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2012-2013 BEST Project Teacher-Interns

2012-2013 BEST Project Sponsoring Research Institutions & Mentors

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2011-2012 BEST Project Sponsoring Research Institutions & Mentors

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Towson University Center for STEM Excellence

Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) Project

News and Events


2012-2013 BEST Project Teachers test predictions about their flight patterns.

On Saturday, November 17, 2012, at another Learning Community session, two of the BEST Project mentors – Dr. Bronwen Martin and Dr. Stuart Maudsley of the National Institute on Aging – gave a talk on how their research work aligns with the eight Next Generation Scientific and Engineering Practices. Teachers then spent the afternoon investigating several activities that modeled integrated STEM instruction including building and testing devices that measure lung capacity and designing straw rockets and testing predictions about their flight patterns.

Graph of pumpkin weights versus striations On Saturday, October 13, 2012, the 2012–2013 Cohort teachers met for a Learning Community session. These sessions provide time for BEST Teachers to share feedback on their Curriculum Implementation Projects and explore various pedagogical topics. During this specific session, the teachers learned about several formative assessment strategies including the applications of Poll Everywhere technology, as presented by James Beam, 2011 BEST Project alumnus. A pumpkin-themed open inquiry lesson was then modeled for the teachers.

On Saturday, September 15, 2012, the second annual BEST Project Research Symposium was held at the TU Center for STEM Excellence, Columbus Center. Current BEST Teachers presented posters on their summer research projects as well as ideas for translating research content, skills, and career awareness into real-world inquiry-based instruction for their students. Approximately 70 invited guests including research mentors, school system STEM supervisors, school administrators, and family members were able to join us for the Symposium. BEST Teachers' research project summaries, including their personal and professional rewards from the internship experience, are available on our website.


	The 2012-2013 BEST Project Teachers

On Thursday, July 12, 2012 the 2012–2013 BEST Project teachers met at the TU Center for STEM Excellence for their mid-summer meeting and workshop. Morning activities included sharing research internship progress and reviewing Outreach Activity requirements. BEST Teachers will use their summer experiences as the foundation for their Curriculum Implementation Plan, a module of lessons that translates content, skills, and career-awareness from their summer projects into engaging, real-world classroom activities for their students.


Dr. Rommel Miranda and Dr. Donald Thomas

Also during the morning session, Dr. Don Thomas, Director of the Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science, gave an inspiring presentation on "Living and Working in Space." Dr. Thomas will be scheduling classroom presentations for the BEST teachers' students during the 2012–2013 school year. Dr. Rommel Miranda also shared his work on "A Template for Open Inquiry."


	Exploring a Microbioretention Facility in Pierce's Park

During an extended lunch, teachers explored Pierce's Park and field-tested some STEM activities developed by the Bioscience Education and Outreach staff. Following lunch, teachers engaged in an inquiry-based lesson on the Inquiry Continuum. A primary outcome of the BEST Project is for STEM teachers to increase the level of inquiry- and problem-based learning in their classrooms. At the end of the workshop, teachers were given time to work in small content-area groups to analyze a favorite lesson and discuss strategies for "upping the inquiry" of these activities.

Upcoming 2012–2013 BEST Project events include our Research Symposium on September 15th and our first school year Learning Community meeting on October 13^th.

On Saturday, April 7, 2012, the TU Center for STEM Excellence hosted a Junior FIRST Lego League Expo. Eight Junior FLL teams presented their "Snack Attack" lego projects and display boards to the project reviewers. When not being visited by the reviewers, team members, coaches and their families enjoyed observing biofilm communities in the SciTech Learning Lab. For more information about FIRST and Jr. Lego League events in Maryland, please visit http://www.mdfirst.org/.


Junior FLL Families Enjoy the SciTech Lab		Presenting the Lego Project


Looking Through the Microscope		Explaining the Snack Attack Project

We are currently recruiting BEST Project applicants and BEST Project Research mentors for the 2013–2014 Cohort. Research mentors receive a $2,500 stipend for their work with the teacher-intern during the summer as well as $1,000 to defray the cost of supplies directly related to the teacher's research project. For information on the duties of a BEST Project mentor as well as an application, please visit our website at

www.towson.edu/cse/best.


	Interested in becoming a research sponsor and mentor of a BEST Project teacher? Click here for information and application form.