Teacher Has 'NEWEST'
Ideas To Share With Students
Gcraldinc Kcplcy has a lot to share with her
sixth grade science students at Lcland Middle
School this fall.
She reccnUy completed a 10-day honors
workshop for elementary school teachers at the
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton,
Va., sponsored by NASA and the National
Science Teachers Association.
Kcplcy is in her 18th year of teaching, but last
year was her first time teaching sciencc full-time.
She loves science, but needed help in helping stu
dents understand the importance of math and sci
ence and bringing the subject to life for them.
Looking for that assistance, Kcplcy applied
for the workshop, successfully competing with
hundreds of other teachers for one of 23 spots in
the NASA Educational Workshop for Elementary
School Tcachcrs (NEWEST) at Langley. Nearly
100 other outstanding elementary tcachcrs attend
ed similar workshops at one of four other Agency
ccntcrs across the nation.
The program is a unique combination of sci
entific and technological information and hands
on experience. During the two weeks the teachers
learned about cutting-edge NASA projects, visit
ed NASA facilities, attended seminars presented
by 36 NASA researchers, engineers and techni
cians and studied topics ranging from aeronautics
to interplanetary exploration.
A portion of the program was devoted to
NEWEST Sharing, in which teachors shared ideas
and strategies for translating their experiences in
to invaluable classroom material.
"We did so much," said Kcplcy. "I'm basical
ly going to be doing new units for my classes us
ing the NEWEST format.''
That format includes plenty of interdiscipli
nary approaches, for one. "We were shown a lot
of ways to incorporate reading and writing and
math especially into our activities," she said. She
will also be sharing ideas and skills with fellow
teachers during staff development workshops.
PBS is one example of the NEWEST ap
proach. PBS stands for not Public Broadcasting
System, but Picture Book Sciencc, in which the
teacher uses a "really good picture book" in intro
duce the theme of the unit or lesson. The pictures
and information sparks children's interest and
imaginations and helps them approach the subject
in a more creative fashion.
Then there arc field TRIPs, that take students
farther inside a subject rather than outside the
school. TRIP is the acronym for Theory and Re
search In Practice, a hands-on activity that relates
to the daily lesson theme.
When the teachers studied aerodynamics, they
did more than read about its principles. They
learned how the theory is applied in air flight. The
educators did everything short of flying a NASA
T-38 chase and test pilot plane, going through
pre-flight inspection, cockpit familiarization and
aircrew safety equipment orientation.
At a Hampton area flying field, during anoth
er hands-on exercise, Kepley was also one of two
teachers who got to take the controls of a glider
for 45 seconds.
The NEWEST approach concludcs with
"Wrap-Up Wonder," time deliberately set aside
for learners to rcflect on what they have read and
experienced and how it can be applied.
"Reflection is very important to retention of
material," said Keplcy, though too often not
enough time is allowed for it in the public school
curriculum.
The NEWEST program was designed in the
wake of a national study that indicates if students
have not developed an interest in math or science
by the third grade, their chanccs of doing so de
crease over time. NEWEST was created to en
courage students' enthusiasm for math and sci
cncc by engaging their teachers in an cxciting
program that can be easily transferred across the
Elementary curriculum.
If Keplcy's enthusiasm is contagious, Lcland
Middle School should have a lot of eager sixth
grade scientists this fall.
Training Offered In Leland
The Brunswick County Literacy Council has
scheduled a free tutor training workshop in the
North Brunswick area for Friday, Aug. 13, from
6-9:30 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 14, from 9 a.m.
until 4 p.m. at the Lcland Community Center. (
Joan Altman will be trainer. Participants who
complete both sessions will be qualified to teach
people using the phonics-based, one-on-one
Laubach method. There will be no charge for the d
workshop.
# Participants should bring a bag lunch on
Saturday. Coffee and soft drinks will be provided.
Those planning to attend must prc-rcgistcr by
calling the literacy council at 743-7323 or writing
to BCLC, P.O. Box 6, Supply NC 28472.
Proper Lawn
Irrigation
Cuts Plant.
Water Waste
Much of the water used to irrigate
lawns is improperly applied result
ing in waste, added cost, and un
healthy plants.
Turf grasses are able to withstand
prolonged periods of drought. For
this reason it is not necessary to wa
ter lawns such as tall fescue turf in
the summer to prevent turf loss, pro
vided it is allowed to go dormant.
The brown, wi'Jiered leaves arc
normal signs of dormancy and you
should not be alarmed when this oc
curs. Lawns allowed to go dormant
should be watered every three weeks
in the absence of rain to prevent turf
loss from heat and drying.
Never allow a lush, actively
growing lawn to go dormant without
slowly casing it into dormancy. This
can be accomplished by deep and
infrequent watering, by mowing at a
high height of cut, by insuring ade
quate amounts of potassium arc pre
sent, especially in sandy soils, and
by not overfertilizing with nitrogen.
Cool season grasses such as tall
fescue, Kentucky blue grass and rye
grass should not be fertilized in the
summer.
The following tips apply to home
owners who prefer to water their
lawns throughout the summer. Keep
in mind that this procedure must be
continued throughout the summer
THE
PLANT
DOCTOR
C. BRUCE
WILLIAMS
Extension Area
Turf Specialist
oncc ihc decision is made to main
tain actively growing grass. Other
wise turf loss can be expected.
Only apply water to lawns that
show signs of moisture stress. A
dark bluish-gray color, footprints
that remain for some time after
walking, and wilted, folded, or
curled leaves are indications that it
is time to water. Delay in watering at
first signs of wilt can result in per
manent damage.
The best time to water is in the
early morning hours. This reduces
the risk of disease and loss of water
from evaporation and is done at a
time when there is a low demand for
water.
If evening is the most practical
time for you, water in early evening
to allow the foliage to dry before
Take Bus To 'Y' Day Camp
Children who live in the Bolivia
area can catch a bus from Bolivia
Elementary School to YWCA sum
mer day camp in Wilmington.
The bus leaves the school at 7:30
a.m. Monday through Friday at 7:30
a.m., said Barbara Jo Lineberger, ex
ecutive director. However, children
may arrive at school as early at 7
a.m.
After arriving at the YWCA at
8:30 a.m., they participate in indoor
and outdoor games, swimming,
crafts, films and other activities.
Children are to bring their lunch and
snacks, bathing suits and towels.
Brunswick County children leave
at 4:30 p.m., arriving at Bolivia Ele
mentary School at 5:30 p.m. Chil
dren are to be picked up by 6 p.m.
Call the YWCA at 1-919-799
6820 for information on costs, YW
CA membership, registration and
transportation.
Jntxaducing....
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nightfall. This will lessen the chance
of disease. Avoid mid-afternoon
watering to reduce loss from evapo
ration.
Water to a depth of 4 inches to 6
inches to encourage deep rooting.
Probing with a screw driver can help
determine moisture depth. Usually 1
inch of water applied at one time
each week will supply the necessary
amount. Avoid light, frequent water
ing except when establishing new
lawns. Cans or a rain gauge can be
used to determine how much water
is being delivered in a certain period
of time. (It takes 640 gallons of wa
ter to apply 1 inch of water/1 ,000 sq.
ft.).
Clay soils accept water slowly,
requiring the metering of water to
prevent wasteful runoff. Water clay
soils until runoff occurs; wail onc
half hour until water is absorbed,
and rewatcr until the desired depth
or amount is obtained. This same
technique can be used for slopes and
compacted soils. Few lawns estab
lishcd on clay soils can absorb more
than one-half inch of water per hour.
Sandy soils require more frequent
watering, so applying one-half inch
of water every third day is usually*
CHough. Adjust automatic irrigation
systems to supplement natural rain
fall so that the lawn is not overwa
tered. Mowing lawns at recommend
ed mowing height, for example, tall
fescue at 3 inches, will enhance
rooting depth.
Remember to help conserve one
of our most precious resources ?
water ? by using it efficiently and
wisely.
Send your gardening questions
and comments to The Plant Doctor.
P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, N.C. 28422.
HELTON
HERB FARM
?Italian Tomatoes & Hot Peppers
? Herb Plants
Goodman Rd off Hwy. 17
3 Miles N. of Winnabow
253-5964
Stateline Diner
Breakfast and launch
Southern and Northern Style Cooking
Daily Lunch Specials
Open Monday-Saturday 5 am-3 pm
Hwy. 17 NC, SC state line (next 'to Stateline Garage)
for take-out call 579-7400
f/r
^TLangley F\
NAiA PHOTO
l?U\Nl) MIDDLE SCHOOL science teacher Geraldine Keplex
didn't get to fly this NASA P-38, but checking out the training jet
did add to her understanding of aerodynamics during a workshop
aimed at helping teachers bring science to life for their students.
ALL STAR
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including dresses, lab coats,
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New Stock Arriving Daily
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Two Wilmington Locations ... j
Professional Uniform ~ ^
Shoe Centers , Inc. *
MEDICAL MALL UNIVERSITY COMMONS
2245 S. 17th St., next to hospital
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