The six STEM-H Teacher Fellowship selectees will learn to use the exhibits of the Submarine Force Museum and Historic Ship Nautilus to develop lesson plans based on the technology, engineering, science, and mathematics inherent in the historical exhibits.
This year's teacher fellows, chosen by the Submarine Force Museum, Historic Ship Nautilus, the Naval Historical Foundation and the Submarine Force Library and Museum Association, are Michelle Mokrzewski from West Side Middle School in Groton, Conn., Robert Mayne at Chariho Regional High School in Wood River Junction, R.I., Caitlin Kennedy from Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton, Conn., Lisa Allen from Stonington High School in Pawcatuck, Conn., Paul Mezick from Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Conn., and Mary Harris of Robert E. Fitch High School, Groton, Conn.
The teachers will be immersed in submarine history, from diesel-powered submarines to the technological history of increasingly complex 21st century submarines. Fellowship topics include a wide variety of subjects such as nuclear propulsion, electronics, computing, inertial guidance, missiles, chemistry, metallurgy, underwater physics, atmosphere control, torpedoes, ship control, fire control, periscopes, sonar, communications, and navigation systems.
Navy advances in technology have led to many non-military applications that are commonplace in today's world, connecting museum exhibits to student's learning objectives brings a sense of practical application to the science and mathematics involved.
This year's teacher fellows follow four highly successful teachers from the 2013 STEM-H teacher fellowship -- Ted Allen, Greg Felber, Stacy Haines and Larry Chapman. Their completed work can be found at www.ussnautilus.org/education/index.shtml.
Completed lesson plans from sixteen STEM-H teacher fellows from 2011 and 2012 can be found at: www.usnavymuseum.org/Education.asp.
Similar lesson plans have been produced for non-museum Navy settings at www.navystemfortheclassroom.com by Discovery Education.
For more news from Naval History and Heritage Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/navhist/.
