UTeach Columbus

Alumni!
PhET is offering a content focused course:
"Teaching electricity and magnetism with PhET interactive simulations"
The course is hosted on Coursera, so you can take it for free and earn a certificate, OR you can earn 2 graduate level teacher education credits for $300.

Reach out to Dr Shaw to learn more, or check this out on Coursera.

Pass this info on to anyone interested in teaching physics or physical science!

UTeach in collaboration with the McDonald Observatory in Austin, Texas is offering the opportunity for UTeach Alumni to be selected to participate in a summer workshop this summer on Exploring the Cosmos. Funding is available to provide financial support to take care of the registration cost PLUS TRAVEL to the workshop.

The deadline to apply is February 18, although UTeach is working to see if we can get an extension since we just found out about the opportunity. If you are interested, apply now. There are ten funding slots for UTeach Alumni. Use the link below. On the second page of the application, it will ask you if you are a current UTeach student or alumni.

https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/profdev

Exploring the Cosmos
Dates: June 16-19
Application due: February 18
Accepted educators notified: March 6
For teachers of grades 8-12
20-24 Continuing Education Units
Cost: $100
Dive into the fundamentals of cosmology in this professional development workshop. Participants will explore the structure, origin, and evolution of the universe while gaining classroom-ready strategies and resources. Additionally, teachers will be building Galileoscopes, touring our large research telescopes, and learning about the important research and discoveries that are happening here at McDonald Observatory. We will also offer viewing of the night sky with our big telescopes.

We at UTeach Columbus would LOVE to see some of our alumni apply and be selected.
Keep up the good work you are doing. If you haven't communicated with us recently, send us an update about what you are doing.

Teacher Workshops | McDonald Observatory McDonald Observatory offers a spectacular setting for teacher workshops in the Davis Mountains of West Texas.Workshops include telescope tours, discussions with resident researchers, and nighttime observations. Educators experience inquiry-based activities aligned with science and mathematics teachi...

Join Us for the 29th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count! 🐦🎨📊

We’re getting ready for one of our favorite events of the year! Join us for bird counting, hands-on crafts, and an exciting competition for high school students!

AND the best part…everything is FREE!

📍 Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center
📅 February 14th 9-12
🎟️ No Registration Required

HIGH SCHOOLERS: Head to our website to get more information about our local competition!

Please share with your HS and two-year-college (TYC) colleagues who teach astronomy as part of their course. E.g. Earth/space]

Summer Stars 2026: Teaching Astronomy with Rubin Observatory
Monday–Friday, 13–17 July 2026

NSF NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory/ NOIRLab welcomes applications for a professional development opportunity for high school and college educators who teach astronomy as part of their courses. The week-long in-person workshop will take place in Tucson, AZ, at NSF NOIRLab Headquarters, with special sessions held at NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab. Participants will experience the operations and technology of a modern working observatory and learn about the discoveries enabled by Rubin Observatory and other NOIRLab telescopes. Participants will learn how to implement Rubin and other NOIRLab classroom activities that make use of authentic data. The deadline to apply for this workshop is 15 February, 2026.

Cost: $400* + transportation to and from Tucson, AZ

Participants will pay a registration fee of $400, which covers the cost of up to 6 nights of housing, most meals, workshop materials, and tours. Participants must cover the cost of their transportation to and from Tucson, AZ.
An optional 4 CEU units (40 professional development contact hours) are available from the University of Arizona for an additional $25.

For more information and to apply, visit: https://noirlab.edu/public/announcements/annee26012/?lang

Ardis Herrold, Senior Education Specialist
NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Tucson, AZ
[email protected]

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Try out teaching next semester!

Congrats to UTeach alum Brendle Moyer for being named Teacher of the Year at Columbus High!

UTeach Columbus celebrates our 2024-25 graduates, and the great community schools that they teach in!

UTeach Columbus celebrates our 2024-25 graduates, and the wonderful community schools that they teach in.

As our teachers go back for pre-planning this week, we wish all of you a happy and productive school year!

UTeach celebrates our 2024-25 graduates, and the amazing community schools that they work in.