Bringing Life to Aggregates: a Summer Teachers’ Institute
5 days of learning, networking, hands-on classroom activities, going behind the scenes of Indiana mining, operating heavy equipment, discovering rocks & minerals, and so much more! Are you looking for a totally immersive workshop about rocks and minerals, how we get them out of the ground, what they are used for, and what happens when the
mining is done? The BLAST Institute is a week-long, hands-on workshop specially created for K-12 science educators in Indiana. During the workshop, we will focus on 4 core areas:
-Rocks, Minerals and Geology in Indiana
-Mining in Indiana and the Uses of Aggregates
-Environmental Impacts and Reclamation
-Careers in the Mining and Aggregates Industry
Are you a fan of boring seminars? Didn't think so, and neither are we. The BLAST Institute uses hands-on sessions to present activities that you can take back to the classroom, with helpful tips on how the activities can be worked into your curriculum. We will also be taking three field trips:
-A geology and rock hunting in Indiana field trip.
-Trips to a heavy equipment dealer, dimension limestone quarry, limestone mill, aggregate quarry, sand and gravel operation, and underground mine.
-Tour of a cement facility. That all sounds like a lot of time spent on a bus, but we're not napping! Each trip incorporates activities and videos on the bus to maximize learning time and those critical PGP hours. You will also be interacting with our aggregates and mining industry volunteers everyday to pick their brains for their expert knowledge and experiences. Don't worry, we do have some relax and recuperate time! Each evening, you have the option of joining your fellow educators and our volunteers for some dinner and some fun - like a pizza party on the terrace, dining out at some of the hottest local restaurants in Bloomington, a BBQ at the Rogers Group Bloomington Quarry, and dinner with the sponsors. Professional Growth Points? The BLAST Institute has a jam-packed agenda every day so that we can offer our attendees at least 30 PGPs for the week. All participants will receive the 30 Professional Growth Points awarded by the Indiana Geological and Water Survey with approval from the Indiana Department of Education for attending the entire workshop. You can also apply to receive 1 graduate credit hour from the Indiana University School of Education at an additional cost. All paperwork to receive the graduate credit will be available at the beginning of the workshop and will be due on the final day of the workshop. Payment will be billed at a later date. Please contact Polly Sturgeon ([email protected]), Educational Outreach Coordinator for the Indiana Geological and Water Survey with any questions regarding the IU graduate credit. This all sounds amazing! How much is it? First, let's break down what all is included with your registration:
-Overnight hotel stay at the Graduate Hotel for 4 nights
-All meals during the Institute - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks
-After-hours networking experiences
-At least 30 Professional Growth Points
-Ready-to-use classroom activities and materials
-3 field trips and transportation
-A Teacher Goody Bag
That's a value of about $1,200 plus all of the priceless experiences and contacts you'll make. Now, what's the Registration Fee for 1 attendee? Registration Fee = $75.00
Through the generosity of the Indiana Mineral Aggregates Association members and sponsors, we can offer this week-long BLAST Institute for just $75 for our educators. Registration is limited to 25 participants and the BLAST Institute will be held every other year (the next one will be in 2024) - so don't miss out this year! Questions, comments? Contact Katie at IMAA: [email protected] or 317-580-9100
