Earth/Space Science Certificate and Master's
degree courses will be offered to cohorts of teachers over a fifteen-month period. Classes will be held at the JHU School of Education Building, 2800 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD 21218.

886.631 Understanding and Teaching Earth Observations from Space (three credits, Summer Session). The graduate course is the first offered in the sequence. The course is scheduled for a single week, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, usually in July. Participants will learn about different designs, functions and orbital characteristics of Landsat, weather, global positioning and other types of satellites; examine how different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are used for communications and imaging; access and interpret space imagery; and examine applications such as hurricane tracking, land cover/land use and changes with time, chlorophyll and phytoplankton detection and monitoring, and other applications of remotely sensed data, as they relate to ecology of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A field trip is included.

886.632Understanding and Teaching the Solar System (three credits, Fall Semester). Participants will be introduced to the history of solar system exploration; space observation methods and techniques; planetary scales and motions; survey of the planets and small bodies; the sun as a star; planetary atmospheres, surfaces, and interiors; the earth as a planet; and the search for life. Emphasis will be placed on giving participants a thorough understanding of the solar system and teaching methods, approaches, and sources.

886.634 Understanding and Teaching Earth's Weather and Climate (three credits, January Intersession). Participants examine the content and methodology of teaching the basic concepts of meteorology. Content focus includes factors that create local, regional, and global weather phenomena. Special topics include climate change issues such as global warming, greenhouse effect, and El Nino. Inductive and inquiry approaches to instruction are used throughout the course to model experimentation and problem-solving for the earth/space science classroom.

886.630 Understanding and Teaching Physical Geology (three credits, Spring Semester). In this course participants integrate the content and instructional strategies necessary to teach effectively the basic concepts of physical geology. Topics include the geological history of the earth, plate tectonics, mineral identification, the rock cycle, and the dynamic activity that affects the earth's changes. Methods of applying geology concepts to the classroom are emphasized. Field trips and laboratory activities are scheduled.

886.811 Internship in Earth/Space Science is a research experience undertaken in the second summer of the sequence at an environmental organization, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center or other government agency, industry, or academic institution such as Johns Hopkins University in the Departments of Physics and Astronomy or Geological Sciences, under the direction of a mentor and/or staff from the sponsoring facility. During this experience, the intern is to engage in the work of an earth/space scientist.  The goal of the research experience is to develop a learning unit for implementation in the classroom, with content based in earth/ space science.
 
This three-credit hour internship requires at least 40 hours of work at the facility in addition to the hours necessary for attendance at required meetings with the instructor and for preparation of written assignments (minimally, the internship proposal, a report on the internship, and a lesson plan in which the experiences of the internship are applied.)  Typically, the internship starts shortly after the school year ends and concludes sometime before the second week in August.

Students may suggest their own research sites or select from a list of approved sites that will be provided to students in the fall of the academic year preceding their scheduled summer internship. The Internship Coordinator and the ESS Program Adviser will approve the student's internship site. Once the site is approved, the start and completion dates will be worked out to meet each student’s unique summer schedule.

To ensure the best possible match between the student and the research site, students must submit a written proposal of their planned research experience for approval. The proposal must be completed and electronically e-mailed to the ESS Program Adviser by March 31 of the year preceding the summer internship. The proposal must include the following:

1. The nature of the research experience and the student’s contribution to the investigation. This section should contain a narrative that is detailed and thorough in nature.
2. The techniques and instruments the student will use during the investigation.
3. The exact time frame under which the internship will be accomplished and a timeline outlining the approximate time when tasks will be completed.
4. The name of the contact person and phone number of all of the individuals who will assist the student during the internship.
   

886.633 Understanding and Teaching Stars, Galaxies, and Beyond (three credits, Summer Session). Participants explore the content and methods of teaching stellar and intergalactic astronomy. Topics include cosmology, galaxy classification and evolution, stellar classification and evolution, radiation theory, and the interstellar medium. Current results from the Hubble Space Telescope are explored. The course includes space observations. Applications, emphasizing the inquiry approach to instruction, are modeled and discussed.