SciRefInst3.5

[JCONSTANT@UMASSD.EDU]

SCIENCE REFERENCE INSTITUTE  TIER THREE  JULY 27, 28, 29,  1994  SIMMONS
COLLEGE


SMALL GROUP PROJECTS

On the first day of this  three day institute, participants in Tier III  were
each assigned to a group for work on a cooperative science reference  project
between school and public librarians.  Groups were directed to be specific
about how they would fund the projects, and to provide for eye catching
displays, interactive displays, and directions to other sources such as
museums, etc. Groups were given an hour together each morning, and expected to
meet together on one or both evenings to work out details of the project. Each
group gave a ten minute presentation on the last day of the institute.
Summaries of the presentations are listed below:
...............................................

Group One Topic: Watersheds

Display Ideas: Aerial maps, historical maps noting changes, NOAA maps and
satellite views, Audubon displays, Specific lists of endangered species,
microscopes for public display,

Program and Resource Ideas:public programs with films and lectures, slide
shows, local experts and mentors, stand-alone demo cd program (information
handler, or other program) student survey to share with other schools,

Displays and activities would take place at both school and public libraries,
culminating with a special event at the public library.

Activities would be funded by an LSCA grant and coordinated by a special
coordinator.
..........................................................


Group Two: Astronomy- Black Holes
This would be a four month project between public and school library. Public
library programs would use public school teachers as presenters.

Display or Theme: CLOSEST YOU CAN GET TO A BLACK HOLE WITHOUT FALLING IN

Both libraries would have displays

Public library would have films, reading lists, pamphlets , on a different
theme each month

School library would display school projects at completion, and would use
Internet, NASA, cdrom, visual, museum and other resources for students to
prepare presentations.
......................................................
Group Three: Rainforest

Goals would be to promote school-public library cooperation, to enhance student
interest, and promote public awareness

Public Library would have:
-display of rainforest model
-environmental book lists
-cd station for Grolier's Encyclopedia
-small ziplock  "smell" bags with vanilla and other spices or plants found in
rainforest
-video program about the Belize Audubon Society
-series of evening films  (don't remember titles they mentioned)
-passes to zoo

School Library would have
-book bag project for elementary school students . Young adult students would
help to design these
-multimedia project fair (poetry, art, etc.)
-Wrap up event where students would receive t shirts or tote bags as handouts
(funding from some outside sponsor ie. MBL)
(There was more, but I can't read the rest of my notes.)
..........................................................

Group Four: Ocean as Food Source

Project for all age groups

Display: CLAMBAKE TODAY, WHAT ABOUT TOMORROW?

   Display would contain news items about fishery seizures and sample menus:


    Today's Menu     vs.    Tomorrow's Menu?
    ______________          _______________
    Clam Chowder            ..............
    Broiled Schrod          ..............
    Lobster                 ...............

    _______________         _______________

Other displays: shells, salt water aquarium, resources from NOAA, National
Marine Fisheries, Woods Hole Oceanographic

Displays could be rotated between school and public library.

Technology: Great Ocean Rescue Interactive Videodisk at school, Internet
sharing of data and information about partner schools, CD ROM programs:MAS
(Magazine Articles Summaries CD, and various cd databases on marine life, etc.


Experts in marine science as both speakers and mentors
Field trips to institutions such as WHOI, Worcester Science Center, Boston
Museum of Science
Whale Watching Expeditions
Kits with instructions for setting up salt water aquaria

Interdisciplinary Activities: cooking and nutrition, mythology about the ocean,
poetry and stories about the ocean, water sports, ocean plant life, etc.


......................................................
Project Five: Weather Prediction: a Community Project

This project is envisioned as an ongoing, cross discipline, total community
program. One major theme about weather would be chosen each year (causes of
weather, impact of weather phenomena, patterns, etc.)
Students would record weather data and collect weather statistics from a
variety of sources.

Publicity:
Community resources
Project night: for school and community
Display: IS THERE SCHOOL TODAY?

Weather Prediction:a Community Project: This is a six page handout given to
participants by this group. It includes a project statement, goals, methods,
and an extensive bibliography of organizations, on-line services, books,
periodicals, multimedia and other resources on weather.

.......................................................

Group Six: Massachusetts Endangered Species Project

This is a process oriented project for k-12 students and teachers and the
general public. The project would be publicized with a kick-off activity at the
Science Museum, or an agency presentation. Students would research their topics
using telecommunications services, the Internet, and the resources of the Woods
Hole Lab and Library. They would organize their data into an electronic
database or HYperstudio stack for presentations to the general public. Each
card in the hyperstudio stack would contain  a picture of the endangered
animal, a description of its habitat, the cause of its endangerment, and a
possible remedy. Also included in the card would be the student's name. The
stack could be updated periodically. STudents would work with consultants in
the field. An LSCA grant would be used to hire a consultant to coordinate the
project activities, displays, maintain the database, etc. The Hyperstudio stack
could also be uploaded to the Internet for sharing.
...................................................................
Group Seven: Human Genome Project

Multidisciplinary semester long high school project involving joint
school/public library displays about genetics, human genome project, genetic
diseases, etc.

GOALS:
-Lifelong learning and greater awareness of school and public library
resources. Students will learn how to access, evaluate and organize information
and how to present it in many forms.
-Appreciation of the importance of scientific research and of the social
implications of scientific research.
-Use of interdisciplinary teaching and learning activities to help students see
the relevance of learning specific subject matter.
-Use of cooperative student activities to produce a student who can work well
with others and develop both teamwork and leadership qualities.
-Promoting the public library as a vehicle for exhibiting student projects, and
as a natural extension of the school library and classroom.


PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES: DISPLAYS

TEACHERS ROOM AND PUBLIC LIBRARY DISPLAYS listing the  print, audiovisual,
online and optical information resources about genetics and human genome. Since
this is to be a semester long interdisciplinary project, all teachers will find
something that they can use to team teach. The public will also become aware of
the complexity of this topic. Such sources as the Boston Globe Science Section
(also the Boston Globe CD), the Museum of Science Lyman Library's resources
will be illustrated. Also illustrated will be information about the following:

WGBH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES:  During the last five years, there has been an
increase in community activities and an outreach to teachers.  Many PBS
programs are now evolving into "multi-version" projects which include video,
print and interactive segments, and han and hans-on activities. One such
project is:SECRET OF LIFE: 6 PART SERIES ON GENETICS, BIOENGINEERING, ETHICS .
The accompanying teacher's guide contains many additional ideas for student
activities and displays.

MCET TELECONFERENCES: HUMAN GENOME PROJECT These programs involve students in
live, interactive one way video, two way audio communication with the
instructors who are experts in the field. Opportunities for follow up questions
and answers are available via the Mass LearnNet's Human Genome Discussion
Group.                                          .


BULLETIN BOARDS:

GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY: bulletin board display about genetic blueprinting, and
criminal investigations, such as the O.J. Simpson Murder Case.


                        Enlarged fingerprint
                           and/or
                        Microscope


as part of the display, to represent the scientific detective work that occurs
in such cases.  News clippings, copies of journal articles, etc.


MEDICAL SUPER SLEUTHS: display to represent genetic applications in medicine.
Those diseases for which a genome has been identified could be displayed with
articles, etc.  A large magnifying glass, and other items symbolic of detective
work and/or medicine could be used.

                   Using string, the outline
                    of a human body can be
                    drawn at the center of the
                    bulletin board display.
                    Recent genome discoveries
                    can be marked as mysteries solved,
                    and articles about those diseases
                    can be posted nearby.




GENOMES IN BOTANY
This display could be devoted to recent discoveries in plant science. Pictures
of plants, a plant cell, etc. and articles about recent discoveries in plant
genetics.

RIGHT OR WRONG??Additional displays about ethical considerations of the Human
Genome Project. This would include sources for debate, such as the Social
Issues REsources Series, and series of books such as Opposing Viewpoints, which
give arguments for both sides of an issue.

                    Legal symbols such as the
                    scales of justice, etc,
                    might be used here.


BULLETIN BOARD DISPLAY OF MASS LEARN NET MESSAGES FROM HUMAN GENOME DISCUSSION
GROUP.  Replies that student receive from experts in this project could be
posted on a special bulletin board at both school and public libraries

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

-Student portfolios which could be displayed at both libraries. These would
include written work, art,  photographs, charts, database and spreadsheet
printouts, etc, that the student might have produced  as an assignment for this
project.

-Oral presentations, using audiovisual devices such as overhead projector and
transparencies, or student produced audio, video, and computer products, such
as hypercard stacks, etc.  These demonstrations could take place at the school
or at the public library.

-Panel discussions which could take place at either site.

-Both the oral presentations and panel discussions, etc, could be videotaped
and broadcast over local cable television.

This topic offers a wealth of opportunities for activities in all subject areas
and would be extremely useful for schools which want to offer multidisciplinary
projects.

...........................................................
end