World Year of Physics—2005

---

---

---

HASTI Meeting in Indianapolis

February 2 - 4, 2005
NISMEC representatives will be there in force -
come to our workshop on Wednesday the 2nd
visit our booth on Thursday the 3rd
participate in our presentations on Thursday and Friday the 3rd and the 4th
(The Hoosier Association of Science Teachers, Inc.)

Introductory Note

This is the first NISMEC newsletter: our mission is to publicize important events and news in the world of inquiry based learning in science, mathematics and engineering at all grade levels K-12, college and graduate work. A principal focus will be on news and events most relevant to educators and friends of educators in Northern Indiana, but national and international news, programs, and other internet publications will also be included.

Return to top

Partner Programs
Research Experiences for High School Teachers at Notre Dame (RET)
In 2005, the University of Notre Dame is expanding its RET program to bring research opportunities in many science areas, including physics, chemistry, biological sciences and mathematics. The projects vary in duration from 4 to 8 weeks and the stipends for participating teachers range from $1,500 to $5,000. The RET program is supported through the National Science Foundation and the University of Notre Dame. It has operated very successfully at Quarknet for several years in high energy and other experimental physics projects. Application forms and other information about this program can be found at the RET website.
Teacher Science Institutes (TSI) at Saint Marys (K-8th grade)
Professor Bellina will be conducting several week-long TSI's this summer 2005 for K-8 teachers. The Institutes focus on the introduction of guided inquiry learning into the classroom. They introduce participants to the well-established, research-based curriculum (Physics by Inquiry, by L.C. McDermott and the PER group at the University of Washington). Further information can be found on the NISMEC website.
Each workshop has an enrollment of 12 to 24 participants. With the introduction of "guided inquiry" into the Mishawaka K-8 curriculum, we expect many workshops to be filled with Mishawaka K-8 teachers. However, funds will be available for additional TSI workshops on a "first-come, first-served" basis.
Teachers are paid a stipend ($500) for the one week of attendance. Please contact Professor Joseph Bellina (jbellina@saintmarys.edu) or Karen Morris (kmorris@nd.edu) for further details.
Summer program for Middle school teachers at Notre Dame
With the support of the Siemens Foundation, the University of Notre Dame is developing a 4-week summer 2005 workshop for middle school teachers: the program will focus on how to use guided inquiry in the classroom in both science and mathematics; the professional development program is modeled after the very successful TSIs of Saint Marys (see above), and will utilize the research-based curriculum of the Lillian McDermott group (Seattle, Washington). There is a stipend of $2500 for attending teachers.
Contact Gordon Berry at 574-631-4012 or by e-mail hgberry@nd.edu for further information.
History and Philosophy of Science Course at Notre Dame for High School Teachers
Two intensive two-week classes are being offered June 13-24, 2005 by the University of Notre Dame Department of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS). The courses are entitled "The Copernican Revolution" and "Genetics and Genomics in the 21st Century." Application forms and other information about this program can be found at the HPS website for the program

Return to top

Other Programs
The Education Development Center, Inc. Center for Science Education is offering an online course for elementary teachers Connecting Science and Literacy in the Elementary Classroom
Are you thinking about how you can thoughtfully connect science and literacy in your classroom?
This course will suggest ways teachers can use literacy teaching strategies to support student science learning. It is a six-session course designed for elementary teachers whose students are engaged in hands on science units. The course focuses on two areas that offer great potential for developing science understanding while also building students' literacy skills: Students' Science Talk & Science Notebooks. January 28 - April 7, 2005 ~ Six Sessions ~ $149 ~ Earn Graduate Credit for additional fee
You can Register Online.
Use this course to fulfill professional development plans outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act: "A successful professional development plan should reflect multiple opportunities and activities for science teachers to learn, practice, and enforce new behaviors." (From the NSTA Web site).

Return to top

Local Events
Einstein's Miraculous Year - 1905 - Centenary
Many events will be taking place locally and internationally throughout the year as part of "The Year of Physics" - we will try to publicize them in further newsletters.
The first upcoming event is listed below:
Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 at 8:00 p.m. A Free public lecture "Einstein's Miraculous Year" by Dr. John Stachel, Director for Einstein Studies at Boston University, at the Uiversity of Notre Dame McKenna Hall Auditorium.

Return to top

Arcadia, is/are a play and a conference on the intersections of Nature, Science and Art

The play by Tom Stoppard will run from Tuesday, April 12, to Saturday, April 23, as part of the inaugural season of the new University of Notre Dame Center for the Performing Arts
The 3-day conference, April 21 to 23rd entitled Nature, Science and Art coincides with the last days of the play. The Friday (April 22nd) meetings entitled Nature and Science: The Changing Scientific Picture of the World will be of particular interest: the principal speakers are Jeremy Butterfield of All Souls College, Oxford, Bas van Frassen of Princeton University and Tony Leggett of the University of Illinois
More information can be found at the Arcadia website

Return to top

School City of Mishawaka guided learning program initiative

Working long into the evening this group of dedicated educators put together a proposal for the future of the Mishawaka K-6 graders. They are looking for financial support for the School City's decision to turn to guided inquiry learning in science for all their elementary schools. The group successfully completed work before the January 15th, 2005 deadline for the "NCLB - Title II, part B, Mathematics and Science Partnership Program Indiana K-6 Initiative" -- perhaps that is why they look so cheerful! -- they will be even happier as the funds come rolling in.


From the left, going around the table: Caryn Ellison, writer in chief, Karen Morris and Gordon Berry from the University of Notre Dame, Steve VanBruaene, Principal of Beiger, Joe Bellina of Saint Marys College, Mickey Roelandts, Principal of Twin Branch, Bob Remenih, Director of School Improvement and Carolyn Freeman, Curriculum Specialist.

Return to top

A visit to the Science classes at Prairie View

We spent a few hours just before Christmas with the science classes at Prairie View, one of the three elementary schools of the New Prairie United School Corporation. They are fortunate to have a Science Specialist and dedicated room to the teaching and learning of Science for all the grades in the school: here we see the Science maestro Yvonne Schwartz illustrating a new type of "food chain".
These third graders from Sharon Bashaw's 3rd grade class have to work fast to put together their hierarchies of 4 animal eaters who gain their energy from the sun: the next class was eager to get started as soon as the 3rd graders were finished, scarcely time for Yvonne to clean up the tables and be ready for them. It was good to see such an active hands-on focus on science and the children enjoying it at the same time.

Return to top

A meeting of The School City of Mishawaka Science and Related Technologies committee
The School City of Mishawaka Science and Related Technologies committee conducted their first meeting of the school year on November 11th. A total of thirty-six members are on this committee comprised of teachers, parents, administrators, and additional support personnel from the district.

Committee responsibilities include:

1. Assist with the curriculum revision and alignment with Indiana Academic Standards in the designated content areas,
2. Provide input and direction related to technology systems and applications as related to curricular and instructional decisions and the Curriculum and Related Technologies Adoption Cycle, and
3. Update the School City of Mishawaka Technology Plan on an annual basis.

Drs. Gordon Berry, Notre Dame University and Joseph Bellina, St. Mary’s College attended this meeting to discuss: 1) the NISMEC partnership with area school districts,
2) the Teachers Summer Institute hosted by St. Mary’s College in cooperation with Notre Dame and IUSB faculty, and 3) the merit of the guided inquiry-based instructional process. Beiger Elementary School teachers and teachers from Twin Branch School participated in the TSI during the summer of 2004. Beiger teachers are piloting science materials from FOSS and TSC during the 2004-5 school year. School City of Mishawaka is pleased to be able to partner in the development of pre-service education students in addition to enhancing the professional expertise of existing faculty.
Committee members participated in a web-cast discussion with Dr. Bob Ballard, scientific researcher and discoverer of the Titanic, of the JASON Expedition. Web-based instructional support was explored as an adoption possibility and will receive further consideration.
Teachers that had recently attended the NSTA Conference in Indianapolis reported their experiences to the group and shared copies of relevant materials. SCM will be represented at the HASTI Conference held in early March 2005.
As the district curriculum revision and adoption cycle continues through the year, we will closely examine state-approved instructional materials that align with best practices in science and math instruction. We look forward to the mutually supportive relationship with area colleges and universities as quality teaching and learning experiences evolve for Mishawaka students.

Return to top

Recent Articles of Interest

An essay on Equity and Justice for Diverse children in poverty from Education News.
Note: visit the home page of this journal for up-to-date education news.
How We Learn an Essay on "Guided Discovery" by Alison Gopnik, Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. The article appeared in the New York Times Science Education section, January 16, 2005.

Return to top

Editorial information, etc.


The NISMEC electronic newsletter will be published at regular intervals throughout the school year. If you wish to be a subscriber (it's free), write to the editor, Gordon Berry, at the address: nismec@nd.edu

Do you have any contributions for future newsletters?
Do you have any ideas for improving future newsletters?
Do you know of any articles that would be of interest to readers of future newsletters?
Contact us at nismec@nd.edu

.........mathematics, engineering and the other sciences too!

Return to top

NISMEC News

Return to NISMEC: