MnSTA
Newsletter Volume 65 No. 2 A Quarterly Publication of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association Inc. Winter 2023
Teachers Receive MnSTA Science Teaching Award
The MnSTA Science Teaching Award is presented each year to honor exemplary teachers at two levels: elementary and secondary. To demonstrate their qualifications for the award, the applicants must provide a description of their teaching practice, a listing of their teaching and professional activities, and a proposal for use of the funds. Each awardee receives a fund of $1000 for a project that benefits their students and free registration for MnCOSE. Recipients of the award are expected to share the results of their project with other teachers. The judges for the award are members of the MnSTA board of directors.
MnSTA president Jill Jensen presents the MnSTA Science Teachng Award to Barbara Jacobs-Smith and Dr. Stephanie Harris at MnCOSE in Duluth
The Teaching Award for an elementary teacher goes to Barbara Jacobs-Smith, a third-grade teacher at Breck School in Golden Valley. Barbara puts an emphasis on creating conditions where students want to learn, especially by exposing them to the wonders of nature. She does this in many ways - planting seeds, raising invertebrates, taking students outside,
observing the world through a window, and participating in a Citizen Science project. As an example, her students participate in Project FeederWatch which uses data submitted by participants to draw a picture of winter bird abundance and distribution. As scientists, students learn to identify birds, enter data correctly, and contribute to the scientific enterprise. Barbara plans to use her award money for a project to identify and eradicate invasive species on the school campus. Congratulations Carrie! The Teaching Award for a secondary teacher goes to Dr. Stephanie Harris from Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul, where she teaches Chemistry. Some of the approaches she uses in her teaching are: - providing the tools for students to continue to use science on their own throughout their lives, - investigating phenomena through inquiry-based activities that give students the opportunity to construct their own knowledge, and - using interdisciplinary approaches based on Stephanie’s background in several fields. Stephanie will use the award funds to purchase equipment for the separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen. Congratulations Stephanie! Watch for information about the 2023 award and prepare to submit your entry. The application is not lengthy and is due in early fall.