Upstate NY Science Teachers Learn From Cornell Scientists

High school science teachers from the Dundee Central School District in Dundee, NY will spend the next two years with scientists from Cornell University, developing and enhancing laboratory investigations that they can then pass on to their own students.

The first Xraise Science Teacher Workshop took place September 27 at Cornell as part of an outreach program of the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education (CLASSE).

That first session, held at the eXploration station behind the Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory on the Cornell campus, included a keynote by Ernie Fontes, associate director of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, who encouraged the teachers to evoke their students' sense of curiosity, creativity and wonder about science.
Dundee Central School District science teachers are learning how an atomic force microscope works at the Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory on the Cornell University campus.

Then Tom Hartman, a physics assistant professor, talked about his research on quantum gravity and quantum field theory before teachers did some lab experiments on the subject, all with the intention of passing on what they learned to their students back at Dundee.

"The students will love the relativity aspect of how muons make it to the Earth's surface," said Jim Greenhall, a high school teacher from Poughkeepsie, NY.

The high school teachers also learned about crystallography techniques, atomic force microscopy and X-ray fluorescence during their visit to the Wilson Lab facility.

The Xraise Science Teacher Workshop program, funded by a National Science Foundation grant, will allow teachers to spend about 90 hours over the next two years to develop programs at their own schools to increase their students' academic achievement.

"We at Xraise are looking forward to working with the Dundee science teachers to develop curriculum materials that that tie into the science of Wilson Lab and, at the same time, tie into the New York state learning standards," said Eva Luna, CLASSE teaching support specialist.

About the Author

Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.

Featured

  • classroom scene with students gathered around a laptop showing a virtual tour interface

    Discovery Education Announces Spring Lineup of Free Virtual Field Trips

    This Spring, Discovery Education is collaborating with partners such as Warner Bros., DC Comics, National Science Foundation, NBA, and more to present a series of free virtual field trips for K-12 students.

  • glowing padlock shape integrated into a network of interconnected neon-blue lines and digital nodes, set against a soft, blurred geometric background

    3 in 4 Administrators Expect a Security Incident to Impact Their School This Year

    In an annual survey from education identity platform Clever, 74% of administrators admitted that they believe a security incident is likely to impact their school system in the coming year. That's up from 71% who said the same last year.

  • horizontal stack of U.S. dollar bills breaking in half

    ED Abruptly Cancels ESSER Funding Extensions

    The Department of Education has moved to close the door on COVID relief funding for schools, declaring that "extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion."

  • pattern of icons for math and reading, including a pi symbol, calculator, and open book

    HMH Launches Personalized Path Solution

    Adaptive learning company HMH has introduced HMH Personalized Path, a K-8 ELA and math product that combines intervention curriculum, adaptive practice, and assessment for students of all achievement levels.