Coming Soon...

• Leadership Team Elections November 23, 2009
• Portfolio Showcase December 7, 2009
• Zebrafish Reflections

Summer MUSEings...

This August a handful of Rochester Education students, former students and in-service teachers attended a week-long profesional development experience called MUSE. This collaboration between The Minnesota Science Mueseum and Winona State University took these teachers on a journey to understand the link between communication, Discourse and STEM integration. We teachers were challenged to define the nature of science, to question our beliefs about intelligence, to understand inquiry-based learning and to unpack the new science standards in an effort to find connections with other disciplines. All of this happened through authentic experiences that placed the teachers in the place of their students. We learned how to apprentice students into the different Discourses. The experiences were rich with language and tools often unfamiliar to us.

On one field trip to a highway cut on US 52, we measured the height of a columnar section called the Decorah Shelf using an inclinometer and a Jacob Staff. Few of us had ever heard of these tools let alone understood what they were used for, but by having an authentic experience we were able to understand that these tools help geologists understand changes in our area. The experience helped us to understand how the shelf is one of the ways our local drinking water is filtered and the need to preserve it. Think of the learning students could gain from such an experience! What we really took away from the experience was the need to teach students that they are the scientist, engineer, and mathematician and how to bridge those disciplines with language.

The week was filled with similar experiences that pulled in language arts, social studies and community building. I really felt connected to science in an authentic way for the first in my life. It is through these experiences that real meaning is made for students. The week was an amazing opportunity and I sincerely appreciate all involved in making it happen!

Colleen Loy

Tracy's NEA Adventure...

As member with NEA (National Education Association) and as a student within the EMSP (Education Minnesota Student Program) I had the opportunity to travel to San Diego this past Summer. It was a twelve day trip (June 26 through July 7) that helped me grow as a person and as an pre-service teacher.
The first part of the conference was the NEA Student Program session. The theme was Where in the World Are Your Core Values? At this portion we evaluated what was important to ourselves as educators. We were offered several different workshops to enhance our “toolbox” as educators. My favorite workshop was Welcome To The Jungle: Surviving Your First Year In The Classroom. The presenter offered great ideas for pre-service teachers and helped prepare us for what is to come as we start in the classroom.
Along the Student Program portion of the confrence I was able to go to Balboa Elementary school as a part out “Outreach To Teach.” Here we helped fix up the school. We painted, put bulletin boards up, did landscaping, painted murals, cleaned, and talked with teachers. Then we were invited back to see the students and talk with them about giving back to the community and how it is important to help out, without being required to do so.
At the second portion of my trip I was able to attend the NEA RA as a student delegate. Our group was at the San Diego Conference Center for the NEA RA. The atmosphere of the area was exciting and fun. Being with the National Education Association on July 4th was an amazing experience. The theme of the NEA RA this year is “Hope Starts Here.” The most inspirational part was when all of the student delegates and teachers under 30 were called up on the stage to be recognized that we are the future of education. The audience gave us a standing ovation. We sang Hero by Mariah Carey. Then we chanted “Hope Starts Here, Hope Starts Here, Hope Starts Here. It was at this point that I really realized the impact that we have upon the education system. It was a wonderful experience to spend the fourth with 10,000 educators. It gave me a sense of pride and gratitude for our country and our country’s educators.
Besides attending workshops and the RA I was able to enjoy the city of San Diego. I went to the famous San Diego Zoo, Ocean Beach, a Padres and Dodgers baseball game, lots of fun restaurants, and many different shopping areas. Overall the trip was amazing. I had a wonderful time and met many amazing people.

Torandoes!

On Wednesday, September 16, the Winona State University-Rochester Education department had another growing opportunity in sharing our expanding educator knowledge with eager Mayo Eugenio Litta's Children's Hospital patients and their family members.

The topic was excitedly chosen by the staff of the hospital, tornadoes we delivered!

As it was our third volunteering visit thus far, we were grateful to be welcomed by a total of seven patient participants, our largest crowd yet! Colleen Loy, Kelly Schrandt, and Cristen Schwab showed up as the team for the activities.The afternoon began with a book donation from EMSP. This picture/fact book by National Geographic was all about tornadoes and will remain in the patient play room for those to look back upon, when they wish.
Secondly, each child received supplies to create his or her own tornado. Attaching two, two-liter bottles with special connectors, adding water, glitter, and food coloring, the children laughed and smiled as they made each tornado, uniquely theirs. Spinning the contraption and watching the water create a funnel made eyes grow big and smiles appear!
The Magic School Bus then provided a 30 minute educational, entertainment blip on weather conditions. Ms. Frizzle and her students made the children laugh as they explored different atmospheres via their magic school bus.
Lastly, Kelly and his hard work paid off! He created a tornado vortex in order for all the patients to see what a real-life tornado looks like (in smaller scale) and also recognize the true workings of what happens during a storm such as this (soda bottles and water don't show the exact science ;) ). Impressive!

The afternoon flew by and patients lingered after closing, hoping to make more tornadoes. Supplies were left so that more could be created and we look forward to our next visit on Monday, October 26.

We are looking for volunteers available anywhere from 1-4. A "Build-it Festival" will be the topic of choice and we hope to create different types of architectural designs via supplies such as marshmallows, tooth pics, whatever your imagination can conjure up.

Please, as a token of reward to yourself, think about joining us this day!

Meeting Minutes

EMSP-WSU-Rochester
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9:00pm UCR EA 103

I. Call to Order

II. Old Business

• St. Croix Ropes

1.$23 half day; $43.50 full day

2. Possible dates include Oct. 10, Oct. 16, Nov. 7

• Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital Activity

1. Stations (3) – Vortex Chamber, Two-Liter Twisters, Magic School Bus

2.Supplies needed: blankets, funnels, glitter, food coloring, cameras

• Meet & Eat
  

1. Tentative Schedule:
5:00 to 5:35 Assigned groups for socialization and food (Logo choice)
5:35 to 5:40 Ryan Christiansen
5:40 to 5:50 St. Croix
5: 50 to 5:55 Handout
5:55 to 6:00 Final Thoughts

2. Colleen to buy remaining food (salad and dressings)

• T- shirt and Logo

1. Present to juniors at dinner use straw poll to decide on final design

2. Quotes will be obtained at later date

III. New Business

• EMSP Leadership Team to attend Student Advisory Meeting Sept. 17

1. 4 to 6pm CF 206/208

2. Where should we direct Student Senate funds?

3. Fund requests to be completed at next meeting

• Blog update

1. TRACY

IV. Review Tasks for next meeting

• Tracy – blog about San Diego trip to Ed. Minn. Conference
• Cristen – glitter, PPT slide for Meet & Eat
• Colleen - MUSE blog, create handout and script for M&E, salad
• Supplies for Tornado Activity

V. Adjournment

Next Meeting: Wednesday, September23, 2009; 8:30pm

Meeting Minutes

EMSP-WSU-Rochester
Wednesday, August 26th, 20098:30pm UCR EA 103

I. Call to Order

II. Old Business

• Eagle Bluff
  -Possible ropes course
  
• Rochester Education Summit
  -How does Junior Cohort fit into Ed. Summit?
  -What are EMSP duties?
  
• Buddy System
  -Dinner and discussion – “Meet and Eat” Sept.14th with Juniors
  -Division of duties
  
• Scholastic Books
  -Present to juniors at dinner

III. New Business

• EMSP priorities 2009-2010
  -Mayo Eugenio Litta Children’s Hospital
  -Fundraisers – T-shirts
  -More options to be discussed
  
• Tornado Activity
  -Kelly – Vortex Chamber
  -Colleen – book and movie
  
• Bulletin Board
  - Colleen Updated
  

IV. Review Tasks for next meeting

• Tracy – blog about San Diego trip to Ed. Minn. Conference
  Cristen – email Jennifer Rose
  Colleen - MUSE blog
  Supplies for Tornado Activity
  All – T-shirt designs
  

V. Adjournment
Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 9pm

Volcanic Eruptions!

(Used with written permission)

July 21st was W.S.U.-Rochester E.M.S.P.'s second time visiting with patients, meeting their families, and introducing everyone to volcanic eruptions. Colleen Loy and I started the activity with a book produced by the Smithsonian Institute on volcanoes written by Simon Seymour. From our point of view, the use of books to read to the group is important, but we may need to streamline this part of the activity since we have, for the second time, been given the comment that the kids appeared to becoming restless with the book. Maybe in the future we will simply donate a book and let the patients know it will be available to read when it is convenient. It has been emphasized in the past that enjoyment trumps education so it is our challenge to stuff as much of the latter into the activity!

This introduction to the subject was followed by my personal rock collection of volcanic rock from the Lake Superior Shoreline! Being the geology geek, I find it fascinating that over a billion years ago the North American continent attempted to diverge. This spreading in the middle of the continent lead to the outpouring of magma on and off over a span of millions of years. This evidence can be found up and down the superior shoreline and can read about from the numerous road-side plaques between Duluth and the Canadian border. These lava flows followed by glaciers gave us the Great Lakes!

Vesicular Basalt

These igneous rocks were a great way for the kids to understand and feel what lava feels like when it cools. The various colors represent different minerals found in each rock. The holes in these rocks once housed trapped gas bubbles.

The activity today centered on the fact that there are different types of volcanic eruptions. These eruptions are dependent on several factors that include whether the eruption occurs above a subduction zone or a hot spot. These two areas produce different mixtures (mineral content) of magmas that, because of their crystal structure, allow gases to either easily release from the magma creating a smooth and non-explosive eruption (Hawai’i) or the magma's structure does not allow gas to escape, which in turn builds pressure within the magma. This pressure continues to build until it is suddenly released in a violent and explosive eruption such as Mt. St. Helen in 1980.



The items used in this activity are for a single volcano. Magma ingredients include baking soda, vinegar, red food coloring, and strawberry Quik (for the slower lava simulation). The tools used include measuring cups and funnels to pour the ingredients into the centrifuge tube. This centrifuge tube would already be placed in the middle of the volcano. For the slow magma eruption (low viscosity), a chopstick was used to help stir the baking soda with the vinegar and Quik. The vinegar and the baking soda had their separate measuring cups and funnels to keep the activity clean. The volcano and magma ingredients are based out of the G.E.M.S. guide.

Working with two patients, ages four and five, Colleen and I helped them erupt their volcanoes. Unfortunately, several patients were unable to participate in erupting volcanoes after the reading of the book. We talked about what magma is (molten rock) and that it cools above ground as lava to form into rock again. I explained that we are going to create two different types of volcanic eruptions: one that is smooth and gentle and another that will be explosive- but not too explosive. We emphasized that the chemical we are working with are friendly ingredients used in cooking our food. Unlike read magma, we do not have to worry about being burned by the magma we are creating today. The ingredients were prepared and measured out for each patient as they poured the mixture into their volcanoes. Both patients preferred that we do one at a time so the other could watch. The first eruption involved an example of a slow, fluid lava flow. The ingredients for this eruption included baking soda, vinegar, and Quik. From here I reinforced that the idea that this mixture, which represented magma, was safe to touch and that it wouldn’t hurt you. The patients poured in the vinegar/Quik mixture first followed by the baking soda. After the baking soda was poured into the tube, each child stirred the ingredients promoting the chemical reaction that poured over their fingers. The patients were hesitant of what was going to happen and enjoyed seeing the Strawberry lava poured from the top the volcanoes.

(Used with written permission)

Next came the exciting part: the explosive eruption. Well, not really that explosive, but it left this next eruption with a pop and grew anticipation with the patients. Once again, all ingredients were pre-measured and mixed before the patients poured them in with a funnel. For the explosive eruption, emphasis was placed on the fact that some magma does not easily release gas bubbles. Because most of these gas bubbles are not released, tremendous pressure builds up until the volcano erupts. In our case, we mix the baking soda to the vinegar and then quickly plug the centrifuge tube. This plug needs to be placed very quickly to get the best effect. First, the patients pour in the baking soda and then the tricky part- once the vinegar and red-food coloring is poured in, the funnel needs to be removed quickly and the plug placed deep enough so more pressure is required to pop the plug off of the top of the volcano. The patients are obviously excited once I explain to them this next step with vinegar to pour in one hand and the plug to the centrifuge in their other hand. After the vinegar is poured in, the magma begins to bubble up as I remove the funnel. The patient urgently places the plug in the centrifuge! We all sit back and wait. Seconds pass in anticipation. Pop! Gleeful laughter erupts from the patients as the plug shoots upward from the volcanoes and lands a short distance at its base. As a side-note, after creating these volcanoes, they were all sprayed with a sealer so the baking soda/vinegar, red food coloring could be wiped away after each eruption and ideally re-used multiple times.

We talked about how scientist observe subjects such as volcanoes and record what they see with pictures, photographs and the written word. After each eruption, we asked the patients to draw what they observed on prepared activity sheet.

After working with these two patients, I went to three rooms where did a condensed version of my lecture to patients, their siblings, and parents. Bringing my vesicular basalt was a last minute thought and I was happy I did so. These rocks were a great jumping off point when I began talking about gases in magma and how some gases escape easier in some magma than in others. It was significant that those that I talked to were able to hold and experience volcanic rock. More importantly is the fact that these rocks are from Minnesota and not from some far off land. In some of the rooms, I had more conversations with the parents than I did with the patients! Of the two volcanic eruptions Colleen and I had created earlier, I only modeled the explosive volcanic eruption since their take-away bags had the example of the smoother eruption.

Thirteen take-away bags included a 6 oz. container with pre-mixed vinegar and red food coloring, one container of baking soda, and an information card with our logo, ingredients to make more magma, the explanation of the chemical reaction taking place when the baking soda and vinegar are mixed, instructions when mixing this magma, and sources to help with making your own volcano. These items were placed within a plastic bag and handed out to participating patients and to those who missed this activity. (Note: the container in this photograph is a 12 oz. container and not a 6 oz. container)

Thank you to Dr. Maggie Hoody for providing me with the G.E.M.S. book, ideas for the day, and numerous supplies. Thanks also to Cristen Schwab for laminating the take-away cards.

Activity Sources:
G.E.M.S. Lawrence Hall of Science. Plate Tectonics: The Way the Earth Works, written by Kevin Cuff with Ian Carmichael and Carolyn Willard

Kelly James Schrandt