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October 2024 SDSP Newsletter

Time flies when you're having fun! We can't believe it's the end of October already. October looks a little different here. Instead of colorful leaves falling off of trees everywhere, we have bioluminescent waves that dolphins cruise. In case you missed it, catch the news story here.

Have you seen this image? You don't have to be a first year teacher to perhaps find yourself in the zone of disillusionment. Wherever you might be on the rollercoaster of the teaching year, read on to find inspiration and head towards the rejuvenation of your teaching soul.

Reenergize your science spirit by reading our teacher leader spotlight on Aaron Sottile. Get ready to reimagine your community by diving into our latest blog about Morgan Levy and Zhouhan Fang's new Ecohydrology and Heat Explorer Tool (psst, elementary teachers, you can use this tool too!). Dive into this week, finding your joy and continuing to learn and grow. Give yourself permission to reorient to your why.

Conference season is coming up next month, with CASE and NSTA, as a way to connect to other passionate science educators across the state and country. Our own, Alec Barron, will be presenting at NSTA, and if you who know Victor Minces, he'll be the opening keynoting at CASE along with Dr. Christopher Emdin who will be closing it out. And, if you can't be there in person, we'll be sure to bring back some stories and resources to inspire you even further.

Just remember, each day you have a chance to spark your students' curiosity and inspire them to ask questions about the natural and built world around us. Wonder is all around us if you take the time to observe it. You got this!

As a science teacher with over 20 years of experience, I believe that wonder is at the heart of effective science education. In my classroom, I strive to spark curiosity, encouraging students to ask questions that drive authentic scientific inquiry. I have spent the last two decades teaching and leading in the Carlsbad Unified School District, where I serve as the Science Department Chair and Tech TOSA. My passion for innovative, student-centered teaching has guided me in roles such as a Cooperating Teacher and Onsite Liaison for the Cal State San Marcos Middle Level Teacher Preparation program, 3D Printing Ambassador with Printlab and Project X STEM Ambassador with the USA Science & Engineering Festival. Along the way, I’ve been honored as a Carlsbad Unified School District Teacher of the Year, received an Impact Award from the Classroom of the Future Foundation, and received the Lynette Robinson Award for Inclusive Education from the North County Consortium for Special Education.

One of my favorite quotes by Socrates, "Wisdom begins in wonder," beautifully captures how I approach science teaching. My goal is to cultivate a learning environment where students' natural curiosity leads them to explore, experiment, and truly understand the world around them. By anchoring lessons in phenomena that ignite wonder, I see students become active agents of their own learning. This approach fosters engagement and critical thinking, qualities I seek to inspire in both my students and fellow educators.

As a new teacher leader with the San Diego Science Project (SDSP), I’m excited to join a community of educators who share my enthusiasm for creating meaningful science learning experiences. The SDSP allows me to continue growing as a teacher by collaborating with researchers and adopting cutting-edge teaching strategies. For example, my involvement with the "Science of Sound & Music" program has been an amazing opportunity to bring real-world science into my classroom. It allowed my students to explore sound waves through inquiry driven, hands-on investigations, culminating in a classroom concert that exemplified the joy of learning. Experiences like this have invigorated my teaching practice, and I look forward to sharing this energy with other educators.

Looking ahead to the new school year, I’m eager to extend my reach as a science leader, helping to inspire the next generation of teachers, learners, and innovators. Through my work with SDSP, I hope to enhance my own practice while contributing to a broader community that values collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to advancing science education for all students. I believe that by fostering wonder in students and supporting teachers in their professional journeys, we can create learning experiences that are truly transformative.

In this Teacher / Researcher Collaborative (TRC) event, we learned from Dr. Morgan Levy and Zhuohan Fang at Scripps Oceanography on a new interactive map that shows the relationship between temperature, plants, and water at high resolution anywhere in the Western United States. This TRC was supported by the SoCal Heat Hub, which includes resources shared in this blog post. 

Learn how the California poppy is an iconic example of how evolution generates variation that the public can see and understand.

When: Wednesday, November 13, 4:00-5:30pm

Where: Hybrid:

In-Person at Birch Aquarium South Classroom - Click here for directions.

Virtual via this Zoom Link

California Science Education Conference (CASE) - Nov. 8-10, Sacramento, CA- Calling all educators, innovators, and champions of science education! The wait is over – registration for the 2024 California Science Education Conference now open!

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Conference - Nov. 6-9, New Orleans, LA- Check out the amazing conference offerings from Alec Barron, Director of the SDSP: Science Curriculum Design Principles for Research-Based Phenomena, Science of Sound and Music, Coding Music with Mflow, and Exploring Extreme Heat with Understanding Global Change

Birch Aquarium Education Programs and Resources

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