Science Newsletter
December 9, 2016
Check out what has been going on around EPS!
Heritage Students Dissect Snake
STEM Buddies
STEM Partnership Forms at Cheyenne
Updated curriculum documents
Are you looking for Christmas or winter lessons/activities? Check these out!
Check out these awesome STEM apps!
Check out the PD on Your Plan repository for ideas for studying with your PLC!
New on the blog
Get connected!
Other Facebook groups you may consider joining include #OKSci, OKSci Elementary, #okSTEAM, Science through Phenomena, OkSci Biology, #OKSci5th, OKSci Middle School, and PDGeek.
You can also connect with other EPS science teachers using the hash tag #EPSstem. I would encourage you to use this hashtag to show off all of the cool things that are going on in your class, as well! And don't forget to follow the official EPS science page @EPSscience while you're there.
Do you love science? Do you love books? Check out these lists of top science books of 2016!
Generation Beyond- challenge due 12/15
Rube Goldberg machine contest- registration ends 1/1
Refresh OSPRC Central Regional Summit- 1/2
Generation Nano- submissions due 1/31
Fund for Teachers grant- applications due 1/31
Exploravision- projects due 2/6Bright Schools competition- submissions due 2/6
World of 7 Billion- video due 2/23
Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching- nominations due 4/1
FREE SCHOOL CHEMICAL DISPOSAL!
The DEQ is currently accepting applications for the School Chemical Disposal Program which removes unused, outdated and potentially dangerous chemicals from school laboratories across the state at NO CHARGE to the school.
The goal of the program is to create a safer laboratory environment in Oklahoma schools and prevent any chemical disasters.
For questions about the program please contact:
Katrina Pollard at (405) 702-5112 or by email katrina.pollard@deq.ok.gov
NASA's Space Poop Challenge
Pooping in space “isn’t glamorous, but it is necessary for survival,” an astronaut explains – yet it’s presenting quite a challenge for NASA.
See, while the International Space Station has a pretty fancy toilet, an astronaut must wear a diaper during launch and landing activities or while spacewalking.
But, as NASA looks toward future missions in deep space, it’s also looking for a way for astronauts to relieve themselves while remaining in their space suits for up to six days, reports Time.
That’s where you come in.
The agency is offering a $30,000 prize in a “space poop challenge,” if someone can create “a system inside a space suit that collects human waste for up to 144 hours and routes it away from the body, without the use of hands.”
There are plenty of stipulations.
For example, the system “needs to take no more than five minutes [to set up]” as an astronaut might be forced to jump into their suit quickly in an emergency, per Space.com.
While such a challenge might seem humorous, a solution “could be the difference between life and death,” notes the contest website.
“You don’t want any of these solids and fluids stuck to your body for six days,” adds NASA in a release.
“Given enough time, infection and even sepsis can set in,” said astronaut Rick Mastracchio in a video.
Inventors have until Dec. 20 to submit their entries.
NASA plans to test the top entries next year, with a solution executed within three years.
(A scientist thinks humans could get to Mars in a month.)
This article originally appeared on Newser: NASA Wants You to Help Astronauts Poop.
Grosvener Teacher Fellowship Program
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellow (GTF) program is a professional development opportunity made possible by a partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Education. The program is named in honor of Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Chairman Emeritus National Geographic Society and Education Foundation Board. It gives current K–12 classroom teachers and informal educators from the 50 U.S. states, Canada, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico the opportunity to extend Grosvenor’s legacy of excellence in geographic education. Exemplary educators are recognized for their commitment to geographic education and given the opportunity to travel aboard the Lindblad-National Geographic fleet. Through this experience, they bring new geographic awareness into their learning environments and communities.
Fellows are an integral part of the National Geographic community, working to further students’ understanding of the planet and empower them to generate solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future. To help ensure that the next generation is armed with geographic knowledge and global awareness, Fellows take on a two-year leadership commitment to support educators with National Geographic. Throughout their commitment, Fellows may be asked to conduct webinars, participate in meet-ups, and serve as a mentor to other educators.
Applications must be received through our online system by December 31, 2016 at 11:59 pm Eastern. You can save your application and come back to it any time before the deadline. Applications will not be accepted by any other means.
Due to the high volume, we are not able to respond to individual questions. If you have any technical problems, please send an email to GTFprogram@ngs.org. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 2017 Fellows will be contacted by phone in February 2017, and announced on the National Geographic Education website in March 2017.
2017 Program Highlights
Selected educators will travel aboard the ships National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endeavour II,and National Geographic Sea Lion on expeditions to regions including the Arctic, British and Irish Isles, Canadian Maritimes, Iceland, the Galapagos, Antarctica and more. While aboard, Fellows will share the importance of geographic literacy with fellow travelers, develop activities to bring back to their classrooms, and have an adventure of a lifetime. Prior to the expedition, all 2017 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C. (March 23–26, 2017) with all expenses covered to participate in a pre-voyage workshop sponsored by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.
The Edmond Public Schools Foundation’s mission is to connect the community and its resources with the Edmond Public Schools teacher, student and school needs in pursuit of the highest level of academic excellence. The Great Ideas Grant program is a crucial component of fulfilling our mission—to support teachers in the classroom with grant funds to implement Great Ideas that fall outside of the EPS budget.
TIMELINE
The Great Ideas Grant application will open Dec. 1, 2016-Feb. 3, 2017. During this time, teachers may submit their applications online. The EPSF Board of Directors, in conjunction with site principals and an educator panel, will determine the scoring and funding for grants in late spring 2017. Our goal is to deliver grant funding to each school in August 2017 to kick off the next school year.
CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION
In order to best serve Edmond’s educators in the classroom, EPSF has decided to include Professional Development in the scope of the Great Ideas Grant program. Additionally, due to the current implementation of EPS’s digital conversion, EPSF will no longer accept grant applications for certain technology (Chromebooks, iPads, apple TV, and computers). Other technology equipment such as lab equipment, calculators, and classroom technology may still be requested.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Edmond Public Schools teachers may apply for individual grants up to $1,000 and for collaborate teams of 2 or more up to $5,000. Teachers may submit a Great Idea Grant for any projects or supplies that facilitate active student learning and participation in the classroom.
-Supplies and teaching tools for a robotics program is a great idea
-Science activity tubs are a great idea
-Traveling labs for use by multiple classrooms is a great idea
-If your grant proposal has a high likelihood of impacting student learning with measureable outcomes, it’s a great idea!
HOW TO APPLY
Once the online application is started, you cannot save or back out of completing it. You have to complete it in one setting. The most efficient and effective way to prepare is to download THIS FILE to complete your questions in a word document and then copy and paste into the proper places on the form. Also, by downloading this form, you can review the application in its' entirety.
EPSF’s Great Ideas Grant full application explanation and policies can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE, or on our website at edmondpsf.org, or you can contact Allison Lawrence (Allison.lawrence@edmondschools.net 405-760-5551) with any questions.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment to EPS!
Vernier Engineering Contest
About this Award
Vernier Software & Technology is committed to helping educators develop the next generation of engineers and scientists. To show our support, Vernier will recognize two instructors, one middle school and one high school instructor, with the Vernier Engineering Award. This $5,500 award will be presented to instructors who are creatively using Vernier sensors to introduce engineering concepts or engineering practices. This may be in conjunction with Vernier’s Logger Pro software, NI LabVIEW software, LEGO NXT, VEX, or any other system incorporating Vernier sensors.
Award Prize
Each award will consist of $1,000 in cash, $3,000 in Vernier technology, and $1,500 toward expenses to attend either the NSTA STEM conference or the ASEE conference. Two awards will be given – one for middle school and one for high school.
Eligibility
Current instructors of engineering or STEM subjects in middle school or high school are eligible to apply. Applicants must be using Vernier sensors in their classroom instruction.
Judging
Applications will be judged on innovative ideas, engineering objectives, and the ease for others to replicate the project. Middle school and high school applicants will specifically need to explain how the project addresses the engineering practices called for in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A panel of judges comprised of educational professionals from Vernier Software & Technology will score applications.
Timeline
Applications are accepted through February 15. Winners will receive notification via email and will be announced in March on the Vernier website and Facebook page.
Terms and Conditions
Instructors at eligible institutions may submit up to three entries. To be eligible, your institution must be properly accredited, located in the United States (or a DoDEA school), and have 50 or more students. Institutions serving grades K–12 are eligible. Preschools, daycare centers, and home schools are not eligible. The application must be submitted by an employee at the institution who is 18 years of age or older. Technology awarded to the institution will be shipped only to the institution’s address and will become property of the institution.
How to Apply
- To apply, produce a video showcasing your entry. This video should briefly describe the Vernier sensors and the engineering concepts or practices that are being addressed. The video should demonstrate the project or experiment in action. Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo. Please limit your video to 4 minutes or less.
- Complete the online application form. The application will include a space for you to provide a link to your video that you have posted on YouTube or Vimeo.
Science Ambassador Fellowship
Apply Now! The application period for the Science Ambassador Class of 2017 is open through February 15, 2017.
For questions about the Science Ambassador program, please contact us directly at scienceambassador@cdc.gov.
More info available at http://www.cdc.gov/careerpaths/scienceambassador/index.html
NASA's 2016-17 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
Dear Science Teachers,
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is excited to announce that the 2016-17 edition of its Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest will be taking place this year. Since the Cassini mission to Saturn will be ending on September 15, 2017, this will most likely be the last essay contest for the Cassini mission.
The contest is open to all students in grades 5-12 in the United States, as well as in over 40 other countries that have national contest coordinators. Students may work alone or in groups of up to four students. Students write an essay of up to 500 words about one of three possible imaging targets that the Cassini spacecraft has taken during the past few years.
The 2016-17 essay contest topics are:
1. The ice plumes at the south pole of Saturn's moon, Enceladus
2. The lakes of Titan
3. The hexagon at Saturn's north pole
Students will justify their choice as to which one they think would potentially yield the best science. Winners and their classes are invited to participate in a teleconference with Cassini scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
All essays must be submitted by the student's teacher. Cassini scientists and educators will read all the entries and choose the winners.
The contest deadline is February 24, 2017 at noon, Pacific Time (3:00pm Eastern Time).
For contest rules, a downloadable contest flyer, frequently asked questions, and more information, visit:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/Scientist-For-A-Day
Short videos about each topic will be available on the contest website in the coming months.
The essay contest meets U.S. National Science and Language Arts Standards.
For teachers who choose to make the essay a class assignment, please send us your best three essays per class, and email us the names of all of the students who also wrote essays.
All students who write essays will receive a certificate of participation. Winners and their classes will be invited to participate in a teleconference with Cassini scientists and winning essays will be posted on the Cassini website.
Inquiries about the contest should be e-mailed to: scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov
The main contest website can be found here: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/educ/scientist-for-a-day
A shortened URL for the contest is: http://go.nasa.gov/2eMlpLU
The Cassini mission's website can be found at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov
If you would like to be added to the Cassini Scientist for a Day email distribution list to receive additional updates about the contest, please send an email to scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov with "add me to the mailing list" in the subject line.
We look forward to receiving essays from your students.
Oklahoma Envirothon
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation is, once again, hosting the 2017 Oklahoma Envirothon in Ardmore, OK. Envirothon is a team competition that test students’ knowledge and skills in five areas of environmental science: forestry, wildlife, soils, aquatics, and a special topic that changes each year. This year’s topic is agricultural soil and water conservation stewardship. Each team consist of 5 students in grades 9-12 that work together to complete a test in each area. Besides including content knowledge, the tests also include hands-on portions where students have to do identification and use specialized equipment.
To learn more about the 2017 Oklahoma Envirothon and find resources to help your students study log onto: http://www.oklaenvirothon.org/.
The registration deadline for teams is February 24, 2017.
The date of the competition is March 24, 217 in Ardmore, OK.
Join the #MARSchallenge With Your Class
Read the post on Ajjuliani.com
Last April, we had over 50,000 students participate in the Global Day of Design (and next year's GDD is slated for May 2nd). It was powerful to watch students embrace design thinking for a single day. So, John Spencer and I were thinking about what it would look like to take this idea to the next level. Our answer? The Mars Challenge!
This is a global design competition that you can do with your K-12 students. Not interested in competing? No problem. You can still participate and share your work with a global audience. You can find the details (including where to sign up) in my latest blog post. Read that post and check this out:
1. Here's the video introducing the MARS Challenge (it's awesome)
2. Here's the sign up form for your class to participate!
3. Here's the FREE lesson plans, student notebook, PPT, and downloadable video
4. Stay tuned for when we announce the judges for this global challenge!
Here's more info about the MARS Challenge: Design a School on Mars
Announcing the MARS Challenge: Design a School on Mars From Scratch
This challenge is open to any teacher and group of students in a K-12 education setting. We provide lesson plans, student notebooks, power point presentation for each lesson, and a framework (the LAUNCH Cycle) for your students to tackle this enormous challenge of starting a school on Mars.
Here are the details:
December 1st: MARS Challenge starts (sign up your team/class/school below)
December 12th: Panel of Judges released
December 22nd: Challenge ends, all videos must be sent in for judging
January 2nd: Winners announced in four categories (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
The big questions are:
1. Should a school even be on Mars?
2. If there was some type of education system on Mars, what would help further the mission of sustainability and prepare students for a future on Mars and beyond?
3. How can we learn from our years of education here on Earth to make school on Mars and even more valuable and fruitful place of learning?
The Design Challenge Overview
You’re going to make something amazing and you’re going to start on it today. It’s going to be something that has never existed before in the history of humanity.
You know how you typically turn in an assignment to your teacher and then you get it back and, well, that’s pretty much it. This is different. Working with your design team, you’re going to create something people will actually see!
The Launch Process
Look all around you. Seriously. Glance around your classroom. You are surrounded by things that people created. Not only did they create these things but they also designed them. The fancy term for this is design thinking. It’s the term professionals use. You’re going to use the LAUNCH Process. It’s a modified version of the design thinking cycle that artists and engineers use in the real world. Here’s how it works:
Look, Listen, and Learn
Ask a Ton of Questions
Understand the Problem or Process
Navigate the Ideas
Create a Prototype
Highlight What’s Working and Fix What’s Failing
Ready to Launch!
Your Challenge: Build a Model School for People Who Colonize Mars
You’re going to design and build a model school for people who colonize MARS.
Consider the following:
- Where will this school be located on MARS? How will you keep the people safe, but also provide a place where learning is as challenging as life on the planet?
- How will you accommodate each person’s unique role in colonizing MARS with what they’ll be learning?
- What will look similar about school here on Earth? What will look new, different, and better?
- What feature of school will you definitely get rid of from our current system?
- What special features will this school have? What kinds of cool gadgets and technology will this school have?
- What will the learning environment/school look like? What architectural style will you use?
- What will you name the school?
Your items will include:
- Cardboard
- Construction Paper
- Duct Tape
- Glue
- Straws
Don’t forget to experiment and make tons of glorious mistakes. Ultimately, your design is going to be awesome, because it’s yours and it’s coming from your creative mind.
The Final Product
Your group will ultimately design a model school using the above materials. In order to share this model school with the world, you will have to make one of the following options below to be in the running for the final prize!
Option 1: Create a digital brochure inviting people going to MARS to join your school.
Option 2: Create a video showing and explaining the school on MARS
Option 3: Create a video advertisement for the school on MARS
How Can I Join?!?
Sign up using the form here (at the bottom of the post). You’ll receive an email with the following items (all FREE):
- Lesson Plans for the MARS Challenge (including connection to the standards and step-by-step instruction for teachers)
- LAUNCH Student Notebook – Students have a notebook handout to fill in, sketch in, and follow throughout the entire challenge
- PowerPoint introducing the Mars Challenge and for every lesson during the Challenge
- Resource list for research on MARS, space travel, school design and much more!
You’ll also be asked to fill in information on your school and classroom to be a part of the official MARS Challenge that will be judged. If you don’t want to participate in the final project judging, no worries, have fun doing it with your class!
I’ll keep you updated in the coming weeks with blog posts and emails, and we will also use the hashtag #MARSchallenge to share out what our students are designing, making, and building this month!
Hope you can join us!
AJ
NABT / BSCS AP Biology Teacher Academy
NABT / BSCS AP Biology Teacher Academy
Presented in Partnership with HHMI BioInteractive
June 25 – 30, 2017
Oklahoma Regional AL Biology Teacher Academy at Jenks High School
Jenks, OK
NABT, BSCS and HHMI’s BioInteractive are proud to announce dates and locations for the 2017 NABT / BSCS AP Biology Teacher Academies (California dates coming soon). Please note the dates below are for 2017, not 2016 as previously reported. The AP Biology Teacher Academy is an expansion of the popular BSCS / NABT AP Biology Leadership Academy, and supports a new generation of leaders in biology education.
Participants will:
strengthen how they teach their course so students learn more meaningful biology and are more interested in studying biology in the future;
use the practices of science to help students learn big ideas and unifying concepts of biology;
analyze and enhance their current curriculum materials to better reflect the AP Curriculum Framework;
learn to use formative and summative assessment information to examine what their students understand; and
develop a network of fellow biology teachers that supports excellence in biology teaching.
This program was developed for AP Biology Teachers, but all biology teachers are welcome to attend, including those teaching at both the high school and undergraduate level.
The Chemistry Immersion Program at the University of Missouri is accepting applications for Summer 2017!
The Chemistry Immersion Program (CHIP) is a multifaceted program designed for high school students and teachers. For high school students, CHIP works to enhance students' comfort level in the collegiate chemistry and biochemistry laboratories and improve their lab skills by engaging students with laboratory investigations designed to refresh knowledge of key concepts in chemistry and biochemistry. Students attend CHIP for one week.
For high school teachers, CHIP provides professional development and an opportunity for collaboration with peers through the development of laboratory activities designed to engage students. Teachers who are accepted as CHIP fellows have all expenses paid including a graduate level credit hour.
To learn more and apply, visit: chip.missouri.edu