The Earth Science Resource Associates project will, over a five year period, develop and maintain a network of a minimum of 60 middle/high school teachers and 40 agency and university geoscientists and university science educators. Project activities will be delivered at multiple sites including a summer program at the University of Wisconsin- Madison campus; a conference at the Wisconsin Academy of Science (Madison), a summer field trip to selected areas; and a retreat at the UW System Pigeon Lake field station. The project consists of: 1. selecting exemplary middle/high school teachers who have a strong background in one or more of the earth sciences and selecting university, agency and business geoscientists with an interest in pre-college earth science education; 2. enhancing content in earth sciences of teacher participants through class and field experiences; 3. enhancing teacher participants' background in learning and teaching through class readings and discussions, and all participants through conference speakers and discussions; 4. developing a knowledge of existing programs and materials for teaching activity based earth science; 5. participants conducting local, district, and state workshops and seminars for teachers; and developing an ongoing network. The project proposes to directly effect an estimated 1,500 students in the teachers' classes each year, an estimated 200 teachers at workshops scheduled each year, as well as a large number of teachers attending information sharing presentations at state and area conferences.
