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E-Blast September 11, 2008
In this E-Blast
- Leadership
- Building a Presence
- MDE Science
- K-12 Science
- Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show
- Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education State Conference
- Speaker Deadline Approaching for MSTA Conference
- Your Chance to Study at the Poles with PolarTREC
- Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education Core Kids Website
- Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox by Planting a Tree
- High School Science
- Middle and High School Science
- Middle School Science
- Elementary School Science
- September Contest
- Tools and Resources
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Here are your science education resources and announcements for September 11, 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
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.
John Maxwell
Thank you to Herm Boatin, Science consultant and lecturer, University of Michigan-Dearborn, for contributing this leadership quote.
Building a Presence
Certificate of Appreciation
Did you receive your Certificate of Appreciation? Because you are a Point of Contact, Key Leader, or a Super Key Leader in the Building a Presence Science Network, you should have received a Certificate of Appreciation for being part of the BaP network during 2007-2008. This certificate is not only from the State Coordinator for BaP, but also from the Governor and the State Superintendent. Thank you once again, for being part of Building a Presence.
MDE Science
ScienceBuilder Now Online
Very soon, teachers and students of grades 2-6 will be receiving an exciting free resource to use in their schools. This resource will provide science vocabulary help for students in grades 2-6 by providing the definition of various science words, oral presentation of the words, electronic review tests, and best of all it is aligned to the grade level expectations. Although some words are concepts not found in Michigan's GLCE and some words are not aligned to the MEAP assessable vocabulary, this resource should be a handy tool for all students and teachers.
It will be provided on CD and online. The free resource is called, Science Builder. Shortly, a CD will be mailed to every principal, of a grade 3-5 building. The CD may be copied and shared with teachers and students. CDs will also be sent to Michigan Math and Science Centers (http://mscenters.org). This resource is provided, free of charge, through the Michigan Department of Education.
If you would like to view this resource online, please visit:
http://www.sciencebuilder.com/michigan.php
username: michigan (case sensitive)
password: science (case sensitive)
Draft K-7 Science Companion Documents are Ready for You to Review
Last December, the K-7 Grade Level Content Expectations for Science were adopted by the Michigan Board of Education. To support classroom teachers in their quest to implement the K-7 Grade Level Content Expectations for Science, a companion document has been developed by a team of educators in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan Science Leadership Academy, the Michigan Mathematics and Science Center Network, and the Michigan Science Teachers Association. The Draft K-7 Companion Documents for the Science Grade Level Content Expectations are now available for review online. In order to produce the best possible documents your input is necessary. Please take a moment to browse through the website:
http://mi-k7science.wikispaces.com
Each grade level has four units. Each unit contains extensive information that is intended to assist curriculum developers and classroom teachers to better align instructional and assessment strategies to the new science standards. Because the task of reviewing all of the K-7 units may seem a bit overwhelming, it is suggested that you begin with one unit. As you read through the unit, please consider:
- Do the instructional clarifications make sense?
- Do the assessment clarifications make sense?
- Is the vocabulary grade level appropriate? Is it aligned to the GLCE?
- Are the sample activities concise and clear?
- Do the examples, observations and phenomena offer relevancy to the lessons?
You may make comments under the discussion tabs. All comments under the discussion tabs will be reviewed and considered for revisions in the document. You need to sign in to provide comments, but you do not need to be a member to write comments in the discussion tabs. Please do not request membership, you will be denied.
Kevin Richard on Leave from MDE
Kevin Richard, Science Consultant at the Michigan Department of Education, is currently on an unpaid leave, working with a middle-eastern country to help improve their science education. This is a very exciting opportunity for Kevin and will provide him with a wealth of resources to better serve Michigan's schools. He will return to his position as Science Consultant in late December or early January. His temporary replacement will be Bill Welch, former Science Consultant, for the Genesee ISD. If you need any assistance from MDE, prior to Bill taking over, please contact Carol Hebert at 517-373-4226 or hebertc@michigan.gov
K-12 Science
Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show
The Michigan Mineralogical Society has announced their 64th Annual Detroit Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show to be held from October 10 - 12 at the South Macomb Community College Expo Center, Building P. The show kicks off National Earth Science Week, which is October 12 - 18. For more information, please visit their website at:
http://www.michmin.org/show/index.html
Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education State Conference
Plan now to attend this year's Michigan Alliance of Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) annual conference scheduled for Friday-Sunday, October 10-12, at Camp Rotary, near Clare, Michigan. This year's conference theme is "Experiential Learning" and builds upon the "No Child Left Inside" movement. A diverse array of sessions are planned to inspire participants to get students outside year-round!
For those interested in strengthening their outdoor skills and obtaining a MAEOE Experiential Education Certificate, a special pre-conference workshop will be offered from 8 AM - 5 PM on Friday, October 10. This day-long program will include lake ecology, water sports, outdoor survival, Archery in the Schools, cooperative learning in the outdoors, and orienteering.
The Friday evening program will feature MAEOE members and longtime environmental educators, Wil and Sarah Redding. They will share their experiences as they retraced the steps of John Muir, recounting interactions with people along their trek.
Saturday will include break-out sessions and a panel discussion focusing on state and national actions to address the new No Child Left Inside initiative, including Michigan's newly formed coalition. Session highlights include: Art & Science of Wildlife Tracking, Bird-watching in the classroom; Energy Education; Watershed Education Partnership Projects; Geo-caching; Nature drawing; Wildlife furs; Salmon In the Classroom; Children's Nature Network, and much, much more. See the complete conference program online at:
http://www.michiganenvironmentaled.org/
Early registration deadline is September 26 to receive the registration package price of $100 for members, $150 for non members, and $80 for university students which includes 2 nights/5 meals from dinner Friday through Sunday breakfast (alternate registration packages are also available). There is an additional $25 fee for the full-day of pre-conference activities on Friday, October 10, including the ropes course, zip line, and tower supervision. Registration fees and forms are online.
Student Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for students currently pursuing degrees in formal or non-formal environmental and outdoor education. Teacher Scholarships or Stipends may be available for formal, in-school teachers. Preferences will be given to educators who are new to MAEOE or attending a MAEOE Fall Conference for the first time. For more information and an application for teacher scholarships or stipends, and student scholarships contact: Wendy Cheek at: wcheek@allcom.net or 616-688-5172 before September 26th.
For further information and registration forms, please visit:
http://www.michiganenvironmentaled.org
or contact Bruce Patterson, MAEOE Conference Coordinator by email at patte1bo@cmich.edu or phone 989-386-3328.
Speaker Deadline Approaching for MSTA Conference
The deadline for speaker proposals for the Michigan Science Teachers Association Conference is October 3, 2008. To download the PDF to mail or fax, go to:
http://www.msta-mich.org/conference/09MSTA_VendorSpeakerForm.pdf
To use the "NEW" writeable PDF to email back, go to:
http://www.msta-mich.org/conference/vendor_speaker_active.pdf
Your Chance to Study at the Poles with PolarTREC
The PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program is currently accepting teacher applications for the third year of teacher research experiences. Teachers are invited to submit an application to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2009 (Arctic) or 2009-2010 (Antarctic) field seasons. More information and application forms are available at: http://www.polartrec.com
PolarTREC is a three-year (2007-2009) program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) focusing on a wide variety of research activities occurring in both the Arctic and Antarctic during and after the International Polar Year (IPY). PolarTREC pairs K-12 teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. Through PolarTREC, over 40 U.S. teachers will spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program, including transportation to and from the field site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs. The teacher application deadline: Monday September 29, 2008.
More information about PolarTREC, including program goals, requirements, expectations, and frequently asked questions, is available at: http://www.polartrec.com
Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education Present Core Kids Website
The scientists and staff of WMU Geosciences Department's Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) are anxious to share their geology and earth science resources with teachers, students and parents. CoreKids helps students, teachers and the public to understand more about the earth, its processes and its natural resources. You can find the Core Kids website at:
http://www.wmich.edu/corekids
Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox by Planting a Tree
The ENO Programme invites you to an exciting event. A new school year will be opened in a special way. We will plant trees at midday, in every corner of the world. The first trees will be planted at noon in Oceania. Following the Sun, new trees will be put to earth in Asia, Europe and Africa. Finally this chain of trees will reach Americas. Trees will be planted on September 22nd, 2008. This day unites us because it is the day for the autumnal equinox:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox
The length of the day is the same everywhere, with everyone worldwide receiving 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night.
Tree planting is important for us. Firstly, it reminds us of the nature and the importance of environmental protection. Secondly, it is a symbol for international co-operation. This event has become a success. Last year one thousand schools in 102 countries planted thousands of trees during the day.
Your contribution is important. If you plant trees with us you will be a part of ENO 2008 Tree Planting Campaign:
http://eno.joensuu.fi/campaigns/2008.htm
The aim to plant at least a million trees together. This campaign is connected to the Billion Tree Campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme.
High School Science
Invitation for New Science Teachers
September marks the return of Saturday Morning Physics. Physics is a fundamental science and provides the foundations for solving both cosmic mysteries and practical problems. In 1995, the University of Michigan Department of Physics began sharing some of the latest ideas in the field with the public in the Saturday Morning Physics lecture series. Designed for general audiences, the lectures are an opportunity to hear physicists discuss their work in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. The multimedia presentations include hands-on demonstrations of the principles discussed, along with slides, video, and computer simulations. The Saturday Morning Physics series is sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Physics and is supported in part by donations from the public.
The series begins on September 13 and ends on November 15. The first session will feature a panel discussion of Complicite's "A Disappearing Number." The session runs from 10:00 - 11:30. If you would like more information on this exciting physics series, please visit:
http://www.saturdaymorningphysics.org
Genetics Update Presentation with Dr. Sam Rhine
Dr. Sam Rhine will be returning to Grand Valley State University (GVSU) this year for his internationally acclaimed Genetic Update Conference. This is the fifth consecutive year he will lecture at GVSU. High School teachers of biology, life science and of students interested in pursuing a medical or research science career are strongly encouraged to attend. High school science teachers and their students are invited to attend Monday, September 29, 2008. This year's lecture will cover three main topics: Practical Applications of the Human Genome Project, Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering, and an update on Cloning and Stem Cells. Register for this event by visiting:
http://www.samrhine.com
The cost is $15 per person for schools. Please check the site for more presentations in your area.
Web Design Contest
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation wants to remind you of its 2008 MCWTF Web Design Contest open to girls who attend high school in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties. Their third annual contest is a unique opportunity for female students to develop and display both their creative abilities and HTML programming skills while addressing this year's theme, "How can I plan for and reach my dream career?"
To download an application or to find additional contest information go to:
http://www.mcwtf.org
Or contact them at (248) 654-3697 or send an email to info@mcwtf.org. The deadline to form a team for this is October 3, 2008.
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:
- Immediate feedback from an experienced professional
- Content-focused online support and resources for your classroom
- Immediate access to a professional learning community of other mentor teachers, professional science educators, and beginning science teachers
- Access to other new teachers with common challenges
- 6 quarter units of professional credit (optional)
- 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.
MEECS Fall Training
Fall training sessions have been announced for three of the five units of the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS). These sessions are unique. Teachers and educators can either attend a half-day session to learn that specific unit of the curriculum and receive classroom materials, or, they can attend a full-day session to prepare them to be MEECS Trainers and facilitate training for other teacher workshops.
The trainings will take place at the Neithercut Woodland Lodge, near Clare, Michigan. The dates are:
- Saturday, October 18 - Air Quality
- Saturday, November 1 - Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- Saturday, November 15 - Water Quality
The cost is $30 for the morning workshop and $50 for the full day facilitator workshop. For more information, please contact Pat Perry at:
perry1pj@cmich.edu
or 989-774-4387.
TRAC Program Content Reviewers Needed
The TRAC Program (Transportation and Civil Engineering) uses math, science and social studies to introduce students from grades 7-12 to careers in civil engineering and transportation. Moreover, there have been some modifications to the state GLCEs, so they are looking for content experts to review the TRAC Teaching Modules and realign them to reflect the updated GLCEs. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated and would re-enforce the strengths of the TRAC program for the benefit of Michigan students. If you are interested, please contact:
Benjmain Shelton
Office of Business Development
MDOT
(248) 835-2182
sheltonb3@michigan.gov
Middle School Science
Award for Middle School Science Teachers
The Paul DeHart Hurd Award is presented by the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association, a Division Affiliate of the National Science Teachers Association, and sponsored by Delta Education, Inc. The award will be bestowed annually at the luncheon of the middle level division at the NSTA Annual Convention. This award will go to a member of the NMLSTA who has demonstrated both exemplary science teaching performance in a middle level classroom, and leadership in sharing these skills and ideas. The award consists of a $1000 prize from Delta Education, Inc., complimentary membership for one year in the NMLSTA, and an appropriate plaque. The deadline to apply is December 15. For more information, please contact Dale Rosene at: ishtar@aglp.com Or visit their website at: http://www.nmlsta.org/Future Cities Competition
Are you looking for something that will challenge your math and science students? The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) is proud to sponsor the 2009 Michigan Regional Future City Competition. This is an exciting program designed for 7th and 8th grade students. The competition challenges students to design a city of the future - and have fun doing so. The competition is a team-based program consisting of students, a teacher and an engineer mentor. The competition requires students to complete six components within the project:
- Computer design of future city
- Computer evaluation of future city
- Model of future city
- Research essay
- Future city design abstract
- Oral presentation
The program fosters an interest in math, science and engineering through hands-on real world applications. Through participation in the program, students develop their problem solving skills, as well as their ability to work as part of a team. They also learn how to conduct research and develop their presentation skills. You may choose to use this program as part of a team teaching effort to complement lessons in any one of the math, science, computer science, social studies, language arts and art curricula, or as part of an after school activity. Future City deliverables can be matched to learning objectives and meets numerous national standards in each of these subject areas.
For more information or to register online, visit:
http://www.futurecity.org
Or, contact Sue Ruffner at sruffner@esd.org or call 248-353-0735, ext. 117.
Elementary School Science
Elementary Earth Science Survey, September and October, 2008
Grand Valley State University is conducting a survey about teaching Earth Science topics at the elementary level. This survey is intended for individuals currently teaching in the state of Michigan at the elementary level. This project is supported by the Student Summer Scholars Program at Grand Valley State University. To do the survey, please visit:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=v01PSq_2bSaMWgUx_2fuL1Pwgg_3d_3d
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 teaching supplies.
September Contest
This month we have six wonderful gifts to give away. All of the prizes were donated by Michigan Virtual University. The prizes are wristband USB flashdrives. They were given to each student who participated in the MIVU middle school math and science virtual summer camps. For more information about these summer camps, please visit:
http://www.mivhs.org/content.cfm?ID=731
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 1, 15, 30, 45, 60, 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.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/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
NASA Educator Resources online:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
Science Music 24/7 on the Internet:
http://live365.com/stations/trappedinlab
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- September 22, 2008: Deadline to review the Draft K-7 Science Companion Documents. To review the documents, please visit: http://mi-k7science.wikispaces.com/
- September 29, 2008: Deadline for teachers to apply for PolarTREK. For more information, please visit: http://www.polartrek.com
- September 29, 2008: Genetics Update Presentation from Dr. Sam Rhine at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. For more information, please visit: http://www.samrhine.com/
- October 3, 2008: Deadline for speaker presentation proposals for this year's Michigan Science Teachers Association Conference. For more information, please visit: http://msta-mich.org
- October 3, 2008: Deadline for presentation proposals for the Michigan School Improvement Conference to be held November 24-25 in Lansing. For information, please contact Diane Dick at: ddick@gomasa.org
- October 4-10, 2008: World Space Week. For more information, please visit: http://worldspaceweek.org
- October 10-12, 2008: Michigan Alliance of Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) Annual Conference at Camp Rotary, near Clare, Michigan. For more information, please visit: http://michiganenvironmentaled.org
- October 10-12, 2008: Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show at the South Macomb Community College Expo Center, Building P. For more information, please visit: http://www.michmin.org/show/index.html
- 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 24, 2008: Deadline for Students in Grades 2-4 to enter the Art Contest: Trees Making a Difference. For entry information, please visit: http://www.strategies.org/ArtContest
- 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
- November 20, 2008: MichBio Expo Career Day at the Lansing Center in Lansing, MI. For more information, please contact Jennifer Dickie at: 737-677-0503 or Jennifer@michbio.org
- December 15, 2008: Deadline to apply for the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association's Outstanding Middle School Teacher Award. For more information, please visit: http://www.nmlsta.org/
- January 15, 2009: Deadline to enter the International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment. For more information, please visit: http://www.unep.org/tunza/children/inner.asp?ct=competitions&comp=int_comp&int_comp=18th
- January 21, 2009: Deadline to apply for the Toyota TAPESTY Grants. For more information, please visit: http://www.nsta.org/pd/tapestry/
- 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.