TEA Collaborative Learning Group
Team Meetings

King
2003

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Date: April 16, 2002
Duration: 4 hours
Location: Castle Heights Elementary
Parcticipants: Tina King, Sue Smartt, Terry McDonald

Goal(s) of Meeting
„h Present Antarctic experience to Wilson County Reading Council „h Update and discuss future plans for joint presentation at fall conference

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
„h Multi-media presentation of Antarctic experience to reading council „h Discuss importance of integration of reading and science „h Plans discussed to pull TEA Associates into inquiry ice investigation and TEA benefits by making a joint presentation at the TSTA fall conference „h Teachers learn by sharing ideas and presenting activities to other teachers. It helps build a resource network, as well as gives an opportunity to grow as a leader in education. This is one of my goals for my TEA Associates. (Follow up meeting with Sue Smartt on September 10, 2002, for further discussion of integrating reading literature with science.) „h Continue to develop ideas, activities, and relate polar research to encourage learning for the teacher and the classroom.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
„h Integrate reading and math with science „h Incorporate inquiry-based learning to pull students into a greater understanding of science, discovery, and thinking beyond the box. „h Encourage utilizing journal entries and TEA activities from the vast resource of TEAs who have gone to the Polar Regions. „h Follow TEAs in the field to pull current science research into the classroom.

Additional reflections:
My goal is to use the TEA¡¦s time wisely by working to meet the needs and interests of the individual TEA Associates and their classrooms. I also feel it is important to work as a group to brainstorm and create learning within our students. I believe it is important to make this experience relevant for the TEA Associates by encouraging their personal and professional growth, and in turn inspiring learning within the students. Since TEA provides free and easily accessible resources and activities, the potential to learn and grow is unlimited. I hope to help the TEA Associates establish goals and become aware of the resources and networking system TEA shares to bring polar research to students. I¡¦d like to encourage their growth by working together to add to the TEA network through the development of polar activities and subsequent presentations
Date: May 13-14, 2002
Duration: 4 hours
Location: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Parcticipants: Tina King, Bob King, Sue Smartt, Terry McDonald, Dr. Sam Bowser, P.I.

Goal(s) of Meeting
1. Dr. Sam Bowser flew into Nashville to meet students, TEA Associates, educators, and the community. 2. Reception and multi-media presentation to introduce Dr. Bowser and his Antarctic research project to the school board, superintendent, supervisors, students, teachers, and community.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
1. Dr. Bowser met with the TEA Associates at the reception on May 13th, as well as the next morning to make a presentation to the TEA Associates' students. This enabled the TEA Associates and their students to meet the scientists they had followed in the field the previous season. 2. The presentations from Dr. Bowser gave the TEA Associates a better understanding of his research project in Antarctica.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
„h Multi-media presentation helped the TEA Associates feel connected to Dr. Bowser¡¦s project „h Dr. Bowser explained the science process to get to his science in such a cold harsh environment. „h Dr. Bowser shared information on foraminifera and the reason for going to Antarctica to find Astrammina rara.

Additional reflections:
Bringing the scientist to the TEA Associates, students, educators, and the community brought a sense of reality to my TEA experience in Antarctica. Although, they knew I was going to Antarctica to work in the field with scientists, Dr. Bowser made the experience credible. It gave us the opportunity to make a joint presentation and to bring the TEA Associates into the TEA experience.
Date: May 25, 2002
Duration: 5 hours
Location: West Elementary
Parcticipants: Tina King, Bob King, Sue Smartt, Terry McDonald

Goal(s) of Meeting
„h Met to demonstrate, teach, and review a hands-on, inquiry-based ¡§ice investigation¡¨ to Sue and Terry „h Discuss ways to implement in classroom „h Discuss results and outcome of the fourth grade students¡¦ extended learning and further inquiry with the ice investigations. „h Discuss the ice investigations link to polar research „h Decide on schedule and roles of each team member for upcoming presentation at the TSTA conference.

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
„h Active TEA Associate parcticipation and review of inquiry-based ice investigation developed by Tina and Bob King „h Encourage implementation of ice investigation into classrooms: inexpensive and easy preparation „h Discuss implementation, helpful hints, and strategies to promote success of activity. „h Discuss the importance of inquiry-based learning vs. hands-on learning „h Encourage extended investigations, summarization, and making new discoveries. (I met with Terry McDonald for one hour on May 24th to discuss inquiry-base ice investigations in order to help her prepare for this activity with her seventh grade students. She needed to buy or gather supplies for this investigation in her classroom.)

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
„h In an age with limited time, discuss why going beyond the lesson to do extended investigations proves to be a valuable experience for students. „h By investigating their own questions, students¡¦ understanding and learning is enhanced by making discoveries. „h Inquiry-based learning encourages observation skills, as well as develops skills to compare, contrast, categorize, organize thoughts, and gain a better understanding to what they are learning „h Students seek knowledge as they make discoveries. One question leads to more questions, and hopefully students will be encouraged to do additional research on the Internet or though books to find answers.

Additional reflections:
It is important to create the ¡§need¡¨ to know inside each student. Inquiry-based learning and polar research captures the attention to pull students into learning. My goal is to use this enthusiasm to motivate students and teachers to ¡§seek¡¨ knowledge. Greater learning takes place when a student sees the connection, relates knowledge, and develops the intrinsic need to learn. It¡¦s important for students to see their teacher learning along with them.
Date: November 22, 2002
Duration: 8 hours
Location: TSTA Conference, Nashville, Tennessee
Parcticipants: Team members: Tina King, Bob King, Sue Smartt, Terry McDonald

Goal(s) of Meeting
„h Attend TSTA (Tennessee Science Teachers Association)Conference to improve science knowledge „h Engage in new ideas and activities to integrate other disciplines with polar research „h Present inquiry-based ice investigation at TSTA (We also gave out the NSF Press Clips, Antarctic booklets and literature. We informed parcticipants of the TEA program and polar research.)

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
„h Attend conference to gain ideas to connect polar research „h TEA Associates presented and taught inquiry-based ice investigation „h TEA made a brief Antarctic presentation with short video clip of Antarctic experience and presented outcome and results of fourth grade students¡¦ extended ice investigations. „h Informed parcticipants of the TEA program and the science NSF sponsors in the Polar Regions.

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
„h Video clip and information about TEA Antarctic experience „h Encourage math and measurement with science to help students gain understanding to make connections to other concepts and learning. „h Ice is a wonderful medium to spark students¡¦ interests before the lesson begins. „h Students connect ice with the polar regions. „h Teaching Math skills: perimeter, diameter, circumference, decimals, and linear measurement evolve into an inquiry-based lesson. „h Students investigate to see if the dimensions of the ice will make a difference in the way the ice will float in the water. „h Students gain when the end of a lesson leads to more questions to investigate.

Additional reflections:
The best part of the ice investigation was the students¡¦ extended inquiry-based investigations that were based on their ¡§I wonder if¡K.?¡¨ questions. My fourth grade students gained when they had the opportunity to plan their investigation, gather needed supplies, present to the class, organize notes, make charts to share results, and to verbally summarize their results to the teacher. The final summary with photos of investigation pulled the results together. The summarization proved to be the best part of the learning. By pre-testing the ice investigation at three different grade levels, we discovered learning within our students, as well as the importance of teaching students how to learn. The students¡¦ investigations far surpassed the original investigation. By taking the time to let the students go beyond the hands-on, we could see the growth within the students as they moved to the inquiry-based questions, and then to the verbal summarization. Students gain tremendously when they are given the opportunity to present, organize, and communicate the results of the project to other students. Inquiry-based lessons encourage growth in the teacher as well as the students. It also lets the teacher see the potential and strengths inside the students. This process affected the students and teacher because a higher level of learning took place. This learning becomes a part of the student as it builds a stronger foundation for future connections.
Date: January 15, 2002 to January 15, 2003
Duration: Daily interactions and collaboration
Location: Local, state, national, and international
Parcticipants: Tina King, Bob King

Goal(s) of Meeting
„h Co-write the inquiry-based ice investigation „h Discuss ways to integrate math and technology with science „h Continue growth and learning through workshops and field trips led by professors and teachers. „h Discuss and edit papers, activities, and student involvement „h Prepare, gather, and setup for presentations and workshops „h Make joint Antarctic multi-media presentations „h Discuss, review, and make changes to pre-tested activities „h Discuss polar research: current and past topics „h Feedback, suggestions, comments, constructive criticism „h Connect non-polar/polar environments by learning how Antarctica relates to the Earth system. „h Develop activities „h Attend state and national workshops „h Visit students and teachers: local, state, national, and international „h Edit Antarctic film for presentations „h Challenge and give a different perspective to the other¡¦s thinking. (Our goals have been to constantly learn, share, and develop new activities, resources, and knowledge.)

Overview of Session (e.g., resources used, discussion points, next steps, etc.):
„h Build on ideas while brainstorming „h Promote excitement for learning by finding ways to make connections for students. „h Continued learning, discussion, and reflection promotes growth „h Find ways to implement and share learning about the Polar Regions, inquiry-based learning, and resources. „h Encourage learning in others by making learning relevant. „h Integrate math, reading, and technology with polar science. „h Connect the sciences: Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

How did your team address pedagogy, content, the process of science, and the use of technology during the session?
„h Belief that teachers must continue to learn and grow along with their students. „h Students must see the connections within the sciences and other disciplines. „h Inquiry-based learning teaches higher level thinking skills and motivates students to learn as it builds understanding. „h Science is not just a subject to learn, but rather an integral part of our lives. „h Polar science encourages students to see a bigger picture, beyond their own backyards. „h Teacher networking is essential for making connections and building resources. TEA provides the opportunity to network with highly enthusiastic teachers. „h Sharing ideas, activities, and learning make a difference for teachers and students. „h Communicating and summarizing (despite time constraints) should be factored into the students¡¦ education. „h Science needs to be integrated with other learning. „h Students need to build understanding as they learn science content. Investigations lead to discovery, then to better questions. Following current science research in the Polar Regions motivate students to learn while building a better understanding of science.

Additional reflections:
The TEA program has added tremendously to my growth and development. Bob King has lived with this experience, made connections, and impacted others through his learning and teaching. I have seen his growth over the last couple of years, as he gained new information, developed activities, and tested ideas with his students. He easily integrates math, technology, and science. His love for learning and his vested interest in the TEA Antarctic experience has contributed to my learning, as well as to his students. His positive spirit, common sense ideas, enthusiasm, and dedication to education has been an inspiration and asset in helping transfer this experience to other teachers and students. Now that my other TEA Associates are settling into their new teaching assignments, we plan to hold additional meetings and workshops relating to their field. Our future plans include a further integration of reading, math, and technology with polar science research, inquiry-based learning, and applying math through measurement and working with graphs and data. As we develop activities, we will continue to share them at workshops and conferences.