2016 MESTA Conference

Graduate Credit offered from Hamline University
If you are interested, Hamline is offering a 1 credit graduate class, online. The cost is $242.
For more information click this link. To register, click this link.

Date: Friday, February 5, 2016

Time: 7:45am-3:00pm

Location: District 287 Conference Center--1820 N. Xenium Ln, Plymouth, MN 55441

Keynote Speaker, Break-out Sessions, Activity Share, Free Resources, Breakfast and Lunch included

Optional Thursday night activity: Thursday, February 4, 2016

"A great conference with breakfast, lunch and incredible door prizes"

THURSDAY EVENING EVENT

Town Hall Brewery and Restaurant
1430 S. Washington Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Tour, 7:00-8:00pm:
Get a behind-the-scenes tour and discover how Earth resources are transformed through the fermentation process.

Minnesota's rich soils and productive farmlands are a legacy of Pleistocene glacial events. Local geology, climate, and hydrology have contributed to the state's successful economy in the farming, food, and beverage sectors. Tour a local facility to see how agricultural products and groundwater are utilized by the rapidly growing craft beverage industry. Gain insights into the fermentation process, and see how Earth resources are transformed into value-added products.If you participate in this optional event you may meet for dinner at your own expense at 5:30 before beginning the tour. You may also join the group later when the tour begins at 7:00. Town Hall Brewery and Restaurant is located at 1430 S. Washington Avenue in Minneapolis.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Kristina Curry Rogers, Professor, Macalaster College

Professor Curry Rogers is a vertebrate paleontologist at Macalester College, specializing in the long-necked dinosaurs called sauropods. Kristi was recently awarded an NSF CAREER grant to investigate the effects of environmental stress on the bones of back-boned animals (including dinosaurs). She is a member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, and is actively involved in public outreach activities. She has been a consultant and on-screen expert for programs aired on PBS, BBC Horizon, the Discovery Channel, and the National Geographic

Breathing Life into Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs have been called "Nature's Greatest Extravaganzas." They are aliens and celebrities. Over the past 25 years, nearly everything that we thought we knew about dinosaurs has changed. They are no longer dimwitted icons of extinction. Instead, they are an extraordinarily successful group that pushed the limits of terrestrial body size and survived up to the moment of the last mass extinction on earth. From exciting discoveries in the field to new information gleaned from microscopic investigations of their bones, Professor Curry Rogers will provide information on the new and improved dinosaur.

Concurrent Session Presenter information:

Dr. Kate Pound, Professor, Atmospheric & Hydrologic
Sciences, St. Cloud State University Presentation
Handout from presentation

Earth Science Teachers, MESTA Board Members
Handouts from the demonstrations
Jeff Lynum's (with links)

Dr. Andrew Breckenridge, Associate Professor of Geology, University of Wisconsin-Superior

Mick Hamilton and Kate Rosok, Science Teachers,
Minneapolis Public Schools

Doing Geologic Research in Antarctica: What the ANDRILL Project Taught Us About Antarctic Climate
In Antarctic Field seasons 2006 and 2007, the International ANDRILL (Antarctic Drilling Project) obtained two sediment cores (ANDRILL 1-B and ANDRILL 2-A) from the floor of the Ross Sea, beneath the Ross Ice Shelf. Core 1-B sampled Pliocene (5 Ma) and younger material. Core 2-A sampled Miocene (~24 Ma) and younger material. The logistics of obtaining the sediment cores, living and working in Antarctica, and the results of the research will be presented using teaching exercises to help you understand the use of sediment core data in interpreting the record of climate change.

Demonstrations to Engage Students
Are you looking for intriguing demonstrations to inspire your students? This session hosted by current grade 6-12 teachers will feature classroom proven demonstrations around a variety of earth science topics. Many of these demonstrations are low cost and easy to set up. Learn how the demonstrations work, their connections to Earth science, and how teachers make use of them with students in the classroom. Time will be available during this session for questions and answers on how these demonstrations may be used creatively to engage students.

The Nature of the Scientific Process: A Case Study of the Younger Dryas Controversy
The Younger Dryas was an abrupt climatic cooling event that occurred 13,000 years ago and inspired the highly fictionalized disaster film The Day After Tomorrow. The drainage of Lake Agassiz, an enormous glacial lake that once covered most of western and northern Minnesota, was widely believed to have triggered the Younger Dryas by modifying ocean circulation. This idea has recently been disputed and other hypotheses to explain the Younger Dryas have gained attention. Resolving the controversy is important, because global warming driven increases in freshwater runoff to the northern oceans have raised concerns of future climatic cooling. This presentation will use the Younger Dryas controversy to illustrate the nature of scientific inquiry – and highlight what all Minnesotans should know about glacial Lake Agassiz.

The Skies Above Us
Kate Rosok and Mick Hamilton will discuss observing and studying what happens above our heads. These meteorology and astronomy sessions will feature activities that you will be able to use in your classroom next week. Mick will present meteorological activities that will help your students understand difficult weather system concepts. Kate will showcase astronomy and environmental science activities for middle school and high school students.