QUEST

QUEST and CONNECT-ED: 

an inquiry-based summer institute in science and mathematics

for grade K-12 teachers

 

 

! Mark your calendar !

July 12-23, 2010

 
 

The Program in Teacher Preparation is pleased to offer our TEACHERS AS SCHOLARS membership districts a new summer professional development program for novice science and math teachers in grades 5-8.  View the QUEST Scholars Program information.
 
 
 
QUEST is an institute for elementary and middle school teachers taught by Princeton University faculty and staff and scientists from neighboring institutions. CONNECT-ED is offered to k-12 teachers and is taught by teachers, administrators and content experts. Both are designed to enhance teachers' knowledge of science and mathematics through hands-on laboratory experiments and field experiences and to acquaint them with specific ideas and activities to use in their classrooms.

 

QUEST and CONNECT-ED engage teachers in doing science and math. Participants perform experiments, as well as discuss pedagogy and the underlying content with colleagues and the faculty.  Educators develop skills for teaching inquiry-based science and math. They work in small, informal groups and establish close ties to their colleagues and to the faculty.

 

Districts are asked to budget $1300 per teacher, for the two week summer institute comprised of an $800 stipend given to the teacher at the completion of the summer institute in July and $500 for program expenses.

 

Teachers who attend QUEST are expected to also attend the Lemonick Symposium the following spring to share lessons with their colleagues.
 

 

Contact Anne Catena, acatena@princeton.edu, for more information.

 


 

 
 
 
 

Summer 2009 - Session Descriptions

The following sessions were offered July 2009:

 


 For grade K-12 Teachers


 
K-8 Teachers must attend both weeks of the summer institute.
High school Teachers may enroll in one or both of the CONNECT-ED weeks.
During the week of July 6-10, 2009:

CONNECT-ED Life Science

Join in our exploration of biodiversity, genetics and the interdependence of life.  Our journey will span from the fundamentals of evolution to the cutting edge of biomedical research.  With lead scientist Dr. Chris Meighan, Molecular Biology, Princeton University. 

 
During the week of July 13-17, 2009:

CONNECT-ED Chemistry

This unit will begin by looking at fundamental concepts associated with matter and chemical reactivity, then progress to applications in the area of climate change and environment.  Big ideas will include states of matter, the effect of temperature on chemical reactions, acids and bases, and the  greenhouse effect.  With Prof. Andrew Bocarsly, Chemistry, Princeton University. 
 
CONNECT-ED Chemistry is designed as a stand-alone unit, and also coordinates with the QUEST unit on "Climate Change and Alternate Energy."
 
 

 For grade 3-8 Teachers


 

Teachers of Grades 3-8 must attend one session each week of the summer institute
 
During the week of July 6-10, 2009 (one of the following):

CONNECT-ED Life Science

Join in our exploration of biodiversity, genetics and the interdependence of life.  Our journey will span from the fundamentals of evolution to the cutting edge of biomedical research.  With lead scientist Dr. Chris Meighan, Molecular Biology, Princeton University. 

Climate Change and Alternate Energy

Explore the fundamentals of Earth's climate, including the greenhouse effect, global warming, and consequences of change.  Evaluate technological and social solutions based on alternate energy technologies that allow control over humans' impact on climate.  With Prof. Andrew Bocarsly, Chemistry, Princeton University and Dr. Steve Carson, John Witherspoon School.

Human Body Systems

This program focuses on cells, microscopes, respiratory, circulatory, skeletal and digestive systems.  With Dr. Silvia Debenedetti, Princeton Day School.
 
 
During the week of July 13-17, 2009 (one of the following):
 

CONNECT-ED Chemistry

This unit will begin by looking at fundamental concepts associated with matter and chemical reactivity, then progress to applications in the area of climate change and environment.  Big ideas will include states of matter, the effect of temperature on chemical reactions, acids and bases, and the  greenhouse effect.  With Prof. Andrew Bocarsly, Chemistry, Princeton University. 
 
CONNECT-ED Chemistry is designed as a stand-alone unit, and also coordinates with the QUEST unit on "Climate Change and Alternate Energy."

Our Place in Space: Make a Model of your Universe

Join NASA scientists and educators in a week of research-based classroom-ready materials to understand the structure and evolution of our Universe.  Construct models of the Universe's size, scale and structure.  We will learn how human understanding of the Universe has changed over time.  With Prof. David Spergel, Dr. Joanna Dunkley, Astrophysics, and Ilene Levine, Roosevelt School, through the support of NASA Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. 

Life and Chemistry in the Ocean

Single-celled organisms are the dominant forms of life in the ocean.  Using a combination of field work, lab studies and satellite data we will examine how these microscopic organisms, dissolved chemicals, and ocean currents interact to regulate the fertility of the sea and variability of seawater chemistry.  With Prof. Michael Bender and Danielle Schmitt, Geosciences, Princeton University and Dr. Steve Carson, John Witherspoon School. 
 
 


Lemonick Science Teaching Awards

 

Professor Emeritus Aaron Lemonick was the director of QUEST and a life long supporter of teachers. In an effort to commemorate his devotion to QUEST, the advisory council agreed that Aaron would want the teachers to be recognized as well.
 
Thus, in 2004 we named the spring symposium in honor of Aaron and created the Lemonick Science Teaching Award, to help teachers implement inquiry-based science in their classroom. The Program in Teacher Preparation and Ilene Levine, an integral part of the QUEST team and a special friend of Lemonick, support the teaching awards which are presented at the symposium.
 

The Lemonick Symposium for QUEST and the Science Teaching Awards are a proper tribute to a wonderful mentor, teacher and scientist. This annual event reminds us of the many contributions Aaron Lemonick made to the Program for Teacher Preparation at Princeton University.

The Lemonick Science Teaching award recipients are as follows:

Spring 2004

Jennifer Errickson Patriarca, Wilbur Watts Intermediate School, Burlington City received a $300 grant to create a school garden for students in grades 4, 5 and 6.
 
Colleen Lanigan, Robbins School, Trenton received a $200 grant to develop an inquiry-based chemistry unit for the 3 rd and 4 th grade students.
 
Suzanne Merrill, Lore School, Ewing received a $100 grant to support a life science project for 400 fifth grade students.

Spring 2005

Laura Capriotti, Burlington City Jr. School, Burlington City received a $150 grant to implement a chemistry and environmental science unit with her seventh grade classes.
 
Suzanne Merrill, Lore School, Ewing received a $150 grant toward the purchase of an incubator and brooder pack to enhance her life science unit with 5 th grade students who shared with other grade levels in the school.

Spring 2006

Heidi Watchin, Millstone River School, West Windsor-Plainsboro received a $300 grant to extend a unit on electric circuits for approximately 17 fourth grade classes.
 
Liv Bowring, Amsterdam Elementary School, Hillsborough received a $200 grant to purchase and build weather instruments with approximately 100 fourth grade students.
 
Kelly Kramli, Auten Road Intermediate School, Hillsborough received a $100 grant to develop a unit on ecosystems during which her fifth grade team of approximately 50 students will work with a K-2 special needs class.

Spring 2007

Jeff Grabell, Dutch Neck School, West Windsor-Plainsboro received a $300 grant to extend his human body unit to make connections to chemistry, rock & minerals and mathematics.  Jeff plans to create this unit for his 3rd grade class and then present it as an in-service session for all 3rd grade teachers in the district to potentially reach 700 students.
 
Dr. Georgia Fisanick, Watchung Hills High School received a $200 grant to purchase Vernier probes for her forensic science classes that will be used by 80 students in grades 11 and 12.
 
Helen Chang, Millstone River School, West Windsor Plainsboro received a $100 grant to develop a chemical reactions unit for 800 students, grades 3-5.

Spring 2008

Karla Peroni, Sayen Middle School, Hamilton received a $300 grant to extend her Chemical Reactions unit for 40 5th grade students. The students will design their own experiments, use graphing software to test their hypothesis and analyze the data.
 
Gwen Komyati, Village School, West Windsor-Plainsboro received a $200 grant to purchase maps and science resources for her integrated geology and literature unit that will be used with 50 4th grade students. 
 
Sashi Gundala, Brooks Crossing, South Brunswick received a $100 grant to enhance her 5th grade sound unit on understanding sound waves and their application in sound, light and seismic activities.

Spring 2009

Carol Houghton, B.C. Gregory Elementary School, Trenton received a $300 grant to purchase Galileoscope kits for 15 students on her Princeton Plasma Physics Science Bowl and Fuel Cell Car Builders Teams. The 6th-8th grade students will use the telescopes to observe and report short-term and long-term changes in the positions of the constellations in the night sky.
 
Nicole Carmichael, Math Coach, Trenton Public Schools received a $200 grant to enhance an integrated lifecycle unit she created for her fifth grade classes using The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. She will use the money to purchase butterfly kits so that students will analyze caterpillars’ eating habits and measure their growth and development prior to metamorphosis.
 
Heidi Wachtin, Millstone River School, West Windsor-Plainsboro received a $100 grant to further her school recycling program by setting up a vermicomposting bin in her classroom. Her fourth grade students will contribute fruits and vegetable food scraps from their lunches to the composting bins. They will observe how worms convert organic waste into humus.

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