networking for Environmental Education (TENFEE) Summit in Marshfield on July 9-10 thanks to generous funding from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board. Teacher Educators who teach environmental education methods for pre-service teachers are invited to join us for this event (travel mileage reimbursed, lodging provided, and $175 stipend provided). Space is limited, so register early! If you have questions, contact the Department of Public Instruction’s EE Consultant, Victoria Rydberg: victoria.rydberg@dpi.wi.gov or 608-266-0419.

Gr 9-12:  Across the Sciences (ATS), an online resource from BSCS

http://www.bscs.org/ats

This practical and innovative resource is designed specifically to support high school teachers who are teaching out of their field of endorsement to enhance their content knowledge, identify and address common misconceptions of students for major concepts, and improve their practice of research-based pedagogy.

Teachers can choose from 10 multimedia units and work through any unit independently on their own or with a team of teachers learning together.  Each unit is structured using the BSCS 5E Instructional Model, includes activities, inquiry-based interactives, and authentic classroom videos modeling constructivist teaching.

This BSCS program is non-facilitated, was funded by NSF, and is available free-of-charge for a limited time! ATS will also be available on a rolling basis through the National Teachers Enhancement Network (NTEN) out of Montana State University for teachers who would like to take the course for credit.

Self-register online at http://online.bscs.org to access the resources.

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Plan Ahead:  Outstanding professional development courses to be held in June and July 2012 in Madison and Wisconsin Dells.  UW-Madison is partnering with WestEd to offer four 1-week Making Sense of SCIENCE (MSS) courses for middle school science teachers and district science leaders.  MSS courses feature best practices in science professional development and are designed to help participants:  learn major concepts of science, examine how children make sense of those concepts, analyze and improve teaching practice, and learn ways to support science learning through literacy.  To find out more about these opportunities and to register for the courses, visit the MSS website:  http://we-mss.weebly.com/

-- Science Spotlight

Bad Astronomy: The Moon’s history of violence.  The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is a NASA space probe that’s been orbiting the Moon since June 23, 2009. On March 19 it will mark its 1000th day in orbit! To celebrate, NASA released this cool animation showing the history of the Moon.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/03/14/the-moons-history-of-violence/

-- Website of the Week

March 23: Energy Education Day
Attack the energy problem, or at least the worst of its by-products, by playing “Greenhouse Gas Attack” at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/greenhouse-gas-attack.

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Science Futures 2012

Seeking twenty-four K-12 teachers of science with 1+ years of classroom experience who want to improve their own professional development and leadership potential in science education.
Dates: July 22-July 27 (Begins Sunday at 3 PM & Concludes Friday at 12 PM)
Location: Pigeon Lake Field Station, Drummond, WI
Application Deadline: April 6, 2012

http://www.wsst.org/sciencefutures/

Unveiling the Next Generation Science Standards

Date: April 16

Time: 5:00 – 7:00

Location: 227A Reeve Union, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

The purpose of this meeting is to bring together teachers, administrators, and other educators to explore the initial public draft of the Next Generation of Science Standards.  The meeting will begin with a brief overview comments from John Whitsett, Fond du Lac School District and former NSTA President, Shelley Lee, Wisconsin DPI Science Consultant and former NSTA President, and Eric Brunsell, UWO Science Education Faculty and NSTA District 12 Director.  The remainder of the meeting will be devoted to a facilitated examination of the standards draft.

Snacks and refreshments will be available.  The meeting is hosted by the UWO Student NSTA Chapter with support from WSST and UWO College of Education and Human Services.

Please RSVP by April 8^th to Eric Brunsell (brunsele@uwosh.edu).  Include the following information:  Name, e-mail, district / organization, grade level, content area.

-- Science Spotlight

Stem Cells Therapy:  Restoring Sight to the Blind

Researchers in January released the results of a groundbreaking study that showed human embryonic stem cells can safely help reverse eye disease. The study, conducted at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), used retinal cells created from embryonic stem cells supplied by a biotechnology company.  The retinal cells were injected into the eyes of two patients suffering from two different forms of progressive blindness and, in time, significantly improved their vision.

http://blog.chron.com/bakerblog/2012/02/stem-cell-therapy-restoring-sight-to-the-blind/

-- Video of the Week

James Hansen: Why I Must Speak Out About Climate Change

Top climate scientist James Hansen tells the story of his involvement in the science of and debate over global climate change. In doing so he outlines the overwhelming evidence that change is happening and why that makes him deeply worried about the future.

http://www.ted.com/talks/james_hansen_why_i_must_speak_out_about_climate_change.html

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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brunsell_framework_shared.pdf Download this file

Here is the slide deck for my presentation at the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers conference on 03/09/2012 in Madison, WI.

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

PHOX  - Fox Valley Physical Science Sharing Group.

March 14 @ 5:30.  Berlin High School.  The next meeting is May 2^nd in Neenah. Contact Scott Hertting for more information. shertting@neenah.k12.wi.us 

WHAT:  Project WET/Project WILD workshop
WHEN:  Saturday, May 19, 2012     8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
WHERE:  Wehr Nature Center   9701 West College Avenue   Franklin, WI  53132  (414)425-8550
COST:  $60.00 payable to "Friends of Wehr"
FACILITATOR: Howard Aprill, Naturalist
DESCRIPTION:   Pre-Service and active teachers will be introduced to three activity guides that infuse environmental concepts into their class.  Project WILD features over 150 activities focusing on wildlife, habitat, and responsible human actions.  Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) contains more than 90 activities to help you and your students learn about water resources, and water conservation.  This is a hands-on, active, and fun day that will give you better tools to connect your audience to our environment.  Activities from Project WILD and WET support state teacher and academic standards.  Participants also receive resource folder containing additional resources for teaching and facilitating environmental education.

-- Student Opportunity

CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR THE KAVLI SCIENCE VIDEO CONTEST Grades 6-12 students compete for the chance to win $2000 (first prize) and a travel stipend to Washington DC to attend the festival. The winners are also honored in an awards ceremony, hosted by Bill Nye, as part of the festival. Our central theme, or driving question, is  how to "Save the World through Science and Engineering".  Students make a short video( :30-:90)  that shows how  scientific discoveries and inventions can improve our lives and change our world, either right now or in the future. Enter by Mar. 21, 2012. http://www.usasciencefestival.org/2012festival/contests/kavli-video-contest

-- Science Spotlight

Titan has always excited planetary astronomers and science-fiction writers. For good reason. It’s a romantic place, orbiting lovely Saturn, the ringed celebrity of the solar system, and its the only moon with a thick atmosphere. Titan has an active surface carved by wind and rain dotted with oceans and rivers where natural gas falls in big fat droplets and volcanoes spew water like lava.

http://freethoughtblogs.com/zingularity/?p=2658

-- Website of the Week

This page from the National Academies of Science Board on Science Education provides multiple resources related to the Framework for K-12 Science Education.  The website also includes a useful summary of the document.  A webinar series focused on the Framework will also be archived at this website.
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Standards_Framework_Homepage.html

-- Video of the Week

Former BBC journalist Brady Haran is crazy about math and science. If you love numbers, you will love his Numberphile channel, dedicated to exploring the stories behind numbers. http://www.youtube.com/numberphile

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.

-- Professional Development

Webinar on April 4
This Webinar is designed to help educators understand and use all of the features of the Science Literacy Maps, an online concept browsing interface for the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). These online maps provide easy access to the NSDL's wide array of free education resources for teaching K-12 science and offer insights on how students are likely to make progress—or have problems—in their learning from grade to grade. Based on AAAS's popular Atlas of Science Literacy, the NSDL Science Literacy Maps can also help educators understand relationships among important ideas and how to keep the "big picture" of science learning in mind as they select and use resources in the NSDL. Practical applications include instructional planning and sequencing, as well as curriculum materials selection.
Title: Using the NSDL Science Literacy Maps
Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM EDT
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/264100801

-- State News: NCLB Waiver

State Superintendent Tony Evers will submit Wisconsin’s application for a waiver from portions of federal education law today to create a better and more comprehensive accountability system that calls for increased rigor that will result in better outcomes for all students. One component of the request is to raise the current graduation requirements in science and math from 2 years to 3.

More information is available on the Department of Public Instruction newsroom website http://dpi.wi.gov/eis/pdf/dpinr2012_35.pdf. -- Science News

ScienceDaily (Feb. 21, 2012) — Seven adult-sized humanoid robots will take the stage during Drexel University's celebration of National Engineers Week, in a first-of-its-kind assembly of robotic technology. A showcase event on Feb. 20 will introduce all seven of the Korean HUBO robots to the community. Their presence -- together in one place -- is a unique event that serves as a key milestone for a nationwide, collaborative robotics research effort funded by the National Science Foundation. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221145826.htm

ScienceDaily (Feb. 21, 2012) — Not that long ago in a hot spring in Kamchatka, Russia, two groups of genetically indistinguishable microbes parted ways. They began evolving into different species -- despite the fact that they still encountered one another in their acidic, boiling habitat and even exchanged some genes from time to time, researchers report. This is the first example of what the researchers call sympatric speciation in a microorganism. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221212534.htm

-- Website of the Week

This blog post from the "Educational Technology Guy" is full of resources for incorporating engineering into your science teaching. http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2011/11/stem-description-ideas-a...

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.asps

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:
Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Science Matters in Wisconsin 1(23)

Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Understanding the Framework for K-12 Science Education: This free webinar series starts on February 22 from 5:30 to 6:30.  This series of webinars will use the NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Framework to dig into each section of the document. The Framework for K-12 Science Education is the basis for the Next Generation Science Standards.  A draft of the standards will be released later this spring.

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Standards_Framework_Homepage.html

http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781936959778&lid=ngss 

Webinar info: http://www.msteacher2.org/events/getting-reading-for-the-next-generation-science-standards-part-1-

-- Science Spotlight

 In 2009, Petoukhoy and Semenov used computer simulations to predict the impact of decreasing sea ice on weather in Europe. They found a link between the loss of sea ice and colder winters in Europe. Dr. Ptoukhoy said, "Whoever thinks that the shrinking of some far-away sea ice won't bother him could be wrong. There are complex interconnections in the climate system, and in the Barents-Kara Sea we might have discovered a powerful feedback mechanism."

The winter weather in Europe has been driven in a manner similar to what those two scientists predicted. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/science-behind-the-big-freeze-is-climate-change-bringing-the-arctic-to-europe-6358928.html

-- Website of the Week

Cool Tools for Teachers is a great resource for finding Web 2.0 tools.  It is built in Wikispaces, so you may need to take a look at home instead of at school… http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/Home

-- Video of the Week

SciShow is a YouTube Channel focused on teaching scientific concepts in an entertaining, accessible, and easy-to-understand manner. This channel includes a variety of short (3 minute) and long (10 minute) videos. New videos are released weekly. http://www.youtube.com/scishow

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Go fossil hunting with fellow science teachers on this WSST Adventure.  Dig for 70 million year old marine life in Kansas and then return to the fossil prep lab at Waunakee High School to prepare the fossils you find.  Field equipment will be provided and you can keep the fossils you find!  August 4 – 12.  Contact Steve Bower for more information: sbower@waunakee.k12.wi.us.

Join the Pulsar Search Collaboratory at Yerkes Observatory March 2-4.  Learn how to incorporate Radio Astronomy data into your grade 8-12 classroom. A $200 stipend is provided for participating in the workshop and follow-up online training.  For more information, contact Kathy Gustavson Kathy_Gustavson@nicolet.k12.wi.us

-- Teacher Opportunity

he National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) is accepting nominations for its annual awards: Ecology/Environmental Teaching Award; Evolution Education Award; Outstanding Biology Teacher Award; Outstanding New Biology Teacher Award, Biotechnology Award; and an AP Service Award. Nominations due March 15.  http://bit.ly/hadHyJ

-- Science Spotlight

Mini Motion: Award Winning Microscope Videos

“Every year, Nikon holds a photomicrography contest that honors some of the best microscope images you'll ever see. This year, they've added video with their Nikon Small World in Motion competition. The best of more than 200 videos show amazing microscopic activity, including cells dividing, ants feasting and asexual yeast budding.”

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/02/best-microscope-videos/  

-- Video of the Week

Last October, YouTube launched a series of educational channels. SciShow (http://www.youtube.com/scishow) is all about teaching scientific concepts in an accessible and easy-to-understand manner.  This channel includes a variety of short (3 minute) and long (10 minute) videos.  New videos are released weekly. 

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

WIShare Science Meeting February 8th

Location: Baldwin-Woodville HS (http://g.co/maps/69a2n).  As always, any ideas you have to share or discuss is fair game.  It can be something you have done or are even thinking about doing.  Use everyone here as a resource, that is what this is all about!  We start sharing about 6:00 and usually wrap up about 8:00.  Contact bwysocki@bloomer.k12.wi.us if you have questions.

Leading for Science Learning: An NSELA Professional Development Institute for the Next Generation: Don't miss the opportunity to attend this premier professional development institute hosted by the National Science Education Leadership Association. Held March 25, 2012, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, it provides exceptional access to leading researchers and professional development providers in science education and leadership. Individuals from various research universities, Horizon Research, EDC, NSTA and AAAS facilitate three-hour breakout sessions that focus on a variety of topics, including online professional development and resources, building evaluation capacity, building and sustaining leadership, and scientific argumentation as aligned with the conceptual framework that guides the Next Generation Science Standards. For further details and the link to online registration, please visit the NSELA website (www.nsela.org).

-- Science Spotlight

 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/01/19/a-planet-boils-away-under-its-blow-torch-star/

Astronomers have found what appears to be a planet literally boiling away from the blast-furnace heat of its star.

The star, KIC 12557548, is about 1500 light years away, and is one of many thousands being observed by the orbiting Kepler Observatory (KIC stands for Kepler Input Catalog, a list of stars under Kepler’s watchful eye). The observatory stares at one spot in the sky, looking for stars whose brightness dips periodically. There can be many causes of such behavior, one of which is the presence of planets orbiting the star and blocking the light from it as they pass in front of it. This is called a transit, and has proven to be wildly successful; hundreds of planets have been discovered this way.

-- Website of the Week

Help Track Spring's Journey North:Join citizen scientists using technology to track arrival of spring.

When the groundhog wakes up on February 2nd to look for his shadow, he'll find people across the Northern Hemisphere are already on the job. A network of students and other citizen scientists at 40,000 sites are tracking spring with Journey North, a non-profit science education and outreach project. Members of the public are welcome to participate in this spring’s 19th annual global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. Contribute your backyard observations to a long-term database and monitor signs of the seasons. Help track migration patterns of monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, robin, and other backyard birds; the blooming of plants; changing sunlight, temperatures, and other signs of spring. Thanks to Annenberg Learner, participation in Journey North is free. For information about this spring’s free projects see: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/

-- Video of the Week

Top 10 Quirky Science Party Tricks:

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To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

Find out strategies for improving science instruction for diverse learners!

Making Sense of SCIENCE: Going Deep to Go Far by Linking Science and Literacy Instruction

Wednesday, February 8

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time (1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time)
Come hear a WestEd curriculum developer and a district science coordinator share facilitation strategies that all teachers and teacher educators can use to support science learning with all students, including those who are English learners or initially low achievers.

We encourage you to attend the live webinar to interact with the presenters and other participants about this important topic. Please send any advance questions to eventquestion@wested.org .

To sign up for this webinar, please visit http://www.schoolsmovingup.net/webinars/mss

-- Science Spotlight

Lost Grey Monkey Found! Scientists working in the dense jungles of Indonesia have "rediscovered" a large, gray monkey so rare it was believed by many to be extinct. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/9027856/Found-The-lost-grey-monkey-so-rare-it-was-thought-to-be-extinct.html

The National Center for Science Education has spent the last 30 years fighting political attacks on the teaching of evolution in public schools. They have NEVER lost a court battle! 

NCSE announced last week that they are expanding their efforts to fight attacks on the teaching of climate change. http://scienceblogs.com/tfk/2012/01/ncse_takes_on_climate_change.php

 Speaking of climate change, the global average surface temperature for 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880. Nine of the 10 warmest years have occurred since 2000.  This animation shows global surface temperature by year compared to a mid-20^th century baseline. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2011-temps.html

-- Website of the Week

The State of Wisconsin introduced the new Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects in mid-September, with a new resource page available for educators was made available in early October.  General information regarding this initiative can be found at the agency website at:  http://dpi.wi.gov/standards/disciplinaryliteracy.html . 

Also called “disciplinary literacy”, this increases concentration on reading, writing, listening, speaking, and performing in all content areas, from kindergarten through twelfth grade as a way to enhance learning of specific content and concepts.  This not only strengthens reading, writing and communication skills, but also increases comprehension in subject areas.  Originally part of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts, Wisconsin is a front-runner in expanding these standards for all areas and grade levels.  

-- Student Opportunity

Free Engineering Summer Camp at UW-Milwaukee

     ASM-Milwaukee chapter (a Materials Engineering technical society) is sponsoring a 4-day summer camp in June, 2012 at UW-Milwaukee.   Materials Science and Engineering is the study of the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic scales and their macroscopic properties.  The field uses a combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, and biology to further advance various areas of science and engineering.      

     The day camp will utilize hands-on learning principles of applied math and science.  It is a very unique, team-based, intensive problem solving science experience under the direction of world-class faculty and industrial mentors.  The course will consist of a combination of demonstrations, product design projects, materials testing, and field trips.  High school students who have shown strong abilities in math and science, and who will have completed their sophomore through senior years by spring 2012, are encouraged to apply.  The strongest applicants will also show a strong interest in applied science, and will demonstrate a desire to pursue a college major and career in engineering and/or materials science.  Attendance is free, but selective.  The application deadline is April 16, 2012.  The application form and instructions are available at: http://www.asm-milwaukee.org/    (click on Application). 

-- Video of the Week

This video from the Washington Post describes the impact of the recent large solar flare and coronal mass ejection – including decreased GPS accuracy, rerouted airline flights, and beautiful Northern Lights. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-solar-flares-impact-on-earth-153/2012/01/24/gIQAtJFdOQ_video.html

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Opportunities

BSCS Energy Course Field Test. Applications due April 1.  Ger a stipend, teaching materials, and a free online course as you learn more about how to integrate energy topics into your classroom.  For science teachers in grades 9-12.  The project is a partnership between BSCS, Oregon Public Broadcasting, NTEN, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.

http://www.bscs.org/news/pages/emat.html

The Christopher Columbus Fellowship foundation, a federal government agency is now accepting nominations for four agriscience awards and four life science awards for high school science teachers. 

·         Agriscience Awards: March 13, 2012 at: www.agriscienceawards.com

·         Life Sciences Awards: March 27, 2012 at: www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org

-- Science Spotlight

 World’s smallest Frog

http://news.discovery.com/animals/tiniest-frog-papua-new-guinea-120112.html

Jan. 12, 2012 -- With voices hardly louder than an insect's buzz, the tiniest frogs ever discovered are smaller than a coin and hop about the rainforest of the tropical island of Papua New Guinea, report US scientists.

-- Website of the Week

http://www.cogito.org/default.aspx

A social networking community for kids that like STEM

“Cogito is just the place for you. On Cogito, you can learn about amazing scientists your own age, what they're doing and how they managed to do it. You can read news and features on topics ranging from global warming to bioethics to nanotechnology. You can explore the intersection of science and the arts, from computer animation to science fiction. You can find great resources including recommended web sites and webcasts, and searchable listings of summer and distance-education programs, internships, and academic competitions. And if you are a member, you can participate in online interviews with experts in various fields and in discussion forums with other members like you.”

-- Picture of the Week

Hubble Telescope images 13 billion year old galaxy cluster

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45945565/ns/technology_and_science-space/

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

-- Professional Development

January 27 – 29 WAEE Winter Workshop vis waee.org for all the details. The “PlanetWalker”, John Francis, will be joining us on Saturday as the Winter Workshop Keynote. There will be kid friendly sessions and  activities, so bring the whole family! Live entertainment on Saturday night. The program is a great lineup of presentations along with everyone’s favorite events. Including wolf howling, The Brutal Gourmet, and the Nertz Tournament.  Register this week to get the best rates.

February 8-11, 2012 -- Unnatural History: What bizarre biology can teach us about evolution 2012 Darwin Day Celebration from the University of Wisconsin Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution. Check the Crow Institute website (http://www.evolution.wisc.edu/node/155) for times and dates for movie night and talks by researchers exploring deep sea life, parasitic plants, and an arms race between toxic newts and their garter snake predators.  Don't forget the Tree of Life scavenger hunt on Saturday February 11!  We hope that you will join us again this year and encourage your students, colleagues and community members to check it out.  We invite all middle and high school biology teachers to a TEACHER WORKSHOP Wednesday February 8.  (Limited funds are available to cover substitutes.)  Apply here: http://tinyurl.com/bwjspuv.

-- Student Opportunity

Nominate a talented senior student who loves science for the National Youth Science Camp. For application information click on the URLs listed next. The application deadline is February 17, 2012. http://2012.nysc.org/delegates/apply/

-- Science Spotlight

“Dinosaur Freeway” in Colorado: More than 350 newly discovered tracks, made by various dinosaurs, crocodiles and a few pterosaurs, were identified at the site, which is now the John Martin Reservoir in Bent County, Colorado. When added to previously found tracks there, the total number of fossilized prints is well over 1,000. The dinosaur freeway is described in the February issue of Cretaceous Research.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45888948/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/traffic-was-heavy-dinosaur-freeway-colorado/#.TwkTw3pmkqU

-- Video of the Week

Laurie Santos looks for the roots of human irrationality by watching the way our primate relatives make decisions. A clever series of experiments in "monkeynomics" shows that some of the silly choices we make, monkeys make too.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/laurie_santos.html

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx 

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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Welcome to this week’s issue of Science Matters in Wisconsin.  Please share this with a colleague!

Top Stories of 2011

Instead of the normal topics, I thought you might enjoy a review of the top science stories of 2011.

Discover Magazine’s Top 100 Stories for 2011: http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jan-feb

Chemistry stories of the year: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/December/chemistry-articles-most-exciting-events-2011.asp

Physics Stories for 2011: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/god-particle-research-and-other-top-physics-stories-of-2011/2011/12/13/gIQAFS9srO_gallery.html

Top Astronomy Stories of 2011: http://www.space.com/13978-top-science-astronomy-stories-2011-countdown.html

The most cited biology research papers of 2011: http://www.sciencewatch.com/ana/hot/bio2011/

You might also want to check out my lit of favorite blogs by science teachers.  These teachers provide insight into standards-based grading, “flipping” the classroom, inquiry and a variety of other topics: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/holiday-professional-development-eric-brunsell

-- Contact

To subscribe to Science Matters in Wisconsin, please visit - http://bap.nsta.org/Content/Home/BecomeAContact/Default.aspx

For questions about Science Matters in Wisconsin, please contact me:

Eric Brunsell, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh  brunsele@uwosh.edu

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