News, information, and updates

New lesson plans for teaching fluid dynamics

lrichardson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:52:56 +0000

Looking for a creative way to teach fluid dynamics concepts in your middle school math or science class? Three hands-on, inquiry-based lesson plans addressing this topic have been published in the unit “A mathematical model to describe fluid behavior” This unit is provided by the Kenan Fellows program.

Students delve into the topic of natural frequency by observing and calculating oscillations of pine trees and dowel rods. They also work with the formula for frequency and discover applications for irrational numbers in the real world using data collected during the activities.

In another lesson, exploration of the radii of vessels in leaves introduces students to Murray’s law (the equation that models an efficient fluid transport system). Throughout this activity, students become familiar with cubes and cube roots.

Finally, students learn about density, viscosity, and the Reynolds Number. Active inquiry engages students in the concept of viscosity and the various ways we encounter it in our daily lives. They also learn how to find the Reynolds Number of a fluid and how to use it effectively in a scale model to better understand real-world phenomena.

News from the NC Civic Education Consortium

lrichardson — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:36:15 +0000

The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium, a program of the School of Government at UNC-Chapel Hill, works with schools, governments, and community organizations to prepare North Carolina’s young people to be active, responsible citizens. Each month the Consortium delivers an email newsletter with news and opportunities for civic engagement.

The January newsletter highlights two lesson plans. For the middle grades, students will participate in a Socratic seminar as they learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. and how his legacy still resonates today. High School students will learn about African Americans and the war in Vietnam through political cartoons, an anti-war comic book, and a lesser known speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.

The newsletter also highlights current professional development opportunities for educators including conferences, seminars, and fellowship programs in civic education. In addition, there is information about the Third Annual First Amendment Cartoon Contest open for K-12 students nationwide.

To read the newsletter, visit the Consortium’s website. To receive the newsletter via email, contact Anita Buie.

Free professional development series on working with students with multiple needs

lrichardson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:41:01 +0000

Kathleen Lane, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Education professor of special education, will present a series of professional development sessions for local K-12 educators during the spring. The five, once-a-month sessions — entitled Project Screen and Support — is offered at no charge to all K-12 teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and parents interested in learning more about proactive, systematic methods for students who might require additional assistance to experience success in school. The sessions will be held at the Carolina Center for Educational Excellence on Seawell School Road in Chapel Hill. Sessions are held one Tuesday evening per month from 5 p.m. to 7 pm. To register for one or more sessions, visit the CCEE registration page.

Introducing LEARN NC’s new executive director!

Emily — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:03:58 +0000

Happy New Year! We’re thrilled to announce that we are starting 2012 with a new Executive Director.

It is our great pleasure to welcome Dr. Steve Bronack as Executive Director of LEARN NC. Prior to joining LEARN NC, Dr. Bronack held faculty positions at Lehigh University, Appalachian State, and Clemson University. He also taught high school English in Caldwell County, North Carolina.

Dr. Bronack holds a B.S. and M.A. In Education from Appalachian State University, and a Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from the University of Virginia. His scholarship regarding the use of virtual worlds, simulations, games, and augmented reality is helping to guide the development of new educational systems and methods of instruction. Steve brings a wealth of expertise and experience to LEARN NC.

We are delighted to have Steve join the LEARN NC team! I know you’ll be hearing from Steve soon as he leads LEARN NC in the development of innovative online resources for North Carolina educators!

Welcome Aboard, Steve!

America in Class online seminars

lrichardson — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:12:13 +0000

The National Humanities Center offers professional development seminars for educators to improve teacher content knowledge, promote discussion-based instruction, and provide fresh material for students. The seminars are free for North Carolina K-12 teachers (use promotional code: NHC2012). Seminars are eligible for recertification credit. The spring 2012 schedule includes:

The Role of Medical Care in the Civil War: The hospital and the battlefield: Thursday, February 2, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leader — Margaret Humphreys, Josiah Charles Trent Associate Professor of Medical Humanities at Duke University; National Humanities Center Fellow
Art and the New Negro: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 or Tuesday, March 27, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leader — Richard J. Powell, the John Spencer Bassett Professor of Art History at Duke University; National Humanities Center Fellow
Teaching Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield and Adolescent Rebellion: Thursday, April 12, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leader — Grace Elizabeth Hale, Corcoran Department of History, University of Virginia and National Humanities Fellow
Nation, Race, and Genocide: Thursday, April 19, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leader — Jonathan Reynolds, Professor of History, Northern Kentucky University
Using Art in History and Literature Classes: What’s the Story? Parts 1 & 2: Tuesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 26, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leaders — Ashley Weinard and John Coffey, North Carolina Museum of Art
Spain and Its North American Empire in the Eighteenth Century: The Other Revolution: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 — 7:00-8:30PM, Leader Cynthia Radding, Gussenhoven Distinguished Professor of Latin American Studies, Professor of History & Director of Graduate Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and National Humanities Center Fellow

For detailed descriptions of the seminars and to register, visit the National Humanities Center website. Email Caryn Koplik, Assistant Director of Education Programs for special pricing.