Our final Fall meeting will be held on October 7, 3:30 - 5:30 pm in the Visual Arts Center, Room 119

The Hollins Elementary Science Institute for Teachers (HESIT) is sponsored by Hollins University and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia through an Improving Teacher Quality grant. The HESIT program involved a two week summer institute (conducted June 16-July 1, 2008), and two follow-up meetings in September and October. This professional development program was designed for Virginia teachers in Roanoke City and County, Salem, and Botetourt, Floyd, Franklin and Craig Counties who teach in grades 3-5. Teachers from two private schools, Roanoke Catholic and Faith Christian, also are enrolled in this project .

Institute themes:
Active learning —  Inquiry —  Differentiating instruction —  Using the outdoors & community resources —  Integrating curriculum  —  Understanding and teaching about the nature of science

• SCHEDULE   

• PHOTOS OF INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES

• JOSEPH AMETEPE'S EARTH SCIENCE NOTES

• DAN DERRINGER'S PHYSICAL SCIENCE PRESENTATIONS: 1, 2, 3

• THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE FOR EDUCATORS BY P. MACHAMER

• MYTHS ABOUT THE NATURE OF SCIENCE BY WILLIAM McCOMAS

• MAPS OF GRADE 3, 4, 5 & 6 SOLs (VA)

• LINKS

• CONTACTS

• TEACHER PAGES (coming in October, 2008)

Program Overview

Project activities assist participants in developing both teaching skills and "pedagogical content knowledge" related to implementing inquiry and differentiating instruction in their classrooms. Participants have received instructional materials and have learned about many of the community resources of Southwestern Virginia.

Our content focus is that specified for Grades 3-5 in the Virginia Standards of  Learning and the National Science Education Standards. This content includes the nature of science itself, inquiry processes, and key concepts in physical science, earth-space science, and life science.