The Flatirons Outdoor Classroom Curricular Workshop ‘Seeing Science through Multiple Lens’

Dates: June 23-26 and August 6, with a final meeting in the fall
Time: 9am-3pm
 
Background: The National Science Foundation has provided funding for a teacher training workshop in interdisciplinary approaches to science education.  Funded by the Geosciences Directorate, the goals of this workshop are to develop curricular materials tied to the Earth sciences, broadly conceived.
 
Structure: in the June meetings, teachers will be provided with a series of presentations in five content areas:
 
1. Geology      location: OC
2. Hydrology      location: DMNS
3. Life sciences      location: DMNS
4. Water policy, ethics, and society values  location: OC or S 5. Scientific method     (throughout)
 
DMNS: Denver Museum of Nature and Science
OC: Flatirons Outdoor Classroom
S: Sombrero Marsh Environment Education Center

Through the presentation of these materials, teachers will a) receive instruction in recent advances in the five topics identified above, and b) develop a more integrated and interdisciplinary approach to science education. At least half of each day’s activities will be devoted to individual and team breakout sessions on how to adapt the presented materials to their own curricular needs. 
 
Teachers will then have the time between the June and August meetings to develop curricular materials. The August meeting will bring all the participants together for a presentation and discussion of the curricular materials each has devised. The final meeting in the fall will provide everyone the opportunity to evaluate the usefulness of the workshop and the materials developed.
 
Deliverables: 
Participants will design two 3-6 week activities or units of study for classroom use. One will be on an element within field science; the second will consist of the integration of science with ethical and values perspectives. 

Since this curricular unit will also be posted on the DLESE (Digital Library for Earth System Education) website (www.dlese.org) for dissemination to a nationwide audience, participants should design their unit so that it is adaptable for use by other teachers.