Crystals & High School Teachers

Cleveland High School Teacher Outreach

The Cleveland Municipal School District (CMSD) is the largest school system in Ohio, enrolling over 74,000 students of whom 71% are African American and 8% are Hispanic. The CMSD, in partnership with Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), the Education Development Center, Inc., John Carroll University (JCU) and Cleveland State University (CSU) was awarded a five year Math and Science Partnership (MSP) grant from the National Science Foundation in 2002 (“Cleveland Mathematics and Science Partnership” NSF 227082; 10/02-9/07; $7.5 million; PI: B. Badders (CMSD), Co-PIs: J. Bader (CWRU), J. Goodell (CSU), N. Schmidt and L. Gojak (JCU), and M. Pasquale (EDC Inc.). This award provides a university-based continuing education program that addresses Ohio and local academic standards on course content, pedagogical content, knowledge, and close links between university teacher education and math/science faculty members. In this ongoing program, CWRU provides course work for high school teachers focusing on the development and implementation of inquiry-based science and mathematics laboratories. The courses provide high school teachers with: (a) the means for successfully incorporating challenging laboratory exercises into CMSD curricula; (b) a materials fund for purchasing supplies and equipment for their MSP laboratories; and (c) access to an equipment loan program at CWRU. The Cleveland MSP has been a tremendous learning experience for all involved; both groups of teachers have found that they share significant common ground and have gained a greater appreciation of each other as colleagues and peers.

Case's new cyber-enabled diffractometer affords a fantastic opportunity for engaging the broader Cleveland Community, and thus we are initiating an outreach component for instrument use. Specifically, the Center for Science and Mathematics Education will engage teachers for the summer crystallography workshops, High school teachers are (a) introduced to crystallography at Case during a summer workshop and (b) during the academic year, these instructors and their students will be remotely engaged via the internet. This access will allow teachers to integrate coursework for students to grow crystals and examine the results remotely via the internet. Teachers will also (c) participate in a research experience that utilizes the diffractometer. Protasiewicz will be a "web enabled" resource for mentoring both students and teachers for crystallography and science questions, and use the instrument to host demonstrations.

During August 2006 eight CMSD high school science teachers attended a one week workshop taught by Professor Protasiewicz. This workshop will focused on developing a basic understanding of the capabilities of the diffractometer so that each of the teachers can appreciate what the instrument can do. These teachers were introduced to materials and software that are freely available on the internet. To insure that computer access we have used funds from NSF to purchase five ACER wireless laptop computers (each with built-in webcams) for this part of the effort. Case will setup and maintain the computers and provide them to CMSD teachers on a loan basis as needed.

Pictured above is our first class in front of the new X-ray diffractometer. From left to right are: Sunita Shrivastava (standing, Glenville High), Nallini Swamidason (sitting, Success Tech. Academy), Sunitha Chiluka (sitting, JFK High School), Santi S. P. Kumari (standing, East Tech), Alan F. Carlson (standing, JFK H.S.), Bhanumathi Bala (standing, JFK H.S.), Angela Augustus (sitting, John Adams), William E. Dunn (standing, Glenville High).

Some other fun pictures from the week

Web Cameras

Check below to open a new browser window to see live images from the CPMCC.

Live Image of X-ray Room

Live Image from the BrukerCam (ie, from inside the instrument!)

Recommended *Free* Web Sites & Resources for High School Teachers

2006 Course Materials

Are you wondering about the interesting composition of the class? Read this article.