BEAVERTON, Oregon, January 9, 2013 – Starting this February, Vernier Software & Technology will host more than 30 free, hands-on workshops to help science and STEM educators integrate data-collection technology into their science curriculum. During each four-hour workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with dozens of hardware and software titles from Vernier’s award-winning line of computer and handheld data-acquisition technology.

“To continue to engage students in hands-on scientific investigation and discovery, it is important that educators are continually learning new – and refreshing their current – teaching techniques so they can get students excited about STEM education,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and a former physics teacher. “The data-collection workshops are great for all science educators – those who are new to data collection, need a refresher course, want to learn new skills from an expert, or just want to evaluate our technology firsthand.”

During the workshops, knowledgeable training specialists will provide attendees with guidance as they explore classroom-ready labs they can use in their chemistry, biology, physics, middle school science, physical science, or Earth science classes.

Attendees have the option of earning two (quarter) Graduate Science credit hours through the Portland State University Center for Science Education. Each workshop also includes a light meal and an electronic copy of Vernier’s Workshop Training Manual, which includes ready-to-use lab handouts for all science disciplines.

Interested educators can select dates from the schedule below.

February Workshop Dates and Locations

February 21: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
February 23: Tampa, FL
February 25: Orlando, FL
February 26: Jacksonville, FL

March Workshop Dates and Locations

March 6: Birmingham, AL
March 7: Montgomery, AL
March 9: Atlanta, GA
March 11: Chattanooga, TN
March 12: Knoxville, TN
March 13: Augusta, GA
March 14: Columbia, SC
March 16: Charlotte, NC
March 18: Greensboro, NC
March 19: Raleigh/Durham, NC

April Workshop Dates and Locations

April 18: Richmond, VA
April 20: Arlington, VA
April 22: Baltimore, MD
April 22: Baton Rouge, LA
April 23: Dover, DE
April 23: Jackson, MS
April 24: Little Rock, AR
April 24: San Jose, CA
April 25: Memphis, TN
April 25: San Francisco, CA
April 27: Stockton, CA
April 30: Pasadena, CA
April 30: Philadelphia, PA

May Workshop Dates and Locations

May 1: Riverside, CA
May 1: Princeton, NJ
May 2: Newark, NJ
May 4: Stamford, CT

To register for a Vernier probeware workshop near you, visit http://www.vernier.com/training/workshops

Vernier Software & Technology Joins Change the Equation to Solve America’s Innovation Problem

President Obama Launches Change the Equation at White House Event

Beaverton, OR – September 17, 2010 – Vernier Software & Technology announced that it has joined Change the Equation (CTEq), a CEO-led initiative to cultivate widespread literacy in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The White House, along with Change the Equation, is bringing together top companies like Vernier Software & Technology across multiple sectors, all of which are dedicated to preparing students for STEM-related careers as investment in their business, the economy and our democracy.

Change the Equation’s CEO members will make it their mission to promote and advance STEM literacy in this nation. It is the first and only STEM education group that brings so many corporate leaders together in collaboration with the White House, State Houses nationwide, and the foundation community.

“It has always been a passion of Vernier Software & Technology to give educators the best tools and resources to prepare and encourage their students for potential careers in STEM. Being a part of this initiative solidifies our dedication to the nation’s next generation of scientists, doctors, researchers and innovators,” said David Vernier, co- founder of Vernier and a former physics teacher. “We have one chance to motivate students to take up science careers. It’s imperative that companies, especially those that count on scientific innovation to prosper, support the advancement of STEM fields and help students become truly competitive in the world arena.”

The goal of this initiative is to: improve STEM teaching at all levels; deepen student appreciation for STEM programs and increase their career enrollment in these fields; and create a committed nation that is dedicated to this STEM movement. Many career fields need traditional STEM subjects and this need for knowledge is increasing for jobs in fields such as healthcare, education, the maintenance and service industries, and in nearly every managerial position.

“‘I can’t do math’ has become an iconic excuse in our society,” said Linda Rosen, Chief Executive Officer of CTEq. “Many Americans have expressed it, but I don’t believe it’s an accurate reflection of who we are, or, more importantly, what we can do.” Rosen continued, “If we don’t encourage our children and students to get excited about math as well as science, technology and engineering, we are denying them the chance to reach their potential, and be prepared for a future filled with opportunity.”

About Change the Equation
Change the Equation (CTEq) is a non-profit organization whose 100 member companies from across industry sectors are dedicated to promoting innovation and investment in STEM teaching and learning. CTEq aims to give STEM education a central place in the national lexicon of excellence and achievement, establishing a national movement to support, promote and implement excellent STEM education for every child.
www.changetheequation.org

Beaverton, OR –– March 10, 2007 –– Global warming and renewable energy are top of mind with scientists and the media today. Educators can bring these and other environmental issues to students with the lab book “Investigating Environmental Science through Inquiry” by Vernier Software & Technology.

Containing 35 authentic inquiry-based environmental science investigations for students in grades 9 to university, the book is aligned to the NRC and AAAS benchmarks for scientific inquiry. Topics such as A Local Weather Study, Water Quality, Managing Garden Soil Moisture, Greenhouse Effect, Sunscreen Comparison, Modeling Population Growth, Energy Conversion, Wind Energy, and A Pollution Study get students interested in the long and short term effects of man-made environmental changes on our planet.

“Students need to be aware of our environment and the delicate balance we need to maintain in order to keep our planet inhabitable for generations to come. As a company, we are very interested in changes we can make today in order to ensure a quality tomorrow,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher. “This inquiry lab book can help get students thinking in this direction while learning important science skills.”

Each investigation in the book provides educators with an overview of the investigation, expected learning outcomes, information on carrying out each phase of the inquiry experiment, answers to student Preliminary Activity questions, a list of possible researchable questions, sample results, experiment tips, and sensor information. Each investigation also includes a Preliminary Activity for students. These Preliminary Activities provide a common experience for students using the data-collection sensors available for each inquiry topic.

The book includes an introduction on teaching science through inquiry and a list of sensors used in the experiments. It also includes a CD with free GIS software – AEJEE (Arc Explorer Java Edition for Education) and word-processing files for the student Preliminary Activity pages.

Investigations are correlated to the AP Environmental Science Topic Outline and IB Environmental Systems Syllabus.

Pricing and Availability
“Investigating Environmental Science through Inquiry” is priced at $45.00. The book will be available through Vernier Software & Technology starting July, 2007.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. Vernier’s technologies are in use worldwide in more than 120 countries. For more information visit www.vernier.com

Beaverton, OR –March 8 – Science and math teachers have a new lab book, Ciencias con lo Mejor de Vernier (Science with the Best from Vernier), to help them conduct hands-on inquiry-based experiments for Spanish-speaking middle and high school students. Published by Vernier International, the international division of Vernier Software & Technology, the book contains 42 lab activities covering core topics in biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics and water quality.

”The specialized terms used in science pose a challenge for ESL students because they are trying to simultaneously master English and their class curriculum,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher. “So in order to ensure as much understanding as possible, the book’s activities were written by science teachers and then translated by a science teacher from Latin America, giving ESL students the best of both worlds.”

Ciencias con lo Mejor de Vernier consists of the following sections and experiments:
Introducción a la Adquisición de Datos (Intro to Data Collection) – one experiment
Biología (Biology/Life Science) – nine experiments
Química (Chemistry) – nine experiments
Ciencias de la Tierra (Earth Science) – nine experiments
Física (Physics) – nine experiments
Calidad del Agua (Water Quality) – five tests

The 42 labs integrate data-collection technology with science and math instruction. Each contains background information on the experiment, the objectives of the activity, a materials list, illustrations, data tables and step-by-step procedures. The teacher information section includes directions for setting up experiments, as well as hints and sample graphs and data. In addition, an accompanying CD contains Microsoft Word for Macintosh and Windows word processing files of student pages that allow teachers to customize any experiment for a particular lab.

Pricing and Availability
Ciencias con lo Mejor de Vernier is now available in the United States for $45.00.

In addition, teachers can download the following sample labs from Ciencias con lo Mejor de Vernier for no charge:
Acción Enzimática: Actividad de la Catalasa (Enzyme Action: Testing Catalase Activity)
Titulación Ácido Base (Microscale Acid-Base Tritation)
Reflexión y Absorción de la Luz (Reflection and Absorption of Light)
Resistencia del Aire (Air Resistance)
Oxígeno Disuelto (Dissolved Oxygen)

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. Vernier’s technologies are in use worldwide in more than 120 countries. For more information visit www.vernier.com

We are pleased to announce the 2007 Vernier/NSTA Technology Award Winners. The winners are awarded for their innovative use of data-collection technology using a computer, graphing calculator, or other handheld in the science classroom.

Read the synopsis of the winners’ submissions.

Elementary
Wendy Smith
3rd Grade Teacher
Klem Road South Elementary School
Webster, NY

Middle School
Michael Breslow
7th Grade Science Teacher, NBCT
Belhaven Middle School
Linwood, NJ

Thomas Eddy
Science Teacher
Green Lake School District
Green Lake, WI

High School
Timothy Couillard
Teacher
James River High School
Midlothian, VA

Michael Liebl
Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics Instructor
Mount Michael Benedictine School
Elkhorn, NE

Brent Osborn
Science Teacher
North Central High School
Spokane, WA

College
James “Tiger” Gordon
Professor of Chemistry
Central Methodist University
Fayette, MO

Here is the press release:

Innovation Reigns Supreme in Winners of 2007 NSTA/Vernier Technology Award

Awardees win funding for science equipment and professional development

Beaverton, OR — March 29, 2007 Vernier Software & Technology announces the seven winners of the 2007 Vernier/National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Technology Award, where innovation with data-collection technology reigns supreme. Ranging from elementary school to college, these seven educators were judged by a panel of experts, appointed by NSTA, and selected for creating innovative data-collection lessons and programs in their classrooms.

Each winner receives $1,000 in cash, $1,000 in Vernier products, and up to $1,000 toward expenses to attend the 2007 NSTA National Convention in St. Louis, MO, March 29-31, 2007. They will be formally recognized during the convention’s NSTA Awards Banquet.

The winners are as follows:

Category: Elementary
Educator: Wendy Smith, 3rd Grade Teacher at Klem Road South Elementary School in Webster, NY.
Her “Investigating Seasonal Changes” lessons let her students be environmental scientists as they investigate seasonal changes and the ecosystem in nearby North Ponds Park. The year-long project had students developing their own questions and taking sensors to the park to gather data.

The students collected air, water, and soil temperatures around the park, as well as pH and dissolved oxygen levels in the ponds. The students shared their work by creating e-books, pod-casts, and videos, which are available on the school web site. Wendy created guided inquiry lessons in which students investigated whether shade affects the temperature of a body of water, and whether it is easier for fish to breathe in warm or cold water. Wendy used these activities to show how data-collection technology can be used to investigate scientific phenomena.

Category: Middle School
Educator: Michael Breslow, 7th Grade Teacher at Belhaven Middle School in Linwood, NJ.
Michael Breslow knows how to motivate 7th graders with topics of high interest, — pop culture and sports. His lesson “Learning Physics at the Ballpark” takes his physical science students to a local baseball stadium to study physics principles associated with pitching. Students are then asked to turn this experience into an “Academic” Idol video in which they explain the lesson and what they learned. The success of this activity has led to donations of additional technology from the community, and the activity has expanded into a cross-curricular project including baseball history, literature, math, and science.

Educator: Thomas Eddy, Science Teacher at Green Lake School District in Green Lake, WI.
Tom’s passion for preserving the 55,000+ acre Green Lakes Watershed has led to his involvement in a “Partners in Education” project sponsored by the Green Lake Sanitary District. Tom’s project “Biotic Indexing and Stream Water Quality” introduces students to the semi-annual activity of monitoring seven streams found in the Green Lake watershed. The students perform a survey of the aquatic organisms that inhabit the water resource, and use a biotic index that relates the presence (or absence) of specific invertebrates to a quantitative measure of the stream’s health. In addition, to determine water quality, they use data-collection probeware to measure temperature, pH, flow rate, conductivity, turbidity, and ion levels (nitrate, ammonium, and chloride). The project has motivated students to develop their own studies, some of which have been presented to the Wisconsin Association of Lakes and the Wisconsin Science Congress.

Category: High School
Educator: Timothy Couillard, Teacher at James River High School in Midlothian, VA
Tim believes the best way to promote science is to use technology that puts “discovery” back into science classes. Students taking his senior science research course are expected to research, design, conduct, and present a scientific inquiry of their choosing. Tim introduces this methodology by having them participate in an “In the Footsteps of Galileo: The James River Pumpkin Drop” activity that combines a replication of Galileo’s Tower of Pisa free fall experiment with the excitement of an egg drop competition. Not only are the students required to produce a container that can protect a pumpkin dropped from various heights, they must determine which data-collection option (Motion Detector, Video Analysis, Wireless Sensors, or GPS) will best track the motion of their pumpkin during freefall. Sounds messy, doesn’t it?

Educator: Michael Liebl, Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics Instructor at Mount Michael Benedictine School in Elkhorn, NE
Michael’s lesson “A Flashlight Without Batteries! How does that Work?” motivates the discussion of energy production, storage, and transfer with his physics students. The investigation begins with discovering how the flashlight generates energy. A voltage probe connected to a resistor in series with a solenoid allows his students to explore Faraday’s law of induction and highlights some of the challenges of energy production. The flashlight’s ability to remain lit after shaking has stopped leads to an investigation in energy storage. Michael has his students use a light sensor to study the exponential decay of the light intensity as the internal capacitor discharges.

Educator: Brent Osborn, Science Teacher at North Central High School in Spokane, WA.
Brent’s students make use of data-collection technology in their study of local environmental issues, many of which have national implications, in his lesson “Investigating Pinecroft Natural Area Preserve.” The students, who attend this inner-city school, collaborate with college and government researchers as they design and carry out their own research projects.

In support of this program, Brent created the North Central High School Journal of Science and the North Central Science Symposium, which provide a vehicle for his students to present their research to the community and change the perception that students from low socio-economic backgrounds cannot excel in science.

Category: College
Educator: James “Tiger” Gordon, Professor of Chemistry at Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO.
Learning science requires doing science, and in today’s technological world, that means using technology to its fullest extent. This has been a motivating principle behind Tiger’s implementation of the computer and handheld data-acquisition technology in his “Implementing Data-Collection Technology at Central Methodist University” science courses at CMU. Tiger uses technology as part of both inquiry-based and concept-confirming laboratories in courses ranging from Concepts in Physical Science and General Chemistry, to Methods of Middle and High School Science Education, to Quantitative Chemical Analysis and Scientific Instrumentation. He is most proud of the accomplishments of his students who used data-acquisition technology in their research projects, some of which have been published in “The Journal of Chemical Education” and “The Chemical Educator.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of these innovative educators, please contact Kathleen Pomorski at Kathleen@kehcomm.com or via phone at 410-975-9638.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. Vernier’s technologies are in use worldwide in more than 120 countries. For more information visit www.vernier.com

Focusing on the latest in LEGO Education robotics, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education, the collaboration will partner LEGO Education with National Instruments, Tufts University Center for Engineering Education Outreach (CEEO), Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Academy, and Vernier Software & Technology to produce a continuum of robotics sets, programming software, sensors, and curriculum aimed at helping students learn essential science, technology, engineering, and math concepts. To view the press conference on this collaboration, please go here.

“We’ve worked together for many years, but we haven’t established a shared vision until now,” says Jens Maibom, General Manager of LEGO Education in Billund, Denmark. “We have an unprecedented opportunity to pool our resources, knowledge, and unique skills to produce the very best educational robotics tools – both now and for years to come.”

First launched in 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS for Schools each year helps countless students grasp key concepts with hands-on, naturally motivating building sets, programming software, and curriculum.

Now with the next generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS Education, students have at their fingertips the latest in robotics hardware and software, along with future-relevant curriculum and new sensors – they’ll build stronger and smarter robots that more closely mimic real-world machines, all while preparing for life after school and careers in science, technology, and engineering industries.

“Robotics is not the end,” said Shoop, who directed the development of the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT curriculum. “Our goal is not to produce a generation of roboticists; it is a means to produce a mathematically competent, technologically literate child.”

The new LEGO MINDSTORMS Education launched August 1. The MINDSTORMS Education software, an intuitive, icon-based drag-and-drop programming environment, was jointly developed by LEGO Education and National Instruments, and is powered by NI LabVIEW.

The launch kicked off a series of joint development projects between the partners. With the multi-use LEGO MINDSTORMS Education building set as a touchstone, the collaboration will work together to create a series of software and curriculum products that will provide a complete robotics engineering experience for students in grade 3 through the university level.
Work with National Instruments will begin soon on data-logging software, as well as an educational version of LabVIEW for use with the NXT brick.

“In today’s technological world, the need for engineers and scientists is critical,” says Ray Almgren, Vice President at National Instruments. “The educational software we develop today will help inspire students to pursue careers in engineering and science.”

Tufts, Carnegie Mellon, and Vernier will contribute curriculum spanning all grade levels and multiple science, technology, engineering, and math learning objectives. In addition, Carnegie Mellon will contribute C-based programming software for the NXT.

Recent studies show a distinct link between the use of LEGO Education robotics and the tendency of students to follow science and engineering career paths. Of the students who participate in FIRST LEGO League, a worldwide LEGO robotics competition, 59% want to pursue careers in science or engineering (“Evaluation of FIRST LEGO League.” Brandeis University, 2004).

“Succeeding in a creative society requires critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills that we know can be gained from robotics classes. We’ve seen how these classes motivate students to do better in school and go on to careers in science and engineering fields,” says Maibom. “The software and curriculum provided by our partners are critical elements in that success, as it puts robotics into a real-world context and makes it much more than a toy.”

To learn more about the partners in this collaborative, visit their websites.

LEGO Education www.LEGOeducation.com
National Instruments www.ni.com
Vernier Software & Technology www.vernier.com
Carnegie Mellon University www-education.rec.ri.cmu.edu
Tufts University CEEO www.ceeo.tufts.edu

The SensorDAQ is designed for ease-of-use while still providing the versatility and power required in engineering education. Ease-of-use starts with quick hardware setup using a USB connection. Simply plug Vernier sensors into SensorDAQ’s four ready-to-use channels. SensorDAQ can automatically detect and calibrate Vernier sensors, meaning no confusing wiring and setup—just connect and collect. Three channels accommodate more than 50 different Vernier analog sensors, including temperature, acceleration, dissolved oxygen, gas pressure, pH and force. The fourth channel is a digital channel for Vernier motion detectors, photogates, radiation monitors, rotary motion sensors and drop counters.

In addition to the three analog and one digital channel for Vernier sensors, the SensorDAQ includes a combicon connector with screw terminals. These terminals include two general-purpose analog input channels (which can be either 13 bits single-ended or 14 bits differential), four digital input and output lines and one analog output channel. These connectors provide the versatility required for customized data acquisition and control projects in engineering education.

In addition, the SensorDAQ integrates with National Instruments LabVIEW graphical programming software for custom programming and has full NI LabVIEW Express programming capability. NI LabVIEW is an industry-standard graphical development platform used for text, control and design applications.

“We’re very pleased to be collaborating with National Instruments,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and a former physics teacher. “Helping to provide an exciting and hands-on learning experience for students is imperative to building interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. NI has a long history of collaboration with academia to provide the latest industry-standard technologies to inspire students to pursue engineering and science degrees, facilitate learning experiences and improve retention. We are happy to work with NI in this endeavor. LabVIEW graphical programming software is used by engineering students all over the world. LabVIEW, SensorDAQ and our line of sensors are a great combination for high school engineering education.”

Ray Almgren, vice president of product marketing and academic relations at National Instruments, said, “National Instruments low-cost USB data acquisition products have been rapidly adopted in the academic market. By adding the Vernier sensor adaptor to our standard USB data acquisition product line, many secondary schools will now be able to use their Vernier sensors with LabVIEW and NI data acquisition products. Our joint collaboration with Vernier to develop this product will lead to more hands-on learning experiences in the secondary school and early college curriculum.”

For 20 years, scientists and engineers worldwide have used LabVIEW intuitive graphical programming to interface with real-world signals, analyze data and share results and applications in projects ranging from communicating with the Mars Pathfinder to controlling the scanning tunneling microscopes of nanotechnology. LabVIEW also is used in high school science classes and is one of the most popular software tools in university science and engineering laboratories.

For more details, visit www.vernier.com/sensordaq.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. For more information, visit www.vernier.com.

About National Instruments
For 30 years, National Instruments (www.ni.com) has been a technology pioneer and leader in virtual instrumentation – a revolutionary concept that has changed the way engineers and scientists in industry, government and academia approach measurement and automation. Leveraging PCs and commercial technologies, virtual instrumentation increases productivity and lowers costs for test, control and design applications through easy-to-integrate software, such as NI LabVIEW, and modular measurement and control hardware for PXI, PCI, PCI Express, USB and Ethernet. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NI has more than 3,900 employees and direct operations in nearly 40 countries. For the past seven years, FORTUNE magazine has named NI one of the 100 best companies to work for in America.

The workshops are free for training and the manual. Educators also have the option of purchasing a training package that includes the LabPro Interface, Logger Pro® Software and Temperature Probe for $299 or the LabPro Interface, Light Sensor and Temperature Probe for $250.

According to David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and a former physics teacher, “These workshops are a great opportunity for educators who are new to data collection or want to refresh their knowledge. Not only will they learn from experts, but they’ll also have the chance to evaluate our award-winning data-collection technology.” The workshops will be held in 30 cities nationwide, and interested educators can select dates from the schedule below.

September Workshop Dates and Locations
September 11: Fort Worth, TX
September 19: Houston, TX
September 12: Dallas, TX
September 21: McAllen, TX
September 13: Waco, TX
September 25: Norman, OK
September 14: Austin, TX
September 26: Tulsa, OK
September 16: San Antonio, TX
September 28: Springfield, MO
September 18: San Antonio, TX
September 30: St. Louis, MO

October Workshop Dates and Locations
October 23: Minneapolis, MN
October 26: Milwaukee, WI
October 25: Madison, WI
October 28: Green Bay, WI

November Workshop Dates and Locations
November 1: Naperville, IL
November 15: Providence, RI
November 2: Northbrook, IL
November 15: Columbus, OH
November 4: Fort Wayne, IN
November 16: Worcester, MA
November 6: Indianapolis, IN
November 16: Cleveland, OH
November 7: Louisville, KY
November 18: Boston, MA
November 11: Stamford, CT
November 18: Rochester Hills, MI
November 13: Bridgeport, CT
November 14: Waterbury, CT
November 14: Cincinnati, OH

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for more than 20 years and has provided an award-winning, data-collection interface for calculators through a partnership with Texas Instruments for over 10 years. Vernier’s easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, software and curriculum, can be found in education from middle school to college. Vernier’s latest endeavors provide quality tools for elementary schools. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. For more information, visit Vernier online at www.vernier.com.

“Inquiry-based activities create an opportunity for very effective learning and lasting knowledge in students.” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher. “Each year, we offer this award in conjunction with NSTA to reward teachers for extraordinary practices and to share their methods with others. Creative science teachers can unlock students’ desires to continue into science and math careers.”
To submit for the award, educators can be nominated or self-nominated.

Applications should include an application form, an abstract of the program in 250 words or less, a program description, a copy of an actual lab activity, a nominee’s Vita, and letters of support. Original application materials, along with five copies of all materials, should be mailed to: NSTA, Vernier Technology Awards, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Nominations must be received by October 15, 2006. For more information call NSTA at 703-243-7100.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for more than 20 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from middle school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. For more information visit www.vernier.com.

According to David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher, “These two lessons were created by an educator working in an ELL classroom. The activities provide elementary science classrooms with inquiry-based learning as well as cross-curricular ties to mathematics. There is nothing like seeing an elementary student get excited about science inquiry. Fostering that natural inquiry at a young age helps inspire these young scientists.”

For example, one lesson, titled “Crystal Clear Observations,” has students explore the shapes of different crystals, such as a variety of salts for cooking and eating, as well as Epsom salts, granulated sugar and alum. Students make observations, determine the characteristics of crystals and use geometry terms to describe crystals. In another lesson titled “Crystal Creatures of Habit,” students examine the crystals, determine the habit (the shape) of a common crystal, make a model of a crystal structure, identify geometric shapes and solids, and finally create a display of common household crystals.

Each lesson includes the activity’s objectives, a list of needed materials, step-by-step activity procedures, a space for documenting class observations and discussions, as well as questions to help students analyze the collected data. The lessons also come with teacher notes containing a brief explanation of the activity’s purpose, the objectives, possible answers for the data analysis component and, in some cases, ways to extend the inquiry-based learning.

The ProScope lessons can be found at http://elementary.vernier.com/necc.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. For more information visit http://elementary.vernier.com.