The popular TV show "STEM Journals" is filmed primarily in Arizona. Meteorite Man, Geoff Notkin, travels around, highlighting STEM careers. In fact, Geoff helped kickoff the SciTech Festival season last year.
Arizona is also home to the SciTech Festival.
"Spearheaded by the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona Science Center, the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, Arizona Board of Regents, the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, the Arizona SciTech Festival is a grass roots collaboration of over 450 organizations in industry, academia, arts, civic, community and K-12." (AZSciTech.com)
Sessions will be organized with the following tracks:
Innovation - Entrepreneurs and investors share best practices about developing your pitch, girls in technology, co-working spaces and more.
Festival & Events – Best practices to plan, promote and build partnerships for your event.
STEM & Education – Innovative ideas and practices to impact science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics in and out of the classroom.
Pathways – Learn about key AZ industry sectors such as Cybersecurity, Sustainability and Materials Science through diverse perspectives from industry leaders, University research professors, PK20 educators and more.
AZ Makers – Experience Arizona’s “maker” landscape with interactive talks and hands-on activities in this one of a kind Maker Room.
Want to see the latest gadgets? There are over 50 exhibitors.
Want to network? There will be over 1,000 attendees. And me. And, hopefully you. I have been attending the Innovation Summit for years and have found it to be a great opportunity to meet up with STEM-minded individuals from around the state.
Americans have been responsible for some amazing inventions. Electricity, the telegraph, the iPhone (just sayin'). Americans have also been credited with the invention of the national park system. A system which serves to protect natural wonders, culturally significant sites, and historic locations. National Park Service was created by an act signed by President Wilson on August 25, 1916.
Now, on the eve of it's centennial, our current president is opening the doors to national parks again. Through his "Every Kid in a Park" initiative, President Obama, along with National Park Service, is offering a free National Parks Pass to every 4th grader in America. Fourth graders and their families will have free access to all national parks and federal lands for the entire 2015-2016 school year. The initiative is intended to get students outside and "put down the smartphones".
Why Fourth Graders?
Fourth graders have been chosen for several reasons.
Typically, state standards focus on state history in fourth grade. Visiting a national park, be it a geological formation, a historical site, or a cultural center, is a wonderful way to bring history to life.
Along with state history, states commonly assess fourth graders on science standards. National parks exude science! (For more info on this see my National Parks: Treasure for Teachers section below).
In 4th grade, students typically have just one teacher, as opposed to junior high school, where students have multiple teachers. Having one teacher simplifies the process for field trips.
What if our school doesn't have money for field trips?
The National Park Foundation along with National Park Service offers transportation grants to schools through the Ticket to Ride Program.
I recently interviewed Lauren Carter, an Education Technician at Petrified Forest National Park. She provided important information for families and teachers:
"Getting a 4th grader pass is easy! Students visit the website https://www.everykidinapark.gov/, complete a short activity about things they can do in public lands, then they are able to print out a pass at home. They can use the paper pass to bring a carload or 3 additional adults with them to any federal recreation area depending on how the park charges fees. The passes work just like the current inter-agency annual passes. If they are visiting a non-staffed area such as Forest Service, the pass can be displayed on the dash of the car.
The child has to be present with the pass for the adults to gain free entry. The passes are for 4th graders or kids who will be 10 years old anytime between September, 1st 2015 and August, 31st 2016. This allows for home schooled students and free choice learners to participate. The plan is to continue this for many years so each year a different set of fourth graders can benefit.
Students can bring their paper pass to any park that issues inter-agency passes to exchange the paper pass for a plastic card pass. They don't have to do this though. The paper passes are good for the whole school year. If it gets lost or damaged, they can just go on the website again to get another pass. Paper passes must be presented by the student to exchange for a plastic pass. All passes for this year will have the same expiration date of August, 31st 2016.
Teachers can also go on the website and print off a batch of passes for their students. There is a lesson plan that can be used in conjunction with this. One of the things we can do in the park is have ranger guided education programs centered around the "Every Kid in a Park" lessons and then we can issue paper passes at the end of the program to a whole class. Due to staffing, these programs need to be arranged in advance. We are so excited to be part of the Every Kid in a Park program!"
National Park Service celebrates their 100th anniversary in 2016. To help celebrate, I have compiled a list of resources for teachers and parents. My National Parks: Treasure for Teachers seriesoffers a myriad of resources and opportunities for teachers and classrooms.
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is a term used by teachers to encompass lessons and projects which include these subjects. STEM units usually start with a problem. The teacher guides the students through discovery and experimenting to find solutions. STEM does not just happen at school. In fact, STEM can be very effective, engaging, and fun at home. At my school, I present a STEM Family Challenge each month. Families take the challenge, complete a reflection sheet, and earn a $20 gift card to local businesses (bowling alley, movie theatre, miniature golf, etc.). I would like to offer the STEM Family Challenge to you as well. Although I can't offer you a gift card, I can put your name in lights HTML.
STEM Family Challenge: September
September is prime county fair time. Carnivals are making the fair circuit. Chances are, your county fair is coming soon. Why not use that excitement to launch your STEM Family Challenge?
Using items around the house, create a ride at the fair.
Before you chart your course, you need to evaluate where you are now in your STEM implementation. Below are videos of the 4 levels on the STEM Immersion Guide. As you watch, think "are we currently at this level?".
The Exploratory Model
"The Exploratory Model describes a traditional school experience with STEM-related EXTRA CURRICULAR opportunities offered to students in addition to the regular school day. These experiences may include, but are not limited to: after school clubs, summer programs, science fairs, robotics clubs, video production clubs, etc." (sfaz.org)
The Introductory Model
"The Introductory Model describes a traditional school experience with STEM-related experiences offered in addition to the current curriculum. These experiences may include, but are not limited to: integrated STEM units delivered once the state testing is complete, supplementary stand-alone learning units offered through industry or non-profit partnerships, etc." (sfaz.org)
The Partial Immersion Model
"The Partial Immersion Model describes a school experience where STEM-related experiences are integrated into the current curriculum. These experiences may include, but are not limited to: teaching to a school-wide STEM theme, teaching year-long integrated Problem/Project-Based Learning Units, teaching dual-enrollment programs, teaching in a "school within a school" model, etc." (sfaz.org)
The Full Immersion Model
"The Full Immersion Model describes a total school experience where STEM-related experiences are imbedded within a cross-curricular, thematic focus in ALL content areas. Full Immersion schools look more like 21st Century workplace environments rather 20th century K12 school environments. Problem-based Learning drives the curriculum and instruction. Students constantly collaborate to solve authentic problems, propose solutions, and contribute ideas to the larger community." (sfaz.org)
Assess Your Level
Now that you have watched the videos and have a good background on what each level looks like, take the online assessment to determine your current level. This can be done alone or with your entire staff.
http://stemguide.sfaz.org/assess-your-level/
Assemble Your Team
When you finish the last question on the online assessment, you will be directed to a site that identifies your current level. Now, you are ready to assemble your team. As you discuss your next steps and plan your 2-year, 3-year, and even 5-year goals, use the resources provided. One of the biggest resources is the Arizona STEM Network. *Note, you do not need to live in Arizona to be a part of the network. In fact, we have members from 16 states and 4 countries!
Now What?
Download the STEM Immersion Guide and plot your course. Define your goals and gather your resources. But, where to find quality STEM quality resources?
Resources
Do you need resources and lessons? Did your team decide to enter a competition? Does your staff need more PD? Use the Tools4Teachers link! Resources have been vetted by a team of STEM experts and categorized for easy searching. "The Immersion Guide, the survey, videos and Implementation Guides all work together to provide schools with the tools necessary to imbed STEM into their programs at all levels," Linda Coyle, Director of Education, Science Foundation Arizona. I would love to hear about your goals for implementing your STEM program. Send me a message at STEAMingAheadWithSusan@gmail.com .
Ahh, the age-old question. What do you want to be when you grow up? Today's kids are finding that question harder and harder to answer. Actually, studies show "65 percent of today’s grade-school kids may end up doing work that hasn’t been invented yet" (Cathy Davidson). If our kids will be doing work that isn't invented yet, what can we do to prepare them today? Enter DIY.org. You have heard of the DIY movement, and you have probably heard of the Maker Movement, but have you heard of DIY.org? DIY.org combines the DIY movement with the Maker Movement with gamification and badges (real badges!) with hackschooling and homeschooling. Co-founder of DIY.org, Zach Klein, recently wrote an article for EdSurge. (click here to read the full article) Klein describes his childhood and pursuit of personal passions.
"Whether it’s Minecraft or duct tape wallets, the childhood passions that seem like fads, if not totally unproductive, can alternatively be seen as mediums for experiencing the virtuous cycle of curiosity: discovering, trying, failing and growing. At DIY, we’ve created a way for kids to explore hundreds of skills and to understand the ways in which they can be creative through them."
https://diy.org/skills
What types of skills can kids work on? Everything from Angler to Zoologist, and EVERYTHING in between. Seriously. Take a look. I guarantee there is at least one skill you your kid is passionate about.
https://twitter.com/DIY
For instance, in my house, my boys have started with the Minecrafter skill. Since they have completed three tasks and uploaded pics/videos, they are eligible for a patch. I am using DIY.org to keep my boys active and learning throughout summer. A family down the street is using it to supplement their homeschool curriculum. A local STEM Club is planning to use it to make their after-school projects more personal. Access to most of the skills is free and the patches are a mere $4. DIY.org does offer memberships where kids get access to "camps" for only $10. But if you use this link, you can get $5 off! I think the new answer to the age-old question of "what do you want to be when you grow up?" is "Get skills. Be awesome." What skills do you have? How do you use DIY.org in your house/classroom? Email me at STEAMingAheadWithSusan@gmail.com .
Are you overwhelmed by the amount of websites/programs/software available? I used to be. I learned a long time ago that I could never keep up on ALL the websites and resources available. I would have to prioritize. And set goals.
Every year, I set a personal goal for Ed Tech. One year it was to improve my students' writing by using Ed Tech. I used In2Books, a wiki, and Weebly (student-created). This year, I focused on productivity such as Prezi and Google Docs. Although it wasn't my goal for the year, after spending a frustrating day in the computer lab, I decided to learn more about tutorials and flipping the classroom. (psst, it transformed my teaching!)
This summer, I have already attended two wonderful conferences. The first was Arizona Technology in Education "Imagine, Inspire, Innovate Conference". The second was the Arizona STEM Network "STEM Clubs Conference". Below, I will share four of the "new" websites/programs and how they can be used in your classroom. Watch this short 20 second video:
Moovly
I used Moovly to make that short video. From the video, you can see fancy animation techniques. For instance, I can't get enough of Sir Ken Robinson's video where the animator draws a mind map of the concepts discussed. Well, I can't afford a pro-animator, but I can use Moovly. With Moovly, you simply add the pic you want and choose animation, hand-drawing. You can also have the hand "write" your words. Fingers can push images in and spin existing clip-art. This program does take a bit of editing skill, but you can also just keep it simple. Try it. Make one today for your first day back to school or your parent night.
NearPod
This is my new fave! Before I go any further, watch this video:
The session I attended used NearPod with Kindergartners. When you search NearPod, you can see there are lessons for middle and high school too. This is a freemium site, where you can totally exist in the free realm, but you can also purchase lessons for as little as $0.99 or up to $2.99. You can also create your own lessons for free. I like this site because it keeps everyone on the same page screen. I would suggest starting with the free lessons and then moving into creating your own. The lessons are designed to give objectives at the beginning and a pre-assessment. Throughout the lessons, there are times for "turn and talk" or "discuss". Some of the more elementary lessons have "stand up and do this movement". They usually end with a post-assessment. And yes, you can have that assessment sent to your email. Sign in and watch a lesson today. I highly suggest you take the tutorial and walk through a sample lesson.
Code.org
I know. I know. Coding? Really? Getting them to learn how to type with all 10 fingers is a struggle. How are they going to learn to code? But, let me tell you....they do! I thought the same thing last year. Code.org does a great job of embedding support into their website. You can print the curriculum and start coding with your students with NO computer. NO computer! We did ours with plastic cups, pencils, and paper. They had to code how to stack the cups into a pyramid. They learned real quick that they had to break each move down into the separate steps. What grade level, you ask? Third, fourth, and fifth graders.
When they were successful with that, we moved into the computer lab. We gave them the website and they went to it! The lessons are set up like a video game. You can level up to progressively more complex coding after passing simpler coding instructions. After a few levels, a video pops up to give you encouragement or links your level to a real-world situation. Code.org pulled out all the stops and has many, many celebrities on their videos.
And what are the kids programming? They can choose between "Frozen", "Angry Birds", or "Plants vs. Zombies". Since then, Code.org has added Disney's "Infinity" and "Flappy Bird". I know, right?!
Scratch
But, what does coding have to do with school? I mean, we have to help them pass the ELA and Math tests. Enter Scratch.
As you can see from the video, Scratch uses drag and drop code just like Code.org. I would suggest you start with Code.org and then move into Scratch, perhaps 2nd semester. Yeah, yeah, looks like fun, but how can I use it in the classroom?
I have seen several uses in the classroom. One basic use is to animate your vocabulary words. For instance, say your vocabulary word is "dance". Your students can animate the cat to dance across the stage. By the way, there are many different backgrounds to fit your needs. Another use in the classroom is for digital storytelling. I would suggest doing this whole class first and then letting the students code digital stories. The presenter I watched showed us an example of when the whole class coded a digital story of Rainbow Fish, complete with speech bubbles and animation. In the process of "having fun", they were working on ELA skills of characters, setting, summary, and theme.
Next Steps
I realize that even my short list might be overwhelming. Don't feel you need to do all of it on the first day of school. In fact, you don't even need to do all of it! Set goals. What are your priorities this year for your students? What are your goals this year? I would love to hear from you. Drop me a line at STEAMingAheadWithSusan@gmail.com .
Summer is rife with educational conferences. It only makes sense. Teachers don't have to worry about sub plans. Districts either have to use up title monies or they have a new batch of title monies to spend. In all my years in education, I have never had "the summer off". Instead, my calendar is full of trainings, conferences, and expos. This summer will be no different.
So, where is Susan heading off to this summer? I will be attending the Science Foundation Arizona STEM Club Conference.
While in Phoenix, I would love to do a Meet-Up. So if you are attending the STEM Club Conference, we should meet up and talk all things STEM. Send me an email to STEAMingAheadWithSusan@gmail.com and we can meet up at ASU Memorial Union.
