GCISD Secondary STEM
News and Notes for Parents - March 2019
STEMExcellence - Engineering Week
Each year GCISD celebrates Engineering Week during the 3rd week of February.
Engineers Week--the only event of its kind--is a time to:
- Celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world
- Increase public dialogue about the need for engineers
- Bring engineering to life for kids, educators, and parents
More than a week-long event, Engineers Week is a year-round commitment to making a difference.
This year our middle school students experienced a visit from the Army Corps of Engineers, visited UTA and UNT. At GMS, all students on campus participated in a design challenge. GHS STEM Ambassadors visited Cannon Elementary and helped 3rd and 4th-grade students with Perot Museum exhibits.
Be sure to check out pictures of all the wonderful events throughout this newsletter.
STEM Student Spotlight
March STEM Habit of Mind - Adapability
Adaptability is the capacity to adjust one’s thoughts and behaviors in order to effectively respond to uncertainty, new information, or changed circumstances (Martin, Nejad, Colmar, & Liem, 2013). Adaptability encompasses cognitive, behavioral, and emotional adjustments (Martin, Nejad, Colmar, Liem, & Collie, 2015). As a disposition and skill, adaptability is essential to an individual’s psychological health, social success, and academic and workplace achievement. Individuals who are adaptable exhibit key behaviors like thinking and acting effectively under pressure, and adjusting timelines, results, and expectations appropriately when needs change (National Institutes for Health, 2015).
Essential Components for Students:
1. Incorporate new information into your current mindset.
2. Act effectively in response to uncertainty, new information, or changed circumstances
-From the College and Career Competency Framework
Resources for Parents:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/expert-tips-advice/2016/04/flexible-thinking-encourage-kids-go-flow/https://www.business.com/articles/how-well-do-you-handle-change-the-benefits-of-being-adaptable/
Did you know that Grapevine Middle School has a STEM Handbook? Check out the document linked below.
Personalized Programs Lottery Now Open - Spread the word.
Please continue to help us get the word out about our Personalized Programs in GCISD. The lottery is open until March 22nd. Parents that are interested can go to the following site and find more information:
We need your help!
Possibility Grant Sweepstakes
Enter DAILY for your chance to win $10,000 for STEM at your school! This is your chance to get the STEM technology and resources you need to “fab” your lab. Connect with us on social media and tell us what would be on your wish list! #IDreamofSTEM
The Sweepstakes closes at 5:00:00 PM ET on April 27, 2019.
Spring and Summer Opportunities for Students
PHYSICS SUMMER CAMP
Partnering with UT Dallas, Design Connect Create is offering another Physics Camp for Young Women at the UTD Engineering Design Lab. This camp is perfect for rising 9th - 12th-grade girls who are interested in STEM or want to develop an interest in STEM.
Students at Grapeville-Colleyville ISD are invited to apply!
Date: July 8-12, 15-19, 2019; 9 AM to 3 PM
Location: UT Dallas Engineering Design Lab
Cost: $650, Scholarships available
Learn more / Apply: https://designconnectcreate.org/utd/
For more information contact:
MEAGAN POLLOCK, PhD
Executive Director, Design Connect Create
512-739-0774 | mp@designconnectcreate.org
Girls Soar! Aviation Day
The Girls Soar! Aviation Day, hosted by C.R. Smith Museum,introduces girls in grades 3 – 12 to the amazing world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and to real-world applications in the airline industry. Our objective is to expose girls to positive and inspiring female role models in STEM and aviation-related careers. By doing so, we hope to ignite a passion for aviation and to fuel dreams of careers in this ever-growing field. We want girls who participate in this event to feel empowered and excited about the possibilities for their future!
This year’s theme is “Giving your dreams wings: stories of persistence and resilience”.
Registration is now open for the March 23rd event, click here!
Below are our 2019 Girls Soar! Aviation Day offerings:
For girls in 3rd-7th grade
March 23rd from 12:30pm – 4:30pm
Sessions include:
- An interactive panel of women speakers who are changing the aviation industry,
- Wind Tunnel Testing Activity,
- Fun engineering workshop,
- Scavenger hunt,
- Self-guided tour of the newly renovated CR Smith Museum.
For girls in 8th-12th grade
September 21st from 12:30pm – 4:30pm
Sessions include:
- An interactive panel of women speakers who are changing the aviation industry,
- Wind Tunnel Testing Activity,
- Fun engineering workshop,
- Scavenger hunt,
- Self-guided tour of the newly renovated CR Smith Museum.
Registration will open in August.
ITS Academy
June 17th - 21st
LYLE ENGINEERING CAMP AT SMU
https://www.smu.edu/Lyle/Institutes/CaruthInstitute/K-12Programs/EngineeringCamp