EARTHSCOPE PARTNERSHIPS WITH EDUCATORS - REACHING THE PUBLIC

The spectacular landscapes of the Pacific Northwest are due to large-scale geologic forces that cause subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate under the North American plate. Geologic hazards like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis are a direct consequence. An important part of the EarthScope National Office's (ESNO) outreach is to impart these fundamental facts to a wide audience using EarthScope data and results. To this end we have teamed up with existing teacher development and outreach programs at Oregon State University -SMILE (Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences), OSMCP (Ocean Sciences and Math Collaborative Project), and Discovery Days- to bring Earth science into classrooms.

A key lesson learned is the importance of simple hands-on activities explaining geologic concepts and processes to raise student interest. John Lahr was a master at designing such activities; his enthusiasm for the topics, students, and activities was infectious and many props we use are based on his ideas.

SMILE is an after school program for underrepresented and educationally underserved students. During teacher development workshops we introduced EarthScope and reviewed basic plate tectonic concepts before concentrating on Cascadia. We explained how GPS measures ground motion and used GPS data to show how the Pacific Northwest moves relative to the interior of North America. We highlighted dense GPS monitoring at Mt. St. Helens and used a flour and balloon model to illustrate volcanic deformation.

OSMCP is a collaborative effort to integrate ocean science into education and workforce development. Our goal is to improve the instructors’ Earth science background. We covered topics such as earthquake location (plotting on a map/graph) and tsunami travel time (illustrating speed) to show ways to include science and real data into classroom exercises. Instructors then constructed lesson plans using the new tools. Follow up workshops have proven crucial in strengthening the commitment to use the tools.

These educators are the link between research and the classroom. They have the pedagogical knowledge and understanding necessary to weave material into a productive learning environment. Strengthening their scientific knowledge base is the first step in getting EarthScope science into classrooms.