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E-Blast February 28, 2008
In this E-Blast
- Leadership
- Building a Presence - BaP at MSTA
- MDE Science
- K-12 Science
- High School Science
- Middle and High School Science
- Elementary and Middle School Science
- Elementary Science
- February Contest - Winners
- Tools and Resources
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Here are your science education resources and announcements for February 28, 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
If you look around, you'll discover that there are people in you life who want to be fed -- with encouragement, recognition, security, and hope. That process is called nurturing, and it's a need of every human being. If you desire to become an influencer in others' lives, start by nurturing them.
John C Maxwell in "Becoming A Person of Influence"
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 - BaP at MSTA
Are you planning on attending the MSTA conference? If so, stop in at the BaP meetings that are being held on Friday, March 7. The times of the meetings are:
- 2:00 - Join the BaP Community Meeting
- 3:00 - BaP Points of Contact Meeting
- 4:00 - BaP Key Leaders Meeting
All of the meetings will be held in the Radisson Hotel, Room Capital 3.
MDE Science
K-7 Support Documents Now Online
The MDE webpage now has the science support documents for the K-7 GLCE online. You can find it at the following url: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-28753_38684_28760_49215---,00.html
Or, simply go to:
http://www.michigan.gov/science
and it is the first link under "Curriculum and Instruction."
You will find the science expectations, alignment documents, expectations grouped by content statements, and "Across the Grade" documents. Shortly, the rollout Powerpoint and activity sheets used in the rollouts will also be available at this site.
Please note, the "Across the Grades" is in a 11x17 format. If you want to print on 8.5x11 paper, you will need to use the print command "fit to page".
2008 MME Testing Dates for Science
- The ACT Plus Writing is March 11.
- The WorkKeys and Michigan Mathematics is March 12.
- The Michigan Science and Social Studies is March 13.
- It is no longer an option to administer the Michigan Science and Social Studies test during the afternoon of March 12.
- The make-up date for Science is March 27.
MDE Regional Rollouts, Including Science
The Michigan Department of Education will be holding regional rollouts on the following topics: K-7 Science; MMC Science Companion Documents; Online Experience; Social Studies (K-12); Visual, Performing, and Applied Arts; and World Languages.
During the morning breakout session, 9:45 - 11:45, there will be a session on the K-7 Science Expectations. During the afternoon breakout session, 1:00 - 3:00, there will be a session on the High School Companion Documents for Science, Math and ELA. Sessions may vary, depending on the host site. To register, please register online with the host ISD. For additional information, please contact Joni Lindeman at:
517.373.4213
LindemanJ@michigan.gov
March 4, 2008 -- 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wayne RESA - http://www.resa.net
The rollout will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Dearborn.
March 28, 2008 -- 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Ingham ISD - http://www.inghamisd.org
K-12 Science
National Environmental Week
As the nation's largest environmental education event National EE Week, made possible by Canon, promotes understanding and protection of the natural world by actively engaging K-12th grade students and educators of all subjects in an inspired week of environmental learning and service before Earth Day. As partners in EE Week, educators have access to:
- Standards-based environmental education lessons and activities;
- Monthly electronic newsletters that highlight the latest EE curricula, professional development, and funding opportunities; and
- Opportunities for online communication and knowledge-sharing with educators from across the country.
If you work with students in a school, nature center, zoo, museum, aquarium, or other educational setting, you can join EE Week's efforts and gain national recognition for your work.
To register, log on to:
http://www.EEWeek.org
Questions? Email EEWeek@neefusa.org or call (202) 261-6484
U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Initiative
Secretary Spellings has announced the creation of Teaching Ambassador Fellowship positions for currently practicing, K-12 public school teachers at the U.S. Department of Education for the 2008-2009 school year. These positions will offer highly motivated, innovative teachers the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience to the national dialogue on public education. The Fellowship includes two kinds of opportunities for teachers across the U.S. Up to 20 Classroom Fellows will remain at their schools under their regular teaching contracts and will be paid to participate in additional Department discussions and projects throughout the school year on a part-time basis. Up to five Washington Fellows will be chosen to become full-time, paid federal employees in Washington, D.C. for the school year, working on education programs and participating in policy discussions.
Teaching Ambassador Fellows will be selected based upon their record of leadership, impact on student achievement, and potential for contribution to the field. Highly qualified K-12 public school teachers who have spent at least three years in the classroom are eligible to apply. Teachers must be currently practicing in and employed by a public school district to be eligible. To ensure collaboration at the school and district levels, teacher applicants must have the full support of their school principals.
Applications are due by April 7, 2008. Teaching Ambassador Fellows will be named by early summer for the 2008-2009 school year.
Please read the detailed information found at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship
to learn more. Be sure to click on all of the links to review the following:
Program Overview
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/programoverview.html
Eligibility
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/eligibility.html
Applicant Info
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/applicant.html
Application Instructions
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/applicationinstructions.html
FAQs
http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/faq.html
Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)
Funded by the National Science Foundation, this six-week summer residential program for U.S. citizens gives K-12 teachers from across the country the chance to participate in real-world science and cutting-edge magnetic field research. Through weekly seminars, discussion groups, professional development and technology workshops, teachers develop strategies and resources to translate the experience into material for their classrooms. Each teacher accepted by the program receives a stipend, classroom materials and, if necessary, travel support and housing. Teachers are expected to return to their jobs as leaders in service education, implementing science research in their classrooms.
The link to the application can be found at:
http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/ret/
The application deadline is March 14, 2008.
Free Evening at MSTA
The Exhibit Hall at the 55th Michigan Science Teachers Associations Annual Conference will be open from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel and Lansing Center. No registration is required! All are welcome!
Sponsored by Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Light Appetizers -
Assorted Domestic and Imported cheeses with crackers
Fresh fruit served with yogurt dips
Cultural Alliance Educator/Teacher Focus Group
The Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan would like to invite public school teachers, private and charter school-teachers, community-based educators, home-schoolers and curriculum specialists from all grade/age levels to attend a Focus Group Meeting on March 5, 2008 from 4-6 at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. Parking, refreshments, materials and prizes from the member organizations are included. The Cultural Alliance is a member organization that includes sixty cultural arts organizations from a seven county area. They are in need of educators to help them determine the direction of their Cultural Education Packaged Programs Initiatives and Web Site Development. They welcome and encourage all those who feel that they can contribute. Please contact either Peg Upmeyer or Amy J. DeWys-VanHecke for questions and/or to RSVP:
upmeyer@artsandscraps.org
amy@culturalalliancesemi.org
jvanhecke@aol.com
313-330-8324
Nighttime Sky Event Until March 8
Join thousands of teachers, students and families around the globe until March 8, 2008, in a hunt for stars. Take part in this international event to observe the nighttime sky and learn more about light pollution around the world. GLOBE at Night is an easy observation and reporting activity that takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, also known as GLOBE, is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program for primary and secondary schools. For more information about the event, visit:
http://www.globe.gov/GaN/index.html
Please e-mail questions about this event to globeatnight@globe.gov
Water Grant Available
Each year, the Michigan Section of the American Water Works Association (MI-AWWA) provides two $1,000 grants to science teachers who would like to create or supplement water-related activities in their classroom. The MI-AWWA is a nonprofit group made up of professionals in the Michigan drinking water industry including water works personnel, consulting engineers and scientists, regulators, vendors, and manufacturers. One of the goals of their organization is to serve as a resource for water education in the Michigan schools, and one of the ways they have tried to accomplish this is by providing grants to improve the hands-on portion of your water curriculum.
Examples of what past recipients have been awarded the grants for include groundwater or surface water models, water sampling and analysis equipment, and resource books. The goal of the grant is to provide something sustainable for your classroom. Grants are not typically awarded for one-time activities such as transportation for a trip to the water plant. Though they encourage those field visits and find them valuable, they would prefer that the grant money be used for something that can be used year after year.
A one-page grant information sheet and grant application form can be found at:
http://www.mi-water.org
The use of the actual application form is optional, it is provided as a convenience. Grant applications in other formats are acceptable as long as they contain the requested information. They will have members of their committee at a booth at the MSTA conference if anybody has questions about MI-AWWA or the grant application process. Grant applications are due by April 11, 2008.
Michigan Toyota Tapestry Winners Announced
Project Director: Kelly Bartashnick
Staff: Kim Chumney
Baylor-Woodson Elementary School
Inkster, Michigan
kmisy@aol.com
The purpose of Classroom and Outdoor Nature Experiences Coming Together (CONECT) is to combine classroom lessons with outdoor learning experiences. Children are spending less time outdoors and even less time experiencing nature. Studies have shown that children's connections with the natural world are vital to learning compassion for the world around them. The CONECT program will be designed to prepare students for real world experiences with nature through a series of lessons both in and out of the classroom. CONECT will teach upper elementary students how to use laboratory equipment, collect specimens, keep journals of observations (words and sketches), analyze their findings, and investigate the world around them. In many of our schools today, science is at a minimum in elementary curriculum. CONECT is a pilot program that will create a curriculum to integrate reading, writing, art and science in a way that allows for elementary teachers to incorporate it into their programs.
Genetics and Evolution through Poecilla winge
Project Director: Catherine Campbell
Staff: Ron Kaminskis
Scarlett Middle School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Campbel1@aaps.k12.mi.us
What affects the color patterns of male Poecilla wing? This question allows open investigation to determine if fish colors are affected by female sexual selection, predator pressures or other environmental factors. Students will study the research done by Dr. Jon Endler (U.C. Berkley), an evolutionary biologist who first conducted studies on this small guppy-like fish. The students will also research fish husbandry and learn how to care for the fish and learn the natural history of the fish. Working in small groups, they will then design and conduct their own experiments, using a state-of-the-art controlled aquaria system. Students will maintain the fish through a minimum of six generations, carefully recording color and pattern changes, and noting changes, numbers of males successfully mating and number of progeny produced by each female. Excess progeny will be marketed and sold to local aquarium stores and hobbyists with brochures, video and displays created by students to market the fish and explain the project and results. Subsequent students could choose to attempt to replicate results or introduce new independent variables, such as increasing or decreasing predators, changing the substrate or changing the number of female-fish.
From Seed to Plant - Greenhouse Gardening
Project Director: Dawn Maria Watson
Staff: Nurgul Cooper, Coweeder Wilson
Alpha Montessori
Flint Michigan
alphakids@aol.com
We plan to start with a field trip in the spring to a Local Greenhouse so children can see how plants are grown and cared for inside for selling them at the stores. We will prepare and setup indoor greenhouses for the children to begin planting, caring, and watching plants grow throughout the year. We aim to illustrate the process of plant growth through practical hands-on activities involving seeds and plants. We also wish to extend this to show the year round cycle and illustrate how plant are harvested and used outside the school with another filed trip in the fall to a local farm where they can see the plants harvested, and harvest their own. This will help young children understand basic life cycles, growth, and what plants need to live. It will also foster a sense of the importance and value of all life on earth and how it is connected.
High School Science
High School Researchers Wanted - Call for Proposals
All Michigan high school students are eligible to register for the 2008 Michigan High School Math & Science Symposium. The Symposium, now in the ninth year, won the 2006 Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Association of School Boards. The symposium has proven to be an excellent forum for student researchers to share their findings with peers, listen and meet researcher from across the state, and build credentials that have helped with scholarships and university admissions. Past presenters have been recipients of six figure scholarships and are now practicing researchers, engineers, physicians and space scientists.
To learn more visit the Symposium website at:
http://www.gvsu.edu/rmsc/ and click on "Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium". Registration can be completed on-line. Questions may be directed to MHSMSS Coordinator Paul Bigford at paulbigford@hotmail.com
Middle and High School Science
Science Ambassador Program
Teachers across the nation are invited to compete in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Science Ambassador Program. The program is an innovative career development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers. Selected teachers will attend an intensive 5-day workshop to collaborate with CDC scientists who lead discussions on the history of public health and current public health concerns. The workshop includes lectures that are based on current research and interventions affecting public health worldwide. Previous topics include HIV/AIDS, teen dating violence, environmental lead exposure, and alcohol abuse. The program provides the training and resources that participants need to introduce public health topics into the classroom in ways that support state science education and National Science Standards.
Teachers attend Workshop I (June 16-20, 2008), or Workshop II (July 21-25) to work with peers and CDC scientists to create two lesson plans based on topics presented during the workshop. Once these lesson plans have been reviewed and published on the CDC website, teachers will implement and evaluate them in the classroom. The application is due to CDC by March 21, 2008.
Science Ambassador is a great opportunity for science teachers to work closely with CDC scientists and bring new and innovative materials to science classrooms in your state. This is a competitive program, so please help get this information to teachers as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Science Ambassador Program at 404-418-7246, or scienceambassador@cdc.gov. For more information, please visit our website at
http://www.cdc.gov/excite/ScienceAmbassador
Elementary and Middle School Science
PD for Grade 5-8 Teachers Including a Stipend
"The Science of Green Design: Teaching Materials Science, Product Life Cycles and Environmental Design" -- Meet the new content expectations through engaging topics and activities!
Wednesday and Thursday, June 18-19, 8:30am-3pm
Washtenaw Intermediate School District, 1819 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor
$200 stipend, graduate credit, and CEUs available.
Details, slide show, and registration form:
http:/www.creativechange.net
Program features the interdisciplinary curriculum "Designed by Nature." Bring a language arts or social studies colleague for great team teaching opportunities. Questions: Susan Santone (santone@creativechange.net; phone: 734-482-0924) or Sarah Pounders (pounders@creativechange.net)
Elementary School Science
National Transportation Week 5th Grade Poster Contest
In honor of National Transportation Week (NTW), May 11-17, 2008, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) annually invites 5th grade students to express their viewpoints on transportation by participating in a poster competition. The National Transportation Week Poster Contest, which began in 2000, was designed to educate and inspire kids - the future movers and shakers of the transportation industry. The contest is fun, but the objective is serious - to encourage students to think about the importance of transportation on their lives and to consider a career in transportation. The contest is open to all 5th grade students nationwide; public and private schools. Teachers are provided with a list of suggested topics to facilitate classroom discussion.
Students are asked to design an 8 1/2" x 11" poster with a simple, clear interpretation of the theme "One Nation on the Move." Poster submission and judging takes place on April 11. Prizes are awarded to students and their schools for those posters best capturing the essence of the theme. If you'd like your students to get involved in the poster contest or for more information, visit:
http://www.ntweek.org
or contact Sue Ruffner at 248-353-0735, ext. 4117, or postercontest@esd.org
February Contest Winners
Congratulations to our BaP February Contest Winners. They are:
- Connie Atkisson - Detroit Public Schools
- Sheri Dudzinski - Graham Elementary, L'Anse Creuse Public Schools
- Susan December - Madison Elementary, Dearborn Heights #7
- Sue Vincent - White Cloud High School
Thank you to everyone who participated. Hopefully you may be a winner in the next contest.
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.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
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-7 Science Content Expectations Podcasts:
iTunes Music Store then search for K-7.
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
- February 29, 2008: Deadline for presenter applications for the Michigan Joint Education Conference. Applications are available at: http://macul.org/site/files/jointed08spea.pdf
- March 1, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Exemplary K-8 Earth Science Teacher Award provided by the American Geological Institute. For more information, please visit: http://www.agiweb.org/education/awards/ed-roy/
- March 1, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Problem-Based Learning Project for Teachers Summer Professional Development. For more information, please visit: http://pbl.educ.msu.edu/
- March 4, 2008: MDE Regional Rollout to be held at the Doubletree Hotel Dearborn. To register, please visit: http://www.resa.net
- March 6, 2008: Michigan Science Education Leaders Association at MSTA Preconference Program on 21st Century Energy Issues, MDE Update and Dinner at the MSTA in Lansing. To register, please visit: http://msta-mich.org/conference/msela.php
- 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 10, 2008: Deadline to register for the NSELA Professional Development Institute: Leading Professional Development in Science Education on March 26 in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit: http://www.nsela.org/calendar/calendar1.html
- 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 14, 2008: Deadline to apply for Research Experiences for Teachers (RET). For more information, please visit: http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/ret/
- 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 21, 2008: Deadline for middle and high school teachers to apply for the Science Ambassador Program. For more information, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/excite/ScienceAmbassador/
- March 27-30, 2008: NSTA National Convention in Boston, MA. For more information, please visit: http://nsta.org/conferences
- March 28, 2008: MDE Regional Rollout to be held at the Ingham ISD. To register, please visit: http://www.inghamisd.org
- April 4, 2008: Deadline to apply for the 2008 Thacher Scholars Award for secondary school students. For more information, please visit: http://www.strategies.org/ThacherScholars
- April 7, 2008: Deadline to apply for the U.S. Department's Teaching Ambassador Fellowships. For more information, please visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/index.html
- April 11, 2008: Deadline to enter the National Transportation Week 5th Grade Poster Contest. For more information, please visit: http://www.ntweek.org
- April 11, 2008: Deadline to apply for the American Water Works Grants. For more information, please visit: http://www.mi-water.org/miawwa/index.html
- 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
- April 25, 2008: Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium to be held at the GVSU Eberhard Center in Grand Rapids, MI. For more information, please visit: http://www.gvsu.edu/rmsc/index.cfm?id=8A9198AF-A3E3-6DED-E79756D505F95C17
- May 1, 2008: Deadline for Elementary Teachers to apply for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Award. For more information, please visit: http://www.paemst.org/controllers/home.cfc?method=view
- 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
- 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 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 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.
- February 12, 2009: Charles Darwin Bicentennial Day. For more information, please visit: http://darwinday.org/englishL/assistevent/index.html
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.