2008 Pittcon Final Program - Pittcon Web Archives

Science Week 2008
The mission statement for all of the Science Week Programs is to promote science awareness and improve science
education. The Pittcon 2008 Science Week programs offer a wide variety of educational activities, awards, and grants during
Conference Week for the benefit of students and teachers in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge Areas. All of the programs
are offered at little or no cost.
Extra Effort for Education Awards are being offered to recognize and reward individuals who have made significant
contributions to the quality of education, especially science education, in their respective disciplines or districts. Recipients
of these awards are eligible for $500 in cash and a commemorative plaque. Individuals who qualify for these awards may
have taken steps to minimize the effects of Katrina, helped with recovery efforts, improved school relations with the
community, offered enrichment programs for peers, or demonstrated exceptional perseverance in spite of extreme
difficulties.
Workshops for Educators K-12 in the New Orleans/Baton Rouge areas are being offered on Saturday and Sunday,
March 1 and 2, 2008. Teachers can earn $100 in grant money for each hour of workshop they attend. Vendors will be
offering discount prices, and teachers may earn continuing learning units. The registration fees of $20 for one day and $30
for two days will be refunded at the end of each session. Given below is a list of workshops that will be presented if there
is enough interest to justify the effort and expense involved with each one. More detailed information is available at Science
Week Section of the Pittcon Website at www.pittcon.org.
Saturday---March 1, 2008
1. Bringing Science to Life in the Classroom .................................................K-12........................9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
2. Using Computers, Boards, and the Internet in the Classroom...................K-12........................9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
3. Using Vernier Software and Technology.....................................................K-12........................9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
4. Fisher---Discovering DNA Electrophoresis ................................................8-12 ........................9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
5. Fisher---Force, Energy, and Motion With Machines and Gears ................6-12 ........................9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
6. Fisher---Introduction to Structures: Bridges ...............................................6-12 ........................1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
7. Fisher---Environmental Sciences................................................................6-12 ........................1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
8. VWR---Osmosis, Diffusion, & Chromatography Lab Activities ...................4-12 ........................9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
9. VWR---ScholAR Chemistry ........................................................................8-12 ......................10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
10. VWR---CSI: Who Killed Henry Ward? .......................................................8-12 ........................9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
11. VWR---Digital Microscopy...........................................................................K-8..........................1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
12. VWR---Fun With Physics ............................................................................6-12 ........................1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
13. LabSafety Part I..........................................................................................9-12+ ......................1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
Sunday---March 2, 2008
14. LabSafety Part II.........................................................................................9-12+ .....................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
15. Using Hurricanes to Teach Classroom Science ........................................6-12 .......................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
16. Teaching/Using the Scientific Method.........................................................K-12.......................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
17. Building a Water Sampling Device and Analyzing Water ...........................6-12+ .....................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
18. An Introduction to Electrochemistry............................................................6-12 .......................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
19. VWR---Fun with Forensics..........................................................................8-12 .......................9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
20. Forensics Symposium with Four Nationally Recognized Experts ..............8-12 .......................1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Student Hands-On Workshops will be offered between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. at the Morial Convention Center on
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 3-5, 2008. On Monday, there will be a forensics workshop for senior high students
and a series of six half-hour activities for students in grades 4-6. These same six activities will be upgraded for students in
grades 6-8 on Tuesday and Wednesday. The activities available are (1) Making Fire Arrow (2) Identifying Finger Prints (3)
Working With Acids, Bases and Indicators (4) Redox Reactions (5) Chromatography in Art and Science (6) The Behavior
of Gases (7) Basic Wetland Ecology and (8) Using the Scientific Method.
Lecture/Demonstration Assembly will be held for secondary students on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at the La Nouvelle
Orleans Ballroom in the Morial Convention Center. The title of the program is “The Dead Chemists Society Presents: From
Molecules to Bowling Balls.” The presenters are William Deese and Cathi Cox. More information is available at
www.deadchemistssociety.com.
Grant money is also available to teachers who will not be attending any of the teacher workshops. Application forms for
general equipment grants are available in the Science Week Section of the Pittcon Website at www.pittcon.org.
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