K-6 Physical Science SOL Course - PHYS 611
July 11 – July 22, 2005 at the University of Virginia
K-6 Physical Science SOL Course - PHYS 611
This course will provide K-6 teachers hands-on experience in the principles and applications of physical science. No previous college physics courses are assumed. During the summers of 2005 and 2006 we plan to cover a considerable amount of the science standards of the Virginia SOLs and the National Science Education Standards for grades K-6. The courses are PHYS 611 (summer 2005) and PHYS 612 (summer 2006). These are each three credit hour courses for graduate credit professional studies. The subjects that we intend to cover in PHYS 611 include scientific investigation, reasoning, logic, force, motion, energy, magnetism, sound, electricity, light/optics, simple/compound machines. For PHYS 612 (summer 2006) we will cover matter, liquids, solids, temperature, heat, weather, physical and chemical properties, chemical changes, atoms, water and the water cycle, Earth and its resources, moon, planets, stars, space science. Note that these two courses not only will cover all of physical science, but also much of earth and space science. It will not include geology.
Groups of four students (teachers) will perform hands-on activities in a cooperative learning atmosphere. Short lectures will be given only when needed or requested. A computer is at each lab table for various purposes including use of spreadsheets (Excel) in analyzing data. The math level is low.
This is a graduate credit course, PHYS 611. Students will receive three graduate credits from the University of Virginia. Grades will be determined by a combination of participation, lab journal (major part), homework, and short quizzes. Instead of a final exam, each teacher will be responsible for producing a major lesson plan. The due date for this lesson plan will be discussed with the participants.
PHYSICS
611 COURSE DETAILS:
Dates: July 11 – July 22, 2005. approximately 8:30 am – 4 pm, Monday-Friday
Location: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Physics
Building, Room 22. The physics building is located next to Ruffner Hall (School
of Education).
Application: In order to be considered as a participant
for this summer workshop/course, you must fill out the online
application. Please do so by June 3 to be considered for the stipend and
housing allowance( see below).
Instructors: Co-Instructors: Jenine Pendleton, Charlottesville High School Chemistry and Physics
Teacher; Carole Anderson, 5th grade teacher at Upper Walker Elementary
School, Charlottesville. Stephen
Thornton, UVa Professor of Physics, is the course developer and instructor
of record and will be present during part of the course.
Prerequisite: Undergraduate degree and presently a teacher; or permission of Professor Thornton, please call 434-924-6808 or e-mail stt@virginia.edu if you are not presently a teacher. This course is not appropriate for a teacher above grade 6.
Course Registration: Advanced course registration is required through the UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies’ University (Charlottesville) Center. On-line course registration is available by clicking here. Or call 434-982-5313 to register by phone.
Tuition: The tuition is $600 for a Virginia resident and $900 for non-Virginia resident. In addition there is a $12 technology fee. We expect that your local school system will help pay part of this tuition.
Stipends: We asked for funds to give teachers a stipend
of $500 for the PHYS 611 course. We do have some priorities in determining
who receives a stipend. We must give teachers from the participating school
divisions in our proposal (this includes Albemarle, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford,
Buckingham, Campbell, Clarke, Fluvanna, Greene, Hanover, Louisa, Madison,
Nelson, Orange, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Manassas
Park, Staunton, Waynesboro, Warren, and Winchester school divisions) the highest
priority for funding. Then we will fund Virginia teachers and then teachers
from outside Virginia. Please do not hesitate to apply based on these priorities,
because we have always been able in the past to fund at some level all teachers
who want to participate. We will base our funding decision amounts on those
applications we have on June 3, 2005. We will try to fund participants who
register after this date, but it is not guaranteed.
Housing: We asked for funds to support some of the participants in university housing. Our expectation is that those teachers living close to Charlottesville will commute. If we have more requests for housing than we have funds, we will use the priority system mentioned above for the stipend. We again will make these decisions based on the applications we have on June 3, 2005. Participants are responsible for making their own UVa housing reservations, but you should wait until you receive indication from us that you have been accepted. To register for housing call 434-924-4479 and inform them that you are attending the physics summer workshop. We will give you more information later.
There are expectations from the No Child Left Behind program that your school division will share in the support of these courses. We hope that most of you will be able to obtain some housing or tuition support from your local school system. We also hope your school system may provide travel funds for you (if you live in Virginia) to attend the reunion session at the annual Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST) conference in Roanoke, November 17-19,2005.