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E-Blast June 12, 2008
In this E-Blast
- Leadership
- Building a Presence
- MDE Science
- K-12 Science
- High School Science
- Middle and High School Science
- Middle School Science
- Elementary School Science
- June Contest
- Tools and Resources
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
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Here are your science education resources and announcements for June 12, 2008 provided by Building a Presence for Science. These science education highlights are emailed to Key Leaders, Points of Contact and State Partners. Please forward them on to other science educators in your school. If you have questions or comments, please forward them to:
David Bydlowski
Michigan Coordinator - Building a Presence
bydlowd@resa.net
http://nsta.org/bap
http://www.msta-mich.org/bap
or
Sue Campbell
MSTA Representative
sue@ucia2.com
http://www.msta-mich.org
1. Leadership
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Mother Theresa
Thank you to Herm Boatin, Science Consultant and Adjunct Professor of Biology at University of Michigan-Dearborn, for contributing this leadership quote.
Building a Presence
Summer Schedule for e-Blasts
This will be the only e-Blast for the month of June. The next e-Blast will be July 10, 2008. The two e-Blast's in August should be on the regular dates of August 14 and 28. Please keep in mind that all e-Blasts are archived and hot-linked at:
http://msta-mich.org/bap
The most current e-Blast is also always available as a podcast at:
http://msta-mich.org/bap
Have a peaceful and restful summer!
Thank You! Thank You!
I recently read an email from Mary Anne Sheline, Super Key Leader, at Grand Valley State University, thanking all of her Points of Contacts and Key Leaders. It certainly captures my thoughts and I would like to share it with you as a thank you for all that you do to inform science teachers in the Building a Presence Science Network:
Dear Points of Contacts and Key Leaders,
Thank you for all your efforts this year in keeping the lines of communication open with all the schools in the BaP network. If you know of anyone that is switching buildings, retiring, or moving could you please recommend a science teacher at you r building to take over their role in BaP? We would hate to lose contact with the teachers at your building. They could recommend replacements if they will be gone from their building next year. Please forward the information to your Super Key Leader, Key Leader, or David Bydlowski at bydlowd@resa.net any names of leaving/new Points of Contact.
Thanks and have a wonderful summer.
MDE Science
Great News About Michigan's K-12 Science Curriculum
Kevin Richard, Science Education Consultant for the Michigan Department of Education is pleased to share this recent report indicating that Michigan's science standards are rated as some of the best in the country by the American Federation of Teachers. Michigan's general standards are rated as Strong Stan dards with Michigan science specifically cited as having overall Strong Standards. Additionally, Michigan's high school science standards document is cited as a Model Standard Document along with only one other state. These high marks belong to our entire Michigan science community who assisted in their development, reviews, and refinements. Thanks to all of you! Here is the link for the document.
http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/downloads/teachers/standards2008.pdf
K-12 Science
Sustainable Energy Workshop for Science Teachers
Would you like to include sustainable energy materials in your curriculum but are not sure how to make it work with the State's new science expectations? To learn how, you are invited to a hands-on Sustainable Energy Workshop on the campus of Kettering University in Flint:
http://www.kettering.edu
You will be shown how to satisfy several Michigan Science Curriculum Standards and Expectations using Sustainable Energy content. You will have the opportunity to interface with experts in the sustainable energy field and participate in sustainable energy labs and activities. For participating, you will receive an operational model Hydrogen car for classroom demonstration purposes and sustainable energy lab materials.
The workshop will run from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, July 23-25, 2008. Included is a tour of the GM Proving Grounds to see the GM Fuel Cell Equinox. You can also earn 2.4 Professional Development CEU's. The fee for this workshop is $150 and this fee covers the cost of the materials and lunch. Registration and payment (by check only) is due by July 11, 2008.
For additional information or questions send an email to:
Fuelcellinfo@kettering.edu
or call Dave Namenye at 810-394-3757. To register, call Virginia Hill, 810-762-9873, at Kettering University.
Just go to:
http://www.mijec.org
and download the form. Also, a list of the sessions and vendors that will be at the conference, are listed at this site.
New York Times Editorial Praises Science
Don't miss this opportunity to read the article by Brian Greene entitled, Put a Little Science in Your Life. It was on the Opinion page of the New York Times on June 1, 2008. He says:
Science is a language of hope and inspiration, providing discoveries that fire the imagination and instill a sense of connection to our lives and our world.
To view this article, please visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/opinion/01greene.html?ex=1213070400&en=697a9555efb5d2bb&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Consider Presenting at MDSTA
The 2008 Metropolitan Detroit Science Teachers Association (MDSTA) Conference Presenter Application is available. To apply to present at this year's conference at Lawrence Technological University on October 18, 2008, go to:
http://mdsta.org
and then click on Fall Conference. A free lunch and free registration to the conference will be provided to you to show appreciation for your hard work. The deadline is June 25, 2008.
High School Science
AP Biology
As AP courses become more of a necessity at schools, some districts may be looking for their first AP teacher or they are looking to train new AP Biology teachers. Here is an opportunity for a district to properly train a new teacher to become an AP Biology teacher. Fo r more information, please go to http://www.ferris.edu/apinstitutes/
The training takes place July 13 - 19, 2008 at Ferris State University.
Physics Report Now Available
The American Institute of Physics has released their report entitled: Reaching the Critical Mass: Highlights from the 2005 School Physics Teachers Survey. If you would like a copy of this report, please visit: http://www.aip.org/statistics/trends/highlite/hs2/hshigh.htm
High School Students Can Win a Trip to Washington, D.C.
If you know a high school student who is passionate about the environment and is ready to help lead the world to a cleaner, greener future, please consider having them apply for this opportu nity to share their ideas with leading environmental experts. In an effort to bring environmental experts and students together to share ideas and thoughts on major environmental issues, the Weather Channel is hosting a Forecast Earth Summit in Washington, DC December 5 - 7, 2008
Twenty outstanding high school students, who are passionate about their environment and taking action to make a difference, will be selected to attend this summit. If you know a high school student who wants to develop leadership skills by being an Eco-Ambassador for this summit, please have them go to the following web site and fill out an application:
https://www.forecastearthsummit.org/
Middle and High School Science
Invitation for New Science Teachers
Applications are now being accepted to participate in the online science-mentoring program, e-Mentoring for Student Success (eMSS). The deadline to apply is September 30, but space is limited. eMSS is becoming one of the nation's largest mentoring networks of secondary science teachers. Since its inception in 2002, the eMSS professional learning community has grown to over 300 mentees and mentors from 10 states. In 2008, eMSS will be available nationwide.
One-on-one, support in your discipline and grade level:
1. Immediate feedback from an experienced professional
2. Content-focused online support and resources for your classroom
3. Immediate access to a professional learning community of other mentor teachers, professional science educators, and beginning science teachers
4. Access to other new teachers with common challenges
5. 6 quarter units of professional credit (optional)
6. Up to 110 hours of professional development credit
Applications are currently being accepted from new science teachers in their first through third year of teaching in grades 6-12. In order to apply you must visit:
http://www.emss.nsta.org
Click on Beginning Science Teachers
and use the enrollment code: MI1S
Then you fill out the online application.
Summer Opportunity for Students
Project Exploration is proud to present Discover Your Summer 2008 -- an online resource guide to more than 150 summer science opportunities for middle and high school students, and tips on how to apply for programs. At Project Exploration, they believe that the summer months provide students with more than just a break from school. Their Discover Your Summer Guide will help stude nts to be a part of science enrichment programs that will broaden horizons and help prepare them for the future. For more information, please visit:
http://projectexploration.org/resources.htm
Middle School Science
Opportunity to Participate in the GLOBE-FLEXE Project
The GLOBE FLEXE Project is seeking Middle School teachers for an exciting opportunity to participate in the 2008-2009 academic year pilot program! The application deadline in June 13th. Please apply as soon as possible.
From Local to Extreme Environments (FLEXE) is a GLOBE project, involving study of the deep ocean led by Pennsylvania State University in partnership with Ridge 2000 and InterRIDGE scientists. FLEXE project is focused on helping students understand Earth Systems Science (ESS) using the excitement of extreme environments like the deep-sea to engage learners. Through comparison of local environments with remote extreme environments, students deepen their understanding of key ESS concepts such as energy transfer through the Earth system. Students study local and deep-sea datasets and use on-line tools such as the Student-to-Scientist FLEXE Forum and the Student-to-Student Peer Review System. A new feature this year will allow participating students the opportunity to interact with a partner school elsewhere in the U.S. or in another country to compare environments.
To help teachers prepare for this pilot, they will be offering interactive, on-line Teacher Training in two parts: Part 1 on August 14th, 2008 and part 2 on August 21st 2008. FLEXE is willing to explore alternate solutions for teachers who want to participate but have a conflict with these dates. Please go to the following link for the Teacher Project Brief and to access the application:
http://www.globe.gov/fsl/worddocs/FLEXEBrief_May08.doc
Submit the completed application to help@globe.gov
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 13TH. SO IF YOU ARE A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, PLEASE APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Elementary School Science
Earth Science Survey for Elementary Teachers
Grand Valley State University is conducting a survey on teaching Earth Science topics at the elementary level. This project is supported by the Student Summer Scholars Program. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Upon completion of the survey, you may choose to be entered into a raffle for a $25 gift certificate for teachin g supplies.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=v01PSq_2bSaMWgUx_2fuL1Pwgg_3d_3d
Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to:
Pablo Llerandi-Roman
131 Padnos Hall of Science
1 Campus Drive Allendale,
Michigan 49401
llerandp@gvsu.edu
(616) 331-2779
Buzz Lightyear Travels to the International Space Station
Buzz Lightyear, the Disney / Pixar character that made famous the movie line "To infinity, and beyond!" has been assigned a new mission on the International Space Station. The space ranger from the "Toy Story" movies is joining the crew of the STS-124 space shuttle mission. The STS-124 space shuttle mission will deliver the next piece of the Japanese "Kibo" laboratory to the station. Kibo is about the size of a large to ur bus and will be the station's largest laboratory. It will feature 10 experiment racks where astronauts will conduct microgravity research that will focus on space medicine, biology, Earth observations, material production, biotechnology and communications research. In celebration of Buzz's flight, Disney Parks partnered with NASA to create five interactive games with educational activities and special messages from Buzz Lightyear. These will be added to the NASA Kids' Club Web site throughout the mission.
The games are:
- Load the Shuttle
Kids use mathematics and problem-solving to load the space shuttle payload bay with parts and supplies for the International Space Station. Students have to consider weight and space available to solve the challenge. - Mission Matchup
Players match the name of the country with that country's contribution to spaceflight and technology. As the matches are found, an image of the completed International Space Station is revealed. - I Spy
Everyday objects such as a football helmet, sunglasses and even an ice cream cone are hidden on a space station. All the hidden objects are spin-offs of NASA-developed technology. - Connect It
Players predict how to use the space shuttle's robotic arm to move and attach the new Japanese module "Kibo" to the International Space Station. - Toys in Space
Players fly Buzz Lightyear around a space station and land him on a variety of toys to reveal videos of astronauts playing with the toys in space. Toys in the game include a yo-yo, a soccer ball, a jump rope and a car on a track.
Buzz Lightyear will stay on the station with the Expedition 17 crew for approximately five months. He is scheduled to fly home with the crew of the STS-126 shuttle mission, targeted for November 2008. These missions are an important step in preparing for the future of spaceflight. NASA is currently working to carry out a long-term plan that will lead to humans' returning to the moon and beyond. Follow along by visiting the NASA Kids' Club site throughout the STS-124 mission to read Buzz's Mission Logs, download the activity guides, and play the interactive games. Mission log updates will be posted as the mission progresses. To visit the NASA Kids' Club, go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
To learn more about the STS-124 space shuttle mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/sts-124-main.html
June Contest
This month we have eight wonderful gifts to give away. All of the prizes were donated by Kevin Hill, sales representative for Sargent-Welch: http://www.sargentwelch.com/
Here is a list of the prizes:
Two Solar System Planetary Science Kits
Three Sets of Posters
Three DNA/RNA Protein Kits
Thanks to Kevin and Sargent-Welch for donating the prizes.
To win one of these prizes, send an email to:
David Bydlowski
bydlowd@resa.net
State Coordinator for Building a Presence
You MUST INCLUDE your name AND mailing address AND your school name/district.
You may only enter once and only one entry per email address. Respondents 5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 and 75 will receive a prize. We will post all of the winners in our next E-Blast. Good luck to you and thank you for being part of the Building a Presence Network.
Tools and Resources
Free ACT Prep:
http://www.mivhs.org/content.cfm?id=667
Archived Michigan BaP e-Blasts:
http://msta-mich.org/bap
Grants:
http://sciguides.nsta.org/internet/grants.aspx
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/grants/index.html
High School Companion Documents:
http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753_38684_28760-171474--,00.html
High School Science Expectations:
http://mi.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-42814---,00.html
K-6 Inquiry PD Resources:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI
K-7 Science Content Expectations:
http://mi.gov/documents/mde/Complete_Science_GLCE_12-12-07_218314_7.pdf
K-12 Science Content Expectations Podcasts:
http://k12science.net
K-12 Online Science Assessment Tool:
http://www.macombschools.org/scienceassessment
Internet Resources Correlated to the MCF and the MMC:
http://www.svsu.edu/mathsci-center/uploads/science
Michigan Merit High School Graduation Requirements FAQ for Science:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/faq15_178607_7.pdf
Science Music 24/7 on the Internet:
http://live365.com/stations/trappedinlab
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- June 14, 2008: Michigan Entomological Society Annual Conference to be held at the Environmental Interpretive Center at the University of Michigan Dearborn Campus. For more information, please visit: http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/MES/meeting.html
- June 19 - 20, 2008: Great Lakes in My World Educators Workshop, to be held in Spring Lake and Grand Haven, MI. To register, please contact Anna Lang at alang@greatlakes.org or 616-850-0745
- June 25, 2008: Curriculum Integration Conference to be held at Holt High School.
- July 1, 2008: Deadline to apply to become an astronaut. For more information, please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/recruit.html
- July 13 - 19, 2008: AP Biology training at Ferris State University. For more information, please visit: http://www.ferris.edu/apinstitutes/
- July 14-18, 2008: CSI Lawrence Tech Forensics Workshop. For more information, please visit: http://www.ltu.edu/arts_sciences/master_science_ed/forensic.asp
- July 14-18, 2008: Free Materials Science Workshop for Middle School and High School teachers, to be held in Ann Arbor, MI. To register, please visit: http://www.asmfoundation.org/portal/site/asm/Foundation/MaterialsCamp/
- July 21-25, 2008: Summer Forensics Science Workshop to be held at Gull Lake High School in Richland, MI. For more information, please contact Kathy Mirakovits at: kmirakovits@portageps.org
- July 23-25, 2008: Sustainable Energy Workshop for Science Teachers at Kettering University. For more information, please contact Dave Namenye at: 810-394-3757
- July 27 - August 1, 2008: Project Inspire Training for 2nd - 4th Teachers to be held at Purdue University. To apply, please visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/INSPIRE
- October 12-18, 2008: Earth Science Week. For more information, please visit: http://www.earthsciweek.org
- October 18, 2008: MDSTA Fall Conference at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI. For more information, please visit: http://mdsta.org
- October 23, 2008: Science MEAP Test for 5th and 8th Grade Students in Michigan.
- October 28, 2008: Science MEAP Test Make-Up for 5th and 8th Grade Students in Michigan.
- October 31, 2008: Deadline to nominate teachers for the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy. This is for teachers of grades 3-5. For more information, please visit: http://www.sendmyteacher.com
- February 12, 2009: Charles Darwin Bicentennial Day. For more information, please visit: http://darwinday.org/englishL/assistevent/index.html
- March 5-7, 2009: Michigan Science Teachers Association Annual Conference in Detroit. For more information, please visit: http://msta-mich.org/conference
- March 19-22, 2009: National Science Teachers Association Annual Conference in New Orleans. For more information please visit: http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2009new/
To subscribe to the Building a Presence Science e-blast, please visit: http://nsta.org/bap
To unsubscribe from the Building a Presence Science e-blast, please contact your Key Leader or email David Bydlowski, Michigan Coordinator for the Building a Presence Science Network, at bydlowd@resa.net.