ASHER IS NEW NAGT LIAISON
The Southeastern Section of NAGT has a new Executive Council Liaison - Dr. Pranoti Asher of Georgia Southern University. Dr. Asher writes:

"Greetings. I am the newly elected councillor for National NAGT and the liaison to the SE section. I look forward to meeting many of you at the joint SC-SE GSA meeting in Memphis next month. I am also looking to increased dialog between the national leadership and SE sectional members. Please feel free to write to me with your ideas and concerns. - Pranoti"

GEM AND MINERAL SHOW

The Central Arkansas Gem, Mineral, and Geology Society, member of the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies, and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies want to make its annual Show better than ever. In 2003, the Show will be the first weekend in October with dealers and the public coming from across the nation. Our goal is to make this a major event in the Mid-South and help provide education.  A word about those wishing to show their items: 1. the cost per day is only $ 10.00 for the two-day event; 2. members and the public are encouraged to display and interact with everyone (the kids love it); 3. free parking; 4. free public admittance; 5. free door prizes; 6. kids “dig” area; 7. this is a family-type Show with a casual atmosphere; 8. we want newcomers as well as seasoned dealers to help make the Show a success!

Ron Wilhelm, Rock Show Coordination Committee (downhome11@msn.com)

HELP (STILL) WANTED:  Teacher’s Guide to Southeastern Geology

The Paleontological Research Institution is looking for help in developing a Teacher-Friendly Guide to the Geology of the Southeastern U.S.  The Guide will provide teachers with the tools to incorporate regional and local geology into the classroom.  Teaching students about the Earth and geologic processes can often be difficult without concrete examples from the real world, and standard textbooks make few references to regional geology because of their nationwide audience.  Examples of regional and local geology in the classroom not only energize students, but also facilitate observation-driven, inquiry-based teaching.  The Southeast Guide will be based on the successful Teacher-Friendly Guide to the Geology of the Northeastern U.S. (available in print and via the Internet at www.priweb.org ).  The Guide will use non-technical language, a loose-page, three-ring binder format for easy use in the classroom, provide corresponding student activities for each topic, and contain a compilation of Earth science resource information listed by state and topic.

Interested in providing feedback, formative reviews, or content resources? We welcome the knowledge and experience of other educators!

Please contact:

TEST membership, Fieldtrip

The Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (TEST) is for “all” K-12 teachers who have an interest in the Earth. This association provides opportunities for teachers to network with other teachers across the state, especially through the integration of Earth Science with other sciences and disciplines. TEST members aim to build understanding by sharing activities and learning through workshops, presentations, and field trips.

Every year, TEST plays a key role in presenting workshops and providing free materials for the classroom teacher at the Tennessee Science Teachers Association (TSTA) Conference. This past November, the TEST “Rock Box” Workshops were among the best-attended workshop at the conference. Almost 200 boxes, along with a handbook of activities, were handed out to elementary, middle school, and high school teachers. The Middle Tennessee Gem & Mineral Society provided the plastic boxes to hold 24 specimens of rocks found in Tennessee.

To learn more about TEST, visit the TEST web site: www.utm.edu/departments/ggp/testnet.htm

The membership application may be found on-line. The dues, which are $10 per year, offer networking, field trips, and opportunities for continued education. The combination of classroom teachers, university professors, and current research, both in the classroom and in the field, gives a clearer picture and understanding of science education in today’s world.

The Tennessee Earth Science Teachers (TEST) will be hosting a field trip for members to the Coon Creek Science Center and the Vulcan Materials Quarry in West Tennessee March 7-9, 2003. The cost for the field trip is $45 (Friday-Saturday lodging- $30; Coon Creek Quarry Fee- $15). Contact Dr. Michael Gibson, Dept. of Geology, Geography, & Physics, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, TN 38238 (731) 587-7435; mgibson@utm.edu no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3. 2003.

FYI: The GSA Southeastern Sectional Meeting will be held in Memphis, TN, March 12-14, 2003. Low registration fees are available for teachers, as well as sessions devoted to K-12 teachers: earthquakes, fossils, field trips, and more. For additional information on meetings, registration, and accommodations visit the SE GSA website: http://www.geosociety.org/sectdiv/southc/03sc-semtg.htm

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Summer-Fall 2003 Newletter Deadline: July 31, 2003. Please send news items to sdunagan@utm.edu