Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Northeast Front Range Math/Science Partnership

2005 Institutes:

Life Science Institute: Cells, Human Systems, and Heredity

Teachers in Jeffco are eligible for this institute. Teachers in Adams 12, Ft. Lupton, Platte Canyon, and St. Vrain Valley are eligible for a limited number of spaces in this institute, through a collaboration with the NSF-funded Rocky Mountain Middle School Math & Science Partnership.

Date: June 20th –July 1st, 8:30-4:30 p.m.- $1500 stipend upon completion
Location: University of Denver Campus, Olin Science Building
Time: 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m- Monday-Friday

• Structured Follow-UP (SFU) sessions are required during the school year. (Structured follow-up dates: September 17, October 8, November 5, and December 3, 2005.)
• Participants must commit during the summer course to either the fall or spring follow-up sessions.
  Fall- Sept. 17, Oct. 8, Nov. 5, Dec. 3
  Spring- Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Mar 4, Apr. 8
• To successfully complete SFU and receive course credit and $1500, three of the four Saturday sessions must be attended
• Participants will forfeit $250 of the stipend if a SFU session is missed

Course Overview: This course will cover many of the content topics identified under Standard 3 (Life Sciences) of the Colorado Model Content Standards in Science. The method of instruction will focus on the nature of science and the process of scientific inquiry as it is practiced in the biology laboratory, but framed in the context of real-world biological problems and technologies, thus addressing Standards 1, 5 and 6.

Teachers will be provided the opportunity to learn key content concepts in the life sciences. Teachers will be able to experience the techniques of modern biotechnology in the context of its impacts on human society. Tested laboratories with proven success in middle school classrooms will be incorporated into the course.

Course Content: The content covered in the course will be explicitly linked to the science standards and the frameworks for grades 5 through 8. The following topic areas in the life sciences (Colorado Model Content Standard 3) will be addressed: 1) cell parts and functions; 2) human systems and their interactions; 3) respiration and photosynthesis; 4) human heredity; and 5) DNA science, including working with the teacher’s own DNA.

Course Benefits:

Teachers participating in the two week summer academy will have the opportunity to:

• Actively participate in biological science activities
• Work on problem-solving with colleagues
• Receive resources for teaching life science
• Discuss various strategies for teaching life science conceptually and model those strategies throughout the academy
• Earn 4 graduate credits in science from the University of Colorado at Denver at a cost of $75 per credit for the two week summer institute
• Earn 3 graduate credits in education from the University of Colorado at Denver at a cost of $75 per credit for the structured follow-up
• Receive a stipend upon successful completion of all requirements

Questions: If you have questions about the content or requirements of this course, please contact:

Dr. Jim Platt (jplatt@du.edu) 303-871-3694
Dr. Karen Johnson (Karen.johnson@adams12.org)
Linda J. Morris (ljmorris@jeffco.k12.co.us) 303-982-6955
Jennifer Askrobela (jaskrobela@ACSD14.k12.co.us) 303-871-3694