Plymouth Schools Oceanographic
Studies (PSOS)
PSOS is Making News!
| Click here to read the article on project PSOS featured in the October 8th, 2005 issue of the Patriot Ledger. | |
| Then enjoy the photographs as you read through an account of a voyage aboard a floating classroom on Plymouth Harbor! | |
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Plymouth Schools Oceanographic Studies (PSOS) is a partnership involving Bridgewater State College (BSC), Plymouth Public Schools, Captain John Boats and a select group of New England ocean scientists. This collaboration of institutions, organizations and individuals has developed an interactive, standards-based oceanography program for all 7th grade students in the Plymouth school district.
Project PSOS is designed to complement and enrich an established 7th
grade Oceanography Unit currently being taught in Plymouth Public
Schools. (Visit the Plymouth Public Schools' Science and Technology Curriculum page). Teachers involved in PSOS accompanied students on the September
and October boat trips as chaperons. By participating in the trips,
teachers are able to see the curriculum in action and will be more
likely to use the web-based curriculum. The project includes networking
with ocean scientists
In August participating scientists reviewed curriculum frameworks and prepared for the full OSEI workshop with teachers, which was held on August 15-17. In early September teachers and scientists reviewed the equipment and stations for boat activities. Boat trips with teachers and students took place throughout September and early October. A follow-up workshop is planned for November, and an additional eight boat trips will take place in spring 2006. (Read about the Floating Classroom!)
``This project benefits us all,’’ said Nick Micozzi, K-12 science coordinator for the Plymouth public schools. ``We get the scientists’ expertise, access to equipment, professional development for the teachers and possible mentors for students.’’ This is the second year that the Plymouth district has participated in OSEI; the lesson plans from last year’s wave action project have been added to the district’s 7th grade curriculum. In addition, the website that researcher Ralph Stephen developed for the project, Plymouth wave lab, will be put to use when the district’s new seismograph starts accumulating data. ``OSEI means longevity and continuity,’’ said Nick Micozzi. ``And OSEI creates an environment that’s not a burden to the scientists. We extend opportunities to them to interact with the community and invite students to participate in their research, making it easy for them - and it’s such a tremendous benefit for us!’’
All OSEI I, OSEI II, and OSEI III participants are invited to attend the first annual COSEE-NE community conference, POSE-New England, on March 4th, 2006 at UMass Boston, an opportunity to share and celebrate our work and to both continue and expand these successful collaborations and partnerships.
Text by Kim Frashure and Catherine Cramer
Participating Ocean Scientists:
Astrobiology Education and Public Outreach Coordinator
Steven X. Cadrin, Ph.D.
Research Fisheries Biologist
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Sara Grady
Watershed Ecologist
North and South Rivers Watershed Association
Sheean Haley
Research Assistant III
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Assistant Scientist, Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Kelly Rakow
MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sarah Bordenstein
Microbiology Education Coordinator
Bay Paul Center Marine Biological Laboratory
Azure Westwood
Marine Biologist
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Linda Amaral Zettler
Staff scientist
EPO secretariat for the International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM)
Partners
Bridgewater State College
Carol “Krill” Carson
Visiting Lecturer, Biology Department
Bridgewater State College
Outreach Educational Coordinator, Capt. John Boats, Plymouth, MA
John C. Jahoda, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Bridgewater State College
Plymouth Public Schools
Nick Micozzi
K-12 Science Coordinator
Plymouth Public Schools
Plymouth Public School Teachers
Alison Bosma – 7th Grade Integrated Science
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Judy Bradley – 7th Grade Integrated Science
Plymouth South Middle School
Amy Brown - 7th Grade Geography
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Celeste LaFauci – 7th Grade English
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Mary Lavin – 7th Grade Integrated Science
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Virginia Marconi - 7th grade Social Studies
Plymouth Community Intermediate School
Amy Ring – 7th Grade Math
Plymouth South Middle School
Rob Skinner – 7th Grade Integrated Science
Plymouth South Middle School (PSMS)
Derek Strohschneider – 7th Grade Integrated Science
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Jim Gorman - 7th grad integrated science
Plymouth Community Intermediate School (PCIS)
Capt. John Boats
Bob Avila
Director of Sales
Capt. John Boats, Inc.
Erin Bradley
Company Manager
Capt. John Boats, Inc.
Evaluator
Sandra Williams, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of Biology