Earth Science Rocks!

Dr. Matt Ramspott and Dr. Phillip Allen of the Department of Geography, in collaboration with specialized teacher/trainer and technology staff from the Boards of Education of Allegany and Garrett Counties, developed another installment of the “Earth Science Rocks” Teacher Academy in June 2011.  This week-long professional development Academy was attended by approximately 20 teachers currently working in public and private schools in the two counties, in grade levels ranging from Elementary to Junior High.

As part of the Academy, the teachers participated in a variety of lecture-based and hands-on activities designed to emphasize fundamental knowledge in the earth and space science subject area, while also sharpening vocabulary and scientific and quantitative reasoning skills, developing ideas for practical classroom application, building technology skills, and building teaching resource and reference toolboxes.  Teachers took part in practical demonstration activities such as modeling variations of incoming solar radiation with latitude, impact crater formation, and building models of the Earth/Sun/Moon system.  They also engaged in computer-based explorations of tidal cycles, lunar geology, constellations, and a host of other topics.

Funding for this project was provided by a Math/Science Partnership grant administered by the Maryland State Department of Education.