Science News and Info
Ocean Oil: Online Clearinghouse for Education and Networking - Oil Interdisciplinary Learning -
The Online Clearinghouse for Education and Networking - Oil Interdisciplinary Learning (OCEAN-OIL) is a peer-reviewed collection of scientific information and educational resources about the Deepwater Horizon disaster and its broader energy and environmental issues. OCEAN-OIL is a collaborative, community-driven effort by scientists, teachers, and concerned citizens. OCEAN-OIL is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education.
Topics at this site include:
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1
Science News and Info
Coastal Ecosystems
Gulf of Mexico
Oil in the Marine Environment
Oil Spill Response
Oil and Society
Data on the Deepwater Horizon Disaster
Oil Spill Glossary
Oil Spill Acronyms
Oil Spill Links
Journal Articles on the Deepwater Horizon Disaster
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1
Science News and Info
Climate Change: RisingSeas and Major U.S. Coastal Areas by 2100
Rising sea levels could threaten an average of 9 percent of the land within 180 U.S. coastal cities by 2100, according to new research led by University of Arizona scientists.
The Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts could be particularly hard hit. Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, FL, and Virginia Beach, VA could lose more than 10 percent of their land area by 2100.
This map would be a great way to open a discussion in Earth or Environmental Science classes on the effects of global climate change and the need for governments to develop contingency plans for the future. To read the entire research article and access the map, go to
A related article on climate, and information on slowing climate change (warming) can be found at
Earth Science Survey
The National Earth Science Teachers Association has prepared an anonymous survey ( to gather information about teachers’ Earth and space science education needs and concerns and ideas about how to serve you better. Please take a moment to complete this survey at your earliest convenience.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1
Science News and Info
Images for Use in Science Education
Quickly find science images, including animal and plant, weather and space, and earth and sun images, and more. The information is free and no registration is required.
Science.gov (
The Image Search at Science.gov searches the metadata from images provided by three Federal agencies with more image databases expected to be added in the coming months. To search for a specific image, just type in its name or key words in the search bar and press “Enter.”
The current Image Search includes:
- The National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) Library of Images from the Environment (LIFE), a collection of high-quality photographs, illustrations, and graphics covering a wide range of topics, including images of plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms, habitats, wildlife management, environmental topics, and biological study/fieldwork. (
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) Image eXchange(NIX), a search engine of NASA's multimedia collections, including images of space flight wind tunnel, solar system, aircraft, and education initiatives. (
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Photo Library, a collection spanning centuries of time and much of the natural world from the center of the earth to the surface of the sun. (
Participate in the Largest Chemistry Experiment Ever During the International Year of Chemistry
Water is the most abundant substance on the Earth’s surface.Although it covers more than ¾ of our planet, water has become one of Earth’s most precious resources. Ninety-seven percent of the water on Earth is sea water of high salt content and is not adequate for most uses.Therefore the availability of water around the world, in terms of both quality and quantity, requires that practical methods through chemistry be found for proper treatment.
To help students from all over the globe understand that water is a precious resource that can’t be taken for granted, the Dow Chemical Company is supporting The Global Water Experiment found at Launched on World Water Day, The Global Water Experiment encourages teachers and students to participate in a global experiment allowing students to test the water where they live and interact with other students around the globe to share results. This will teach students about sustainable water management and the role that chemistry plays in purifying water for human consumption. The results will be showcased on an interactive global data map throughout the experiment, which runs throughout 2011.
The Global Water Experiment is just one of many activities being hosted to get students excited about chemistry in 2011, which the United Nations has designated the International Year of Chemistry (IYC). Teachers and students are encouraged to learn more about the IYC and participate in what may be the largest chemistry experiment ever.
Standards-Based Lessons Help Students Design Video Games
Building on research that suggests video-game design can be a significant learning tool, especially to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills in the classroom, the nonprofit Alliance for Young Authors & Writers, Scholastic Inc., and the AMD Foundation have launched a free online platform for educators and parents. Called Level Up!, the new website offers game-building resources and curriculum materials for middle and high school students, keeping them engaged and motivated while they learn 21st-century skills such as strategic thinking, problem solving, team building, planning, and execution. The games can focus on content from any academic area.
Level Up! Provides a series of standards-based lessons that give students the knowledge and tools to design their own video games, and after students have completed their games, they are encouraged to submit these to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awardsfor a chance to win scholarships and prizes. Two versions of the curriculum are available, one for beginning to intermediate-level students and one for intermediate-level to advanced-level students.
Access information at
The Brain: How it Works
Like other parts of your body, your brain is made up of cells. Many of these cells help regulate thechemistry of the brain and give it structure. But some are specialized to do far more. These cells, known as neurons, do most of the work that allows you to think, feel, and move.
A human brain may contain as many as 100 billion neurons of different kinds. The neurons connect through long, spidery arms and communicate with each other through electrochemical signals. Each of the brain's 100 billion neurons can connect to at least 1,000 other neurons, so a brain may have at least 100 trillion connections in all. Every second, a single neuron may send as many as 1,000 signals. These signals can zip from neuron to neuron at speeds up to 250 miles (400 kilometers) an hour.
For information on the brain, videos, and activities related to the brain, go to
and
NSTA’s NewScienceTeacherAcademy
For second and third-year middle and high school science teachers, the opportunity to participate in the NewScienceTeacherAcademy, a one year professional development and mentoring program, can make all the difference in performance for you and your students. Emphasizing quality science teaching, enhanced teacher confidence, classroom excellence, and solid content knowledge, participants enjoy top-notch face-to-face and online support and access to comprehensive educational resources. June 13 is the deadline for applying to this program. The benefits for those selected into the program also include all-expenses paid attendance at the NSTA National Conference on Science Education. For more information or to upload an application, visit where you can also hear past fellows talk about their Academy experiences.
Engineering in STEM
Educator Eric Brunsell writes in his blog about the increased emphasis being placed on engineering as part of K-12 science, technology, engineering and math education, and recommends resources for developing engaging engineering lessons for students. He also looks at the principles found in a 2009 report that suggested engineering lessons should emphasize design, incorporate math, science, and technology skills, and promote engineer-like thinking that includes characteristics such as collaboration and creativity.
Quite often, STEM discussions focus solely on traditional science and mathematics courses. However, a growing emphasis is being placed on the role of engineering in K-12 education. A few years ago, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council commissioned a study of the status of engineering in K-12 education. In their2009 report, the commission outlined three general principles for engineering education.
Principle 1: K-12 engineering education should emphasize engineering design.
The design process, the engineering approach to identifying and solving problems, is
(1)highly iterative;
(2)open to the idea that a problem may have many possible solutions;
(3)a meaningful context for learning scientific, mathematical, and technological concepts; and
(4)a stimulus to systems thinking, modeling, and analysis.
In all of these ways, engineering design is a potentially useful pedagogical strategy.
Principle 2: K-12 engineering education should incorporate important and developmentally appropriate mathematics, science, and technology knowledge and skills.
Principle 3: K-12 engineering education should promote engineering habits of mind.
These include
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1
Science News and Info
(1)systems thinking,
(2)creativity,
(3)optimism,
(4)collaboration,
(5)communication, and
(6)attention to ethical considerations.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1
Science News and Info
The National Academies of Science, Achieve, Inc., the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Council of State Science Supervisors are collaborating on the development of Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS).
The first step in this process is the creation of a framework that the standards will be based on. The draft of this framework gives engineering a high profile within science. (Note: The framework is currently in review and should be published in late Spring 2011.) Information on the conceptual framework can be found at
The framework identifies four core ideas for engineering:
ET 1: The study of the designed world is the study of designed systems, processes, materials and products and of the technologies and the scientific principles by which they function.
ET 2: Engineering design is a creative and iterative process for identifying and solving problems in the face of various constraints.
ET 3: People are surrounded and supported by technological systems. Effectively using and improving these systems is essential for long-term survival and prosperity.
ET 4: In today’s modern world everyone makes technological decisions that affect or are affected by technology on a daily basis. Consequently, it is essential for all citizens to understand the risks and responsibilities that accompany such decisions.
Engineering Resources
BostonMuseum of Science: The Boston Museum of Science provides a variety of curricular material and professional development related to K-12 engineering. They have a searchable database of reviewed engineering lessons at
In addition, their Engineering isElementary program provides excellent ways to integrate engineering careers and design projects into science units commonly taught in elementary grades. Information on this program is found at
Engineering: Go for it! (eGFI):eFGI is a web magazine produced by the American Society for Engineering Education. You can access weekly lesson plans, activities, and feature articles about engineering at The feature articles, like the one about the making of Avatarat are always highly engaging and showcase the diversity of engineering careers.
TeachEngineering: TeachEngineering is a digital library of free resources for K-12 educators. The library can be searched in a variety of ways and registration allows you to save favorites and review resources at
Engineering Pathway:Engineering Pathway is another digital library that is working to merge resources from multiple sources in an effort to be a one stop resource for "K-gray" engineering lessons, activities, and other resources found at
A World in Motion: A World in Motion is a program of the Society for Automotive Engineers. The program includes a variety of design activities appropriate for elementary, middle, and high school students including designing jet-toy cars, skimmers (wind-powered vehicles), fuel-cell cars, and other activities. A World in Motion also actively attempts to match engineers willing to do classroom presentations with teachers. Access this program at
PBS Design Squad: PBS's Design Squad is an engineering-based reality show for kids. Each episode pits two teams against each other to design solutions to problems ranging from creating usable furniture from cardboard to tricycle-based drag racers. The Design Squad website provides full video of episodes, teacher and event guides (including tons of design challenges), user-submitted challenges and solutions, games, and a great blog. Access information at
These engineering resources were located on Eric Brunsell’s Blog at
Environmental Science Teachers’ Field Workshops
Recognizing that the two facilities located in the Lake Pontchartrain estuary offer unique learning opportunities for area students, the staff at SoutheasternLouisianaUniversity’s Turtle Cove and University of New Orleans’ Coastal Education and Research Facility have partnered to present two Environmental Science Teachers’ Field Workshops with a focus on Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and the Lake Pontchartrain estuary.
The field stations
UNO’s Coastal Education and Research Facility (CERF) is a recent addition to the field-based facilities in our area offering educational programs focusing on our coastal wetlands. Located in eastern Orleans Parish, just 30 minutes from downtown New Orleans, surrounded by brackish marshes, and equipped with classrooms, canoes and boats, as well as overnight facilities for small groups, this is an ideal place to learn about our wetlands.
Southeastern's Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station is located on Pass Manchac between Lake's Maurepas and Pontchartrain. The mission of the station is to helpfacilitate a better understanding of coastal wetland issues by provide facility and equipment support to researchers and educators from around the region who conduct wetland ecology, cypress restoration, and other wetland-related activities in the field. To learn more about their program, visit their website at
Field workshops will occur at each of the two field stations on Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27, 2011, from 9:00a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. Teachers may attend either or both of the workshops.
The workshops will include activities onwater quality and biological sampling, plant identification exercises, and sample learning activities from their Field Trip Guide. Teachers will also collect data that can be entered into an interactive data website for long-term use.Each participant will receive a copy of their Field Trip Guide, which is a compilation of activities and ideas for teachers to use inside and outside the classroom to introduce their students to the study of our coastal wetlands.
To register, please e-mail Dinah Maygarten at y May 15.
Please include the following information in your e-mail:
- Your full Name
- School/ affiliation
- Grades and subjects you teach
- Which workshop(s) you wish to attend
Location Map of Turtle Cove and UNO CERF.
Plants Issue of Spigot Science Magazine Published
Spigot Science for Kids and Classrooms has released its fourteenth themed publication and it's ready for you to download. Among article titles are: The Green Magicians, Tour of a Leaf Factory, Fibonacci Flowers, Pitchers, Stinkers, and Squeezers, and Herbs-Plants for all Seasons. If you are planning a school garden, you will find helpful information in this magazine issue.
Each article contains an activity that helps students learn science concepts through interdisciplinary study. Articles are also related to National Science Education Standards.Download your free copy today at
School Grant Opportunity
The Louisiana Environmental Education Commission and Keep Louisiana Beautifulare pleased to announce an extension of their pilot grants program designed to encourage a sustainability initiative in Louisiana K-12 schools. Projects to be considered are to address a litter/waste abatement issue within a particular school campus that will result in long-term impact. These projects can center on recycling, waste reduction, litter prevention, etc.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Award not to exceed: $10,000(5000 per year for 2 years)
Parishes eligible for this pilot program: extended to all parishes in Louisiana
Example Project:
The school’s janitor realizes that a large amount of waste is generated during the school’s extracurricular events. The janitor is willing to maintain a recycling center if needed supplies were available so he/she enlists the help of the principal. A teacher/class/grade level is selected and students are asked to calculate the amount of garbage generated, evaluate container needs and desirable locations, locate vendors, complete a cost a comparative of supplies, etc. Once the program is implemented, the students compare pre-and post-waste outputs, calculate landfill savings, and generate a report. Students conclude the lesson by organizing an Earth Day at school, emphasizing the value of recycling to fellow schoolmates.
Questions: Contact Venise Ortego at
An electronic version of this form can be found on our website at
Ignore the parishes listed on the form and the deadlines since this grant opportunity is extended. Contact Venise for additional information.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE1