NAGTNews - Vol 16 - No 3 - March 2017

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1. Announcing the New Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology - 11th Edition

NAGT and AGI are pleased to announce the publication of the 11th edition of the Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology.

This user-friendly, best-selling manual examines the basic processes of geology and their applications to everyday life. The Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology offers an inquiry and activities-based approach that builds skills and gives students a more complete learning experience. The new edition features a new author and an editorial panel that bring a modern pedagogical and digital approach to the lab manual and the changing landscape of the physical geology lab course. Available now for Fall 2017 classes!

2. NAGT Seeking Editor for Journal of Geoscience Education

NAGT is seeking a new Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE). After six years of exemplary service, JGE Editor Kristen St. John announced this spring that she would step down in late 2017. Anne Egger, President of NAGT, will lead the search committee.

In overseeing the journal, the Editor-in-Chief is responsible for its ability to support robust geoscience education research and its use in all aspects of teaching and learning about the Earth. The Editor takes the lead on maintaining a high-quality peer reviewed publication that responds to the needs and interests of NAGT, the geoscience education research communities, and the dynamic landscape of scientific publishing and communications. We seek an editor who will work with us to increase the impact, stature, influence, reach, and visibility of the journal.

The deadline for expressing interest in the position has been extended until March 15, 2017. For more information visit: http://nagt.org/nagt/jge/jge_editor_search

3. Earth Educators' Rendezvous 2017

Important Deadlines Approaching

Consider being a part of the 2017 Earth Educators' Rendezvous by presenting and discussing your work with an audience of Earth educators. Contributions will be organized under broad areas, some of which will complement workshop sessions and even dynamically feed into workshop content.

The deadline to submit your abstract or to propose a teaching demonstration is​ ​this Friday, March 3.

Interested in joining the 2017 Rendezvous but funding is a challenge? This year's Rendezvous includes funding for travel. Apply by April 1.​ Hope to see you in Albuquerque!​

Help tag InTeGrate resources with the NGSS

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Are you well-versed in the three-dimensional framework of the Next Generation Science Standards? We are looking for people interested in showing the alignment of InTeGrate's curricular materials with the disciplinary core ideas, cross-cutting concepts, science and engineering practices, and performance expectations of the NGSS. The NGSS Tagging Camp will take place in Albuquerque, NM on Sunday, July 16, from 8:30am to 5:00pm immediately prior to the Earth Educators' Rendezvous. Participants will receive a $500 stipend. The deadline to apply is May 1.

Activity Review Camp

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Apply to be a part of the one-day "Review Camp" to help peer review the collections of submitted teaching activities from InTeGrate and other NAGT-sponsored programs. The Review Camp will be held prior to the Earth Educators' Rendezvous in Albuquerque, NM, on Sunday, July 16, from 8:30am to 5:00pm. We seek reviewers from across the disciplines who can evaluate the content and pedagogical quality of InTeGrate's contributed collections as well as related activities from other projects. We will select 25 volunteers from those who apply. For this important service, InTeGrate will provide a $500 stipend that will help to offset your travel and accommodations at the Rendezvous. Stipends will be distributed 4 to 6 weeks after the conclusion of the Earth Educators' Rendezvous. You must be present for the entire camp to be eligible to receive a stipend. The deadline to apply is May 1.

4. Next NGSS Webinar - March 9, 2017

The American Geosciences Institute's Center for Geoscience and Society and NAGT are collaborating with other organizations and member societies to support implementation of the Earth and space science Next Generation Science Standards. Join us for ​our March webinar!

​​Achieve Resources and Tools for NGSS Implementation

Thursday, March 9, 2017
1:00 PM Pacific | 2:00 PM Mountain | 3:00 PM Central | 4:00 PM Eastern

A thoughtful and effective implementation of the NGSS is overwhelming if you go it alone, but luckily there is a growing body of resources and tools that can help. This webinar will highlight the resources and tools on Achieve's website that can help you to use the implementation of the NGSS as a lever to support advancing science education for all students in your classroom, building, district, and region. Come find out about ideas and resources for planning implementation, bundling standards, mapping middle school and high school grade-banded standards; see examples of classroom sample student tasks, parent guides and other resources to connect with your community; and get a feel for the variety of tools for evaluating how well instructional resources are designed for the NGSS–everything from an informal look at a lesson to a formal evaluation of full instructional materials programs.

Presenter​s​:
Matt Krehbiel, Achieve, Inc.

​Registration deadline: ​March 7

5. Upcoming NAGT Award Deadlines

Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards

Outstanding Earth Science Teacher (OEST) awards are given for "exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth Sciences at the pre-college level." Any teacher or other K-12 educator who covers a significant amount of Earth science content with their students is eligible. Ten national finalists are selected, one from each NAGT regional section. Some sections also recognize state winners. Individuals may apply themselves or nominate a colleague for the award.

The selection of award winners is conducted at the Section level and each Section sets its own deadline for nomination. A listing of the deadlines and contact people for each Section is listed on the program website. The earliest Section deadline is March 31 for the Pacific Northwest Section with other sections following until the middle of May. So check out your Section's deadline and get your nominations in via the website.

Neil Miner Award

This award is given every year to an individual for exception contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth sciences. The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2017.

James Shea Award

Each year, NAGT presents the Jim Shea Award to an individual for exceptional contributions in the form of writing or editing of Earth science materials (broadly construed) that are of interest to the general public and/or teachers of Earth science. The deadline for nominations is April 15, 2017.

Dorothy Lalonde Stout Professional Development Grants

In honor of Dottie Stout's outstanding work and lifelong dedication to Earth science education, NAGT awards grants supporting Earth science professional development in three categories: Community College Faculty, Community College Student, and K-12 Educator. Deadline for applications is April 15, 2017.

Robert Christman Award

The Robert Christman Distinguished Service Award was established to recognize individuals who have provided long, distinguished service to the Association at the national and/or section level. Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis.

6. Upcoming InTeGrate Events

Webinar: Adapting InTeGrate Modules for Biology Courses and Online Courses

Wednesday, March 8, 2017
9 am Pacific | 10 am Mountain | 11 am Central | 12 pm Eastern

Institutions with InTeGrate Implementation Programs piloted InTeGrate materials in a variety of disciplines and contexts. Faculty from the implementation programs adapted the modules to their discipline and course to infuse teaching about Earth in a societal context, sustainability concepts, and active learning strategies. Amber Burgett, part of Wittenberg University's InTeGrate Implementation Program, will discuss adapting InTeGrate modules for a general education, non-majors Biology course and for an upper-level freshwater Ecology course to strengthen active learning opportunities in these courses. Sabrina Walthall, part of Mercer University's Implementation Program, will discuss adapting an InTeGrate module to an online, general education science course for adult learners. She will also present a template to help other faculty incorporate adapted InTeGrate materials into their courses. The webinar will include 30 minutes of presentations and 25 minutes of discussion. Participants are encouraged to both ask questions of the presenters and discuss their own experiences regarding adapting InTeGrate modules for their discipline or context. Registration deadline: March 6, 2017

Workshop: Teaching About Earth Online

May 30 - June 1, 2017
Penn State University, State College, PA

Teaching online is growing in acceptance and its accessibility creates an opportunity to reach students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. There is a need to develop best practices for teaching about Earth online, as new technological topics, pedagogical approaches, and teaching materials that incorporate active learning and data emerge. This workshop will focus on best practices, collecting resources, and developing materials that can be widely disseminated. It is open to all faculty who have the opportunity to teach Earth Sciences using online education. Application Deadline: April 2, 2017

Workshop: Pan-African Approaches to Teaching Geoscience

May 23–25, 2017
Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA

Africa is integrally linked to the United States through the impact of Africans in America and Africa as a source of minerals, other materials and intellectual resources. Yet, African-Americans are underrepresented in the geosciences, and attracting African-American students to the geosciences is a challenge. This workshop focuses on developing opportunities for students to learn geoscience in the context of culturally relevant questions using Pan-African pedagogical approaches. Faculty from all disciplines who have opportunities to teach about the Earth and Africa are invited to apply. Application Deadline: April 4, 2017

InTeGrate Workshop at GSA Cordilleran Section Meeting

Earth in Context: Resources for Integrating Earth Literacy with Societal Issues across the Curriculum

Are you interested in preparing students to be problem-solvers in a future where sustainability will require a robust understanding of the intersections between the Earth and society? if you are heading to the 2017 GSA Cordilleran Section Annual Meeting in Hawai'i this May, consider registering for the Earth in Context: Resources for Integrating Earth Literacy with Societal Issues across the Curriculum post conference workshop on Friday 26 May, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm. Registration is now open!

7. Submit Your Teaching Activities for Peer Review

NAGT is actively soliciting community members to submit teaching activities for our online education portal Teach the Earth. Teach the Earth supports teaching and learning about the Earth by providing online resources for educators in the geosciences and related fields. Resources include classroom activities, course descriptions and syllabi, information about pedagogical strategies, topical collections, and more. This collection of teaching materials already encompasses over 4000 activities across Earth-related disciplines.

To add your contribution to this important community resource, just use the Contribute an Activity Form on the Teach the Earth website.

Activities that are submitted to the portal by June 1 will be included in the Activity Review Camp taking place at the 2017 Earth Educators' Rendezvous in July. You can learn more about the Peer Review Process at the On the Cutting Edge website.

8. Workshop for Early Career Faculty

Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career

July 9-13, 2017 with optional trip to NSF on Friday, July 14
At University of Maryland, College Park, MD
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer2017/index.html

Application deadline: March 22, 2017

Do you have new faculty in your department just starting out in their academic career? Consider recommending this important multi-day workshop where they will participate in sessions on topics including effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, balancing professional and personal responsibilities, and time management. The workshop is offered by NAGT On the Cutting Edge professional development program for geoscience faculty with support from the National Science Foundation, Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union. Past participants give high praise for this workshop.

9. Apply to Host a Traveling Workshop

The InTeGrate Project and NAGT invite you to improve learning about the Earth in your courses, programs, and departments through their Traveling Workshops Programs.

• NAGT - http://nagt.org/nagt/profdev/twp/index.html

These workshop programs bring national leaders in Earth and environmental education to your campus or region to share lessons learned in NSF-funded InTeGrate Project.

These programs are suitable for all courses, programs, departments, and organizations that would like to strengthen their capacity for teaching about societal issues in context of the Earth system. Apply to host a workshop that will engage participants in deep, structured discussion and action planning. These workshops can be tailored to have a special emphasis on issues of particular interest to your group such as strengthening course offerings, strategies for supporting diverse students in courses or programs, or program design.

Application deadline: March 15, 2017

10. Central Section Field Trip to Isle Royale National Park

The Central Section of NAGT is sponsoring a field trip to Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. This trip, run by the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI, will run from June 19-25, 2017 so participants can study the flood basalts and igneous minerals related to the Mid-Continent Rift, megacolumnar jointing greater than 2 m across, and inclined rock layers of the Lake Superior syncline as exposed both in the national park as well as in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The last day of the trip will be spent touring the Keweenaw Peninsula to examine the corresponding geology. Although this trip would be useful for anyone teaching igneous mineralogy and structural geology, it is also a great trip for those faculty who teach Historical Geology, Geology of National Parks, and courses about landscape development.

For those who have never been to Isle Royale National Park, this trip is a great way to learn more about it. The island itself was used for prehistoric copper mining, which later resulted in short-lived copper booms in the late-19th century. This was followed by the lake fishing industry and eventually a resort community popular among hay fever sufferers. It became a national park in 1940. It has the distinction of being one of the least-visited national parks in the system...but the most revisited due to its dramatic landscape. Participants on this trip will have the opportunity to explore the park with the help of the research vessel R.V. Agassiz, owned and operated by Michigan Tech. Using this, visitors will be able to access geological sites on a number of islands in the park, including Amygdaloid Island on the northern boundary of the park.

Due to space restrictions on the Agassiz, there is a limit of 17 people for this trip. Please see the website at http://www.geo.mtu.edu/~raman/IRFieldTrip17/IRFieldTrip17/Welcome.html for more information and to register. Contact Erika Vye at Michigan Tech for more details (ecvye@mtu.edu). The registration deadline is March 15, 2017. We hope to see you there!

11. Call for Nominations - GeoCUR Undergraduate Research Mentor Award

The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR) is now accepting nominations for its annual award that highlights the importance of mentoring undergraduate research activities. The award annually recognizes an individual who serves as a role model for productive and transformative student-faculty mentoring relationships and for maintaining a sustained and innovative approach to the enterprise of undergraduate research. Application information, as well as audio interviews with past recipients, can be found online at: http://geocur.org/awards/faculty-mentors/. Application deadline is June 1, 2017. Inquiries and/or nominations may be sent to Erin Kraal (kraal@kutztown.edu).

12. AAAS Science Advances Publishes Research from On the Cutting Edge

Congratulations to the On the Cutting Edge project's recent article published in AAAS Science Advances on improving undergraduate STEM education.

"Cutting Edge participants report that learning about teaching, the availability of teaching resources, and interactions with peers have supported changes in their teaching practice...even one-time participation in a workshop with peers can lead to improved teaching by supporting a combination of affective and cognitive learning outcomes."

13. CLEAN Wins 2017 NCSE Friend of the Planet Award

Congratulations to the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN), winner of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) Friend of the Planet award for 2017. CLEAN provides a curated collection of resources on climate and energy science and coordinates a professionally diverse network of climate change education stakeholders. "CLEAN is the single best resource for teachers out there." -NCSE's executive director Ann Reid.

CLEAN is a sponsored project of NAGT. Congratulations to our colleagues!

14. Abstracts Open for Spring 2017 AGU Virtual Poster Showcase

Online abstract submissions are now being accepted for the spring AGU Virtual Poster Showcase (VPS) for undergraduate and graduate students. Encourage your students to submit abstracts at http://virtualposter.agu.org. To learn more about the benefits of participating in VPS, watch this video where a student and a faculty member share their experiences about the program.

Online abstract submissions close: March 13, 2017.

15. 2017 Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science and Education

The 2017 Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science and Education will continue a 20+ year-long tradition of bringing together a diverse community of practitioners and researchers engaged in the production, study, and application of visualizations to advance and promote scientific understanding. The theme for the 2017 conference is "Scientific Visualization for Decision-Making," which relates well to NAGT members' efforts to teach with geoscience data visualizations in the context of societal issues.

As in previous years, there will be a weekend workshop preceding the main conference to allow a small group of conference-goers to work together in a hands-on format. The theme of this year's workshop is "Educating Skillful Visualizers," including strands on fostering learners' visualization competencies and assessing those competencies. A shared focus throughout both strands will be on social and cognitive processes and strategies that underlie learning with visualizations.

The workshop is Aug 5-6, followed immediately by the conference through Aug 10. The conference is at Bates College in Lewiston ME, and the workshop is nearby in Portland, ME. You can find the meeting agenda at https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=14030. Further information about the pre-conference workshop is at http://gordon2017.lsri.uic.edu/workshops.shtml.

16. NSF Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program

The National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science (including engineering and computer science) teachers. The program invites creative and innovative proposals that address the critical need for recruiting and preparing highly effective elementary and secondary science and mathematics teachers in high-need local educational agencies. The program consists of 4 different tracks.

1. The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarships and Stipends Track (S&S) of the Noyce Program offers awards to institutions to recruit and prepare STEM teachers. These projects provide scholarships to undergraduate STEM majors and offer stipends to STEM professionals who become certified STEM teachers.
2. The NSF Teaching Fellowships Track (TF) of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers awards to institutions to administer fellowships and programmatic support to STEM professionals as defined in the Definitions of Terms section. These individuals, referred to as NSF Teaching Fellows, may receive one-year of support while enrolled in a master's degree program leading to teacher certification or licensing to teach a STEM discipline in an elementary or secondary school. In addition, TFs may receive up to four years of at least a $10,000 salary supplement/year.
3. The NSF Master Teaching Fellowships Track (MTF) of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers awards to institutions to administer fellowships and programmatic support to experienced and exemplary K-12 STEM teachers, who are certified/licensed teachers, who possess a master's or bachelor's degree in their field, and who participate in a program for developing master teachers and teacher leaders. These selected individuals are referred to as Master Teaching Fellows.
   Master Teaching Fellows must be (1) teachers with master's degrees in their field or (2) teachers with bachelor's degrees in their field who are enrolled in a master's degree program in their field.
4. The Noyce Research Track of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program offers awards to institutions, professional societies, and similar organizations that are directly associated with educational or research activities, to support planning, exploratory research, and research proposals that address the issue of STEM teacher effectiveness, persistence, or retention in high-need local educational agencies.

More information about the Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program can be found on the NSF website. Full Proposal Deadline: August 29, 2017

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Rock and Mineral Exchange

Available Samples

• Petrology Samples
• ophiolite, Tertiary sedimentary, misc metamorphic

Desired Specimens

• Precambrian chert. Stromatolites.

Are you looking for new specimens for your collection? Do you have extra samples to share with colleagues?
Post in the Rock and Mineral Exchange.

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Posted: Nov 30 2016
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Need help getting the word out about your position opening, event, or field trip? Advertise with NAGT!