FOSS Summer Institute for Middle School Educators
FOSS Planetary Science Course, Second Edition

Tuesday, June 28– Friday, July 1, 2011
at The Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA
Download Brochure
REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

Institute and field trip activities

• In-depth experience with the instructional sequence in the FOSS Planetary Science Course, Second Edition for grades 6–8, presented by the developers of the course and experienced middle school FOSS teachers. This institute focuses on the expanded content of the new Planetary Science Course, Second Edition.
• Features of the Second Edition Middle School courses, including embedded notebooking, focus questions, assessment and next-step strategies, and enhanced multimedia.
• A tour of the Lawrence Hall of Science where the FOSS Program is developed.
• Thursday evening reception and dinner followed by a symposium featuring key speakers in the field of current planetary science research and education, including:
• Andy Fraknoi (Professor and Chair of Astronomy Department at Foothill College; Astronomical Society of the Pacific)
• Bill Borucki (Principal Investigator, NASA Kepler Mission; Ames Research Center)
• Natalie Batalha (Co-Investigator, NASA Kepler Mission; Professor of Physics and Astronomy at San Jose State University)
• Gibor Basri (Co-Investigator, NASA Kepler Mission; UC Berkeley Department of Astronomy)
• Guest speaker science and astronomy educator Edna DeVore (Deputy CEO and the Director of Education and Public Outreach at the SETI Institute).
• Friday evening closing reception at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland featuring beverages and appetizers, telescope viewing with astronomers, and a planetarium show.

Institute location
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/)

When
June 28–July 1, 2011 (Tuesday – Friday)
Plan to depart the Bay Area no earlier than Saturday, July 2, so you will be able to attend our special Friday evening wrap-up program.

Who should apply?
The institute is designed for curriculum coordinators, FOSS consultants involved in professional development of middle school teachers, and grades 6–8 teachers planning to use the Planetary Science Course, Second Edition in their classrooms. Teams from districts are encouraged to apply.

Educators familiar with FOSS Planetary Science, First Edition, will find this institute helpful to understand the new content and pedagogical research applied in the second edition course. We will discuss the FOSS teaching strategies, learning needs of middle-level students and teachers, and the use of science notebooks and embedded assessment as they relate to this FOSS course. Embedded notebooking, assessment, multimedia, and other components of the Second Edition Middle School courses will be specifically highlighted. As a result of the institute, participants will be prepared to introduce the Planetary Science Course, Second Edition to other educators and to support them in their teaching. Each participant will receive a set of the teacher and student print materials.

Registration is now closed.
There is a $200 registration fee for this 4-day institute. Registration is now CLOSED.

Lodging
Institute participants should make hotel arrangements at Hotel Shattuck Plaza in nearby downtown Berkeley, as transportation to and from the Lawrence Hall of Science will be provided from this location. A block of rooms is being held at a special group rate. Call the Shattuck Plaza directly (866-466-9199) to reserve a room on or before Sunday, May 29 to guarantee the group rate. You should ask for the Planetary Science group rate. For accommodations preview, you can visit the hotel website at http://hotelshattuckplaza.com/ . You will pay the hotel directly for your stay.

Transportation
Travel to and from the institute is your responsibility. If you will be flying in, use either the Oakland Airport (closer and more convenient) or San Francisco Airport. Plan to arrive Monday, June 27 and to depart no earlier than Saturday, July 2, so you can attend our special Friday evening program. Information about shuttles from the airport to the hotel will be included with your confirmation. We will provide transportation between the hotel and the institute at Lawrence Hall of Science each day.

Food
Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided each day of the institute. We will have a group dinner at the Lawrence Hall of Science Thursday evening, June 30, prior to the evening symposium.

More information
For additional information, contact Jessica Penchos: jpenchos@berkeley.edu, 510-642-8941 (phone), or fax 510-642-7387, attention Jessica Penchos.