Selected Nevada science teachers who have spent their summers developing special portable science instruction kits will show them off in a statewide videoconference August 8. Joined together by the Desert Research Institute's Distance Education Program, the 28 teachers from elementary, middle and high schools will demonstrate their "Science Box Traveling Kits" from locations in Las Vegas, Reno, Elko and Winnemucca.
Dr. Susan Moore, DRI's distance education coordinator, said the teachers designed the special classroom teaching aids based on the instructional objectives outlined in the "Draft" State Science Standards. Moore said the Science box program produced 15 kits that were circulated to classrooms throughout Nevada during the past school year.
The kits are packaged in airline roll-on bags and circulated on a first-come, first-serve basis to requesting teachers. Instructional topics included chemical reactions, heredity, earth history, ecology stewardship, among others, and had students handling earthworms and comparing common genetic traits to understand scientific principles.
The program is sponsored by grants from the Dwight D. Eisenhower and UCCSN Distance Education Program. In addition, teachers will be sponsored by the Nevada Space Grant Consortium, Fuel Cells 2000, the Nevada Natural Resource Education Council, and the Nevada Area health Education Centers. The teachers for this summer's program were selected by a committee of educational advisors and teachers who have previously participated.
-Clark County: Ada Garner, Lincoln Elementary School, Shelley Kresyman, R.E. Tobler Elementary School, Melanie Mathews, Virgin Valley High School, Susan Mecham, Rancho High School, Carolyn Northrup, James Gibson Elementary School, Harley Queen, John Dailey Elementary School, Grant Roelf, Hyde Park Academy of Science And Mathematics, Georgia Smith, Robert Lunt Elementary School, Camille Stack, Mojave High School, Sally A. White, Mahlon Brown Junior High School;
- Carson City: Casey Gilles, Seeliger Elementary School, Julie Lynn Koop, Carson High School;
- Douglas County: Gail Bushey, Dayton Elementary School;
- Elko County: Linda Lesperance, Grammar Two Elementary School, Sharon Mortenson, Southside Elementary School, Kim E. Willis, Mountain View Elementary School;
- Humboldt County: Jim Blattman, Lowry High School, Teresa Stein, French Ford Middle School;
- Nye County: Deborah Peltz, Beatty Middle/High School;
- Lander County: Valerie Andersen, Austin Elementary School;
- Lincoln County: Deborah K. Tyler, Pahranagat Valley Elementary School;
- Washoe County: Eddie Jo Goodwin, Lemmon Valley Elementary School, Teresa H. Kennedy, Our Lady of the Snows School, Bobbi Metzger, Anderson Elementary School, Dale O'Brien, Libby Booth Elementary School, Aileen Jo Peregoff, Petrina McCarty Puhl, Robert McQueen High School, Stead Elementary School, Mark E. Rogers, Pyramid Lake High School.