9355614 Rowlett This project will provide content enrichment, leadership training, network development, and on-site support to a cadre of earth science teachers in grades 6-12 from North Carolina. Subsequently they will introduce field-based observational projects into their earth science courses in conformity with the state curriculum. In six regions, three week summer institutes will be conducted by master teachers and specifically trained earth scientists. During each of three summers two institutes, each enrolling 25 teachers as 2-member teams with LEA-support, will be held at different regional sites. Supported by one-day pre-meeting workshops to devise site- specific needs assessments, post-meeting site visits by staff and earth scientists, follow-up meetings, and inservice development, the project will prepare specifically designed manuals for implementing earth science field projects on school sites and will model best teaching techniques for hands-on learning. Teachers will also prepare an Earth Science Action Plan to improve their school's earth science curriculum and to provide inservice to their colleagues.
