NMSSI offers four new courses for science teachers

CSCE 890 Robotics 2016
CSCE 890 Robotics 2016

The Nebraska Math and Science Summer Institutes is offering eight courses – four of which are brand-new! – for science teachers this summer.

For all on-site NMSSI courses, current Nebraska teachers automatically qualify for a tuition reduction equal to 20 percent of in-state, graduate tuition. Additionally, Nebraska K-12 teachers can apply for supplemental NMSSI Fellowships to further defray tuition costs for NMSSI courses. Read more about the costs at: http://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi/2017/costs/

Two of these new STEM courses are through the TEAMS grant, one for elementary teachers and one for secondary. If you would like to sign up for a TEAMS course, held June 5-16, please contact us at nebraskamath@unl.edu

To enroll in UNL graduate courses, follow the four steps outlined on the NMSSI website, http://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi/. Check out our course catalog online, which supplies the needed class numbers for either Teach Nebraska registration or MyRED.

The 2017 NMSSI science courses are:

**NEW** BIOS 897 - Ecology and Evolution of Arachnids for K-12 Educators, July 17-21, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 124 Mantel Hall, UNL
Instructor: Alissa Anderson (UNL SBS)

This course is for middle school and high school teachers interested in learning how arachnids and their arthropod relatives can be integrated into K-12 classrooms for teaching a breadth of science material including: organismal structure and function; ecosystem interactions and dynamics; inheritance and trait variation; and evolution and biodiversity. The course will use inquiry-based learning, hands on science experiments, individual research projects, and group discussions to learn about the anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution of living arachnid groups.

CSCE 890 – Introduction to Robotics for Teachers, June 5-9 and 12-16, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Omaha
Instructor: Jesse Andres and Don Costello (UNL CSE)

This course is for middle school and secondary school teachers wishing to gain knowledge and experience in the foundations of the science of Robotics and in the programming and field testing of robots using the included software. Each day introduces a particular strategy and teaching objective taught through class presentations, robot programming demonstrations, and challenges in Robotics programming completed both in class and as homework. Enrollment is limited to 15.

GEOS 898 - Methods in Geoscience Field Instruction, June 10-25, fieldwork
Instructor: David Harwood (UNL EAS)

A 16-day, inquiry-based geology field course in which participants will enhance their inquiry skills and experience learning (and camping) in the great outdoors across Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. The primary aim of this course is to improve educators' ability to teach inquiry, gain knowledge and understanding of geoscience, and to demonstrate effective teaching methods for 6-12 learning environments. Participants will discover, observe and study a variety of natural phenomena, focusing on Earth processes and geological history. Enrollment is limited to 9.

GEOS 898 – Geology of North America, July 10-14, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 203 Bessey Hall, UNL
Instructor: Cara Burberry (UNL EAS)

This course for secondary teachers will discuss how the geology of the North American continent contains classic examples of nearly every geologic process that has acted to form the crust of the Earth (e.g the San Andreas Fault, Yellowstone National Park, Nebraska Sandhills) and will explore the processes of plate tectonics and the way that the surface of the Earth (and life thereon) has evolved throughout geologic time.

NRES 898 – Teaching and Learning about Water Systems, June 12-16, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 141 Hardin Hall, UNL
Instructor: Cory Forbes (UNL SNR)

As part of this course, students will learn about water systems, use relevant science standards, assessments, and other instructional tools to plan for implementation of science instruction focused on water systems in middle and high school classroom settings, and integrate a focus on water systems into their own grades 6-12 curriculum by adapting and/or supplementing curricular resources that reflect these new instructional approaches.

**NEW** SOCI 898 – Social Psychological Processes in the STEM Classroom: Activating STEM Identities, July 10-14 and 17-21, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m., 110 Avery Hall
Instructor: Trish Wonch Hill (UNL Sociology)

This class covers a broad range of social psychological topics and processes to help middle-level and secondary teachers better understand how social context impacts STEM learning. Students will learn about social inequality in STEM fields, and the individual, interactional, and institutional barriers to developing a science identity for youth from a variety of social locations (rural/urban, gender, race/ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, ELL). The class will learn about implicit bias, stereotype threat, and identity theory, and how they impact formal and informal social interactions and learning in the STEM classroom. They will learn and help formulated practical strategies to reduce their negative impact in order to broaden and widen student engagement in STEM.

THE TEAMS STEM courses are:

**NEW** GEOS 898 - Special Topics: Earth Science for Secondary Teachers, June 5-9 and 12-16, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Crete, Fremont, Grand Island, Norfolk and North Platte
Instructors: TEAMS teacher leaders

This course provides teachers with the science content knowledge to more confidently and effectively teach Earth Science concepts dealing with water (hydrosphere) and rock (geosphere). It provides practical and hands-on lessons that teachers can use in their classrooms, and course facilitators model how to implement active learning strategies to teach the Earth Science content.

**NEW** MATH 896 - Special Topics: Elementary-Integrated STEM, June 5-9 and 12-16, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Crete, Fremont, Grand Island, Norfolk and North Platte (grades K-6)
Instructors: TEAMS teacher leaders

Teachers will learn to leverage science explorations to provide context and meaning to mathematics instruction in the elementary classroom, while also supporting children’s learning of science. Participants will engage in integrated science/math experiences, deepen their knowledge of concepts needed to integrate math and science in their own classrooms, and learn how to develop rich, integrated lessons to engage children in meaningful and memorable learning experiences.

The Benefits of the NMSSI:
• Nebraska teachers automatically qualify for a 20 percent discount on in-state tuition at UNL
• Teachers can also apply for an additional $300 tuition fellowship from the NMSSI if tuition credits are not available: http://go.unl.edu/scimathapply
• All NMSSI courses also include a free lunch on each day of class
• The $50 UNL Graduate Studies admission fee is waived for current Nebraska teachers
• Each course is worth 3 graduate credit hours at UNL
• Enroll in one simple application through Teach Nebraska: http:///www.unl.edu/gradstudies/teachneb

For all NMSSI course offerings, see: http://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi

Email questions to nebraskamath@unl.edu

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Center for Science, Mathematics & Computer Education
http://scimath.unl.edu/nmssi