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Have you ever actively participated in a science lab that left a lasting impact on you? Have you ever taught an interactive science lab and watched as students lit up with understanding? Science would like to recognize efforts such as these with the Science Prize for Inquiry-Based Instruction, which has been established to encourage innovation and excellence in education by recognizing outstanding, design-based engineering and inquiry-based science education modules. 

The prize is open to any module where students become invested in exploring questions through activities that are at least partially of their own design. Rather than a typical laboratory exercise that begins with an explanation and results in one correct answer, an design-based or inquiry-based lesson might begin with a scenario or question and then require students to propose possible solutions and design some of their own experiments.

Winners will be selected by the editors of Science with the assistance of a judging panel composed of teachers and researchers in the relevant science fields. Individuals responsible for the development of the winning resources will be invited to write a short essay that describes the resource for publication in Science in 2013. We encourage all members of the scientific community to explore their classrooms, departments, colleges, and universities for nominations in order for the Science Prize for Inquiry-Based Instruction to truly represent the best in science education.

For more information and to download applications please visit http://scim.ag/inquiryprize

Please contact Dr. Melissa McCartney at mmccartn@aaas.org with any questions.

Happy Valentine's Day!   Online version

Check out new resources at Teachers' Domain: 

• Mission US  - a multimedia project "featuring free interactive adventure games set in different eras of U.S. history."   Two games:
  • For Crown or Colony? (1770 Boston)
  • Flight to Freedom (1848 plantation life for a slave in Kentucky)
    
     
• NASA + Climate:  Where Words Touch the Earth - find out about Native American perspectives on climate change and its effects from this collection
  
   
• Women's History Month: great profiles on women in history - and career profiles for women in STEM fields. 

Program solicitations from the National Science Foundation: 

NSF 12-533: Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST)    -   Letter of Intent Deadline Date:  February 24, 2012. See full solicitation for more deadline info. CREST program enhances the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. 

NSF 12-529:  NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) - Full Proposal Deadline Date:  August 14, 2012
Opportunities for support for undergraduates in STEM areas of study, via grants to institutions of higher education. 

NSF 12-525: Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program - Letter of Intent Deadline: February 27, 2012; Full proposal deadline: March 26, 2012
Provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. 

NSF 12-518:  Math and Science Partnership - Full proposal deadlines:  March 5 2012, and December 18, 2012
Supports innovative partnerships to improve K-12 student achievement in mathematics and science. 

Dr. Tamara Ledley, a senior scientist at TERC, and PI of the NSDL Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network Pathway project, has been honored by the Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP). ESIP's Presidents Award recognizes significant contributions by its community participants. Tamara was an early participant in the formation of the ESIP Federation, served as Vice President of ESIP, chaired the Standing Committee for Education, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation of Earth Science.Her Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) project was the recipient of a SPORE Award from AAAS' Science Magazine in 2011.

NSDL colleagues join in congratulating her on her long-standing contributions to Earth science and STEM education - well done! 

See full article at TERC site.