Spanish Fort High School/Baldwin County

Day 1 in Hawaii awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Iselle 

Megan O'Neill-Hawaiian Volcanoes and MORE --Project Summary:
Amanda Keesee and I are passionate about lifelong learning. In order to be successful teachers, we believe that staying current and immersing ourselves in the topics we teach are vital to motivating our students to learn the topics. Our project included three main events. First to connect our students with science in Hawaii as well as gleaning information about the cultural pillars of the environment in Hawaii. Being able to share topics impacting our planet with our students broadens their horizons and expands their abilities. We traveled with the Geological Society of America (GSA) for the Hawaiian Volcanoes Expedition to learn about the geological features including hot spots, volcanic material, plate tectonics and lessons that incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The second portion of the project was the purchase of water testing equipment with iPads to allow our students to conduct investigations on their own to extend the knowledge we gathered in Hawaii. The third component of our project is to share our experience with colleagues through attendance at the Alabama Science Teachers Conference.Our project accomplished this and so much more! Traveling to and experiencing the wonders of the Big Island of Hawaii lent us the true picture of the enormity of the volcanoes! I also experienced my first earthquake on the exact day that Hurricane Iselle made landfall in Hilo! We were experiencing every possible science topic imaginable while on our excursion! Additionally, learning from the experts of the GSA brought us understanding otherwise not possible!
Amanda Keesee-Aloha from Hawaii --Project Summary:
I have been a special education teacher for 18 years. When my principal said he needed a Science teacher and asked if I would take the Science Praxis, I was a little apprehensive. I already had a Master's degree in Special Education and an Ed. D in Teacher Leadership. I couldn't imagine going down a whole new path, and I wasn't sure it was a path I even wanted to take. However, after taking the test and teaching one Science class, I was hooked. I loved the labs and the Science content but I didn't feel like a real Science teacher. I did not feel like I had the background knowledge my colleagues gained in Science classes and personal travels. I found a trip to Hawaii sponsored by the Geological Society of America, with opportunities in field work and lectures designed for Science teachers. This opportunity was exactly what I needed in order to experience the same inquiry based learning that I challenge my students to use daily. The field work was exciting, the lectures were very informative and the experiences that come from being in Hawaii were incredible! I swam with sea turtles, walked through the Thurston Lava tube, hiked to Mahana Green Sand Beach, snorkeled, and saw an active volcano. Truly a trip of a life time.

Mahalo- Funds for Teachers!

 

Blog:  Marine Science: 2014 Hawaii Geoventures Expedition (Fund for Teachers)

Geoventure Hawaii (organized by the Geological
Society of Alabama),

Powerpoint from fellowship

Hawaii fellowship handout

Last modified: Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 3:14 PM