Harper Collins Video

Last year, I was contacted by Harper Collins in the UK and they asked if they could include an edited copy of my chemical weathering video on a video resource disc that was going to be included with one of their science textbooks. They came across the video while browsing Youtube.

Of course, I said yes!

After we worked through a few video encoding issues, they were nice enough to send me a copy of the disc along with a check. I have to say that Harper Collins was a pleasure to work with. Thanks again Harper Collins.

Maury Project

This year, I was selected as a participant for the Maury Project. The Maury Project is a 2 week long national program of teacher training based on studies of the physical foundations of oceanography. The goal of the Maury Project is to train members of underrepresented fields in the sciences and significant numbers of pre-college students from underrepresented groups. The Maury project is offered by the American Meteorological Society in conjunction with the US Naval Academy and NOAA.

Held at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland, this intensive workshop will include lectures, tutorials, seminars, research cruises, hands-on laboratory exercises, and field trips. Faculty members from the USNA, and Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other scientists, and science educators will present work shop topics.The workshop will focus on the physical foundations of selected oceanographic topics and issues. The major topics presented will center on waves, tides, density- and wind-driven ocean circulations, and sea-air interactions.

I will be at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis from July 11 to the 24th and I will be updating ScienceBoom during the PD.

One of the requirements of the program is that I have to conduct several PD’s on oceanography when I return. If you are interested please contact me and I will let you know when the workshops will be scheduled.

The New York City Teaching Fellows program recognized me for my participation in this workshop in one of their weekly newsletters.

National Board Certification

I just finished the assessment center exam which is the last requirement I had to fulfill for National Board Certification. The entire process of national certificationIt was challenging, but not impossible.

I was awarded the Albert Shanker grant by New York state which helped fund my nation certification attempt. The grant is available for all NYC teachers with at least 3 years teaching experience.

National Board certification has several benefits besides sounding impressive. If you have not yet reached the top of the pay scale, NBPTS certification can be substituted for the 30 and above putting you at the top of the scale. It is faster than taking P-credits and free if you apply for the grant. If you are self motivated, I highly recommend the process. That being said, I hope I passed. Scores will be available after December.

Overall this was an exciting year. I hope you stay tuned for my posts on the Maury Project and a few more exciting updates.

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As the London Times reported of the processes that created the striations displayed in these unusual candy-striped icebergs:

Keith Makinson, of the British Antarctic Survey, said that icebergs that seemed to show stripes were quite common in southern waters, but it was the first time that he

had seen brown stripes. They are believed to be created when ice crystals form under the water and, in a process described as “inverted snow”, rise to stick to the bottom of the ice shelf. As the ice crystals form a new layer at the bottom of the ice shelf, which later fragments to float away as icebergs, tiny particles of organic matter are trapped.

Parts of dead marine creatures such as krill form much of the trapped material and have the effect of creating coloured stripes, mainly blues and greens, in icebergs. Dr Makinson said that the brown stripes in this example were likely to have been formed from sediment washing underneath the ice shelf.

Photographs of similarly-patterned icebergs can be viewed at the web site of the Australian Antarctic Division.

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Grab your digital camera and go shoot some pictures this weekend. The photography contest is titled “How Climate Shapes My World.”. Snap the winning picture and win $300.

AGI is sponsoring a photography contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2009. The photography theme for this year is: “How Climate Shapes My World.”

Deadline: October 16, 2009
Photography Contest Entry Form.

NOAA Teacher at Sea

If you like science and the sea, you’ll be in heaven with the NOAA Teacher at Sea program. Spend a week or more at sea helping scientist with their research and gain a greater understanding of maritime work and studies. Use your experience to educate and inspire your students.

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Teacher at Sea (TAS) program is to give teachers a clearer insight into our ocean planet, a greater understanding of maritime work and studies, and to increase their level of environmental literacy by fostering an interdisciplinary research experience. The program provides a unique environment for learning and teaching by sending kindergarten through college-level teachers to sea aboard NOAA research and survey ships to work under the tutelage of scientists and crew.

Deadline: December 31, 2009
NOAA Teacher at Sea Application.

Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange

Do you dream of teaching in a foreign land, but don’t want to quit your job, sell your things and move out of your place? Check out the Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange. Fulfill your wanderlust without sacrificing your career.

The Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange Program provides opportunities for teachers to participate in direct exchanges of positions with colleagues from other countries for a semester or academic year. By living and working in the cultures of their host countries, Fulbright teachers gain an understanding and appreciation of the similarities and differences in national cultures and education systems. Fulbright teachers enrich their schools and communities with a new awareness of other cultures and of events occurring in different parts of the world, providing students and citizens with new perspectives about the world in which they live.

Deadline: October 15, 2009
Fulbright Classroom Teacher Exchange Application.

ScienceBoom on Facebook

ScienceBoom is now on Facebook. Become a fan and get the latest science teacher updates in your Facebook news feed.

Download your copy of "101 Science Misconceptions" provided by ScienceBoom.

Download your copy of "101 Science Misconceptions" provided by ScienceBoom.

If there was ever a type of musical expression that needed to be combined with robots, it’s beatboxing. At their October performance, you’ll see human beatbox Adam Matta laying down beats for the ‘bots of LEMUR, as well as Ethan Ham and his instrument that replicates vocal input with slide whistles. Completing the lineup is Shawn Trail, mannin’ up on the mallets with a Lobi-inspired style. Also on hand are Christopher McDonald and Gertrude, his machine that “uses a multicolor LED to draw dramatic color images captured by long exposure photography.”

Date: Thursday October 9
Time: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Place: Place: LEMUR, 461 3rd Ave. bet. 9th and 10th St., Brooklyn
Price: Price: $5

Nightlife at the AMNH

Start your weekend off right at the smartest party in town, hosted by the American Museum of Natural History. At the Rose Center for Earth and Space, you’ll be able to drink and dance under dynamic visuals accompanied by the explosive beats of live bands and DJs. This month’s party features Mattie Safer of The Rapture and DJ Mehdi, a French hip-hop and electronic producer known for bridging the gap between these two dance music genres. For the price of the ticket, you get entrance to the party, a complimentary screening of the Space Show Cosmic Collisions, and a free pass to the Museum for future use.

Date: Friday October 10
Time: 9:00 PM – 1:00 AM
Place: American Museum of Natural History, 81st St. between Columbus Ave. and Central Park W.
Price: $20

Science Smashes Urban Legends

Alligators in the sewers? Mob victims buried under Yankee Stadium? New Yorkers love urban legends, and, as it turns out, so do scientists, albeit slightly less morbid ones. Find out the real truth about whether or not glass is a liquid by joining Columbia University’s monthly Cafe Science meeting. Physical chemist Laura J. Kaufman’s speech, “Is Glass a Liquid? The Science Behind the Urban Legend,” addresses the liquid and solid characteristics of glass and how materials of this type can be used in applications as diverse as oil delivery and cryopreservation.

Date: Monday October 13
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Place: Picnic Café, 2665 Broadway, between 101st St. and 102nd St.
Price: $10, includes one drink

Science Teacher Institute at Cornell University

Cornell University invites elementary and middle school teachers to participate in the Cornell Science Sample Series, a collaboration between Cornell’s research centers and departments to provide professional development in science, engineering, math, and technology. Available workshops include Electricity, FOSS Forces and Motion Kit, Probability and Measurement and Bird Sleuth.

To apply, visit www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/teachers/csss.html.

Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Place: Sloan-Kettering Institute, Room M107 (1275 York Avenue, Manhattan)
Price: All applications must be accompanied by a check for $20 made out to Cornell University. Upon completion of the program, all checks will be returned and participants will receive an additional check for $20 to cover travel costs.
Notes: Space is limited to 80 teachers. The application deadline is October 15.

Using Video Interactively in the Classroom Workshop

An overview of teaching strategies using video clips from Channel Thirteen?s Web site in biology, chemistry, physics and Earth science.

For further information, call 212-598-7772.

Date: Friday, October 17
Time: 7:15 p.m.
Place: New York University, Silver Center Room 207, 32 Waverly Place, Manhattan.
Security at NYU requires that you show a picture ID to enter the building.
Price: Free
Guest Speaker: Christopher Ward, Hommocks School

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When Mariner 10 flew past Mercury three times in 1974 and 1975, the probe imaged less than half the planet. In January, during MESSENGER’s first flyby, its cameras returned images of about 20 percent of the planet’s surface missed by Mariner 10. Yesterday, at 4:40 am EDT, MESSENGER successfully completed its second flyby of Mercury, and its cameras captured more than 1,200 high-resolution and color images of the planet – unveiling another 30 percent of Mercury’s surface that had never before been seen by spacecraft.

The spectacular image shown here is one of the first to be returned and shows a WAC image of the departing planet taken about 90 minutes after the spacecraft’s closest approach to Mercury. The bright crater just south of the center of the image is Kuiper, identified on images from the Mariner 10 mission in the 1970s. For most of the terrain east of Kuiper, toward the limb (edge) of the planet, the departing images are the first spacecraft views of that portion of Mercury’s surface. A striking characteristic of this newly imaged area is the large pattern of rays that extend from the northern region of Mercury to regions south of Kuiper. This extensive ray system appears to emanate from a relatively young crater newly imaged by MESSENGER, providing a view of the planet distinctly unique from that obtained during MESSENGER’s first flyby. This young, extensively rayed crater, along with the prominent rayed crater to the southeast of Kuiper, near the limb of the planet, were both seen in Earth-based radar images of Mercury but not previously imaged by spacecraft.

Visit NASA’s MESSENGER site for more images.

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NYC Teaching Fellow Michael Doig wins a $54,000 technology grant

Michael Doig, a Cohort 12 NYC Teaching Fellow, has won a $54,000 grant from the City Council of New York for computer lab and classroom technology at Bedford-Stuyvesant Preparatory High School in Brooklyn. By providing students the ability to learn computer skills in high school or sooner, they can be better prepared for the future.
Michael intends to use the funds toward computer literacy education. He also intends to engage his students in several long-term science projects, including weather tracking, seismology, videos, podcasts, and more.

To secure the grant, Michael located his Council Member and submitted a proposal for the grant. If you’re interested in securing a grant, you may start by using the DOE’s Financial Accounting Management Systems (FAMIS) to create a list of supplies that you would like to obtain through capital funding. You should also include a detailed explanation of how your school intends to use the new equipment. To be successfully funded, all proposals need to be as specific as possible.

Please join the NYC Teaching Fellows as we congratulate Michael on narrowing the achievement gap through this remarkable opportunity!

Thank you Alissa.

The Brooklyn Ink also featured an article on this award.

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Imagine Science Films has gathered an eclectic selection of films to present at the Imagine Science Film Festival

The Imagine Science Film Festival (ISFF) is full-fledge New York Science Film Festival. ISFF 2008 is in mid-October from 16-25 and will include screenings in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The objective of the festival is to showcase films, especially fiction films, that effectively incorporate science into a compelling narrative while maintaining credible scientific groundings.

ISFF is the first science film festival in New York. It an environment where filmmakers, artists, scientists and the public can meet. It will be a place where science is exciting and accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. At ISFF, the public will join scientists in learning and imagining science through visual storytelling.

From ImagineScienceFilms.com

Opening Night

Thursday October 16th, 7-9pm
New York Academy of Sciences
7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich St.
40th Floor, New York

This event will take place on October 16, 2008 beginning at 7pm.
Tickets for the kick- off event are $25 for non NYAS members and $15
for members.

Register TODAY to reserve your spot at http://www.nyas.org/filmfest.

Ira Flatow from NPR’s Science Friday is moderating the Festival opening celebration, ‘Science in Fiction’, a discussion on the relationship between science and fiction in cinema. This will be held at the impressive headquarters of the New York Academy of Sciences at 7 World Trade Center, 40th Floor and is a catered event.

Panelists include:
Ari Handel, neuroscientist, screenwriter of The Fountain, and president, Protozoa Pictures
Darcy Kelley, neuroscience professor, Columbia University, and scientific advisor, Tribeca Film Festival
Sidney Perkowitz, physics professor, Emory University, and author of Hollywood Science
Billy Shebar, screenwriter, Dark Matter

ISFF 2008 Trailer (Films Montage) from Imagine Science Films on Vimeo.

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If you drop your laptop computer, a chip built into it will sense the acceleration and protect the delicate moving parts of its hard disk before it hits the ground. A group of researchers led by Jesse Lawrence of Stanford University are putting the same accelerometer chip to an intriguing new use: detecting earthquakes. They plan to create a network of volunteer laptops that can map out future quakes in far greater detail than traditional seismometers manage.

Seismometers are large, expensive beasts, costing $10,000 or more apiece. They are designed to be exquisitely sensitive to the sort of vibrations an earthquake produces, which means they can pick up tremors that began halfway around the world. By contrast, the accelerometer chips in laptops, which have evolved from those used to detect when a car is in a collision and thus trigger the release of the airbags, are rather crude devices. They are, however, ubiquitous. Almost all modern laptops have them and they are even finding their way into mobile phones. The iPhone, for example, uses such a chip to detect its orientation so that it can rotate its display and thus make it easily readable.

On its own, an accelerometer chip in a laptop is not very useful for earthquake-detection, as it cannot distinguish between a quake and all sorts of other vibrations—the user tapping away at the keyboard, for example. But if lots of these chips are connected to a central server via the internet, their responses can be compared. And if a large number in a particular place register a vibration at almost the same time, it is more likely to be an earthquake than a bunch of users all hitting their space bars. To exploit this group effect, Dr Lawrence’s Quake-Catcher Network (QCN) employs the same software that is used by the SETI@home project, which aggregates computing power from hundreds of thousands of volunteer computers around the world to analyse radio-telescope signals for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence…

From the Economist.com

Join the Quake-Catcher network to participate in the future of science.

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