Home
About
E-Blast November 8, 2007
In this E-Blast
- Leadership
- Building a Presence - National Director
- MDE Science
- K-12 Science
- 6th - 12th Grade Science
- November Contest - More Free Flashdrives
- Tools and Resources
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Here are your science education resources and announcements for November 8, 2007 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
Time is neutral and does not change things. With courage and initiative, leaders change things.
Jesse Jackson
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 - National Director
Did you know that Building a Presence has a National Director? His name is Joe Sciulli and he works for the National Science Teachers Association. If you have questions about BaP at the national level, please feel free to contact Joe at: jsciulli@nsta.org
MDE Science
K-7 Science Grade Level Content Expectations Now Available
The K-7 Science Grade Level Content Expectations are going to be presented to the Michigan Department of Education on Wednesday, November 13. You may download a copy of the expectations that are being presented to the Board. Please keep in mind that this version still needs to be approved by the Board and is subject to change. To download a copy, please visit:
http://science.resa.net
Click on Curriculum
Click on K-7 Expectations
K-12 Science
Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Awards
You could win up to $15,000 for something you are already doing! Each year, the Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Awards honors Michigan teachers for finding innovative and creative ways to help more students consider science, technology, engineering and math careers. Last year the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund awarded $87,000 to 33 Michigan teachers who inspired their students in these areas. Are you doing great things in your classroom that should be recognized? Check out:
http://www.chryslerteacherawards.com
to find out how you can apply to be a 2008 Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Awards recipient.
If you would like more information on this award, visit the Detroit Science Center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on November 10, 2007, and enjoy a day filled with sharing and learn what other fellow, award-winning educators do in their classrooms to engage students in science, technology, engineering and math. Presenters will be Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Award winning teachers. The fee for this educators-only program is $35 per person. Lunch will be provided for this professional development event and .4 SBCEU credits are available for an additional $10 fee. For more information and to register for this event, send an e-mail with your full name and contact information to:
educatorevents@sciencedetroit.org
Environmental Education Week
National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is the largest organized environmental education event in the United States. Made possible by Canon, it increases the educational impact of Earth Day by creating a full week of educational preparation, learning, and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature centers, zoos, museums, and aquariums. By participating in EE Week, you encourage your students to make a difference in their schools, homes, and communities! For full details, please visit: http://dev.eeweek.org/
Leslie Science and Nature Center
Are you looking for a creative way to supplement your natural sciences unit? If so the Leslie Science and Nature Center (LSNC) in Ann Arbor:
http://www.lesliesnc.org
has a few creative and captivating options:
Hunters of the Sky: It's all about survival! Three engaging raptors, e.g. hawks, owls, falcons and new this year eagles, will visit your site to demonstrate and model their amazing survival characteristics, adaptations and techniques. Hands on explorations of feathers, skulls and other bird parts provide a stimulating introduction to the Hunters of the Sky. The program can be tailored for your specific age group K-high school.
Night Crew: Allow the owl visitors to engage, delight and educate your students. Classification, conservation, survival adaptations and techniques are but a few of the topics explored. Students will see three different species of owls and discover first hand what it is like to be a night-time predator. Owl wings, feathers and feet provide an important learning opportunity. The program can be tailored for your specific age group, K-high school.
They encourage student interaction and participation so they request that no more than two classes participate at one time. They can easily accommodate several programs in one day. All programs are 45-60 minutes long with a fee of $150 - $225 (fee dependent on location) for the first program and $100 each additional program on the same day. There is an extra $50 fee for eagle programs. For more information please contact Susie with questions or to schedule your programs at: lsc@a2gov.org or 734-997-1553.
For more information, please visit their website at:
http://www.lesliesnc.org/programs.php
Update on the Best Science Internet Sites for Michigan Science
Last month, Doug Hansen's MASER site was featured in the Michigan BaP e-blast. Instructions were given to obtain a CD containing all of the resources. Since then, Doug has informed BaP that the MASER resource is available online for FREE. Just visit:
http://www.svsu.edu/mathsci-center/uploads/science
The Internet sites are the result of work completed by teachers who attended the Generation II: MASER project during the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Summer Workshops. Workshop participants researched science Internet sites using a set of developed evaluation criteria. A set of Internet learning activities were found which correlated directly with the Michigan Science Content Statements and Expectations. The result is that teachers and students are able to use the provided Internet resources as a learning tool to supplement currently available materials.
Michigan Forestry Educator of the Year Award
Please consider nominating a pre K-12 public/private school teacher in Michigan who is actively incorporating some aspect of forestry in their curriculum. Nominations are NOW BEING ACCEPTED until March 7, 2008. The chosen Forestry Educator of the Year will be highlighted on MFRA's website and announced in a press release. They will be presented with a plaque along with many forestry-related classroom materials. They will also be offered scholarships to attend the Temperate Forest Foundation's Teacher's Tour and Project Learning Tree workshops.
To obtain a one-page nomination form, please contact Ada Takacs at:
takacsa@michigan.gov
International Space Station EarthKAM Image Competition
Educators and their students are invited to participate in the International Space Station Earth Klimate Analysis Mission Image Competition. Participating classes will create a collaborative investigation about climate change using EarthKAM images. Each classroom should focus their investigation on a specific topic. The investigation should include background research and supporting images. Schools are encouraged to select a topic that is relevant to their local community.
The entire project must be submitted electronically, no later than November 28, 2007. The EarthKAM team will evaluate the submitted investigations based on content, creativity and overall presentation. Prizes will be awarded for the best projects, and the winning projects will be posted on the EarthKAM Web site.
To learn more, visit:
http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu/public/about/missions/index.shtml
Please e-mail questions about this contest to ek-help@earthkam.ucsd.edu
6th - 12th Grade Science
Student Lab Activities for Physics and Physical Science
Arbor Scientific introduces a new free resource for physics and physical science teachers. Labs in this growing collection are designed to cover important key concepts, and may be downloaded and used in your classroom. Whether you're a teacher or home schooling parent, these labs are designed for you! Each lab includes teacher's notes with a brief concept review, lab tips, applicable National Science Content Standards, and a list of equipment. The student pages are ready to reproduce and use right away.
To view this resource, please visit:
http://www.arborsci.com/ArborLabs/ASLabs_Home.aspx
Cassini Scientist for a Day Contest
You have the opportunity to make space exploration history! Your science team just won the privilege to decide where to point the cameras onboard the Cassini spacecraft on Nov. 30, 2007. That day, the spacecraft will be approximately 1,468,000 kilometers (912,000 miles) away from Saturn's cloud tops, traveling toward Saturn at a speed of about 4.3 kilometers per second (9,619 miles per hour).
You'll have control of the spacecraft for 91 minutes, plenty of time to turn it around as needed and point the cameras at pretty much at any target you'd like. The Science Planning Team studied all possible targets and cut the list to four images -- making your choice more manageable.
You are to weigh all the factors and choose one of the four targets -- and explain your reasons in a 500-word essay. Your decision should be based on which image would yield the most scientific results. Just like actual scientists do, you are to explain what you hope to learn from the image you have selected. The artistic value of the image can be an added bonus to your decision. The contest is open to all students in the U.S. between grades 5 and 12, working alone or in groups of up to four students. Deadline for submission is Midnight, Pacific Standard Time on Nov. 15, 2007. Visit the rules page for more information. For more information, please visit: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientist/4th_edition/index.cfm
November Contest - More Free Flashdrives
This month we have five wonderful gifts to give away. All winners will receive a 128 mb USB Flashdrive, embedded in a rubberized bracelet. They are donated by Michigan Virtual University. They are the same flashdrives that all students received who were part of their Virtual Math/Science Summer Camp.
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.
You may only enter once and only one entry per email address. Respondents 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 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
Archived Michigan BaP e-Blasts:
http://msta-mich.org/bap
Early Childhood Science Blog:
http://science.nsta.org/earlyyearsblog
Free NSTA Newsletters (Elem - HS):
http://www.nsta.org/newsletters
Free ACT Prep:
http://www.mivhs.org/content.cfm?id=667
Grants:
http://sciguides.nsta.org/internet/grants.aspx
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/grants/index.html
http://www.legoeducation.com/about/item.aspx?art=314
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-12 Online Science Assessment Tool:
http://www.macombschools.org/scienceassessment
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
- November 10, 2007: Pi Day-314th Day of the Year. For more information, please visit:
http://www.piacrossamerica.org/ - November 12, 2007: Deadline to nominate science educators for Michigan Science Teacher of the Year Awards. For more information, please visit:
http://www.msta-mich.org/awardee/index.php - November 14-18, 2007: Walking with Dinosaurs Theatrical Presentation at Cobo Arena in Detroit. For more information, please visit: http://www.dinosaurlive.com
- November 15, 2007: Deadline to enter the Cassini Scientist for a Day Contest. For more information, please visit: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientist/4th_edition/index.cfm
- November 26, 2007: 2nd Panorama of Promising Practices at the School Improvement Conference to be held in Lansing, MI. For more information, please visit: http://www.gomiem.org/
- December 1, 2007: Deadline to enter the Global Warming Solutions YouTube Contest. For entry information, please visit:
http://www.globalwarmingsolutions.org/ - December 30, 2007: Deadline to apply for the Tool Factory Podcasting Grants. For full details, please visit: http://www.toolfactory.com/olympus_contest/olympus_podcasting.htm
- December 31, 2007: Deadline to apply for the Teacher at Sea Program. For details, please visit: http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/
- January 13, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. For more information, please visit: http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/Einstein/about.htm
- January 29, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards. For more information, please visit: http://www.exploravision.org/
- January 31, 2008: Deadline to apply to become a NASA Explorer School. For more information, please visit: http://explorerschools.nasa.gov/portal/site/nes/menuitem.d601ef1f9fdc2c2d7010ea1051008a0c/
- February 8, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Awards. For more information, please visit: http://www.chryslerteacherawards.com/
- February 8, 2008: Deadline to apply for the American Meteorological Society's Scholarships and Fellowships. For more information, please visit: http://www.ametsoc.org/amsstudentinfo/scholfeldocs/index.html
- February 12-16, 2008: Fundamentals of Inquiry Workshop for Professional Developers at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, CA. For more information, please visit: http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/workshops/attend
- March 6-8, 2008: MSTA Annual Conference in Lansing, MI. For more information, please visit: http://msta-mich.org
- March 7, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Michigan Forestry Educator of the Year Award. For more information, please contact Ada Takacs at: takacsa@michigan.gov
- March 14, 2008: National Pi Day. For more information, please visit: http://www.piacrossamerica.org/
- March 14, 2008: Deadline to become an EARTH HERO (ages 12-17). For more information, please visit: http://www.earth-heroes.org
- March 17, 2008: Deadline to enter the National DNA Day Contest for Middle and High School Students. For more information, please visit: http://www.genednet.org/pages/k12_dnaday08.shtml
- March 27-30, 2008: NSTA National Convention in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit: http://nsta.org/conferences
- April 13-19, 2008: National Environmental Education Week. For more information, please visit: http://dev.eeweek.org/
- April 22, 2008: Earth Day. For more information, please visit: http://www.earthday.net/earthday2008.aspx
- April 25, 2008: National DNA Day. For more information, please visit: http://www.genome.gov/dnaday
- June 25, 2008: Curriculum Integration Conference to be held at Holt High School. Registration information will be available soon.
- July 1, 2008: Deadline to apply to become an astronaut. For more information, please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/recruit.html
- 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
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.