176-7 A Partnership Between English Language Learners and a Team of Rocket Scientists: EPO for the NASA SDO Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE)

See more from this Division: Topical Sessions
See more from this Session: Geoscience Diversity 2008: Status, Strategies, and Successful Models II

Sunday, 5 October 2008: 3:10 PM
George R. Brown Convention Center, 310CF

Susan M. Buhr1, Mark S. McCaffrey1, Frank Eparvier2 and Maria Murillo3, (1)Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Univ of Colorado, Boulder, CO
(2)Laboratory for Atmosheric and Space Physics (LASP), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
(3)Skyline High School, St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, CO
Abstract:
Recent immigrant high school students were successfully engaged in learning about Sun-Earth connections through a partnership with the NASA SDO Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) project. The students were enrolled in a pilot course as part of the Math, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program. The English Language Learner (ELL) students doubled their achievement on a pre- and post-assessment on the content of the course. Students learned scientific content and vocabulary in English with support in Spanish, attended field trips, hosted scientist speakers, built and deployed space weather monitors as part of the Stanford SOLAR project, and gave final presentations in English, showcasing their new computer skills. Teachers who taught the students in other courses noted gains in the students' willingness to use English in class and noted gains in math skills. The course has been broken into modules for use in shorter after-school environments, or for use by EVE scientists who are outside of the Boulder area. Video footage of “The Making of a Satellite”, and “All About EVE” is completed for use in the kits. Other EVE EPO includes upcoming professional development for teachers and content workshops for journalists.

See more from this Division: Topical Sessions
See more from this Session: Geoscience Diversity 2008: Status, Strategies, and Successful Models II