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Education :: Teacher Workshops

Since 2001, the New York State Museum has organized and presented teacher workshops to support a community of professionals dedicated to improving education. These workshops provide access to current research information, interaction with Museum collections and research staff, and behind-the-scenes participation in the research process. The Museum is dedicated to fostering long-term working relationships between teachers and researchers in the fields of geology, biology, anthropology and history.

    Teacher workshops at the Museum:
  • are aligned with New York State Learning Standards.
  • encourage hands-on and inquiry-based training opportunities.
  • assist teachers in renewing educational material with current content.
  • provide a sustaining source of information and support for school-based needs.
All workshops are offered with the support and assistance of The Greater Capital Region Teacher Center external link icon

Upcoming Workshops:
2010 Donald H. Cadwell Earth Science Workshop
April 23 and 24, 2010

Theme: Ice, Wind, Water & Resources

Description: The landscape we live on, build on, grow our food on and extract resources from is young and geologically complex. Join NYSM Scientists as they discuss the role of climate change, glacial geology, recolonization and the distribution of natural resources as a result of glaciation in New York.

Attendance limit: 50 people

Contact hours: 15

Cost: $70.00 dollars

Cost includes: Registration, coffee break (Friday), box lunch (Saturday), field guide, bus fee for field trip (Saturday), and CD with lectures, maps and classroom exercises

Schedule:

  • Friday April 23:
    7:15am - 8:30am - Registration
    8:30am - 12:00pm - Presentations
    12:00pm - 4:30pm - Presentations, break out sessions, and activities
  • Saturday April 24:
    8:30am - Depart from NYSM on bus for field trip
    8:30am - 12:00 noon - Stops 1&2 and lunch break
    12:00 noon - 12:45pm - Lunch break
    12:45pm - 4:00pm - Stops 3, 4, & 5
    4:30pm - Return to NYSM

Field trip description: At the close of the last ice age, 17,000 -10,000 years before present, the countryside in the Greater Capitol Region was a dynamic landscape. Ebb and flow of the Hudson Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet led to the creation of gigantic lakes in front of the ice margin. Simultaneously, unrestricted drainage down the Mohawk fed catastrophic floods from lakes in the Ontario Basin. As the lakes and floods waned the environment developed a new regime. The fascinating landforms and deposits left provided a number of resources for both early and modern society. Join us as we explore the exciting geology of the Capitol Region.

To register: please go to: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13206&I=711279&H=1

For information contact Ms Donna Jornov or Dr. Andrew Kozlowski at the State Museum 518 474-5816; djornov@mail.nysed.gov or akozlows@mail.nysed.gov


Unearthing History: Teaching Social Studies through the Study of Archaeology
July 19-22, 2010 (Mon-Thurs)
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The New York State Museum announces the following professional development workshop entitled “Unearthing History: Teaching Social Studies through the study of Archaeology”. This program is designed for social studies teachers in grades 2-8. It is a unique professional development experience that creates a learning community of classroom teachers who work side-by-side with museum scientists and researchers in an archaeological investigation of Native American and early Euro-American primary source material. It invites teachers to actively participate in the process of archaeology and learn about regional history through classroom lectures, fieldwork and analysis of material objects in Museum collection areas.

Through teamwork exercises, participants will learn how to collect and organize specimens, record data, generate questions, formulate hypotheses, develop and defend explanations, and present findings in Native American and early Euro-American history. They will also update and expand their understanding of local and regional history and foster close working relationships with museum scientists and researchers. Participants will be expected to perform some physical labor and to work outdoors in variable weather conditions. Current research information and resources will address the advantages of object-based learning, using a museum as an educational resource, and applications to the State Learning Standards for social studies #1.4, #3.1, #4.1; math #3.4, #3.5; science, #4.7; and English language arts #1, #3, and #4.

Dates: July 19-22, 2010 (Mon-Thurs) Times: 9-5 on Monday and Thursday; 8:30- 4:30 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Fee: $30 for 32 contact hours. Price includes visual materials, archaeology kit pack, and resources for classroom application. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to the archaeology site.

Enrollment is limited to only 16 participants to ensure individualized attention. For more information about this workshop please contact: Christina Rieth, Ph.D., State Archaeologist and Director of the Cultural Resource Survey Program, New York State Museum, Cultural Education Center 3118, Albany, New York 12230. Phone: (518) 402-5975; e-mail: crieth@ mail.nysed.gov

To register: please go to: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13206&I=698097&H=1


Past Workshops:
TEACHING EVOLUTION WORKSHOP
Download 2010 Workshop Presentation Files
Download 2009 Workshop Presentation Files
Evolution workshop logo

Presentations and discussions are be led by researchers and educators from the State Museum and the Capital Region. Each year, the speakers and topics vary to reflect current information, so please consider attending even if you have attended in previous years!

Location:
New York State Museum, Empire State Plaza,
Albany, NY 12230

Eligibility: high school and middle school science teachers

For more information contact Jason Cryan Ph. D Director of the Laboratory for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics jcryan@mail.nysed.gov or Valerie Fish room 3140 NY State Museum, Albany NY 12230 phone 518-474-5817 vfish@mail.nysed.gov

Museum Open Daily: 9:30 am to 5 pm | Carousel Open Daily: 10 am to 4:30 pm
Office of Cultural Education | New York State Education Department
Information: 518-474-5877 | Contact Us