mnsta spring 2014 newsletter

Volume 50 No. 3 A Quarterly Publication of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association Inc. Spring 2014

MnSTANewsletter

MnCOSE Goes On In Spite Of Winter Storm

This is a year to remember for our extreme winter. Mother Nature was particularly harsh on the days of MNCOSE. Extreme temperatures, icy roads and blizzard conditions kept many people from at-tending. However, those who did attend had a great ex-perience and were flexible with the changes made throughout the conference. One of the highlights of the conference were our keynote speaker: Dr. Ramsey Musallam. Ramsey’s talk on “Curiosity as a Pedagogical Tool” sparked everyone’s “curiosity” of how to incorporate this tool to their classrooms. On Friday, each strand speaker shared expertise in his or her field. Dr. Tom Brown discussed the foundations of modern Ed Psych in a Physics class. Dr. Matt Morgan discussed “what to do if your flipped classroom flops in Chemistry. Kathleen O’Donnell inspired the elementary audience with resources from the PBS Learning Media. Dr. Chris Pannell gave updated information on cancer to the biology audience and Dr. Bryce Hoppe shared his participation in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Pro-grams Expedition 320 in 2010. According to participant comments, Friday’s ses-sions gave them “too many choices” Some themes surfaced from number of presentations; flipping in the classroom, teaching the nature of science, STEM and engineering are just a few. Saturday was another busy day. Teachers chose between three hour workshops on Citizen Science (six projects that focused on butterflies, bees, birds, srams, dragonflies and phenology), Reading in Sci-

ence (which met the state require for reading prepa-ration, and Ramsey Musallam (Friday’s keynote speaker) presented a workshop on Using Technol-ogy to Fuel Inquiry for Students. So everyone went away with lots of ideas to use in their classroom. AirSpace Minnesota chose our conference to launch their new program “Go Boldy Challenge”. This challenge will recognize Minnesotans of all ages who have achieved something extraordinary re-lated to aviation or aerospace. Application deadline was March 26, 2014. Finalists in several categories will be honored at the Go Boldly Expo on April 26th, 2014 at the Downtown St. Paul Airport and receive a $100 National Camera Exchange gift card. Thanks to everyone for making MNCOSE a suc-cess; committee members, speakers, exhibitors, and participants. We are looking forward to next year in MnCOSE....................continued from page 1

State Science Specialist John Olson presented the Secondary-Teacher of the Year Award to Corina Sarsland at MnCOSE.The Elementary awardee was Cara Riekenberg. See page 11 for more photos and biographies of the award winners.

MnCOSE............continued on page 3

The MnSTA Newsletter is published four times each year by the Min-nesota Science Teachers Association, Inc. Articles, opinions, book reviews and other information pertinent to Minnesota teachers are welcome. Please limit submission to 1 typed page, e-mail preferred (text file please).Deadlines for submission of articles are:

Fall .............. August 1st Winter ............ November 1st Spring .......... February 1st Summer ...................April 1st

Send all correspondence regarding the newsletter to:Jerry Wenzel22002 100th AveRandall, MN 56475 e-mail: [email protected]

The MnSTA Newsletter is an exempt program service provided to the membership. A membership form is found on the back page. Materials found in the newsletter may be reprinted without charge.

MnSTA, Inc. is an IRS 501 (c) (3) Charitable Educational Corpora-tion, incorporated as a tax exempt, non-profit organization with the Minnesota Secre-tary of State. Donations and dues are tax deductible charitable contributions for itemized deductions on IRS form 1040 Schedule A. The newsletter is an exempt program service provided to the membership. A membership form is found on the last page.

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Presidents message....continued on page 3 Department of Conservation...continuted on page 4

President’s Address by Steve Walvig Department of Conservation by Ed Hessler

While I am looking for-ward to the sunnier days of spring, I can’t help but look back on this year’s Minne-sota Conference On Science Education (MnCOSE) with a sense of pride and a little bit of regret. The 2014 Mn-COSE was going to be one of our best science conferences yet, but with the last minute

winter storm and the incredibly poor driving condi-tions, many of us were stuck at home and couldn’t attend. The people who arrived early and the brave souls who made it through the treacherous weather had the opportunity to attend much of the confer-ence as planned, but even with the extra ordinary work of MnSTA board members and especially the conference planning committee to keep every-thing on track, the conference just wasn’t what we planned. For that and other reasons, we decided to offer a choice to everyone who registered for the conference to have a $100 discount to next year’s conference or an extended membership. Looking at the results, I’m proud to say that most people choose the discount to next year’s conference, so we’ll all have the chance to make next year’s Mn-COSE the best conference yet. Next year will also be MnSTA’s 50th anniversary, so we plan to make the 2015 Minnesota Conference on Science Educa-tion (MnCOSE) the best conference so far and I’m thrilled so many people are already planning to attend. Of course, the 2014 Minnesota Conference On Science Education wouldn’t have been possible-

Flight of the Humble BumblebeeTo make a prairie it takes a clover and a bee;--…—Emily Dickinson In the Origin of Species (Chapter 3: Struggle for Existence), Darwin wrote that “Humble bees alone visit red clover, as other bees cannot reach the nectar. It has been suggested that moths may fertilise the clovers; but I doubt whether they could do so in the case of the red clover, from their weight not being sufficient to depress the wing petals. “Hence we may infer as highly probable that, if the whole genus of humble-bees became extinct or very rare in England, the heartsease and red clover would become very rare, or wholly disappear. The number of humble-bees in any district depends in a great measure upon the number of field-mice, which destroy their combs and nests; and Colonel Newman, who has along attended the habits of humble-bees, believes that ‘more than two-thirds of them are thus destroyed all over England’. “Now the number of mice is largely dependent, as every one knows, on the number of cats; and Colo-nel Newman says, ‘Near villages and small towns I have found the nests of humble-bees more numerous than elsewhere, which I attribute to the number of cats that destroy the mice.’ Hence it is quite credible that the presence of a feline animal in large numbers in a district might determine, through the interven-tion first of mice and then of bees, the frequency of certain flowers in that district!” “Emerging infectious diseases” (EIDs) are de-scribed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as infectious diseases whose incidence in humans

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In Medias Res by Edward Hessler

Presidents message.........continued from page 2

at all without the tireless work of MnSTA’s wonder-ful conference planning committee who volunteered many long hours to make the conference possible. Thank you, Jean Tushie, Eric Koser, Joe Reymann, Holly Knudson, Kari Dombrovski, Nicole Christof-ferson-Weston, Phil Sinner, Ed Hessler, and Robert Shoemaker. Thank you all for your dedication to science edu-cation, your valuable feedback, and for being mem-bers of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association. I hope to see you at next year’s Minnesota Confer-ence On Science Education on February 20-21, 2015.

On the Nature of ThingsTh-th-th-that’s all folks!—Porky Pig In October, 2012, “Moving Naturalism Forward,” a workshop convened by CalTech cosmologist, Sean Carroll, was held in western Massachusetts. Naturalism stripped down to its essence is that the natural world obeys natural laws and is all there is. Or, to add a bit more flesh:

1. There is a single reality, the natural world (only the natural world exists).

2. The natural world obeys rules.

3. We can learn something about the rules through the practice of science.

Physicalism—that the natural world and the physical world are the same—is a stronger version. Before the workshop, Carroll noted that living in such a universe presents a daunting list of challenges because “the naturalist worldview comes into conflict with our ‘folk’ understanding of life”. In the end, some of our ideas will be saved but others will end up in the cosmic dustbin. Issues for discussion included free will, moral-ity, meaning, purpose, epistemology, emergence, consciousness, evolution and determinism. A few examples: 1) If humans are collections of particles which follow the laws of physics, is it sensible to say that we make choices? 2) What is the origin of right/wrong? 3) Is science unique for finding true knowl-edge? The group was small (16 invited, 13 attended) and represented several disciplines (philosophy, neurosci-ence, evolutionary biology, anthropology, complex systems, literature, physics and economics). In many ways, the purpose of the workshop was about what it means to be a human in a natural world. One way to think about these issues is to reason about them but reasoning has genuine limits. And here science steps in with its commitment to empiri-cal data gathering. Such questions can be explored (experiments can be designed) and confronted with data, which Carroll points out “is the best cure for sloppy thinking.” As you’d guess, none of the questions was an-swered or was there even agreement on some basic definitions but the discussions were lively. (Maybe it IS only bosons and fermions or perhaps only quan-

tum fields!). In an interview with 3:AM Magazine (with its sassy byline: “Whatever it is, we’re against it”), Carroll observed, “the world is what it is, and it does what it does, and we’re trying to figure out what those things are.” Modern science began in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and includes a cast of players both of the stuff of legend and the lesser known. One of the latter is John Wilkins, warden of Wadham College in Oxford, one of the new natural/experimental philosophers (as scientists were called then). He was, according to a colleague, “much for the Trying of Experiments,” or what Rob-ert Boyle would later describe, “the interrogation of nature.” The ideas discussed in this workshop are impor-tant and scientists are gradually moving us to narrow-er and evidence-based answers to such big questions. Richard Feynman’s first principle is one of the finest of injunctions: “…you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” Sources: Dr. Sean Carroll, Carroll’s blogs, 3:AM Magazine and various meeting notes from “Moving Naturalism Forward.”

Mankato again on February 20-21, 2015. Let’s hope that Mother Nature will be much kinder in 2015! If you could not make it to the conference please know that we have ten videos presentations available on our website right now from MnCOSE14! Check them out here: bit.ly/MnCOSE14video. The videos include the keynote speakers, Saturday workshops as well as the Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Phys-ics, and Elementary strand speakers.Jean Tushie. Tushie is the MnSTA Conference Coordinator

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Department of Education

John Olson is the science specialist for the Department of Education. He will keep us updated on science educa-tion in the MnSTA newsletter.

Science MCA Imme-diate Score Report-ing New this year to the 2014 MCA Sci-ence assessments is the availability of imme-diate score reporting through AIR’s Online Reporting System (ORS). By logging into ORS, teachers can see individual student scale scores and strand level scale scores for the as-sessment their students just finished. These scores are considered preliminary because

they have not been through a process of post-test editing done by the district that may impact the data. While the individual student scores will not change, posttest editing may result in some scores being invalidated based on testing irregularities. This could cause a change in the school summary data. In order to fully utilize this functionality at a teacher level, some work must be done by your District Assessment Coordinator (DAC) to assign students to each teacher in class rosters. This is an extra step that is not necessary for students to take the assessments and so needs to be done specifically for the purpose of taking advantage of immediate score reporting. Districts and schools can use this preliminary data for instructional and planning purposes, but it does not provide final accountability and should not be shared with the general public or media. Contact your DAC for more information about this data and to see if there are local policies for using this system and data. Safety Alert: Stop Using the Rainbow Dem-onstration The American Chemical Society Committee on Chemical Safety recommends that the “rainbow demonstration,” be discontinued immediately. This demonstration involves having salts dissolved in a solvent, which is then ignited to produce colored flames. It is often performed on an open demonstra-tion table using flammable solvents such as methanol. This demonstration presents an unacceptable risk of flash fires and has caused serious injuries to students

and teachers. On an open table, flammable vapors can flow across the table and onto the floor, where they can be ignited by a flame, a spark (e.g. static electricity) or a hot surface. This can even happen in a hood. There are safer alternative demonstrations that produce the same colors. One alternative is to soak wooden splints in a water solution of the salts and then burn them with a Bunsen burner. This should be per-formed with eye protection and or safety shield and fire protection ready. Other alternatives are listed at www.acs.org/safety. A more detailed report can be found on page 11

Department of Conservation...continuted from page 2

have increased in the past 2 decades or threaten to increase in the near future. EIDs affect more than vertebrates. In a new study in Nature (“Disease associations between honeybees and bumblebees as a threat to wild pollinators” February 20, 2014), M. A. Furst et. al., report on a study of interspe-cies pathogen transmission between honeybees and bumblebees in the United Kingdom (UK). Deformed wing virus (DWV) and the fungal parasite Nosema ceranae are transmissible to bum-blebees from honeybees. The team also conducted a survey of bumblebee populations throughout the UK, finding evidence of both diseases but at lower levels than in honeybees. When honeybees were close by, infected populations of bumblebees were found more frequently. Honeybee colonies worldwide suffer from a devastating and complex syndrome collectively known as colony collapse disorder (CCD) which is a threat to several food crops dependent on honey-bee pollination. These new findings only add to the concern. Now, other plant species may be threat-ened, new transmission routes may be opening (al-though it is likely that the main route is honeybees to bumblebees), and potentially new reservoirs of these diseases are being created. New links have been added to Darwin’s specu-lative chain of events in old fields in England. Infection control will not be easy. Finally, how did the humblebee become the bumblebee? In a story in The Guardian (August 1, 2010), Richard Jones notes that it was gradual, occurring in the beginning of the 1900s. It seems likely that a character, the humblebee known as Babbity Bumble in Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse (1910) played at least a small part.

Spring 2014 5

Department of Education

11176083012

Publication No. 11176

Introduction to GHS – Pictograms

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Burns skin Explosive Acutely toxic (harmful), Irritant Damages eyes Self-reactive to skin, eyes or respiratory tract, Corrosive to metals Organic peroxide Skin sensitizer

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SAFETY-FAX . . .makes science teaching easier.

Teacher Feature

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Our featured teacher for this newsletter issue is Kim Hoehne. Kim is in her 18th year at Minnetonka High School where she teaches physics. She received both her undergraduate and Masters degree from Bethel University and wrote her Master’s thesis on physics education research, technology and interactive teach-ing strategies. She became a national Board Certified Teacher in 2010 with a focus on physics. Kim originally started out as a physics major at Bethel, but after the first semester decided to add on the teaching major. She had done a lot of coaching and knew she really enjoyed working with students and thought what better job than to combine her love and passion for physics with the same love and passion of working with students and being able to help students grow in their skills, knowledge, and character while also being a positive role model for them. She states, “I think I have the best job! I get to do physics, work with students and technology everyday in the class-room. I have a lot of fun everyday and I believe my students do too, but we also work really hard and have high expectations of ourselves.” Kim states that she is a facilitator/coach in her classroom and loves to set up learning activities that engage students. Sometimes she will front load lessons with a reading assignment, an internet reading, or a flipped video she has created to introduce some of the lower level blooms material. She wants students to come in and “do” science and engage in conversations with their classmates to learn and apply the material to a deeper level in class. She likes for students to first engage in a inquiry experience or create curios-ity in them. She likes to hook them or give them an experience that they can base their learning on as they move forward. Her classroom is one of teamwork, where they learn from one another and mistakes are not mistakes, but rather learning opportunities. She encourages her students to take risks in their learning experiences and to not be afraid to make mistakes. One of her classroom mottos is “Relationships Matter.” In physics her class does a lot of finding mathematical relationships to model the real world, but they also utilized the relationships in class to help each other find success and have fun in the process. She is a big believer in leading her students to their understanding instead of telling them what the answer is or how to do something. She also encourages dialogue between the students. Kim’s favorite activity is where her students are hired by Wile E Coyote to help them capture the road runner. They need to roll a boulder (ball) off a

bridge so that it will hit a dune buggy driven by the road runner that is driving out from under the bridge. They are given some equipment, but they then need to determine the way in which they will execute a plan utilizing motion and projectile motion concepts. This is done as a class and she also video tapes them for feedback and record-ing quotes. They debrief afterwards not only about the success of their plan, but also about the process of working together. This helps her set up the classroom community and teamwork that she emphasizes and builds with her students. When it is the day to catch the roadrunner, there is much excitement. She states, “There is so much more than just physics happening during this experi-ence!” Kim has coached both high school and college basketball and track and is currently in her 18th year of coaching track and field at Minneton-ka High School. Principal, Jeff Erickson had this to say about Kim, “Kim is one of the most innovative, caring, student centered, and passionate teachers with whom I’ve worked. Her constant question is how can I improve my practices for her students. In her classes, she engages her students in mean-ingful content and holds them to high expecta-tions but does so with grace. Center to her work in the classrooms are the relationships she forms with students. She gets to know her students and meets them where they are at in the learning process. Students know that she is committed to their success and will use whatever she needs to help them learn. She is a leader in the building and is deeply respected by the staff and greater community. She is a learner and models that for her students.”

Opportunities-Department of Education

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Note: MDE does not endorse any resource or event that is not conducted by MDE.Minnesota Conference on Science Educa-tion – A winter weather challenge Presenters stuck in their driveway, a keynoter for California who arrived several hours late, and a power outage at a hotel where several attendees stayed were just some of the challenges that faced organizers of the MnSTA conference. An overnight ice storm and blizzard forced them to make many changes and accommodations. The keynotes for each of the strands and most of the Saturday workshop were streamed live on the MnSTA website and many are still available. The schedule was adjusted for presenters that were not able to attend. One session was presented via Skpe. The MnSTA Executive Committee made an unusual offer to registrants that were affected by the storm to grant a discount on the conference next year. An email with an explanation went out to those involved.MnSTA Science Teacher Awards The recipients of the Medtronic Science Teacher Award Presented by MnSTA for 2014 are:*Elementary: Cara Riekenberg, School of Engineering and Arts in Golden Valley* Secondary: Corina Sarsland, Rockford Middle School for Environmental Studies A grant from Medtronic Foundation pro-vides a fund of $1000 to each awardee for a project that benefits their students. To demonstrate their qualifications for the award, the applicants must provide a description of their teaching practice, a listing of their teaching experiences and profes-sional activities, and a proposal for use of the funds. The judges for the award are members of the MnSTA board of directors.ACT Releases New Study: The Condition of STEM 2013 The Condition of STEM 2013 reviews the ACT-t ested 2013 graduating class in the context of STEM-related fields. The report provides data on the measured and expressed interest levels of students in STEM majors and occupations while aligning the data with student aptitudes in math and science. Key findings from the report include: Pi Day and Einstein’s Birthday March 14 – Celebrate!- Interest in STEM is high. Almost half (48.3%) of students in the 2013 ACT-tested graduating class have an interest in STEM majors or occupations.

- More female than male students are interested in STEM, although the opposite is true among higher-achieving students. The overall percent of females interested in STEM majors and occupations is a surprising 46%- The academic achievement gap that exists in gen-eral for ethnically diverse students is even more pro-nounced among those interested in the STEM fields. With the exception of Asian students, the number of ethnic minority interested in STEM fields is low, as are their achievement levels in math and science.- Students interested in STEM have higher educa-tional aspirations, and their parents are more likely to have attended college than those not interested in STEM.From NSTA’s Science Matters

Events and WorkshopsThe Outdoor Classroom: Team Teaching with Mother Nature. Learn why taking student’s outdoors can increase enthusiasm and test scores. Experience strategies for successful outdoor instruc-tion in this 4 hour hands-on session with a focus on observation and journaling as multi-disciplinary teaching tools. Survey the school site for educational potential, examine classroom curricula and MDE standards to find opportunism for outdoor learning and develop confidence to take it outside! Thursday April 10, Gustavus Adolphus Col-lege, St. Peter Information and registration: Mi-chelle Koomen, [email protected] deadline April 2 Saturday April 12, Kasson MN Information and registration: Sharie Furst, [email protected] deadline April 2.Mn STEM Network Annual Conference, April 15, St. Paul This conference from SciMathMN is our opportunity to come together as the community of stakeholders of STEM education and workforcedevelopment. Together we create the opportunities which inspire passion, build knowledge, and show-case career opportunities about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The conference at the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus 9 am – 3:30 features a keynoteby Cindy Moss who led the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools in their successes at closing achieve-ment gaps, breakout sessions on exemplary prac-tices and open space discussions. Register now at https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1475769


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Hands-On Body Systems, St. Paul Diagrams, Lessons, and Facial Anatomy Kits can provide you with lessons that are creative, infor-mative, thorough, and fun for your students. Since the human body is so complex, theseexcellent building activities provide learning at its highest level and help students retaininformation for years. Students can retain these body systems projects and apply skills andpathology. Whether you are a new or experienced instructor, Hands-On Body Systems diagrams and les-sons can help you save time and increase success with these activities *May 1-2 Movement and Communication *Oct. 23 – 24 Feeding and protecting the Body Information about the resources at http://www.starlasteachtips.com. For workshop information and information and registration, contact [email protected]. The workshop fee is $200.FABLab 101: How to Teach (almost) Anything, Mahtomedi, June 16-27 The course will focus on using engineering and technology tools to spark student learning. Participants will have an op-portunity to design software and equipment for 3D printers, laser cutters, silhouette fabricators, Modella Mini-mills, Shop bot, and scanners. The course is taught by MIT FABLab specialist Matt Young in the Mahtomedi FABLab. The fee for the course is $2250. Contact [email protected] for the class outline and more information.Geology and Water Resources of Southwestern Minnesota, Marshall, June 17-19 The 16th annual Minnesota Minerals Edu-cation Workshop is a three day workshop for K-12 Earth science educators and pre-service teachers. It offers short courses and field trips taught by scien-tists, professors and teachers focusing on the geology, mineral resources and environmental issues of south-western Minnesota. Participants will receive a variety of resource materials including rock and mineral samples, lesson plan ideas, posters, maps, videos, and other useful information. Registration cost is $40 which includes meals, instruction, and field trip costs. Information and registration are at http://www.d.umn.edu/prc/MMEW/index.html Environmental Education Conference – Root-ed in Diversity, June 20-22, Sandstone The 2014 Minnesota Association for Envi-ronmental Education Conference is a great place to connect with environmental educators across the state,

learn about helpful resources for your classroom, and share your own perspectives on environmental education. Please join us at the Audubon Center of the North Woods. Information is posted at http://www.minnesotaee.orgRivers Institutes Join us this summer, as Hamline Univer-sity’s Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) presents its acclaimed Rivers Institute, a FREE, three day field-based professional develop-ment opportunity that inspires, educates, and pre-pares 3rd- 8th grade teachers to engage students in STEM disciplines through hands-on, inquiry-based investigations at local watersheds. Two institutes will be held this summer—one on the St. Croix River and one on the Mississippi River.St. Croix River Institute June 23-25, 2014 (Mon.-Wed.) Mississippi River Institute July 28-30, 2014 (Mon.-Wed.) The Rivers Institutes are designed to increase teachers’ science content knowledge and investigation skills, and help area educators trans-late their professional experiences into meaningful, engaging classroom investigations. The primary audience for the institutes is elementary and middle school classroom teachers, as well as science specialists and teams of teachers. However, all educators are welcome to apply. For more information and to apply online, please visit the River Institutehttp://www.hamline.edu/cgee/riversinstitute/Research Experience in Materials Science and Engineering, June 30 – Aug 8, U of Minn. Teachers will be able to work with univer-sity researchers to learn about cutting-edge re-search and develop lessons for their own classroom based on this opportunity. Teachers will have the opportunity to make connections at the university, visit facilities unique to the university (such as the Characterization Facility and its new Titan Trans-mission Electron Microscope) and attend seminars to discover what is new in materials science. The program provides a substantial stipend and a sup-ply budget for classroom supplies. The application deadline is April 1. http://www.mrsec.umn.edu/EHR/RETdescription.php


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WaterWorks!: A Drinking Water Institute for Educators, St. Paul, Aug 4-6 Enrich your water curriculum, investigate drinking water quality and chemistry, tour the St. Paul water plant, and experience water-related resources for the classroom. This three-day, hands-on workshop allows grade 4-10 teachers of science to gather information, ideas and resources from expert presenters about how safe, reliable drink-ing water is delivered to your community while learning about drinking water issues facing Min-nesota and the nation. Meals and resource binder provided. Choose between two graduate credits or stipend. Applications and information: http://www.hamline.edu/education/environmental/cgee/water-works/Summer Institute for Climate Change and Energy Education, Aug 4 – 6, Sandstone Integrate STEM content into any subject-area and deepen your ability to teach about energy and climate change with curriculum and experi-ences from this professional development event. The cost includes two nights lodging, meals, with curriculum and materials galore. Come for the free giveaways, CEUs and optional grad credit, and stay for the inspiring keynotes, guest scientists and campfire conversations with some of the Midwest’s best educators. Audubon Center of the North Woods, Cost: $125 Learn more & register online http://www.willstegerfoundation.org/summer-instituteSummer Engineering Education Courses, St. ThomasThe University of St. Thomas Engineering Educa-tion is offering the following “E” focused STEM education courses. These courses offer a mix of theory and hands-on learning, as well as an explo-ration of techniques, tools and resources for teach-ing concepts. Graduate courses are $1200/course and may be used for the Graduate Certificate in Engineering Education, as well as, the Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. Course descriptions and the free application are available at http://www.stthomas.edu/CPCEE/June 9-12, 20 + online: Engineering in the P-12 Classroom June 23-27, + online: Energy and the EnvironmentJuly 7-11, + online: Fundamentals of Electricity and Electronics

Excellence in Elementary Engineering Educa-tion – Save the Date, Call for proposals The 2014 E4 Conference will be Nov 18th at the University of Minnesota. The theme will be Explor-ing Engineering in Unexpected Places. Consider giving a presentation on the exemplary engineering and/or STEM practices at your school or organization. Submit proposals by April 25 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RGWWLFTTeacher and School Awards and OpportunitiesPresidential Awards The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is the nation’s highest award in these fields. Awardees receive local and nation recognition, a reception at the White House and $10,000. This award is often a springboard to state and national leadership in the profession. This year K-6 teachers are eligible. Nominations and applications are now available at the PAEMST website https://www.paemst.org. Nominations are due by April 1 and the ap-plication is due May 1.

NSTA Awards The National Science Teachers has numerous award opportunities for teachers and other science educators. Most of them are sponsored by corpo-rations and include awards of cash, materials and attendance at NSTA conferences. NSTA awards page http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspxOutstanding Earth Science Teacher Award These awards from the National Associa-tion of Geology Teachers are given for “exceptional contributions to the stimulation of interest in the Earth Sciences at the pre-college level.” Any teacher or other K-12 educator who covers a significant amount of earth science content with their students is eligible. Ten national finalists are selected, one from each NAGT regional section. Some sections also recognize state winners. Individuals may apply themselves or nominate a colleague for the award. The deadline is May 15. More information is at the NAGT Awards page, http://nagt.org/nagt/awards/oest.html#nomination Student Awards, Competitions and ProgramsThe Glacier Stops Here - Adventures in our Driftless Region, March 21-22, Rochester Caves...Rocks...Fossils...Rivers...Native plants...Fishing...Hands on casting demonstrations and fly tying are just a few the topics of this educa-tional and community event. The two-day program at the Mayo Civic Center includes guest appearances by Ron Schara and Raven, seminars, and exhibits ... all for an entry fee for $5 for adults and free for chil-dren. Details at http://www.rochestercvb.org/glacier/Expanding your Horizons, STEM Event for Middle School Girls, Inver Hills Community College, April 5 Can girls be biologists, engineers and health care professionals? Yes. And the planning starts now! Explore a touch of science and a fraction of math-ematics. Experience college science labs, explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers and meet and interact with positive women role models who are active in math and science related careers. Parents and teachers are encouraged to register to attend concurrent workshops on col-lege planning and STEM careers. $15 fee includes T-shirt and lunch. Registration code YEYHD-S1. More information from [email protected], 651-423-7911. http://www.getstem-mn.com/Ask/View?Id=1a04ba85-2b03-4e40-82e7-681a5318b9c1

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Go Boldly Expo, Saturday April 26, St. Paul AirSpace Minnesota is bringing Buzz Aldrin (first moon landing) and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt (last Moon landing) to Minnesota to celebrate our innovation legacy and encourage a new generation to dream big, work hard and go boldly. Designed for students, educators and fami-lies, this free public event at the St. Paul downtown airport will help students imagine a future where they have the literacy and skills to achieve their dreams. Details are at Air Space Minnesota. http://airspacemn.org/go-boldly-expo-navigate-your-world-beyond/Engage youth in climate change solutions through video Make a video for Youth Voices of Change! Youth in grades 4-12 are invited to submit a video (maximum 2 minutes long) that shares solution proj-ects or helps raise awareness about climate change issues for a chance to win great prizes, including: money for their project, new video equipment, and gift certificates to local businesses. Ten lucky finalists and their videos will be featured on the big screen at the Youth Voices Film Festival in the evening of Au-gust 22, 2014 on the Sustainability Stage at the Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair. Read more about how to get involved online. Entry deadline is May 16. http://classroom.willstegerfoundation.org/about/youth-voicesMaterials Camp for HS Students, June 17-20, Univ. of Minn. Wanted: Students entering their junior or senior year who are inquisitive learners with strong math and science aptitude. Participate in a FREE four day summer camp utilizing hands-on learning of materials engineering. You will learn through field trips, demonstrations and extensive lab activities. More Information http://www.mnasm.org/camp/. Ap-plication due by March 31.MDE Contacts:John Olson, Science Content Specialist, [email protected] Dawn Cameron, Science Assessment Specialist, [email protected] Jim Wood, Science Assessment Specialist, [email protected] Doug Paulson, STEM Integration Specialist, [email protected]

her instruction, including a neurobiology program and a partnership with the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. She is particularly proud of a grape growing project that grew out the expertise and inter-est of a school board member. Corina will use her award funds to purchase equipment and supplies to enhance her bottle biology ecosystem unit and her “Grape-ology” project.Watch for information about the 2015 award and prepare to submit your entry.Lab Incident at a Manhattan High School: Another Hard Safety Lesson to LearnBy Kenneth Roy | Published: January 6, 2014 On January 2, 2014, a chemistry lab safety incident involving a fire injured students at Beacon High School in Manhattan (NYC). An article in The New York Times reported that two students were burned as a result of a fireball of methanol vapor cre-ated by a flame test demonstration, typically called the Rainbow. The students were sent to the hospital for medical care. This terrible accident adds to the list of safety incidents resulting from the same dem-onstration over the past few years. It is absolutely tragic when students and/or school staff are injured as the result of a serious safety incident. Survivors live their lives with vivid memories and emotional and/or physical scars. In response to these accidents, there have been calls to cease hands-on science activities. This is a knee-jerk response and myopic vision. Think about it! Do we stop using cars on the highways because of automo-bile accidents? Do we stop flying in the sky because there have been airplane accidents? Obviously the answer to these questions is “no!” What we do is to try and make science labs SAFER; we need to help reduce or prevent future accidents by improv-ing technology, altering human behavior, increasing safety training, and more. Looking back at the recent lab incident and other laboratory accidents that have occurred in our schools, what is the lesson to be learned? How can we make it SAFER and how can we help reduce or prevent future accidents? Here are a few thoughts to consider and help us move in a SAFER direction while continuing the doing of science—the best way students learn it:1. Legal Safety Standards: There are legal safety standards which employers (boards of educa-tion) are required to follow. For example, the Occu-pational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

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Teacher of the Year Awards Lab Safety

Cara Riekenberg recieved the Teacher of the Year award for elementary teachers. She is shown her with her 3rd grade stu-dents at the School of Engineering and Arts in Golden Valley

The Medtronic Foundation Science Teaching Award is presented by the Minnesota Science Teach-ers Assn. each year to teachers at two levels: elemen-tary and secondary. A grant from Medtronic provides a fund of $1000 to each awardee for a project that benefits their students. Recipients of the award are expected to share the results of their project with oth-er teachers. To demonstrate their qualifications for the award, the applicants must provide a description of their teaching practice, a listing of their teaching experiences and professional activities, and a pro-posal for use of the funds. The judges for the award are members of the MnSTA board of directors. The 2014 award for an elementary teacher goes to Cara Riekenberg of the School of Engineering and Arts in Golden Valley. Ms. Riekenberg is the program coordinator of their STEM and Arts empha-sis. On a typical day you will find her co-teaching with other teachers, leading student activities and helping teachers plan integrated instruction. She previously was the Environmental Education coordi-nator for the Prior Lake-Savage School District. Cara is well known as the energetic leader of the sum-mer Rivers Institutes from Hamline University and several other professional development workshops. With her award funds, she will purchase classroom equipment for student inquiry activities including replica skulls of wildlife, incubators for chicken eggs, and a birdsong identifier. The 2014 award for a secondary teacher goes to Corina Sarsland of Rockford Middle School Center for Environmental Studies. Ms. Sarsland teaches 7th grade life science in Rockford and previ-ously taught earth science at Heritage Middle School in West St. Paul. She has worked with several pro-fessional development programs that have impacted

12 MnSTA Newsletter

requires schools under its jurisdiction with laboratories to provide ongoing employee training, appropriate engineering controls, updated administrative proce-dures, effective personal protective equipment, pro-gressive discipline policies, and more under programs such as the Hazard Communications Program (29CFR 1910.1200) and the Laboratory Standard (29CFR 1910.1450). The purpose of these programs/standards is to create and maintain a safer working environ-ment for employees, including science teachers. There are National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire safety standards which are adopted by state legis-latures and applied to school employers relative to laboratory occupancy loads, fire suppression equip-ment, hazardous chemical storage, inspections, and so forth. Employers have a legal and moral obligation to address these safety standards, especially in areas like science laboratories that deal with chemical, biologi-cal, and physical hazards.2. Professional Best Safety Practices: Profes-sions like education have safety standards that help guide science teachers to contribute to a safer work-ing environment for themselves and their students. For example, the National Science Teachers Associa-tion (NSTA) provides a safety portal with resources, journals with monthly safety columns that deal with current safety issues (The Science Teacher’s “Safer Science” and Science Scope’s “Scope on Safety”), safety seminars at regional and national conferences, safety webinars, books on laboratory safety, and much more.3. Training: Safety is a constantly changing landscape of which professionals like science teachers need to be aware. Unfortunately, much more needs to be done at the tertiary teacher preparatory level in this area. Few colleges and universities address pre-service safety training to the level needed. Employers also need to do more to provide ongoing safety training—especially for science laboratory employees. Training should extend beyond school employees. Students must have safety training before they pick up a test tube or light a burner in the lab. They also need to sign a safety acknowledgement form recognizing that the lab can be a dangerous place. In order to make it safer, safety protocols must be practiced and followed.4. Resources: The Internet can be a life changer, if not a life saver! There are a large number of safety resources online for science teachers. As part of their professional responsibilities, science teachers need to prepare properly prior to doing laboratory experiments and demonstrations. There are government safety web-

sites, NSTA blogs, listservs, and much more available. But, teachers should be given time to review them. Schools must provide professional development time and training to make use of these resources.5. Supervision: According to OSHA and school district evaluation programs, employees require supervision. Safety needs to be a critical piece which is addressed on a regular basis. There must also be enforcement of all safety standards to reduce the fre-quency of incidents and make it a safer place to work and learn.6. Equipment: Along with training there are legal safety standards and professional best practices that require access, appropriate use, and inspection and repair/replacement of safety equipment specific to laboratories (e.g. chemical splash goggles, gloves, aprons, etc.) Also required are appropriate ventilation systems, fume hoods, fire extinguishers, etc.7. Inspections: Science labs should be inspected on a regular basis to help the science teacher make sure all things are operating and functioning safety-wise. Chemical hygiene officers, school district safety compliance officers, insurance carrier inspectors, the local fire marshal, commercial safety compliance inspectors, and OSHA compliance officers—these are just a few examples of people who are committed to safety and who can help science teachers make sure their labs are up to or surpass safety standards.8. Professional Preparation/Certification: Few states now require specific professional/academic preparation standards for each area of science. The bar has been lowered and we all are paying for it. Often “science” certified teachers are assigned classes in ar-eas they have had little to no academic preparation in or experience in teaching. Legislators need to re-ex-amine this whole issue and get back on track. Unlike other areas such as English and mathematics, we need to require specialized certificates in each of the many science education areas—physics, chemistry, biology, etc. Re-occurring safety incidents and serious injuries are a symptom that the system is not function-ing properly. Will all of these suggestions prevent safety accidents or incidents from occurring? Maybe not, but they would dramatically reduce their frequen-cy and make for a much safer science lab experience for our children and our science teachers.Dr. Ken Roy Chief Science Safety Compliance Consultant/Author/Columnist, National Science Teachers Association

Lab Safety

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Opportunities

Executive Board:Exec. Secretary Ed Hessler Hamline University, 1536 Hewitt Ave. MS-A1760, St. Paul, MN 55104

W: 651-523-2945 F: 651-523-3041 e: [email protected]

President Steve Walvig The Bakken 3537 Zenith Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55416

W-612-926-3837X202 F: 612-927-7265 e:[email protected]

President Elect Lee Schmitt Hamline University 1536 Hewitt Ave. MS-A1760, St. Paul, MN 55104

651-523-2562 [email protected]

Treasurer Joe Reymann Retired e: [email protected]

DOE Science Specialist John Olson Dept.of Education [email protected] 651-582-8673

Discipline Directors:Biology Nancy Orr-Johnson Humboldt Secondary 30 E. Baker St. St. Paul, MN 55107

W:763-242-4649 [email protected]

Chemistry Carolyn Fruin Eastview High School


Earth Science Kate Rosok Minneapolis Public Schools


Elementary/Greater MN Nicole Christofferson-Weston Menahga Public Schools 216 Aspen Ave; Menahga, MN 56464

218-564-4141X477 e:[email protected]

Elementary/Metro Polly Saatzer Garlough Environmental Magnet 1740 Charlton St. West St. Paul, MN 55118 W:651-552-0094 [email protected]

Higher Ed Michele Koomen Gustavus Adolphus College 800 West College Ave. St. Peter, MN 56082

W507-933-6057 F507-933-6020 [email protected]

Informal Ed Larry Thomas SMM 120 W. Kellogg Blvd St. Paul, MN 55102

W: 651-221-4507 e: [email protected]

Newsletter Jerry Wenzel Retired e: [email protected]

Physics Paul Lulai St. Anthony Village High School 3303 33rd Ave St. Anthony, MN 55418


Private Schools Carolyn Ocampo


Webmaster Eric Koser Mankato West H.S. 1351 S. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 W: 507-387-3461 x 322 F: 507-345-1502 e: [email protected]

Region Representatives:Region 1&2: North Laurie Arnason South Point Elementary 1900 13th St. SE East Grand Forks, MN 56721


Region 1&2: North Michael Urban Bemidji State University 1500 Birchmont Dr. Bemidji, MN 56601


Region 3: Northeast Elizabeth Kersting-Peterson Piedomont Elementary 2827 Chambersburg Ave. Duluth, MN 55811

W:218-336-8950 X 2759 F:218-336-8954 [email protected]

Below, you will find information about your MnSTA Board Members. The listing includes the board member’s school (or organiza-tion), mailing address, work phone, FAX number, and e-mail address. The board wishes to make itself as accessible as possible for our members. Please feel free to contact your discipline representative, regional representative, or executive board members if you have ideas, concerns, or wish to help with the mission or operation of MnSTA. We are always looking for members who wish to serve MnSTA as Board Members, Non-Board Service Chairs or Members, and as Committee Chairs or Members.

MnSTA Board Directory MnSTA Phone# (651)-523-2945

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Region 4: Westcentral Vacant

Region 5: Northcentral Marie Zettel Aitkin High School 306 2nd St. SW Aitkin, MN 56431

W 218-927-2115 X 3313 e:[email protected]

Region 6: Southcentral Philip Sinner Renville County West 301 NE 3rd St. PO Box 338 Renville, MN 56284


Region 7: Eastcentral Kari Dombrovski Talahi Community School 1321 University Dr. SE St. Cloud, MN 56304

W:320-251-7551X5127 F:320-529-4339 [email protected]

Region 8: Southcentral Philip Sinner Renville County West 301 NE 3rd St. PO Box 338 Renville, MN 56284


Region 9: South Dana Smith Nicolette Public School 1 Pine St. Nicollet, MN 56047 W:507-232-3461X4114 e: [email protected]

Region 10: Southeast Sharie Furst Kasson-Mantorville Elemementary 604 16th St. NE Kasson, MN 55944


Region 11: Metro Betsey Stretch Minneapolis Public Schools 1250 Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411


Ancillary Positions:Database Mark Lex Benilde-St. Margaret’s 2501 Hwy 100 S St. Louis Park, MN

55416 W: 952-927-4176 F: 952-920-8889 e: [email protected]

Historian/Parlimentarian Fred Riehm Retired ‘91 [email protected]

NSTA Dist. IX Director Mary Colson Horizon MS 3601 12th Ave. So. Moorhead, MN 56560

W: 218-284-7300 [email protected]

Conference Coordinator Jean Tushie Eden Prairie High School 17185 Valley View Rd Eden Prairie, N 55346

W 952-975-4347 F 952-975-8020 e [email protected] [email protected]

Events CalendarIf you have events you want placed on the calendar, send them to the editor - see page 2 for deadlines, address, etc.

Conferences / Workshops

MnCOSE Minnesota Conference on Science Education Feb. 20-21, 2015 Verizon Center in Mankato

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Non-Porfit Org U.S. Postage PAIDTwin Cities, MN Permit No. 4197

Permit No. 04197

MnSTA Regions

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage Paid

Minnesota Science Teachers Association, Inc.Hamline University MS MS-A17601536 Hewitt Ave.St. Paul, MN 55104

MnSTA Membership Application Form

Join the Minnesota Science Teachers Association (MnSTA), the professional organization whose primary goal is the advancement of science education. Mail this form along with your check to:

MnSTA, Hamline University MS - A1760, 1536 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104

Rates (Check one):

First name MI Last name

Address

City State Zip Code

Phone number (include area code)

Preferred email address

Second email address

Name

Address

City State Zip Code

Phone number (include area code)

Fax number (include area code)

School district # (enter "P" if private)

q Elementary q Biology q Earth Science q Chemistry q Life Science q Physics q Physical Science q Environmental Science

q Basic Membership ...................... $25 q First Year Teacher ...................... $15 q Retired Teacher .......................... $15 q Pre-service Student .................... $10 q Life Membership: to age 35 ..... $400 age 36-50 ... $300 over 50 ........ $200

Home School/Organization

Choose up to three discipline mailing lists:

q New Member q Renewing Member Indicate the grade level you work with: level:

q Elementary (K-6) q College/University q Middle/Jr. High School (6-9) q Informal Ed q High School (9-12)

mnsta spring 2014 newsletter

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