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**Attention Middle School Earth Science Teachers!**

**FLEXE is currently seeking students (grades 7-9) to participate in
this year's pilot program.**

**2008 FLEXE Energy Unit Pilot Overview:**

Beginning in September, 60 Earth Science classes in the US and other
English-speaking countries will participate in the FLEXE Energy Unit
Pilot. Pilot students will investigate key concepts of ***energy
transfer*** through the Earth system, compare and contrast their local
environment with other environments including extreme deep-sea sites,
and interact with deep-sea scientists and GLOBE students outside of
their own school. Students will:

-   Develop conceptual models to understand energy transfer processes in
    the Earth system

-   Analyze temperature datasets from different environments: min/max
    air temperature from other GLOBE schools, surface and air
    temperature in their school yard, and ocean and vent fluid
    temperature datasets from \"extreme\" environments in the deep ocean

-   Explore similarities and differences in local environments with a
    partner school

-   Interact with deep-sea scientists through the Web-based FLEXE Forum
    to deepen and apply their understanding of energy transfer processes
    to other parts of the Earth system---the extreme environment of a
    hydrothermal vent

-   Conduct investigations on the effect of temperature 'extremes' on
    local organisms

-   Present their findings in scientific papers to peers (students in
    their own country or in another

country) for evaluation and feedback just as scientists do As a
follow-up to the unit, students will have the opportunity to interact
with scientists aboard a research cruise to a deep-sea extreme
environment in the western Pacific in March 2009.

**FLEXE Energy Unit Student Learning Outcomes:**

FLEXE students develop their understanding of key Earth systems
concepts, gain experience and skills in scientific inquiry and peer
review, and deepen their understanding of the process and nature of
science. Essential questions include:

-   How does energy transfer through components of the earth system?

-   How is my local environment similar to and different from an
    \'extreme\' environment?

-   How do organisms respond to 'extreme' environments?

**FLEXE Pilot Timeline:**

The FLEXE pilot consists of a sequence of on-line learning activities,
classroom investigations, school-to-school comparisons, and Web-based
interactions with scientists (FLEXE Forum). A final project involves a
schoolyard investigation using a simple protocol to understand the
effect of temperature 'extremes' on a local organism. Some activities
require interaction with scientists or other students and therefore are
***scheduled*** at a particular time (see ***bolded activities
below***). The following sequence includes minimum estimated class
periods required:

1.  *Introductory FLEXE activities* (3 class periods in Sept)

2.  *Temperature variation around the GLOBE* (1 1/2 class periods in
    early Sept)

3.  ***FLEXE Forum - Temperature variation at a deep-sea vent* (3 class
    periods in early Oct)**

4.  *Temperature variation in our local environment* (3-4 class periods
    in Oct)

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1.  ***FLEXE Forum - Spatial variation in the deep sea environment* (3
    class periods late Oct***)*

2.  *Student Research Investigation* (3-4 class periods in Nov. Reports
    due Nov 21)

3.  ***Student Peer Review (*2 class periods in late Nov/early Dec)**

4.  *FLEXE Energy Unit Wrap-up* (1-2 class period2 in Dec, additional
    time during cruise in

> March/April)\
> **Estimated class periods required:** 22

**Teacher Training:**

To introduce the deep-sea extreme environment, familiarize you with the
FLEXE learning activities and on-line system, and answer your questions,
we will be offering on-line teacher training during August. The
trainings will be a combination on-line presentation and conferencing so
you will need Internet access during the call. The training will be in
two parts and both sessions will be 2 hours starting at 3:00 EDT. Part 1
is schedule for Aug 14^th^ and Part 2 is scheduled for Aug 21^st^.
Sessions will be recorded.

**Pilot Evaluation:**

Teacher feedback on FLEXE activities is crucial to our development
efforts and to the success of the program. Participating teachers will
provide feedback to the FLEXE team, recording what works well and what
does not. Some teachers will also be selected for interviews by an
external evaluator at the completion of the unit to capture impressions
of the experience for the students

In addition to teacher feedback, we are also examining student learning
and attitudes towards science through anonymous short questionnaires
administered on-line at the end of each activity. We will evaluate the
effect of peer review and interaction with scientists through
examination of students\' written responses to the on-line activities.
No additional class time will be required for this evaluation.

**Commitment and Equipment Required:**

Classes participating in the FLEXE Pilot are expected to participate in
all activities of the FLEXE Energy Unit, anticipated to take at least 22
class periods of classroom time over a 4 month period. Approximately
half of this time requires use of a computer lab. Students will work in
pairs and for on-line portions of activities will need a networked
computer for each pair of students. You will also need a set of
classroom thermometers, supplies for student investigations involving
aquatic plants and some easily attainable materials like cups, meter
sticks and shoeboxes. Teachers should plan on some modest out-of-class
time for preparation and evaluation. During the pilot, online and
telephone support will be available for teachers with questions or
problems.

**Bonuses for Taking Part:**

Classes who take part in all pilot activities will receive a variety of
resources, including: a classroom poster of the deep-sea environment, a
copy of resource books such as *Deep-Ocean Journeys* by Dr. C.L. Van
Dover, a copy of the DVD *Aliens of the Deep,* and "surprises from the
deep" (these may include shells of deep-sea animals, or new volcanic
rock from seafloor spreading centers). As a special bonus, participating
classes are invited to send in one personalized, decorated Styrofoam cup
to be taken to sea during a research cruise. The cups will be taken to
the seafloor and then your cup will be returned to your classroom after
the cruise.

**If you would like to participate in this FLEXE project, [please
complete the attached form by June 13th.]{.underline} We look forward to
working with you.**

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**FLEXE Learning Activities and Investigations**

***Temperature variation around the globe*** --In this on-line activity,
students analyze min/max temperature data from other GLOBE schools,
examine patterns in the data, and compare these data with their local
environment. Key concepts include:

-   Temperature patterns in data differ depending on geographic location

    1.  • Data visualizations help us to recognize and explain patterns

    2.  ***Temperature variation in our local environment*** -- In this
        hands-on activity, students explore local temperature variation
        and use a model of energy transfer to predict expected variation
        in both surface and air temperature. Students collect surface
        and air temperature data using a simple protocol, compare the
        data to their predictions, and summarize their findings in a
        class dataset. Key concepts include:

-   Energy transfers between Earth system components

    1.  • Models are developed, tested, and refined by comparing
        predictions with observations

    2.  ***FLEXE Forum - Temperature variation in the extreme
        environment*** -- This activity involves unique, Web-based
        interactions with scientists who study hydrothermal vents --
        "extreme" environments in the deep-sea. In each Forum,
        scientists post a dataset featuring temperature variation in the
        deep-sea along with questions to guide student analysis.
        Students interpret the data and post their responses on-line,
        and then scientists provide feedback to students via the Forum.
        Key concepts include:

-   The same principles of energy transfer apply in both deep-sea and
    local environments

-   Earth systems have internal and external sources of energy

    1.  • Variation patterns are influenced by different Earth processes

    2.  ***Temperature effects in our local environment --*** In this
        guided inquiry investigation, students examine local 'extreme'
        sites and use a simple protocol to study the effect of
        temperature variation on a common local organism. They will
        summarize their findings in a written report and then use the
        on-line FLEXE Peer Review tool to provide feedback to students
        in other schools to improve the quality of their reports. Key
        concepts include:

-   Environmental conditions (e.g., temperature variation) affect living
    organisms

-   Report writing and peer review are essential components of the
    scientific process

**Note about Peer Review:** To facilitate peer review between classes,
students must complete and submit reports for review by **November
21^st^** and then complete peer reviews of other student reports by
**December 5^th\ ^**.

***FLEXE Energy Unit Wrap-up*** - In this culminating activity, students
will have the opportunity to interact with scientists at sea through the
Web to learn about a current research cruise to the Western Pacific, and
to ask questions about the extreme environment or about the scientists'
work. FLEXE scientists will responds to students from their research
cruise in **March/April (date TBD).** For last year's cruise, visit
<http://www.globe.gov/flexe>

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**\*\*\* FLEXE Energy Unit Pilot September -- December 2008 \*\*\***

**Please complete the form and return (email, Fax or mail) to the FLEXE
Project Office. [Forms due by June 13^th^! ]{.underline}**

**Teacher Name:**

**Email:**

**Phone contact(s):**

**School Name:**

**School Address: (Street address, City, State or Province, Postal Code,
Country)**

**Class Description(s): (for each class to participate, please provide
course name, grade level and number of students)** *NOTE: due to the
interactions between schools, the pilot is limited to students in
**grades 7-9**.*

**Please describe why you are interested in participating in FLEXE.**

**Please complete the form and send to:**

**Liz Goehring**

**FLEXE Project Office**

**Pennsylvania State University**

**208 Mueller Laboratories**

**University Park, PA 16802**

**Phone: 814-863-6603**

**Fax: 814-865-4364**