CareerTech STEM News
December 2016
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Follow Oklahoma STEM on Twitter
Check out Oklahoma STEM on Facebook!
Upcoming Opportunities
- Hour of Coding Dec 5-11 register at https://hourofcode.com/us
- T3 Conference March 10-17 Chicago Illinois; https://education.ti.com/en/us/professional-development/t3ic/overview
- ITEEA Conference Dallas TX March 16-18; https://www.iteea.org/89867.aspx
- NCTM conference, San Antonio TX April 5-8; http://www.nctm.org/Conferences-and-Professional-Development/Annual-Meeting-and-Exposition/
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National NSTA Conference: Los Angeles, California: March 30–April 2, 2017 http://www.nsta.org/conferences/national.aspx
NSTA 2017 6th Annual STEM Forum & Expo: http://www.nsta.org/conferences/stem.aspx
NSTA Virtual Conferences: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/online_courses/NSTA_Virtual_Conference.aspx
CONTINUING TEACHER ACADEMY
CareerTech Professional Development presents Continuing Teacher Academy. These sessions are designed for both new and experienced teachers, coordinators and trainers looking for strategies in classroom management, student engagement, cooperative learning, the latest information for CTSO’s, networking, learning styles, and many more.
Registration is $30 for the day, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
For more information, go to our website: http://www.okcareertech.org/educators/professional-development/continuing-teacher-academy
For registration, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/continuing-teacher-academy-january-18th-training-tickets-25702987327
Mid-Winter STEM Conference
COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS
Salary and Teaching
Salary and Teaching Schedules are due on December 8, 2016. If you have questions about setting up your account, please contact Carol Hall at 405.743.5125. If you have questions about the report, please contact your assigned program specialist for assistance.
CESI
CESI due date has not yet been established. It will use the same account log-in as your Salary and Teaching report and is a part of that same system. Please watch your email for due date.
Carl Perkins Supplemental Grants
If you are a middle school TE program and wish to completely convert your program to Gateway, you may be eligible to apply for the Gateway Supplemental grant for up to $25,000. The grant will open approximately December 15, 2016 and will be due February 1, 2017. If you wish to apply, please send Sara Wright an email. You will apply using the CTIMS system (the same system as Salary and Teaching report.) You will probably use the same log-in, but you have to request access to the grant portion of the system by sending Sara an email. Sara will forward the request to the Information Management division for you.
If you are a high school program and wish to completely convert your program to PLTW Computer Science, Pre-engineering or Biomedical Sciences you may be eligible to apply for a High Growth Supplemental grant for up to $50,000. Please check teacher certification requirements prior to application. If you are interested, please contact Sara Wright for further information.
MATH UPDATE
- Check out this website for some great math ideas! http://matharguments180.blogspot.com/
- Desmos—If you haven’t tried these activities, STOP and try them now! They are awesome! https://teacher.desmos.com/
- Yummy Math website (See high school section) http://www.yummymath.com/?s=HS Yummy Math was created to provide teachers with an easy way to bring real-life into their math classrooms. It is believed that when math is explored in contexts that are familiar and of interest to students, students will be more engaged to do math, reason, think critically, question and communicate. The activities are written to correspond with the NCTM Process Standards and the CCSS Standards for Mathematical Practice.
COMPUTER SCIENCE UPDATE
Have your students ever considered this problem?
The eight queens puzzle is the problem of placing eight chess queens on an 8×8 chessboard so that no two queens threaten each other. Thus, a solution requires that no two queens share the same row, column, or diagonal. The eight queens puzzle is an example of the more general n queens problem of placing n non-attacking queens on an n×n chessboard, for which solutions exist for all natural numbers n with the exception of n=2 and n=3.
For more information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_queens_puzzle
Computer Science Education Week is just around the corner! (December 5th-11th)
Don't forget, the NSA Day of Cyber experience is a great CSE Week resource and will help connect your students to the most in-demand jobs in cybersecurity that heavily depend on computer science skills.
Check out the "Getting Started" Page to help you prepare your students.
The NSA Day of Cyber experience is available throughout 2017!
Already Registered? Log in here
Want to Register? Log in here
Gateway Update
In September, the STEM office hosted two PLTW Design and Modeling updates sessions. Those that attended found it helpful and became familiar with the new information. If you were not able attend but are interested in attending, please let us know and we can schedule a session. Email Dawn Frank for more information.
Competition time is right around the corner. As your students prepare, here are a few TSA contests that align with Gateway curriculum:
- Design and Modeling – CAD Foundations, Dragster, Oklahoma T-shirt, Technical Design, Structural Engineering, Catapult Design, Mass Production, System Control Technology, Invention and Innovation, Construction Challenge
- Automation and Robotics – VEX, Video Game Design, Website Design, Microcontroller Design, System Control Technology, Invention and Innovation, Jr. Solar Sprint, Catapult Design, Mass Production
- Introduction to Computer Science 1 and 2 – System Control Technology, Video Game Design, Website Design, STEM Animation, Children’s Stories, Digital Photography, Microcontroller Design
- Energy and Environment – Biotechnology, Geospatial Tech, Jr. Solar Sprint, Environmental Engineering
- Flight and Space – Flight, Essays on Technology (2016-2017 topic applies)
- Science of Technology – Biotechnology, Environmental Engineering, Catapult Design, Rube Goldberg, Construction Challenge, Electrical Application, Forensic Technology, Inventions and Innovation, Jr. Solar Sprint, STEM Animation, Challenging Tech Issues
- Magic of Electrons – Electrical Applications, Microcontroller Design, Jr. Solar Sprint
- Green Architecture – Mass Production, Jr. Solar Sprint, Geospatial Tech, Environmental Engineering
- Medical Detectives – Forensic Technology, Medical Technology, Biotechnology
If your students are not ready for specific contests, there are some general contests for them to compete in, such as:
- Community Service Project
- Career Prep
- Children’s Stories
- Creed
- Inventions and Innovations
- Leadership Strategies
- Prepared Speech
- Problem Solving
- Tech Bowl
Also, if you are interested in parliamentary procedure, Chapter Team may be of interest.
Technology Engineering/TechConnect
- If you are a Technology Engineering or TechConnect program and you haven’t sent your syllabus for each course taught this year, please do so ASAP. Send them to Kevin Terronez
- Thanks and congratulations to all the TSA first place students and their teachers that are working on the Safety videos.
- Thanks to all the Tech Connect teachers that have volunteered to assist with the course curriculum outline.
- Watch your email for training opportunities in Robotics, Inventor, and/or Revit.
Grants
- Grant information: http://www.okcareertech.org/educators/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-1/grants-and-scholarships
- NFPA challenge grants are available. For information, go to: http://nfpahub.com/fpc/action-challenge/upcoming-action-challenge-events/
- Math Grants from NCTM: Deadline November 4th-May 5th, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is offering dozens of grants for math educators. Through the organization's Mathematics Education Trust, educators can apply for grants, scholarships, and awards, and there are programs for all different types of work, from in-class projects, to math-related research and professional development. Grant programs are available for in-service and pre-service math educators. Prize: Funding ranges from $1,200 to $24,000.
Scholarship Opportunities
- Fleming Scholarship: Do you know a high school senior or college student who would rather wear goggles in a lab than in a pool? The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation is accepting applications for its 2017 Sir Alexander Fleming Scholar Program. The annual summer program allows the top science students in the state to enhance their research skills by gaining hands-on experience in a lab setting alongside world-class scientists for eight weeks. The application deadline is Feb. 1. https://omrf.org/2016/10/19/omrf-accepting-2017-fleming-scholar-applications/
- The SMART Scholarship: This Department of Defense program provides full tuition and a stipend to students in STEM willing to work for the DOD upon graduation. http://smart.asee.org/about
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Auxiliary Lucy and Charles W. E. Clarke Scholarship: APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15. To recognize students whose FIRST experience has inspired an interest in pursuing an engineering career, the ASME Auxiliary will award multiple $5,000 scholarships to high school seniors active on a FIRST FTC or a FIRST FRC team, who are nominated by an ASME member, ASME Auxiliary member, or ASME student member who are also active with FIRST. This award will be for the first year of study (non-renewable) in an accredited* Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology program. https://www.asme.org/career-education/scholarships-and-grants/scholarship-and-loans/asme-asme-auxiliary-first-clarke-scholarships
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships support women pursuing ABET-accredited bachelor or graduate student programs in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science in the United States. In 2016, SWE disbursed approximately 230 new and renewed scholarships valued at more than $750,000. Applicants complete one application and are considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible. http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/scholarships
- National Society of Black Engineers awards: NSBE and corporate partners such as Northrop Grumman and Chevron award engineering scholarships. One application for all scholarships, deadline December 31, 2016. https://connect.nsbe.org/Scholarships/ScholarshipList.aspx
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund awards: A host of scholarships for students studying the broad spectrum of disciplines. Application opens on January 1, 2017 with a deadline of March 30, 2017. https://hsf.net/en/scholarships
- Great Minds in STEM scholarships: The organization offers college students of Hispanic descent scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000. Application opens in January 2017. http://www.greatmindsinstem.org/college/henaac-scholarship-application-guidelines
- The Generation Google Scholarship: High school and college students in underrepresented groups are eligible for a $10,000 scholarship. Application opens in January 2017. https://www.google.com/edu/scholarships/the-generation-google-scholarship/
- The National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship: Up to $20,000, renewable for four years, for disadvantaged students pursuing biomedical, behavioral and social science health-related research. Application opens January 3, 2017 and closes March 14, 2017. https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/ugsp
- United Negro College Fund awards: Numerous scholarship programs for students in various fields.
https://scholarships.uncf.org/?_ga=1.100781703.782525889.1480350791
- ITEEA Awards and Scholarships at: https://www.iteea.org/Activities/866.aspx
Watch your emails regarding the opening of grants!
OkACTE STEM Scholarship Criteria
Two groups are eligible for the OkACTE STEM Scholarship:
CTE Student
1. Applicant must have the goal of becoming an Oklahoma Department of Career Technology Education Teacher.
2. Applicant must have a potential of completing college academic requirements for a baccalaureate degree.
3. This scholarship is open to all students, from graduating high school senior to a senior in college.
Selection Criteria:
1. Selection will be based on academic ability of grade point average (GPA) and ACT/SAT scores.
2. STEM related activities that are recognized by the OkACTE STEM Scholarship Selection committee that could include, but are not limited to TSA / TECA, SkillsUSA, HOSA or FIRST Robotics activities to include chapter offices, committee assignments, State and National conferences, and special projects.
3. Other school activities as well as community activities.
4. Reference letter from their ODCTE-STEM teacher.
5. A 250 word essay about their enthusiasm for STEM and their future plans to be a teacher.
4. Statement of established need for financial assistance to attend college.
ODCTE-STEM teachers that are working to attain their certification.
1. Applicant must be a currently employed ODCTE-STEM teacher in Oklahoma
and a member of OkACTE STEM division.
2. Applicant must have taken and passed the State Department of Education test for their certification in the STEM area.
Selection Criteria:
1. Selection will be based on applicant presenting receipt of payment of test and verification of passing test.
2. Applicant will only be awarded cost of the first attempt at taking the test.
Application Deadline:
1. January 10, 2017. Test must have been taken within 1 year of the deadline.
2. E-mail completed above criteria to okactestem@gmail.com with your full name.
Amount to be awarded:
1. $500 for a CTE Student
2. Cost of the passed test for ODCTE STEM teacher
STEM Resources
American Society of Civil Engineers: Resources for teachers concerning Civil Engineering
Women Techmakers: Great resource for women in computer science.
https://www.womentechmakers.com/
Xerox: Great resources for Internships, Career Profiles, scholarships
https://www.xerox.com/en-us/jobs/student-internship-programTE course outline information with curriculum resource at the end of each document are at; http://www.okcareertech.org/educators/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-1/programs/technology-engineering/course-curriculum
STEM-Works is a resource for teachers, parents, mentors, and anyone else wanting to get kids excited about science, technology, engineering, and math. The site offers links to virtual field trips, interactive lesson plans, and fun activities for all grade levels.
CTSO Upcoming Important Information
TSA state officer candidate applications are due February 1, 2017. Application link is http://www.okcareertech.org/students/student-organizations/tsa/forms-1/state_candidate_application_2016_2017.pdf
SkillsUSA state officer candidate applications are due March 20, 2017. Application link is http://www.okcareertech.org/students/student-organizations/skillsusa/state-officers/2017-2018-state-officer-application/at_download/file
HOSA state officers were selected in October. Visit the HOSA website to see who was selected. HOSA link is http://www.okcareertech.org/students/student-organizations/hosa/state-and-local-officers
Oklahoma Department of CareerTech STEM Division
Email: stem@careertech.ok.gov
Website: www.okcareertech.org
Location: 1500 W 7th Ave, Stillwater, OK, United States
Phone: 405-743-6817
STEM Team
Dawn Frank, STEM Specialist
TSA State Advisor
Teacher Certification
405.743.5438
Tina Fugate, STEM Specialist
Biotechnology Programs
PLTW Pre-Engineering Programs
AP Testing
High Growth and Emerging Technologies Grants
405.743.5139
Kevin Terronez, STEM Specialist
405.743.5537
Sara Wright, STEM Manager
Biotechnology programs
PLTW Computer Science programs
PLTW Gateway programsGateway grants
Mathematics
STEM State Program Administrator
405.743.5187