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Biography
Mike Plautz grew up in central Indiana and graduated from Purdue University with a degree in biology. He's been involved with science education since 1989 as a middle school teacher and as an education outreach coordinator at Cornell University. He began teaching 7th grade science at Hellgate Middle School in 1998.
Professional Training and Experience
B.S. from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. May 1989.
Science Teacher, Hamilton Southeastern Schools, Fishers, Indiana. 1989-1997.
Educational Outreach Coordinator, Cornell Center for Materials Research, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. 1997-1998.
Science Teacher, Hellgate Middle School, Missoula, Montana. 1998-Present.
M.S. in Science Education from Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. December 2009.
Professional Activities
Participant in Bridging Environmental Education Trans-Atlantic (BEETA), a partnership program between environmental education teachers in Montana and Hungary. 1998-1999.
Participant in Montana Teachers Investigate Ecology. Engaged in field research with Dr. Penny Kukuk on native pollinators and knapweed ecology. Summer 2000.
Recipient of Montana GIS Users' Group K12 Competitive Grant Award to develop K-12 GIS educational curriculum. May 2003.
Participant in October Cycle of Fulbright Memorial Fund, a three-week study visit to Japan to increase the level of understanding between Japan & the United States and to provide significant opportunity for the professional development of educators. Oct. 2003.
Co-Investigator on ECOS Program, a 3-year grant of nearly $2 million that will bring together scientists and educators to help create a national model of how research experiences can improve the teaching and learning of science in K-12 schools (kindergarten through 12th grade) and enhance the graduate and undergraduate school experience. 2003-2005.
Traveled to New Zealand with my family to experience New Zealand and Maori cultures and learn about educational programs in New Zealand. January - June 2004.
Co-Author of "Making an Impact: Shattercones," a lesson for middle grade students to use GIS technology to explore impact crater evidence in southwest Montana. Published in Nov. /Dec. 2004 issue of Science Scope.
Participant in the GTEC, a program to contribute to a national model that improves the teaching and learning of science in grades 5-12 using geotechnologies. 2006-2007.
Participant in Watchtower, the 7th grade team's project to have students investigate global climate change and its impact on our local community and the world. This project is supported through a technology grant sponsored by Hewlett Packard.
Recipient of Qwest Foundation for Education grant to support innovative uses of technology in education through the Montana in Gigapixels Project. This project aims to bring high-resolution panoramic images for students to examine and explore. 2010.
Co-Author of "Using Google Earth as a Gateway to Teach Plate Tectonics and Science Explanations." Published in NSTA’s summer 2012 issue of Science Scope.
Participant in ReaL Earth System Science Rocky Mountain Area Workshop. This is a project of the Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth that helps teachers teach Regional and Local Earth system science using an inquiry approach. Summer 2012.
Participant in Bringing Research Into the Classroom (BRIC). This program engages students and teachers in authentic bacteriophage research with scientists at Montana Tech and Clark Fork Watershed Education Program.
Course Assistant for ERTH 596 Geology of Glacier National Park, a course for science educators in the Masters of Science in Science Education class offered through Montana State University. Summers 2019-Present
Email Address: mplautz@hellgatesd4.k12.mt.us
Phone number: 1-406-532-4592 ext. 4596
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