New Jersey Science Teachers Association News

ScIC3 Virtual Conference on July 8th

NJSTA — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 23:40:46 GMT

NJSTA Statement and Upcoming Events

NJSTA — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 23:27:22 GMT

NJSTA stands united with NSTA and NJEA in our commitment to do more to embrace diversity, equity, and respect. We condemn racism in all its forms and manifestations.

We stand alongside our colleagues, members, educators, students, and families in calling for justice. And, we will not ignore the systemic and institutionalized racism that persists in our country and communities.

To continue this important conversation, we are planning NJSTAChats sessions to promote discussions on culturally responsive and anti-racism teaching for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in science classrooms. Please join us for our next NJSTAChats sessions on July 15th, when we host Dr. Doug Larkin discussing his book “Teaching Science in Diverse Classrooms,” and on August 5th, when we host Dr. Montana Vasquez-Grinnell sharing her dissertation work, “Persistence of Vision: factors influencing the retention of women of color in STEM programs. ” (Registration for August 5th coming soon)

Please visit EVENTS for more information.

NJ Climate Change K-12 Guidelines News

NJSTA — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 14:18:58 GMT

First Lady Tammy Murphy Announces New Jersey Will Be First State in the Nation to Incorporate Climate Change Across Education Guidelines for K-12 Schools

https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/approved/20200603b.shtml

Climate Change in NJ Webinar Series

NJSTA — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 18:19:24 GMT

What does the most recent science tell us about climate change in NJ? Dr. Anthony Broccoli, Co-Director of the Rutgers Climate Institute, will highlight the most up-to-date climate science for New Jersey including trends and implications for the future of our state.

Series Description

Registration

ScIC2 Virtual Unconference for Science Teachers

NJSTA — Sun, 17 May 2020 16:58:08 GMT

Join PhET at the ScIC2 virtual unconference

PhET is excited to join an all-star list of talented speakers and presenters at the second "Science is Cool" virtual unconference - ScIC2 - this coming Thursday, May 21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pacific Time.

Join 3,000+ of your colleagues to get real, practical advice that you can use in your virtual classroom tomorrow. Our very own Dr. Kathy Perkins, Director of PhET, will be presenting 11:20-11:50 a.m. PT!

Oh, and it's free. Don't miss out!

Register Now

Remote Control: Get a handle on distance STEM learning
Thursday, May 21, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM PT
Zoom Virtual Conference
Can’t make this time? Register today, and watch the recording.
Full list of speakers and schedule

Fresno Pacific University is offering optional PD credits for $95.

And don’t miss the special keynote with Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of StarTalk!

Neil deGrasse Tyson is hosting a live edition of StarTalk: Cosmic Queries with and his comic co-host Chuck Nice.

This keynote event will begin at 9 a.m. PT. Submit your questions to Neil and Chuck and they just might answer it live!

Three ways to ask a question:

Register for ScIC2 and submit your question on the registration page.
Post it on Twitter using #ScICconf
Post it on ScIC Facebook page

Questions are due by Wednesday, May 20.

USDOE Grant Information

NJSTA — Sun, 17 May 2020 01:00:31 GMT

On May 11, 2020 the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office of School Support and Accountability Programs released a notice inviting applications for fiscal year 2020 for the Student-Centered Funding Demonstration Grants Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.424E. The Well-Rounded Education through Student-Centered Funding Demonstration Grants program provides competitive grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to demonstrate model programs for providing well-rounded education opportunities through the development and implementation of student-centered funding systems based on weighted per-pupil allocations under Section 1501 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Grants awarded under this program are intended to help build the capacity of LEAs to provide well-rounded education to establish models for expanding and enhancing delivery of such opportunities for educationally disadvantaged students. The deadline to submit applications for this grant is July 10, 2020.

To provide support with applying for this grant, on May 26, 2020 from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET the Office of School Support and Accountability Programs in collaboration with the Title IV, Part A Technical Assistance Center (T4PA Center) will be hosting a technical assistance webinar for prospective applicants. The purpose of the webinar is to provide more insight into the grant program and to answer any questions that prospective applicants may have about the program or application process. Registration is required for this event. To register, please click here. If you are unable to participate during the live event, this webinar will be recorded and available for reference on the T4PA Center Website, and on ED’s associated grant Website.

If you have any questions about the webinar event, contact the T4PA Center at info@t4pacenter.org. For questions about the grant program, please contact Denise M. Joseph at WeightedFundingPilot@ed.gov.

Office of School Support and Accountability Programs and The T4PA Center Team

FREE AMS Virtual Workshops This Summer

NJSTA — Sat, 09 May 2020 14:55:19 GMT

During this unprecedented time, ASM Materials Education Foundation is making the unprecedented decision not to hold our in-person Materials Camp – Teachers programs this summer. What we will be doing is providing interactive, virtual Materials Camp options each week so that you can still attend and learn with other teachers from your location to help build your community. The ASM Foundation will also be building our online community to provide you with year-round comradery and resources. Please join us by registering below!

An ASM Materials Education Foundation Materials Experience

WHO ATTENDS? Middle, high school teachers with an interest in science, engineering and industrial/career/tech education
WHY ATTEND? Hands-on activities and real-world applications you can incorporate into your classroom and curriculum
WHAT WILL I LEARN? Engage with NGSS science and engineering practices using simple, fun and low-cost experiments/demos
WHAT WILL IT COST ME? NOTHING! ASM Materials Camp®- Teachers are free to attend ($1,200 value)
HOW WILL MY STUDENTS BENEFIT? Help your students discover promising career opportunities in science and engineering

Learn new ways to connect science to your students online and in person with hands-on labs that can be done anywhere!

Jeane Deatherage, Administrator of Foundation Programs
440.338.5433 | jeane.deatherage@asminternational.org

Liberty Science Center FREE Virtual Programming

NJSTA — Sat, 02 May 2020 14:28:20 GMT

Liberty Science Center is offering free virtual programming during this time.

Please check out their presentations at: LSC FREE STEM Programming for Schools

Explore their other offerings at LSC In the House and the Spring 2020 Digital Learning page.

April is Citizen Science Month

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 03:17:47 GMT

Global Citizen Science Month (April 2020) is coordinated by SciStarter and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University with support from the National Library of Medicine and in collaboration with the Citizen Science Association, National Geographic, and Science Friday.

STEM Teaching Tools - Support for Science Learning

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 03:11:35 GMT

STEM Teaching Tools has posted some documents to share with families to explain the support of science learning, at home. It is translated into many different languages. These resources might be useful to educators, families, and educational leaders. They were developed by members of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS). Many of the links below connect to editable versions of each document. Please adapt the resources as necessary for your context.

Supporting Science Learning

LSC Remote Learning Resources

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:49:16 GMT

LSC IN THE HOUSE

Welcome to LSC in the House, the place where home scientists can conduct experiments, explore the world of LSC’s animals, find amazing movies to watch, and get inspired about science and technology without ever leaving the living room. (https://lsc.org/education/lsc-in-the-house)

NJTV Learning Live!

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:48:37 GMT

NJTV Learning Live!

Did you tune in this morning? There's still time! Every weekday, New Jersey educators will be providing supplemental learning lessons from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. during a segment called NJTV Learning Live!

To find out where you can tune in, click here: https://www.njtvonline.org/about/where-to-watch/

If you're in New Jersey and would like to stream the broadcast, click here: https://www.njtvonline.org/live/

NJSLS Resources List

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:43:35 GMT

This is a shared document that has selected resources for the NJSLS. It is not endorsed by the DOE, but has information grouped for grade level based on the standards.

This is a Google Document that will ask if you want to COPY the document.

NJSLS Resources

Free PD Resources from StonyBrook

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:32:04 GMT

Teaching and Learning Workshops

Free, live training from subject matter experts

Spend 60 minutes with us to learn best practices and new ways to safely use online learning technologies for presenting, encouraging student interaction, differentiation, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, and more.

All workshops are free or $25 if you want to earn one CTLE credit (be sure to select the CTLE option at registration).

Stonybrook Workshops

Message from Mike Heinz, Science Coordinator NJDOE

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:26:33 GMT

Teacher Resources for Remote Instruction

The New Jersey Department of Education has provided guidance and a list of resources to help educators meet the diverse needs of their students while schools are closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While there is no single way to provide remote instruction, it is important to remember that there will be differences in student’s access to technology; safe and supportive learning spaces; and adults and/or peers to support learning. (https://www.nj.gov/education/covid19/teacherresources/index.shtml)

Please visit our Distance Learning Website

NJSTA — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 02:23:43 GMT

Hi fellow educators and science friends,

Please visit our Distance Learning (#NJSTAChatsDistanceLearning) page for websites, information, and links that will help with remote, distance learning. We are also asking that you please share any resources that you think we should add to the page. There is a forum on the bottom of the page.

High School Online Epidemiology Textbook

NJSTA — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 01:24:30 GMT

ActivEpi Web: A Free Multimedia Online Epidemiology Textbook. Ideal for high school students, ActivEpi Web includes 15 lessons with narrated instructional expositions that use video and animation; interactive study questions and quizzes; and homework exercises. ActivEpi Web can be accessed at http://activepi.herokuapp.com. The author’s website at www.activepi.com provides further details about ActivEpi Web and includes free Power Point instructional materials. David Kleinbaum, Ph.D., professor emeritus of epidemiology at Emory University and developer of ActivEpi, said, “Epidemiology is very relevant for high school students because it provides a realistic practice-based approach to understanding the underlying concepts and methods of scientific research and because healthcare affects everyone.” For more information, contact Dr. Kleinbaum at dkleinb@emory.edu.

I.D. Antarctica Interactive Opportunity

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 02:09:17 GMT

I.D. Antarctica: Follow the adventures of polar scientist Andrew Corso and see if your students can identify the “mystery creatures” that he encounters during his research cruise along the West Antarctic Peninsula.

Once a week, on Tuesdays, we will post a photograph of a “mystery” creature from the depths of the Southern Ocean that participating classes will identify using the custom keys provided. Each Friday we will post the correct identification, as well as information about the animal and the surrounding ecosystem. The unique organisms we will post are found only in Antarctica and will include alien-like invertebrates, white-blooded icefishes, penguins, and several others. The program will begin January 14, 2020 and run for five consecutive weeks.

This opportunity is open to all grade levels and no registration is required – just make sure you are signed up to receive Polar-ICE blog posts (see sign up box at top right of this page.)

About our scientist:

Andrew Corso, a PhD candidate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, will be leading I.D. Antarctica. While he is primarily researching the impacts of climate change on Antarctic fishes, he has the opportunity to work with scientists studying a variety of Antarctic organisms, ranging from bacteria to whales. Andrew’s greatest passion is photography and his specialized equipment will help illustrate the otherworldly animals of the Southern Ocean.

Follow along at https://polar-ice.org/blog/

NJ State Science Day

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 01:31:58 GMT

The NJ State Science Day program is a competition between individuals and among teams of secondary school students on the subjects of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth, Space and Environmental Science funded by several scientific companies designed to identify outstanding science students within the state of NJ.The competition will take place online on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.The NJ State Science Day program will be held simultaneously at each school that registers. All schools must have the ability to administer the assessments electronically, and should make available the use of one keyboard computer per student for the exam day. Tablet style computers are not allowed. Once registered for NJ State Science Day, please arrange in advance to have computers available for Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

For more information and to register go to: https://quizcase.com/NJSSD/

Webinar to learn about the Lemelson-MIT 2020 InvenTeam grant program for high school

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 01:15:41 GMT

Dear Colleague,

Please join us on February 11, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. EST for a free webinar to learn about the Lemelson-MIT 2020 InvenTeam grant program for high school teachers and teams of students aiming to develop a solution to a problem the students identify in their local communities. We will walk you through the application process and you will also hear from a prior winner who will share tips for helping students come up with a good problem to solve.

Teachers who responded to our recent alumni survey tell us that the InvenTeam grant:

Was a life changing experience (83%)
Changed the way they teach (91%)
Connected teachers to a network they professionally gained from (90%)
Helped them to acquire additional funding (86%)

All former InvenTeam students in our survey agreed that they developed leadership, teamwork and communication skills (100%), developed perseverance (98%), and improved their self-confidence (99%). Students say they envisioned different paths to college and careers (91%) and 71% said they developed interests in STEM even though they were not previously interested in this subject area.

Learn more about the InvenTeams grant opportunity here or register now for the free webinar by clicking the button below.

Register Now

Become a STEM Advocate with the Society for Science and the Public

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:40:25 GMT

Help inspire STEM confidence in underserved
middle school and high school students!

Dear STEM Educator, Mentor, or Youth Advocate,

We invite you to apply for the Society for Science & the Public's Advocate Program, which provides a $3,000 stipend and training to an individual (teacher, scientist, counselor, or mentor) who agrees to serve as an advocate for a minimum of 3 additional underserved students to transition them from conducting scientific or engineering research (science fair-type) projects to completing applications to scientific research competitions. There are four different types of Advocates, which allow both beginners and more advanced applicants to further expand their capabilities to support student research competition participation.

Many students doing science research are not aware of the myriad of opportunities that are attainable by submitting their work to competitions. Just completing the rigorous application process can inspire confidence in their scientific abilities and lead them to consider a STEM career. Many competitions provide monetary awards for post-secondary education and can boost a student's chance of acceptance into the college or university of their choice. Too few underrepresented students are presented with these opportunities and often lack the know-how to successfully enter.

For eligibility information and to apply for the Advocate Grant Program, click here. Advocates must already have a formal role with students completing research projects. This program is sponsored by Arconic Foundation, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and Regeneron.

Application Deadline: March 4, 2020

Please reply to this message with any questions.

Sincerely,
Caitlin Sullivan — Director of Outreach & Equity Programs
Emily Freeland — Outreach & Equity Programs Specialist

Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. In addition to running the top science research competitions in the world (Regeneron Science Talent Search, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, and Broadcom MASTERS), the Society also publishes Science News magazine and Science News for Students online.

Princeton University QUEST Summer Institute

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:37:54 GMT

Princeton University is offering STEM professional learning at our QUEST 2020 summer institute for K-12 STEM teachers.

QUEST includes weather, math, lead in drinking water, current science research and the impact of wild fires, teachers focus on understanding current scientific phenomenon and mathematics problems.

QUEST builds K-12 teachers' knowledge of science and math content and practices through laboratory experiments and field experiences. Quest is co-taught by current Princeton University researchers and teachers at Princeton University July 6-9 and in the field July 27-30, 2020.

https://teacherprep.princeton.edu/quest2020

Registration before 4/3/20 is $50/person/day.

Important Message from Mike Heinz, NJDOE

NJSTA — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 00:34:03 GMT

The science standards are up for review and that public comment is vital in the process.

The NJDOE is required to review and revise, as appropriate, academic standards every five years. The science standards went to the state board with no changes, as recommended by the review committee. Last month, the Commissioner directed all of the content areas to enhance the presence of Climate Change in the academic standards. We were able to accommodate the directive with very few amendments to the science standards. I have attached a document that identifies all of the changes.

The amended NJSLS-S can be viewed here.

Please send feedback regarding the Draft 2020 NJSLS–S to science@doe.nj.gov. Public comment closes on March 30, 2020.

The NJDOE will hold public comment sessions on:

February 24 at Warren County Technical School;
March 4 at the NJDOE, 100 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, New Jersey; and
March 10 at Camden County College.

NJ School of Conservation Teaching Scholar Program

NJSTA — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 02:22:39 GMT

NJ School of Conservation Teaching Scholar Program: Biodiversity Field Methods

June 28- July 2, 2020

COST: FREE Scholarships will be funded by National Geographic and Montclair State University. Scholarships include all meals, on-site lodging and educational resources.

This five-day summer professional development workshop for middle school teachers will focus on an extended hands-on experience in assessing ecosystem biodiversity. Teachers will work alongside academic researchers and professional scientists to identify flora and fauna in the forest, stream and lake ecosystems in and around the NJ School of Conservation (NJSOC) within Stokes State Forest. Teachers will learn field methods and improve their content knowledge in biology, ecology, and environmental science.

Teachers will contribute to a NJSOC Bioblitz event scheduled to coincide with the workshop, allowing teachers to utilize the concept and curriculum materials for National Geographic’s and iNaturalists’s Bioblitz program. The concluding activity will be for the workshop participants to translate their newly developed skills to their classroom, school and local community by creating a lesson or unit plan that applies workshop learning. Full workshop description can be found HERE. Deadline to apply: April 1, 2020.

Foundation for Heath Advancement High School STEM Grant Program

NJSTA — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 02:17:40 GMT

HIGH SCHOOL STEM

GRANT PROGRAM

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS

The Foundation for Health Advancement provides grants to encourage and support innovative STEM projects in high schools throughout New Jersey. We are looking to fund projects that increase students' knowledge and hands-on experience in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded for innovative projects that bring new, exciting experiences to students which may motivate them to pursue STEM majors and careers.

STEM faculty members and high school STEM clubs supported by faculty members at public or private schools in New Jersey are eligible to apply. See Guidelines and Application link below for all of the details.

Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on February 1, 2020. Projects must be implemented by June 30, 2021.

For more information, please visit: https://www.foundationforhealthadvancement.org/high-school-stem-grant-program

World Science Festival, City of Science Event looking for volunteers

NJSTA — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 02:06:55 GMT

The World Science Festival, City of Science event will return to Fairleigh Dickinson University's Hackensack campus on Saturday, March 21, 2020.

We are looking for: Science faculty, teachers, and students and scientists who can sign up to be a Science Ambassador to explain exhibits.

College and high school students and science enthusiasts who can Volunteer to help run the event smoothly. This is a great opportunity to earn community service hours and learn how to communicate science.

Saturday, March 21: City of Science NEW JERSEY at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Hackensack campus-- SIGN UP HERE!

Urgent Request from Michael Heinz, NJ DOE

NJSTA — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 11:12:37 GMT

Request from Michael Heinz, NJ Department of Education Science Coordinator. Responses requested ASAP from High School Science teachers.

If you were give flexibility to build courses based on student interest, identity, culture, and community, what would those course titles be? The design specification to the courses would include that a) the courses would need to ensure that all kids engage in authentic and engaging learning tasks and b) would allow all kids to demonstrate proficiency with all of the NJSLS-S (grades 9-12).

Please respond directly to Michael.Heinz@doe.nj.gov

Real World Science Summer Teacher Seminar

NJSTA — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 11:46:38 GMT

Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 cohort of Real World Science! Please pass this on to teachers in your network.

The Real World Science Summer Teacher Seminar brings 28 teachers who will be teaching science to 5^th-8^th graders in the following school year to our museum for a weeklong training experience. Two of the spots are reserved for Louisiana teachers, and teachers from public and public charter schools are accepted. We are particularly looking for teachers with 2-10 years of experience who are excited to improve their practice of science teaching. The teachers learn best practices in science teaching and 3D instruction while being introduced to the Real World Science curriculum. It includes a trip to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Observatory in Livingston, LA, and a field day doing water quality studies at City Park and Lake Pontchartrain. Teachers are reimbursed for flight expenses, and the museum provides hotel accommodations and most meals.

This year’s cohort will join us in New Orleans from July 12th-18th 2020.

Applications are accepted from January 6th 2020 through March 13th 2020.

Apply here (https://nationalww2museum.submittable.com/submit/155881/real-world-science-summer-teacher-seminar-2020)

For more information, email realworldscience@nationalww2museum.org

PSTA Free Webinar

NJSTA — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 11:30:06 GMT

JOIDES looking for Onboard Outreach Officer for upcoming expeditions

NJSTA — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 11:54:47 GMT

The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in the U.S. is now accepting applications to sail as an as Onboard Outreach Officer on the JOIDES Resolution for 2 upcoming expeditions:

Expedition 391 Walvis Ridge Hotspot (December 5, 2020 - February 4, 2021)

392 Agulhas Plateau Cretaceous Climate (February 4, 2021 - April 6, 2021).

Sail on board the ship, be a part of a 30-member science party, conduct live ship-to-shore events to classrooms around the world, and come up with creative educational/outreach products! We welcome applications from classroom teachers, informal science educators, artists, videographers, writers, social media experts, and any who can make a good case for themselves. Selected applicants will have an opportunity to learn shipboard science alongside the expedition’s science party and translate the exciting science happenings to the general audience. Successful applicants will be creative, flexible, friendly, and hardworking. Some geoscience background is helpful. All expenses for U.S. Onboard Outreach Officers for travel to and from ports of call, and a $10,000 stipend are paid by the U.S. Science Support Program for IODP.

Onboard Outreach Officers are selected through a competitive application and interview process. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a 3-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-U.S. applicants will be directed to their country IODP office but are still encouraged to apply.

To apply, you will need to complete the application through our on-line application portal. During the application process, you will be asked to rank the expeditions in which you are interested. Our application has the following components:

A completed application form

An up-to-date C.V.

A recommendation letter

Contact information for 2 additional references

A one-page proposal for what projects you would like to do while on-board

Answers to 3 short essay questions

A letter of support from your administrator, if needed

Application deadline is February 10, 2020.

For more information, visit http://joidesresolution.org/onboard-outreach-officer/

American Modeling Teachers Association Professional Development Opportunities

NJSTA — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 13:43:47 GMT

The American Modeling Teachers Association will offer distance learning Modeling courses for the 2020 spring. The distance learning courses are synchronous sessions, 3 hours each, using the Zoom platform with video and break-out sessions. The leaders will dive deep into the Modeling pedagogy and use simulations and videos if labs cannot be conducted in participants’ own time.

· Intro to Modeling, a 15 week course hosted on Tuesday evenings 7-10 pm EST, starting January 14, 2020:

o For details and registration

· Advanced Topics for Middle School Modeling, a 5-week course hosted on Wednesday evenings from 7-10 pm EST, starting January 15, 2020:

o For details and registration

· Electricity & Magnetism Modeling course, a 15 week course hosted on Thursday evenings from 7-10 pm EST , starting January 16, 2020:

o For details and registration

Our Modeling Workshop Hosts and Leaders already have many summer workshops planned. The workshops can be searched by location and by content area. We have Modeling Workshops in Physics (mechanics, waves, E&M, Computational Modeling Physics 1^st), Chemistry (1^st and 2^nd semester), Biology (1^st and 2^nd semester), Middle School and Physical Science.

The Modeling Instruction pedagogy works very nicely with the Next Generation Science Standards, to see how well, check out the diagrams: https://www.modelinginstruction.org/connections-to-ngss-and-21st-century-skills/ And recently, we shared the podcast series with our members; if you want to listen to what David Hestenes, Brenda Royce, Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz and Larry Dukerich have to share, visit the Science Modeling Talks: https://sciencemodelingtalks.com/

NJ First Lady Request: Educators willing to share about climate change in the classroom

NJSTA — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 12:08:38 GMT

First Lady Tammy Murphy has contacted NJEA regarding her interest with climate change and education . NJEA is reaching out and asking if there any NJSTA members who would be willing to share what they have done in their classrooms in this area. Have you done lessons on climate change in your classroom? Lessons can be in any content area (science, language arts, math, arts, social studies, languages, technology, etc) and at any grade level.

Please share your experiences by emailing
Shannon Pellegrino, SPellegrino@njea.org by January 15^th.

NASA Earth Observatory Natural Hazards (Phenomena) Updates

NJSTA — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 10:38:16 GMT

WILDFIRES IN AUSTRALIA
Drought conditions have primed many regions for unusually high and intense fire activity.

    * Thick Smoke Blankets Southeastern Australia (Image from Jan 1, 2020; Posted Jan 2, 2020)
        https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146096/thick-smoke-blankets-southeastern-australia/?src=nha

    * Seeing the Parts for the Whole (Image from Dec 16, 2019; Posted Dec 18, 2019)
        https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146032/seeing-the-parts-for-the-whole/?src=nha

SOUTH AMERICAN FIRES IN 2019
Fire activity in the Amazon and much of South America often coincides with a dry season from July through October.

    * Tracking Amazon Deforestation from Above (Posted Dec 19, 2019)
        https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145988/tracking-amazon-deforestation-from-above/?src=nha

-- SEVERE STORMS (1 updated event, 1 new image) --

WINTER WEATHER IN NORTH AMERICA 2019-20
Early winter brought unusually heavy and widespread snow to much of the United States and parts of Canada.

    * Southern California Snow (Image from Dec 28, 2019; Posted Dec 31, 2019)
        https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146086/southern-california-snow/?src=nha

-- DROUGHT (1 updated event, 1 new image) --

LONG-TERM DROUGHT IN AFRICA
Parts of Africa have been plagued by dry seasons growing hotter and rainy seasons arriving later and with less water for crops and livestock.

    * Water Levels Keep Falling at Lake Kariba (Image from Nov 25, 2018; Posted Dec 30, 2019)
        https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146068/water-levels-keep-falling-at-lake-kariba/?src=nha

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Natural Hazards is a service of NASA Earth Observatory.
https://naturalhazards.nasa.gov/    https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Biology Teachers for NSF Project Pilot

NJSTA — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:39:19 GMT

The Education Development Center research team is looking for teachers who can help pilot test 3 blended learning curriculum modules (on polymorphism, trophic cascades, and population divergence). These modules were created as part of a National Science Foundation-funded project on teaching and learning with authentic ‘big’ data. Teachers receive a $200 donation for each module, as an incentive and a thank you.

Brief overview of the study:

What: Pilot Test one, two, or all three of the teaching modules

When: Anytime between Dec 1^st and March 1^st that fits with your curriculum

How Long: Each blended learning mini-unit takes approximately 3-4 classroom sessions

What You’ll Do: Attend a webinar about the modules, preview and teach one, fill out a questionnaire about your experience and/or be interviewed by a researcher; maybe have a researcher observe your class.

What You’ll Get: A $200 donation for each module you try out.

For more information, please email zisci@edc.org

Twitter: edctweets| Facebook: EDC| web: edc.org

2020 Thomas Edison Pitch Contest

NJSTA — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:30:01 GMT

Teachers, your holiday gift came early this year!

We are excited to announce that registration for the Thomas Edison Pitch Contest 2020 is NOW OPEN! This is the first year we are opening our registration for early birds who want to get a head start on their projects.

If your team registers by December 31st, you will receive your Maker's Kit weeks earlier than other teams AND a Thomas Edison goodie bag with fun memorabilia and educational resources!

You can click here to learn more about how to register now!

About 10 years ago, the Edison Innovation Foundation created this contest to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among students in grade 4-12. Our fun STEM contest will allow your students to create their own inventions to solve problems that they see in the world today by providing STEM supplies for FREE, hands-on experience, and state-of-the-art STEM prizes for your school. Learn more about the contest here.

We invite all students & teachers, whether your school has never done something like this before or you have received your fair share of Maker's Kits in the past, to join us in celebrating 10 years of bright ideas!

Get Your Maker's Kit Early!

American Modeling Teachers Association Professional Development Opportunities

NJSTA — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 14:28:56 GMT

Intro to Modeling: What are conceptual models? What is modeling? What is Modeling Instruction - what is it like for teachers? For students? How does it work? Why does it work? What does it have to do with NGSS? This distance learning course will take on these questions and more in a 15-week distance learning format that meets once weekly, three hours per meeting. We will delve into the cognitive underpinnings of Modeling Theory - reading about some of the seminal theories upon which it is based, engage in Modeling discourse and practice discourse management, watch videos of Modeling classrooms and make sense of student thinking by watching them whiteboard and listening to them talk with each other. We will look at how Modeling uncovers the spectrum of middle and high school science topics, exploring the storylines from the various disciplines, discussing the fundamental models of each of these disciplines with expert Modelers from physics, chemistry, biology, and middle school science. The course will be led by Janelle Hollingshead, Ariel Serkin, Tanea Hilber and Nathan Harada. For details and registration

Middle School Modeling Advanced Topics is a 5-week distance learning course for teachers who have already taken any Modeling workshop, thus bringing together a group of participants who are familiar with the pedagogy and have experience implementing it in the classroom. The course will address how to support teachers continuing to implement Modeling in their own classrooms. Main topics will include incorporating student-to-student discourse, assessing students’ conceptual learning, and leading engaging lessons that build models through storylines. This course will show how Modeling is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and 3-Dimensional Learning. Participants will also be given the opportunity to incorporate claim, evidence, reasoning into their science teaching repertoire. Finally, the course will focus on giving participants a more in-depth understanding of the middle school Modeling resources and provide assistance “Modelize-ing” their own activities. The course will be led by George Nelson and David Bates. For details and registration

This Spring on Thursdays from 7-10 PM (EST), AMTA will offer a 45-hour Distance Learning Electricity & Magnetism Modeling Course. It will run for 15 consecutive weeks, meeting for 3 hours per week for synchronous communications, and will require at least three additional hours per week for individual and virtual group work. The course will develop content knowledge and pedagogy for teaching a high school electricity and magnetism course from a microscopic Modeling perspective. This course will require you to bring your Modeling "A" game each week! This is an excellent opportunity for any Modeler who is looking to deepen their content understanding and extend their understanding and experience in Modeling. The course will be led by Holly McTernan, Jess Dykes and Donna Blakeney. For details and registration

Nominate a K-6 Math or Science Teacher for the Presidential Award

NJSTA — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 13:57:05 GMT

Nominate a deserving K-6 mathematics or science teacher within your district to win $10,000.

Anyone – including principals, teachers, parents, students, business leaders or members of the general public – may nominate exceptional mathematics or science teachers who are currently teaching grades K-6 for the 2019-20 award year.

Teachers may also apply directly on the PAEMST website.

2020 STEM Scholars Program - Applications Now Available

NJSTA — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 11:34:42 GMT

Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 class of National STEM Scholars, a program designed specifically for middle school teachers inspiring the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pioneers nationwide. Please forward! The deadline is February 1st.

The National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF) partners with the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Science and Mathematics at Western Kentucky University (WKU) to fund 10 scholarships each year for middle school science teachers working to transfer a passion for science to students in this age group. Research shows that students who get excited about STEM subjects in middle school are the ones who will take those courses in high school and major in them at the college level.

National STEM Scholars receive advanced education in the development of STEM projects for classroom implementation, spend a full day with a national thought leader in STEM education (the 2018 speaker was Dr. Eric Mazur of Harvard University, the 2019 speaker was Dr. John Medina – author of Brain Rules) and build a national network of colleagues for information sharing.

Scholars are selected based solely on the merit of questions answered in the application. The selection committee is not provided with names or locations of teacher applicants.

Over 40 Scholars have graduated from the National STEM Scholar Program. Each scholarship recipient receives the following:

Advanced education and leadership training on the campus of WKU from May 31 - June 6, 2020. All expenses – travel, lodging, meals – are included
A notebook/tablet (Chromebook or similar) to facilitate ongoing collaboration
A credit of up to $1,500 for technology and supplies to implement a classroom Challenge Project
Sponsored attendance at the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) Conference in March/April, 2021. All expenses – registration, travel, lodging, meals – are included
Year-long mentorship and support provided by Gatton Academy faculty

Applications are open now – click here to apply. The deadline is February 1, 2020.

Click here to learn more about the National Stem Cell Foundation. Please contact me if you have questions or would like more information.

Letting Learners Take the Lead. Problem Solving Strategies from EiE

NJSTA — Sun, 03 Nov 2019 14:52:20 GMT

Letting Learners Take the Lead: 3 Ways to Foster Problem Solving in Your Classroom

By Annie Whitehouse, 10/31/19 11:30 AM

Solving food scarcity. Preventing viral outbreaks. Designing buildings to withstand natural disasters. Through Engineering Adventures and Engineering Everywhere, learners across the country have proposed unique, data-driven solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. These flexible curricula were tested in afterschool and summer programs, but classroom educators across the country have been implementing them into their STEM instruction for years. Just ask Camie Walker, the Utah educator who was featured on our blog in 2016 for her incredible work with the Engineering Adventures unit Shake Things Up: Engineering Earthquake-Resistant Buildings. She chose units from EiE’s flexible curricula because she loves creating opportunities for learners to connect what they’re learning to the world around them and to follow their STEM interests and passions.

We sat down with Walker to learn how she uses flexible curricula to foster an inquiry-based, globally focused culture in her classroom that leads to plenty of real-world connections, and even the chance to perform with a Mythbuster!

Read more »

PhysicsQuest 2019 kits - registration available now!

NJSTA — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 01:44:45 GMT

We are excited to introduce PhysicsQuest 2019 and announce our latest featured physicist, Chien-Shiung Wu!

Register now for a free kit with everything you need to complete four amazing experiments in your classroom. Each kit includes a Teacher’s Guide, materials, and background information about a featured physicist.

[Register Now]

On this year’s quest, students will discover Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu’s important contributions to physics, and complete four experiments to learn about:

Thermal energy and equilibrium, using hot and cold water
Exothermic and endothermic reactions, using steel wool and vinegar
Thermal insulating properties, using thermal paper
Freezing and melting points, using ice, salt, and sugar

Please note: PhysicsQuest kits are limited in quantity and available on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be notified by email if you will receive a kit, or if you will be added to the waitlist and contacted next year.

https://physicscentral.com/experiment/physicsquest/

Sea Grant Asking for Reviewers

NJSTA — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 01:38:19 GMT

Hello Friends and Associates of NJSGC,

New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium will be reviewed on November 19-21 by a team convened by the National Sea Grant College Program. The review will be conducted at our Fort Hancock headquarters located on Sandy Hook, NJ and will consider all aspects of New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s programs, including but not limited to management and organization, performance, stakeholder engagement, and other collaborative activities, including those with various offices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This notice invites you to participate in our review by emailing your comments about New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium to oar.sg-feedback@noaa.gov.

This evaluation is critical to our nonprofit organization as the results impact our grants, funding, research, and programming among many other things. Without such support, NJSGC could not continue.

Kindly send your comments at your earliest convenience – the comment period will end on November 12, 2019. Please put “New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium site review” in the subject line.

Thank you for assisting New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium in providing the review team with your thoughts and comments.

New Updates from the Concord Consortium

NJSTA — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 01:34:40 GMT

Interactive STEM activities, free

Bring out the inner scientist in all your students with our scientifically accurate models and activities. Search below or head over to our NGSS Pathfinder!

https://learn.concord.org/

Teach plate tectonics

Try our new Plate Tectonics module for middle and high school students from our GEODE (Geological Models for Explorations of Dynamic Earth) project. A complete curriculum package includes student modules, pre- and post-tests, an interactive teacher’s edition, a real-time teacher dashboard, plus additional background materials and supplemental resources.

Try Now

Geniventure's dragons have been released

Our newest dragon genetics game, Geniventure, is now available. Designed to teach genetics, inheritance, and the gene-to-protein relationship, Geniventure includes an integrated intelligent tutoring system that helps guides student learning, a real-time dashboard of student progress and performance, new challenges, and extensive teacher support materials. And it runs on iPads and tablets!

Try Now

High-Adventure Science curriculum packages

Our popular High-Adventure Science resources for middle and high school students now include complete curriculum packages with student modules, pre- and post-tests, plus new features, including an interactive teacher’s edition and real-time teacher dashboard. They also provide additional background materials and supplemental resources.

Thinking & Doing with Data

The Designing 2030: Thinking & Doing with Data meeting catalyzed a group of education leaders to further advance the conversation on how to achieve data fluency and support data science education for all. They explored one central question: How can open data and innovative technologies transform the way we teach and learn science and broaden participation by more learners?

Read the Report (PDF)

Fueling Education Discovery Education Challenge

NJSTA — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 01:29:56 GMT

Solve Real World Problems
With the CITGO Fueling Education Student Challenge!

In partnership with Discovery Education, CITGO is excited to announce the launch of their NEW Fueling Education Student Challenge now open to students in grades 5-8! Encourage your students to make a real-world impact and start exploring solutions to some of the world's toughest challenges today.

ENTER TODAY

The Topics: Students may work individually or in groups up to 4 people, to solve a problem in their community that aligns to one of four United Nations Sustainability Development Goals:

1. Safety & Well-Being
2. Quality Education
3. Sustainable Cities & Communities
4. Life on Land

The Criteria: Students must submit a 1-2 minute video detailing the identified problem and their STEM solution. Don't forget to use the classroom resources dedicated to helping students brainstorm for the challenge. Students have until February 13, 2020 to submit!

The Prizes: Encourage students to start thinking about their solution today for the chance to win $20,000! Learn more about the prizes here.

Have Questions? We can help! Email our team at FuelingEducation@discoveryed.com.

Join the conversation on Twitter by following @DiscoveryEd and @CITGO and using #FuelingEducation

2020 Bioolympiad Registration Available

NJSTA — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:36:30 GMT

As the premiere biology competition for high school students in the United States, the USA Biolympiad (USABO) enriches the life science education of nearly 10,000 talented students annually. It provides the motivation, curricular resources, and skills training to take them beyond their classroom experience to the level of international competitiveness. Check out "What Is the USABO?" To view the full 2020 USABO Schedule, click here.

After two rounds of challenging exams, twenty Finalists are invited to a residential training program where they learn advanced biological concepts and exacting lab skills at the USABO National Finals. To view the 2019 USABO National Finalists, click here.Ultimately, four students earn the right as USA Biolympiad Team to represent the USA at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), a worldwide competition involving student teams from over seventy countries.

Lexus EcoChallenge 2019-2020

NJSTA — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:31:20 GMT

National STEM Competition! $500,000 in Scholarships and Grants!

The Lexus Eco Challenge, now in its 13th year, continues with registration for the Air & Climate Challenge! The Challenge asks student teams, led by a teacher/advisor, to identify and research environmental issues in their community, then develop and implement action plans that help solve the problem. Students come away empowered knowing that they can work together to help address the United Nations Sustainability Goals and make a positive change in the environment on a local level.

Register your teams to jump-start inquiry, creativity, and advocacy in your classroom.

How to Get Started

Assemble teams of 5–10 for the Air & Climate Challenge and register them
Use our lessons that support next-generation science standards to inspire and kick off student action plans
Submit completed action plans by December 4 for your team’s chance to win $10,000

2020 Summer Modeling Workshops and Courses

NJSTA — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 23:15:26 GMT

Modeling Workshops and Courses

Each summer the AMTA sponsors face-to-face workshops across the United States and the world. Summer workshops are typically 2-3 weeks in duration in order to thoroughly treat the pedagogy and content for a typical STEM course, and to have a transformative effect upon the classrooms of our teacher participants. Content addressed includes approximately one semester of a typical high school physics, chemistry, physical science, biology or middle school course. The 2020 Modeling Workshops are already getting posted on the website, as soon as we hear about a new workshop, we will add it.

https://modelinginstruction.org/professional-development/upcoming-workshops/summer-2020/

AMTA offers a variety of distance learning courses based on members’ interests and requests. We also offer opportunities for non-Modelers to learn about Modeling Instruction through introductory courses. Past distance learning courses include: Introduction to Modeling, Mechanics, Chemistry II, Electricity & Magnetism, and Advanced Modeling Instruction. Distance learning can be taken to gain knowledge about the pedagogy, to learn and/or strengthen content knowledge, or to further improve your teaching practices. After the success of the last few years’ distance learning courses, we are adding 3 courses to the spring 2020 line-up.

*Participants may earn graduate credits through university partners for an additional fee

·        Intro to Modeling, a 15 week course hosted on Tuesday evenings 7-10 pm EST

o   For details and registration: https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2125

·        Advanced Topics for Middle School Modeling, a 5-week course hosted on Wednesday evenings from 7-10 pm EST

o   For details and registration: https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2126

·        Electricity & Magnetism Modeling course, a 15 week course hosted on Thursday evenings from 7-10 pm EST

o   For details and registration: https://www.eweblife.com/prm/AMTA/calendar/event?event=2123

Aviation Design Challenge for High School Students

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:58:50 GMT

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s (GAMA) supports an annual competition to promote STEM skills in U.S. high school students through an aviation curriculum and a virtual fly-off. Registration is now open for the 2020 Aviation Design Challenge. Slots are available for the first 150 high school teachers that enter.

The competition is free – we provide a curriculum developed in alignment with national STEM standards along with the world’s top software for personal computers through a partnership with Fly to Learn and X-Plane. The winning team receives an all-expenses-paid trip to experience general aviation manufacturing firsthand, and the team placing second receives a prize of an in-school, two-day STEM Lab Camp hosted by Redbird Flight Simulations.

Learn more about the Aviation Design Challenge, and register, on our website: http://bit.ly/2idxzkF

Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) applications open.

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:55:51 GMT

The Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP)

The Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) is CEE’s program for middle and high school STEM and CTE teachers. TEP provides opportunities for rural and urban teachers to connect with experts from industry and academia to explore cutting-edge research and make meaningful professional links with direct benefits for themselves and their students. All online resources and events are cost-free for all participants. TEP events are currently held in California, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. We invite interested teachers to visit the program website at www.cee.org/teacher-enrichment-program to find out how to connect with scientists and engineers in the community through Bite of Science sessions and Teacher Roundtables and to explore a variety of online STEM resources. If you have any questions about being part of our programming, please contact Mariah Green, Teacher Enrichment Program Director (mbgreen@cee.org).

USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) Registration Open

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:54:37 GMT

USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) Registration is OPEN!

You and your students are invited to participate in the 2020 USA Biolympiad (USABO). The USABO is a three-tier competition that demands the very best of students in biology theoretical and laboratory knowledge. The USABO mission concentrates on stimulating young scholars’ intellectual curiosity and developing their critical thinking in laboratory skills and biological reasoning to propel them to careers of excellence and leadership in science and technology.

Registration opens September 23, 2019 for teachers and students! To register, please visit the USABO website https://www.usabo-trc.org/. The registration fee is $95 per school regardless of the number of student participants. Be sure to check out the Biology Story of the day and to “friend” the USABO on Facebook. Students should check the Student Corner for study resources and how to form a USABO Club. Registration closes January 14, 2020. The final four students on Biolympiad Team USA will compete at the International Biology Olympiad in Nagasaki, Japan, July 3 to 11, 2020 (http://www.ibo2019.org/news/welcome-movie). Contact Mr. Andersen, USABO Manager (kandersen@cee.org) or Kathy Frame, USABO Consultant & Advisor (kframe@cee.org) if you have any questions. We look forward to your students participating!

Visit us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/USA-Biology-Olympiad/174800742579037

Research Science Institute Applications Open

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:37:12 GMT

RESEARCH SCIENCE INSTITUTE (RSI) – Application is OPEN!

The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) co-sponsor the Research Science Institute (RSI), a six-week program that nurtures high school scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). CEE seeks talented 11^th (or the equivalent) Grade STEM Students who have a desire to complete an unforgettable research program through the RSI program.

The 2020 RSI program will be held on the MIT campus June 21 to August 1, 2020. The program is cost free to students except for travel to and from MIT. If you are a high school junior or equivalent and interested in this program, visit the CEE website (www.cee.org). For more information about the application process, please visit RSI application materials at http://www.cee.org/apply-rsi. Registration is open for RSI 2020 and the deadline to apply is January 15, 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact Maite Ballestero, Executive Vice President, Programs & Administration, maite@cee.org. See us on Facebook - look for Center for Excellence in Education!

Call for Presenters for NJAMLE Conference in March, 2020

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:31:48 GMT

NJAMLE is preparing for our state conference being held at Kean University in March. Adam Welcome, co-author of "Kids Deserve It" is the keynote speaker.

If you are interested, please complete the Call for Presenters Form: https://forms.gle/QUDF66JogG7BRTzH8

https://njamle.org - Come learn, share, and connect -We're better together!

National STEM Scholars Program looking for Middle School Teachers

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:28:39 GMT

National STEM Scholar Program

We need your help to share an all-expenses paid professional learning opportunity for middle school science teachers affiliated with your organization. Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 class of the National STEM Scholars Program, a program designed specifically for middle school science teachers inspiring the next generation of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) pioneers nationwide. Please forward!

Forward

An all-expenses-paid professional development opportunity for 10 select middle school science teachers

Apply Now

Seeking middle school science teachers who:

enjoy the creativity in teaching
are eager to share ideas with colleagues
are excited about networking with peers from across the U.S.
would like financial and academic support for great ideas

The National STEM Scholar Program works to inspire the creativity and passion of middle school science teachers, ten of whom will be selected for this prestigious program. The next set of Scholars will be hosted by The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science and The Center for Gifted Studies from May 31 - June 6, 2020 at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Scholars will engage in hands-on, minds-on science activities; connect with speakers and thought leaders in STEM education; learn with skilled science educators; and develop a creative Challenge Project for classroom implementation. Each Scholar will receive a Chromebook and funding for Challenge Project supplies and materials.

National STEM Scholars will share midpoint progress with their colleagues while attending the National Science Teachers Association annual meeting in April 2021. Mentoring will be provided throughout the year by Western Kentucky University faculty.

All expenses, including travel costs, materials, mentoring and Challenge Project supplies will be covered by a grant from the National Stem Cell Foundation.

If you have questions, please call 270-745-6323 or email gifted@wku.edu.

Application Deadline February 1
Learn more & apply at

wku.edu/gifted/nss

Space Innovation Contest for Students from Scholastic

NJSTA — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 13:19:45 GMT

View in browser

What's it like to visit space? Ask your students to use their problem-solving
skills to create an innovation for travelers staying at a hotel in space.
Students can compete to win an iPad and $1,000 for
your classroom—bonus: chance to speak with astronauts!
Start by completing our STEM lesson and activities that support the contest.

SCHOLASTIC.COM/OPENINGDOORSINSPACE

Raritan Valley Community College NGSS workshops

NJSTA — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 12:00:00 GMT

To support educators with the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards,
the Science Education Institute is offering
a series of one-day NGSS workshops.
These workshops are continuously updated
based on national best practices.

Making Crosscutting Concepts

Explicit

Grades K-5: Tuesday November 12, 2019

Grades 6-12: Wednesday November 13, 2019

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Fee: $125; Credits: 5.5 PDU Hours

More Information

Participants will be engaged in NGSS-aligned investigations that are driven by natural phenomena in a variety of science content areas to deepen their understanding of Practices and Crosscutting Concepts and how they mutually support each other.
Participants will learn how to use Crosscutting Concepts to frame questions for class discussions and to focus student thinking about natural phenomena. They will take away strategies to help students define systems related to the natural phenomena they are investigating. Specifically, they will investigate how to trace the matter and energy into, within, and out of these systems, and consider how these systems are changing and on what scale.
Participants will experience and reflect on how Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas are meaningfully integrated in instruction and assessments using Performance Tasks.
There will be time for reflection and to plan NGSS-aligned lessons.
The workshop leader, Dr. Wil van der Veen, is a nationally recognized expert in science education and a member of the New Jersey State Leadership Team for the NGSS. Participants will work in small groups that are facilitated by experienced classroom teachers from our NGSS Teacher Leader Program.

Register Online

We recommend sending leadership teams of 3-7 teachers to at least three one-day workshops or the Summer Institute to develop a solid foundation for the NGSS.

Register soon - workshops fill up quickly!

*************************************

Visit www.raritanval.edu/ngss
for more information and to register for our

NGSS Professional Development Workshop Series
for 2019-2020

*************************************

Using Systems and System Models

to Make Sense of Phenomena

Tuesday December 10, 2019 (Grades K-5)

Wednesday December 11, 2019 (Grades 6-12)

Constructing Explanations Supported by Arguments

Tuesday February 4, 2020 (Grades K-5)

Wednesday February 5, 2020 (Grades 6-12)

Planning NGSS-Aligned Lessons and Assessments

Tuesday March 10, 2020 (Grades K-5)

Wednesday March 11, 2020 (Grades 6-12)

This workshop series is supported by generous grants from the New Jersey Spacegrant Foundation.

*****

Other Professional Development Workshops offered by the Science Education Institute

Starlab Training

Wednesday November 20, 2019 (Grades K-12)

Fee: $150; Credits: 6 PDU Hours

*****

To discuss long-term NGSS professional development plans contact Dr. Wil van der Veen a wil.vanderveen@raritanval.edu

Kids Invent Webinar October 9th

NJSTA — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 02:24:20 GMT

Kids Invent Webinar

Join Lemelson-MIT and partners MED-EL Medical Electronics, Deaf Kids Code and Invention Convention for a webinar that will offer insight into ideas4ears, a children’s invention contest that aims to come up with solutions for people living with hearing loss. MED-EL, who organizes ideas4ears, is a global innovation leader in hearing loss solutions, its founders having been the first to develop the microelectronic multi-channel cochlear implants. The contest was created to “improve children’s understanding of the challenges associated with hearing loss and deafness as well as the benefits of treatment.”

Topics to be covered include:

Explanation of the contest and its background
Details into the application process
Related invention example from a past ideas4ears winner
Shared insight and invention resources from partner programs

OpenSci Ed Launches First Three Units of Open-Content Instructional Materials for Middle School

NJSTA — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 01:42:23 GMT

OpenSci Ed Launches First Three Units of Open-Content Instructional Materials

Developed by World-Class Science Curriculum Developers for Middle School, Free Materials are designed for the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Science.

OpenSciEd, an effort led by ten partner states -including NJ-, science educators, curriculum developers, and philanthropic organizations to improve the supply of and demand for high-quality K12 science materials, announced the public release of its first freely available instructional materials for middle school science. The three units of instruction, Thermal Energy, Metabolic Reactions and Sound Waves, have been externally evaluated by Achieve's Science Peer Review Panel and are listed as examples of quality materials on www.nextgenscience.org. They each cover approximately six weeks of classroom time.

“It’s a privilege to provide schools with rigorous science instructional materials that combine the expertise of a world-class development consortium and the wisdom of current teachers, administrators and state leaders,” said Jim Ryan, Executive Director of OpenSciEd. “These first three units are just the beginning of this initiative, and we will continue to release instructional materials every six months until there is a complete middle grades program in early 2022.”

OpenSciEd brings together leadership from ten partner states and world-class science curriculum developers from BSCS Science Learning, Northwestern University, Boston College, The Charles A. Dana Center and Digital Promise to make available free classroom and professional development materials for every teacher.

“This project is a tremendous opportunity to advance science education,” said Dr. Daniel Edelson, executive director of BSCS Science Learning. “Each member of the Developers Consortium is deeply committed to working with classroom teachers, specialists, and education leaders in the design and implementation of our instructional materials. It is a huge honor to be involved in this work during a time when high quality instructional materials for science are critically needed.”

OpenSciEd materials are freely available in both print-ready PDFs and as editable google docs, allowing teachers, schools and districts more flexibility. Ryan notes the organization’s mission is to eliminate as many barriers as possible for teachers and students to access and use high- quality materials and has partnered with a printer and kit provider to offer the materials at extremely competitive prices for those who wish to purchase the materials

“Since launching in 2016, Achieve’s Science Peer Review Panel (PRP) has reviewed nearly 300 free and publicly available units using the EQuIP Rubric for Science and only 14 units have earned the top two ratings, including the three units released by OpenSciEd,” said Matt Krehbiel, Director for Science at Achieve.

“The OpenSciEd project has pioneered a process by which classroom teachers, district and state leadership, researchers and curriculum developers work together to produce a high quality, standards-aligned curriculum that has been proven to engage all students, regardless of identity or background, in meaningful science instruction,” said Jill Cowart, Assistant Superintendent, Academic Content at Louisiana Department of Education. “The newly released units, brought to life by teachers, have the potential to reshape middle school science education across the country.”

This project is made possible by the generous philanthropic support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

About OpenSciEd

OpenSciEd was launched in 2018 as a nonprofit to address the need among teachers and school districts for high-quality, open-source, full-course science instructional materials, as well as to support the implementation of middle school science instructional units as a result of the adoption of the National Research Council’s document, A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

For more information about OpenSciEd, please visit our website at www.OpenSciEd.org

The Liberty Science Center is the OpenSciEd lead training hub for the state of New Jersey. New Jersey educators interested in OpenSciEd should email Anthony Bisulca or Michael Heinz for more information.

Thomas Edison for Teachers

NJSTA — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 01:17:52 GMT

Welcome Back to School!

It's a brand new school year and we are ready for it. How are you using Thomas Edison in the classroom this year? Whether you're an history teacher, art teacher, a parent, or all of the above - Edison can inspire students in many different ways. Spark some bright ideas with the resources below:

Join our Facebook Group for Teachers
Our new group, Edison for Teachers, was created to help you collaborate with other teachers from all over the world. Share your bright ideas & get inspiration on how to teach your students about the Life of Edison, the importance of STEM, how to invent & innovate, and more. JOIN HERE →

Compete in the Thomas Edison Pitch Contest 2020
Over the last 10 years, we have watched your students amaze us with the most creative ideas and thoughtful presentations year after year. To celebrate, we are featuring special prizes, challenges, and more for this year's competition! You can sign a team up as early as this November this year. LEARN MORE →

8 Ways to Excite Your Students About Thomas Edison
We know that an old scientist with a light bulb isn't always the most appealing thing to teach...good thing Edison wasn't your average scientist! Here are 8 activities that might spark interest students like these. READ MORE →

Need Edison info for your class?

Visit our website here to learn more about Thomas Edison, his inventions, his quotes, and more! We are the most reliable source for all your Edison book reports and project needs.

JOIN THE THOMAS EDISON COMMUNITY

VISIT THOMASEDISON.ORG

October 5th Solar Party at Snyder's Farm Fall Festival

NJSTA — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 01:53:03 GMT

Saturday, October 5th, from 11AM-2PM.

The Franklin Astronomy Club will debut it’s new hydrogen alpha telescope setup at the Snyder Farms Fall Festival in Somerset, NJ.

Please see the attached flyer or visit http://facebook.com/FranklinAstronomy for details.

Festival details here: http://snyders-farm.com/fall-festival/

Applications for the 2019 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards are due this Friday!

NJSTA — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 01:47:21 GMT

Applications for the 2019 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards are due this Friday!

The Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards Program is New Jersey’s premier awards program for recognizing outstanding environmental performance, programs and projects throughout the state. These awards recognize individuals, businesses, institutions, communities, organizations, educators, youth and others who have made significant contributions to environmental protection in New Jersey.

Since the awards program was established in 2000, nearly 180 winners have been recognized.

Nominations can be submitted for the following categories: Climate Change & Clean Air; Healthy Ecosystems and Habitats; Water Resources; Land Conservation; Healthy and Sustainable Communities; and Healthy and Sustainable Businesses. In addition, the category for “Environmental Education” has been divided into two awards: one for adult-led educational initiatives and one for projects that are student-led or have succeeded due to a high level of student involvement.

The Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology, in partnership with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

Award winners will be honored at a ceremony in December, to be held in or near Trenton.

The 2019 application and awards information can be found at www.nj.gov/dep/awards. Completed applications must be received at DEP by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 4.

For questions about the application or awards program call Tanya Oznowich at (609) 984-9802 or email her at Tanya.Oznowich@dep.nj.gov.

2019 GeoSTEM Academy for Elementary and Middle School Teachers

NJSTA — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 19:54:12 GMT

Sterling Hill Mining Museum

“An Earth Science Journey from Ore to Store”

The origins of our everyday “stuff” is a mystery to most. This workshop will take you on a natural resource journey from ore to store to explore how Earth materials are acquired and refined to create the products on our shelves. The content of this workshop is a perfect fit for elementary and middle school teachers seeking innovative ways to connect students to everyday Earth and Space Science phenomena. The academy takes place at Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, NJ on Saturday November 2, 2019 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM (8:00 AM check-in). Attending teachers will receive classroom resources to effectively tie the workshop content into their curricula related to K-8 Earth and Space Science NGSS. Additionally, six professional development hours will be provided. Workshop fee: $30, payable the day of the workshop and includes lunch and materials. Register at: https://forms.gle/pi3p92hQwSMDrEkU8 Registration closes October 18^th or when capacity of 30 has been met. Contact Missy Holzer (mholzer@monmouth.com) with any questions.

PowerSave School Program taking applications

Thu, 29 Aug 2019 00:40:06 GMT

PowerSave Schools- now available through the online emPowered platform- enables students to solve real-world challenges by giving them knowledge and tools to help their schools and communities reduce energy consumption, therein moving toward a greener future.

Last year, 38 schools throughout New Jersey participated in the Alliance to Save Energy’s PowerSave Schools program. This school year, South Jersey Gas is giving (30) new schools the opportunity to take part at NO cost to the school .

Look at the website to learn more about what the program can do for your school: https://www.ase.org/projects/powersave-schools

Schools are invited to fill one of these open spots!

Please find additional information and the application at: https://www.ase.org/resources/welcome-back-2019-2020-school-year

This is a Sustainable Jersey for School Program. http://www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/grants-resources/resource-opportunities/sjg-power-save-schools/

The deadline for the application has been extended, so you have time to apply.

2019 application for the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards Program now available

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 23:59:14 GMT

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to announce that the 2019 application for the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards Program is available.

Applications must be received at the DEP by Friday, October 4 at 5 p.m.

Each year, the DEP receives several applications for consideration from NJ school leaders, teachers and students.

Please see the press release at: https://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2019/19_0068.htm

Visit https://www.nj.gov/dep/awards/ for more information.

National Chemistry Week Information

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 23:07:47 GMT

Every year the American Chemical Society (ACS) celebrates National Chemistry Week (NCW), a public awareness campaign that promotes the value of chemistry in everyday life. The mission of NCW is to reach the public, particularly K-12 students with positive messages about chemistry.

Celebrate this year's NCW, October 20-26 with the theme, "Marvelous Metals."

Learn more about National Chemistry Week at www.acs.org/ncw.

Free PD for High School Biology and Middle School Life Science Teachers

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 00:32:18 GMT

This free PD on Saturday, September 21, 9-12 a.m. will include the hands-on activity, Enzymes Help Us Digest Food, the analysis and discussion activity, Introduction to the Functions of Proteins and DNA, and a talk on Protein Structure and Function in Archaea. The registration deadline for Philadelphia teachers to be guaranteed supplies is September 4; the final registration deadline is September 18. Additional information about the location on the University of Pennsylvania campus and a link to register for this PD are available at https://sites.google.com/site/biologypd/home/professional-development.

EdReports seeks educators for K-5 science reviews

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 01:43:20 GMT

Are you experienced with the NGSS? Are you committed to quality instructional materials? If so, APPLY TODAY for an opportunity to share your expertise and review instructional materials with EdReports.

Who is EdReports looking for? EdReports is a by educator, for educator organization. Currently, classroom educators, district specialists, state specialists, non-formal educators, retired educators, and those pursuing advanced science education degrees participate in review.

What are the requirements? The profile of a science reviewer includes expertise in the NGSS and a commitment to quality instructional materials.

What can I expect if selected to be a reviewer? K-5 reviews will have two teams dedicated to each program (K-2 and 3-5 teams), with five reviewers per team. Reviewers can expect the following:

· Each reviewer spends about 5-10 hours per week throughout the process, including attending a one-hour virtual call each week with their team.

· Each review typically lasts between 4-6 months.

· Reviewers receive more than 25 hours of online and in-person professional development, a stipend ranging from $1,750 - $2,500 depending on the role on a review team, opportunities to learn with national experts in the field, and much more.

· An in-person event will be scheduled during the review to provide calibration and in-person support for the K-5 review. Expenses will be paid by EdReports.

Who is EdReports? EdReports is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower educators with independent, credible, evidence-rich information about instructional materials to ensure students have what they need to be college and career-ready. Visit https://www.edreports.org/ to learn more about EdReports and its mission.

How do I apply? Visit the EdReports website to learn more about becoming a reviewer and complete an application.

Once you apply, an application task will be sent requesting demonstration of your NGSS knowledge. Following receipt of a satisfactory application task, EdReports will schedule a 30 minute interview to learn more about you and share more about the upcoming review.

NGSS - Back to School Resources from Achieve

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 01:35:47 GMT

Back to School: Resources Reminder

As we gear up to begin another school year, don't forget about these great resources that are freely available to support high-quality, three-dimensional science learning!

NGSS Parent Guides: A suite of parent resources (also available in Spanish) that illustrate how the standards are a powerful foundation to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time. The parent guides are available for Grades K-2, Grade 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12.
NGSS Overview for Principals: This document introduces principals to the NGSS and provide a general overview of the key instructional and conceptual shifts required by the NGSS.
NGSS Appendices: The NGSS Appendices provide a wealth of background and detail about the standards, along with some implementation models.
NGSS Quality Units and TAPS: Using the quality units that have been vetted by the Science Peer Review Panel and the detailed feedback that goes along with each unit (15 great units across K-12 and more coming soon!), or the resources that are a part of the Task Annotation Project in Science (TAPS) is a great way to up your NGSS game for the upcoming school year!

How We Teach Science - Twitter Slow Book Chat Summer 2019

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 01:32:07 GMT

Summer Slow Book Chat on Twitter

TJ McKenna of the University of Connecticut and ngssphenomena.com is hosting a slow book chat on twitter this summer about How We Teach Science, a book by John Rudolph, which examines the history of science education, what's changed, and why it matters. Join the hashtag #HowWeTeachScience twice a month on Twitter to follow the conversation or participate in the online book club. If you're interested in another book study targeted to science educators, check out this opportunity to read and discuss How Climate Change Comes to Matter.

New Jersey Science Teachers Association News

ScIC3 Virtual Conference on July 8th

NJSTA Statement and Upcoming Events

NJ Climate Change K-12 Guidelines News

First Lady Tammy Murphy Announces New Jersey Will Be First State in the Nation to Incorporate Climate Change Across Education Guidelines for K-12 Schools

Climate Change in NJ Webinar Series

ScIC2 Virtual Unconference for Science Teachers

Join PhET at the ScIC2 virtual unconference

And don’t miss the special keynote with Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of StarTalk!

USDOE Grant Information

FREE AMS Virtual Workshops This Summer

Liberty Science Center FREE Virtual Programming

April is Citizen Science Month

STEM Teaching Tools - Support for Science Learning

LSC Remote Learning Resources

NJTV Learning Live!

NJSLS Resources List

Free PD Resources from StonyBrook

Teaching and Learning Workshops

Free, live training from subject matter experts

Message from Mike Heinz, Science Coordinator NJDOE

Please visit our Distance Learning Website

High School Online Epidemiology Textbook

I.D. Antarctica Interactive Opportunity

About our scientist:

NJ State Science Day

Webinar to learn about the Lemelson-MIT 2020 InvenTeam grant program for high school

Become a STEM Advocate with the Society for Science and the Public

Help inspire STEM confidence in underserved middle school and high school students!

Princeton University QUEST Summer Institute

Important Message from Mike Heinz, NJDOE

NJ School of Conservation Teaching Scholar Program

Foundation for Heath Advancement High School STEM Grant Program

HIGH SCHOOL STEM

GRANT PROGRAM

World Science Festival, City of Science Event looking for volunteers

Urgent Request from Michael Heinz, NJ DOE

Real World Science Summer Teacher Seminar

PSTA Free Webinar

JOIDES looking for Onboard Outreach Officer for upcoming expeditions

American Modeling Teachers Association Professional Development Opportunities

NJ First Lady Request: Educators willing to share about climate change in the classroom

NASA Earth Observatory Natural Hazards (Phenomena) Updates

Biology Teachers for NSF Project Pilot

2020 Thomas Edison Pitch Contest

American Modeling Teachers Association Professional Development Opportunities

Nominate a K-6 Math or Science Teacher for the Presidential Award

2020 STEM Scholars Program - Applications Now Available

Letting Learners Take the Lead. Problem Solving Strategies from EiE

Letting Learners Take the Lead: 3 Ways to Foster Problem Solving in Your Classroom

PhysicsQuest 2019 kits - registration available now!

Sea Grant Asking for Reviewers

New Updates from the Concord Consortium

Interactive STEM activities, free

Fueling Education Discovery Education Challenge

2020 Bioolympiad Registration Available

Lexus EcoChallenge 2019-2020

2020 Summer Modeling Workshops and Courses

Aviation Design Challenge for High School Students

Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) applications open.

USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) Registration Open

Research Science Institute Applications Open

Call for Presenters for NJAMLE Conference in March, 2020

National STEM Scholars Program looking for Middle School Teachers

National STEM Scholar Program

Seeking middle school science teachers who:

enjoy the creativity in teaching

are eager to share ideas with colleagues

are excited about networking with peers from across the U.S.

would like financial and academic support for great ideas

wku.edu/gifted/nss

Space Innovation Contest for Students from Scholastic

Raritan Valley Community College NGSS workshops

Kids Invent Webinar October 9th

Kids Invent Webinar

OpenSci Ed Launches First Three Units of Open-Content Instructional Materials for Middle School

OpenSci Ed Launches First Three Units of Open-Content Instructional Materials

Thomas Edison for Teachers

Welcome Back to School!

Need Edison info for your class?

Help inspire STEM confidence in underserved
middle school and high school students!