The following district directors have submitted news items for NCSTA members:
Not sure which district you are in? Check out the district map at the bottom of this page.
News from District 1
Director: Karen Dawkins
The District I Drive-In Conference is scheduled for March 28, 2009. The place has not been confirmed as of yet, but we will meet at a site that is conducive to both indoor meetings and outdoor explorations—including afternoon field trips. Contact Linda Woolard if you wish to help with planning (woolardlin@ecu.edu).
Samatha Dassler Barlow, former Einstein Fellow and former Pitt County teacher, spoke at last spring’s District 1 and 2 Drive-In Conference. Samantha has recently returned from her assignment in Washington and is now at the James B Hunt, Jr Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy, serving as Program Coordinator for the NC Science Summit. Congratulations to Sam!
ECU’s Regional Science Olympiad will be held on Feb. 28, 2009. There will be a coach’s training sometime this fall. Teachers in the region will receive information about that. New coaches are encouraged to attend this session led by experienced (and successful) coaches.
There are several online programs or independent projects available for CEU credit this fall through the Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education at ECU. Check the Center’s website for more information: http://www.ecu.edu/educ/csmte/.
Attention E/E Science Teachers! A new resource for Earth/Environmental Science teachers and others will be available this fall: Coastal Processes and Conflicts: North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Funded by NC Sea Grant, Project Sea-View engaged teachers, students, scientists, and science educators to explore the Outer Banks in preparation for developing this curriculum. The leaders of the project were Stan Riggs, Dorothea Ames, and Karen Dawkins. Along with other ECU geologists, they will present three sessions at the NSTA conference in Charlotte and will have copies of the curriculum available as door prizes for teachers who attend all three sessions. The book will be available through NC Sea Grant or the CSMTE at ECU.
News from District 2
Director: Rebecca Stanley
This year the Environmental Educators of North Carolina will be holding their
annual conference in Oak Island, NC. Every year EENC conducts a statewide
conference that immerses members in learning about a special eco-region of
our state. The 2-3 day agenda is jam-packed with professional workshops,
concurrent sessions, keynote speakers, and experiential field trips that
cover current environmental issues, updates on the EE profession, and other
aspects of environmental education - from curriculum integration to natural
history to pedagogy. Visit http://www.eenc.org/conference.html for details.
News
from District 3
Director: Carrie Jones
Welcome back to another school year! I hope all of you had a restful summer and had some time to sharpen your skills as educators. Some things I participated in over the summer that I would recommend:
- POGIL training (http://www.pogil.org/)
- NCCAT (http://www.nccat.org/)
- Wake Tech Ed2Go online classes for educators (http://www.ed2go.com/)
- Moodle Training (http://www.learnnc.org)
- DPI Test Item Writing and Reviewing Refresher Training
(http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/)
- Designing Field Experiments with your Students (http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/treks.html)
Some important events coming up are:
- Science Olympiad Coaches Clinic - NCSU Centennial Campus - 10/24-25
(http://www.sciencenc.com/Coaches_institute/index.htm)
- and of course the NSTA Charlotte PDI
(http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2008cha/)
Have a good school year!
News
From District 5
Director: Keri Randolph
SciWorks in Winston-Salem opens its new dinosaur exhibit on September 20. The robotic exhibit features several dramatic vignettes that portray the life of dinosaurs in a variety of settings. “Based on palentological discovery, each scene comes to life in a way that inspires the imagination and offers a refreshing departure from traditional, academic displays.” More information is available at http://www.kokorodinosaurs.com/scenes.html or through SciWorks at http://www.sciworks.org.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill is offering several programs in the upcoming months. On Saturday, September 27, the center will host a Family Science Day, “It’s Only Human!” Morehead continues to offer Skywatching Sessions and Paddling Under the Stars outings, as well as field trip and weekend program opportunities. For more information, visit http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org
News From District 6
Director: Heather Edmisten
I hope everyone is back into the swing of the school year and ready for an exciting year in the classroom.
We are working on a date for the Spring Drive in- if you are interested in presenting (or attending) please email Heather Edmisten at hedmiste@cabarrus.k12.nc.us
Be sure to attend the NSTA/NCSTA conference in Charlotte in October. It is going to be spooktacular! Many great resources and opportunities will be available. www.nsta.org/conferences/2008cha
News From District 7
Director: Elizabeth Bustle
Greetings District Seven!
I’m pleased to wish you a successful school year. I want to extend a special invitation to the NSTA Conference in Charlotte, NC, October 30 - Nov. 1. I’m already excited about my all of the great workshops and I have my ticket to go to SCAROWINDS on the evening of October 30th. Please remember that earlybird registration ends on September 19 (save some money by registering early). Otherwise please try to register at www.nsta.org by October 3. You can also renew your NCSTA membership when you register and save even more money!.
District 7 has two nominees for Outstanding District Science Teachers and both are high school teachers. Therefore, any outstanding elementary, middle, or secondary level teacher from the district may be nominated online. After clicking on the Outstanding District Science Teacher Award link, you will be asked to complete information about your nominee and write a brief online letter. Two other colleagues of the nominee should also be asked to complete online letters. Nominations should be completed by October 1. We desperately need nominees from middle and elementary schools and I know there are many outstanding science teachers in our area.
Upcoming Events in District 7:
The Catawba Science Center has several great planetarium shows in September and October including Laser Metallica on Sept. 19 and Fright Lights on October 24. Also, if you cannot attend the NSTA Conference and you want to hear from one of the featured speakers, check out Rob Mies’ “Bat Encounter” at the Catawba Science Center on Nov. 1.
Appalachian State University will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth during the 2008-09 academic year with a series of lectures and events focusing on Darwin’s ideas and their impacts on society, and his theory of evolution. For more information, e-mail UFC chairman Howard Neufeld at neufeldhs@appstate.edu. A poster about the series is available at http://universityforum.appstate.edu/, plus you can contact the director of the series for classroom outreach activities.
The series begins Sept. 16 with a presentation by Eugenie Scott at 8 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium. Scott is executive director of the National Center for Science Education. Her talk is titled “Why Darwin Matters.” John Haught from Georgetown University will lecture on “Evolution and Faith: What is at Stake?” Edward Larson will present, “The Scopes Trial in History and the Theatre” on Jan. 22, 2009 at 8 p.m. in Farthing Auditorium.
It has been my pleasure to serve as your District 7 director for 2.5 years and I encourage all of you to continue your involvement in NCSTA and to send updates on your accomplishments and events to the new district director. Again, have a wonderful school year and I look forward to seeing you in Charlotte
News
From District 8
Director: Teresa Cowan
Is it that time already?
Hello and Happy Summer.... sorry! Summer is over. It is time to get back to work: the work of stimulating the scientists of the next generation. My thoughts and wishes are with you as the year begins.
Announcements
- Nominations for district honors are due. Work with a friend and nominate a fellow NCSTA member for a district award. It is simple and all on-line. Elementary, middle, high school as well as special awards will all be recognized at the fall PDI in Charlotte. If I can assist please let me know.
- REMEMBER: Anyone renewing or joining NCSTA from January 1, 2008 to September 1, 2008 will be entered into a random drawing for the NSTA Regional Conference registration fee and two nights lodging (Thursday and Friday night in Charlotte). Two winners will be selected the first week of September. Dues are just $25/year. Renew or recruit. Do it today! http://ncsta.org/join/
- Plan your fall trip to Charlotte for the NSTA Conference. Charlotte’s Science Web- Oct. 30th-Nov. 1st, 2008. Register early and on-line. http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2008cha/ Engage in five strands of knowledge: biotechnology, physical science in the elementary classroom, assessment, NASA, and NOAA. Awesome workshops, guest speakers, and field trips. See you in Charlotte.
- REMEMBER: Contact me (teresa.hembree@bcsemail.org) with news, celebrations, workshops, and questions.
FYI
- Interesting program: COPS ‘N’ KIDS ‘N’ READING- Program geared to aid children through literacy. Contact 1-262-632-1606 or jburney@cops-n-kids.org or lvcops-n-kids@att.net for information.
- Free resource: www.hotchalk.com/nbc.html offers free access to NBC News Archives on demand.
- Free resource: www.free.ed.gov offers a treasure of teaching and learning resources for free. Resources can be researched by subject.
Current Issue | Archives | NCSTA
The Science
Reflector
Newsletter of the North Carolina Science Teachers Association
P.O. Box 33478, Raleigh, NC 27636
Elizabeth Snoke Harris, Editor