Meeting Place and Time: Mondays 12:45-3:05, Neuberger Hall 224
Office Hours:  Mondays 11:30 - 12:30 or by appointment

Course Description

Course Ideals:  This course is intended to give students training and experience in guiding young learners through the process of Science Inquiry.  During this course, you the Capstone participant will also engage in a process of inquiry - teaching yourself how to teach.  Because Capstone students come from a variety of different backgrounds, you will be expected to actively contribute your unique skills and perspectives to our community of science educators.  Field days will be challenging and rewarding, and you should come away from the class with a sense of just how much you can impact the life of a young learner in a short time.

Field Days:  "Field Days" include outdoor field trips, classroom visits, and usually one service day at Wolftree's office.  During outdoor field trips, you will be an assistant Science Mentor for small group, inquiry-based science experiments.   As the term progresses, Capstones with outstanding teaching and leadership capabilities may be asked to serve as lead mentors.  During classroom visits, you will perform a variety of duties including small group mentoring, individual tutoring or other activities at the discretion of the classroom teacher.  During service days, you will assist Wolftree staff with such activities as maintaining or organizing field equipment, processing teacher and student assessment surveys, or other labor-intensive tasks at the discretion of Wolftree staff.

• Any missed field day must be made up no matter how good the excuse.  Acceptable excuses must be submitted in writing. An unexcused absence will incur a double penalty.   
• If you will miss a day, you must call Wolftree before that morning's mentor meeting.
• If you know in advance, call Carrie Ebner at 971-285-2226
  
• If it's a last-minute change, call Dale Baer at 503-806-7564
• If the absence is pre-ordained you must, prior to the missed day, submit a written excuse and arrange a make-up  day.  You may trade days with other students, but these trades must be cleared with Wolftree and Rick first.
• You are responsible for arranging make-up days in a timely manner.  The best method is to email both Wolftree and Rick.  Last minute, end-of-term requests for make up days may not always be granted.  Showing up on site without first informing Wolftree will not count.
  
• Transportation issues will generally not constitute acceptable excuses

• you arrive on site fully prepared to take care of yourself and your group of students.  You must dress appropriately (LAYERS, LAYERS, MORE LAYERS) and carry adequate food and water 
• you perform all tasks required by Wolftree and your lead mentor, 
• you treat Wolftree staff, other mentors, and students with courtesy and respect,  and
• you respond appropriately to feedback from Wolftree staff and fellow mentors.

• Helpful Flash Cards 
• Training/introduction video (84 Mb .wmv, 22 min - the edited, 10-min version was unfortunately corrupted . . . .)
  
• Mentor training manual  (11 Mb)
• PBL Guide ( 15 Mb .doc file)