Elementary Science Newsletter
November 14, 2014
Important Dates
- Fund for Teachers Travel Grants- opens October 1
- EPSF Great Idea Grant deadline- November 21
- PASCO STEM Educator Award nominations (provides funding to travel to NSTA conferences)- November 30
- Ag in the Classroom grants- due January 30
- OERB workshop- February 21
Shout outs
Thanks to Stacey Ruston (5th grade Ida Freeman) for inviting me out to judge science fair projects. The kids did a really fantastic job!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR THE 2014-15 GRANTS
Tips & Tools To Help You Be Successful In Your Application
For An EPSF Great Idea Grant - Deadline is Nov. 21st at 5:00 PM
There is just a little over a week remaining to submit your online applications for this year's foundation grants. Here are a few items to help you successfully complete the process:
Download a word document with all the components included in the online application
The word document is exactly the questions and order of the online application. This allows you the option to complete/review/evaluate your grant offline, then just copy and paste once you open the online grant application.
Download a copy of the scoring matrix that will be used by the educator panel as well as the board of directors to score grants.
The scoring matrix provides you the exact information outlining how grants will be scored. If you'd like, you can use this document to self evaluate or have a colleague evaluate your grant before you submit it online.
Download a copy of the EPS Annual Operating Goals for FY15
This document is the most updated version of the EPS annual operating goals. If you've already submitted your grant application using the goals that were on the EPS website that will be noted and will not impact your score.
IMPORTANT ITEMS OF NOTE:
• Lori Dickinson (EPSF Executive Director) is available to provide additional support in preparing your grant. While Lori cannot write the grant for you, since she is not a part of the selection process she can answer specific questions, provide additional perspective as well as review your grant. It's important to contact her prior to Nov. 19 for the most productive support.
• Grants will be awarded at full funding amounts - but limited to $1,000 (individual) for individual grant requests and $5,000 (collaborative) for grants requests that include a team of two or more teachers. If you need more than the requested amount or have additional matching funds available, please let us know in your grant application or email Lori directly at lori.dickinson@edmondschools.net with more information.
• Grants can be collaborative not just within one school, but between teachers in schools across the district if it can benefit more students and create more sharing of ideas.
• Total score possible between the Educator Panel and the EPSF Board of Directors is 100 points. Currently, the educator panel/board will be discussing what the threshold score is that determines a funded grant would benefit students. EPSF will use this score to find additional funding for any grant that falls in the gap between our current amounted budgeted for grants in FY15 ($125,000) and what additional grant funding remains.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL LORI DICKINSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT LORI.DICKINSON@EDMONDSCHOOLS.NET OR CALL 405/808-3757.
Copyright © 2014 Edmond Public Schools Foundation, All rights reserved.
Oklahoma Science Standards Framework Project: APPLY TODAY
Applications Due: December 2, 2014
Overview:
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is seeking science educators to participate in the development of the Oklahoma Science Standards Framework. The Oklahoma Science Standards Framework will provide educators with information and resources to develop curriculum aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science. The framework will not serve as curriculum itself. The Oklahoma Science Standards Framework will be modeled from a similar resource developed in Minnesota (the Minnesota Mathematics and Science Standards Framework).
Resources may include the following deliverables:
- Classroom instructional suggestions and guidance
- Sample lessons or lesson ideas
- Classroom assessment suggestions (Formative and Summative)
- Other deliverables as determined necessary
Oklahoma educators will be selected through the process defined in this application to serve as Framework writers.
Framework Writer Expectations:
Writers will work with another educator to develop resources for the grade-level or course that they currently teach or have had experience in teaching. All work will be conducted outside of the educator’s regularly scheduled school days and teaching contracted hours.
Writers will participate in a series of virtual modules that will serve as professional development and training to develop the resources for this project.
Writers will attend a virtual meeting after school hours with the Project Director and/or the Director of Science Education for the Oklahoma State Department of Education
Writers will meet virtually with another teacher to discuss the virtual modules.
Writers will attend three in-person meetings in Oklahoma City on the following Saturdays from 9:00 am-5:00 pm:
January 10, 2015
March 7, 2015
June 13, 2015
Writers will submit work for the Oklahoma Science Standards Framework Project Manager for review and feedback.
Payment:
Oklahoma educators, selected through this application process, will be paid $4,500 ($642.85 monthly) for work to be completed from December 2014 thru June 2015. This fee includes all travel costs and other costs related to participating in the project. No other stipends or reimbursements will be made to participating educators for any reason.
Contact Brandi for an application if you are interested.
OERB Teacher Workshop: Putnam City North High School February 21, 2015
This workshop offers all eight of OERB's curricula. You will need to register for one of the following curricula:
Little Bits- Earth Science curriculum for grade levels K-2
Fossils to Fuel- Earth Science curriculum for grade levels 3-6
Fossils to Fuel 2- Earth Science curriculum for grade levels 3-6
Petro Active- Earth Science curriculum for grade levels 6-8
CORE Energy Science- Curriculum for secondary science teachers teaching physical science and above
CORE Energy Social Studies-Curriculum for secondary social studies teachers teaching Oklahoma history, Economics, and US History
CORE Energy Math- Curriculum for secondary math teachers teaching Algebra 1 and above
CORE Energy Language Arts- Curriculum for english/language arts teachers teaching grade levels 9-12 only
Attention Teachers:
We have recently revised all of our curricula to meet the Oklahoma Academic Standards. Each program has new or revised lessons and supply kits. In order to receive the new materials that go along with the revised program, you will need to return to an OERB workshop.
If you have attended an OERB workshop within the last four years, you will receive a modified kit with all of the new materials. If it has been more than four years since you last attended an OERB workshop, you will be eligible to receive a new kit. For more information on the revised materials and supply kit, please email teachers@oerb.com.
This workshop will close for registration on February 19, 2015. Please register or cancel your registration before that time.
Cancellation Fee: OERB has enacted a cancellation policy. You will be asked to submit your credit card information during this registration. You will be charged a $15 fee ONLY if you cancel within 48 hours of the workshop. This fee also applies to participants who have not cancelled their registration and do not attend the workshop.
Mark your calendars-- Steve Spangler is coming to town!
Cool tech tool of the week: Online timers
Projecting a timer on a screen is a great way to keep kids on task! A few timers can be found at:
Instructional Strategy of the Week: Random pickers
Keep students on their toes with a random picker strategy. Use popsicle sticks with students' names on them to randomly select students to respond to questions or other tasks. Or, use a digital such as http://www.classtools.net/random-name-picker/.
Click here for more instructional strategies.
Need resources?
Safety Reminder
Please review the following documents before beginning any activity that may pose a risk to students (directions for locating these resources are in parentheses).
- Science Class Safety Information Sheet (R:\Safety Information\Internal Policies)
- Elementary Science Safety Notebook (R:\01 Elementary Resources\5th Grade\Science\Elementary Science Safety)
- Review all documents in R:\01 Elementary Resources\5th Grade\Science\Elementary Science Safety
If you have any questions at all regarding safety in the science classroom, please contact me.