Happenings
Conference Calls
Share your experiences and ask questions of other ScienceQuest coaches, coordinators, and staff members.

When: Friday February 28th and Friday March 14th
Time: 12 - 1 pm EST
Number: 1-888-520-8955
Code: 78962# (Press 'pound' after the numbers)

ScienceQuest Expands Program with Universities
Dan Toomey, of the Center for Family Work and Community at UMass Lowell, has invited ScienceQuest to conduct a workshop. Dan is now working with five community service students who will work as coaches in two of the Lowell Housing Authority technology centers. Greg LaBranch, a graduate student, will be coordinating the teams and hopes to have six sustainable teams up and running this spring.

Classroom teachers join after school programs

The ScienceQuest Teachers' "Stepping Stones" Pilot Project prepares teachers to teach inquiry-based science projects to urban middle school students: girls, minorities, and those with and without disabilities. We hope that the project is an effective way for new teachers to gain the complex skills required for teaching in urban classrooms.

During spring 2003, a group of coaches will receive training and additional support as they become ScienceQuest coaches and move towards gaining the experience they need to become excellent teachers. Michelle Chang, a graduate student and an experienced middle school science teacher, will be providing the support for these students. This project is being developed in conjunction with Lesley University's Department of Natural Resources and Mathematics.

If you are a ScienceQuest coach and are thinking about becoming a teacher (or are already a teacher!), we would like to find time to chat with you about your experience; please contact Jennifer at jdorsen@edc.org. More updates will be reported later this spring.

Teams Showcase
Tar and Quicksand
Candace, Greg, and Saray, of FSS-Project T.E.C.H. in Los Angeles California spent their summer in the pits. The tar pits, that is. This trio dug into the ground and cracked the mysteries of tar and quicksand.
http://tarandquicksand.homestead.com/index.html

ScienceQuest at PLUK
The ScienceQuest at Parents, Let's Unite for Kids in Billings, Montana have brought together 10 kids, including Eric, and explored various topics in space.
http://www.pluk.org/sciencequest.htm
Orion Pirates
Eric, the 'only and last member' of the Orion Pirates packed his gear and thinking cap on a quest to discover more about black holes. Bring along your curiosity and take a ride along with the Orion Pirates but watch out for those Bermuda triangles in space!
http://orionpirates.homestead.com/

Web Spotlights
Ideas for Common Challenges
Want to know how to find a coach or how to get your team to agree on a passionate question? Check out the answers to these questions and more.
http://www2.edc.org/sciencequest/coachescenters/
forum/ideas.htm

Set Up a Team
You've attended the workshop and now it's time to start. This section provides practical advice on setting up ScienceQuest teams. We've included a how-to-guide, answers to common challenges, stories from experienced ScienceQuest sites, and resources to help you on your way.
http://www2.edc.org/sciencequest/coachescenters/
team/setup.htm

Online Resources
Learning from Columbia: The science behind space exploration
After the tragedy of the space shuttle Columbia on February 1st, the world struggles to come to grips with the perils of space travels. The New York Times Learning Network has created a lesson plan designed for students to analyze the facts and issues concerning Columbia as well as explore its impact on the communities, NASA, and the world.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/
20030203monday.html

Science Friday: The Future of Space Exploration after Columbia
The aftermath of Columbia has produced a number of questions from many as to the current anf future outlook of space exploration. Science Friday has compiled various activities and topics of discussion to allow youth to learn, discuss, and perhaps get involved in the space travel efforts.
http://www.sciencefriday.com/kids/sfkc20030207-1.html

Kids Create Science Books
81 middle school students in Waltham, MA created a science book after learning about ecosystems and the environment in their science class. After researching their individual topics, students had to create their own page as well as work with each other to produce the final manuscript.
http://www.middleweb.com/MGNEWS1/MGN0216.html#
anchor5115483

Mind Your P's and C's: Plagiarism and Citations on Web Sites
No one likes to talk much about the 'P' word but it plays a part in learning. While kids learn, it may be tempting to copy work that has already been done because it may sound better. ScienceQuest isn't about perfection; it is however, about making your own connections. Sometimes they do find information that can be effectively incorporated into their projects, so it is important for them to learn how to give credit when using someone else's work.
Avoiding Plagiarism
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html
How to Cite Web Resources
http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html

Afterschool Alliance Grant Resources
The Afterschool Alliance has compiled a collection of funding organizations to help you obtain more resources to supplement or sustain your program. It also features a section on grant writing and development resources as well as discussion lists to hear about the latest calls for proposals.
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/funding_links.cfm

Afterschool.gov funding search
The Afterschool Alliance has compiled a collection of funding organizations to help you obtain more resources to supplement or sustain your program. It also features a section on grant writing and development resources as well as discussion lists to hear about the latest calls for proposals.
http://www.afterschool.gov/cgi-bin/htgmsrch.pl

Did You Know?
Like current events? Find out the latest ScienceQuest news in the 'What's Hot' section of the ScienceQuest web site.
http://www2.edc.org/sciencequest/hot/index.htm