Edutopia has selected 12 books to encourage girls to explore STEM.  They’re grouped by grade: K-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12.

The Grants and Projects Committee of the Newton North HS PTSO has announced funding for the following STEM programs and activities at NNHS, citing notes of appreciation from teachers and staff:

• Lab equipment for a variety of science classes
• Field trip to Harvard Medical School for anatomy classes
• TI-84 graphing calculators to meet needs in the Math Department
• CAD design software licenses for the Engineering program

Engineering is Elementary will host a two-day workshop for elementary-school teachers — Marvelous Machines: Making Work Easier — at the Museum of Science, March 9-10, focusing on integrating engineering and science in the classroom.

Simple machines are devices with few or no moving parts that make work easier. Students are introduced to the six types of simple machines — the wedge, wheel and axle, lever, inclined plane, screw, and pulley — in the context of the construction of a pyramid, gaining high-level insights into tools that have been used since ancient times and are still in use today. In two hands-on activities, students begin their own pyramid design by performing materials calculations, and evaluating and selecting a construction site. The six simple machines are examined in more depth in subsequent lessons in this unit.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the latest machinery, using the Vision System and other technology for the learning process.

Engineering Connection
Why do engineers care about simple machines? How do such devices help engineers improve society? Simple machines are important and common in our world today in the form of everyday devices (crowbars, wheelbarrows, highway ramps, etc.) that individuals, and especially engineers, use on a daily basis. The same physical principles and mechanical advantages of simple machines used by ancient engineers to build pyramids are employed by today’s engineers to construct modern structures such as houses, bridges and skyscrapers. Simple machines give engineers added tools for solving everyday challenges.

The cost is $200. Register here.

Tufts University’s Teacher Engineering Education Program (TEEP) offers online courses for K-12 teachers to learn about incorporating engineering in their classrooms and earn an Online K-12 Engineering Education (OKEE) Certificate. Rolling admissions for next Fall’s sessions are processed monthly during March-May.

“e” Inc.’s new Environment Science Discovery & Action Museum opened in (114 16th Street, Room 1030, in the Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown) on January 30. It’s aimed at Grades 3-7, and its first exhibit is “Weather and Climate: Our Changing World.” About 50 classrooms and after-school groups have already signed up for 4-hour visits. Teachers and group leaders may schedule visits here ($3 per student + $10 per adult after the first 3 adults). Starting at the end of March, the museum will be open to the public on Saturdays, 10AM-4PM, with online signups for reservations opening in mid-March.

Hologic Corporation has awarded a grant of $30,000 to the Massachusetts State Science Olympiad, which will distribute the funds, to be used for school equipment and supplies, as follows:

• $400 to each of the top teams in each Olympiad (middle-school and high-school) both this year and next year, and
• Up to $400 each to other schools upon the submission of an approved budget in the fall of 2017.

The Newton Public Schools has launched a new K-5 Family Math Page to provide resources for families of students in Grades K-5 to explore mathematics.  It contains links to resources for parent and students, including websites, mobile apps, and relevant news items.  And there a link to a survey to provide feedback.