January 29th, 2010 Bob
(from NCSE Evolution education update: January 29, 2010)
Are you recovered from 2009′s celebrations of the bicentennial of Darwin’s birth and the sesquicentennial of the publication of On the Origin of Species? Good, because less than a month remains before Darwin Day 2010! Colleges and universities, schools, libraries, museums, churches, civic groups, and just plain folks across the country — and the world — are preparing to celebrate Darwin Day, on or around February 12, in honor of the life and work of Charles Darwin. These events provide a marvelous opportunity not only to celebrate Darwin’s birthday but also to engage in public outreach about science, evolution, and the importance of evolution education. NCSE encourages its members and friends to attend, participate in, and even organize Darwin Day events in their own communities. To find a local event, check the websites of local universities and museums and the registry of Darwin Day events maintained by the Darwin Day Celebration website. (And don’t forget to register your own event with the Darwin Day Celebration website!)
And with Darwin Day comes the return of Evolution Weekend! Hundreds of congregations all over the country and around the world are taking part in Evolution Weekend, February 12-14, 2010, by presenting sermons and discussion groups on the compatibility of faith and science.
Michael Zimmerman, the initiator of the project, writes, “Evolution Weekend is an opportunity for serious discussion and reflection on the relationship between religion and science. One important goal is to elevate the quality of the discussion on this critical topic — to move beyond sound bites. A second critical goal is to demonstrate that religious people from many faiths and locations understand that evolution is sound science and poses no problems for their faith.
Finally, as with The Clergy Letter itself, Evolution Weekend makes it clear that those claiming that people must choose between religion and science are creating a false dichotomy.” At last count, 755 congregations in all fifty states (and eleven foreign countries) were scheduled to hold Evolution Weekend events.
For the Darwin Day registry, visit:
http://www.darwinday.org/events/
http://www.darwinday.org/events/register.php
For information about Evolution Weekend, visit:
http://www.evolutionweekend.org/
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January 28th, 2010 Bob
Professional Development Workshop Sponsored by Oklahoma EPSCoR presented by the Oklahoma Museum Network funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation
Fears about climate change and energy security have pushed bioenergy into the global spotlight. For Oklahoma, the development of biofuel is an important step in creating a sustainable energy future. Join us as we explore the sources, production, issues and misconceptions surrounding biofuels. Participate in experiments and hands-on activities designed to encourage students to think like scientists, while making real-life connections. Leave with the knowledge, resources and supplies, as well as the confidence, to use this timely topic to enrich your students’ classroom experience.
A $150 stipend will be provided to teachers for workshop attendance.
Appropriate for 5th – 9th grade teachers.
Date Saturday, February 20, 2009
Time 9 am to 4 pm
Location – Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St Oklahoma City, OK 73111
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Workshop enrollment is limited to 20 participants, with no more than 2 participants from any one school*.
Due to the high demand of OMN workshops, registration will open on Monday, February 1st at 4:00 p.m. CST and close when 20 registrations have been submitted. We will maintain a waiting list to fill any cancellations.
Registration is available online only.
To register, please go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bio2010
* LIMIT TWO REGISTRATIONS PER SCHOOL
If there are more than two registrations from one school, we will take the first two based on time submitted. It is possible for more than two from one school to register and receive confirmation. The additional registrants will be notified and the confirmation will be cancelled and filled from the waiting list.
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January 27th, 2010 Bob
Overview: Camp T.U.R.F. is a 2-week, residential academy at Oklahoma State University Stillwater.~ Students will interact with professors and explore a variety of careers in horticulture and landscaping, with hands-on activities at botanical gardens, field research stations, a turfgrass research center, and greenhouses, as well as local museums and special OSU facilities such as the Insect Zoo.~ Helpful sessions about college admission, financial aid, and study skills will be included in the academy.~ Evening and recreational activities are also planned.
Place and Time: Camp T.U.R.F. will be conducted from the evening of Sunday, June 20 to the evening of Friday, July 2, 2010. Selected students will be required to stay the entire length of the academy as a resident student of OSU-Stillwater. Students will be housed in residential suites on campus. The academy is free for students. All expenses (food, transportation during the academy, suites) are paid by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Attendees are only required to provide their own transportation to and from the academy (carpooling information will be available for those who are interested).
Supervision: Male and female counselors will reside in the suites with the academy students. They will be responsible for the participants in the evenings, serving as escorts and chaperones to evening activities. During the day, the project director and professors will accompany the students to all classes and field trips.
Selection criteria: Students must be Oklahoma residents at least 16 years of age by the start date of the academy, and be entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school. Applications must be received by April 1, 2010. Selected applicants will be notified by April 30, 2010.
For more information, contact Shelley Mitchell, , 405-744-5755.
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January 21st, 2010 Bob
See attached this month’s JanaGram from OSDE Science Director Jana Rowland. This month’s issue contains items that will require quick action if you are to take advantage of the opportunity. Science Museum Oklahoma has events THIS WEEK and there are a number of grant and awards deadlines that are just around the corner. Don’t delay! Download the the January JanaGram here.
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January 7th, 2010 Bob
Do you know any students who are passionate about science? If yes, will you please invite them to apply to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundations (OMRF) Fleming Scholar Program? Applicants need not have any prior science experience or education. This program grants selected students an opportunity to work side-by-side with real life research scientists for eight weeks this summer. Scholars also get paid and housing is provided for those who qualify. The application deadline is February 1, and forms are available at www.omrf.org/fleming.
Requirements:
Submit application packet by February 1.
Applicants must possess passion for science.
Only high school seniors to juniors in college who are graduates or graduating seniors from an Oklahoma high school may apply.
Information about the program and the flyer can be viewed via the link: http://www.omrf.org/OMRF/News_Releases/Releases/2009/20091228.asp and by contacting Courtney Stevens, SPHR, Senior Human Resources Specialist, OMRF, 825 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104.
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January 5th, 2010 Bob
Walking beside thousand-year-old burial mounds, flaking raw stone into tools, learning how potsherds tell us about human behavior, and understanding how humans adapt to complex, ever-changing environments our 2010 Summer Institute features all this and more.
The Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse will offer a three-week NEH Summer Institute on July 12–30, 2010. This dynamic learning experience for K-12 teachers will explore how Native Americans and Euro-Americans have adapted to the Upper Mississippi River Valley over the past 13,500 years, and how archaeology leads to an understanding of how human cultures change and adapt through time.
The Institute will feature a one-day excavation experience, field trips to archaeological sites, hands-on laboratory and workshop activities, demonstrations, and classroom activities. Individual projects will help participants tailor the content to their own teaching areas. Participants receive a $2,700 stipend to help offset their expenses.
Application and other information on the Institute is available online at
http://www.uwlax.edu/mvac. The deadline for applications is March 2, 2010.
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January 4th, 2010 Bob
The National Youth Science Foundation and Governor Joe Manchin III of theState of West Virginia are excited to announce the 2010 edition of the National Youth Science Camp. The 2010 NYSC will be held at Camp Pocahontas in theMonongahela National Forest near the National Radio Astronomy Observatoryin the eastern mountains of West Virginia. Delegates to the 2010 NYSC will arrive in Charleston, WV, the State’s capital, on Tuesday, June 29, 2010, and will depart on Friday, July 23, 2010.
The NYSC is one of the nation’s premier programs in secondary science education. Since its inception in 1963 as part of West Virginia’s Centennial Celebration, the residential summer program has offered educational forums and recreational activities that encourage the development of thoughtful scientific leadership. Two students are selected to represent each state and delegates must participate in the entire NYSC program.
Cost
The NYSC is an all-expenses-paid program. The National Youth Science Foundation will arrange round trip transportation from an airport near the delegate’s home to Charleston, West Virginia. Incidental expenses are not covered. Alternate travel arrangements are possible – please contact the NYSF for restrictions and requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be candidates for high school graduation between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010;
- Must demonstrate superior academic proficiency, including recognition in mathematics and/or the sciences;
- Must demonstrate an application of leadership abilities and social maturity through involvement in both school and community activities;
- Must demonstrate skills and achievements outside the realm of science and outside the realm of academic pursuits; and
- Must demonstrate a curiosity and an eagerness to explore many and varied topics.
Application Process
Each year, the governor of West Virginia invites the governor of every other state to initiate a process to select two delegates to attend the NYSC as his/her state’s delegation. Individual states coordinate the selection of their own delegates following guidelines established and published by the National Youth Science Foundation. Delegates must participate in the entire NYSC program.
To apply, please following do the following:
Review the information about the selection process in your state or country by visiting the selection coordinator database.
Questions
- Please contact your state’s selection coordinator (Jana Rowland, OSDE State Science Director) with questions about the selection process in Oklahoma.
- Direct all other questions about the 2010 National Youth Science Camp or the National Youth Science Foundation to:
Dr. Andy Blackwood
Executive Director
(304) 342-3326
Andrew.Blackwood@nysf.com
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January 3rd, 2010 Bob
An announcement from Save the Rainforest, Inc. www.saverfn.org:
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change recognized REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in Developing countries) in December 2009 in Copenhagen. REDD will compensate tropical countries for protecting their forests. Since 17% of our greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation in the tropics, successfully implementing the massive REDD mechanism will not only save rainforests, but jump start climate change mitigation. To receive a free REDD multimedia curriculum for grades 9-12, email Bruce Calhoun at saverfn@cybermesa.com.
Here is the curriculum, should you care to view it before making a post.
Bruce Calhoun
President
Save the Rainforest, Inc.
wwww.saverfn.org
608 729 4877
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January 1st, 2010 Bob
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Winter Bird Feeder Survey starts Jan. 7 and gives wildlife enthusiasts and their families an exciting way to kick off the New Year.
Attracting birds and maintaining backyard feeders for wintering birds is popular in Oklahoma in both urban and rural areas, and people in both places can help the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation by participating in the survey while also getting close-up views of a number of unique birds.
Any Oklahoman with a backyard bird feeder can participate by choosing any two days between Jan. 7-10 to count birds at their feeders and record their observations. With participants observing birds across the state for four days straight, biologists can obtain important information that can help the Department better understand bird ranges and populations. Currently biologists have a 21-year history of the upward and downward trends of birds visiting winter feeders thanks to the support of avid birders across the state.
The survey includes counting birds at backyard feeders at least four times a day for two days during the survey dates and completing a form provided by the Wildlife Department. For detailed instructions and to take the survey, log on to the Wildlife Department’s Winter Bird Feeder Survey Web site at www.okwinterbirds.com as the survey period approaches. The Web site is an extensive bird-watching resource, providing information such as bird identification tips, diets, feeding behaviors and winter ranges as well as links to other birding Web sites. The site also provides detailed recipes that bird watchers can follow for making healthy, beneficial bird attractants that will draw birds to their yards.
While anyone who has a bird feeder can participate in the 2010 Winter Bird Feeder Survey, certain efforts can be made to attract more birds to feeders. Black-oil sunflower seed is a good choice for bird feeders because of its high nutritional value that birds can use during the winter and because virtually all seed-eating Oklahoma songbirds will eat it. Other seed options are white proso millet, nyjer or safflower. Suet cakes — animal fat that is sometimes mixed with grains or peanut butter, are good for drawing in species such as woodpeckers and birds that do not primarily eat seeds. Finally, a source of water and cover such as brush piles or dense shrubs located near the feeders help to draw more birds.
In 2009, there were 4,364 birds representing 52 species seen at feeders during the survey. Birders in 42 counties participated in the survey. The top 10 birds seen during last year’s survey included the American goldfinch, dark-eyed junco, Northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, house sparrow, mourning dove, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, house finch and blue jay.
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