September Science News and Information
CellCraft Video Game Teaches Microbiology to Students
Grades 5-12
A team of scientists, middle-school students, and software developers have partnered with Wake Forest
University to create an educational video game that has gone toe-to-toe with some of the best shoot-'emup games out there, winning rave reviews from gamers worldwide. Within 10 days of release, CellCraft
has been played more than one million times on top-level, free gaming sites including Kongregate.com
and Newgrounds.com. Players have ranked CellCraft in the top 100 best games of all time out of more
than 30,000 on Kongregate. That's unheard of for a free educational game. In the game, players start out
by learning the parts of a cell and how they work; it's a crash course in cell science in the first few minutes
of the game. Then the action comes in: You must save your cell from freezing to death, being invaded by
viruses, or even being digested by a giant crocodile. You can do this, but only with a strong
understanding of how a cell works.
The game’s mission is to engage students in pursuing science careers. CellCraft has a unique appeal
rarely found in today's "edutainment" titles, many of which separate learning from fun by making players
learn facts, then take a quiz so they can unlock a fun, unrelated arcade segment. Instead, CellCraft
integrates the intended teaching points within the rules of the game so that the "fun part" is the lesson.
For example, to salvage precious cellular resources, players must learn that lysosomes are required to
recycle aging mitochondria and chloroplasts. They can learn that information from a textbook, but
students testing the game said they had more fun learning it while trying to save a starving cell that is
under heavy viral attack.
Testing at schools in Winston-Salem showed that students who played a very early version of CellCraft
for 30 minutes showed statistically significant improvement on a cellular biology quiz. More importantly,
they overwhelmingly said they enjoyed the lesson, and surveys showed that many had developed greater
interest in the sciences in that one short session. The game is available for free download at
www.cellcraftgame.com. For the school year, it will include a free, downloadable teacher's packet and a
printable lab worksheet.
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Research indicates that one of the more effective strategies for teaching science or any other subject is
the use of Project-Based Learning or Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Terminology varies in different
sources. In the course of investigations, students conduct and share research in order to solve the
problem or complete the task assigned. The selection of the task is the critical decision in designing this
type of approach. The task not only dictates what content must be addressed; it also dictates the manner
or depth in which the content must be understood and applied. Goal-based scenarios provide learners
with a role to play in the simulated scenario and a goal to achieve in solving the problem or completing
the task. “PBL encourages interdisciplinary learning because the resolution of a problem may necessitate
the application of dispersed knowledge” (Moens, 2000).
To access information on this model teaching strategy and to locate excellent resources and examples of
PBL, go to http://www.globalschoolnet.org/web/pbl/pblintro.htm and http://pbl-online.org.
NASA used PBL in developing the modules of PBL environmental and Earth science scenarios and
resources found in the Exploring the Environment program online at http://www.cotf.edu/ete/main.html.
Oil Spill and Gulf of Mexico Resources
The best location for Oil Spill educational resources is found on the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA)
website. Visit http://www.gulfallianceeducation.org and click the oil rig for the full list of resources. Scroll
down to page 15 of these resources to locate the educational resources. This is by far the most
comprehensive library of educational resources related to the oil spill that has been compiled anywhere.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE
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September Science News and Information
Climate Change Resources from Annenberg
Last month, an iceberg four times the size of Manhattan broke off Greenland’s Petermann Glacier,
creating the largest Arctic iceberg since 1962. The iceberg could cause major problems to shipping if it
drifts south. Annenberg Media offers numerous science resources to help teachers and students
understand climate and the effects of climate change on glaciers.
Beginning with Earth Revealed, the popular earth science and physical geology course, look at program
23 which explains glacial formation, structure and movement. View magnificent images of glaciers, and
learn how their study may help us understand ice ages and the greenhouse effect. Access this program
at http://www.learner.org/resources/series78.html.
Also for high school teachers and students, The Habitable Planet has resources for studying glaciers
and climate change. In Unit 12, Earth’s Changing Climate, Dr. Lonnie Thompson discusses his work
using ice cores from tropical glaciers to investigate the history of Earth’s CO 2 levels. Unit 12 is found at
http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/unit/text.php?unit=12&secNum=0#. Be sure to look at the visuals
for this unit, featuring ice cores, and a dramatic photo series of the Quelccaya ice cap’s melting process
between1978-2001.
For grade K-6 teachers, look at Essential Science for Teachers: Earth and Space Science, session 6,
“Restless Landscapes.” http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/earthspace/session6/index.html.
This session looks at sand and land formations, and how they are affected by water and ice. Detailed
information and visuals are provided about ice ages, glaciers, and glacial landforms, and there is a
fascinating activity for teachers based on common ideas children have about science, and in this case,
about glaciers.
NASA Websites for Students
The Space Place for elementary levels and SciJinks for middle school are NASA’s websites dedicated
to school aged children with the goal of letting kids know that learning about science, space, technology,
and weather is fun and within their grasp. Animations, photos, activities and investigations are found on
these websites. Links for these sites are http://spaceplace.nasa.gov and http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov.
NASA’s Climate Kids at http://climate.nasa.gov/kids answers questions about climate change using
materials appropriate for grades 4-6.
If you wish to get the latest issue of the Space Place Newsletter: News and Notes for Formal and Informal
Educators, go to http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/en/educators/. The newsletter is all about the many
useful and free resources on the Space Place website that can be helpful for kids and grown-ups
interested learning about science, technology, and space.
Buy, Use or Toss?
Students are surrounded by "stuff" - from blue jeans to the latest cell phone - in their everyday lives. With
Buy, Use, Toss? A Closer Look at the Things We Buy, a comprehensive unit produced by Facing the
Future, Inc. on consumption that is aligned with standards in all 50 U.S. states. Your students will
investigate the lifecycle of products as they do things such as...
 Gain math and science skills while determining ways to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping
blue jeans,
 Engage in civic discourse during a discussion of how we dispose of our waste,
 Develop corporate policies to protect workers and consumers, and
 Gain media literacy skills while analyzing ads.
Thanks to generous contributions, this resource is available to download for free at
http://www.facingthefuture.org/Curriculum/BuyUseToss/tabid/469/Default.aspx?utm_source=BUT+launch
&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BUT+Launch.
For more information on and resources from Facing the Future, go to
http://www.facingthefuture.org/Home/tabid/54/Default.aspx.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE
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September Science News and Information
The Glue that Holds Oyster Families Together
Following the Deep Horizon incident, it is more important than ever for
students learn about marine life forms. One of our favorites in Louisiana is
the bivalve, oysters. The National Science Foundation ( NSF) has just
released information on research on oysters. Oyster reefs are on the
decline, with over-harvesting and pollution reducing some stocks as much
as 98 percent over the last two centuries.
With a growing awareness of oysters' critical roles filtering water,
preventing erosion, guarding coasts from storm damage, and providing
habitat for other organisms, researchers have been investigating how oyster reefs form in order to better
understand the organisms and offer potential guidance to oyster re-introduction projects. To access the
full article, released on August 23, 2010, go to
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=117578&WT.mc_id=USNSF_51&WT.mc_ev=click.
Earth Science Week
Earth Science Week 2010 (October 10-16) encourages students and teachers everywhere to explore the
natural world and learn about the geosciences. The theme for Earth Science Week 2010 is "Exploring
Energy." The American Geological institute (AGI) hosts Earth Science Week in cooperation with other
sponsors as a service to the public and the geoscience community. Each year, local groups, educators,
and interested individuals organize celebratory events.
This year, AGI is sponsoring three national contests in conjunction with Earth Science Week 2010.
Students, scientists and the general public are encouraged to enter the Earth Science Week photography
contest, "We Depend on Energy." Students in grades K-5 are encouraged to enter the visual arts contest,
"Energy on Earth." And, an essay contest, "How Energy Powers the Planet," is open to students in grades
6-9. For more information on these contests and the full program, visit www.earthsciweek.org/contests.
Fossil Record Extended
Stromatolite column of bacterial mats in Australia; sponge fossils are
located between stromatolites. Credit: Adam Maloof, Princeton University
Scientists may have recently discovered the oldest fossils of animal
bodies. These findings push back the clock on the scientific world's
thinking regarding when animal life appeared on Earth. The results
suggest that primitive sponge-like creatures lived in ocean reefs about
650 million years ago.
The fossils, found beneath a 635-million-year-old glacial deposit in South Australia, represent the earliest
evidence of animal body forms in the current fossil record, predating other evidence by at least 70 million
years. "These scientists have found that animals may have appeared on Earth 90 million years earlier
than previously known," said H. Richard Lane of NSF's Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the
research. Previously, the oldest known fossils of hard-bodied animals were from two reef-dwelling
organisms that lived around 550 million years ago.
The findings, published in the August 17 issue of the journal Nature Geoscience, provide the first direct
evidence that animal life existed before--and probably survived--the severe "snowball Earth" event known
as the Marinoan glaciation that left much of the globe covered in ice at the end of the Cryogenian period,
about 635 million years ago. Read more about these new results here or go to
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?org=NSF&cntn_id=117502&preview=false.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE
3
September Science News and Information
Students Explore Evolution Through an Evolution Readiness Project
Students Explore Evolution Through Evolution Readiness Project is located at
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=117390&WT.mc_id=USNSF_1 .
This is an interactive computer model helps teach students about evolution,
and was developed as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Discoveries
item.
The Evolution Readiness project includes a blend of unique computer-based
activities and adapted offline activities. The project is in its second of three
years and involves 10 teachers and approximately 200 students from school
districts in Randolph, Massachusetts; San Juan, Texas; and North Kansas
City, Missouri. It can be used with students in grade 4 up.
At present, digital animals such as hawks and rabbits are being added to create new activities where they
interact with the plants. This will enable the students to explore the relationships between plants and
animals, and their effects on evolution.
LPB Resources
Electronic Field Trips
You can view the lineup and register your classes to take part in the free, live electronic field trips that
LPB will feed this school year at http://beta.lpb.org/index.php/E-Trips/. The first National Park Service trip
is to North Cascade National Park to study climate change and glaciers. Two more trips are expected
to be announced later by the National Park Service.
Elementary Science
Another way to interest children in science is to watch the new series, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot
About That!™ The Cat in the Hat leads Sally and Nick on rhyming adventures through the natural world
to make such discoveries as how bees make honey, why birds migrate, and how whales communicate.
Each episode includes two outdoor excursions with the Cat in the Hat that revolve around specific
science concepts such as bird migration or animal camouflage. Related classroom resources are
available at http://www.pbs.org/teachers/catinthehat. The show airs 7:30 a.m. daily and 1:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday and 6:30 a.m. Sundays on LPB1.
Biology Olympiad
The USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) is the premiere biology competition for high school students in the
United States, enriching the life sciences education of almost 11,000 talented students annually. The
program provides the motivation, curricular resources, and skills training to take students beyond their
classroom experience to the level of international competitiveness. After two rounds of challenging
exams, twenty Finalists are invited to a residential training program at Purdue University where they
experience labs and lectures with advanced biological concepts and exacting lab skills. Here, four
students earn the right to be named Team USA and represent the USA at the International Biology
Olympiad (IBO). The IBO is a worldwide competition involving student teams from sixty countries and will
be held in Taipei Taiwan July 10 to 17, 2011.
Since CEE began administering the USABO, every member of "Team USA" has received a medal at the
IBO. All four members of the teams from 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 won gold medals. 2010 Team USA
brought home three gold medals and one silver medal and the team’s combined score was the highest in
the world! For more information about how your students may participate in the USABO, please go to
http://www.cee.org/programs/usabo or email Kathy Frame at kframe@cee.org.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE
4
September Science News and Information
NASA Explorer Schools
The NASA Explorer Schools (NES) project is NASA's classroom-based gateway for middle school
(grades 4-8) and high school (grades 9-12) classrooms. NES provides free teaching and learning
resources that promote student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or
STEM. The project provides opportunities for teachers and students to participate in NASA's research
and discovery through inquiry-based experiences directly related to the work of NASA scientists and
engineers.
Classroom activities are coupled with special events featuring interactions with NASA's scientific and
technical workforce. Teachers have the opportunity to participate in professional development
experiences delivered through NES Virtual Campus technology to support effective classroom
implementation of NES resources. Each participant must be an administrator, aide, curriculum specialist,
educator, guidance counselor, media specialist, resource teacher or student teacher in a state or
nationally accredited K-12 education institution in the United States.
For more information and to schedule an orientation session, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/index.html.
Questions about the new NASA Explorer Schools project should be directed to
nasa-explorer-schools@mail.nasa.gov.
Awareness of STEM Careers
Texas Instruments (TI) and the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center (SCCC) are teaming up to promote
planning for careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine, collectively known
as STEM. Through TI’s Student Zone (http://education.ti.com/studentzone/StudentZoneUS/index.html)
and the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, (http://www.careercornerstone.org), students, parents,
teachers, and counselors have access to free, in-depth resources to help guide middle and high school
students in making decisions concerning their immediate math and science education. TI provides the
learning tools and resources that enable teachers to more effectively teach critical math and science
concepts and to make subjects more accessible to all students. The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
offers comprehensive preparation tips, salary data, job hunting ideas, personal interviews with hundreds
of people who offer candid insight into their own diverse careers, and updated lists of summer camps,
national programs and projects, and scholarship opportunities for middle and high school students.
Texas Instruments Free Resources
(1) Grant Writing Webinar: Learn how you can get technology into your classroom compliments of
outside funding. There are plenty of grants available even in this tough economy. Reserve your spot
for this September 22nd webinar and walk away with tips and strategies for winning grants. Register
here or use the URL,
https://tiedtech.webex.com/mw0306lb/mywebex/default.do;jsessionid=yYFkMHJRKnTr5V1J8RYBjPTPhCJG11P
sQlQlQFQ2QChSskQGVNTf!268164?service=1&siteurl=tiedtech&nomenu=true&main_url=/mc0805lb/meetingce
nter/meetinginfo/meetinginfo.do%3Fsiteurl%3Dtiedtech%26confID%3D406005581%26Action%3DMI%26PW%3
D%26FrameSet%3D2%26Host%3D28e81d0b232023!
(2) Become a Facebook Fan of Texas Instruments! TI just launched its own Facebook page to keep you
informed of the latest news regarding our Education Technology. TI encourages our fans to join in
and/or to lead a conversation with other educators around the country. Visit us at
http://facebook.com/ticalculators to become a fan!
(3) Looking for some training? Try www.education.ti.com/us/events. The TI Events Calendar shows
training opportunities in Louisiana and surrounding areas.
SAVE THE DATES:
T3 TM International Conference – San Antonio, TX (February 25-27, 2011)
NCTM Regional – New Orleans, LA (October 28-29, 2010)
(4) ONLINE COURSES – How about a free T3 (Teachers Teaching with TechnologyTM) online course?
Online courses are a convenient way to learn the functionality of TI products without having to travel
long distances. Look at www.education.ti.com/us/onlinecourses.
(5) For information on TI products and resources, contact your area TI rep, Wendy Peel at wpeel@ti.com
or Patrick Fariss – Education Products Coach at pfariss@ti.com.
Ann Wilson, Science Program Coordinator, LDOE
5