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E-Blast December 11, 2008
In this E-Blast
- Leadership
- Building a Presence
- MDE Science
- K-12 Science
- High School Science
- Elementary School Science
- December Contest
- Upcoming Events and Opportunities
Here are your science education resources and announcements for December 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
Too much of our work amounts to the drudgery of arranging means toward ends, mechanically placing the right foot in front of the left and the left in front of the right, moving down narrow corridors toward narrow goals. Play widens the halls. Work will always be with us, and many works are worthy. But the worthiest works of all often reflect an artful creativity that looks more like play than work.
James Ogilvy
Thank you to Herm Boatin, Science consultant and lecturer, University of Michigan-Dearborn, for contributing this leadership quote.
Building a Presence
Happy Holidays from Building a Presence
On behalf of the Advisory Board for Building a Presence and the Michigan Science Teachers Association, I want to wish you a wonderful holiday season. I hope your holiday break is a relaxing period of time and that you are able to do all of the things that you hope to do. If you get an iPod or new computer, I encourage you to listen to the Michigan e-blast Podcast at:
http://msta-mich.org/bap
There will not be another e-blast during December, but the next e-blast will be on January 8, 2009. Just for fun, here are a couple of holiday science songs for you to enjoy:
Deck the Labs
Deck the labs with rubber tubing
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Use your funnel and your filter
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our goggles and aprons
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Before we go to our lab stations
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fill the beakers with solutions
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Mix solutions for reactions
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Watch we now for observations
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
So we can collect our data
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Lab Report (Tune of Jingle Bells)
Dashing through the lab
with a ten page lab report
Taking all those tests
and laughing at them all
Bells for fire drills ring
making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
a science song tonight.
Oh, lab report, lab reports,
reacting all the way
Oh what fun it is to study
for a science test today, Hey!
Science test, science test
isn't it a blast
Oh what fun it is to take
a science test and pass.
MDE Science
AYP, Education Yes and the Science MEAP
A question came in this week asking if science was included in AYP and Education Yes. The answer is that science is not part of AYP, but it is part of Education Yes-The School Report Card. Another question that came in was in regard to the next MEAP testing date for science. The next science MEAP test will be given on Thursday, October 22, 2009 and the make-up date will October 27, 2009. But if a school is using the Modified MEAP scheduling calendar, the science test will be given on October 21, 2009 and the makeup on October 29, 2009.
K-12 Science
Get Ready for the Year of Science 2009
On January 1, 2009, participants in the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science will embark on a celebratory journey with you to share how science works, what it is like to be a scientist, and why science matters. In nearly every state, participants in the celebration will demonstrate how we know about our natural world and why science continues to be so vitally important locally and globally. The Web site:
http://www.yearofscience2009.org/
will feature items that the science community has to share about the process and nature of science (videos, podcasts, pictures, scientist bloggers, games, and puzzles). A new science theme will be showcased each month.
Journey North
Journey North engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share their own field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales, bald eagles - and other birds and mammals; the budding of plants; changing sunlight; and other natural events. Find migration maps, pictures, standards-based lesson plans, activities and information to help students make local observations and fit them into a global context. Widely considered a best-practices model for education, Journey North is the nation's premiere "citizen science" project for children. The general public is welcome to participate. For more information, please visit:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
Walking with Dinosaurs
If you missed it when it was in Detroit, the live theatrical arena spectacular "Walking with Dinosaurs" will be at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids through December 14. For more information, please visit:
http://www.dinosaurlive.com/
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship
Applications are currently available for the 2009-2010 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program. This program is open to current public or private elementary and secondary mathematics, technology and science classroom teachers with demonstrated excellence in teaching. Selected teachers spend a school year in a congressional office, the Department of Energy, or a federal agency such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Applicants for this program must be U.S. citizens and be currently employed full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school or school district. Applicants must have been teaching full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years. Three recommendations are required. One must be from a school district official. During the fellowship, each Einstein Fellow receives a monthly stipend plus a monthly cost of living allowance. In addition, there is a moving/relocation allowance as well as a professional travel allowance.
The deadline for applications is Jan. 13, 2009. For more information about this opportunity, visit:
http://www.trianglecoalition.org/fellows/einapp.htm
Inquiries about the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program may be directed to tricoal@triangle-coalition.org.
Neuroscience for Kids
Neuroscience for Kids has been created for all students and teachers who would like to learn more about the nervous system. Discover the exciting world of the brain, spinal cord, neurons and the senses. Use the experiments, activities and games to help you learn about the nervous system. There are plenty of links to other web sites for you to explore. To subscribe to a free e-newsletter entitled Neuroscience for Kids, please visit:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
Register Now for National Environmental Week
National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is the nation's largest organized environmental education event. Held each April, EE Week promotes understanding and protection of the natural world by actively engaging K-12 grade students and educators of all subjects in an inspired week of environmental learning and service before Earth Day. Join the thousands of schools, nature centers, zoos, museums, and aquariums nationwide who have made a commitment to engage students in environmental learning through participation in EE Week!
This year's EE Week theme is Be Water Wise! Registered partners will have access to a wide variety of FREE environmental education resources, including:
- Standards-based environmental education lessons and activities, including water conservation, watershed, and water quality curricula,
- Access to EE Week's school water audit tool in which students "find the leaks" in water usage at school,
- Opportunities for online communication and knowledge sharing with educators from across the country, including participation in the EE Week Photo Blog contest,
- Monthly electronic newsletters highlighting the latest EE curricula, professional development, and funding opportunities,
- Certificates of participation for themselves and their students, and
- A free issue of National Geographic Explorer magazine for those registering before January 30, 2009!
You can join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing environmental literacy, promote environmental learning, and gain national exposure for your school or organization by registering today! To register, please visit:
http://www.eeweek.org
If you have questions, please contact Jessica Culverhouse at culverhouse@neefusa.org or 202-261-6484.
High School Science
The 16th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race
Registration is open for the 16th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race. High school and college students design and build a vehicle that addresses a series of engineering problems similar to those faced by the original lunar-roving vehicle team. Each school may enter up to two teams. The race will take place April 3-4, 2009, in Huntsville, Ala., at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Entries must be received by Feb. 1, 2009. Please e-mail any questions about this opportunity to Sabrina Pearson at Sabrina.M.Pearson@nasa.gov.
For more information about the competition and to register online, visit http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov/index.html
Planet Connect High School Challenge Grants
Do you know a high school student with an innovative solution to protect the environment? Planet Connect can help make it happen! The National Environmental Education Foundation's Planet Connect Program, developed in partnership with The Weather Channel, is a new online network for High School students to learn about the environment plus green college and career options. Planet Connect is looking for creative ideas to fix local environmental problems and will award 25 students aged 14-19 $1000 each to support their ideas and provide them with local environmental internships. Visit:
http://www.Planet-Connect.org
for more information or to apply. The deadline to apply is January 20, 2009.
Elementary School Science
Early Childhood Science Teacher Award Deadline is December 19
The new Zula International Award recognizes two preK through second grade school teachers who have innovative science inquiry programs in early education. One award will honor a member of either the National Science Teachers Association or the Council of Elementary Science International, while the second will honor a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children or the National Head Start Association. The deadline to apply is December 19, 2008. For more information, please visit:
http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#zula
December Contest
This month we have 10 wonderful gifts to give away. The prizes are 2 GB flashdrives. 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, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 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.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- 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/
- December 18, 2008: Deadline for middle school and high school students to enter the Michigan Society for Medical Research Essay Contest. Full information can be found at: http://www.mismr.org/services/essay/2009msessaycontest.pdf or http://www.mismr.org/services/essay/2009hsessaycontest.pdf
- December 19, 2008: Deadline for pre-K through 2nd grade teachers to apply for the Zula International Award. For more information, please visit: http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#zula
- December 20, 2008: Deadline to enter the Chemistry Lesson Plan Competition. For more information, please visit: http://www.chemed.org/Lesson_Plan.html
- January 1 - December 31, 2009: The Year of Science. For more information, please visit: http://www.yearofscience2009.org
- January 13, 2009: Deadline to apply for the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program. For more information, please visit: http://www.trianglecoalition.org/ein.htm
- 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 20, 2009: Deadline for high school students to apply for the Planet Connect Grant Program. For more information, please visit: http://www.planet-connect.org/
- January 21, 2009: Deadline to apply for the Toyota TAPESTY Grants. For more information, please visit: http://www.nsta.org/pd/tapestry/
- January 23, 2009: Deadline to register for the USA Biology Olympiad. For more information, please visit: http://cee.org/usabo/index.shtml
- January 28, 2009: Deadline to apply for the ExploraVision Awards Program. For more information, please visit: http://www.exploravision.org
- January 31, 2009: Deadline for 3-6 grade students to enter the Kid's Science Challenge. For more information, please visit: http://www.kidsciencechallenge.com
- February 1, 2009: Deadline for High School Students to enter the 16th annual Moonbuggy Race. For more information, please visit: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov/index.html
- February 4, 2009: Deadline for the Christopher Columbus Awards for Middle School Projects. For more information, please visit: http://www.christophercolumbusawards.com
- February 9, 2009: Deadline for teachers to apply for the ARMADA Marine Project. For more information, please visit: http://www.armadaproject.org
- February 12, 2009: Charles Darwin Bicentennial Day. For more information, please visit: http://darwinday.org/englishL/assistevent/index.html
- February 13, 2009: Deadline to register for the Michigan Environthon for High School Students. For more information, please visit: http://www.macd.org:80/envirothon.html
- March 5-6, 2009: Southeastern Michigan Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at Wayne State University. For more information, please visit: http://coe.wayne.edu/ted/jshs/
- March 5-7, 2009: Michigan Science Teachers Association Annual Conference in Detroit. For more information, please visit: http://msta-mich.org/conference
- March 6, 2009: Deadline to apply for Cohort 2 of the Endeavor Science Teacher Certificate Project. For more information, please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html
- March 13, 2009: Deadline to apply for the Research Experiences for K-12 Teachers (RET). For more information, please visit: http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/ret/
- March 15, 2009: Deadline for middle school students to apply for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge. For more information, please visit: http://wecanchange.com
- March 16, 2009: Deadline for students to enter the 4th Annual DNA Day Essay Contest. For more information, please visit: http://www.ashg.org/education
- March 19-22, 2009: National Science Teachers Association Annual Conference in New Orleans. For more information please visit: http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2009new/
- April 6, 2009: Deadline to apply for the 2009 Thacher Scholars Awards for students in grades 9-12. For more information, please visit: http://www.strategies.org/ThacherScholars
- April 12-18, 2009: National Environmental Education Week 2009: Be Water Wise! For more information, please visit: http://www.eeweek.org
- April 24, 2009: Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium at Grand Valley State University. For more information, please visit: http://www.gvsu.edu/rmsc
- May 1, 2009: Deadline to apply for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Grades 7-12. For more information, please visit: http://www.paemst.org/
- July 11-16, 2009: The 2009 Michigan Youth Policy Summit on Greenhouse Gas Reduction, to be held at Western Michigan University for 11th and 12th Grade Students. For more information, please contact: Annemarie Fussell at Keystone (afussell@keystone.org; 970-455-4231) or Susan Grammer at WMU (susan.grammer@wmich.edu; 269-387-8642).
- August 2-6, 2009: ChemEd Conference in Radford, Virginia. For more information, please visit: http://www.radford.edu/chemed2009/
- October 9-11, 2009: The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education will be held at the University of Michigan, Dearborn Campus. For more information, please visit: http://www.michiganenvironmentaled.org/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.