September STEAM Updates
STEM + Arts Integration for All GCPS Students
Greetings from Your New GCPS STEAM Coordinator!
- Grants
- Resources
- Professional Development
- Course Planning
Each month I'll be sending out an update with ideas and resources to support STEAM Implementation across the district. If you've got a resource to share, a shout out to recognize a peer, or want to collaborate, send me a note!
Shout Outs!
- BSES Staff received training on Spero Robots and block coding in August
- CESA Second Grade Teacher Niekietta Grillo attended a FREE code.org workshop in Wilmington called Computer Science Fundamentals
- The Science Curriculum Design Team - Carolyn Vickers, Chris Leas, Jeff Batten, Adam Cope, Charlene Burroughs, Sheila Brockers-White, and Brittany Thompson - did a great job updating our GCPS Science Curriculum Documents for 2019-20. We need representatives for K-3 Science, 6th Grade Science, and all High School Courses except Biology. Contact me if you are interested.
STEAM Materials Available for Checkout
- Engineering is Elementary Kits for Grades 1-5
- Sphero Robot
- Ozobot Robot
- littleBits STEAM Student Set
E-Sports Interest?
Mystery Science Free District Trial
Click here to activate your trial.
NC Science Festival FREE Resources
Celebrate the North Carolina Science Festival by hosting a science event at your school or getting your students involved in one of our special programs!
Educators are vital to the North Carolina Science Festival’s mission — they prepare future scientists! We thank you for everything you do and encourage you to participate in the Festival with your students.
We also want to collaborate with you in providing exciting science experiences. The Festival offers “at-your-site” educational initiatives specifically for K-12 schools. Learn more about programs for each age level:
NC Aquarium Scholars - Deadline September 6!
This is coming at a busy time for you—my apologies, but we have not received many Aquarium Scholars applications this year so now is a good time to apply—even if you have received funds before! The catch: the deadline is Sept 6th.
Here is the info about the program from our NCARI website:
- Aquarium Scholars is a new partnership between the NC Aquariums, NC public schools and the nonprofit NC Aquarium Society, through which private donors help fund access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)-based Aquarium education programs for underserved students across the state.
- These grants are only available for Title 1 teachers. Aquarium Scholars grant applicants can choose one of the following:
- Funding for an Aquarium visit (bus, fuel, fees, etc.).
- Funding for an educational program during your Aquarium visit and any related program fees.
- Funding for an Aquarium outreach program to bring Aquarium programs to your school.
- Funding for a virtual program (live online programs with Aquarium staff and animals) for your class.
If you are interested in applying for the Aquarium Scholars Program, please read the information carefully and fill out the online application. Apply here.
Lauren Curtis
UNC '01, NCSU '09
Former Middle School Teacher and Elementary & Middle School Principal
Email: curtisl@gcs.k12.nc.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/gcs.k12.nc.us/gcpssteam/home?authuser=0
Location: 200 Taylor Street, Oxford, NC, USA
Phone: (919) 693-4613 101262
Twitter: @laelal