Geology 113
Earth Science
An Invitation


Greetings!

Students who took Geology 113 during Winter Session and those currently enrolled in Geology 113 (Spring Semester 96) are invited to share their portfolio projects at the annual meeting of the National Association for Geology Teachers. We have been given a one-hour time slot on Friday, May 24th from 1:30 to 2:30PM. The meeting will take place at the Stanton Campus of Delaware Technical and Community College. The Stanton Campus is located off of route 7, just north of Interstate 95 (it's exit #4 on I-95).

The meeting, which runs from May 24-26th, will be attended by teachers from seven eastern states and Ontario. The meeting is a great opportunity to share your research with teachers, to meet teachers and prospective employers, and to attend earth science workshops and field trips. The cost of registering for the meeting is $15, which includes all presentations, workshops, and field trips. The association provides resources for teachers, sells inexpensive minerals and rocks, and handouts of activities you can use to prepare science lessons. Scheduled teacher workshops include, among others:

Our workshop will be very informal. At 1:30, Dr. Smith will give a 10-15 minute summary of the project, then invite conference participants to divide into small groups so they can meet you and learn about your portfolios. You could do this in a small circle of chairs in the meeting room, or you could display some of your portfolio evidence on a small poster board. There's no need to develop a presentation - it's an interactive discussion session. From my past experience, I can assure you that participants are not there to find out how much you know about earthquakes, volcanoes, and hurricanes, but to learn what you did, what you found out, and how this can help them do earth science research with their own students. Importantly, you don't need everyone in your group to be present -- if you're the only person in your group who's interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, you can attend the meeting and talk about the group's findings.

Please get back to me as soon as possible to indicate your interest in the conference. Information about the meeting, including a scheule of the entire conference and a registration form you can print out and send in, will be posted on the Geology 113 web page sometime this week (You need not mail in a registration - you can register at the meeting at the same cost - $15). Save your receipt for registration and send it to Dr. Smith in the event that funds become available to cover the cost of your registration).

Workshop Title:

Evaluating the threat of natural disasters: Incorporating scientific explanation into the science curriculum

Students in an earth science course at the University of Delaware will present their research on the following problem: Rank order the likelihood that an earthquake, volcano, and hurricane will affect Delaware, and support your decisions by linking the evidence you gather and interpret to theories for the causes of these natural disasters. Students developed portfolios of research findings and interpretations, weaving their assignments and original research on the Internet with lectures and literature on plate tectonic theory and models of oceanographic and atmospheric circulation. To construct a final report, students selected materials from their portfolios which best supported their decisions, constructed a group report, and gave an oral presentation to their peers and visiting faculty. The workshop will describe the rationale behind the project and allow opportunities for conference participants to interact with students, most of whom are majors in the Elementary Teacher Education program and future teachers of science.

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Michael J. Smith  University of Delaware  Educational Development
                  Newark, DE 19716 (302) 831-1661  e-mail: geology@udel.edu
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