Region 2

Resources

Donors Choose Grants for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

Chevron has given us a grant to match funding to your next classroom project request(s) for math and/or science materials. This match donation to your project will encourage citizens to fund the rest. Teachers at high-need public schools anywhere in Alameda or Contra Costa county, where 40% or more of the student population is eligible for free or reduced price lunches. Special consideration is given to teachers in Walnut Creek, San Ramon, West Contra Costa, or Mount Diablo, regardless of the school’s level of need. Log in to your teacher account on DonorsChoose.org (if you don't have one, any public school teacher can sign up at www.donorschoose.org/teacher), then submit a project requesting $800 or less in materials to teach math or science. A few hours after your project is approved, you should see a Chevron logo on your project page. This means it has qualified for this match offer and now has an even greater chance of full funding by the other donors that visit the site.

Ocean Currents Radio Program

The Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary radio program, Ocean Currents, has moved to a new day and time. Ocean Currents is produced on KWMR 90.5 FM in Point Reyes, 89.7 FM in Bolinas, and live on the web at www.kwmr.org. For information on upcoming programs visit the Ocean Currents web site.

Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO) Conservation Science: SEA Alcatraz

PRBO Conservation Science offers SEA Alcatraz, a multi-visit classroom and field trip seabird education program focusing on the seabirds of Alcatraz Island for 4th and 5th grade San Francisco classes. The program addresses several Science Content Standards for California Public Schools. For more information visit: http://www.prbo.org/cms/531.

California Coastal Commission

Prompted by the San Francisco Bay oil spill in November 2007, the California Coastal Commission created a web page about oil spills for teachers and students. On this web site you will find information about the Bay spill and oil spills in general, including environmental impacts, laws and regulations, glossary of terms, and links to classroom activities. www.coastforyou.org.

San Francisco Chronicle in Education

The San Francisco Chronicle in Education (CIE) encourages students to value newspapers as a trusted source for news and information, including the most up-to-date science and technology news. The new e–Edition combines the power of the press and the Internet. It’s an electronic replica version of the newspaper that is searchable, has a “watchlist” function, as well as a 30-day archive. It can be viewed on any computer with Internet access. And best of all, it’s available to teachers, librarians, and students at no cost, due to the generous sponsorship of our subscribers and Corporate Partners in Education. Learn how you can engage your students like never before. Check it out at http://cie.sfchron.com/sfc_nes_portal/.

RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching)

RAFT is a non-profit organization that believes hands-on teaching is the best way for teachers to teach and students to learn. They provide creative hands-on activities, educational resources, workshops, and inexpensive materials (many donated by local businesses) to enrich pre K-12 education. The goal is to assist teachers, non-profits, and community groups by providing materials and ideas for day-to-day teaching and for supporting professional growth. http://www.raftsac.org/.

The Tech Museum of Innovation

A hands-on technology and science museum In San Jose for people of all ages and backgrounds. The Museum offers a range of activities for K-12 school groups, including View From Space, a global weather exhibit where visitors can watch hurricane patterns and other meteorological events develop on a 6-foot globe; and Green by Design, an exhibit in the new Energy Gallery, where visitors design and race hybrid cars, play with solar power and experiment with renewable energy. IMAX films and Labs are also available at special group rates. Teacher memberships are available to all K-12 teachers and other district and county office employees. Receive free year-round admission, $2 IMAX tickets, members-only events and discounts, and more. Go to the membership desk at the Tech to take advantage of membership. For more information about The Tech Museum of Innovation, visit http://www.thetech.org.

Chabot Space and Science Center

The Chabot Space and Science Center offers teachers the opportunity to network with other Bay area teachers through their FEAST (Fun Exchanges and Activities for Science Teachers) and NEST (Network of Elementary Science Teachers) networks. You are always welcome to join to find out about this growing group of supportive teachers. There is usually no charge for FEAST and NEST sessions unless otherwise states. Visit Chabot's Teacher programs page at http://chabotspace.org/visit/programs/teacher.asp to find the links to FEAST and NEST.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Located in Moss Beach, San Mateo County (about one hour south of San Francisco), this spectacular stretch of coastline includes a shallow marine shelf that is exposed during low tides. Many interesting marine animals and plants are visible in the pools for watching, photographing, and drawing. Come study and enjoy this rich and complex habitat!.
For more information, call 415-363-4020 or visit www.sfgate.com/getoutside/1996/jun/fitz.html.

Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley

at UC Berkeley offers a wide range of homeschool and afterschool programs for individuals in astronomy, biology, physics, math, and chemistry. Also available are weekend workshops and family workshops. http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org.

Exploratorium, San Francisco
For more information go to www.exploratorium.edu.

Aquatic Outreach Institute, Richmond
To register or for more information, call 510-231-5778.

Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education, San Mateo
For more information, call 650-342-7755 or go to www.coyoteptmuseum.org.

Oakland Museum of California

Walk Across California. Take a simulated journey through California's diverse ecosystems, observing plants and animals found from the Pacific coastline to the High Sierra and the inland desert. Exhibits contain approximately 2,500 natural specimens organized around the basic ecological principles highlighting relationships among plants, animals, geology and climate. The Aquatic California Gallery presents an overview of our aquatic environments, including the oceans, rivers, streams and estuaries. Permanent exhibition. For more information, call 888-OAKMUSE or visit www.museumca.org.

California Academy of Sciences - Free Admission for Teachers February 1 - March 15, 2010

The California Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, is a must-visit for Bay Area science educators and students. The complex includes the Steinhart Aquarium, the Morrison Planetarium, and the Natural History Museum, plus world class research and education facilities. The Academy's green design includes a living roof of 2.5 acres of native California flora topping two domes, one housing a new Rainforests of the World exhibit and the other housing the planetarium. Offerings for educators have been expanded, with students labs available for 2nd through 12th grade classes designed to address standards at the appropriate grade level. For more information, visit www.calacademy.org/teachers.

Information regarding field trip reservations for the 2009-2010 school year will be available in May at http://www.calacademy.org/teachers/plan_a_visit.php.

Clem Miller Environmental Education Center

The Clem Miller Environmental Education Center School Program at Point Reyes National Seashore is a nine-building green facility that provides a low-cost opportunity for you and your students to step outside the traditional classroom and have fun exploring nature's classroom. The center provides teachers with the training, support, and teaching resources needed to create their own environmental education program. For general information about the program, visit the website at http://www.ptreyes.org.

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center

The Sanctuary Visitor Center provides unique and engaging programs that allow students to see their connection to ocean habitats and wildlife. Bring your class to the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary Visitor Center at the Presidio and you will open up an exciting learning opportunity for your students. Programs are two hours long, interactive, grade specific and correlate to state standards.

Students use hands-on exhibits inside the visitor center to discover how senses, life cycles, adaptations, and food webs function in the marine environment. Outside on the beach, students use observational skills to discover what makes this such a fragile world and actions they can take to help protect the ocean.

Project Astro

Project Astro is recruiting teachers in grades 3-9, particularly those in the benshmark years for astronomy science content standards in grades 3,5, and 8, for the 2010-11 cohort of partners. Public elementary, middle, and high school teachers, charter school teachers, and after-school programs associated with either are invited to apply. Contact Brian Kruse, lead formal educator, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, at 415-337-1100 ext 126, or bayareaastro@astrosociety.org

California Science Projects

The California Science Project (CSP) is a university-based professional development network for pre-K-16 teachers of science that utilizes highly skilled teams of educators and scientists drawn from universities and school districts across the state. This statewide network works toward the common goal of improving science education for all California students. The CSP has convenient sites across the state at campuses of the University of California, California State University, and independent colleges/universities. There are four science projects in Region 2:
Bay Area Science Project—Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley
University of California San Francisco Science Project
East Bay Science Project—CSU East Bay
Monterey Bay Science Project—UC Santa Cruz

Events

Ongoing
San Francisco, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Silicon Valley, CA

Bay Area Science Cafés

Down to a Science (San Francisco): www.sciencecafesf.com

Ask a Scientist (San Francisco): www.askascientistsf.com

East Bay Science Café (Berkeley): bnhm.berkeley.edu/about/sciencecafe.php

Café Scientifique (Palo Alto): bloodcenter.stanford.edu/news/Scientifique.html

Café Scientifique (Silicon Valley): www.cafescisv.org

June 14-18, 2010
San Francisco, CA

Science in the Park

An exciting, week-long teacher workshop presented by the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society and the California Academy of Sciences. Also featuring the Conservatory of Flowers and the de Young Fine Arts Museum. For K-5 teachers.

Leave your classroom and join us in Golden Gate Park to gain the tools, techniques and confidence to explore the outside world with your students. In this week-long workshop you’ll learn about forest habitats near and far as you record and reflect on your experiences using a simple but significant tool—the science journal. Discoveries will begin with individual trees that could be outside your school and then expand into the natural areas, gardens, and exhibits found in Golden Gate Park.

This standards-aligned workshop will explore investigation skills through the lens of forest ecosystems. Topics covered include climate, plant and animal interactions, and conservation. The workshop is designed to make science teaching more exciting and accessible for kindergarten through fifth grade teachers. Join us to see why past participants have been so excited about this program!

To register or for more information visit: http://sfbotanicalgarden.org/ye/science-city2.html

June 13-19, 2010
Quincy, CA
(Plumas County)

June 27-July 2, 2010
Sonora, CA
(Tuolumne County)

July 11-17, 2010
Arcata, CA
(Humboldt County)

July 18-24, 2010
Shingletown, CA
(Shasta County)

The Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT)

FIT is a multi-day residence workshop held at 4 northern California locations. FIT is intended for K-12 audiences. The goal of FIT is to provide K-12 teachers with knowledge, skills and tools to effectively teach their students about forest ecology and forest resource management practices. The program brings together natural resource specialists and teachers from rural and urban settings for one week, working side by side to gain a deeper understanding of the intricate interrelationship of forest ecosystems and human use of natural resources. The environment becomes the basis for integrating the learning of many subject areas, including environmental science, physical science, social science, biology, forestry, and history. Visit: http://forestryinstitute.org/

Contact: Stacey Dodge at 888-FIT-PROJ (348-7765) or email: info@forestryinstitute.org.

June 21-July 6, 2010
San Francisco, CA

Exploratorium Classic Summer Teacher Institute

The Exploratorium's institutes focus on physics, middle-high school general science, life science and mathematics and support the content and pedagogy described in the National and California State Standards. After completing this 4-week institute, teachers become an alumnus of the Teacher Institute and are eligible to attend other workshops. The library also becomes available for project research.

Participants are required to study at the Exploratorium for five-and-one-half hours each day, Monday through Friday, for four weeks. Each participant is awarded a stipend of $1,000 after completion. In the past years, three units of credit from San Francisco State University or six units of graduate credit from University of the Pacific were awarded through the program. Registration and paying for university credit takes place during the Institute. We anticipate the same types of credit to be offered during Summer 2010.

For more information and an application visit: http://www.exploratorium.edu/ti/classic.html

July 4, 2010
San Jose, CA

Galaxy Forum USA

Featured speakers include Pamela Harman SETI Institute ASSET Program “Teaching Astrobiology”, Ryan Nurmela and Michael Finnegan Quantum Camp “Comprehending Quantum”, Patrick Hamill Department of Physics & Astronomy, San Jose State University “Observing The Earth From The Moon”, Steve Durst, Space Age Publishing Company, International Lunar Observatory Association “International Lunar Observatory (ILO) Galaxy First Light Imaging Program.” Admission is free; please contact news@spaceagepub.com or call 650-324-3705 to reserve your place.

The event will take place 9:30am – 11:30am, at the The Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA.

July 6, 2010
Berkeley, CA

Nanoscience Workshop for Science Educators

If you are a high school teacher or community college instructor in biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, or mathematics, we invite you to join us for an interactive workshop in which you will:

• Learn about nanoscience and how it impacts our lives
• Receive a nanoscience kit for your classroom with activities and background information
• Interact with Berkeley Lab scientists studying nanoscience
• Tour the Molecular Foundry and its laboratories

We provide you with content to take back to your classrooms that will help students get excited about the possibilities of nanoscience, explore careers in science and engineering, and become scientifically literate members of society.

For more information, visit http://foundry.lbl.gov/misc/science_ed_workshop.html

To register, or if you have questions, please call or email Aditi Risbud, 510.486.4861 or asrisbud@lbl.gov by June 21, 2010.

July 11-16, 2010
San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Coast Alive! Teacher Institute: Land-Sea Interface

Explore the San Francisco Bay while learning to incorporate stimulating, inquiry-based, and multimedia curriculum and integrate science, math, and language arts standards in your intermediate grade science classroom. Visit various East Bay regional parks and California state parks to experience first-hand the ecology of wetland, upland, and sandy beach habitats; learn about the geology and ecology of the San Francisco Bay region (and how it all relates to ocean literacy), and conduct local field investigations. Participants will receive a free Coast Alive!—Land-Sea Interface CD-ROM, the Coast Alive! Teacher Guide, and earn a generous stipend. Academic units are also available, and teachers will become eligible for transportation scholarships to bring students to the bay. Visit http://eurekaseries.org/main/node/108 for more information or to register!

July 19-29, 2010
San Francisco, CA

Center for Innovative Teaching (CIT)

Summer 2010 Professional Development Workshops
for Middle and High School Educators and Educational Leaders

CIT offers workshops for educators in key academic, co-curricular and leadership areas, plus an Integrated Technology Symposium for school leaders and educational technologists. Workshops are hands-on and designed to share classroom-tested activities and approaches that will enhance the academic and leadership program at any middle and high school. The Tech Symposium is ideal for anyone who seeks broad, cross-discipline exposure to best practices in technology integration. Educators from other 1:1 schools or institutions considering a laptop environment will benefit greatly and all the information will be immediately applicable to grades 6-12 technology programs. Early registration and same-school discounts available. Continuing education credits are also available through the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education. For more information and a complete list of workshops, please visit www.centerforinnovativeteaching.org. Questions? Please email info@ centerforinnovativeteaching.org.

August 6-7, 2010
Bay Area, CA

Project Astro

Project Astro pairs bay area teachers in grades 3-9 with astronomers who have a keen interest in sharing the wonders of astronomy with students. Partners attend a free two-day summer workshop to learn hands-on, inquiry-based astronomy activities. Get great classroom materials, including Universe at Your Fingertips, posters, NASA goodies, Galileoscopes, and more. Find out more and apply online at: http://www.astrosociety.org/baprojectastro.html.

October 25-29, 2010
San Francisco, CA

Fundamentals of Inquiry

Offered by the Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry. For a detailed workshop brochure, visit http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/workshops. For questions, call 415-561-0397.

February 7-9, 2011
San Francisco, CA

Assessing for Learning

Offered by the Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry. For a detailed workshop brochure, visit http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/workshops. For questions, call 415-561-0397.