Texas EcosySTEM Newsletter
Education Service Center Region 11 - February 2021
What is STEM?
STEM is not a commodity to be bought, sold, earned, or awarded. It is an awareness, recognition, and acceptance of reality. A symbol of a way forward with confidence and hope!
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District Admin, Campus, Teacher Opportunity
Free Spring 2021 Pilot Program Opportunity (Deadline February 15)
WHAT: K12 Coding/Computer Science/STEM Curriculum
WHO: ALL Region 11 District Admin/Principals/Teachers
COMPANY: Tynker K12 via a grant
DEADLINE: February 15, 2021, is the last day to sign up
COST: Free
CATCHES:
1) Teachers must attend a 45-minute training/onboarding (Recorded for later access.)
2) Pilot Ends May 31, 2021
3) Students take a pre and post STEM interest survey
4) OPTIONAL Teacher STEM survey
5) OPTIONAL Family Survey
- Web-based and integrates into content courses with access for pre-readers up to Python.
- 600+ hours scaffolded curriculum
- 300+ DIY Projects
- 12 STEM Courses with 4 electives: LEGO, micro: bit, AR, drones
- 200+ STEM Coding Course Projects- Integrates coding into all subjects
- Mobile Apps included
- Educator Dashboard with mastery charts included plus 6 other features
- Students are automatically assessed with scorecards and metrics updated in real-time
HOW: Contact Venkat Varada at venkat@tynker.com.
Note: Should any district decide to purchase for the 2021-22 school year, Tynker K12 will work with them on special pricing to help fit their budget needs. Plans for K-2, Elementary, and Middle School or K-8, and High School.
Flyer Link: Tynker K12
Texas STEM Conference 2021- Virtual
100+ Engaging, Collaborative sessions!
The Texas STEM Coalition Conference brings together hundreds of educators (PK – 12, all content areas) each year to learn innovative approaches to teaching and learning, cutting-edge technologies, and STEM best practices. Due to the anticipated impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic and educators' feedback, we will host a Virtual Conference for 2021. In addition to traditional STEM Education topics and workshops, the 2021 Conference will also focus on blended learning, online learning, and other strategies in the context of STEM teaching and learning.
- Successful strategies for extraordinary times
- Transformative teaching/learning
- Online and blended learning
- STEM Best Practices
- Interdisciplinary PBLs
- Share Sessions
- Accessibility to match YOUR schedule
- Sessions, Resources, and Exhibits available for 30 days AFTER the event for viewing/downloading!
Price: Registration only $150! Presenters receive a $50 DISCOUNT!
CE Credits: 13
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STEAM At Work 4 Kids
STEAMatwork4kids.org is a new website targeted at kids ages 8-12 years old. The site's goal is for kids to "explore the rich diversity of topics and people in STEAM careers." Each page highlights a person and their work, suggests kids' books to read on the topic, and kid-friendly websites you can visit to learn more.
For more information, contact Sharon Sivinski.
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TAME Club Registration (Title 1 Schools Qualify for FREE STEM Toolkits)
Typically, educators register TAME Clubs in the fall to access curricula, content ideas and qualify for the spring TAME STEM Competitions. While the deadline to register clubs for the 2021 Competition Season has passed, we are still encouraging TAME Club registration through the spring. This is a great way to join the TAME family during this unique year. Clubs that serve Title 1 School-attending students will be qualified to receive a free STEM toolkit while supplies last. These toolkits include PPE, curricula, and funding for program materials! Read more about the Toolkit Initiative and how to register a club here.
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2021 NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science Internship
Audience: Current High School Sophomores and Juniors
Application Deadline: February 22, 2021
Contact: baguio@csr.utexas.edu or cmiller@csr.utexas.edu
For more information: http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/sees-internship/
DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 22, 2021
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Virtual STEAM Carnival - March 1-2 & 4, 2021
What to Expect in Our Virtual Big Top
The STEAM Carnival is a rush of learning and fun, all packed into a 3-hour field trip that will leave your students wanting more. Most years, they are met with an animatronic T-Rex staring them down as they enter the doors, hands-on experiences throughout the center, rockets flying, drones, flight simulators, and more. For the safety of our guests, this year, we are going to be hosting our STEAM Carnival virtually! So...what does that mean for your students?
Game shows, Virtual Escape Challenges, Student Showcases, and more!
We are currently working with several of our partners from our previous events, along with even more guests from all over the world...and maybe even out of this world!
Students will have:
- Individual challenges/competitions against other students from across the state
- Team challenges designed to help your class get out of the escape room
- Classroom showcase projects
- Famous guests, celebrities, and talents
- Opportunities to win tickets to the 2022 STEAM Carnival
- A chance to be part of the intro video with your classmates!
The event will consist of a 2 1/2 hour interactive event with an optional team challenge to do in your classroom to complete your day.
Virtual Student Showcase
The STEAM Carnival began in 2016 and is growing each year with new and exciting activities for the participants. One of our biggest attractions is our Student Showcase zone. Region 11 schools nominate their projects and programs for the chance to be chosen to showcase their ideas and creations to 1,200+ students during each of the carnival days. As the first zone for our attendees, the Student Showcase helps set the tone for their entire experience!
This year, we are doing something a little different. With the pandemic keeping students from attending in person, we are hosting our event as an immersive virtual event. The Student Showcase will still give students a chance to showcase their project and work to a live audience via video conference, which will be recorded and shared in our digital Student Showcase Zone for attendees to browse and view.
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STEM Showcase
FWISD STEM Trailer Provides Meadowbrook MS Students Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Meadowbrook Middle School is the latest school to receive a visit from the Fort Worth ISD STEM trailers. Recently, the trailers rolled onto the Meadowbrook Middle School lot. The trailers offer students hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activity modules, including Building Materials, Alternative Energy, Robotics, and 3-D Electronics (ZSpace).
“The ultimate goal here is to bring the learning to life and give students those hands-on, real-world experiences,” said Daphne Rickard, FWISD Career and Technical Education executive director. “This is really giving students a chance to see that what they’re doing today can be their future career of tomorrow.”
See more of the recent visit here.
FWISD’s two 32-foot District STEM trailers are funded by Lockheed Martin and a grant awarded in 2020 from Facebook. The mobile learning labs offer FWISD elementary and middle school students an interactive introduction to STEM-related fields. Through ZSpace, an augmented and virtual reality technology, students learn STEM subjects using immersive images that they can move and manipulate.
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Showcase your Campus/District STEM
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Texas EcosySTEM - Region 11
Newsletter Signup: From the dropdown, select TEXAS ECOSYSTEM!
Visit our Site: https://www.esc11.net/STEM
Vision: To provide quality solutions that build the capacity in STEM learning opportunities.
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Texas EcosySTEM Resources
The Texas Education Agency has developed tools to help districts engage with families through STEM Education programming and build awareness throughout the community by expanding learning beyond the classroom.
TEA STEM Toolkit
Planning Tools:
- STEM Model Identification Guide
- STEM Education Program Planning Guide
- STEM Leadership Roles and Responsibilities
- STEM Sustainability Tool
Implementation Tools:
U.S. Department of Education STEM & Computer Science
You can subscribe to the topics that most interest you. We encourage you to invite your colleagues and friends to sign up as well!
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Contact Us! Region 11 STEM Lead - Cheryl Bowden
Each Education Service Center will provide free membership for districts to join the local STEM EcosySTEM.
EcosySTEM membership includes:
- Monthly STEM communication including information from the state and federal level
- Regional STEM goals developed by a local STEM Design Team and aligned to the local STEM labor market data
- Regular STEM ecosySTEM meetings to share local STEM opportunities and address local concerns
- All districts will have access to the free TEA STEM planning and implementation tools as well as family engagement tools
Email: cbowden@esc11.net
Website: https://www.esc11.net/Domain/1338
Location: 1451 South Cherry Lane, White Settlement, TX, USA
Phone: 817-740-7755
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esc11science/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @ESC11Science
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