2005 - 06 GK12 Fellows
Michael Coles
Timilty Middle School
Headmaster: Valerie Lowe-Barehmi
Teacher: Darren Wells
Michael Coles is a Ph.D. student in Computer Engineering. His research involves the development of hardware/software co-design methodologies for embedded multiprocessor system-on-a-chip (MPSOC) architectures. He is working with Darren T. Wells at the Timilty Middle School in Roxbury in his 8th grade General Science classes. Together they supplemented the Full Option Science System (FOSS) Planetary Science and Population & Ecosystems curricula with activities drawn from the fields of electrical, computer, and manufacturing engineering. To help prepare students for the MCAS, Michael developed materials and lessons which incorporated the Eduware Educational System. Michael also played a substantial role in the Science Fair and provided lunch-time mentoring to students who were interested in technology beyond the scope of the classroom activities.
Click here for Michael's currciculum activities.
Adam Dobberfuhl
The Harbor School
Principal: Amy Marx
Teacher: Chris Huggins
Adam Dobberfuhl is working on a Ph.D. in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution and studies African Cichlids at the New England Aquarium. He is teamed up with Chris Huggins, a fifth year middle school science teacher, at the Harbor School, an expeditionary learning center in Dorchester, MA. Adam and Chris believe that science is learned best when it is made accessible through real-world, hands-on experiences. For the first unit of the year students studied the Neponset River watershed and ventured out to several spots along the Neponset River to perform water quality tests, assess bridges and dams, and collect specimens and trash. The final product of the unit was a Neponset River Field guide produced by the students, which included their data and observations. Adam and Chris also bring nature into the classroom. Their science room is already home to Boris the rabbit, two freshwater fish tanks, two saltwater fish tanks, red-eyed tree frogs, hissing cockroaches, and red-bellied turtles. Each of these animals was investigated in-depth in the second half of the year when the focus is the diversity of life.
Click here for Adam's currciculum activities.
Michael Doros
Boston Community Leadership Academy
Principal: Nicole Bahnam
Teacher: Keith Magni
Michael Doros is pursuing a PhD degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is working with Keith Magni at Boston Community Leadership Academy (B.C.L.A.) in Brighton. The two work in a ninth grade intro to physics classroom. The curriculum they use is a hands on approach called Active Physics, which relates physics to three main areas: sports, communication, and the home. Through these areas many aspects of physics are touched upon such as Newton's laws, sound & light waves, and heat transfer. At the end of each chapter the students have a presentation based upon a 'challenge.' For a sports chapter the students become sports announcers and must commentate over a 2-3 minute video clip of their favorite sport while explaining the physics at work. Michael has brought his experience with computer communications and engineering into the classroom for interesting projects and demonstrations to engage the students in the learning process. He reworked a complete chapter on communication and incorporated a project building a wireless communication device.
Click here for Mike's curriculum activities.
Matthew Ferenc
Quincy High School
Headmaster: Frank Santoro
Teacher: Peter Swanson
Matt Ferenc is a graduate student at Boston University working on his PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology. He is working with Peter Swanson and his AP Environmental Science students, his Marine Biology Students and Adanced Biology Students at Quincy High School in Quincy. Matt is leading the students in Project Head Start, a state wide program to increase the numbers of Red Belly turtles which are native to the state and endangered. The students are currently caring for and monitoring 3 Red Belly hatchlings. Matt is also working with students in testing water quality around Quincy using a variety of methods including dissolved oxygen, dissolved nitrates, turbidity, salinity, temperature, flow rate and pH. Later on in the year the students will begin raising lobsters in the classroom and testing to determine the ideal growing conditions.
Click here for Matt's curriculum activitities.
Timothy Gay
Snowden International School
Principal: Gloria Coulter
Teacher: Aurora Pacho
Tim Gay is a third year Ph.D. student in the Chemistry department at Boston University. He is teaching with Aurora Pacho at Snowden International High School in Copley Square. Aurora and Tim are teaching chemistry to 11th and 12th graders using the curriculum Living By Chemistry (LBC) developed by faculty at UC Berkeley. The LBC textbook exposes students to chemistry in several relatable concepts: alchemy, smells, weather, and toxins. Aurora and Tim are using inquiry based learning to demonstrate several topics of interest, specifically atomic structure, the properties of the periodic table and the states of matter. Tim introduced many additional lessons to supplement the chemistry curriculum. Some of these activities included studying the organic structure of DNA and RNA, understanding the chemical mechanisms that cause certain diseases and activities that exposed the students to the properties of solution chemistry. Also, several times during the school year, Tim led the students in review sessions. During these review sessions, each student was responsible for being the “expert” in the class on a particular topic in chemistry and taught the other students.
Click here for Tim's Curriculum Activities
Jessica Kaufman
John D. O'Bryant School
Headmaster: Joel Stembridge
Teacher: Suzy Drurey
Jessica Kaufman is a third year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. She works in the Laboratory for Biomedical Materials Research where she studies how the mechanical properties of artificial nerve guidance channels affect neurite extension rates. Jessica is paired with Suzy Drurey for a senior-elective Biotechnology class at John D. O'Bryant. Jessica and Suzy are working to strengthen knowledge in basic sciences, especially biology, and introduce applied sciences, such as biotechnology. The class discusses current news developments in biotechnology and teaches models for analyzing bioethical issues. Activities include micropipetting instruction, gel electrophoresis of dyes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), bioethical debates, building models of DNA, RNA, and proteins, and computer-based visualization of protein structure. In order to expose students to different career options in the field and current research, Jessica has invited several speakers from research and industry to discuss their projects with the class.
Click here for Jessica's curriculum activities.
Alexis Maule
Atlantic Middle School, Quincy
Principal: Laura Bogan
Teacher: Donna Glynn
Alexis Maule is a senior at Boston University working towards her B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She works with Donna Glynn teaching 5 sections of 8th Grade General Science at Atlantic Middle in Quincy, MA. Throughout the school year, Alexis and Donna worked to develop a new unit introducing cellular biology to the students including lessons on mitosis and meiosis using a chromosome simulation kit. Alexis used her biology background to introduce the students to genetics, DNA, cell structure and function, and cellular processes. The students completed a genetics project where they traced traits through their family tree. Using microscopes, the students investigated plant and animal cells up close. She also worked towards bringing more technology into the classroom, focusing on the Earth Science curriculum. For example, she developed mapping and navigating lessons using GPS units. Furthermore, while exploring the dangers of earthquakes, the students were introduced to what makes a sound structure. Using this knowledge the students worked in groups to design and build their own toothpick bridge. Throughout the school year, Alexis developed several laboratory exercises in earth science, biology, and chemistry that introduced the students to proper laboratory techniques, new laboratory equipment, and technical writing in laboratory reports.
Click here for Alexis' curriculum activities.
Marc McGuigan
North Quincy High School
Headmaster: Lou Iaonilli
Teacher: Tom Donnelly
Marc McGuigan is a graduate student studying for a Ph.D. in physics from Boston University. He is working with Tom Donnelly at North Quincy High School. Together, Tom and Marc are teaching high school physics to juniors and seniors. Over the course of the year the students have studied a range of topics including Newton's laws of motion, the conservation of energy, and the properties of light. In addition, Marc has presented lessons on modern physics topics such as the special theory of relativity. Using demonstrations and everyday examples Marc gave the students an exciting perspective of physics and he hopes that they will continue studying science beyond their high school years.
Click here for Marc's curriculum activities.
Selin Ozezer
Boston Community Leadership Academy
Principal: Nicole Bahnam
Teacher: Doyka Hernandez
Selin Ozezer is a senior studying Biology and Philosophy at Boston University. She is working with Doyka Hernandez at Boston Community Leadership Academy in Brighton. Together they are working with the sophomore Introductory and Honors Biology classes as well as the senior Advanced Placement Biology class. Selin will be using her solid background in biology to help enhance the existing activity based curriculum in the Introductory and Honors classes. Throughout the year, Selin will be developing lesson plans upon which the laboratory activities in the Advanced Placement class will be based. She will be in charge of leading the labs in this class as well. Selin will also be the lead teacher for the units covering hormones, the nervous system and ecology. In addition, Doyka and Selin will be assigning and helping students with AP questions from previous exams to help better prepare them for this year's AP exam. Questions will be given for each topic covered in the curriculum.
Click here for Selin's curriculum activities.
Kristin Pelletier
Bigelow Middle School
Headmaster: Todd Harrison
Teacher: Brian Blake
Kristin Pelletier is a senior in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University. She is working with Brian Blake, a sixth grade physical science teacher at Bigelow Middle School in Newton. Over the summer they developed a set of three "Engineering Challenges" to be incorporated into the existing curriculum. The first challenge is building a windmill, the second is building an electromagnetic motor, and the third is building a solar car. Each challenge will focus on not only the subject material, but also on the engineering design method: defining the problem, brainstorming ideas, designing a prototype, performing controlled experiments, redesigning the prototype, and communicating the results effectively. In addition to the "Engineering Challenges", Kristin and Brian also laid the ground work for a peer teaching project, where small groups of sixth grade students will develop interactive science demonstrations and activities to take to a local elementary school.
Michael Shagam
Excel High School
Principal: Ligia Noriega
Teacher: Teresa Marx
Michael Shagam is a graduate student working towards his master’s degree
in Electrical Engineering. He collaborated with chemistry teacher
Teresa Marx and biology teacher Victor Pereira at Excel High School in
South Boston, both teaching pre-engineering classes for the first time. They used the Museum of Science's pilot, "Engineering the Future" curriculum which included units on manufacturing and design, construction and building engineering, thermal systems and electrical systems and the engineering design process. Michael created various activities to augment and enforce the concepts taught in the curriculum, and also developed a robotics curriculum using LEGO Mindstorm kits where students designed, built and programmed autonomous robots to compete in a set of challenges. In the robotics unit, students learned about mechanical and dynamic design, basic programming concepts and algorithms, motion control, passive and active sensing, autonomous control and logical decision making. Michael also took a major role in developing a sustainable robotics team for the school. The “Excel Robotics” team participated as rookies in this year's USFIRST robotics competition, a regional event comprised of 44 high school teams in the Boston area (there are 2000 teams nationwide), allows teams 6 weeks from the announcement date of the competition game to design and build a robot to participate in the game. The team’s robot performed well placing 33rd.
Click here for Michael's currciulum activities.
Kristy Townsend
Clark Middle School, Chelsea
Principal: Linda Breau
Teacher: Millie Belmonte
Kristy Townsend is a PhD Candidate in the Program in Neuroscience and is studying the role of the hormone leptin in the hypothalamus. Currently Kristy is working with Millie Belmonte in her 7th grade Biology classroom at the Clark Avenue Middle Schoolin Chelsea, MA. Together they are implementing hands-on science activities that engage students in the scientific process, build their vocabulary and writing skills, and encourage them to observe and analyze like an actual scientist would. The class is divided into three topic sections: cell and molecular biology, environmental science, and the human body. Millie and Kristy are implementing single day and multi-day projects for each of these sections designed to engage students and reinforce the biology concepts they are learning in class. Some projects include a plant growth experiment, DNA forensics lab, urban water and soil testing, and dissections.
Click here for Kristy's currriculum activities.
Jen Treese
Young Achievers
Principal: Virginia Chalmers
Teacher: Eugenie Williams
Jen Treese is a senior studying Aerospace Engineering at Boston University. She works with Eugenie Williams at Young Achievers Science and Mathematics School in Jamaica Plain and is assisting in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes. For the seventh grade class, Eugenie and Jen created a unit on measurement that utilizes calculations and mathematical reasoning. This unit focuses on teaching linear measurement, area, volume, density, and the metric system through inquiry activities. A trebuchet unit for the eighth grade classes allows the students to build desktop trebuchets in groups of two. As part of the unit, students describe the concepts underlying the operation of the trebuchet and discuss variables that can be changed to increase its range. The trebuchet is also used to reinforce the laws of motion, energy, friction, forces, material science, safety, and project design. Eugenie and Jen have developed activities based on inquiry and experimentation in order to develop the students’ reasoning skills as well as their knowledge of the world around them. Jen has also incorporated her experience in engineering and aerospace system design in discussions of rocket and aircraft forces, as well as teaching a lesson on orthogonal views in schematics. This year focuses on the incorporation of science into students’ lives and learning through experience and investigation.