A three-week summer workshop will be offered at the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College for science teachers in grades 6 through 12. The teachers will learn not only astronomy, but the physics, mathematics, and technology necessary to understand and teach. The interdependence of astronomy on other sciences, such as chemistry and even biology, will be stressed. The visual, historical, religious (astrology), multicultural, and artistic roots of astronomy will be explored, as well as the modern scientific approach. Hand-held, inexpensive celestial spheres, holographic high resolution diffraction grating spectrometers, astrolabes, and other devices will be used during the workshop and become the property of the teacher. A significant part of the workshop will be conducted in the planetarium under the stars and in an adjacent computer laboratory were all of the machines are connected to the Internet. At the conclusion of the workshop the teachers will return to their classrooms with astronomical knowledge, reference materials, simple laboratory equipment, computer programs, video tapes, and astronomical modules designed to meet the needs of their students.
The workshop will be offered form July 28 though August 15 from 9AM to 3:30PM Monday through Friday. There will also be a one day Saturday workshop in April 1998 for the teachers to share what worked and what didn't work with their students. Teachers will be paid $75 per day, $1,200 for attending all workshop meetings. Four graduate credits in astronomy are available through the University of Maryland for teachers that need graduate credit. The workshop is supported under Title II of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professional Development Program (public law 103-382; CFDA Number 82.281B) awarded by the Maryland Higher Education Commission grant number 97-20-211.
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If you are interested in applying for this program, answer the enclosed questionnaire and submit a letter of recommendation and needs assessment from either your department chairperson, resource teacher, or principal by June 13, 1997.
| Mail to: | Dr. Harold Williams | |
| Montgomery College | ||
| Takoma Ave and Fenton St. | ||
| Takoma Park, MD 20912 |