Seminars on Science with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City

Level 3:  Topical Seminar is a three-day seminar covering a topic or several topics of interest.  The relevancy of teaching experience and/or knowledge of the IB will vary from seminar to seminar and programme to programme, depending on the topic on offer.

In an exciting new initiative, IB Americas is collaborating with the American Museum of Natural History to offer online professional development to IB teachers.  These courses are available to IB teachers in all 3 programmes.

Now in its ninth year, the museum’s award-winning Seminars on Science programme has helped over 2,000 teachers complete degree, certification and salary gradation requirements.  It has also deepened their scientific understanding by connecting them with museum scientists, rich classroom resources and their peers in a networked community of teachers.

Each six-week online course is designed specifically for teachers, available 24/7 and co-taught by both an experienced classroom teacher and a scientist.  The courses are available for up to four graduate credits each.

The course topics allow teachers to reflect on both the subject and its classroom application. The instructional team guides ongoing discussions of the course material that lead to an exciting exchange of questions, ideas and resources. Teachers complete interactive and field assignments including rock or spider collecting or a field trip to the local fish market.

IB teachers will benefit from:

• specialized IB course moderation
• individually customized final culminating assessment project for the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme.

For more information on online learning, the teachers, and the time commitment, please click here

The Solar System

The Solar System is our local neighborhood in space, comprising our closest star, the Sun, and the matter that surrounds it. This environment provides rich and diverse source material for a seminar on fundamental astronomical concepts like motion, collisions, and scientific investigation.  Using the extensive resources available through the Museum, the Rose Center for Earth and Space and the Museum's partners at NASA, the course will explore a series of questions: How did the Solar System form? What can we tell by looking at the surface of solar system bodies? What is an atmosphere, and how do those of different planets vary? Each week will focus on a different scientific project (such as Venus Express and the Mars rovers) to reinforce the essential concept of science as an ongoing search for better understanding of the universe.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme:  NYSS1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme:  NYSS1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme:  NYSS1C3SU209P

Evolution

This course draws on the Museum’s long-standing leadership in the fields of paleontology, geology, systematics, and molecular biology to tell a modern story of evolution. Students will learn why evolution is the fundamental concept that underlies all life sciences and how it contributes to advances in medicine, public health, and conservation. Students will gain a solid understanding of the basic mechanisms of evolution — including the process of speciation — and how these systems have given rise to the great diversity of life in the world today. We’ll also look at how new ideas, discoveries and technologies are modifying prior evolutionary concepts.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme:  NYEV1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme:  NYEV1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme:  NYEV1C3SU209P

Earth: Inside and Out

Feel like you're standing on solid ground? In fact, the Earth and its atmosphere form a dynamic system in a state of constant flux. This seminar shows you the world through geologists' eyes. You'll see how geologists "read the rocks," delve into the geological events that shaped the planet over millions of years, and consider the interconnected systems that cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and major climate changes. A grasp of the scale and nature of geologic change helps you understand how the Earth supports life.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme:   NYEI1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme:  NYEI1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme:  NYEI1C3SU209P

The Ocean System

The physical characteristics of the ocean and its related systems have framed its origin, incredible diversification of life, and amazing ecosystems, like coral reefs and mangrove forests. This seminar explores how oceanographers investigate the role that symbiotic relationships and other biological adaptations have in the dynamics of oceans, a dynamic that is being threatened by human activities and consumption.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme:  NYOS1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme:  NYOS1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme:  NYOS1C3SU209P

Genetics, Genomics, Genethics

How will our growing knowledge of the genome affect our health, our societies, and the natural world? How do heredity and the environment interact? This course explores a scientific frontier: how scientists are investigating and applying the information contained in genetic codes. Examine the tools and techniques used in a molecular biology lab, learn about the Human Genome Project, and discuss the ethical issues involved in emerging fields like genetic enhancement, genetically modified foods, and cloning.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme: NYGG1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme:  NYGG1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme:  NYGG1C3SU209P

The Link Between Dinosaurs and Birds

Did dinosaurs really go extinct 65 million years ago? Overwhelming evidence suggests that one branch of the dinosaur family tree managed to survive, and that we see living dinosaurs every day. We call them birds. In this course, equipped with paleontologists' tools and techniques, you'll study the theropod group of dinosaurs (Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor belonged to it) and determine which are most closely related to modern birds. You'll also look at how fossils are collected and prepared, and investigate how scientists uncover the evolutionary relationships between species.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme: NYDB1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme: NYDB1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme: NYDB1C3SU209P

Sharks and Rays

Long featured in myths and legends, sharks may be one of the most readily recognized marine species. But did you know that rays are one of their closest relatives? Join Museum scientist Dr. Marcelo Carvalho in his study of fossil and living sharks and rays to find out how they're related, how they navigate in the dark seas, what other extraordinary sensory and reproductive features are shared by sharks and rays, and why shark conservation is critical.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme: NYSR1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme: NYSR1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme: NYSR1C3SU209P

Water

Water — its location, condition, and use — is a critical environmental issue. Central to all ecosystems, water is essential to life as we know it. It shapes our planet on every level, from the chemical properties of the H20 molecule to the central role of water in global climate. This course will focus on why water is such a critical resource, the impact of human consumption on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the social, economic, and environmental implications of water management.

Along with a solid grasp of these water-related issues, students should come away grounded in the science that underlies all environmental studies. They will be able to: 1) understand the interrelationships between living things and the ecosystems they inhabit; 2) analyze environmental problems caused by changing natural conditions and by human activity; and 3) evaluate ways to resolve and/or prevent these problems.

For more information, please click here

To register, please use the following codes:

For Diploma Programme: NYWA1C3SU209D

For Middle Years Programme: NYWA1C3SU209M

For Primary Years Programme: NYWA1C3SU209P

Please click here to download the registration form for the above courses.