The science curriculum at the schools of 11 elementary education teachers is definitely going to be a lot more fun come fall.
The teachers are attending a four-day workshop at the University of Nebraska Medical Center this week where they will learn concepts and exercises that they can incorporate into their curriculum.
The workshop is part of a $1.3 million Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) grant to strengthen the math and science curriculum of American Indian youths on reservations in Nebraska and South Dakota. The grant was awarded in 2006 to Maurice Godfrey, Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of pediatrics at UNMC, and co-investigator Roxanna Jokela, former director of the Rural Health Education Network.
"Teachers are the front line in getting students excited about science. Through our SEPA program we hope to bring the joys of science to the teachers and their students," Dr. Godfrey said. "The long term goals of this project are to promote student interest in the health sciences, foster a more science literate public and ultimately increase the number of Native Americans entering health careers."
SEPA grants, which are designed to improve life science literacy, bring together biomedical and behavioral researchers, educators, community groups, and other interested organizations in partnerships to create and disseminate programs that give K-12 students and their teachers a better understanding of life sciences.
All of the elementary school teachers attending the workshop teach American Indian youths and most teach at schools on a reservation.
The following is a list of the participants, their hometown and the grade and school they teach at.
Blair: Lea Contreras, Omaha Nation Public School, 3rd grade
Cody: Judy Walz, St. Francis Indian School, 4th grade
Creighton: James Bartels, Santee Community School, 5th grade
Grand Island: Loretta Greene, St. Francis Indian School, 3rd grade
Niobrara: Wanda Henke, Santee Community School, 4th grade
Winnebago: Deb Modlin, Walthill Public School, 4th grade
Sioux City, Iowa.: JoAnn Donner, 6th grade, Julie Humbert, 4th grade, and Paula Kuebler, 3rd grade, St. Augustine Indian Mission School
Burke, S.D.: Myra Reis, Marty Indian School, 2nd and 3rd grades
Madison, S.D.: Elizabeth Mullen, Marty Indian School, 3rd grade
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through their commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology and ophthalmology. UNMC’s research funding from external sources now exceeds $82 million annually and has resulted in the creation of more than 2,600 highly skilled jobs in the state. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 513 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.
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