The goal of this flyer is to keep you up-to-date on the current workshops and/or opportunities for professional growth in our area. Please feel free to contact me with updates, concerns, questions, or suggestions @ kristen.slechta@esu9.us.

Bookmark this flyer address as it will automatically update as well as include past, present, and future opportunities for professional growth.

https://www.smore.com/ayyy4

The Love Bugs

Looking for ways to help elementary students (grades 3–5) better understand the nature of science? Teach young learners the importance of science research with a screening of The Love Bugs, a 30-minute documentary highlighting the work and passions of Charles and Lois O’Brien, entomologists and octogenarians who have studied insects around the globe for more than 60 years. The documentary provides a real-world glimpse of entomology and science research, and the film’s accompanying lesson plans—which support the Next Generation Science Standards—guide students through learning experiences such as modeling the actions of scientists (What Do Entomologists Do?); seeing real scientists in action (Meet Real Entomologists in the Film, The Love Bugs); learning an animal classification system (How Do Scientists Classify Animals?); and exploring invertebrates in the schoolyard (Discovering Animals in the Schoolyard). Each lesson plan includes an overview, procedure, reflection, and ideas to extend learning. (Free registration is required to download the film.)

Opportunities abound for students of any age and grade level (K–college) to participate in authentic science research as citizen scientists. The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) offers a web page dedicated to connecting teachers and students to environmentally related citizen science opportunities. The projects address a wide range of topics from collecting weather observations and data to biodiversity-focused investigations observing plants and animals in a targeted area. Many of the projects focus on tracking trends associated with a changing climate, such as earlier bloom times for plants in the spring, altered arrival times and locations of migratory birds, and shifting habitats of frogs, pollinators, and other U.S. wildlife. The site also features two colorful infographics—Citizen Science Is Blooming and Surrounded by Science—which help students understand the value of citizen science and the importance of learning about our planet and its systems.

Ignite imagination and inspire a new space-age generation

Exploration Generation (ExGen) provides K-12 educators with engaging, classroom-ready lessons and resources to help immerse students in real-life applications of STEM while exploring various concepts in aerospace, engineering, and rocketry.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Estes Education, and NSTA launched ExGen to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and bring high-quality, research-based aerospace education to classrooms nationwide.

Join Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's education division for a FREE two-day immersive educator workshop hosted at beautiful Ponca State Park. For 2022 we will investigate the Ponca Bluffs Biologically Unique Landscape.

This specific educator workshop is designed for current formal educators teaching grades 5th-12th grades across Nebraska. Teachers of all subjects will find this workshop useful.

Each participant will receive a wealth of knowledge to use when incorporating local ecology into their curriculum. During the workshop participants will be doing hands-on natural resource activities such as plant walks, fungi talks, bird mist netting, setting up wildlife trail cameras, kayaking, and geology activities! Plus, participants will receive numerous educational resources including field guides, and activities for the Ponca Bluffs to take back to their classroom.

**Educators must attend both days to receive all curriculum and resources.

Cost to attend?
This two-day immersive workshop is FREE and includes all meals and lodging at Ponca State Park.

This workshop is limited to 20 educators, so register today! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LEED2022

Questions? Concerns? Please email monica.macoubrie@nebraska.gov

Jamie Bachmann

Wildlife Educator

Northern Prairies Land Trust

www.nebraskaprojectwild.org

Facebook: Nebraska Project WILD

Office: 402-370-3374

Fax: 402-370-3256

2201 N. 13th Street

Norfolk, Ne 68701

4 Engaging Medical Terminology Games to Boost Student Motivation

HEALTH SCIENCE | MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY: When teaching difficult concepts such as medical terminology, health science teachers can feel overwhelmed and frustrated. You want your students to engage with and memorize important material, but you might be uncertain about how to keep your students focused and energized. Worse still, you fear that your students may be bored and unable to master vocabulary that will be a part of assessments and certification exams.

We've seen thousands of teachers like you struggle to keep students engaged, which is one of the reasons we created our HealthCenter21 digital curriculum system. HealthCenter21 helps teachers save time while keeping learners focused in an engaging way. But sometimes you are looking for supplemental games and activities to boost your existing medical terminology lesson plans.

Site: https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/engaging-medical-terminology-games?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=143770545&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-98Tc7B7d9C5N6uiYlmO_fnBbjvPawfRkQmf8junQqZYt5rj5fvRaDoNNzA3CzrrGpzFxVGMbYx3iCKFxn1LzCLqBYTPg&utm_content=143770545&utm_source=hs_email

In celebration of April’s Math Awareness Month, Domino Data Lab and NSTA have joined forces to spark excitement for careers in data science among elementary school students nationwide. In support of Domino’s engaging, new children’s book—Florence the Data Scientist and Her Magical Bookmobile—NSTA has developed a classroom-ready resource for K-5 educators.

About the Book

Florence the Data Scientist and Her Magical Bookmobile is a picture book for young readers 6-8 that explores and explains one of today’s most important and fastest growing professions: data science! How can recording and analyzing data for patterns help make predictions about the future? Join Beatrice as she finds out.

Great Opportunity for 3-5th grade Science Teachers!

I am reaching out to you because of your work with educators in outdoor learning spaces. I am currently recruiting 35 teachers or afterschool educators to participate in Garden TOOLS for Corn, a Nebraska Corn Board-funded opportunity to receive FREE professional development, curriculum resources, and supplies to support student learning in school garden spaces.

Garden TOOLS for Corn leverages BBC micro:bit microcontrollers to encourage students in grades 3-5 to explore outdoor growing spaces through technology. Students will have opportunities to design solutions to address personally meaningful issues and improve garden spaces.

Nearly 200 pre-service elementary teachers have already received Garden TOOLS for Corn training. We are now expanding our reach to offer training and supplies to in-service teachers and afterschool educators across the state! In addition to the Garden TOOLS for Corn virtual PD experience, participants will receive an “ag tech in the outdoors” kit (valued at $350 which includes a classroom set of 15 BBC micro:bits and assorted accessories).

If you or a teacher you know is interested in registering for our virtual workshop scheduled for March 8, 2021 from 1:30-4:30 (CST), a registration form is available here: https://forms.gle/TiWaZmc6ANcGLKNt5. Registration is limited and priority will be given to those who work with students in grades 3-5. If you have additional questions, please reach out to me at eingram3@unl.edu.

Erin Ingram, Ph.D.

Science Literacy/Community Engagement Coordinator

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

252 Chase Hall | 3605 Fair Street

P. O. Box 830726

Lincoln, NE 68583

(402) 472-1493

eingram3@unl.edu

In this Edutopia article, writer/consultant Monica Burns recommends six online
platforms that can be used to take virtual field trips around the world, build vocabulary and
background knowledge, check out the setting of a novel, or make connections to current
events:
- AirPano https://www.airpano.com – 360-degree videos and images from around the
world;
- Good Maps Treks https://www.google.com/maps/about/treks/#/grid - Destinations
include Egypt, Nepal, India, Canada, and the U.S.;
- National Geographic https://www.youtube.com/user/NationalGeographic - Videos
about different cultures, foods, animals, and more;
- Nearpod https://nearpod.com – 360-degree panoramic views to spark discussions in
science, social studies, and other subjects;
- 360Cities https://www.360cities.net – A collection of panoramic images from around
the world; here’s a school version: https://schools.360cities.net ;
- Google Arts and Culture https://artsandculture.google.com – Interactive views that let
students walk through museums and explore notable architecture.
“6 Free Resources for Virtual Field Trips” by Monica Burns in Edutopia, January 26, 2021

In early 2019, NextGenScience launched the Tennessee District Science Network (TDSciN), a group of six districts in Tennessee working collaboratively to improve their science programs and move towards the vision of science education reflected in the Tennessee Academic Standards for Science.

From the outset, district leaders identified three major challenges:

1. Educators were still learning how to assess student reasoning in science as required by the new standards,
2. Not all students were provided with meaningful science experiences, and
3. Students were scheduled to take a new state assessment. With the goal of addressing these challenges by improving understanding of assessment features designed for today’s science standards and advancing equity in science, the work of the Tennessee District Science Network was two-pronged: coherent but separate professional learning opportunities both for district leaders and for educators.

Resource and Tasks: https://ngs.wested.org/tennessee-district-science-network/#high

Science Chat Special: Winter Weather

Virtual Field Trip

with Kristen Axon, Atmospheric Sciences Graduate Student

ONE DAY ONLY │January 26, 2021

Kristen has loved weather since she was a little girl. She now chases storms for science. When most of us stay inside, she goes out! Kristen is excited to share her passion and the instruments scientists use to track and monitor the weather. During the program, learn what makes ice and snow, and then hear about when Kristen worked for an ICICLE! There will be plenty of time for Q&A as well.

Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. (Microsoft Teams), 10:30 a.m. (Zoom), or 2:00 p.m. (Zoom).

Learn more and register here>>

CENTRAL NEBRASKA SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR

The Central Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair is going VIRTUAL for 2021.

• Students will build a virtual poster.
• Students will create and record a presentation about their project.

DETAILS BELOW ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. SEE WEBSITE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.

• Project registration OPENS on January 1, 2021 at 12:00 AM CST.
• Project registration CLOSES is February 17, 2021, at 11:59 PM CST.
• Students must submit their virtual poster and presentation by 9:00 AM CST on February 24, 2021.
• Finalists will be announced on social media on March 7. Interviews with the finalists will be scheduled.
• A virtual award presentation will be made available on Monday, March 15, 2021, on our webpage.
• THREE Projects in grades 9-12 are eligible for the VIRTUAL ISEF competition.
• Special awards (including cash prizes) are available in both the junior high and senior high divisions.
• There are NO registration fees thanks to a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund!
• More details on how the format of the poster and presentation will be emailed out and posted on our website by January 1, 2021.

If any teachers want to be notified by email of announcements concerning this competition, please contact me using the email below to get on the mailing list: (cnsef.unk@gmail.com).

Jay Cecrle

Director

Central Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair

Website: https://www.cnsef.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centralnebraskasef/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NebraskaFair

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3IlGNdT5dkKGAXNhTYZahA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentralNebaskaSEF

Email Contact: cnsef.unk@gmail.com

Free Webinar: Tool Talk and Types of Investigations

In this webinar, we'll discuss tips and tricks for the tool talk, and go through the different kinds of ADI Investigations.

• Date: Wednesday, Jan. 27th
• Time: 1:30 pm Pacific, 3:30 pm Central, 4:30 pm Eastern

REGISTRATION

Free Webinar: Argument Creation and the Argumentation Session

In this webinar, we'll talk through some tips and tricks for making the argument board creation and argumentation process go smoothly in a virtual setting.

• Date: Wednesday, Feb. 24th
• Time: 1:30 pm Pacific, 3:30 pm Central, 4:30 pm Eastern

REGISTRATION

Hello from the Challenger Learning Center, we know that today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators and we are excitedly gearing up for another successful year. If you have already booked your e-Mission, we look forward to working with you and your students! If you have not yet booked your e-Mission for this year It’s Not Too Late!

You will find the current list of e-Missions and e-Labs that we offer for grades

3-12 at:

www.e-missions.net

www.e-missions.net/elabs

www.clce-labsjr.net

We value your commitment to quality education, and our staff at the CLC will continue to support you in this process. If you are having difficulties with scheduling, for whatever reason, please contact us so we can assist you in anyway we can to bring these exciting distance learning experiences back to your school.

Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me or our Program Registrar Kristi West at 304 243-8740 clc-registrar@wju.edu

Laura Ondeck | Lead Flight Director

The Challenger Learning Center

Wheeling University

316 Washington Ave, Wheeling WV, 26003

Phone: (304) 243-2029 | Fax: (304) 243-2497| Email: londeck@wju.edu

The Nebraska Junior Academy of Sciences is designed to promote science and technology across Nebraska by providing incentives for students to apply creativity and critical thought to solutions of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and engineering problems. It offers an opportunity for students to meet, exchange ideas, and discuss career possibilities with scientists and engineers from colleges and industries.

Students will develop a scientific research project, write an abstract of the project, and give an oral presentation the day of the competitions. Students will compete in two divisions: Grades 6-8 in the Junior Division and Grades 9-12 in the Senior Division. Each Regional Science Competition will select 6 junior and 6 senior high projects to advance to the State Science Fair. Judges at the State Science Fair will nominate ten Senior Division projects to attend the American Junior Academy of Sciences Conference. These students will present their research in a poster and round table session. There are 6 different regional science fairs your school can compete in. Contact the regional director for registration and more information.

Go to the Nebraska Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons: https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/53009-nebraska-1st-grade-science-standards-unwrapped/view

https://www.edreports.org/resources/article/3-ways-to-know-if-youre-using-quality-science-materials?utm_medium=email&utm_source=pardot&utm_campaign=lacey-blog-mar2019

3 Features of High-Quality Science Materials

1. “Phenomena don’t have to be phenomenal” but they should be intentional.

Phenomena are observable events that occur in the universe that students can explain or predict with their knowledge of science. Tides, sunrise, leaves changing color, and the way dew collects on grass are just a few of the many examples of phenomena.

Phenomena-driven instruction can transform classrooms into places where students’ curiosity and wonder are the foundation for learning, where building knowledge is centered around understanding the natural and man-made world around them, and where kids are honing the investigative skills of scientists that can benefit them no matter what path they ultimately choose.

But what separates average instructional materials from great ones is that the best materials are purposeful when presenting phenomena. They connect the phenomena students are exploring to the core science ideas and concepts students need to learn.

Chemical reactions often make impressive phenomena, but students need to be able to explain what caused the color to change, or what caused a gas to be released, or how the number and types of atoms were conserved during the reaction. Without opportunities to collect data or analyze information about the reaction to build these explanations, the reaction serves as nothing more than something interesting to see.

It’s easy to pick out all sorts of engaging phenomena to wow students, but if phenomena are only used to capture student attention, taught in isolation, or are irrelevant to students’ experience, we’re missing a huge opportunity.

Instead, these questions are at their best when students investigate them as a way to engage in science and engineering practices or to identify larger patterns and connections on their way to a deeper understanding of science content. In short, the content students must master should always guide the choice of phenomena, not the other way around.

2. Students have opportunities to do the thinking, questioning, designing, and discovering for themselves

The phenomena we choose matters, but so does the way students engage with those phenomena. We must be wary of materials that do the work of students for them, explaining phenomena too readily or presenting content as a series of facts and terms for students to memorize.

For example, we should shy away from content that simply shows students a video of an eclipse to generate interest and immediately follows this video with text that describes how an eclipse occurs. Instead, students should have opportunities to generate their own questions and ideas about the cause of an eclipse, and then engage in opportunities to model or test their own ideas as they make sense of this phenomenon.

Quality materials provide common entry points and opportunities for students to ask their own questions, collect their own evidence, and construct their own explanations connected to science content.

What’s more, well-designed materials offer structures that support kids in thinking like scientists: in identifying patterns so that they can understand cause and effect relationships, in digging deeper into systems and models to test ideas or develop explanations based on the data they’ve collected and the knowledge they’ve been building.

The research shows that students are most likely to excel when they are engaging in science rather than just learning about it. The best materials support teachers in creating classrooms where students are not simply passive recipients of facts, but active participants in constructing their own knowledge.

3. Learning objectives are meaningful and connected to the standards

As educators, we all understand that the lessons and units we’re teaching students have bigger learning goals attached to them: goals for the day, goals for the week, goals for year. The materials you’re using should display that same level of understanding and connection to those larger learning goals, and the standards students and teachers will ultimately be held accountable to.

In examining science materials, it’s a good idea to take a look at how the learning objectives are presented to both the teacher and the student. It should be clear how each objective relates not only to the performance expectations but to the larger standards for a particular grade-level or grade band. Assessments play a role here as well: how students are evaluated must be directly connected to what the materials present and the knowledge kids are spending their time building.

Teachers and students will be in a much better position if materials are clear about how each learning objective is connected to the bigger picture. Programs can offer many different pathways for meeting the standards, but those paths should be evident to the ones guiding and participating in the learning.

The Support Teachers and Students Deserve

We know that instructional materials are not the silver bullet. But we also know that materials can make a difference in what and how students learn. Teachers who will be inspiring the next generation of science leaders deserve the support of great content that provides exciting, intentional opportunities for kids to explore the natural and man-made world and develop a deep understanding of how it works.

I believe that only through working together can we ensure all students have access to science education that will prepare them to be citizens who can make informed decisions and leaders who can work together to discover and develop solutions to our most urgent challenges.

In 2019, the National Geographic Society will be hosting a Summer Institute for middle school teachers from across North America. The National Geographic 2019 Summer Institute will be held Monday, July 15 - Saturday, July 20, 2019 at the Jackson Campus of the Teton Science Schools in Jackson, Wyoming. During the institute, National Geographic will train selected educators to be facilitators of in-person outreach and professional development for National Geographic Educator Certification and the Geo-Inquiry Process. Throughout the week educators will spend time reviewing adult learning principles, learning more about National Geographic Society’s educational values, and becoming expert facilitators.

National Geographic will cover the cost of all food, accommodations, and transportation for educators teachers during the institute. Participation in the summer institute is the first step in a partnership with the National Geographic Society. For the commitment to National Geographic and this initiative, each educator will receive a $600.00 stipend paid in installments over the course of the 2019-2020 academic year. Prior to applying for this opportunity, please review this document to understand the expectations associated with participation. To be considered for final selection, please complete this application form by January 28, 2019. If you have any questions regarding the National Geographic 2019 Summer Institute please reach out to the Educator Network at educatornetwork@ngs.org.

Kristen Benton of Kenesaw: https://bentsci.weebly.com/. Check it out!

Interested in training your students to think on their own, be more observant, and argue with evidence? Checkout the "SCOUT MINDSET" @ https://www.ted.com/talks/julia_galef_why_you_think_you_re_right_even_if_you_re_wrong

#3. How to best support the construction of a MODEL: Try this TED Talk: "Got a wicked problem? First tell me how to make toast!" https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_got_a_wicked_problem_first_tell_me_how_you_make_toast?language=en

Here's an interactive booklet to help you along your journey!

Website: http://museum.unl.edu/virtualfieldtrips/index.html

Visit "Archie" and company from your classroom! No need to schedule transportation, pack a lunch or even leave your school when you visit us on a Virtual Field Trip. Our educators and scientists interact with your students on a variety of science and natural history topics through our live, interactive videoconferencing programs. Classes are designed to fit within your schedule, curriculum needs and are aligned with science standards. Many of our programs include a physical kit with hands-on materials to enhance your visit.

Thanks to Brandon Timm at Aurora Public Schools for sharing this information. If you have questions, he has experienced such a field trip and utilized a kit. Contact btimm@4rhuskies.org.

Squeeze the Most Out of your
Field Trip Experience at Raising Nebraska

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Email: raisingnebraska@unl.edu
Phone: 1-308-385-3967

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