SUMMER SEMINAR FOR EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS BUILDS COMPETENCE AND CONFIDENCE

For more than 12 years, the Center for Science and Mathematics Education at Purchase College, SUNY has hosted a summer seminar for NY earth science teachers (http://www.stevekluge.com/purchase/default.html). Course content has evolved during that time, and today the emphasis is on helping teachers become self sufficient, competent, and creative designers of their own curriculum materials by presenting students with a detailed cross section of New York State SED Core related earth science content. Topics include modern mapping and remote sensing technology and resources, incorporation of real time data in daily lessons, and first hand observation and data collection in the field. The seminar includes 2 full day field trips to local areas of interest, including an exploration of Cameron's Line on the Housatonic River, the Triassic basin of the Connecticut River, and an extended full day field trip to Kaaterskill Falls and North Lake in the Eastern Catskills. Field trip topics include weathering and erosion systems (including stream processes and Quaternary geology), local geology and geologic history, topographic map interpretation, structural geology, and the use of GPS. Flexible assignments allow the course to be offered for in-service credit only, or for undergraduate or graduate credit in either education or science content. Learn why one student said, "I was completely surprised by the amount and quality of relevant, usable Earth Science material presented. [The class]made 2 weeks of summer coursework into a combination field-school, computer lab and day camp for teachers," and another to say, "It taught me how to be self sufficient, to use current data creatively and how to design activities for my students."