Tag - Informal Science Education

Weather and Science Day 2011 – Steve Spangler and Kathy Sabine Invite You to Coors Field

Contributed by Susan Wells, Blog Editor

Weather and Science Day at Coors Field 2009 resulted in a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Physics Lesson. Thanks to support from the Colorado Rockies and 9News, the Steve Spangler Science team is excited to be a part of the 2nd Annual Colorado Rockies Weather and Science Day at Coors Field on May 11, 2011.

To purchase school group tickets, call Cathy Taylor with Group Sales at 303-312-2212.

Registration Information

May 11, 2011 – Coors Field

9:30 AM                        Gates Open
10:30 – 11:20 AM       Weather & Science Wonders
1:10 PM                        Rockies vs. New York Mets

Admission is $10 for upper level tickets and $16 for lower and mid-level tickets. The stage will be located on the 1st baseline, so everyone will have a great seat. Schools also get to take advantage of free bus parking.

For more details or to request an order form, please contact Cathy Taylor at (303) 312-2212  In the event of bad weather, a make-up date
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Can a One-Day Science Workshop Really Make a Difference?

The audience of teachers (PreK-Middle School) was especially lively during our Hands-on Science Boot Camp in Tampa. The turn-out was great with over 180 teachers packed into the ballroom at the Westin Hotel and each teacher had his or her own reasons for attending. One third grade teacher told me that her school had cut her science time down to less than an hour per week. She was told to “integrate science into her curriculum” if she wanted more time for the “secondary” subject. Other educators (and a handful of home schooler and science museum program coordinators) attended in hopes of taking away some new hands-on science activities in an effort to spice up their existing curriculum.

It was also great to see Rhonda Newton and her cadre of teachers at the Tampa Boot Camp. Rhonda connected all of the science activities from the workshop to the Florida State Science Standards and shared it with the group. Huge thanks from everyone!

Download the Spangler Science Connection to the Florida Science Standards

As we wrap up the workshop at the end of the day, I often wish that I could pull the same group of teachers back together three to six months later to see if the learning objectives and teaching strategies really had an impact. We’ve all attended workshops or presentations where we laughed a lot and had a great time, but what was the take action message behind all of the fun… and did it change the way I teach? In other words, can a science education speaker do more than provide a motivational message during a day-long workshop?

Desh Bagley answered my questions when she was interviewed by CnewsPubs.com a few weeks after attending the Tampa Hands-on Science Boot Camp. Bagley is an informal science educator is owns and operates TechPlayZone, a science and technology center for young people. Desh understands the need for finding creative ways to get kids excited about learning science. Here’s what she had to say…