Dr. Nicole Ackerson Receives National Science Award
Berkeley's own Dr. Nicole Ackerson was recently honored as a 2012 National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Teacher Awards Program recipient at NSTA’s 60th National Conference on Science Education in Indianapolis. Ackerson, who teaches middle division science and is the science department chair, received the Frey Scientific Education Award for Excellence in Inquiry-Based Science Teaching.
Ackerson won the award based on the eighth grade project the paper box project. Students in the Integrated Science II class work in teams to build, within the confines of a paper box, a machine designed to accomplish several tasks. The project originated at Berkeley in 2008-09 and has become a staple in the eighth grade science curriculum.
“Winning an award like this is a huge honor, but the real winners are our students and the school,” said Ackerson. “I consider the opportunities I have to showcase Berkeley on a national stage as a premier learning institute with cutting edge curricular approaches one of the best parts of my job.”
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Ackerson won the award based on the eighth grade project the paper box project. Students in the Integrated Science II class work in teams to build, within the confines of a paper box, a machine designed to accomplish several tasks. The project originated at Berkeley in 2008-09 and has become a staple in the eighth grade science curriculum.
“Winning an award like this is a huge honor, but the real winners are our students and the school,” said Ackerson. “I consider the opportunities I have to showcase Berkeley on a national stage as a premier learning institute with cutting edge curricular approaches one of the best parts of my job.”
This is not the first time that the NSTA has honored Ackerson, as she received the Vernier/NSTA Technology Award in 2010 and 2011. The NSTA is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning.
Berkeley Preparatory School
Founded in 1960, Berkeley is an independent, Episcopal, college-preparatory day school located in Tampa, FL, for boys and girls in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12. Approximately 1,400 students gather here from the greater Tampa Bay area to form ONE Berkeley.