PARTNERS IN INTEGRATED EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE-A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR EDUCATION

Project PIES (Partners in Integrated Earth Systems Science) is a three phase long-term professional development program designed to increase the integrated science content, pedagogical, and technological knowledge of teams of K-12 teachers. The educators who participated in Project PIES have served as mentors to other teachers and have driven curriculum change in their school districts. Phase I was composed of one week field and one week laboratory experiences at Duke Marine Lab. A study was carried out of physical and biological processes that interact to form the modern ocean with a comparison to the ancient ocean (paleontology). Integrated with these field experiences were laboratory sessions that allowed the teachers to analyze the data and samples collected. These samples were incorporated into their own science classrooms for their students to utilize. During Phase II, a fall quarter on-line course was developed to discuss classroom activities from the information collected during Phase I. During Phase III, there were web conferences that allowed teachers to continue support and contact with other colleagues and discuss their implementation of PIES into their own classrooms. Also, during Phase III there was an internet course that has assisted teachers to learn more content in Earth systems science to help build a stronger connection with their experiences during Phase I.

Project PIES has enhanced science content experiences for in-service teachers and has led to new lesson for their own classrooms. One such topic was the amount of phosphates in the modern ocean versus the ancient ocean in shark teeth. This question assisted in the comprehension of their science content into their own classrooms and has allowed the teachers to utilize the samples gathered at the Atlantic Ocean, Shackelford Island, Aurora Fossil Museum, and Nottaway River. These results and experiences will be presented. Additionally, an illustration of pre- and post-test assessments representing integration of how PIES has worked well for the participating teachers to teach multidisciplinary subjects together will be discussed.