Science Newsletter
December 21, 2016
Check out what has been going on around EPS!
Congratulations to Chelsea Foo from Santa Fe and Cara Stephens from Cimarron, who have been selected to present at the National Science Teacher Association conference this spring! What a huge honor!
Updated curriculum documents
Are you looking for something to read over the break? Try one of these NSTA Recommends books! I'll be reading the Disciplinary Core Ideas book, myself!
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.
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
Vernier Engineering Challenge- applications due 2/15
Science Ambassador Fellowship- applications due 2/15
World of 7 Billion- video due 2/23
NASA's Cassini Scientist for a Day- deadline 2/24
Oklahoma Envirothon- Registration deadline 2/24
Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching- nominations due 4/1
Geosciences Program Internship for Students
About
The Geosciences Program takes place over six (6) weeks in the summer at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in Princess Anne, MD.
Geosciences Program Interns:
- Reside in the UMES residence halls (housing and meals are provided), accompanied by trained resident assistants.
- Participate in lectures and field trips with hands-on activities in areas of geoscience such as atmospheric science, biogeochemistry, civil and environmental engineering, environmental science, marine biology, marine chemistry, marine geology, physical oceanography, remote sensing/GIS and related fields.
- Enroll in either College Algebra or Calculus I (dependent upon math placement test score) and Freshman Seminar course.
- Receive $500 per week, paid bi-weekly and reimbursement for travel to/from UMES.
Eligibility Criteria
The Geosciences Program is for graduating high school seniors who:- Have a minimum 2.7 GPA.
- Have been accepted into an accredited US college/university. Preference will be given to students entering the institutions listed on the Application Information page.
- Plan to pursue a bachelor's degree in a geoscience discipline, such as atmospheric science, engineering (civil, electrical, environmental, ocean), environmental science, geography, marine biology, marine chemistry/biogeochemistry, marine geology, marine science, meteorology, physical oceanography, remote sensing/GIS, etc.
Program Benefits
- Paid travel to and from UMES, housing, meals, stipend and tuition and fees for two (2) for-credit college courses (Math and Freshman Seminar, credited through UMES).
- Students who attend a NOAA Cooperative Science Center (CSC) university partner may be eligible for scholarship opportunities and research positions through their respective center. Read about the Centers, their research and their academic partners.
- A network of faculty and staff that can provide support for finding future internships and opportunities with one of our partners, such as The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP).
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 deadline to apply for the PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators program is February 13, 2017. The application does require that you create and submit an original video. A sample from one of 2016's Digital Innovators is embedded below. The full application requirements can be found here.
Do you know an Oklahoma student or teacher who is wild about science?
ExplorOlogy® gives participants the opportunity to join scientists in the field for an adventure in discovery.
These programs are offered at no cost to participants.
Paleo Expedition and Oklahoma Science Adventure
Application Deadline: March 30, 2017
Application Deadline: April 28, 2017
Calling All Curious Minds & Problem Solvers
The 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is Now Open!
The search is on for America's 2017 Top Young Scientist. Could it be your student? Students in grades 5 through 8 across the country are encouraged to submit their big idea to solve a real-world problem for the chance to work one-on-one with a 3M Scientist and win $25,000!
As the nation's premier science competition for students in grades 5 through 8, the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge encourages them to explore scientific concepts found in everyday life and creatively communicate their solutions to improve lives in their communities and around the world.
Entering is easy as 1-2-3! Students should...
1. Identify a real-world problem they are passionate about
2. Brainstorm a solution to the problem
3. Film a short 1-2 minute video and submit it for the chance to bring their idea to life
Encourage Your Students to Start Early
It's never too early to start innovating! Encourage your students to use time over winter break to brainstorm their idea and challenge them to submit their entry before the April 19, 2017 deadline.
For questions, email YSC@discovery.com
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.