Strategies for Successful Teacher‐Scientist Partnerships

• Teresa Barnett, Sandra Lee-Takei, and Ralitza Zikatanova, Community Resources for Science, Berkeley

• Margaret Meserve and Susan Hillman, SPARTACUS, University of New England , Maine

• Jessica Garrett, Carolyn Zeiner, Leilani Roser, and Peg LeGendre, TELLING YOUR STORY: Cambridge Science Festival/MIT Edgerton Outreach Center/Harvard SEAS

• Becca Hatheway, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and Jesse Oswald, Fossil Ridge High School , Colorado

Model for Connecting Scientists & Teachers

Scientists

• Academia (i.e. Science Departments, Lab Groups)

• Private Industry• Professional

Organizations• Affinity Groups

K-6 Classroom Teachers

Informal Science

Educators

Foundations

School Districts

BASIS Classroom Presentations

• Science Museums• Science Outreach

Organizations• Outdoor Education

Programs• Events (i.e. Bay Area

Science Festival, etc)

BASIS Program Audience

K-6 Classroom Teachers (960+) K-6 Students in teachers’ classrooms (roughly 25,000)

Scientists (480+) Departments Lab groups Affinity groups Private industry corporations

K-6 Students receiving a BASIS Lesson (over 10,000)

Engaging Educators

Monthly updates (e-NewsBlasts) sent via email

Comprehensive science resource guide mailed quarterly & available online

Planning tools and access to our online resource database through our website

On-call science support: ask for help when needed by phone, email, web form

Field Trip for Teachers: 2 times per yearBASIS scientist presentations

Scientist Recruitment & Training for BASIS

Recruitment – Campus Recruiters Presentations at new graduate student orientations E-mails to department and student organization mailing

lists Fall Kickoff Event

New Volunteer Orientation & Training Program Logistics & Tips for working with K-6 students Overview of CA State Science Curriculum by Grade Level Science Role Model Practice

Coaching & Lesson Development Selecting activities & aligning with state science curriculum Tips for including students with learning differences & ELL Materials management strategies

Scientists Educators

Departments, Lab Groups & Student Organizations

Monthly Coffee Hour Workshops

BASIS T-ShirtsFall KickoffVolunteer AppreciationMonthly BASIS

BulletinFacebook Group

Field Trip for Teachers

Supporting District-wide Science PD

Science Super Stars

Fostering & Building Community

Building strong relationships with the scientist and teachers

Building structures and roles that endure when individuals move on

Fostering a sense of community via communication and events

Key Strategies for Sustaining the Partnership

SPARTACUS

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SPARTACUS GK-12 PROGRAM MODEL

The Interactions of Biology, Chemistry and Physics at the Land-Ocean Interface: A Systemic PARTnership Aimed at Connecting University and School

What does SPARTACUS mean?

NSF project intended to place science graduate students in K-12 classrooms

Goals:1. Use the focus of CLSI and SaRCOS data to

connect K-12 students & teachers with local ongoing research

2. Use authentic inquiry-based learning about STEM-related disciplines focused on biogeochemical cycling within the Saco River Watershed & the Gulf of Maine

3. Increase communication skills of graduate fellows

What is SPARTACUS?

PI’s and PM

Stephan Zeeman, Ph.D.Biological Oceanographer & Lead Investigator

Charles Tilburg, Ph.D.Physical Oceanographer

Susan Hillman, Ph.D.Education Specialist

Henrietta ListProgram Manager

Nerissa FisherPhytoplankton composition in the Saco River Plume

Chris GoodchildMetabolic impacts of pollutants on freshwater mussels

Tim HarderSediment transport in the Saco River

Molly MeserveGreat Blue Heron nesting behavior in inland and coastal breeding

colonies

Michelle SlaterInvasive phragmites transport

Ken ReeseAggressive behaviors in Lobsters

Amber ThomasEffects of captivity on harbor seal development

Laura Whitefleet-SmithAtlantic Sturgeon stress physiology

Fellows and Research Interests

General Overview

◦ Fourth largest river in Maine (by discharge volume).

◦ Drains 1,700 sq. miles, with 75 miles between the headwaters and mouth.

◦ Variety of land use and interactions with flora and fauna.

Saco River Watershed

10 hours of teaching per week; 5 hours of planning◦ Teach and design original lessons weekly◦ Mentored by teachers

Fellows observed throughout the school year◦ Feedback from PI’s◦ In-Step rubrics

Weekly seminars ◦ Collaborate with teachers and fellows◦ New communication techniques◦ Model best teaching practices

Fellows design and implement unique graduate research

A year in the life of a SPARTACUS member…

SPARTACUS uses interactions between the Saco River watershed and coastal ecosystem to:

Focus on the importance of interdisciplinary science efforts

Address issues of regional scientific and social concernIllustrate the scientific process at work in relevant

researchIncrease communication skills of STEM graduate

studentsDevelop long-term relationships between UNE faculty,

Graduate Fellows, and K-12 community

Summary

Telling Your StoryScientist-Teacher Partnerships for

Effective Classroom Visitshttps://sites.google.com/site/tellyourstoryworkshopmit/home

Jessica GarrettK-12 Education Outreach Project Coordinator

MIT Edgerton Center

Carolyn ZeinerEnvironmental Microbiology Graduate Student

Harvard

Leilani Roser High school biology teacher

Peg LeGendreK-12 Education CoordinatorCambridge Science Festival

SPECIAL THANKS:Phoebe Cohen of Williams College, John Durant of the MIT Museum, Anique Olivier-Mason

and Catherine Drennan of the MIT Department of Chemistry, and Peggy Eysenbach, Amy Fitzgerald, Amanda Gruhl, Susan Huang, Sandi Lipnoski and Juliet Perdichizzi of the MIT

Edgerton Center. Telling Your Story” Workshop Materials originally developed by TERC for the

Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence - New England. Funding provided by the Cambridge Science Festival and the MIT Edgerton Center

Our Goal:

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: Fermilab Education Office. 7th grade student drawings of a scientist before and after a visit to Fermilab: http://ed.fnal.gov/projects/scientists/amy.html

But, how do we avoid this:

20Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: © lunamarina - Fotolia.com

Image credit: © soonwh - Fotolia.com

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“Speed Dating” for Teachers and Scientists

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: Jessica Garrett 2011

Get scientists and engineers to “Tell their Story!”

22Telling Your Story Workshop

Kids love the “hero’s journey”:• You had a problem (or there was a

mystery to solve).• You struggled (a lot).• You persevered and got help.• You triumphed and figured it out!

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Pre-workshop, a brief bio and photo of each participant are distributed.

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image of scientist bio page used by a TYS participant for notes and networking. Faces and info have been blurred in this conference presentation to protect the identity of the scientists.

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Hands on Activities: real examples and group brainstorming.

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: Carolyn Zeiner 2012

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Tips and Resources: for planning and communication.

Telling Your Story Workshop

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Example of “Telling Your Story” & Hands-On Activities

Carolyn Zeiner

Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard UniversitySchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Environmental Microbiology

February 13, 2013

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: Anthanette Stotts 2012

Science is everywhere!

Telling Your Story Workshop

Photos of current popular figures (musicians, movie stars) that students would know. Students are asked how these people would use science in their work. Scientist emphasizes that science is often found where you least expect it.

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I work at a school, in a lab I have a family and friends

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credits: Carolyn Zeiner

2009-2012

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How did I become a scientist?

I went to college… 3 times!

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credits: Christine Zeiner 1985-2002

Map image from Google Maps

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Are bacteria good or bad?

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credit: © Oguzaral - Dreamstime.com Image credit: © Boyle & Gardner - RealSimple.com

Image credit: © Igor Dmitriev - Dreamstime.com

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Bacteria are everywhere!

Does washing your hands help?

Hands-on activity: grow your own bacteria

“Dirty” hands “Clean” hands (after washing)

Telling Your Story Workshop

Image credits: Carolyn Zeiner 2011

Climate Change Education Research Experience for Teachers Institute (RETI)

Becca Hatheway (UCAR – Boulder, CO)Jesse Oswald (Fossil Ridge HS – Ft Collins, CO)

Program Overview

NASA-funded Global Climate Change Education (GCCE) project

Twelve secondary teachers participate per year

Initial funding was for Colorado teachers; Future funding includes teachers from across the US

Three part program: online courses, summer internship, school-year follow up

This program introduces teachers to scientists who can share climate data and answer questions as the teachers develop their own activities, curricula, and classroom materials related to the research.

Partners

12 secondary teachers per year, coming from Colorado and other parts of the US

Educators from UCAR’s Spark Science Education group and UNC-Greeley’s MAST Institute

Scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), NOAA’s Boulder lab, and the University of Colorado

Three 6-week courses on climate science

Courses developed by UCAR science educators and NCAR climate scientists

Increase knowledge of climate science and climate change in preparation for the summer internship

Build community with teacher cohort

Begin planning summer projects

4-week internship at UCAR in Boulder, CO during the summer

Meet with climate scientists to learn about their research

Visit labs to learn how research is done

Develop classroom modules for secondary students

Receive feedback from scientists, UCAR educators, and peers

Back in the classroom

My goal as a teacher is to help create critical thinking, informed adults who understand how science is done. I am better prepared to do that.

RETI 2012 teacher

Teach modules Participate in dissemination

efforts Revise curriculum and share

via web Continue to network with

RETI alumni community

Thoughts from the Teachers

It has become my mission to educate students about the topic and to empower other teachers to do the same. It is also the best professional development I have ever had .

RETI 2011 Teacher

I learned the reasons this topic is controversial and ways to best guide my students to an understanding of our changing climate

RETI 2012 Teacher

Learned about the scientific process and current and local data

Increased knowledge of climate science and climate change

Developed connections with scientists

Incorporated data into lessons and curriculum

Learned about scientists and other careers that support their science – can use these as examples for students

Thoughts from Scientists

We should be thanking these teachers for the work they are doing rather than receiving thanks for sharing our science with them. They are doing a really important job in communicating our science to their students.

Frank Flocke, Scientist in NCAR’s Atmospheric Chemistry Division

Learned that teachers need to be very thoughtful in how they address these topics. Gained a better understanding of

how teachers scaffold information so students can learn new concepts. Learned that students often lack an

understanding of how to interpret data. Thought these teachers were among the most engaged audiences they had spoken to, and they asked the best

questions.

To learn more…

http://spark.ucar.edu/reti-ucarncar

Becca Hatheway – hatheway@ucar.edu

Jesse Oswald – joswald@psdschools.org

Thank you!

What strategies do you use to recruit and train scientists and other STEM professionals?

Recruitment strategies Training strategies Coaching Follow-up Surveys and Evaluation

What strategies do you use to recruit and train teachers?

Recruitment strategies Training strategies Ongoing support Follow-up Surveys and Evaluation Teacher experiences with the

program

What key strategies do you use to sustain these partnerships?

Building Relationships Focus on Structures & Roles Fostering & Building Community Fundraising

• Community Resources for Science, Berkeley

http://www.crscience.org/

• SPARTACUS, University of New England, Maine

http://www.une.edu/cas/marine/spartacus.cfm

• Telling Your Story Workshop Cambridge Science Festival/MIT Edgerton Outreach Center/

http://cambridgesciencefestival.org/ScienceOnTheStreet/TellingYourStory.aspx

• University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Colorado

http://spark.ucar.edu/reti-ucarncar

Strategies for Successful Teacher‐Scientist Partnerships