TRANSLATING EarthScope SCIENCE FOR MIDDLE-SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Teachers on the Leading Edge (TOTLE) is an Earth Science teacher professional development program featuring EarthScope science and Pacific Northwest active continental margin geology. TOTLE workshops and teaching resources are tailored for grades 6 though 8 where Earth Science is a major component of the K-12 science curriculum. To engage middle-school teachers in EarthScope, TOTLE workshops: (1) invite novice learners to geophysical studies of tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes; (2) provide access to EarthScope observations in an understandable and time-efficient fashion; and (3) demonstrate how EarthScope science is advancing understanding of geologic hazards on the “leading edge” of our continent. Inquiry-based field investigation of coastal ghost forests and Cascadia tsunami geology stimulates teachers’ learning about Cascadia earthquakes and tsunamis and provides a case study of scientific discovery. Field studies of lahar deposits from Mt Hood and Mt Rainier highlight volcanic hazards to rapidly increasing populations that live near recently active Cascade volcanoes. Teachers can carry their field learning into classroom teaching through virtual field experiences that permit students to navigate around field sites, measure geologic features, and examine rock samples. Barriers to incorporating EarthScope science in middle-school Earth Science classes include limited technology and instruction time. To lower these barriers, TOTLE lesson plans feature analyses of EarthScope observations that apply directly to regional plate tectonics and geologic hazards and align well with national and state science education standards. EarthScope data are directly incorporated into teachers’ guides and student work sheets so teachers’ preparation time and required technology are minimized. Basic lesson plans require some knowledge of EarthScope but only one class session to complete. Extensions to the basic lesson incorporate more complete EarthScope data analyses and address more sophisticated concepts and observations. Assessments of teachers’ workshop learning and self efficacy as Earth Science teachers as well as impact on classroom teaching greatly improved TOTLE workshops and lesson plans that feature EarthScope science for middle-school Earth Science teachers and students.