Imagine contributing to thought-provoking discussions in front of fascinating exhibits, participating in hands-on lessons that you’ll be able to use in your classroom, and planning teaching strategies with your colleagues away from the workday distractions of your school building. If you are responsible for planning your school’s or district’s in-service days, we’d like to hear from you. Full-day programs, which count toward Act 48 hour totals, can be designed to introduce the museum’s teaching resources, develop strategies to better address many of Pennsylvania’s academic standards, or plan a school-wide, cross-curriculum unit on topics ranging from biodiversity to rocks and minerals.

Scheduling
Call (412) 622-3288 to register.

Act 48 Hours
Carnegie Museum of Natural History can help you and your colleagues fulfill Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements with approved teacher workshops. Participating teachers will earn Act 48 Activity Hours and will receive an education package.

• Workshops that illustrate how a structured field trip can address National and State Standards in Geography, Science & Technology, and Environment & Ecology.
• In-service credit courses on a particular natural history topic.

Scheduling
Call (412) 622-3288 to register.

WORKSHOPS

Using Data and Models to Investigate the Poles
Friday, July 18
11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Some of the big questions in science today include how Earth’s climate is changing. These questions are in the news, shape our public policy, and are even included in the annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). Much of the related research focuses on the polar regions, as they are sensitive to smaller changes in global climate—changes in these regions have very significant consequences for the rest of the planet.

Dr. Mary-Louise Timmermans of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) will present an introduction to polar oceanography and some of the tools of polar research. Participating teachers will learn how Arctic Ocean circulation works and explore how ocean and ice conditions are changing in the Arctic.

Kerry Handron of Carnegie Museum of Natural History will also present online tools available to students including MY NASA DATA, which allow students to access and analyze real data and to begin the modeling process.

The day will conclude with a public, live satellite call with WHOI scientists on an expedition in Greenland.

Participants will entered for a chance to win one day of Discovery Dome programming at their school and will also earn three Act 48 Hours.

Fee
Free, but pre-registration is required. Participating teachers will be given a voucher for $5 parking.

Click here for more information on WHOI's Greenland research.

In-service Training via Distance Learning

Experience Distance Learning in a 30-minute introductory program, or participate with your colleagues in a series of 90-minute interactive videoconferences on a variety of natural history topics. Schools with IP and ISDN-based videoconferencing systems can utilize the Museum’s Distance Learning program as part of ongoing teacher training. Contact Pat McShea at (412) 622-3292 or McSheaP@CarnegieMNH.org for more information.

Teen Volunteer Program

The museum has a Teen Docent Program which allows students 13–19 years of age to volunteer in the exhibit areas of the museum. The students must attend seven days of training by museum staff and will then work in the exhibit halls, showing objects to visitors and answering their questions. You can learn more about the program by contacting Marie Viggiano at (412) 578-2456 or TeenDocent@CarnegieMNH.org or by visiting the informative program Web site at http://www.CarnegieMNH.org/doe/teendocents.