Introduction and Objectives
| Instructor |
Phone |
E-mail |
Office |
| Janet M. Dubinsky |
625-8447 |
dubin001@umn.edu |
3-160 Jackson |
Course Description: Students will be responsible for
developing an experiment or inquiry-based activity to illustrate a
basic neuroscience concept for a middle school science classroom.
Students will be paired with a middle school science teacher who has
become familiar with neuroscience through the BrainU program offered
through the Department of Neuroscience. Over the course of the semester
students will observe and assist in the middle school classroom in
the implementation of already developed neuroscience activities. Students
will choose a basic concept in an area of neuroscience in which they
will develop an expertise and make an oral presentation. Students
will then design and implement a new classroom activity to teach concepts
in that area of neuroscience to middle school learners. By partnering
with a middle school teacher and assisting in his/her classroom, the
student will participate in a service learning experience. This course
will serve as an elective for undergraduate neuroscience majors in
the College of Biological Sciences. Credit hours will be proportional
to the number of hours spent in the middle school classroom, 1 credit
for every 50 hr. Weekly meetings with the instructor, journaling,
and readings are required for all credit levels. Pre-service education
majors or other students may enroll in the course by permission of
the instructor only.
Click here for a sample
schedule for the course.
Course Objectives:
1. To consolidate neuroscience learning by developing experiments
or inquiry-based activities for younger learners
(K-12 with initial emphasis on middle school) to illustrate basic
neuroscience concepts.
2. To introduce undergraduate neuroscience students to pedagogical
techniques including inquiry-based learning, classroom management
skills, and how to present concepts at age-appropriate levels
3. To model behavior and concepts of community service appropriate
for the scientific community.
| Course Grading: |
Scientific Presentation = 30% |
| |
Classroom Activity and Interactions
= 30% |
| |
Teacher Evaluation of Classroom Activity
and Interactions = 25% |
| |
Journal = 15% |
|
Credits:
1-3 credits (A/F only) 
Prerequisites:
completion of two of the neuroscience major required
courses; dept consent 
Time:
flexible 
Place:
flexible