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Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle Level Education
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Phone: 217-581-5728
Fax: 217-581-6300

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Brian Poelker

Brian Poelker

Office: 2210 - Buzzard Hall
Phone: 217-581-7896
Email: bpoelker@eiu.edu

Brian Poelker's Vita

Office Hours - Spring 2013:
Monday 9:40-11:10am, 2:40p-3:40
Wednesday 9:40-11:10am, 12:00-1:00pm

Frequently Taught Courses

ELE 3290, Science Methods
ELE 40002, Senior Practicum
MLE 3110, Introduction to Middle Level Education

Education

M.S. Ed Zoology, 1979, Eastern Illinois University.
B.S. Ed  Zoology, 1973,  Eastern Illinois University
 
Continuing Education Coursework:
Colorado School of Mines, Illinois State University, University of Illinois - Springfield, Aurora University, 
Bradley University, Southern Illinois University, Quincy University
 

Professional Organizations

National Science Teachers Association
Geological Society of America
National Earth Science Teachers Association
National Center for Science Education
Illinois Science Teachers Association
 

Publications

Publications  (Journal Articles)
Poelker, Brian. 1990. Swamp Things.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association 15(4) pp 37-41.
1991  Using Mazon Creek Fossils to Explore Pennsylvanian Illinois.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association 17(1) pp 6-11.
1992  Slingshot Physics. Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association.  15(7).  pp 20-22
1992 Ditto Demos:  Controlled Classroom Explosions.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association 18(3)  pp.17-19
1993  Eratosthenes Updated. Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association. 16(6)  pp18-19
1993  (T. rex) The 10000 Pound Road Runner From Hell.  SPECTRUM. Illinois Science Teachers Association 19(3)  pp 43-49
1996 The Mackinaw River Project. SPECTRUM.   Illinois Science Teachers Association  22(1)  pp 13-15.
1996  Build A Cell.  Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association.  20(2)  p36.
1996  Holiday Lights.  Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association 20(3) p.50
1997 One Million Dots.  Level Line.  National Middle Level Science Teachers Association. 6(4) pp 5-6.
1997 Paper Cores and Problem Solving.  Journal of Geoscience Education.  National Association of Geoscience Teachers. 45(4). pp381-385
1997 A Universe of Bubbles.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association.  23(3) pp 30-31.
1998  Paper Cores: A Geology Problem.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association 24(3) pp.30-34.
1999 Classroom Activities Using Meteorites and Moon Rocks.  The Earth Scientist.  Journal of the National Earth Science Teachers Association. 
          16(1)  pp 10-15.1999 Polarizing Views.  Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association. 23(1) pp 43-44.
1999 The Spectroscopic Christmas Tree:  A Learning Cycle.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association. 25(2) pp 30-31.
2001  Inferring From Afar.  Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association.  26(1)  pp 60-63.
2003 Wind and Pressure.  Science Scope.  National Science Teachers Association.  26(4) pp 14-15.
2003  Wonderful Life.  SPECTRUM.   Illinois Science Teachers Association 29(1)  pp 25-26.
2006  Meteorites and Moon Rocks.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association  31(3)  pp 21-26
2007  The Age of the Universe.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association. 32(3)  pp 34-35
2007  The Wells Creek Impact Site. The LOESS Bulletin.  Lincoln Orbit Earth Science Society.  21(4) p.5
Poelker, Brian, Barbara Poelker and Larry Montgomery. 1994.  Eratosthenes and the Equinox:  Using Telecommunications to Calculate the
           Circumference of the Earth.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association 20(2) pp 30-32 
Poelker, Brian and Mark Renz.  2000.  Fossil Hunting in Florida.  SPECTRUM.  Illinois Science Teachers Association. 26(1) pp 27-29.
2005 – 2006 Science Columnist, The High School Educator, National High School Association
 
Publications (Books, Contributing author)
Hanson, Ann (Dir) 1990. IMPACT II Catalog of Mathematics and Science Teaching Ideas.  
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.  91pp
Van De Walle, Carol (Ed.) 1991. Celebrating Science. Honors Science Teachers of Illinois. 203pp.
Hanson, Ann (Dir) 1992. IMPACT II Catalog of Mathematics and Science Teaching Ideas.  
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.  89pp
Micetich, Michele (Dir) 1993. IMPACT II Catalog of Mathematics and Science Teaching Ideas. 
 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.  66pp
Micetich, Michele (Dir) 1994. IMPACT II Catalog of Mathematics and Science Teaching Ideas. 
 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.  66pp
Meyers, Ellen and Paul McIsaac (Ed.) 1996. The Teachers Guide to Cyberspace. IMPACT II.  New York, N.Y. 86pp
Loepp, Franzie and Bob Fisher. Integrated Mathematics, Science and Technology. 
Grade 7 Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology. Illinois State University,  Normal, Illinois. RonJon Publishing.  
Loepp, Franzie and Bob Fisher. Integrated Mathematics, Science and Technology.  
Grade 8 Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology. Illinois State University,  Normal, Illinois.  RonJon Publishing. 
Antonini, Barbara and Trudy Shea (Ed.) Energizing the 21st Century. 1997. 
 Illinois Department of Community Affairs.  Office of Coal Marketing and Development. Springfield, Illinois. 82pp
Prentice-Hall.  Small Book Science Series.  
Fortner, Rosanne and Victor Mayer. (Ed.) 1998.  Learning about the Earth as a System. 
 The Ohio State University. Columbus, OH.  188pp.
Shea, Beth  (Dir) 1998.  Illinois Wetlands:  An Interdisciplinary Study. 
 Illinois State Museum Society. Springfield, IL 470pp.
 

Conference Presentations

Selected Presentations
 
National Science Teachers Association Conference, NMLSTA Featured Speaker, Boston– Stellar Spectroscopy
National Science Teachers Association Conference, Houston - The Watermelon Lab
National Science Teachers Association Conference, Orlando - Moon Rocks and Meteorites
First National Teachers Summit, Miami – The Eratosthenes Project: Using Telecommunications in the Classroom
Second International Conference on Geoscience Education, Hilo, Hawaii – Three-Dimensional Geology
Geological Society of America, Philadelphia – Paper Cores
Geological Society of America, Seattle - The Mackinaw River Project
Illinois Science Teachers Association, Chicago - IMaST
K-8 Science Update Conference, Macomb, IL – Touch Another World
 

Community

Projects and Committees
 
Harvard University: Project ESTEEM
Geological Society of America: Committee on Education
Midwest Federation of Geological Societies: Geology Committee
Peoria Academy of Science:  Board of Directors and President
NASA:  Pilot Project - Amazing Space: The Hubble Deep Field Image Project
American Museum of Natural History:  Pilot Project – Science Bulletins
National Research Council: Reviewer National Science Education Standards.
National Science Teachers Association: Key Leader Building a Presence for Science Project 
Illinois State University: Honors Science Teachers Project, The Physics Teachers Institute, 
and Center for Mathematics Science and Technology - Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IMaST) Textbook Project 
Illinois delegate to The Teachers Vision of the Future of Education - A Challenge to the Nation
Illinois State Museum:  The Wetlands Project, Near and Far Sciences, GeoExplorer Institute, Of Time and the River
Illinois Science Teacher Certification Task Force
Logan-Mason-Menard Regional Office of Education Advisory Committee, Chairman 
Illinois State Board of Education:  Test item writer of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test and Prairie State Test, 
and reviewer of Scientific Literacy Grants.  
Illinois Science Teachers Association:  Annual Conference Committee, Key Leader Building a Presence for Science, Weekly Listserv contributor
 
➢
 

Awards
2004 Mascoutah Schools Alumni Achievement Award
1999 Illinois Science Teachers Association Outstanding Middle Level Science Teacher
1995 Geological Society of America - Award of Excellence in Earth Science Teaching
1993 National Association of Geoscience Teachers - Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award 
1992 Chemical Manufacturers’ Association - The Catalyst Award
1992 Distinguished Colleague Illinois Science Teachers Association
1989 National Science Foundation Honors Science Teacher
1988 Illinois State Board of Education - Gifted Education Fellowship
 


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