Graduate+(Cohort+1)

**OVERVIEW OF Graduate Courses in Science & Science Education**
 * SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: 2010-2011**


 * **COURSE NUMBER /** **TITLE** || **SEMESTER: START & END DATE** || ** COURSE DESCRIPTION ** ||
 * ** Earth: Inside and Out **
 * Dynamic Earth Systems ** || **Fall 2010**

explore geologic time, and gain an understanding of how scientists study vast Earth systems.
 * Session Start October 25, 2010**
 * Session End December 5, 2010** || Though the geologic record is incredibly ancient, it has only been studied intensely since the end of the 19th century. Since then, research in fields such as plate tectonics and climate change, and exploration of the deep sea floor and the inner Earth have vastly increased our understanding of geological processes. This course delves into the five questions listed below in order to understand how our dynamic planet evolved and what processes continue to shape it. In the process, learners will get to know the museum’s Hall of Planet Earth,

• How do geologists “read” the rocks? Determining the age of rocks is key to the concept of geologic time and to understanding the Earth, because in geology the present is the key to the past. • How has the Earth evolved? Understanding how the atmosphere evolved over time — and how the emergence of life affected the process — exemplifies the way scientists make historical deductions from rocks. • What causes climate and climate change? Studying the geologic record shows that we are living in an interglacial interval a mere 10,000 years long, between much longer Ice Ages. • Why are there ocean basins, mountains, and continents? The course ventures next into Earth’s dynamic interior, where the continuous motion of the mantle drives plate tectonics and helps shape conditions on the planet’s surface. • Why is the Earth habitable? Finally, a journey to volcanic springs on the deep-sea floor reveals that organisms can live on the chemical energy of the Earth. This discovery has led to profound reflections about the ways in which the various parts of our planet, including living systems, interact with each other ||
 * ** The Link Between Dinosaurs and Birds: Evolution & Classification ** || **Fall 2010**


 * Session Start October 25, 2010**
 * Session End December 5, 2010** || Most people believe that dinosaurs disappeared over sixty million years ago… but in fact, we see living dinosaurs everyday. We call them birds. This course examines the evidence linking dinosaurs to modern birds and investigates how scientists study the evolutionary relationships between species. Learners are introduced to the world's largest collection of vertebrate fossils and the American Museum of Natural History’s fourth floor Fossil Halls, exhibiting Saurischian and Ornithischian dinosaurs.

This seminar uses the method of classification called cladistics to define characteristics of a group of dinosaurs called theropods. Using anatomical evidence from fossils and living birds, a case is presented for birds being direct descendents of the theropod lineage. The course looks at the process of fossilization and how scientists look for, collect, and analyze fossils. Bird behavior, along with fossil evidence, is used to infer possible behavior (such as nesting and parental care) of extinct dinosaurs. We also look at the characteristics that make a bird a bird, and explore the bird family tree and the possible origins of flight. The course also examines possible explanations for the extinction of most dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Scientist authored essays, a virtual exhibition tour, video, and web resources, enable students to explore geologic time, investigate clues to the origin of birds, and theorize about possible causes of extinction. ||
 * ** The Solar System **
 * Earth and Space Science ** || **Fall 2010**


 * Session Start October 25, 2010**
 * Session End December 5, 2010** || This course provides an overview of what we know about the Solar System: how it began and evolved, its components and their properties, and how these elements interact as a system. However, much of our knowledge remains incomplete, and so unanswered questions and mysteries figure prominently in the story.

This course addresses our scientific understanding of the Solar System, how we know what we know and many hotly debated questions at the cutting-edge of scientific research. Each week features original essays authored by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Denton Ebel – two distinguished curators of the American Museum of Natural History. These essays provide a foundation for the overarching question posed during each week and include links to related websites. In addition, each week includes a Mission Profile: a short essay about a current space mission and one of the scientists centrally involved in its research efforts. These profiles complement the essays by describing the research goals, the experimental techniques and looking at how the data will be analyzed and interpreted.

The course begins at the center of the Sun. We learn how nuclear fusion generates energy, and how that energy travels through the star and out across the vast reaches of space. We study gravity and electromagnetism, two fundamental forces that determine much of the Solar System makeup and profoundly affect life on Earth. Then we journey back through time to investigate current theories about how the Solar System formed and what conditions and processes shaped the early Universe.

The middle section of the course takes an in-depth look at the variety of rocky and gaseous bodies that orbit the Sun. What do we know about the structure and surface of these planets? What challenges are involved in studying objects that range from tiny, dense Mercury to giant Jupiter and its curious moons? We also consider atmospheres: how they form and change over time, their effect on planetary surfaces, and the crucial role of Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere in protecting our planet.

In the final weeks we dive into the Pluto controversy and the ways in which planets, comets, asteroids and other Solar System objects are classified. Participants are encouraged to consider alternative organizing schemes. Venturing further a field, we learn about the search for star systems beyond our own, the planets they contain, and the possibility of life beyond our own Solar System. We end the course in addressing the question “Are we alone?” ||
 * ** The Ocean System: **
 * Integrated Science ** || **Fall 2010**


 * Session Start October 25, 2010**
 * Session End December 5, 2010** || Why is the ocean so big? Why is it salty? How deep is it? How does the ocean work? Starting with these simple questions, this seminar investigates this complex system by looking at the way its components — the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere — interact.

The course begins by considering how plate tectonics shape ocean basins and where the water that makes up the oceans originated. The ocean’s physical characteristics have framed the origin and diversification of life across a variety of ecosystems. The course looks in depth at habitats such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, tidal zones and deep-sea hydrothermal vents, as well as the characteristics of marine organisms ranging from plankton to porpoises.

The middle section of the course examines the unique properties of the water molecule. The fact that water exists as solid, liquid, and gas and has extraordinary heat-trapping ability has important implications for Earth’s climate and local weather. So does the action of waves, wind, and density variations, which drive deep-sea and surface currents.

Learners emerge with an understanding of the role that symbiotic relationships and other biological adaptations have in the dynamics of oceans, and how this is threatened by human activities. Throughout the course, profiles show oceanographers at work with technologies such as ocean-going robots and core-drilling programs that herald a new era of ocean exploration. ||
 * ** Water: Environmental Science ** || **Fall 2010**

water management.
 * Session Start October 25, 2010**
 * Session End December 5, 2010** || Central to all ecosystems, water is essential to life as we know it. It shapes our planet on every level, from the chemical properties of the H2O molecule to its central role in global climate. Poised to be to the 21st century what oil was to the 20th, water is also a critical environmental issue. Where do we find it? Is it safe to consume? Who has access to it? How can we manage this precious resource to provide an adequate supply to all the species that depend upon it? This course will focus on why water is such a critical resource, the effect of human consumption on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the social, economic, and environmental implications of

The course begins with an overview of the role of water as a key component of planetary systems, the many ways humans use water and the cumulative effects of human activity on Earth’s freshwater supply. It describes the link between water and biodiversity and the services that freshwater ecosystems provide, with a particular focus on wetlands. It considers how this finite resource is distributed across the planet, moves on to the effect of water quality on human health and concludes with an overview of the key challenges that affect water management on a global scale.

During each week of the course, case studies provide learners with in-depth, real-world and diverse exposure to these issues. They also provide opportunities for rich discussion. The studies include the history and hydrology of the Colorado River and the tradeoffs of water management; the livelihoods that revolve around the Mekong River and its fertile delta; the clean-up of wastewater through constructed wetlands in Augusta, Georgia; water supply and management in the New York City watershed; and the complexity of sharing water resources among the eight countries that share southern Africa’s Zambezi River Basin. ||
 * ** ESC 595: **


 * Internship in Classroom Teaching **


 * // Science Education Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || //One semester full-time, two supervised/mentored experiences of 20 days each (or other Lehman College approved sequences), 1-3 credits. (May be reelected once, with advisor's permission.)// Designed for graduate students who teach full time, the course provides on-site supervisory visits and a weekly seminar. Assigned in-school activities are required. ||
 * ** ESC 771: **


 * Integrating Mathematics, Science, and Technology in Secondary School Teaching and Learning **


 * (3 credits) **


 * // Science Education Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This new course, developed and co-taught by science and education faculty, is a collaboration in mathematics and science education. Students incorporate standards-based scientific and mathematical concepts into middle and high school curricula. Inquiry-based learning is stressed as the means for effective cross-disciplinary instruction. Recent advances in educational technology are modeled and taught to promote constructivist teaching and learning. ||
 * ** GEO 502: **
 * Earth History **


 * (4 credits) **


 * // Select Geology Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This course explores the geological history of our changing Earth, including the hypothesis of its origin; major historical episodes as recorded in the rocks and their contained fossils; and the evolution of life. The unifying theme of evolution will be applied to both Earth Science and Living Environment concepts. ||
 * ** AST 601: **
 * Astronomy of Solar Systems **


 * (4 credits) **


 * // Astronomy Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This course has been developed for high school science and mathematics teachers. Topics explored include the nature, origins, and evolution of the sun, planets, and components of the solar system. Laboratory experiments and observations are integrated with lectures. ||
 * ** BIO 501: **
 * Special Topics – Genetics **


 * (4 credits) **


 * // Biology Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This course, designed specifically for secondary teachers, is a survey of the basic fundamentals of genetics and their application to contemporary issues. Major topics include DNA structure and replication, the chromosomal basis of inheritance, protein synthesis, and genetic engineering. Special topics may include human development, cloning, stem cell research, DNA fingerprinting, genetic basis of disease, agricultural crop breeding, reproductive technologies, and the conservation of genetic diversity in nature. ||
 * ** BIO 501: **
 * Special Topics – Economic Botany **


 * (4 credits) **


 * // Biology Courses //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This course, also designed for secondary teachers, gives a foundation in the principles underlying domestication and the systematics of the major groups of crop and plants, with particular emphasis on examples located in the Bronx at the New York Botanical Garden. The course allows students to appreciate not only the botany of cultivated plants, but also the relevance of these studies to the economies of both temperate and tropical countries. Specific topics include origins of agriculture, food and other economic crops. Plant diversity and the major evolutionary events in the history of land plants will be examined. ||
 * ** BIO 501: Special Topics – Evolution **


 * (4 credits) **


 * // Biology Course //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || This new course will be developed to focus on the processes of evolution and the patterns generated by these processes. The aim will be to develop a scientific way of thinking about biological diversity and apply this approach to secondary classroom instruction. Topics covered will include elementary population genetics, the theory of evolution by natural selection, concepts of fitness and adaptation, genetic and developmental bases of evolutionary change, modes of speciation, molecular evolution, principles of systematic biology, paleontology and macroevolutionary trends in evolution, extinction and human evolution. ||
 * ** BIO 710: **


 * // Biology Course //** || **Spring 2011**


 * Session Start 01/29/2011**
 * Session End: 05/27/2011** || Organization of physiological processes in microorganisms, including structure, energy-yielding mechanisms, macromolecular biosynthesis, growth, and regulation. ||