The Earth Scientist (TES) Themes for Upcoming Issues

Some upcoming issues of The Earth Scientist will focus on specific themes in order to provide a more comprehensive treatment of the selected science topic or teaching mode. Although submission of articles on all topics of interest to K-12 Earth and Space Science classroom teachers are welcome, NESTA is especially interested in encouraging authors to submit activities and articles on the following topics:

  • Earth Science and Environmental Issues
  • Economic Geology
  • Energy Resources - A New Look
  • Volcanoes
  • Soils and Farming
  • Oceans
  • Geology
  • Paleontology

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Current Issue

This Summer 2013 issue of The Earth Scientist (TES) is the third special issue of The Earth Scientist sponsored by the Penn State TESSE team! Transforming Earth System Science Education (TESSE) was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF GEOTeach Award #0631377) with The Pennsylvania State University as one of four institutions involved in intensive and sustained teacher professional development, targeting the teaching and learning of Earth system science.

In the summers of 2011 and 2012, with funding from a Targeted Math Science Partnership (MSP) grant (NSF Award #DUE-0962792), middle and high school Earth and Space science teachers from partner school districts in Pennsylvania were welcomed at summer workshops in plate tectonics, solar system astronomy, energy production, and climate change. The Penn State Earth and Space Science Partnership (ESSP) presented each discipline-based workshop with a common pedagogical approach including content storyline, formative assessment, and claims-evidence-reasoning.

In addition to the summer workshop offerings, teachers were encouraged to pursue other avenues of professional development. Certainly, publishing curricular innovations in The Earth Scientist not only empowers teachers but helps to elevate the teaching profession and provide a voice for advocacy in the discipline (see Guertin and Furman, 2013). TESSE Team leaders have worked hard alongside teachers to establish and sustain the Pennsylvania Earth Science Teachers Association (PAESTA, http://www.paesta.org/), the Pennsylvania chapter of NESTA. PAESTA offers the opportunity for leadership and engagement for the teaching community online and at our annual conference. The articles featured in this issue reflect the enthusiasm, hard work and success of the teachers and Penn State project leaders in developing quality classroom activities and professional development opportunities available through PAESTA. It is hoped that you will enjoy these articles, incorporate some of these innovative ideas and resources into your own classroom, and join up in supporting PAESTA and NESTA!