by Jeanine Wulfenstein

Region 4 is buzzing with anticipation of the NGSS and the roll out of the Common Core Standards and districts in the region continue to strategize to determine the best manner for standards implementation in their classrooms. The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) has been offering a series of professional development opportunities to familiarize teachers with the Common Core State Standards and the anticipated changes in assessements.  The RCOE professional development calendar lists upcoming Common Core training opportunities.  For more information, access http://rcoe.k12oms.org/index.php. (more…)

Contest Now Underway For Students to Guess When She Will Emerge!

PALM DESERT/INDIAN WELLS, CA (Jan. 29, 2013) …  It’s that time of year again when the desert tortoise Mojave Maxine, sleeping in her underground burrow at The Living Desert, begins to stir in anticipation of desert springtime and fresh flowers to eat. This also means it’s time for students to enter the annual Mojave Maxine emergence contest and guess when she will emerge!

The east coast has Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog Day to let them know when they can expect spring. The Living Desert has Mojave Maxine to signify that warmer weather is on the way!

Mojave Maxine is a 35-year old desert tortoise who lives at The Living Desert.  Each year, she retires for the winter to her underground burrow. She stays there in a state of “brumation” (reptilian hibernation) for several months. (more…)

by Jeanine Wulfenstein

With the start of the New Year, Region 4 is bustling with preparations in anticipation of the next draft release of the NGSS and the impending implementation of Common Core Standards and Smarter Balanced Assessments.  This shift in pedagogy and emphasis will mean changes in the way we do business in the classroom.  (more…)

by Jeanine Wulfenstein

I hope that you are feeling renewed and invigorated after attending this year’s CSTA California Science Education Conference in San Jose!  The conference was full of information about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the K-12 Science Framework, best instructional practices, informal science education, environmental education and STEM curriculum. Not to mention the numerous opportunities for networking with science colleagues… there truly was something for everyone! (more…)

by Jeanine Wulfenstein

Across CSTA region 4, educators are returning to classrooms rested and inspired to motivate students to reach new heights in science education. While this year will be a challenge for educators with looming budget uncertainties, the implementation of the common core standards, and preparing for the next generation science standards, it is also exciting with the onset of change and opportunities for inspiring learning in new ways. The districts in region 4 (Imperial, Inyo, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties), as well as CSTA, have been busily preparing educators to meet the demands of these changing times.   (more…)

by Donna Ross

As I write this, our men’s basketball team at San Diego State University is battling for the Mountain West title and they are ranked 21^st in the Associated Press poll.  The energy in the arena on game nights is electrifying and the enthusiasm for March Madness is undeniable on our campus.  Across the city, there is another madness taking hold this month, too.  Science!  March has become the science month for San Diego. The sheer number of community members, scientists, non-profits, and educators donating their time to share their passion for science is also electrifying.  Now, if only we could get the science activities nationally televised along with the basketball games! (more…)

by Peter A’Hearn

Among other things, CSTA’s Region 4 is earthquake country. Fractured, splintered, folded, twisted, earthquake country. Our students need to be prepared, but many have never experienced a really scary shake, so its hard to get them to take an earthquake seriously. When you do an earthquake drill, do they understand why they are supposed to get under their desks? Here are some pictures of a school in El Centro, California taken after the Easter 2010 earthquake. The 7.2 quake happened on a Sunday, so no one was at school.

Now that they understand why they are supposed to get under the desk, you can go to the animations put together by the Southern California Earthquake Center at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/simulations/shakeout/. They have views of how the shock wave from a simulated earthquake would travel across Southern California in real time. The simulations have views from different locations, so you can pick one close to your school. Enjoy and be prepared.

Pete A’Hearn is the K-12 science specialist in the Palm Springs Unified School District and is region 4 director for CSTA.

Click here to search for events in the region.

by Peter A’Hearn

Region four is impressively large and diverse. It stretches from the beaches of San Diego and Orange County, over the mountains of Southern California, across the deserts to the Colorado river, and up the scarp of the Eastern Sierra. It includes the highest point in the lower 48 states, the lowest point in North America, and the oldest tree on Earth. What an amazing place to be teaching science!

In November its cooling off fast which is great news for those of us living in the desert. The end of daylight savings time and the beginning of daylight wasting time has only one possible benefit- after school astronomy can begin earlier. In November the spectacular object you see in the east right  after sunset is a very close Jupiter. Even small binoculars will pick up the four Gallilean moons, and Jupiter is awesome in even a small telescope. (more…)

by Peter A’Hearn

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”

-Plutarch

As committed and passionate science teachers, we know that our job is to light fires in our kid’s minds.  Two different presidents, in the last three State of the Union Addresses, have spoken about the importance about ‘lighting the fires of science education’ so that American schools graduate more scientists and engineers. But often, the standards we teach read more like a list of contents for filling vessels than the sparks that will set imaginations on fire. Nor are the CST released test questions the fiery ones that will take minds on voyages of discovery. (more…)

by Peter A’Hearn

Summer is here, and for many science teachers that means geeky road trips. I’ll put region 4′s potential for geeky road trips up there with any other region. So lets hear from the other regions on this, what have you got?

In region 4-

Mt. Palomar- Camp out at Mt. Palomar Observatory north of San Diego. For a long time Mt. Palomar was the largest observatory in the world and it is still pretty huge and impressive. They have daytime visiting hours and tours on Saturday and Sunday. More info at http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/. There is lots of  cool mountain camping close by in Palomar Mountain State park and many folks bring their own telescopes to take advantage of the dark skies and high altitude viewing, especially on dark weekends. More info at- http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=637.

Kelso Dunes- When people are driving to Vegas in a movie, they aren’t driving on big dull (often jammed) Interstate 15, they are taking the spectacular little road that goes North from 29 Palms through the Eastern Mojave National Scenic Area. This road goes right by the fantastic Kelso Dunes. Which are one of 7 “singing dunes” found in the world. What are singing dunes? Climb up to the top of the tallest one and jump off the steep slip face to find out. You can actually “swim” down the face, and hear the incredible sound they make while you do it. (you’ll need a very good bath to get the sand out of everywhere afterwards). In summer, time your dune walk for early morning or sunset so it’s not too hot. Bring a microscope or a loupe and see if you can tell what makes the sand here different than ordinary non-singing sand.

Bristlecone Pines- Get your Dendrochronology on and drive up to visit the world’s oldest trees in the White Mountains near Big Pine. There are several groves to visit and they won’t tell which is the oldest tree (to discourage souvenir takers from killing it) but its fun to guess. The guide to the loop trail is very inquiry based, which I liked. Camp at nearby Grandview Campground, at 10,000 ft one of the highest and darkest around and don’t forget your telescope. I camped here for the Perseids one year and it was amazing (this year the full Moon in August is badly timed and will wash out the best nights of the Perseids).

Okay, what do they other regions have?

Pete A’Hearn is the K-12 science specialist in the Palm Springs Unified School District and is region 4 director for CSTA.

by Pete A’Hearn

Region 4 is the most amazingly diverse place in the world to teach science. We stretch from the cold Pacific Ocean to the hottest desert in the world, contain the highest and lowest points in California, the oldest tree in the world, and the oldest cloned plant. We have top research facilities from the Salk Institute in San Diego to the 200-inch telescope at Mt. Palomar. Region 4 is the counties of San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Imperial, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono.

Ah…springtime in region 4 and a young teacher’s thoughts turn to…

Summer! Just around the corner with many opportunities for professional growth. In the meantime to keep you from getting into the post-CST test doldrums, there is lots going on.

Boojom Institute in Idyllwild is having an Open House on May 7. They do some great outdoor science programs. More info at: http://www.boojum.org/images/openhouse_may_7_10.jpg.

Head to Los Angeles for the International Science and Engineering Fair on May 9 to May 13, and cheer on the region 4 kids who are competing. More information can be found at: http://www.societyforscience.org/intelisef2011.

Sally Ride Science Festival, May 14, San Diego, CA: Presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, the festival for 5th to 8th grade students features hands-on workshops, guest speakers, and a street fair complete with food, booths and music. A highlight of the day will be the keynote presentation by former NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence. Since 2001, Sally Ride Science Festivals have given middle school girls the opportunity to explore a variety of science fields and meet inspiring scientists such as Sally Ride, Laurie Leshin, and Ellen Ochoa. The festival runs from 11 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. and, with the exception of workshops, will be held completely outdoors. The event is open to the public and advanced registration is required. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased online at www.sallyridescience.com/festivals or by calling 1-800-561-5161.

JPL is having an open house on May 14 and 15. JPL! Need I say more? Details can be found at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/.

The District Science Leadership Network for Riverside and San Bernardino counties is on May 17 at Riverside County Office of Education. Come hear presentations from schools identified as science education “outliers”, hear what the latest research says, and get connected with what’s going on in the region. Check out the details at: http://scienceinquirer.wikispaces.com/.

Mark your calendars for Yami’s amazing notebook training July 13 and 14 at RCOE. If you don’t know Yami she is the new RCOE science person and has done amazing work with using notebooks in high school biology. More detailed info in the next report or contact Yamileth Shimojyo at YSHIMOJYO@rcoe.us.

Join  the California Institute for Biodiversity team, naturalist David Lukas, and UC researchers as we explore the Sierra Nevada, focusing on climate change’s influence on natural systems. You will learn how climate change has already affected California and how mitigation can reduce the impact in the future. Participating teachers will also have the opportunity to “do science” by participating in a team field investigation that explores an aspect of global climate change. We will give you the right tools to help your students understand the threat of global climate change and how they can respond now and in the future! This intensive course will integrate state science standards for sixth through 12th grades. The registration fee includes room and board, your own field journal, a teacher packet with hands-on activities, and the use of scientific equipment for your field investigations. Regular registration is $375. http://eurekaseries.org/main/node/122.

Applications for the CSULB Master’s in Science Education program are due June 1. There are options for elementary, secondary and informal science educators. Details about the MS program and contact information are located at www.scienceteaching.org.

As the new region 4 director, I need help tracking all the events in a big and spread out region. You can help me to include events in your part of region 4 by sending me information about events and opportunities at pahearn@psusd.us.

Pete A’Hearn is the K-12 science specialist in the Palm Springs Unified School District and is region 4 director for CSTA.

March 16, 2011, Chula Vista, CA
Project WET Workshop

The Sweetwater Authority and Otay Water District invites you to register for this action-packed water education workshop at the Chula Vista Nature Center. You’ll be able to experience water education activities that will engage students in the science of local water resource issues, receive ideas for classroom projects, and walk away with your own Project WET guide filled with 80+ standards aligned water activities that can be used in the classroom at the nature center! CEU credit will also be available. To register, please contact Leslie Filippi at (619) 409-6723-or- lfilippi@sweetwater.org.

April 14, 2011, San Diego, CA
Teacher Workshop: Bringing the Ocean and Sea Turtle Science into the Classroom

A 3-hour professional development workshop will be held in conjunction with the 31st Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. The workshop is targeted towards 5th – 8th grade teachers. This unique educational workshop will be provided free of charge and will focus on ocean conservation through the biology of sea turtles, while meeting state learning standards. Special guest speaker Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences and world-renowned sea turtle biologist, will commence the ISTS-31 Teachers Workshop with a thought provoking and inspiring lecture on “Oceanophilia: The Neuroscience of Emotion and our relationship to the Ocean (and sea turtles)”. Following the lecture, teachers will be introduced to on-line resources and classroom activities to inspire the next generation to protect, understand, study, and respect our oceans. Participants will receive 3 hours professional development credit.

Register for this free workshop by e-mailing Frances Kinney at frances@propeninsula.org.
Please provide the following information:
1) Full Name
2) Name of School, District, and Grade Level
3) E-mail and Phone Number

Registration Deadline: March 14, 2011

For more information regarding the ISTS-31 Teachers Workshop, please contact: Frances Kinney, frances@propeninsula.org, or Barb Andrews, bandrews@calacademy.org, Co-Chairs, ISTS-31 Student/Teacher Workshops

by Pete A’Hearn

One of the biggest earth science events of the year is not technically in region 4, but just across the Colorado River from Blythe in Quartzite, Arizona.  This is the site of one of the world’s biggest rock and mineral shows every year. The “Main Event” takes place from January 8 -23^rd.  The website for the Quartzite Gem and Mineral Club at http://www.quartzsitegemandmineralclub.org/ gives good information as well as a list of rockhounding field trips. (more…)

by Pete A’Hearn

The Santa Rosa National Monument has a full schedule of events in December.  Check their website at http://www.desertmountains.org/events.html for more information.

December is a great time for astronomy if you can stand the cold.  Here is a report on sightings from Dr. Robert Victor at the Abrams Planetarium:

Venus reaches spectacular brilliance high in predawn darkness in December and is close enough to Earth for its crescent shape to be detected through binoculars.  An especially fine occasion for students to spot Venus in the daytime with unaided eye will come on morning of Dec. 2, as a waning crescent moon appears nearby, with encore performances on Dec. 31 and Jan. 29 and 30.

Jupiter dominates the evening sky this winter, with waxing moon nearby on Dec. 13 and Jan. 9 and 10.  Uranus can be spotted through binoculars in same field as Jupiter throughout December and January.

There’s a total lunar eclipse on the night of Monday, Dec. 20.  For California residents, the eclipse gets underway in late evening and becomes total before midnight.

An illustrated guide to these sky events and more, the Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar, and evening star maps for December 2010 and January 2011 are available, along with a finder chart for locating Uranus with binoculars, at www.pa.msu.edu/abrams/CSTADec-JanSkies/.

As the new region four director, I need help tracking all the events in a big and spread out region.  You can help me to include events in your part of region four by sending me information  about events and opportunities at pahearn@psusd.us.

by Peter A’Hearn

As the new region four director for CSTA, my first question was, “ Okay, so what is region 4?”  Turns out, region 4 is impressively large and diverse.  It stretches from the beaches of San Diego and Orange counties, over the mountains of Southern California, across the deserts to the Colorado River, and up the scarp of the eastern Sierra.  It includes the highest point in the lower 48 states, the lowest point in North America, and the oldest tree on Earth.  What an amazing place to be teaching science!

In November it’s cooling off fast, which is great news for those of us living in the desert.  The end of daylight savings time and the beginning of daylight wasting time has only one possible benefit—after-school astronomy can begin earlier.  In November, the spectacular object you see in the east right after sunset is a very close Jupiter.  Even small binoculars will pick up the four Gallilean moons, and Jupiter is awesome in even a small telescope.

November is also a good time for meteors, with several showers taking place this month.  What this means is that on any evening, you have a good chance of catching a shooting star (not really stars, but you know that).

I’ve frequently heard people complain that California doesn’t have fall colors.  Actually, the canyons of the eastern Sierra, especially Bishop canyon, have beautiful displays of  yellow, orange, and red.

Events and Opportunities:

The Natural Science Collaborative of the Desert Region is throwing the Educator’s Fall Festival November 4 at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert.  Come have some wine and cheese and learn about all of the opportunities to connect with the informal science community in and around the Coachella Valley.  The event is from 3:00 to 6:00. Call for more information at 760-346-5694 x2501.

The Santa Rosa National Monument has a full schedule of events in November.  Check their website at http://www.desertmountains.org/events.html for more information.

As the new region 4 director, I’ve had great support from outgoing director Karen Whitley- Smith.  But it’s a big region and it’s hard for me to find out about everything that is going on.  You’ve probably noticed that this newsletter is heavy on desert events.  You can help me to include events in your part of region 4 by sending me information about events and opportunities at pahearn@psusd.us.

Peter A’Hearn is science specialist at Palm Springs Unified School District and CSTA’s region 4 director.