Maine Science

Newsletter of the Maine Science Teachers Association

Visit us at www.mainescienceteachers.org
May 2006

President’s Letter
Dear Members,

As the new president of Maine Science Teachers Association, I want to

take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am in my 26th year of
teaching – my 12th year at Gardiner High School. The first 14 were at
Madison High School. I currently teach Lab Chemistry, AP Chemistry,
and 9 th grade science (physical and earth science). The students I teach
range from the AP students to the students with special needs.

MSTA is working to find new ways to support the I look forward to serving as your president. If
work you do in the classroom. There are many you have suggestions for the board to
challenges in our work. It is sometimes difficult to consider, please pass them along. We need
be released from the classroom or find the money you input to better help us meet your needs.
to attend good professional development. Along
with our annual conference, we have offered Have a great spring,
some shorter professional development
opportunities (i.e. a mission at the Challenger
Center, an outdoor experiences in the woods
Mary
around China Elementary school). If you have an Mary Whitten
opportunity that you would like to offer contact me MSTA 2006-2007 President
or another board member. We would love to have
you share your knowledge and experiences.

We are also looking at providing useful

information on our website. One example is Please Remember to save the
providing you a place to find the current state laws dates September 29th & 30th
that impact what we can do and use in the
science classrooms. This would include things like for the Maine Science
using li ve animals, chemical storage and disposal,
use of blood or other body fluids, and plants that
Teachers Association Annual
can/can’t be used. I am looking for a few people Conference.
who can help take the information and put it in a
useful format for our membership. If you are
Inside this issue:
interested in helping with this project, please MSTA & Maine News .......................Pp 2-9
contact me. NSTA and Other National News.......Pp 10-14
Professional Development...............Pp15-18
Teacher & Student Resources……..Pp19-22
 MSTA 2006-2007 Conference

The Maine Science Teachers Association invites you to mark your calendars for the 2006-2007
conference on September 29th and 30th. The Buker School building in Augusta is the proposed
site for the two-day conference activities. We plan to have strands that have been popular with
our members in the past.

Proposed Strands: Presentations by:

Science & Literacy Department of Education
Earth, Life & Physical Science MMSA
Environmental Science Area Teacher Leaders in Science Education
Technology in the Science Classroom NASA Materials
Maine Learning Results Update & NSTA Bookstore
Implications for Classroom Teachers Exhibitors & Door Prizes
Family Science Night and “The Sky Connection” Planetarium
A "Call for Presenters" will be posted on the listserv in the coming week. The presenter and
exhibitor forms will also be posted on the MSTA website at www.mainescienceteachers.org.

The contact person for the conference is Sharon Gallant. She may be reached at
sgallant@sad11.k12.me.us.

Fall Conference Notes:

The 2005-2006 Annual MSTA Conference was held in January at the University of Maine in
Farmington. The format was different in that we held sessions on both Friday and Saturday. There were
two-and-a-half hour sessions along with our traditional hour-long sessions. We also hosted a Family
Science Night for the first time. Area families joined us on Friday night and approximately 100 parents
and kids participated. New to our format was a special 3-D presentation after lunch for all to enjoy.
National Semiconductor also presented the awards to this year’s recip ients at our conference.

We would like to thank our sponsors: National Semiconductor for hosting the Science and
Action awards reception, PAEMST for sponsoring the Saturday morning continental breakfast,
Farmington Hannaford for their support of the Family Science Night and The Sky Connection for
providing programs for the families during Family Science Night. We would also like to acknowledge
our exhibitors: The Sky Connection, Usborne Books, Prentice Hall, Delta Education, Great Source,
Acadia National Park, Energy Teachers.org, Tilbury House, Flinn Scientific, Quizdom, Holt Rinehart and
Winston, CPO Science, The Rock Detective, Maine Environmental Education Association, NSDL, Ferry
Beach Ecology School,
National Geographic School Publishing, NSTA, EAST Alliance, Maine Department of Environmental
Protection, Chewonki, and Maine Energy Education Program. A special thank you to those who provided
door prizes for our members throughout the conference.

We thank UMF and especially, Professor Andrea Freed, for their support prior to and during our
first attempt to host the conference on a date other than the Friday prior to Columbus Day Weekend. The
MSTA board is already hard at work on the next conference scheduled for September. Please see the
article on the 2006-2007 Conference also in this newsletter.

Laurette Darling, Vice President

2
 January 2006 Conference Candids

President Mary Whitten & Jim Cook open the show Teachers learn new Hands-On Skills

Nation Semiconductor “Science in Action” Awards Ceremony Business is brisk at the NSTA Bookstore

Lynn Farrin conducts a Science & Literacy session The Inflatable Planetarium was a big hit during the Family
Science night

3
The best part of setting up for Family Science is getting to play with Kids and Parents enjoy Family Science Night
the equipment!

MSTA Officers for 2006

Mary Whitten, Gardiner High School, President
Laurette Darling, China Primary School, Vice President
George Powers, Bangor High School, Treasurer
Lynn Farrin, MMSA, Secretary

From the Family Science Night

After the Family Science Night that was held in

“Dear Laurette,
conjunction with the January MSTA
Conference, I received the following email.
I would love for you to use our comments on
family science night. Since that weekend my
“Our family wanted to express a huge thank you
children still show a strong interest in stars.
for such a fun filled evening. Our children raved
In fact, we just went to the library just about a
about this night all weekend. You staff was so week ago to print a star constellation map for
friendly, and offered such a variety of fun filled every month of the year. They are so excited
learning experiments. The best part is, My
about this. One day, they might be putting on
children have taken in interest in studying the
their very own science night!!! You’re welcome
stars. They have been able to identify the star
to use my full name. If there is anything else I
constellations they learned about in the
can do to help feel free to email.
planetarium. It is experiences like this that
make learning fun. Thank you, your time and Thank You,
attention to this night is greatly appreciated.
Sally McCabe”
The McCabe Family”
It’s nice to know that we had such a positive
I sent the McCabe’s a note asking their
impact on one family. Family Science nights are
permission to reprint their email. They
fun for kids, parents and teachers. Maybe you
responded with the following: should sponsor one at your school!

Laurette Darling

4
 Governor’s Academy Cohort 2 hosted by Governor Baldacci at the Blaine
House in November. This is the second math
MSTA members photographed here deserve our and science cohort sponsored by MMSA.
congratulations as they “graduated” from the
Governor’s Academy. They joined other Math
and Science teacher leaders for a reception

MSTA Dine and Discuss- China School Forest

Anita Smith and Elaine Philbrook, Project

Learning Tree coordinators and China Schools
teachers, hosted a Dine and Discuss at the China
School Forest in the Fall. Pat Maloney and
students from Unity College joined us. We
walked the trail while they explained how the
school forest was designed. If you have
suggestions for future “Dine and Discuss”
activities, please contact ldarling@fairpoint.net

Laurette Darling

5
 2005-2006 Science in Action Award
Maine Winners
National Semiconductor is proud to announce
the winning projects of the first Science in
Action Awards. Six Maine school projects were
chosen to receive awards. Congratulations to:
Science Sleuths , Nancy March, Karin Felmly,
Jen Kugler, Kim Spencer, Yarmouth Elementary
School, Yarmouth; Motion and Speed -- Let
the Race Begin! Julie Knowlton, Elaine Tardiff,
Melanie Hussey, Rob Borden, Milo Elementary
School, Milo; The Golden Mousetrap Award,
Mark Woida, Deer Isle -Stonington Elementary
School, Deer Isle; Finn Brook Stewards
Address the State of The Stream, Karen
McCormick, Mark Trask, Whitefield
Elementary School, Whitefield; Experimenting
with Solar Energy and Motion, Donna Oliver,
Susanne Gallant, Lisa Beers, Eddington School,
Eddington; Monitoring a "Natural" Security
Crisis in our Backyard, Christina Chambers-
Miller; Wiscasset Middle School, Wiscasset.
Two Maine Science Teachers, Mark Trask and Karen McCormick from the Whitefield School
receive their awards at the MSTA Fall Conference
6
The Science in Action Award program,
sponsored by National Semiconductor and in
partnership with the Maine Mathematics and
Science Alliance, was created to recognize and
reward inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum
projects. Selected individual teachers receive up
to $2,000 to purchase materials for their
classroom and receive a personal award of
$1,000. Selected teacher groups can receive up
to $5,000 to purchase materials, divided between
classrooms and receive personal awards of
$2,000, divided among the group. For more
information about this award and this year’s
winning projects visit www.nsawards.com.
Science in Action Award
Application deadline for
upcoming school year:
October 12, 2006
 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
(PAEMST)
Congratulations to Steve DeAngelis from
Maranacook Community School in
Readfield on his 2005 Presidential Awards
for Excellence in Science Teaching
(www.paemst.org.) The Presidential
Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and
Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the nation's
highest honor for teachers of mathematics
and science for their contributions in the
classroom and to their profession. Our other
state finalist in science was Jeffrey Jay
Steinert from Edward Little High School in
Auburn. Steve will receive $10,000 from the
National Science Foundation and a paid trip
for two to Washington, DC for the week-
long recognition events and professional
development activities. (He’s there right
now!)
Elementary applications have been
submitted for the 2006 outstanding K-6
teachers in Math and Science. If you are a
grades 7-12 Math or Science teacher and
plan to apply next year, or are
thinking about applying for next year, you
should contact Tad Johnston, our state
coordinator for both math and science, at
Tad.Johnston@maine.gov.

MSTA Electronic Newsletter

You have been sent this issue of the Maine Science Teachers Association Newsletter as an email
attachment because the costs of printing and mailing a traditional paper newsletter have
skyrocketed in the past year. If you have changes in your email address information or in any of
the information on your membership form, please lest me know so that we can keep our records
up to date and make sure you continue to receive regular copies of the MSTA News. Any
submissions or ideas for future MSTA Newsletter articles should also be sent to me at my new
email address ldarling@fairpoint.net.

Thank you!

Laurette Darling, Newsletter Editor

7
 Maine Science Teachers Association (MSTA)

Membership Form

Please complete the information below.

Please note: Purchase orders are a tremendous burden for your volunteer registrar.

Name _______________________________________ Position ________________________________

Home Address________________________________________________________________________
Home City/Town ______________________________________________________________________
Home State _________ Home Zip ____________

School or organization _________________________________________________________________

School/Organization Addresss __________________________________________________________
School/Organization City/town ___________________________________________________________
School/Organization State _________ School/Organization Zip ____________

Telephone: Home ____________________________ Work ____________________________

Email__________________________________________ Fax # _______________________________

Preferred mailing address (for newsletter, etc) [ ] home [ ] organization

Level: [ ]K-2 [ ]3-4 [ ] 5-8 [ ] high school [ ] college [ ] pre-service

We are in the process of planning next year’s Annual Conference.

Please check strands of interest:
[ ] Science and Literacy [ ] Standards Based Kits
[ ] Physical Science [ ] Inquiry
[ ] Ocean Science [ ] Science Labs of the Future
[ ] Environmental Science [ ] NASA and Earth/Space Science
[ ] Technology [ } Professional Development
[ ] Assessment [ ] Other __________________________

If you would like to renew your membership or join the organization, please send $15 to the address
below.

Please Make Checks Payable to MSTA and Mail to:

Maine Science Teachers Association
George Powers, Registrar
41 17th St.
Bangor, ME 04401-3139
Questions (207) 942-0616

8
 Maine Learning Results for Science and Technology Revised
On April 7, 2006 the Maine Department of You may access the document, support materials
Education posted the proposed revised Maine and online survey at
Learning Results standards. All teachers of http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/review/sci
science and technology from PK – Diploma are ence.html
asked to go online now and review the proposed
revised standards for science and technology. In The survey will close May 31, 2006.
addition to the documents there are important
explanatory materials and an online survey that Thank you for taking the time to be part of this
has been set up to collect feedback. The important work.
feedback collected will inform the final draft of
the standards that will be brought before the Anita Bernhardt
Legislature for approval in January 2007.

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 126

POLICY CODE: IKF
TO: Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Principals, Career and Technical Education
Center Directors, Curriculum Coordinators, Guidance Counselors and School Health
Coordinators
FROM: Susan A Gendron, Commissioner of Education
DATE: April 11, 2006
SUBJECT: Proposed Revised Standards and Online Survey Available for Career and Life
Development, Modern and Classical Languages, Science and Technology, Social
Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts

The Department of Education is pleased to inform you that the proposed revised standards for
Career and Life Development, Modern and Classical Languages, Science and Technology, Social
Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts, an online survey and other related information are now available
on the Maine Learning Results Review website. The Department extends its thanks to the many teachers
who participated in this work as members of the content area panels. Soliciting feedback regarding the
proposed revised document is the next of many steps in a multi-year process of adoption and
implementation.

It is critical that as many educators as possible provide feedback through the online survey.
Please share this information with all educators in your district including teachers of Career and Life
Development (formerly known as Career Preparation), Modern and Classical Languages, Science and
Technology, Social Studies, and Visual and Performing Arts. The online surveys for Career and Life
Development, Modern and Classical Languages, Science and Technology, Social Studies, and Visual
and Performing Arts will close on May 31, 2006. The online surveys for the proposed English Language
Arts, Mathematics, and Health and Physical Education standards have been extended until May 5, 2006.

The proposed revised documents, survey and other information may be found online at
http://www.maine.gov/education/lres/review/revised_mlr_standards.htm
Questions should be addressed to Anita Bernhardt at anita.bernhardt@maine.gov.

9

NSTA Anaheim
The sun came out just in time to welcome
participants to the National Science Teachers
Association’s 54th National Conference on
Science Education in beautiful Anaheim,
California. This is, as the association points out,
the first gathering that uses a brand new name-
the NSTA 54th National Conference on Science
Education- to reflect the rich and more in-depth
offerings featured at this and future events. To
help participants make the most of the
professional development opportunities
available while in Anaheim, the conference was
planned around six strands, enabling participants
to focus on specific areas or interest or need.
The strands featured at this years’ event were:
Using Technology to Enhance Student Learning,
Formative Assessment: How Will You Know
What Your Students Know?, Science and
Literacy: An Essential Partnership, Changing
School Culture: Building Professional Learning
Communities, The Many Faces of Inquiry, and
Especially for Administrators: Supporting
Quality Science Education. In addition to
organizing conference offerings by strand,
NSTA held a special daylong conference,
Science Assessment: Research and Practical
Approaches which highlighted the work of
several NSF-funded programs.
Participants also took part in special offerings
including Science for Young Learners Day,
Professional Development Institutes, (short
courses), NSTA Symposia , NSTA International
Science Education Day, and Teacher Researcher
Day.
As always, NSTA assembled a number of must-
do and see events. Featured speakers Jean-
Michel Cousteau, Bill Nye, and Steve Spangler
captivated audiences while Adam Savage and
Jamie Hyneman, co-hosts of Discovery
Channel’s popular MythBusters series delighted
attendees at the President’s Annual Banquet.
Numerous of opportunities were just waiting to
be explored in the exhibit hall – vendors and
various organizations showcased the latest
10
science and technology educational materials. A
number of after-hours social events and site
seeing tours rounded out a full conference menu.
You can visit NSTA’s website www.nsta.org for
full details and highlights from this conference
and get the scoop on future conference offerings.
Perhaps attending an NSTA conference is in
your future?
Lynn Farrin
MMSA
Local Systemic Change
Since the inception of the National Science
Foundation-funded Local Systemic Change
(LSC) initiative, Horizon Research has
collaborated with LSC projects in designing and
implementing an extensive evaluation of the
initiative. The findings of this 10-year evaluation
are now available to the wider education
community. These findings will be useful to
states, districts, higher education, and others
who are designing and/or leading similar kinds
of efforts to improve mathematics and science
professional development.
This message contains a link to the first set of
LSC Research Updates - one page summaries of
key findings of interest to K-12 practitioners.
These Updates provide information on how
LSC professional development influenced
the following areas:
- Teachers' Perceptions of their Content
Preparedness,
- Teachers' Use of Investigative Teaching
Practices, and
- Amount of Time Devoted to K-5
Science Instruction.
The Updates can be downloaded as PDF
documents from the LSC website:
http://www.pdmathsci.net/
More detailed information and reports on the
LSC research are also available at the site.
Lasers – A simple explanation
Many highly useful devices are based on lasers.
Lasers can be used to play music or movies,
read inventory codes on objects, cut through
everything from fabric to solid steel, and
perform exquisitely delicate surgery. Laser
energy is a form of light, but what makes it
different from ordinary light? The latest
"Amazing Fact" on The Space Place describes
step by step the basic properties of natural light
and the special properties of laser light.
Interactive animations demonstrate the concepts
in a simple and fun way. Visit
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/laser to get a
laser-sharp understanding of this form of energy
and to find out how lasers can help to find life
on other planets.
11
SciJinks Web Page
Why is the sky blue? Why does the sky
sometimes turn red at sunset? Every curious
child will ask these questions at some point. Are
you ready to give scientifically correct and
simple answers? Visit SciJinks to refresh your
memory. The SciJinks Web site targets young
people of middle school age. It is a joint effort
of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). The new "Why is the sky blue?" page
can be found in the How & Why menu on the
SciJinks Weather Laboratory home page,
scijinks.gov
The preceding five articles were submitted by:
Nancy Leon, Education and Public Outreach
Lead
NASA New Millennium Program/Space Place
NASA/JPL 4800 Oak Grove Drive
Mailstop 301-235
Pasadena, CA 91109
nancy.j.leon@jpl.nasa.gov
 space weather”, says James Slavin, Project
Scientist for ST5. Slavin suggests some other
potential uses for micro-sats:

A cluster of micro-sats between the Earth and

Micro-sats with Macro-potential
By Patrick L. Barry
Future space telescopes might not consist of a
single satellite such as Hubble, but a
constellation of dozens or even hundreds of
small satellites, or “micro-sats,” operating in
unison.
Such a swarm of little satellites could act as one
enormous telescope with a mirror as large as the
entire constellation, just as arrays of Earth-
bound radio telescopes do. It could also last for
a long time, because damage to one micro-sat
wouldn't ruin the whole space telescope; the rest
of the swarm could continue as if nothing had
happened.
And that's just one example of the cool things
that micro-sats could do. Plus, micro-sats are
simply smaller and lighter than normal satellites,
so they're much cheaper to launch into space.
In February, NASA plans to launch its first
experimental micro-sat mission, called Space
Technology 5. As part of the New Millennium
Program, ST5 will test out the crucial
technologies needed for micro-sats-such as
miniature thrust and guidance systems-so that
future missions can use those technologies
dependably.
the Sun-spread out in space like little sensor
buoys floating in the ocean-could sample
incoming waves of high-speed particles from an
erupting solar flare, thus giving scientists hours
of warning of the threat posed to city power
grids and communications satellites.
Or perhaps a string of micro-sats, flying single
file in low-Earth orbit, could take a series of
snapshots of violent thunderstorms as each
micro-sat in the “train” passes over the storm.
This technology would combine the continuous
large-scale storm monitoring of geosynchronous
weather satellites-which orbit far from the Earth
at about 36,000 kilometers' altitude-with the up-
close, highly detailed view of satellites only 400
kilometers overhead.
If ST5 is successful, these little satellites could
end up playing a big role in future exploration.
The ST5 Web site at nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/st5 has
the details. Kids can have fun with ST5 at
spaceplace.nasa.gov, by just typing ST5 in the
site's Find It field.
This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
under a contract with the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.

Measuring only 53 centimeters (20 inches)

across and weighing a mere 25 kilograms (55
pounds), each of the three micro-sats for ST5
resembles a small television in size and weight.
Normal satellites can be as large and heavy as a
school bus.

“ST5 will also gather scientific data, helping

scientists explore Earth's magnetic field and

12
Planets in Strange Places
By Trudy E. Bell
Red star, blue star, big star, small star-planets
may form around virtually any type or size of
star throughout the universe, not just around
mid-sized middle -aged yellow stars like the Sun.
That's the surprising implication of two recent
discoveries from the 0.85-meter-diameter
Spitzer Space Telescope, which is exploring the
universe from orbit at infrared (heat)
wavelengths blocked by the Earth's atmosphere
. star imaginable -very strange, indeed.
At one extreme are two blazing, blue
"hypergiant" stars 180,000 light-years away in
the Large Magellanic Cloud, one of the two
companion galaxies to our Milky Way. The
stars, called R 66 and R 126, are respectively 30
and 70 times the mass of the Sun, "about as
massive as stars can get," said Joel Kastner,
professor of imaging science at the Rochester
Institute of Technology in New York. R 126 is
so luminous that if it were placed 10 parsecs
(32.6 light-years) away-a distance at which the
Sun would be one of the dimmest stars visible in
the sky-the hypergiant would be as bright as the
full moon, "definitely a daytime object," Kastner
remarked.
Although actual planets have not been detected
(in part because of the stars' great distances), the
spectra of the hypergiants show that their dust is
composed of forsterite, olivine, aromatic
hydrocarbons, and other geological substances
found on Earth.
These newfound disks represent "extremes of
the environments in which planets might form,"
Kastner said. "Not what you'd expect if you
think our solar system is the rule."
Hypergiants and dwarfs? The Milky Way could
be crowded with worlds circling every kind of
Keep up with the latest findings from the Spitzer
at www.spitzer.caltech.edu/ . For kids, the
Infrared Photo Album at The Space Pla ce
(spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/sirtf1/sirtf_action.s
html) introduces the electromagnetic spectrum
and compares the appearance of common scenes
in visible versus infrared light.
This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
under a contract with the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.

Such hot stars have fierce solar winds, so

Kastner and his team are mystified why any dust
in the neighborhood hasn't long since been
blown away. But there it is: an unmistakable
spectral signature that both hypergiants are
surrounded by mammoth disks of what might be
planet-forming dust and even sand.

At the other extreme is a tiny brown dwarf star

called Cha 110913-773444, relatively nearby
(500 light-years) in the Milky Way. One of the
smallest brown dwarfs known, it has less than 1
percent the mass of the Sun. It's not even
massive enough to kindle thermonuclear
reactions for fusing hydrogen into helium. Yet
this miniature "failed star," as brown dwarfs are
often called, is also surrounded by a flat disk of
dust that may eventually clump into planets.
(Note: This brown dwarf discovery was made by
a group led by Kevin Luhman of Pennsylvania
State University.)

13

Snowstorm on Pluto
by Dr. Tony Phillips
There's a nip in the air. Outside it's beginning to
snow, the first fall of winter. A few delicate
flakes tumble from the sky, innocently enough,
but this is no mere flurry.
Soon the air is choked with snow, falling so fast
and hard it seems to pull the sky down with it.
Indeed, that's what happens. Weeks later when
the storm finally ends the entire atmosphere is
gone. Every molecule of air on your planet has
frozen and fallen to the ground.
That was a snowstorm-on Pluto.
Once every year on Pluto (1 Pluto-year = 248
Earth-years), around the beginning of winter, it
gets so cold that the atmosphere freezes. Air on
Pluto is made mainly of nitrogen with a
smattering of methane and other compounds.
When the temperature dips to about 32 K (-240
C), these molecules crystallize and the
atmosphere comes down.
"The collapse can happen quite suddenly," says
Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute.
"Snow begins to fall, the surface reflects more
sunlight, forcing quicker cooling, accelerating
the snowfall. It can all be over in a few weeks or
months."
study the atmosphere if it's not there."
Furthermore, a layer of snow on the ground
("probably a few centimeters deep," estimates
Stern) could hide the underlying surface from
New Horizon's remote sensors.
Stern isn't too concerned: "Pluto's atmosphere
was discovered in 1988 when astronomers
watched the planet pass in front of a distant star-
a stellar occultation." The star, instead of
vanishing abruptly at Pluto's solid edge, faded
slowly. Pluto was "fuzzy;" it had air. "Similar
occultations observed since then (most recently
in 2002) reveal no sign of [impending]
collapse," says Stern. On the contrary, the
atmosphere appears to be expanding, puffed up
by lingering heat from Pluto's waning summer.
Nevertheless, it's a good thing New Horizons is
fast, hurtling toward Pluto at 30,000 mph.
Winter… New Horizons... Only one can be
first. The race is on.
Find out more about the New Horizons mission
at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu . Kids can learn
amazing facts about Pluto at
spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/pluto.
This article was provided by the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
under a contract with the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.

Researchers believe this will happen sometime

during the next 10 to 20 years. Pluto is receding
from the warmth of the Sun, carried outward by
its 25% elliptical orbit. Winter is coming.

So is New Horizons. Stern is lead scientist for

the robotic probe, which left Earth in January
bound for Pluto. In 2015 New Horizons will
become the first spacecraft to visit that distant
planet. The question is, will it arrive before the
snowstorm?

"We hope so," says Stern. The spacecraft is

bristling with instruments designed to study
Pluto's atmosphere and surface. "But we can't

14
 2006 Forests of Maine Teacher' Tours
Join us on a 4-Day Tour of Maine's Forests &
Mills
Ÿ Learn about sustainable forestry, forest
ecology, recreation, wildlife, wood products
& more!
Ÿ Meet with foresters, biologists, land owners
and mill owners
Ÿ Maine TREE Foundation provides
everything from comfortable
accommodations to answers for all your
forest related questions
Ÿ Trained facilitators present a PLT
workshop on each tour - all PLT activities
correlated with MSLR
WHEN AND WHERE:
Tour One - Little Lyford Pond Camps near
Moosehead Lake - July 11 - 14
Tour Two - Twin Pine Camps on
Millinocket Lake near Katahdin - July 18 - 21
Tour Three - Leen's Lodge on West Grand
Lake in Downeast Maine - August 1 - 4
To register for one graduate credit on Tour Two,
contact Dr. William Livingston
"Forest Biology Problems - Field Instruction"
University of Maine, Orono
WilliamL@maine.edu
207 581-2990
2.8 CEU's are available for all tours.
Teachers' Tour registration is $100. All other
expenses (except course work and CEU's) will
be covered by The Maine TREE Foundation.
For further information contact:
Martha Fenno at 207 621-9872 or mtf@gwi.net
Patricia Maloney, Coordinator
Maine Project Learning Tree
P.O.Box 344
Augusta, Maine 04332
207 626-7990
www.mainetreefoundation.org
www.plt.org

Graduate credits available on Tours One &

Two.
To register for two graduate credits on Tour
One, contact Dr. Kuech
"The Science of Maine Forests" EPB 530
University of Southern Maine
rkuech@usm.maine.edu
www.umaine.edu/fes/

Study Maine Forests with your students!

Create a Forest Inventory Growth (FIG) plot
with your students at a nearby forest with
a forester partner. FIG training is offered to
middle school and high school teachers.
What: An interdisciplinary high school and
middle school study plot – create a hands -on data
collecting site. Log onto the interactive FIG
website where students enter and compare data
with other participating schools. Learn about the
Standard Visualization System and longitudinal
research at Holt Research Center, Arrowsic and
how to apply this information to your curriculum.
Who Should Attend? Maine Middle and High
School teachers and foresters interested in creating
an authentic science project to study forest ecology
with students using technology and links to other
Maine sites through the FIG website.
When: June 25, 26 and 27, 2006
Where: Camp Kieve, Nobleboro -www.kieve.org
Cost: $50 registration fee plus $10 to cover CEU’s
All teachers receive tools and resource materials to

15
set up FIG plots at their site.
Ÿ Trained and experienced teachers, Visit www.mainetreefoundation.org - the Project
foresters and UMO professors lead the Learning Tree Page and FIG training for
training sessions. registration form. Send $50 and registration form
Ÿ The Kennedy Learning Center at Kieve is to:
wireless Pat Maloney
Ÿ The 2.5 day training and curriculum are Maine Project Learning Tree
fully aligned with the Maine Learning PO Box 344
Results. Augusta, Maine 04332
Ÿ 2.7 CEU’s are available in addition to a meplt@gwi.net
certificate of completion! (207) 626-7990

Delivering Energy Education with Project Learning Tree and

Maine Energy Education Program
Maine Project Learning Tree and the Maine Workshop fee: $15 includes all materials except
Energy Education Program are happy to announce the E&S kits - available for $25
the following 6-hour preK-8 workshop:
Facilitators:
When: Monday, May 22 from 9:00 to 3:00 p.m. Peter Zack, MEEP Coordinator
Registration begins at 8:30 Stefany Gregoire, Environmental Educator, DEP
Pat Maloney, Maine PLT Coordinator
Where: Pine Tree State Arboretum
Viles Room Bring your own lunch. Morning snacks provided.
153 Hospital Street Call or write to sign up or if you have further
Augusta 04332 questions:
www.pinetreestatearboretum.org
Pat Maloney, Coordinator
Who Should Attend: All Educators and Maine Project Learning Tree
community leaders involved with Energy P. O. Box 344
education Augusta, Maine 04332
626-7990
What: PLT offers a guide plus a kit: A recently meplt@gwi.net
revised preK-8 Activity Guide includes over 15 or Stefany Gregoire:
Energy activities plus an Energy & 287-7027
Society Kit. MEEP offers experiential energy
education programs for Maine students and
teachers. Materials and activities
offer participants a balance between the economic,
environmental and social impacts of energy
choices affecting our society.

Watch for you Maine Project Learning Tree

Newsletter in Mailboxes next week!

16
2006 Summer Courses for Teachers
at College of the Atlantic
Please visit our website www.coa.edu to
learn more about our distinctive summer
two-week (4 credits) and one-week (2
credits) courses.
July 9-22 (two-week courses offered)
- Field-Based Introduction to Geology
- Coastal Marine Ecology
- Examining the Evidence: Your
Classroom as a Crime Lab
- Introduction to Astronomy
- Oceanography
- Woody Plants of Mount Desert Island
July 23-29 (one week courses offered)
- Examining the Evidence: Your
Classroom as a Crime Lab, Part II
- Weather Forecasting: Intro to
Meteorology and Operational
Forecasting
July 30-August 5 (one week course)
- Climate Change: Causes and
Consequences
July 23-August 5 (two week courses
offered)
- Teaching from a Portable Planetarium
- Field Ecology and Natural History
- Intro to Herpetology
- Intro to Whales, Porpoises and Seals
Fees: Tuition per credit (Maine in-state)
$200 (Out-of-state) $300
Room and board costs based on single or
shared occupancy.
For detailed information, course
descriptions, syllabi and an application
form, visit our website at www.coa.edu or
contact Jean Boddy at 800-597-9500 or
jdb@coa.edu.
17
Elementary Teacher Leaders
Wanted!
We are looking for elementary teachers to be
part of a very exciting K-6 science initiative
sponsored by National Semiconductor in
partnership with the Maine Mathematics and
Science Alliance. We are looking for
elementary teachers interested in leading their
school through a 2 year program, focused on
building linkages between science inquiry and
language literacy. This is an extraordinary
opportunity to strengthen your K-6 science
program through high quality, research-based,
engaging, and yes, fun! professional
development. In addition to offering schools on-
going support for teachers, this initiative (L-
SILL - Linking Science Inquiry and Language
Literacy) provides schools with materials for
inquiry-based science, a wealth of resources, and
a menu of professional development offerings
for tailoring the program to fit your school’s
specific science inquiry and language literacy
interests. This is truly an opportunity not to be
missed!
For more information, please contact Lynn
Farrin lfarrin@mmsa.org.
If you are not an elementary teacher but know of
a strong elementary teacher leader, please pass
this information along!
Lynn C. Farrin
Science Project Director
Maine Mathematics & Science Alliance
PO Box 5359
[219 Capitol Street - UPS, Fed Ex. Deliveries]
Augusta, Maine 04332
207.287.3776
MIT Short Course: Relativity,
Gravity, and Cosmology [8.06s]
Date: July 10-13, 2006 | Tuition: $1,950 | Continuing
Education Units (CEUs): 2.5
Cambridge, MA
LINK:
http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/pi/courses/relativity_gravit
y.html
Overview: Recent advances in gravitation theory and
cosmology, combined with breakthroughs in
observational astronomy, are transforming our
understanding of space and time and our perspectives
on the origin and future fate of the universe. This
course is designed both for individuals who would
like to learn the fundamentals of Einstein's theories of
relativity and for those who are interested in the most
recent advances in our understanding of the nature of
black holes, other relativistic phenomena in our
universe, and the formation and evolution of the
universe itself.
The course will cover a large number of topics,
ranging from the experimental and theoretical
underpinnings of the special and general theories of
relativity to the birth, history, and future evolution of
the universe. All subject matter will be presented on a
level accessible to anyone familiar with algebra and
Freshman-level physics.
Do not be concerned about the request for
professional credentials in the standard application
form. This course is intended for interested
laypersons with a Freshman level of understanding of
algebra, not for professionals in relativity or
cosmology.
For information about other MIT short summer
professional courses, visit
http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/pi/ .
* Educator Scholarships: The MIT Professional
Institute is pleased to
announce that we will be offering up to 25
scholarships of $500 each to
teachers or other educational professionals enrolling
in the Relativity,
Gravity, and Cosmology course.
To be considered for a scholarship, you must first
complete the online application form for this course.
After you submit your application, send an email to
professionalinstitute@mit.edu stating your
qualifications, your objectives for taking the course,
and your reasons for requesting a scholarship.
18
Rainforest Workshops - Teachers
& Students to the Amazon
Visit http://www.travel2learn.com to learn
about two exciting ways for teachers and
environmental educators to travel to the Amazon
Rainforest.
1. Sign-up for the 14th annual Educator's
Amazon Rainforest Workshop on scheduled July
7-16, 2006. Co-sponsored by Selby Botanical
Gardens, this 10-day event is a professional
development opportunity for teachers to work
side-by-side with a spirited faculty of scientists.
Academic credit and an extension to Machu
Picchu are available. Land cost for this
educator workshop is $1998, plus roundtrip
airfare.
2. You can TRAVEL FREE during our 8-day
Student Amazon Rainforest workshops on June
15, June 25, or July 5, 2006, while giving your
students and their families the benefits of
educational travel to one of the most diverse
environments in the world. Bring a group of 6
and
travel with all of your expenses paid.
Experience a 1/4 mile Rainforest canopy
walkway, get involved in a village service
project, and see how indigenous cultures use the
forest for medicine, food, and shelter. Land cost
for students & families is $1798, plus air.
For expedition information or funding ideas call
Dr. Frances Gatz at 1-800-669-6806, email
fgatz@earthlink.net or visit the website
http://www.travel2learn.com
Environmental Expeditions, 9335 Fraser
Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Frances Gatz, Ph.D., Director, Rainforest
Workshops
Fax: 301-585-4899 email:
fgatz@earthlink.net
Phone: 800-669-6806 or 301-585-7027
Web site:
HTTP://WWW.TRAVEL2LEARN.COM
Ecology Education for Maine Schools Ÿ Connections— Sustainability & Community
Using Maine Ecosystems as Outdoor Science Ecology
Classrooms
Lesson are available, some by the season, some
The Ferry Beach Ecology School in Saco, Maine by teacher’s choice. Each one lasts 1.5-2 hours
is offering a variety of discounted ecology and is offered outdoors on the Saco Bay Coast.
education programs to Maine Schools during the
Memorial Day Week—May 30th through June Please Note: Program and Prices are listed for
2nd—funded through a grant by the Morton- Memorial Day Week 2006 only. Openings also
Kelly Charitable Trust. Below are listed the available for School Year 2006-2007.
various programs we offer which can be taken
separately or combined, for a further discount to Drew Dumsch
give your students a comprehensive ecology Executive Director
experience. Ferry Beach Ecology School
8 Morris Avenue, Building One
The FBES Field Study Day Program-- $5 per Saco, Maine 04072
student (up to 100 students, 10 chaperones). ph: (207) 283-9951
Outdoor field study of two ecosystems at Ferry www.fbes.org
Beach-- Full Value is $12 per student. (*See
below for list of possible Field Study lessons.)
A copy of the FBES Field Guide, an Ecological Hummingbird Migration Map
Tour of Maine’s Coastal Ecosystem will be
included for each classroom. Check out this spring map of Hummingbirds and
add your first observation of Ruby-throated
The FBES Residential Field Study Program-- migrants to the Maine list.
$35 per student (up to 50 students, 4
chaperones). Editors Note: We think we saw a hummingbird
2 Day Outdoor residential field study of three to in Fayette on April 30th
five ecosystems at Ferry Beach including 3-4
onsite lessons at Ferry Beach. (*See below for Very cool!
list of possible Field Study lessons.)
Overnight Room and Board for students, http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html for
teachers, and chaperones (includes 3 meals, future years
snacks and lodging)—and a copy of the FBES
Field Guide, an Ecological Tour of Maine’s Deborah Avalone-King
Coastal Ecosystems for each classroom Maine DEP Air Bureau
17 SHS
*Field Study lessons availableThe ABCs of Augusta, ME 04333
Ecology—An Introduction to Field Ecology
Ÿ Sensory & Nature Awareness
Ÿ Autumn, Winter, or Spring Ecology
Ÿ Erosion Study at Camp Ellis
Ÿ Forest & Freshwater
Ÿ Coastal Watersheds at the Camp Ellis Salt
Marsh
Ÿ Beaches & Dunes
Ÿ Climate, Weather & Geology
Ÿ Tide Pools at the Biddeford Pools Tide
Pools
Ÿ Astronomy & Nature at Night (residential
program only)
Ÿ Organic Gardening

19
Professional Development
Resources :
Congratulations to Page Keeley, Frances Eberle,
Lynn Farrin and Cheryl Rose of MMSA on the
publications of their professional development
books. Many of you piloted the formative
student assessment probes for the Uncovering
Student Ideas in Science written by Page,
Frances and Lynn. Page’s other new book,
written with Cheryl Rose, is Mathematics
Curriculum Topic Study. This book contains 92
ready-to-use CTS guides arranged in seven
categories that are aligned with NCTM content
and process standards. Both books are available
from MMSA and you can read the write-ups at
the MMSA website: www.mmsa.org.

CHALLENGER CENTER FOR SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION

ON-LINE BENEFIT AUCTION

Auction begins: 8 am April 24

Auction ends: 6 pm May 29

A few of the primary categories of solicited Proceeds of the items listed from the Challenger
items for auction include: Learning Center of Maine will go directly to
• Astronaut memorabilia your Maine learning center!
• Celebrity memorabilia
• Artwork All bidding and payment will be via credit card.
• Jewelry cMarket will validate all credit cards before
• Airline tickets accepting bids. Challenger Learning Center will
• Vacation Packages process the credit card payments following the
closeout of the auction and prior to shipping the
• Sports event tickets
item to the successful bidder.
• Hotel stays
• Consumer Electronics
For more Information, contact the Challenger
• Gift certificates Center at www.clcofme.org
• Miscellaneous merchandise

20
 Summer Program Dates and Cost While at Space Explore Camp, participants will do a
Junior Space Explorer Grades K-2 $75 variety
June 21-23 9-Noon
of hands-on science explorations, physical activities, and
Includes Materials and Snack field trips designed to generate excitement for learning
and
Space Explorers Grades 3-4 $350 exploration.
(2 sessions available)
July 10-14 9-4:00 Possible topics include:
July 24-27 9-4:00
Includes Materials and Snack Space communication Moon craters
Planetary community Mars Rover
Advanced Explorers Grades 5-8 $400 Microgravity Astronaut life
(2 sessions available) Space art Power of the sun
July 17-21 9-4:00 M-Th 9-11:00 Fri
July 31 - Aug 4 9-4:00 M-Th 9-11:00 Fri
Planetariums Robotics
Includes mini mission on last day and 2 “special” lunches Mission patches Space vehicles
Flight (from kites to rockets) High Powered
Rocket Launchers Grades 6-10 $350 Rocketry
High Powered Rocketry
(Grade 6-7 must be returning campers)
Aug 7-10 9-4:00
To Register, Complete the form below or register online at
www.CLCofME.org Questions? Call us at (207) 990-2900

Student’s Name Grade next fall

Parent/Guardian Phone
Address Email
Camp dates
____) [ ] I would like to know about scholarships
limited scholarships available upon request

Mail with a nonrefundable $25 registration deposit to CLC of ME, 30 Venture Way., Bangor, ME 04401

21
Encounter
Earth
This fall the Challenger Center has
added a new mission scenario for
Maine's students, entitled Encoun-
ter Earth. Since opening in March
2004, the Center has been running
the mission scenario, Rendezvous
with a Comet, geared primarily for
middle school students. However,
Challenger Center staff wanted to
expand their audience to high
school students, which is just what
the Encounter Earth mission does.
"What determines the appropriate
grade level for a mission is largely
how the mission objectives align
with the state's learning
standards. When we looked at the
Encounter Earth mission and the
grade 9 standards, it was a perfect
match. We knew just which
mission we needed to run next.
The content is fantastic and we're
really excited." explains Center
Director, Annette Brickley.
During the new mission, the stu-
dents work on specialized teams
as part of an Emergency Response
Squad (ERS-1 j. A low earth
orbiting (LEO) satellite has mal-
functioned and must be replaced.
The elite ERS-1 group is
composed of eight teams trained
in satellite design and
environmental survey. One half of
the crew is stationed on a LEO
5pacelab and must work to
construct a new satellite and
redeploy it into orbit. While the
Satellite team is constructing the
new satellite, the remainder of
the crew must collect and trans-
mit data typically handled by the
satellite. They must be aware of
any environmental conditions that
might pose a threat to Earth as
they are the first line of detection
and response.
22
The CLC 4 ME Club
Comes to Maine
Blast off to orbit with us!
If you are between the ages of
nine and 17, you can be a part
of the Challenger Learning
Center of Maine's CLC 4 ME
Club. The CLC 4 ME Club offers
young people interested in
space and science a chance to learn even more by being a part
of a special group of space enthusiasts through member-only
events and learning opportunities.
The CLC 4 ME Club of Maine's own Challenger Learning Center
gives the children of Maine first hand opportunities to experience
the wonders of space and science. The benefits are
out-of-this-world!
The $35.00/year membership includes:
P Discounts of $5 off admission to public missions
P 10% discount in the gift shop
P 10% discount off Space Explorer Camp
P Invitations to special member-only events
P 10% discount off the CLC birthday party program including
P 10% discount in the gift shop for birthday party attendees.
The membership package also comes with a membership card,
NASA sticker, Challenger sticker, and a Mars Rover Model Cut-out!
Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles!