Spring Classes
Using Real Data To Teach Math

Spring 1998
Course Number: SMED 769F
Credit: 3 hrs. graduate credit
Dates: January 20 - May 5, 1998
Times: Tuesdays 4:30-7:30PM
Instructors: Ms. Gwen Johnson, Ms. Gloria Allen and Dr. Jeffrey M. Priest
Location: USCA-RPSEC
Course Fee: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: This course is for K-8 teachers seeking ideas to support an active mathematics classroom. Students will be involved in motivational, hands-on activities designed to teach elementary statistics content and methodologies that are consistent with state curriculum framework and NCTM standards. They will learn data exploration techniques through a problem solving approach. They will learn to formulate questions about a problem and investigate the problem by gathering, organizing, representing, describing and interpreting the data.

Participants will learn various sampling techniques, plan a survey or experiment, and discuss the role of statistics in society. Students will explore fair and unfair games. They will investigate probability through data collection and analysis using calculators and computers as tools. Participants will receive materials to support hands-on instruction. Experiences in this course will give teachers concrete models that may be used to implement the NCTM Standards, the S.C. Academic Achievement Standards in mathematics and the statistics guidelines recommended by the American Statistical Association. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Teaching Chemistry with Toys

Spring 1998
Course Number: SMED 729
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructor: Ms. Harriet Hare
Location: USCA - RPSEC
Dates: January 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19, 26;
March 5, 12, 19, 26; April 2, 16, 23, 30; May 7
Times: Thursdays 3:45-6:45pm
Course Fees: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: K-8 Teachers. Developed through the National Science Foundation's Teaching Science with Toys Program at Miami University, this course is designed to demonstrate basic chemical principles so that teachers and students alike discover that chemistry can be fun. All hands on activities are classroom tested, practical, safe and effective. Time and material requirements, safety and disposal procedures, suggested variations, reproducible sheets and a class set of materials are provided for each teacher. The necessary background of all the basic chemical principles will be taught. All activities will be aligned with the SC Science Academic Achievement Standards and/or local curriculum. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Teaching Physics with Toys

Spring 1998
Course Number: TBA
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructor: Ms. Harriet Hare
Location: USCA - RPSEC
Dates: July 27-August 7, 1998
Times: Monday-Friday 9:00am-3:00pm
Course Fees: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: K-8 Teachers. Developed through the National Science Foundation's Teaching Science with Toys Program at Miami University the course provides hands on activities on inertia, energy, motion and other basic physics principles using toys. Materials list, safety, estimated completion time, instructions, reproducible sheets and a class set of materials are provided for each teacher. The necessary background of all the basic physics principles will be taught. All activities will be aligned with the SC Science Academic Achievement Standards and/or local curriculum. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Integration of Technology & Instruction

Spring 1998
Course Number: EDTE 731 (Prerequisite: EDTE 531, 631 or working
knowledge of computers.)
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructors: Dr. Gary Senn
Location: RPSEC
Dates: January 20-March 26
Times: Tuesday/Thursday 4:30-7:30pm
Course Fees: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: This course provides students with a survey of the instructional uses of computers and other technologies. Students will develop a thematic unit of instruction, which will determine the content of the course activities. Software relating to the theme will be selected and evaluated. Students will create technology-centered projects and use the Internet as a resource of information related to the theme. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Wetlands Ecology

Spring 1998
Course Number: BIO 772H
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructors: Dr. Harold Ornes, Mr. Norm Rischbieter,
and Mr. Ned Shuler and Ms. Teddy Shuler
Location: TBA
Dates: Jan 15 to April 30
Times: Thursdays 3:45-6:45pm
Course Fees: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: Wetland history, science, and design/management. The course consists of traditional classroom meetings one night a week and three field trips on Saturdays to coastal, midland, and highland wetlands of SC. Emphasis will be placed on ways to use wetlands to teach basic biology, ecology, environmental science, math and even english. Teachers will learn about swamps, bogs, marshes, lakes, rivers, and estuaries as well as the common plants and animals associated with them. Participation in GLOBE (Jan. 9 and 10 or Jan 16 and 17) with substitute teachers paid by RPSEC, is optional and can be used toward partial fulfillment of course requirements. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Life Science Institute

Spring 1998
Course Number: SMED 510
Meeting Days: Mondays, January 19-May 18, 1998;
Saturday field trips, April 25 and May 2.
Meeting Times: Mondays - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
April 25 - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
May 2 - 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Meeting Place: USCA-RPSEC
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Priest
Course Fee: $75.00 Registration Fee
Course Description: The life science institute is a general biology course for elementary and middle school teachers. It is an IMA life science required course. The course is a lab/lecture combined course that is designed to give teachers background knowledge in the life sciences and provide activities that they can bring back to the classroom and use with their students. Although it is geared toward elementary and middle school teachers, it can serve as a refresher course for high school biology teachers. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Environmental Sciences for Teachers

Spring 1998
Course Number: SMED 729
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructors: Dr. Phil Astwood
Location: USCA-RPSEC
Dates: January 29-May 7
Times: Thursdays 5:00-8:00pm
Course Fees: $75 Registration Fee

Course Description: Intended primarily for elementary and middle school teachers, this course is designed to help the participants understand the relationship between a growing human population and the problems associated with the depletion of natural resources, the need to find appropriate ways to dispose of solid and hazardous wastes, and the increase in air and water pollution. The course will be based on investigative activities and will utilize a learning cycle approach. Each participant will receive a CD-ROM containing appropriate text, pictures, videos and animations. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Ecology of the National Parks of Kenya

Summer 1999
Credit: 3 hrs graduate credit
Instructor: Dr. Jeff Priest
Course Number: BIO 772J
Dates: TBA
Times: TBA
Course Fee: $4,100 Tuition, travel, loging, and meals

Course Description: This once in a life time course explores the fauna and flora of 5 National Parks in Kenya. Participants will fly out of Atlanta and begin their journey through Kenya from Nairobi. Travel in Kenya will be by Safari Trucks that allow safe, but close viewing of the wildlife in the National Parks. For the brave-at-heart, short walks from the vehicles will be arranged. Sleeping will occur in lodges. Call Angela Taylor to register. (641-3313)

Newsletter Table of Contents


Ruth Patrick Science Education Center
University of South Carolina Aiken
RPSEC@sc.edu
URL: http://rpsec.usca.sc.edu/newsletter/Dec97/SpringClasses.html(December, 1997)

Spring Classes Using Real Data To Teach Math