WSST Newsletter, Volume 63, #1

Fall 2021 Vol. 63, #1

Comeback Conference 2022

From the President

by Amy Fassler and Tracy Swedlund

WSST President, Jay Gullickson

The Northwoods are calling! The Comeback Conference, April 7-9, 2022 in Wausau is promising to be the professional development we have been waiting for to reconnect and recharge.

Delta. A word that surely will drive many decisions as we begin the 2021-2022 school year. In science, Delta (Δ) represents “change”. Change is one of those things we as educators do all too often, sometimes by choice and sometimes by the request of others. However, the changes over the last 18 months or so have tested new and experienced teachers alike, and look to do so again this year.

Merriam-Webster gives 8 definitions of change as a transitive verb, and all of them could be applicable to our schools.

The question is - what do we change and what do we leave alone?

As I take over the presidency of WSST from Matt Lindsey, it’s a change based

Highlights Include: • Thursday Night President’s Social: Casino Night!

• Friday Lunch Speaker: Dr. Edward Belongia-Infectious disease epidemiologist at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute will present on vaccine research.

• Friday Banquet Speaker: Paul

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Inside this Issue!

Page 1 Page 5 Page 6-7 Page 8-9 Page 10-13 Page 14-15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19

President’s Address & Conference Info WSST Foundation Grants WSST Awards Information WSST Election Info, Nomination Form WSST Member Submissions Science News and Opportunities WSST’s Digital Presence Paul Andersen: Bozeman Science International Observe the Moon Night NASA’s Night Sky Notes

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The Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers Our Mission: Promoting, supporting and improving science education in the state of Wisconsin.

Our Vision: The Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers will carry out its mission of promoting, supporting and improving science education in the state of Wisconsin by providing leadership, advocacy and programs to enhance the teaching and learning of science.

WSST Advertising Rates Full page ads: Half page ads: Quarter page ads: 1” Bottom page banner: Business card:

$250 $150 $75 $40 $25

10% discount on two or more of identical ad in current volume Advertising must be submitted to editor in camera-ready form or electronically, with check or money order (payable to WSST)

WSST Directory, 2020-2021 Jay Gullickson, President-Elect jgullickson@whitnall.com Whitnall Middle School 5025 S. 116th St. Greenfield, WI 53228 Matt Lindsey, Past President president@wsst.org 715-321-3291 Stephanie Baker, Secretary bakeste@wc.k12.wi.us Kevin Niemi, Chief Financial Officer kjniemi@wisc.edu Tammy Dymesich, Chief Operating Officer coo@wsst.org Kevin Mason, District 1 (CESA 11 & 12) masonk@uwstout.edu Brad Wysocki, District 2 (CESA 9 & 10) bradley.wysocki@bloomer.k12.wi.us Dennis Rohr, District 3 (CESA 7 & 8) drohr@seymour.k12.wi.us Julie Lundeen, District 4 (CESA 3 & 4) lundeenj@cashton.k12.wi.us Sara Krauskopf, District 5 (CESA 2 & 5) district5@wsst.org Sarah Adumat, District 6 (CESA 6) district6@wsst.org sadumat@waupun.k12.wi.us Cody Smith, District 7 (CESA 1) cody.smith@nbexcellence.org

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WSST Committees Awards/Recognition Miranda Dahlke (co-chair) Laura Ramthun (co-chair) Tom Davies Nancy Smith Kathy Biernat Stephanie Bartels Michelle Howe Bob Friedel Constance Rauterkus Document Review Greg Bisbee (chair) Dave Bergerson

Erik Duhn

Elementary Education Marcia Gardner (chair) Tanzeem Ali Crystal Schalliol Krysten Hintz Finance Matt Lindsey

Alice Szymik

Terry Schwaller

Professional Development Chad Janowski (chair) Kevin Anderson Matt Lindsey Karen Mesmer Sarah Adumat Jessica Dennis

Higher Education Rachael Lancor (co-chairs) Mike Beeth (co-chairs) Lynn Diener Kevin Mason Amy Schiebel Teale Mach John Greenler

Dan Bugenhagen Shelley Petzold

Publications Brian Bartel (co-chair) - Newsletter Editor Julie Fitzpatrick (co-chair) - Website Sarah Adumat - Newsletter Copy Editor Karyl Rosenberg - Historian Tracy Swedlund Dan Nelson Dale Basler Strategic Planning Matt Lindsey Kevin Niemi

Foundation Brian Bartel (President) Denise McCulley (1st Vice-President) Carol Ochsner (2nd Vice-President) Dale Basler (3rd Vice-President) Tracy Swedlund (Treasurer) Steve Gustafson (Secretary)

Membership Michelle Griffin-Wenzel (chair) Ray Scolavino Tracy Swedlund

Nominations and Elections Dan Nelson (chair) Cindy Edlund John Johnson

Ray Scolavino Shelly Rudnick-Peterson

WSELA Kevin Niemi (chair) Kevin Anderson Gina Vogt

Scott Woody

WESTA Beth Allcox (chair) Dennis Rohr Margaret Guderyon

Cheryl Esslinger Emily Miller

Justin Frey Jay Gullickson

WSST Conference Chairs Amy Fassler and Tracy Swedlund (co-chairs), Wausau 2022 Deanna Brunlinger

WSST Conference Director Ray Scolavino

WSST Vendor Coordinator Rodney Dymesich

WSST Newsletter Archive Visit www.wsst.org/newsletter to download past issues of the WSST newsletter. Available from 2002, all newsletters are in Adobe PDF format.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. To submit a letter to the WSST Newsletter, send your thoughts via e-mail to newsletter@wsst.org Content may be edited for length, clarity and appropriateness.

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Conference

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Anderson-Bozeman Science will present on science education pedagogy.

• A variety of workshops, sessions and field trips.

The conference will be held at Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center.

There are three hotel options: • Holiday Inn & Suites WausauRothschild is adjacent to the conference center. Currently taking reservations • Stoney Creek Hotel (0.2 mile) Reservations coming • Grand Lodge (0.3 mile) Reservations coming Look for registration and the call for proposals on the website in October.

President

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on the Constitution of our organization.

Matt did an unbelievable job leading the organization through uncharted waters over the last two years - much out of the public eye of our membership with our last two conferences being cancelled. His experience and lessons learned will help with the change in office, we will continue to work alongside each other, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with him and lead our great organization as we move through another chapter of WSST. Thanks Matt for all you’ve done and continue to do for WSST! I’ve always been an advocate for change, as long as it is for the betterment of affected stakeholders. Many of us were continually tried and tested last year, so this year I encourage all of you to find something to change that will positively

impact you - as a teacher, a spouse, a sibling, or just for yourself! Read a book (for fun). Try a fitness class. Take your work email off your phone. Schedule dates with the outdoors. Find something that you don’t normally do that will help fill your soul!

One change that we are happy to see will be bringing back our in-person conference in Wausau, April 7-9, 2022 “The Comeback Conference”! Paul Andersen (Bozeman Science) is our featured keynote speaker and will also be doing a couple of sessions. It’s going to be one to not miss, so start planning to attend sooner rather than later!

Once again we will be regularly hosting WSST Virtual Member Socials - try joining one (even for a while) and listen, talk, and laugh with your colleagues. I personally found this a great escape last year, and it looks as though I’ll need them again this year! When I thought I had it rough, I either found out that someone had it worse, or that we were all in the same boat!

As we begin the 2021-2022 school year, who knows the changes we will face, but as a member of WSST, know that you are never alone. Thank you all for continuing your memberships, and together, we will get through this and be stronger than ever!

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WSST NEWS WSST Foundation to Fund Thousands in Grants

by Brian Bartel, WSST Foundation

Do you have a project in mind that requires more money than is in your budget? Do you need help with costs for education or conference attendance?

WSST offers members five grant opportunities that can be applied for online at www.wsst.org The Founder’s Grant ($1000) can be used for expenses related to professional development. This could include coursework or attendance at conferences etc.

The Pella Grant ($1000) can be used to improve the classroom experience for students. The Byerly Grant ($500) can be used for improving the classroom experience for students, and the Foundation STEM Grant ($1,000) can be used to improve STEM learning.

Please see the WSST webpage for more information about the grants and the application process. The deadline is December 1st at midnight. Take the time to apply now!

Milton Pella Grant: Minimum of five grants up to $1000 each. Defer costs of attending conferences, pay for technology, start an after school program or implement that awesome curriculum idea you always wanted to pursue.

Byerly Grant: The grant, in the amount of $500.00 is to be used to improve the science classroom

experience for students. Any WSST member is eligible for this grant, however the following order of preference is used to award the grant: teacher or school is north of Highway 8, Science World or Science Futures staff member, Science World or Science Futures teacher participant, or any WSST member with a worthy project.

Founders Grant: Maximum of $1,000. Grant proposal may include graduate work, PDP, or other professional development.

Foundation Stem Grant These grants, up to $1,000 each, are to be used to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering or maths) learning for science students through the purchase of innovative technology hardware or other STEM equipment tied to a specific project or curricular topic. Any WSST member is eligible for this grant. Up to three grants will be awarded, ideally to an elementary project, a middle school project and a high school project. Proposals need to be tied to a specific project or curricular topic.

Apply today online! www.wsst.org/grants Foundation Grant applications are due December 1, 2021

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WSST Awards & Recognition

Friend of Science Education Award

It is the purpose of the WSST Awards and Recognition Committee to recognize outstanding achievement in the field of science education in the state of Wisconsin.

To nominate someone for an award, visit www.wsst.org and click on “Awards” to submit your nominations online. You may nominate as many qualified individuals as you like! When a nomination form is received, the person nominated will be mailed an application packet to complete and return.

Remember, our professional celebration depends on your involvement, so go to www.wsst.org, navigate to “Awards” and start nominating now!

Recognition Certificates

Excellence in Science Teaching Award (Established October 1988 and formally adopted in 1989) *Revised in 2003 from being distributed regionally by CESA to distribution on a state-wide basis.

The purpose of this award is to foster excellence in science instruction and to recognize that excellence. The award is given annually to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the improvement of science education in Wisconsin. This would include elementary, secondary or college teachers, and any other active supporters of science education. The award consists of a plaque presented at the WSST spring convention, and a one-year membership in WSST.

(Established October 1989) The intent of this award is to recognize outstanding contributions to the support of teachers by individuals, groups, corporations, foundations, etc., outside the science education community. This plaque award is presented at the WSST spring convention.

(Established February 1991) These certificates are intended to be given annually to individual WSST members for any accomplishment deemed worthy of recognition by the WSST. A one-page letter explaining this contribution should be mailed to the chair of the WSST Awards and Recognition Committee. The individuals selected will be recognized in the spring Newsletter of the WSST.

Frank Zuerner New Science Teacher Scholarship

This scholarship goes to an elementary, middle or high school science teacher who is in the first 5 years of service (preference given to first 3 years), and has been recommended as outstanding by at least one other science teacher who has direct knowledge of the applicant. An administrator, with credible knowledge of the nominee could also make a recommendation. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage a new-to-theprofession science teacher who demonstrates potential for teaching and leadership to become involved in and network with others in WSST. The teacher must be a certified elementary or Ron Gibbs Award for Excellence in science teacher with the majority of his/her Science Education assignment in that position and must be recogThis is the WSST’s most prestigious award. nized as having extraordinary potential for workThis award may be given annually to honor a ing with and serving students. The recipient person who has made outstanding contributions should be able to attend the WSST Conference in science education over a long and distinfor which this grant is provided, attend two days guished career in Wisconsin. Those eligible of sessions and the Milton O. Pella banquet. The would include elementary, secondary, or college awardee will receive registration for the teachers and any other active supporter of sciConference, one day of substitute teacher pay, ence education. The award is a plaque presented one night of accommodations at the convention at the WSST spring convention, and a lifetime hotel, a complimentary meal ticket to the Pella membership to WSST. Banquet, and one year's membership in WSST.

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WSST VOTING DISTRICTS AND CESA CORRESPONDENCES

WSST Voting District I......................CESA 11 & 12 WSST Voting District II.....................CESA 9 & 10 WSST Voting District III....................CESA 7 & 8 WSST Voting District IV....................CESA 3 & 4 WSST Voting District V.....................CESA 2 & 5 WSST Voting District VI...................CESA 6 WSST Voting District VII..................CESA 1

WSST Officer & Board Nomination Form A strong and mature organization must have capable and knowledgeable leadership; this comes from grass roots – and this starts with YOU! WSST has grown into a large and influential group, which is a wonderful thing for Science Education. But an organization of this size has challenges, one of which is identifying leadership. No one person can know the qualities and abilities of 1000+ members, but each one of us knows colleagues who would make good officers. We ask you to pass along that information to the Nominations and Elections Committee by taking the time to send in at least one Officer Nomination Form (make copies as needed). Please consider yourself!

This coming year, (2022) we will elect a District 1 Director (CESA 11 & 12), District 4 Director (CESA 3 & 4). We will also be electing a secretary and president elect. As a reminder, the term of District Director is 3 years, and the secretary and president elect is a two year period. Each person you nominate will be sent application materials.

No one knows our members as you know them. We need YOU to nominate those who should be considered for office. Thank you for caring enough about WSST to take the time to do it now. Sometimes it only takes being asked. As a professional courtesy, we ask that you let the person whom you nominated know that they are being considered (and an encouraging word couldn’t hurt!). Thank you for taking the time to improve our organization by nominating a colleague. It is only through your efforts that we can offer the best possible slate for elections.

You may also submit a digital nomination form at http://www.wsst.org/nominations.

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WSST MEMBER SUBMISSIONS Historian’s Corner: The WSST Foundation

By Karyl Rosenberg Greetings to all my WSST colleagues! As your historian, I have been thinking about the sorts of topics that might make interesting discussion as our journey through “WSST Stories” continues.

Last year we learned about the history of the WSST Foundation and some memorable keynote speakers at conferences over the years. Researching those topics was great fun, so I decided to compile a list of all the conferences WSST has had in chronological order with notes about locations, themes and special events. Check it out below, and find more at www.wsst.org/conferences-1 As I was developing the chronology, I got to thinking about field trips For most of the 31 conferences I attended, I almost always tried to take at least one field trip, and five out of the six conference committees I’ve been part of I was involved with field trip planning! This got me wondering which trips were most memorable and thus, the next chapter of “WSST Stories” was born. Of course, I can’t do this justice without your help! So, my challenge for 2021-22 is “What was your favorite field trip over the years? Send your stories to me at the new Historian email: historian@wsst.org I look forward once again to learning your memories!

Chronological Record of WSST Conventions/Conferences November 1958 Milwaukee Public Schools Administration Bldg February 1961 University of Wisconsin High School April 1962 Wisconsin Center Building-UW Campus April 1963 Wisconsin Center Building-UW Campus April 1964 Wisconsin Center Building-UW Campus April 1965 Carroll College Student Union March 1966 Reeve Memorial Union-WSU Oshkosh April 1967 Phillips Science Hall-WSU Eau Claire March 1968 University Center, WSU Stevens Point March 1969 Student Union, UW-Milwaukee April 1970 Edgewood High School “A Quality Environment, Now or Never!”

April 1971 St. Norbert College (Had a WIVES schedule!)

March 1972 J I Case High School April 1973 Stevens Point Area Senior High School May 1974 South High School April 1975 Wisconsin Center Building-UW Campus April 1976 Concourse Hotel April 1977 Downtowner Hotel April 1978 Edgewater Hotel April 1979 American Baptist Assembly April 1980 Sheraton Inn April 1981 Holiday Inn April 1982 Sheraton Inn April 1983 Tyrolean Town House April 1984 Holiday Inn March 1985 Sheraton Inn April 1986 Paper Valley Hotel/Conference Center April 1987 Sheraton Inn April 1988 La Crosse Center April 1989 Embassy Suites Center April 1990 Holiday Inn Madison West

Milwaukee Madison Madison Madison Madison Waukesha Oshkosh Eau Claire Stevens Point Milwaukee Madison De Pere/Green Bay Racine Stevens Point Sheboygan Madison Madison Green Bay Madison Green Lake Madison Wausau Madison West Allis/Milwaukee Wausau Madison Appleton Madison La Crosse Green Bay Middleton/Madison

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April 1991 April 1992 April 1993 April 1994 April 1995 April 1996 April 1997 April 1998 April 1999 April 2000 March 2001 April 2002 March 2003 March 2004 April 2005 March 2006 April 2007 March 2008 March 2009 April 2010 March 2011 March 2012 March 2013 March 2014 March 2015 April 2016 March 2017 October 2017 March 2019 March 2020 March 2021 April 2022

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Holiday Inn, Silver Lake College, UW-Manitowoc County Manitowoc Holiday Inn Conference Center Eau Claire Holiday Inn “Holidome” Stevens Point La Crosse Center La Crosse Holiday Inn, Madison West Middleton/Madison Holiday Inn Fond du Lac Hilton Inn/Milwaukee MECCA Center Milwaukee “Science-Diverse as the Universe” Paper Valley Hotel and Conference Center Appleton “The Magic of Science” Grand Geneva Resort &Conference Center Lake Geneva “A Grand Time for Science” La Crosse Center La Crosse “Science-A Bridge to the Twenty First Century” Various Locations in Twin Ports area Duluth, Minnesota “Science- A Lakes Odyssey” Monona Terrace Convention Center Madison “Science on the Terrace” Kalahari Resort and Conference Center Wisconsin Dells “A Science Safari” Paper Valley Hotel and Convention Center Appleton “Building New Avenues” La Crosse Center La Crosse “Mississippi Alive 2005” Kalahari Resort and Conference Center Wisconsin Dells “A Science Safari- the Adventure Continues” KI Center Green Bay “Where the Frozen Tundra meets the Inland Sea” Grand Geneva Resort & Conference Center Lake Geneva “The Golden Age of WSST” (50th anniversary event) Hilton Inn, Discovery World Milwaukee “WSST- A Voyage of Discovery” La Crosse Center La Crosse “On the River Again” Kalahari Resort and Conference Center Wisconsin Dells “A Scientific Adventure-No Passport Required” Monona Terrace Convention Center Madison “Science on the Terrace and Beyond” Holiday Inn/Patriot Center Wausau “Don’t take Science for Granite” Paper Valley Hotel and Convention Center Appleton “A River Runs Through It” Kalahari Resort and Conference Center Wisconsin Dells “The Fantastic Four: Biology, Chemistry, Earth-Space and Physics” La Crosse Center La Crosse “Inspiration by the Bluffs” Olympia Resort/Conference Center Oconomowoc “Go for the Gold” NSTA Regional Conference (no WSST Conference in 2018) Milwaukee Monona Terrace Convention Center Madison “Fermi to Fermentation: Pickling Particles” Planned for Kalahari Resort and Conference Center Wisconsin Dells “Keep Calm-Science On” Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic Planned for Paper Valley Hotel/Conference Center Appleton “Full STEAM Ahead” Divided into several months of virtual events due Holiday Inn- Central Wisconsin Conference Center Wausau “The Come Back Conference “

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Bay Beach Science Picnic

by Dennis Rohr Thank you to everyone who came out to Bay Beach to enjoy our Science Picnic on Monday, August 16th! It was fun to see everyone, young and old, enjoying the Makerspace with the Einstein Project Mobile Sandbox. The Einstein Project is available for teachers to elevate STEM education by providing resources for quality, hands-on science, engineering, and math lessons.

If interested in the Einstein Project for your own classroom or school, visit www.einsteinproject.org Thank you to Chad Janowski, Director of the Einstein Project who partnered with District 3 Director Dennis Rohr to provide this picnic for teachers and their families to celebrate science and enjoy lunch and the many amusement rides found at Bay Beach. For those of you that have not yet been to Bay Beach, ride tickets are still only 25 cents each and it only takes 4 tickets to ride Elvis Presley’s favorite childhood roller coaster - the Zippin’ Pippin. It was purchased by the city of Green Bay from a Memphis amusement park, and rebuilt here at Bay Beach!

We hope each of you are able to make our 2022 Science Picnic at Bay Beach next summer! And please watch the WSST Facebook page for more fun WSST activities to attend throughout the year!

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Summer Field Experience This field trip (August 2-5) to Iron Mountain, Marietta, Menominee and Escanaba was sponsored by the Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association in cooperation with the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers. Highlights included: • Hiking rock outcrops and collecting • White water rafting (Class IV rapids) • Mining history (underground mine tour; largest pump in North America) • Menominee area geology (volcanic, tectonic, faulting, minerals) • Erosional features (oxbow lakes, river meanders, drumlin fields) • New Back Forty Mine under development (metallic sulfides;Environmental protection, hydrology)

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SCIENCE NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES Chemistry Surplus Equipment from UW-Madison

items of the same kind in the same place; you will need to look for what you want so allow plenty of time to search for your

By Professor John W. Moore items, pack them, and transport them to Are you a high school science teacher our loading dock and your vehicle. You looking for surplus equipment from the will need to bring boxes and packing UW-Madison chemistry department? material, such as bubble wrap, to protect Visit our website (bit.ly/ChemSurplus) the items you want to take listing to see what we have.

John W. Moore The website spreadsheet (1-Complete W.T. Lippincott Professor List-UW Madison Surplus Department of Chemistry Equipment.xlsx) lists everything we have; University of Wisconsin-Madison note that there are six tabs at the bottom Email: jwmoore@chem.wisc.edu of the spreadsheet and you need to look at every tab for a complete list of what we have available. We have plenty of Attention Middle School each item shown in pictures on the web- Educators: Future City site; if you are interested in those items, you should be able to get what you want Competition 2021-22 Season Now that the school year has begun, and there is no need to tell me that you we’re preparing for the future. Future want any or all of those items. We may not have enough of some items listed in City (www.stemforward.org/future-citycompetition) is a project-based learning the spreadsheet to satisfy everyone’s wants; if you are interested in something program where middle school students that is in the spreadsheet but not shown in imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future. Wisconsin does not charge a pictures, let me know what items you registration fee, so take a few minutes and want and how many you want (unless register at dashboard.futurecity.org/regisyou have already done so). ter/ We plan to have items available for pick-up on weekdays between 8 and 4 pm Middle School educators can engage from now until December 23. Contact me their students at various levels, depending ahead of time to schedule a pick-up for a on what works best for them. The prospecific date at a specific time. All items gram runs through the fall semester and listed in the spreadsheet will be in a stor- culminates with a Wisconsin Regional age area in the chemistry building; when Competition on Saturday, January 15, 2022. you arrive, the building manager, Jeff Nielsen, will take you to the storage area, This year’s theme challenge, A Wastewhich is not available to the general pub- Free Future, asks teams to use the three principles of a circular economy to design lic. The storage area will not have all

Fall WSST Newsletter

a futuristic, waste-free city. Not sure what exactly that means? Check out this one page explanation at futurecity.org/sites/default/files/202105/Waste-Free%20one-pager.pdf.

Questions? Contact Heather Dummer Combs at hcombs@stemforward.org

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greatly reduced because of support from Miami University.

NSTA/WSST Joint Membership How to

by Sara Krauskopf, District 5

Are you a member of both NSTA (National Science Teaching Association) Earth Expeditions and WSST? Did you know that we have Graduate Courses an agreement with NSTA for a reduced Miami University’s Project Dragonfly is membership cost if you renew both at the accepting applications for 2022 Earth same time?

Expeditions graduate courses that offer From our website on the Join Us! extraordinary experiences in 15 countries Membership page, look in the upper left throughout the world. Find out more at part of the screen for options to get a http://EarthExpeditions.MiamiOH.edu combined membership through the NSTA Earth Expeditions can build toward the website and save $5. If you are not yet a Global Field Program (GFP), a master’s member of NSTA, it is worth investigatdegree that combines summer field ing the benefits of joining their organizacourses worldwide with web learning tion as well to receive access to some of communities so that students can comtheir nation-wide resources, conferences plete the GFP master’s part-time from and publications. Don’t forget - the 2022 anywhere in the United States or abroad. National NSTA conference will be held in Visit http://GFP.MiamiOH.edu for more Chicago in July! information.

Project Dragonfly also offers the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) master’s degree that combines web instruction from Miami University with experiential learning and field study through several AIP Master Institutions in the U.S. Applications for Miami’s 2022 cohorts are being accepted now with place-based experiences provided at zoos and botanical gardens in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Jacksonville, New York, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis. Applications are available at http://AIP.MiamiOH.edu Graduate tuition for all programs is

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WSST’s Digital Presence

www.wsst.org

www.twitter.com/wiscienceteach

www.facebook.com/wiscienceteach/

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Bozeman Science Keynote Speaker for Comeback Conference Don’t miss Paul Andersen at the 2022 Comeback Conference in Wausau. Paul will be the Keynote Speaker for the Milton Pella Banquet on Friday, April 8, and will also be presenting some sessions during the conference. Make sure talk to your administration so you can go to Wausau in April!

Paul Andersen is an educational consultant and YouTube creator living in Bozeman, MT. Paul is an experienced educator having taught science in Montana for 20 years.

Paul was the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year, and was also one of four finalists for the 2011 National Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching Paul has created hundreds of YouTube science tutorials that have been viewed millions of times by students around the world. Paul has provided training for thousands of students, teachers, and administrators around the world. Paul enjoys providing meaningful professional development that can be applied immediately in the classroom.

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Weird Ways to Observe the Moon

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Depending on your equipment, a Sun Funnel can view the Moon as well as the Sun– a full Moon gives off more than enough light to project from even relatively small telescopes. Large telescopes will project

by David Prosper the full Moon and its phases, with varying levels of International Observe the Moon Night is on October detail; while not as crisp as direct eyepiece viewing, 16 this year– but you can observe the Moon whenev- it’s still an impressive sight! You can also mount er it's up, day or night! While binoculars and teleyour smartphone or tablet to your eyepiece for a simscopes certainly reveal incredible details of our ilar Moon-viewing experience, but the funnel doesn’t neighbor’s surface, bringing out dark seas, need batteries. bright craters, and numerous odd fissures Of course, you can join folks in person or and cracks, these tools are not the only way online for a celebration of our Moon on to observe details about our Moon. There are October 16, with International Observe the more ways to observe the Moon than you Moon Night – find details at might expect, just using common household moon.nasa.gov/observe. NASA has big plans materials. for a return to the Moon with the Artemis program, Put on a pair of sunglasses, especially polarized and you can find the latest news on their upcoming sunglasses! You may think this is a joke, but the lunar explorations at nasa.gov. point of polarized sunglasses is to dramatically reduce glare, and so they allow your eyes to pick out some lunar details! Surprisingly, wearing sunglasses even helps during daytime observations of the Moon.

One unlikely tool is the humble plastic bottle cap! John Goss from the Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society shared these directions on how to make your own bottle cap lunar viewer, which was also suggested to him by Fred Schaaf many years ago as a way to also view the thin crescent of Venus when close to the Sun: “The full Moon is very bright, so much that details are overwhelmed by the glare. Here is an easy way to see more! Start by drilling a 1/16-inch (1.5 mm) diameter hole in a plastic soft drink bottle cap. Make sure it is an unobstructed, round hole. Now look through the hole at the bright Moon. The image brightness will be much dimmer than normal – over 90% dimmer – reducing or eliminating any lunar glare. The image should also be much sharper because the bottle cap blocks light from entering the outer portion of your pupil, where imperfections of the eye’s curving optical path likely lie.” Many report seeing a starSun Funnels in action! Starting clockwise from the bottling amount of lunar detail!

You can project the Moon! Have you heard tom left, a standalone Sun Funnel; attached to a small of a “Sun Funnel”? It’s a way to safely view refractor to observe the transit of Mercury in 2019; the Sun by projecting the image from an eye- attached to a large telescope in preparation for evening piece to fabric stretched across a funnel lunar observing; projection of the Moon onto a funnel mounted on top. It’s easy to make at home, from a medium-size scope (5 inches). too – directions are here: bit.ly/sunfunnel.

WSST Newsletter 192 Depot Road Cambridge, WI 53523

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Volume 63, No. 1 Published in Appleton, Wisconsin Editing & Layout: Brian Bartel Publisher: Kevin Niemi

DUES EXPIRE ON DATE PRINTED

Submissions to the Newsletter If you wish to contribute to the WSST Newsletter or place an advertisement, please forward items to Newsletter Editor, Brian Bartel, Morgan Building, 120 East Harris St, Appleton, WI 54911. The preferred method of submission is by e-mail at newsletter@wsst.org. Please send as text or Microsoft Word Document.

WSST Calendar WSST Winter Board Meeting, Myrick Park Center, LaCrosse Nov 6, 2021 2022 Conference, Central WI Convention Center, Wausau April 7-9, 2022

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2021-2022 Newsletter Deadlines Fall: Friday, August 27, 2021 Winter*: Friday, November 12, 2021 Spring*: Friday, January 28, 2022 Summer*: Friday, April 8, 2022 *These will be digital issues only

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