Science From Scientists is a non-profit organization that brings “real, charismatic scientists” — vetted and trained for classroom work — into classrooms to run hands-on STEM lessons aligned with Common Core/ Next Generation Science standards. This year, SfS is working with over 3,000 students in Grades 4-8 in 27 schools in Eastern Massachusetts — including Newton’s Oak Hill Middle School, which has participated since 2010. SfS now has 49 additional schools on its waiting list. Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education chose SfS as one of 3 recipients statewide to receive @Scale grants for expansion of successful STEM programs. The Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council created the @Scale initiative in 2012 to identify and support STEM education programs that are proven to be scalable, effective, and able to secure private-sector funding. SfS has been successful in attracting a broad range of supporters as well as generating excitement in classrooms about STEM.
Category Archives: Resources
Please Complete This STEM Survey for the Newton Free Library
The Newton Free Library has forged ahead in STE(A)M by offering 3D-printing, programming classes for young kids and Girls Who Code, and other activities. As one way to gauge how well the Library is meeting the public’s needs and interest in STEM, the Library is conducting a short Technology Survey on STEM interest and awareness. You may respond for yourself and/or for your children. (Please take the survey before you review the Library’s STEAM programs, which might skew the results by increasing your awareness and interest!)
STEM Certificate Program: PTC’s Professional Development for K-12 Teachers
Since 2013, product-design software company PTC has provided professional development for K-12 teachers via the Massachusetts STEM Certificate Program. This program offers strategies and resources to help teachers integrate design and engineering across all subjects — and develop inspiring project-based curricula using industrial-strength software tools. The training is a combination of online webinars and onsite sessions at PTC’s headquarters in Needham. It starts with a Foundations phase, in which participants explore industry and classroom STEM concepts, followed by an Authoring phase, in which participants develop a STEM curriculum tailored to their own classroom instruction. Newton North HS Science teachers Matt Anderson and Anndy Dannenberg joined the program in the autumn of 2013. This year, the following Newton teachers are participating:
- Newton North HS: Kevin Brosnan (Science), Stephanie Chmura (Math), Garrett Tingle (Career & Tech Ed)
- Newton South HS: Suzy Drurey (Science), Divya Shannon (Math)
DUST — Online Game for STEM Inquiry — is Now Live
DUST is a new alternative-reality game designed to teach students 13-17 years old about STEM inquiry. This collaborative online experience launched last week and will play out over the next seven weeks. In its fictional world, students are charged with solving the mystery of why a meteor shower has caused adults around the world to collapse. DUST was created by the National Science Foundation, Brigham Young University, and the University of Maryland. Students can register at fallingdust.com, and adults can register at the same site either as passive observers or as active participants using pseudonyms. There’s a start-up kit for educators, which includes a Read Me First document, introductory presentation, and lesson plans linked to NGSS and Common Core standards. An educator’s website is at dustgame.byu.edu.
Calling All of Newton’s FIRST Lego League Coaches — Former, Current, and Potential
Josh Gahm, parent-coach of the Cabot Elementary School caBOTs, is working with NewtonSTEM to create a forum for FIRST Lego League (FLL) coaches in Newton. If you’re a current or former FLL coach — or if you’re interested in becoming one — please email FLL@newtonstem.org to let us know who you are.
FLL promotes inspiring, educational robotics competitions among teams of children 9-14 years old worldwide. For several years, various FLL teams have sprung up in Newton, hosted by elementary and middle schools, after-school programs, or parents in their homes. There’s a continuing need for more FLL teams in Newton, judging from inquiries received by NewtonSTEM. The constraint seems to be the number of adults volunteering to coach. You don’t need to be a STEM expert to coach; you need a knack for managing small groups of children. Paul Barbone, former parent-coach of the Oak Hill FLL MegaOHMS, has written a very informative memo for new coaches, Introduction to Coaching a FIRST Lego Team (PDF). Let’s get focused on how we can recruit and support new FLL coaches.
Online Course for Scratch Programming, Free for All Ages, Starts Feb. 2
edX will offer a free, 6-week online course — Programming in Scratch — for people of all ages, and no previous programming experience is required. Scratch was developed at MIT to teach kids about programming through the creation of interactive stories, games, and animations, but it’s not just for kids anymore. Register now for the course, which starts February 2 and will require about six hours a week for six weeks.
Two WGBH Online Discussions for Science Teachers, Jan. 28 & 29
WGBH will host two online presentations/discussions for science teachers this week, highlighting free online resources from PBS Learning Media:
January 28: A Google Hangout at 7PM EST for science educators to learn about updates and resources for solar-system sciences curricula, including the PBS Learning Media library of NASA Planetary Sciences materials.
January 29: A webinar, “Becoming Systems Literate,” to explore how to teach students to think about systems, using the new Systems Literacy collection offered by PBS Learning Media. The link to the webinar will be provided to those who register.
Free 3-Day Professional Development for ‘Bootstrap’ Computer Science, Feb. 16-18
MassCAN (the Massachusetts Computing Attainment Network) and the Massachusetts Computer Science Teachers Association are sponsoring a free, 3-day workshop for Massachusetts math and computer science teachers to explore the Bootstrap curriculum. With Bootstrap, students ages 12-16 learn algebraic and geometric concepts through computer programming. The workshop will be held February 16-18 at the Education Development Center, 43 Foundry Ave. in Waltham. Space is limited, and applications are accepted first-come/first-served. Those who are interested but not math/computer-science teachers may email Kelly Powers (kelpowers@gmail.com) to explain their interest. (Note: This workshop is different from another free workshop, on Project GUTS, offered by MassCAN at the same time and same location.)
EiE Offers STEM Curriculum Materials for After-School Programs
Engineering is Elementary — a project of the National Center for Technological Literacy at Boston’s Museum of Science — offers these free STEM resources for after-school programs:
- Engineering Adventures curriculum for Grades 3-5
- Engineering Everywhere curriculum for Grades 6-8
- Educator Resources to accompany each unit in the above curricula
Preschool STEM Curriculum Resources
The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care has compiled a list of free curriculum resources for preschool STEM activities.