Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Summer Earth and Space Science Institute Underway

June 20, 2005

Twenty middle and high school teachers from three local school districts are participating in an institute on Earth and space science led by outreach scientist Sandra Laursen. Marsha Barber, recently retired science coordinator from Jefferson County Schools, co-teaches the course. The teachers engage in inquiry-based activities, lab work, field trips, and discussions during the intensive summer session, June 8-22. During fall follow-up sessions, teachers do additional field and class work and conduct a collaborative "lesson study" project on their own classroom practice and student learning. The institute is offered by a Math/Science Partnership funded by the Colorado Department of Education.

Sixth-grade teacher Mike Hack examines a fossil fish as part of a geology field trip.

Sixth-grade teacher Mike Monroe and high school teacher Christy Strickler do an experiment to understand the growth of crystals in igneous rocks.

Outreach scientist Sandra Laursen explains the seasons using a kinesthetic model. The yellow balloon represents the Sun, and the teachers are tilting their bodies to experience the different angle of the Sun's rays on their "northern" and "southern" hemispheres.