E-Blast July 10, 2008

In this E-Blast

1. Leadership
2. Building a Presence
   1. Summer Schedule for e-Blasts
   2. Point of Contact Named Biology Teacher of the Year
3. MDE Science
   1. Writing of the K-7 Companion Document Continues
4. K-12 Science
   1. The Academy of Natural Resources
   2. New MEECS Correlations Are Now Available
5. High School Science
   1. Help Raise Funds for Michigan Envirothon
   2. American Chemical Society National Meeting
6. Middle and High School Science
   1. Calculator-Controlled Robots Teachers Guide Available
   2. Toshiba America Foundation Grants
7. Elementary and Middle School Science
   1. Project Learning Tree Workshop
8. June Contest Winners
9. Tools and Resources
10. Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Download this e-Blast as a podcast!

Here are your science education resources and announcements for July 10, 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

In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.
Margaret Wheatly -- Leadership and the New Science

Thank you to Herm Boatin, Science Consultant and Adjunct Professor of Biology at University of Michigan-Dearborn, for contributing this leadership quote.

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Building a Presence

Summer Schedule for e-Blasts

This will be the only e-Blast for the month of July. 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!

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Point of Contact Named Biology Teacher of the Year

Rebecca Johns, Point of Contact at Troy High School in Troy, MI was recently honored for winning the 2008 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award. The award was recently announced by the National Association of Biology Teachers (NAOB). An advanced biology teacher, Johns is known for her fun classroom environment and getting students to enter biology competitions.

"They say that teaching should be more engaging then fun," said Johns, who also was one of 20 teachers nationwide to be named the best teachers in the nation by USA Today. "But if you are having fun, you're engaged." Johns who was nominated by a parent, topped nine other finalists for the award. She is to receive a microscope, binoculars, and recognition at the NAOB conference. To read the Detroit Free Press article featuring Rebecca's accomplishment, please visit: http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/NEWS03/806290531/1005/NEWS03

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MDE Science

Writing of the K-7 Companion Document Continues

Educators from across Michigan continue to work on the companion document for the K-7 Grade Level Content Expectations. It is expected that the draft document will be available for review at the end of August, 2008.

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K-12 Science

The Academy of Natural Resources

An educator's dream! Imagine an opportunity to learn about Michigan's diverse natural resources, discover current trends in their management and experience activities that bring this knowledge to the classroom. These concepts are the catalyst behind the Department of Natural Resources' Academy of Natural Resources. Each day of the week-long program, educators will experience time in the field that will focus on Michigan wildlife, forests, freshwater resources and other related topics. In addition, DNR has partnered with conservation and education organizations and programs to train teachers on how to successfully use the most renowned conservation education curricula in America. Teachers who participate will be certified to use Project WILD, Project Learning Tree, Project WET, the Leopold Education Project, and the Waste Information Series for Education (WISE). The DNR will provide these curricula materials to participants at the workshop.

Your cost for this initial workshop is $195. This includes room and board at the DNR's MacMullan Conference Center and a plethora of conservation education materials. In addition, credit options will be available from Central Michigan University. (Participants are responsible for fees associated with college credit)

The academy begins with registration and check-in between 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, and concludes with lunch on Friday, July 25. For information about registration, contact Kevin Frailey, Fraileyk@michigan.gov or 517-373-7306. The DNR has organized teacher training programs since 1937. As a result of the department's early success with these programs, the Higgins Lake Training School was opened in 1941. In 1972, this campus was renamed in honor of NR Director, Ralph A. MacMullan, but is more popularly known as the RAM center. Register early, space is limited.

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New MEECS Correlations Are Now Available

Have you been using the MEECS (Michigan Environmental Education Support System) Units provided by the DEQ? They were originally correlated to the Michigan Curriculum Framework, but a new correlation has been made to the K-7 Grade Level Content Expectations and the Michigan Merit Curriculum. If you would like a copy of the correlations for:
Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Water Quality, Energy Resources, Land Use and Air Quality
Please send an email to:
Joan Chadde at the Western U.P. Center for Science, Math, and Environmental Education
jchadde@mtu.edu

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High School Science

Help Raise Funds for Michigan Envirothon

Help raise funds for Michigan Envirothon! Join the Envirothon for a four-person golf scramble at the well-manicured Timber Ridge Golf Course in East Lansing, MI on Thursday, August 21, 2008.

The Michigan Envirothon provides an exciting and challenging way for high school students to learn about natural resources. It is designed to foster critical thinking, wise environmental stewardship, and community involvement through hands-on activities. Teams of five students study seven different subject areas throughout the year in preparation for a statewide competition held annually. These areas include agriculture, aquatic ecology, energy, forestry, soils/geology, wildlife and an environmental issue that varies from year to year. The teams are also required to complete a Community Outreach Project as part of the competition.

Questions may be directed to Michelle Mitchell, 989-791-5960, mlmitchell@cmsenergy.com or Svenja Drebes, 517-324-4421, mienvirothon@macd.org. For more information on the Michigan Envirothon program, visit the Web site at:
http://www.michiganenvirothon.org

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American Chemical Society National Meeting

The American Chemical Society will hold its 236th National Meeting in Philadelphia, PA August 17-21, 2008. More than 11,000 scientists are expected to attend, and over 7,000 presentations are slated, comprised of symposia that highlight a broad range of scientific advancement. Leaders in chemical education are also a part of the technical program, presenting papers and symposia on key aspects of teaching and learning chemistry. The American Chemical Society is the world's largest scientific society dedicated to a single discipline, with more than 160,000 members. The meeting will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.acs.org/meetings

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Middle and High School Science

Calculator-Controlled Robots Teachers Guide Available

This guide provides activities for using calculator-controlled robots over the course of one semester. Students create programs in TI-BASIC to run Norland Research calculator robots. Missions are built sequentially on the knowledge of previous activities. The first missions have step-by-step programming instructions that gradually lead students to create their own programs in later missions. Students use and apply math and science concepts to direct their robots through a variety of challenges.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Calculator-Controlled_Robots.html

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Toshiba America Foundation Grants

Toshiba America Foundation Grants - DEADLINE: August 1st, 2008

The mission of Toshiba America Foundation is to promote quality science and mathematics education in U.S. schools. Grants are made for programs and activities that improve teaching and learning in science and mathematics, grades K-12. The Foundation focuses its grant making on inquiry-based projects designed by individual teachers, and small teams of teachers, for use in their own classrooms.

Eligibility: Schools serving grades 7 through 12.

Amount: From under $2,000 to $50,000. Decisions about grants under $5,000 are made on a rolling basis and applications are accepted throughout the year. The Board of Directors approves large grant requests twice a year. Large grants are usually awarded in March and September. Applicants should submit their large grant proposals no later than either February 1st or August 1st. When deadlines fall on a weekend or holiday, applications will be due on the first business day of the month.

Visit:
http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/home/default.jsp
for more information.

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Elementary and Middle School Science

Project Learning Tree Workshop

The Hawk Woods Nature Center will be hosting a PLT workshop at Hawk Woods Nature Center on Thursday, August 14th. Hawk Woods is located just east of the Palace of Auburn Hills on 80 acres of woods, marsh, and meadows with seven log cabins and an interpretative center. Three veteran PLT instructors will be presenting a variety of K-8 lessons from the PLT guide. For details, please visit:
http://www.plt.org
All participants will be certified with the national office of PLT and be given the curriculum guide. Contact Mike Mansour at:
mmansour001@comcast.net
to register. The cost of $25 includes your lunch, refreshments, and handouts. Over night camping is available in the log cabins for $8 and night.

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June Contest Winners

This month we gave away wonderful which were donated by Kevin Hill, sales representative for Sargent-Welch:
http://www.sargentwelch.com/

Here is a list of the winners:

• Gwen Windiate-Christa McAuliffe MS, Bangor Schools
• J. Rona Howell-Shelby MS, Shelby Public Schools
• Eric Buhr-Fowler HS, Fowler Public Schools
• Jessica Quinn-Royal Oak HS, Royal Oak School District
• Carole Gutteridge-Fenton Public Schools
• Rich Cochrill-Cros-Lex Middle School
• Amy Pott-Charlevoix Middle School
• Betty Melrose-Owosso Christian School

Thanks to Kevin and Sargent-Welch for donating the prizes.

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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-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

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Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• 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 20 - 25, 2008: The Academy of Natural Resources to be held at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center (RAM Center) at Higgins Lake. For more information, please contact Kevin Frailey at: fraileyk@michigan.gov or 517-373-7306.
• 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
• August 1, 2008: Deadline to apply for the Toshiba America Foundation Large Grants. For more information, please visit: http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/home/default.jsp
• August 14, 2008: Project Learning Tree Workshop at the Hawk Woods Nature Center in Auburn Hills, MI. For registration information, please contact Mike Mansour at: mmansour001@comcast.net
• August 17 - 21, 2008: American Chemical Society National Meeting in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, please visit: http://www.acs.org/meetings
• August 21, 2008: Michigan Envirothon Golf Outing to raise funds for the Michigan Envirothon at the Timber Ridge Golf Course in East Lansing, MI. For more information, please contact Michelle Mitchell at mimitchell@cmsenergy.com or Svenja Drebes at mienvirothon@macd.org
• 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/

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