Maine teachers learn about ocean science here

Nine high school teachers and one junior high school teacher from across Maine spent a week at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in July learning about ocean sciences so they could integrate what was learned into their classrooms this fall. This was the fourth time Bigelow Laboratory invited teachers in for what has become an annual Keller-BLOOM (Bigelow Laboratory Orders Of Magnitude) Teachers workshop.

The four-day summer workshop is led by Bigelow Laboratory researchers, Dr. David Fields and Dr. Nicole Poulton, provides teachers with training, tools, and hands-on research experience so that they are better equipped to teach ocean science in their classrooms. Educators learn how to teach the fundamentals of ocean science in a local and global context and receive curriculum materials, aquatic field sampling and laboratory equipment, and follow-up academic year support.

"Our goal is to enhance teachers understanding of the ocean, how it works, what lives in it, and how it is changing so that they can take this knowledge and share it more effectively with their students, " explains Fields. "Given that the ocean is so vital to our economy and way of life here in Maine, a greater focus on ocean science is a winning situation for everyone involved."

The ten Maine teachers who participated in the 2014 "Exploring Oceanography" BLOOM Educator's Workshop were. Dawn Staples-Knox of Searsport District High School in Stockton Springs Jamie Boucher of Oak Hill High School in Greene Malcom Holmes of Washington Academy in East Machias Ann Speth of Dirigo High School in Dixfield Sue Richman of South Portland High School in South Portland Catie Wooten of Yarmouth High School in Yarmouth John Nye of Loranger Middle School/RSU23 in Old Orchard Beach Danielle Doucette of Winthrop High School in Winthrop Howard Whitten of Nokomis Regional High School/RSU 19 in Newport Tracey Reed of Washburn District High School/ MSAD 45 in Washburn