5 Enhancing Professional Development for Earth Science Teachers (Posters)

Monday, 14 March 2005
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

A MINE IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE

Paper number: 5-12
Program: THEME SESSIONS
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Authors

Abstract

The Teachers Earth Science Institute (TESI), supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and hosted by Michigan Technological University, introduces high school and middle school teachers to mineral science through hands-on, discovery-based activities. Teachers are provided with laboratory research experiences in the mineral sciences, classroom discussions, and field trips to study local geology. Teachers also participate in surface and underground mining, mineral processing, and related industrial activities. This includes drilling and blasting in an underground mine to free mineral specimens for collecting. Teachers take back to the classroom a once in a lifetime experience that will expose their students to an essential topic often left out of typical Regents Earth Science courses. This presentation should provide you with ideas, activities and encouragement in obtaining this type of professional development and to incorporate mining topics into your classroom curriculum. The TESI Institute programs comply with the National Science Education Standards (NSES).