SWS Design Team | Stone Wall Initiative

SWI2-Ph ScratchedStone — Mystery rock. This was brought in by an archaeologist. Lineaments are due to weathering, plow-scratches, and glacial scrapes.

The project team consisted of

faculty members at the Univeristy of Connecticut
master teachers in the Mansfield School System
graduate students in the school of education at UConn
external consultants for evaluating the validity of the results.

INVESTIGATORS

Robert M. Thorson – Professor of Geology, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Department of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut. (Principal Investigator). Professor Thorson coordinates the Stone Wall Initiative.

David M. Moss – Associate Professor, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut (Co-Principal Investigator). His current research interests are in tandards-based science education reform and teacher education.

Wendy J. Glenn – Associate Professor of English Education, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut (Co-Principal Investigator). Her current research interests are in the areas of integrated curriculum, childrens literature, young adult literature, and teacher preparation.

Stone-FakeRockRoadBarrier — A fake rock barrier. “Boulders” are a textured surface made of cement dyed to different colors. They weigh almost nothing.

LEAD TEACHERS

Nancy Titchen, Enrichment Coordinator, Dorothy C. Godwin Elementary School, Mansfield, Connecticut. Contact MMS

Dana Gnesdilow, Ph.D., Science and Reading Teacher, Mansfield Middle School, Mansfield, Connecticut.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

Thomas Swale, M.Ed. – Co-author of lesson plans. Currently a teacher in the West Hartford School System.

Elizabeth Reemsnyder, M.Ed – Co-author of lesson plans. Recent graduate (May, 2005) not yet places in a school.

EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS

Paul Bierman, Ph.D., Department of Geology, University of Vermont. Colleagaue external to the project, principally responsible for evaluating the validity of the science.

Douglass Kauffman, Ph.D. Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Connecticut. Colleague external to the project, principally responsible for evaluating the validity of the pedagogy.

INITIAL PLANNING PARTICIPANTS

In addition to the Principal Investigators (Thorson, Moss, Glenn) and Lead Teachers (Titchen, Genedsilow) , several other educators contributed their opinions and advice during a three day workshop. They were

Neil Christianson — Education Director, Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge MA.

Richard Weyel – 3rd Grade Teacher, Goodwin Elementary School, Mansfield CT.

Shirley Reilly – 3rd Grade Teacher, Goodwin Elementary School, Mansfield, CT.

M Stone AugenFenton — An eye into the world. An “augen” (German for eye) of quartz in a gneiss in Mansfield, CT.

Link back to Overview – Elementary