Teachers’ Night at the Durham Museum
Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, October 9, 2009, 5 to 8 pm

The Durham Museum warmly welcomes educators of all subjects and grades to visit The Durham and see the vast education resources the region has to offer. This festive, after-hours open house, gives teachers a chance to hear what’s new at The Durham and other regional institutions. Highlighting this years’ event will be educators from the Smithsonian Institution presenting lessons from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the National Air and Space Museum. Participants will enjoy a cocktail reception, live entertainment and take home free classroom-ready materials and information about field trips and programs available to students.

Registration

Advance registration is now closed, but walk-up registrations will be accepted at the event.
*The first 500 pre-registered educators will receive a complimentary 2009 Teachers’ Night bag.

Directions
Durham Museum is located in Omaha's Historic Old Market at 801 South 10th Street on the 10th Street bridge. The Museum can be accessed from both 10th Street and Leavenworth Street. The Museum has a two-level parking deck that is free to all visitors.

Presentations
Smithsonian presentations for this event were specially geared to compliment this years’ theme “Going Green.” Following are the Smithsonian program descriptions:

Taking the Highest “Ground” for Monitoring Climate Change
From hot air balloons to corn mazes to precision agriculture, a “high ground” vantage point has proved invaluable in giving the observer the perspective necessary to “see the forest” despite the trees. The database of Earth images built up over the last four decades is huge and now we can make meaningful comparisons of geographical, geological and hydrological changes related to climate change and other causes.
Dr. Steven Williams- National Air and Space Education Division

Can We Control Rising Atmospheric CO2 and Climate Change?
Burning fossil fuel and deforestation are causing atmospheric CO2 to rise faster than ever in human history and it is causing major and possibly irreversible damage to the oceans and land. To reverse the effects of climate change we must find ways to create the energy we need that will replace our dependence on coal and oil. There are many promising technologies that can help, but can they be developed and deployed fast enough to make a difference?
Bert Drake – Senior Research Plant Physiologist, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

In addition, teachers will have the opportunity to collect a broad selection of innovative, classroom-ready Smithsonian resources and learn about the many other ways they can bring the Smithsonian into their classrooms.

Programming Schedule

5:15pm
“Can We Control Rising Atmospheric CO2 and Climate Change?”
Bert Drake, Senior Research Plant Physiologist
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)
Swanson Gallery

5:45pm
“Taking the Highest “Ground” for Monitoring Climate Change”
Dr. Steven H. Williams
National Air and Space Museum-Education Division
Swanson Gallery

6:15pm
“Can We Control Rising Atmospheric CO2 and Climate Change?”
Bert Drake, Senior Research Plant Physiologist
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)
Swanson Gallery

6:45pm
“Taking the Highest “Ground” for Monitoring Climate Change”
Dr. Steven H. Williams
National Air and Space Museum-Education Division
Swanson Gallery

The Durham Museum Teachers’ Night is generously supported by:
Omaha Public Power District
Cox Communications
Keep Omaha Beautiful
Metropolitan Utilities District
First Nebraska Educators Credit Union
Kelly’s Carpet