WSTA

EXHIBIT WITH US

The Washington Science Teachers’ Association (WSTA) invites you to join us as an exhibitor at our annual conference, March 20 - 21, 2009. The location in Moses Lake is less than three hours east of Seattle on I-90 and approximately ninety minutes from Spokane on I-90. Moses Lake, Washington is the ideal location for Washington Science Teachers to gather and gain insight into the science standards revisions, science instructional materials that support the science standards and engage in dialogue with science professionals through workshops and vendor exhibits. The vendor exhibits have always been rated high by attendees and I would encourage you to unite with us to make the 2009 WSTA Conference in Moses Lake a success for our teachers of Science.

Exhibitor's Application

Exhibitor On-Line Registration for Deposits or Payment

Facing the Future

Are you interested in continuing professional development? Unable to attend a Facing the Future workshop? Would you like to learn at your own pace? Facing the Future is offering an online course on teaching about global issues and sustainability.

Facing the Future: <http://www.hol.edu/view_course.cfm?cid=2114> Educating & Inspiring a Global Generation is an online, independent continuing education course available through The Heritage Institute. The course encourages educators to build upon their teaching expertise and to think creatively about how to integrate global issues, sustainability, and local solutions into their curricula.

DON'T DELAY - NCASE 08

National Conference on Aviation and Space Education
October 16 – 18th
Arlington, VA

You won’t want to miss NCASE 08 Astronaut Speakers!
Janice Voss and Bonnie Dunbar

NCASE Conference rates are going fast! The Crystal Gateway Marriott provides you with convenience at a reasonable hotel rate for a first class hotel in the Washington, DC area.

NCASE provides educators with both unique strategies for teaching STEM concepts in the classroom and Continuing Education Units and even Graduate Course credit!

Register online – ONLY 40 DAYS REMAINING!

www.ncase.info

Lab Safety Class

The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI) will be offering its highly informative and entertaining Two-Day Lab Safety Short Course in Seattle, WA on September 30-October 1. This Fall join us at one of our 16 locations to find out why over 60,000 science educators, scientists and safety professionals have had this to say about LSI courses: "undoubtedly one of the finest courses in which I have participated", "one of the best intensive institutes I have attended", "an excellent resource" and why the Journal of Chemical Education referred to LSI as "a national resource for safety conscious science teachers in lab safety."

Teachers' Sails on Puget Sound with Salish Sea Expeditions!

Teachers!

Salish Sea Expeditions is a local, non-profit organization that combines Inquiry-Based Learning with classroom scientific study and boat-based field research, enabling students to learn scientific principles and practice problem-solving skills while navigating the waters of Puget Sound. We serve 5th-12th grade students and their teachers from all around Puget Sound with 3-5 day research expeditions, and we’re offering a chance for teachers to learn first-hand about our unique program offerings during a free three-hour, informal sail.

Three Washington State Clock Hours are available for $10.00 (**please bring check made payable to PSESD – NOT Salish).

You will have the opportunity to use our oceanographic sampling equipment, discuss Inquiry-Based Learning techniques, tour the 61’ sailboat, Carlyn, meet the staff, help with sailing and talk with other teachers who have taken students out with Salish Sea Expeditions!

The sail is FREE, but space is limited and registration is required, so please contact Jenny McColloch at (206) 780-7848 ext. 2# or jenny@salish.org to make a reservation. Simply include your name, where and what grade you teach, a home/cell phone number in case of last minute changes, and how you heard about the program. Upon registration, you will receive marina directions and a short list of what to bring to be comfortable on the water!

For more information about Salish Sea Expeditions, visit our website at www.salish.org

Dates and times:

Saturday, September 27 - 9:00am–noon from Elliott Bay Marina, Seattle.
Sunday, September 28 - 9:30am–12:30pm from Elliott Bay Marina, Seattle.

Share Your Experience and Let Us Send You to a Conference

Continue your professional development by sharing your knowledge of global sustainability education with other teachers – and have your conference costs reimbursed! As a Facing the Future Peer Educator, you will join a community of educators and present workshops about your teaching experiences using Facing the Future curriculum resources. To learn more about becoming a Peer Educator, click here.

"The conference went very well and the teachers were extremely impressed . . . I was very proud to support Facing the Future and the work that you do. It was wonderful to see the teachers’ faces light up."
-Michelle Balfe-Keefer, Peer Educator, Tillamook Forest Center, Tillamook, OR

Dave Wilton
Assistant Outreach Director   |   Facing the Future
811 First Ave., Suite 454   |   Seattle, WA 98104   |   www.facingthefuture.org
T 206-264-1503                F 206-264-1506                 E dave@facingthefuture.org

Critical Thinking. Global Perspective. Informed Action.

NASA Space Grant Newsletter

The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium's electronic newsletter for

teachers provides curriculum ideas, links and other resources to help

you better meet the Washington EALRs and the National Science

Education Standards.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

-- LIVING WITH A STAR

-- TYING MATH TO CULTURE (K-2)

-- MUSEUM OF FLIGHT OPEN HOUSE (K-12)

-- FIRST BOOKS AVAILABLE

-- NEW EARTH VIEWS AVAILABLE

Operation Frog Pond

Tree Walkers International (TWI) is a conservation organization that focuses specifically on amphibians and their current declines—of the more than 5,000 described species, over one third are currently experiencing rapid declines or have recently become extinct. Understanding that amphibians are not only valuable in and of themselves, but are also indicator species of greater environmental health, TWI strives to inspire and empower ordinary people to become directly involved in implementing solutions to the global amphibian crisis.

One of the ways TWI is accomplishing this is through Operation Frog Pond (OFP), a project that helps create high quality habitat for amphibians by encouraging the establishment of amphibian friendly ornamental ponds and wetlands. A major aspect of OFP is working with teachers and students to construct frog ponds at their schools, which not only provide crucial habitat for local amphibian species, but also become outdoor classrooms where students can learn about the importance of nature, ecology, and conservation in up-close and tangible ways.

In order to help teachers and classes fund and create these ponds, TWI is offering matching (1:1) cost share awards of up to $500 for teachers in the state of Washington. If you are interested in applying for one of these awards, an RFP can be downloaded and completed here: http://www.treewalkers.org/treeftp/LocalConservation/OFP/public/OFP_RFP.pdf

The submission deadline is November 1, 2008.

Inquiry Based Teacher Training in Olympic National Park

USING INQUIRY TO STUDY THE ECOSYSTEMS OF OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK:

     ** 2-day Workshop for Washington State Classroom Teachers
     ** October 25 - 26, 2008

Participate in our Olympic WEST series at Olympic Park Institute.
During an Olympic Park Institute training, teachers study field
science and inquiry-based learning methods that they can bring back to
their classrooms and neighborhoods. Participants stay at Olympic Park
Institutes's campus on beautiful Lake Crescent in Olympic National
Park and dine in historic Rosemary Inn.

This 2-day workshop held during our stunning fall season will include:
Observing patterns and connections in our ecosystems, guided inquiry
techniques for studying forest and stream ecosystems, and developing
student-drive questions for investigations in our school yards and
regional natural systems.Come enjoy our outdoor classroom and bring
home curriculum to share!

DATES: 9:30am Saturday, Oct 25 * 1:30 Sunday, Oct 26, 2008
OPTIONAL EVENING: Dinner, Lodging and Evening Program, 6pm Oct 24

COST: $45 for Washington Classroom Teachers*, $10 Extra for Friday
Evening.
*Thanks to our scholarship support by WaMu.

TO REGISTER:
     ** Send an email to opi@yni.org
     ** Call (360)928-3720 or (800)775-3720
     ** Visit our website to read more!
         www.OlympicParkInstitute.org

************************************************************

OLYMPIC PARK INSTITUTE is a nonprofit organization and an education
partner of Olympic National Park. Celebrating 20 years of quality
programming, Olympic Park Institute offers field science education for
school groups, conference facilities, and professional development
training for teachers. For more information, call (360)928-3720 or
visit our website: www.OlympicParkInstitute.org

Environmental Essay Contest

My name is Van and I am working with the Weather Channel on an
environmental essay contest for high school students. The contest is
sponsored by the Weather Channel*s Forecast Earth Summit, a
conference
for environmental experts and high school students in Washington D.C.,

and twenty high school students will be selected for free trips to
attend the Summit.

We*re trying to let as many teachers as possible know about this
contest. We have a web page about the contest
https://www.forecastearthsummit.org/index.php and have a widget that
gives teachers a daily environmental tip
http://www.forecastearthsummit.tv/widget.

Thanks for your time,

Van