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Web notes & Calendar

Calendar of
upcoming events

First Wednesday of every month
East Bay Science Cafe at Cafe Valparaiso, La Pena Cultural Center, from 7–9 pm, 3105 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley — This is a Cafe Scientifique-style forum for discussing interesting and important scientific issues. This year we will be celebrating the Year of Science 2009 with a different scientific theme each month. For information on the next speaker and topic, see the Science Cafe web page.

Tues–Fri, August 11–14, 2009
Think Evolution: A summer institute for science educators — Middle and high school science teachers are invited to a fun-filled four days of evolutionary explorations with biologists and educators from the University of California. This institute, sponsored by UCMP and the National Center for Science Education, will be held at the UC Museum of Paleontology, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley. There is a registration fee. For more information see the Institute web page.

This was a note we just had to share! In March, a high school teacher — thankful for UCMP's Understanding Evolution and Understanding Science websites, online lessons and modules, and other resources — wrote to us:

I need to thank you once again for everything UCMP continues to do to enable me to teach … effectively …. Perhaps the best testimonial has come in recent days from two of my alums, now college freshmen, who visited me separately during their spring breaks. Both told me, independently of each other, that my course prepared them better for college than any other course they took at West High. Both of them cited being able to bring content knowledge into their astronomy, history, and anthropology classes; in addition, both spoke of being one step ahead of the game when it comes to critical thinking skills, "thinking like a scientist," and understanding that knowledge is a process. I share this with you not because I want to toot my own horn, but because I am acutely aware that you and UCMP have helped me shape my teaching to attain such wonderful results. To know that I have given these young people tools that are serving them well as they continue their journey is the ultimate satisfaction.