NNHS Green Campus Project — Launch Party, May 21

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Events

Each year, NNHS’ ED EX Campaign selects target projects to help create up-to-date, diverse, and stimulating curriculum.  The 2013 project is the Green Campus Project, led by the Greengineering group,  to create an outdoor classroom, an organic gardening project, and a green wall (vertical garden) demonstration.  A launch party will be held May 21, 7PM-8:30PM at the NNHS Greenineering Lab (by the Theatre entrance).  NNHS aims to raise $25,000 from the NNHS community to fund this project.  Learn more and contribute at http://edex.northptso.org.

First Annual NSHS Science Open House, May 23, 3-6PM

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Events

Everyone in the Newton community is welcome to come to Newton South HS on May 23, 3PM-6PM, for the first annual NSHS Science Open House.  Take a tour of South Science and see what NSHS has been up to!  Features will include:

  • A display of current science student projects in biology, chemistry and physics
  • Science team students demonstrating and leading interactive science experiments (younger kids welcome!)
  • An appearance of the LIGERBOTS robot
  • Science student and faculty awards

Refreshments will be available for sale (proceeds to support the NSHS science and LIGERBOT teams).  For information, contact Amy Richard at Amy_Richard@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-559-6558.

MassBay Summer Programs for Middle and High School Students

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Opportunities

MassBay Community College in Wellesley Hills will offer these 10-day summer STEM programs:

High School:  Summer Bridge Program on state-of-the-art engineering, robotics and digital media techniques, for college credit.  $100 for two weeks.  Contact Prof. Susanne Steiger Escobar at ssteigerescobar@massbay.edu.

Middle School (entering Grades 7/8):  Future Cities Program in which students participate in class projects that will strengthen Math, Biology, Physics and Chemistry concepts while having fun.  $300 for two weeks.  Contact Kristen Sutherland at ksutherland@massbay.edu or 781-239 2702.

NNHS-Sponsored Science Initiatives Competition, May 18: UPDATED

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Events

Because the NNHS science team has qualified for TEAMS/JETS national competitions, their Science Initiatives Competition on May 18 has been revised.  It will be held 9:30AM-1:30PM at the Microsoft store at Prudential Center.  Cost is $10 at the door.  Competitions will be individualized, not team-based.  Testing sessions will be at 10AM and 11AM>  Professors from Harvard will speak at 10:30, 11:30, and noon.  More info at sic-sciinit.webs.com or by emailing sciINIT@gmail.com.

NASA Astronaut to Speak at Framingham State, May 22

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Events

Dr. Story Musgrave, a NASA astronaut on six space flights including the Hubble Telescope repair mission, will speak at Framingham State University on May 22, 7PM-8:30PM at the Dwight Hall Performing Arts Center.  This inspiring talk on leadership, innovation, creativity, and design is free and open to the public.  For information, call 508-626-4582.

MIT BLOSSOMS Initiative Seeks Teachers to Make STEM Videos

Posted on May 16, 2013 by newtonstem in Opportunities

MIT’s BLOSSOMS program offers a free online repository of interactive video lessons for high school STEM classes, based on new teaching and learning styles promoted by the National Research Council’s A Framework for K-12 Science Education.  Massachusetts science teachers are invited to learn about these pedagogical methods and help create new lessons in a two-day workshop at MIT in July.  Interested teachers should attend one of the informational workshops, of which the closest to Newton is May 28 in Cambridge.  To sign up or get more information, email Elizabeth Murray at emurray@mit.edu.

WPI “TouchTomorrow” Festival of Science, Tech, Robotics: June 8

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Agi Sardi in Opportunities

In celebration of its second year hosting a NASA Centennial Challenge, WPI is once again transforming its campus into a family-friendly festival of science and technology. Come to TouchTomorrow 2013 on Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for an out-of-this world experience filled with interactive exhibits, learning, games, and fun.  The event is free and open to the public.  NASA will bring a wide-variety of very cool displays and WPI will host hands on activities and lab tours.  In addition, local programs like FIRST and the Museum of Science will have demonstrations and displays.
http://wp.wpi.edu/touchtomorrow/about-the-festival

And two days earlier — June 6 from 4PM to 6PM — , the WPI STEM Education Center will host an event for PK-12 teachers, administrators, informal educators, and home school parents to:

  • Engage in a hands-on STEM session led by an Aerospace Education Specialist from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; activities will be matched by grade band (K-5; 6-12)
  • Learn about the Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge
  • Meet some of the robotics teams that took part in the challenge and learn about the different robot designs.

The event is free and open to all educators but requires registration at www.wpi.edu/academics/stem/touchtomorrow-invite.html.  For information contact Mia Dubosarsky at mdubosarsky@wpi.edu.

National Astronomy Day at the Clay Center, May 18

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Agi Sardi in Events, Opportunities

Clay Center Observatory, in collaboration with the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston (ATMoB), will host a free public event for National Astronomy day, Saturday, May 18, 4PM-10PM outdoors and 5PM-8PM indoors. The event will include day and night telescope viewing, planetarium and laser light shows, kite flying, Re/Max balloon rides, rocket launches, robots demonstrations, talks by Galileo himself, hands-on educational activities for all ages, and children’s door prizes. Register for chances to win telescopes, meteorites, and more. Free Astronomy souvenir for first 300 children. Food Stand open 4:30-7:30PM. On the campus of Dexter & Southfield Schools, 20 Newton Street, in Brookline.

4:00 – Outdoor events begin with rockets, kites, solar telescopes
5:00 – Indoor events run from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm – science exhibitors
7:00 – Indoor Kite Flying in the Hockey Rink 7-9 pm – kites that need no wind!
8:00 – Sunset, night telescopes for viewing the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter

Tuesday Evening Public Telescope Viewings – now through May

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Agi Sardi in Events, Opportunities

The Clay Center Observatory will be open, weather permitting, for public telescope nights on Tuesdays through May. Check the Clay Center web site for times and details: www.claycenter.org. On the campus of Dexter & Southfield Schools, 20 Newton Street, in Brookline.

Observatory Night: Black Hole Chaos, May 16

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Agi Sardi in Events, Opportunities

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics will host a free Observatory Night and lecture on Thursday, May 16, at 7:30PM at Phillips Auditorium, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge. The topic: Giant black holes at the centers of galaxies — the most powerful engines in the universe. In active galaxies they blast out jets of material at near-light-speed, and when galaxies collide, their black holes merge with a dramatic burst of gravitational waves that can kick the black hole out of the galaxy entirely. Travel to the lairs of these hungry monsters and uncover their secrets. This Observatory Night talk will be followed by viewing through telescopes (weather permitting). Free and open to the public. For more information: pubaffairs@cfa.harvard.edu, 617-495-7461, More info: www.cfa.harvard.edu