Give your students the opportunity to:
- Interact face-to-face with oceanographic research scientists
- Be exposed to the scientific process, critical thinking, and science communication
- Learn about potential careers in marine science
- Increase their awareness and understanding of the ocean, Antarctica, and climate change
Who? Teachers and students in grades 6-9 (especially Earth and Life Sciences)
Participating teachers will be provided a stipend for their involvement (paid by Rutgers University), contingent upon completion of all phases of the project.
What? Year includes:
- Summer Teacher Workshop (August 18-22, 2014, at Rutgers University)
- Classroom activities (Fall 2014)
- Live Video Broadcasts (January 2015 *working to line this up)
- Research scientist talks and Student Research Symposium (May 2015, at Liberty Science Center)
This extensive project, Project CONVERGE, is the broader impact component of the National Science Foundation research program. The focus of Project CONVERGE is to bringing marine science to middle and early high school students in the mid-Atlantic area (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware). The core educational objectives of this proposal are to increase awareness and understanding of (i) global climate change, (ii) the WAP ecosystem, (iii) methods and technologies used by the researchers, and (iv) careers in ocean science, through interviews with scientists, students, and technicians. These objectives are being accomplished using a multi-faceted approach including: a teacher/scientist training workshop (August 2014), hands-on lessons (4 required, many optional), interactive teaching using live video calls from Palmer Station to classrooms (January 2015), science blogs about the mission and Antarctica, outreach talks by marine scientists in various fields and careers (at the April Student Research Symposium), and a student symposium in which the students will present their own investigations at Liberty Science Center.
Project CONVERGE Evaluation
All participating students need to receive an Assent Form (English, Spanish). It is for the students to keep.
All parents of participating students need to receive a Parent Consent Form (English, Spanish).
If they do consent to their child’s participation, they can keep the form.
If they DO NOT consent to their child’s participation, they need to complete the end of the form and return it to their child’s teacher and then to the Science Communication Team for Project CONVERGE.