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Auburn University > COSAM > Outreach > K-12 Teachers

K-12 Teachers

 

Below is information on programs currently being offered by

the College of Sciences and Mathematics

for kindergarten through high school teachers.


Please click on the program titles for more information.

Teacher training/ Resources:

AMSTI (Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative) - Due to the efforts of TEAM-Math and TEAM-Science, the Alabama State Dept. of Education named AU an AMSTI site beginning in Fall 2006. AMSTI is a comprehensive K-12 science and math systemic educational transformation program that will impact thousands of teachers and students in east Alabama.

AP Summer Institute - The Auburn University Advanced Placement Summer Institute (APSI) is designed to aid the professional development of teachers, counselors, and administrators who are involved with Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Auburn University, in cooperation with College Board, has developed teacher workshops in the areas of Biology, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, and U.S. History.

Science in Motion - SIM is a state funded science van project designed to provide the equipment, discipline training, and preparation support needed to run an effective secondary science laboratory program. Currently, Auburn University hosts and supports physics, chemistry, and biology programs, each year impacting approximately 5,000 students and 60 teachers from 27 high schools in 8 Alabama counties.

TEAM-Math - For the past four years, AU faculty from the College of Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Education have collaborated with Tuskegee University, corporate partners, and 12 school systems in East Alabama to implement a new math education reform initiative that is impacting thousands of students and hundreds of teachers in the state of Alabama.

TEAM-Science - For the past two years, AU faculty from the College of Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Education have collaborated with Tuskegee University and 15 school systems in East Alabama to implement a new science education reform initiative that will impact thousands of students and hundreds of teachers in the state of Alabama.

GAVRT - Each summer, COSAM collaborates with personnel from the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) project, a NASA sponsored program, to host a 5-day teacher-training workshop for 20 teachers on how to incorporate research findings from GAVRT into today’s K-12 science curricula.

 

Teacher/ Student Programs:

BEST Robotics (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) - BEST is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose mission is to inspire middle and high school students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, science- and engineering-based robotics competition. BEST Robotics Inc. (BRI) is a non-profit, volunteer organization based in Dallas, TX. Started in 1993 with 14 competing schools and 221 students, today BEST has over 700 middle and high schools and over 10,000 students participating each fall. There is no fee for schools to compete in BEST.

Alabama BEST - Alabama BEST is co-hosted by Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. Alabama BEST is open to all public or private schools in Central Alabama, including Birmingham. Our mission is to impact K-12 education across Alabama through schools’ participation in Alabama BEST. By impact, we mean to help prepare today’s youth to become technologically proficient, thus prepared for tomorrow’s workforce.

Tennessee Valley BEST - Tennessee Valley BEST is co-produced by Auburn University's College of Sciences and Mathematics and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering in partnership with Calhoun Community College in Decatur, Alabama. It hosts teams from across North Alabama.

AU Explore - Beginning in the spring of 2005, COSAM initiated a new science and math open house day called AU Explore. The 2006 event attracted approximately 1800 students in grades 5-12 to the AU campus to participate in dozens of activities including an outdoor science-theme carnival, dozens of make-n-take activity sessions, a science career EXPO, a wildlife pick-n-pet tent with a variety of wild animals, and much more.


Medical Technology Open House - Each year, the chemistry department acknowledges National Laboratory Week by inviting 200+ K-12 students and teachers to participate in a one-day open house. Activities include guided tours through AU lab facilities and hands-on experiences with medical technology equipment. In 2005, the event began being held in conjunction with AU Explore.

Science Olympiad - Science Olympiad is a one-day sports-like science competition involving approximately 2,000 Alabama K-12 students each year. COSAM scholarships are offered to 15 students on the winning high school team. Auburn hosts two separate Olympiad events each year – one for middle and high school students and a separate event for elementary students.

COSAM Invitational (formerly Physics/Chemistry/Geology Invitational) - Each year the departments of Physics, Chemistry/Biochemistry, and Geology/Geography invite the brightest high school students in the state to participate in a one-day contest (written test, lab activities, and departmental tours). Six to ten students are offered COSAM scholarships.