Maine EPSCoR Upcoming Events

 

Events for High School Students

Maine EPSCoR High School Internship Program at the University of Maine in Orono, June-August 2014

The Maine EPSCoR High School Research Internship Program is an exciting paid opportunity for high school students to participate in cutting-edge research on a college campus. Students will work with UMaine faculty, students and others in a variety of fields while learning about sustainable science and water quality issues. Interns
must be at least 16 years old and have daily transportation to the UMaine campus. Contact Maine EPSCoR Outreach and Program Manager, Laurie Bragg, with any questions at (207)-581-2295 or laurie.bragg@maine.edu.
Applications will be available soon at www.umaine.edu/epscor.

Wabanaki Youth Science (WaYS): wskitkamikww "earth" camp at the Schoodic Education & Research Center (SERC), Acadia National Park, July 7-11, 2014

This overnight camp provides high school students an opportunity to spend a week learning about the intersection of traditional cultural philosophies and the environmental science that provides a foundation to care for the land and water that is such an integral part of Wabanaki heritage. Contact camp project administrator, tish carr, with any questions at (207)-485-0219 or tish.carr@maine.edu. Applications will be available soon at www.umaine.edu/
epscor.

Events for Faculty and Professional Educators

SENCER-Related Events

SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities) is an organization that applies the science of learning to the learning of science, all to expand civic capacity. SENCER courses and programs connect science, technology, engineering, and mathematics content to critical local, national, and global challenges. SENCER works to improve science education by focusing on real world problems and, by so doing, extends the impact of this learning across the curriculum to the broader community and society. Using materials, assessment instruments, and research developed in the SENCER project, faculty learn to design curricular projects that connect science learning to real world challenges.

SENCER Summer Institute at University of Carolina at Asheville, July 31-August 4, 2014

Maine EPSCoR will be providing travel scholarships for one or more "teams" (4+ people) to this exciting opportunity, which will allow faculty to learn how to utilize the SENCER approach in curriculum development.
Contact Maine EPSCoR Outreach and Program Manager, Laurie Bragg, with any questions or for a travel scholarship application at (207)-581-2295 or laurie.bragg@maine.edu.

SENCER Field Trip: "Examining the interactive role of tidal height and predation on growth and survival of juvenile soft-shell clams, Mya arenaria, with Woolwich Central School seventh-graders"

May 23, 2014 (times to be determined)

Join students, faculty, and professional educators for a demonstration of how to conduct a hands-on, field-based experience engaging college students to work with middle students to participate in real world research. In addition, participants will learn about the logic and logistics involved in setting up field experiments. This will be a collaborative learning experience for all participants so please come prepared to share and ask questions about best practices. Contact Maine EPSCoR Outreach and Program Manager, Laurie Bragg, with any questions or for a travel scholarship application at (207)-581-2295 or laurie.bragg@maine.edu.

RSU 21 Strategic Planning related to STEM

RSU 21 Strategic Goal: Collaborate and partner with organizations and universities to generate greater awareness and interest concerning educational and career opportunities in engineering and technology design.

Update in 2012:

Engineering design skills have expanded to all schools through the use of robotics. At the early elementary level, students participate in a Mad Science workshop focused on Scientific Method and Inquiry where they each build their own working car. Students at this level also receive instruction utilizing WeDo Robotics Construction sets that introduce students to STEM, literacy, and social studies through robotics. Grants provided funding for initial purchase of We-Do kits and plans include purchase of additional kits for integrated lessons at grade two in the coming year.

At the intermediate elementary level, this integration is accomplished through curricular based lessons in addition to co-curricular opportunities and competitions. Each school providing instruction at the intermediate elementary level have been awarded grants from funding sources which have included The Perloff Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Education Foundation of the Kennebunks and Arundel, and Parent Teacher Organizations. These grants have supported the purchase of Mindstorm kits, related supplies, and registrations to regional and state level competitions. Robotics is now being expanded to include robotics track meets and exhibitions at grade four in the winter and spring of 2013 in addition to direct mathematics and science curriculum connections. The Boston Museum of Science presents several lessons each year to students at this level which align with engineering and technology design.

At the middle school level, the robotics curriculum continues to be a key component of the MSK experience and IB units have been developed as well. Future plans for updating the robotics lab equipment at MSK will enrich the learning opportunities and make them aligned with the elementary and high school offerings. In March, all MSK 8^th grade students participated in full day of STEM activities. Girls from MSK attended the University of Maine’s “Expanding Your Horizons” Conference. The focus of the day was to provide girls insight in those professions that have typically been undersubscribed by females. While the girls were at Orono, the boys spent the day creating and constructing objects that required Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics skills. Students used the IB Design Cycle to construct and test hot-air balloons, submarines, boats, rockets, and trebuchets.

At the high school level, robotics has been incorporated into math, science, and ELA courses, and has grown to include a team and club with strong support from faculty and community. The University of Maine School of Engineering presents each year at KES to students interested in engineering, and the University of New England collaborates with KHS to bring brain research units to science classes. KHS teachers of science, technology, and math have visited area businesses to learn about STEM related careers and attended Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate training in STEM-related subject areas. The Robotics Team enters competitions sponsored by organizations committed to STEM, and a robotics course, as well as a pre-engineering course will be offered in the fall of 2013. Each Thursday, mentors visit KHS to talk about their careers, many of which are STEM related.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in RSU 21 - plans for 2013

STEM is a key piece in our district strategic plan as demonstrated in Lead Objective 4 - Elevate student performance, instructional practice, and career aspirations in the increasingly important areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Action Strategies:

•  Provide teachers with professional development in the content of targeted science and technology standards to further their understanding about important connections between science and engineering.
• Collaborate and partner with organizations and universities to generate greater awareness and interest concerning educational and career opportunities in engineering and technology design.
• Examine the sequence and vision of mathematics and science curriculum with a focus on grades 6-12. Develop revised, vertically aligned curriculum maps for both subject areas.
• Undertake an analysis of the support and intervention resources available K-12 in mathematics.
• Increase the integration of engineering design skills into science and mathematics curriculum and instruction

RSU 21 launched a STEM initiative in 2010 with the development of an action plan that provided focus on activities and research that would promote education in these disciplines.

This plan has been revised annually in response to innovative practices, and achievement and development of goals. Noteworthy has been the K-12 implementation of robotics in curricular and co-curricular formats, establishment of two STEM coordinator positions, sustained partnerships with UNE, UMO and USM to better understand curriculum expectations and career pathways, examination of math and science curriculum alignment and instructional practices with respect to the Common Core Math and Next Generation Science Standards, Expanding Your Horizons/STEM experiences for 8th grade students, Julia Robinson Math Festival for 5th grade students, creation of engineering and robotics courses at KHS, student apprenticeships/partnerships with local STEM related industries, technology integration district-wide and increased professional development opportunities, financial support for STEM from EFKA, Perloff Foundation, Lego Children’s Fund and other sources, the accomplishments of district robotics teams, and the shared reading of Creating Innovators and Rewired, which had a profound and positive effect on conversations around the school community.

One of our core goals is to promote STEM careers for our graduates by establishing pathways that will allow students to choose STEM related courses in their high school career. This goal has resulted in the creation of a STEM certification plan, and Alan Carp, KHS math teacher and STEM Coordinator, is its architect. This plan has been designed to offer opportunities for many kinds of students; the key concern being that STEM is a broad concept that encompasses many types of courses and career choices. Alan has shared the presentation with KHS teachers and administrators, with the Superintendent, with the Curriculum Design Team, and with college level faculty. With each presentation, the plan has been refined and at the November 18 Board of Directors meeting, the STEM certification plan will be shared with our entire community.

Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance

MMSA leads the way in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and policy, both in school and outside of school. We have a long history of spearheading innovative initiatives in teacher professional development, creating STEM education programs, and engaging youth and their families in STEM  opportunities. MMSA is the home of the Maine STEM Council and Maine STEM Collaborative, and we partner with many other outstanding organizations on cutting-edge projects to improve STEM education. Our exceptional staff is dedicated to increasing aspirations and improving performance in K-16 education in and out of school in the state of Maine and nationally.

We invite you to learn more about us and our current projects on our website and to contact us to discuss how we can work together to improve STEM education.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics J-Term Internships

The opportunity to complete J-Term Internships is one of the most unique and exciting opportunities that the Maine School of Science and Mathematics provides.  During the two-week J-Term period, participating students are paired up with mentors in a job shadow environment which allows these students to delve into the fields of their own choosing.  Not only does this provide invaluable experience in at least one area of potential interest, it also identifies the student as having a passion for learning that goes beyond the classroom.

The MSSM is pleased to offer suggestions and assistance in pinning down arrangements, but students and their families are responsible for the bulk of the logistics, including locating an internship site, a mentor sponsor, transportation, and lodging.                                                                                           
 

Inclusive Dates:   

Monday, January 6 through Friday, January 17, 2014 (Alternative dates may be available upon request.)

Purpose of the offering:

To provide invaluable information in preparation for college major and career decisions as well as an increased awareness of career, social, and communication skills in a workplace setting.

Student Prerequisites:

An exploratory spirit. Minimum sophomore standing

Student Internship Presentations:

Grier Ostermann
Bethany Humphrey


Click here for a course listing

RSU 21 Engineering Ambassadors

Engineering Ambassadors

Three Kennebunk teachers, Leona Blatt, Katy Scott and Sheila Wells, spent an exciting Saturday in a most unusual location. Texas Instruments in South Portland hosted the Engineering Ambassadors project kickoff and training.

Over 35 local teachers and engineers attended the event led by the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

During the training, Engineering Ambassadors and teachers worked together to solve an engineering design challenge that illustrated how engineers address real problems. The activity will be replicated at the Middle School of the Kennebunks as the three work with Jeff Andle, an engineer from Intellisaw, to present the challenge to all sixth grade students.

This is just one more in a continuing effort to inspire RSU 21 students to learn about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related careers.

Blending STEM, Arts and Music in the High School Classroom

The National movement to incorporate STEM into public education is doing well in Maine. Noble High School teachers David Parker (physics/robotics/engineering) and Chad McCormack (math) are combining a STEM project with the Arts and Music to create a rich learning environment that students thrive in. 

Now in its second year, students are able to take a one-semester course for science credit in which they invest 45 class hours to assemble fully operational electric guitars. Begun as an after school elective, the program has become a focal point of interest at Noble, which has a state-of-the-art wood working facility ideal for this effort.

This is the first time that a class has been offered for students to build their own musical instrument at a Maine high school. But this is only the first step. Noble will host a regional NSF sponsored guitar building workshop during the summer of 2015 with the objective of training more educators in this program, establishing the curriculum in more public schools, and offering this opportunity to more Maine students.

Funded by a Perloff Family Foundation STEM4ME grant, students use math and physics to calculate and understand fret placement and harmonics, and technology in adjusting and tuning their guitars. The painting technique is supported by a chemistry curriculum. The student’s sense of ownership and pride in workmanship make this learning experience unique. 

For additional information please contact:

David Parker, Noble High School, North Berwick, Maine: david.parker@msad60.org

David Perloff, Director, Perloff Family Foundation: daveperloff@gmail.com

2014 STEM Ecology Forum

http://www.ecologyforum.org

The 2014 STEM Ecology Forum will be held at the University of Southern Maine on Saturday May 3, 2014. The Forum is an opportunity for Maine elementary, middle and high school teachers and students to showcase, through presentations and poster sessions, their innovative environmental projects.  The Forum is also an opportunity for dialogue between educators, students and experts in the STEM field.

Examples of subjects areas for presentations and poster sessions include:

• Passively heated greenhouses as science labs and sources of winter crops
• Novel technical approaches to investigating and quantifying invasive aquatic species, especially the use of student built ROVs
  
• Fish and wildlife ecology programs involving schools and their community
• Food production using aquaponics, aquaculture and hydroponics
• Identifying and mitigating the impact of invasive species on lake and ocean native populations
  
• Detecting and eliminating sources of food chain contamination
• Programs for reducing food waste and diverting food loss in schools and communities
• Creating new markets for Maine’s agricultural and seafood products

Who Should Attend

• Educators and students actively engaged in environmental projects
• Scientists, engineers and members of the business community committed to advancing environmental education and policy making

Sponsors

• USM's Department of Environmental Science and the College of Science, Technology and Health.
• The Perloff Family Foundation
• The Maine Space Grant Consortium
  
• The Maine Community Foundation

For more information on attending the Forum please contact

• Cecile Aitchison, Vice President University Advancement, caitchison@usm.maine.edu
  
• David Perloff, Forum Co-Chair, Perloff Family Foundation: daveperloff@gmail.com

Education Development Center

Education Development Center Inc. (EDC) is an education non-profit that is integral in the promotion and support of STEM in Maine, the US and worldwide. Below is a list of some of EDC's STEM related resources and projects.

EDC Corporate Office - http://www.edc.org
EDC Maine Office - http://maine.edc.org
EDC Learning and Teaching Division - http://ltd.edc.org/

Possible Worlds http://possibleworlds.edc.org/playpw/

Education Development Center’s free, online “Possible Worlds” games fit into regular science curricula and target science misconceptions, reading difficulties, and motivational issues that hamper science learning and teaching. The four games—The Ruby Realm, RoboRiot, Monster Music, and Galactic Gloop Zoo—focus on photosynthesis, genetics, heat transfer, and electricity.

The Fun Works…For Careers You Never Knew Existed! http://thefunworks.edc.org/index.php

This Education Development Center website offers a unique digital library that helps youth ages 11 to 15 explore exciting future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The site’s resources include games and interactives that show pathways to STEM careers in music, medicine, law, technology, art and design, sports, and multi-disciplinary fields.

SMARTR Virtual Learning Experiences http://smartr.edc.org/

Education Development Center engaged youth in developing SMARTR, a website of free mathematics and science “virtual learning experiences” (VLEs) for middle-grades students. The SMARTR VLEs are highly interactive learning scenarios that encourage youth to further explore and experience concepts such as ratios and proportions, probability, 3-dimensional geometry, genetics, forces and motion, and plate tectonics. The VLEs include a wide array of multimedia content including videos, virtual activities, simulations, manipulatives, and games along with related career information.

Successful STEM Education http://successfulstemeducation.org/

As the NSF’s partner in disseminating the findings of the National Research Council's Successful STEM Education report, Education Development Center developed the Successful STEM Education website. On the site, you can read STEM-related briefs, view videos from past events focused on key aspects of STEM education and college and career readiness, learn about evidence-based preK–12 STEM education programs, and explore many other resources.

Oceans of Data Institute http://www.oceansofdata.org/

The mission of Education Development Center’s Oceans of Data Institute is to bring Big Data into the pre-college classroom. To achieve this mission, the Institute is conducting research, developing and testing model learning environments that infuse large, authentic data sets into the classroom and develop students’ data-using skills, and convening experts from diverse fields to identify new strategies to enhance P–12 students’ data literacy.

Ocean Tracks http://oceantracks.org/

Ocean Tracks, an initiative of Education Development Center’s Oceans of Data Institute, enables students to engage in the critical scientific practices of developing questions, planning and carrying out investigations, and analyzing and interpreting data. Using the interactive map and data analysis tools, students can explore and quantify patterns in animal tracks by taking measurements, such as speed and diving depth, to support hypotheses about marine animal behavior.

OER in Mathematics http://maine.edc.org/file.php/1/oermath.html

This website offers a free and open set of online professional development materials for learning and teaching mathematics. Developed from a collaboration among Education Development Center, Maine Regional School Unit (RSU) #54, and Maine RSU #11, the resources incorporate the use of research-based instructional methods for algebra indicators in the Maine Learning Results Parameters for Essential Instruction (PEI), including short-cycle formative assessment with free digital tools.

STEM Learning and Research Center (STELAR) http://stelar.edc.org/

The STELAR website offers a wide range of free resources—publications, curricula, instruments—designed to advance the goal to help prepare a diverse, skilled, and innovative STEM workforce. Led by the Education Development Center, STELAR provides technical support to the NSF’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) projects.

UDL Curriculum Toolkit http://udl-toolkit.cast.org/home

Developed by Education Development Center, CAST, and the University of Michigan, the free, online “Universal Design for Learning Curriculum Toolkit” offers guidelines and an open-source Web-based software system that curriculum developers can use to digitally customize inquiry-based science curricula to incorporate UDL features.

Implementing the Mathematical Practice Standards http://mathpractices.edc.org/

This free, online resource developed by Education Development Center engages educators in learning more about the Standards for Mathematical Practice, how to support students in applying the Mathematical Practices, and how the Mathematical Practices connected to Common Core content standards. Educators can use the Illustrations, centered on student dialogues, to see the Mathematical Practices in action.

Mathematical Thinking: Supports for English Language Learners

http://mathandlanguage.edc.org/mathematics-tasks

This Education Development Center online resource offers middle school mathematics teachers proven strategies to support English learners’ success. Currently, the site offers 14 mathematics tasks and related language tools including warm-ups, sentence starters and frames, word charts, and Spanish translations. Teachers can download or print all 14 tasks and related resources.

EdTech Leaders Online Custom Interactives

http://www.edtechleaders.org/custom-development/interactives

Explore these free interactives developed by Education Development Center’s EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO) professional development program. ETLO’s instructional designers and technical developers create custom interactives like these—focused on science, mathematics, blended learning, and lesson planning—to help schools and districts address specific learning goals for students and educators. Interactives can be integrated into online courses or used as stand-alone learning objects.  

EDC Earth Science https://lab-aids.com/high-school-curriculum/edc-earth-science

EDC: Earth Science is a new, full-year, activity-driven high school earth science course developed by Education Development Center with support from the NSF. Fully aligned to the Next Generation Science Framework, the course helps teachers engage students in active, inquiry-oriented learning, challenges students with provocative investigations and questions, and offers full support for literacy, assessment, and technology sciences.

Transition to Algebra http://www.heinemann.com/transitiontoalgebra/

Transition to Algebra is a new, full-year algebra support curriculum designed to run concurrently with first-year algebra and raise the competence and confidence of students who may benefit from supports for algebra success. Developed by Education Development Center with funding from the NSF and published by Heinemann, Transition to Algebra engages students in exploring algebraic logic puzzles that connect to and extend algebra course topics and learn broadly-applicable tools and strategies to help them make sense of what they are learning in algebra.

Formative Assessment in Mathematics http://famath.edc.org/

This Education Development Center website provides resources for teachers and professional developers about formative assessment as it appears in a mathematics classroom. Much of the information may be transferable to other subjects. Articles, videos, and other resources clearly explain the formative assessment process and how it can help enhance learning and teaching.

Foundations of Science Literacy http://foundationsofscienceliteracy.org/

Education Development Center’s Foundations of Science Literacy professional development for preschool teachers blends college-level coursework, coaching, a nationally recognized science curriculum, and classroom-based assignments. Studies show that it enables preschool teachers to engage children in exploring science, leads to enhanced early science learning environments and classroom quality, and improves children’s understanding of science concepts.

Amgen Biotech Experience http://www.amgenbiotechexperience.com/

Amgen Biotech Experience is an international, innovative science education program funded by the Amgen Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by Education Development Center. The Amgen Biotech Experience provides teacher professional development, teaching materials, and research-grade equipment and supplies to middle and high schools. The program features a hands-on molecular biology curriculum that introduces students to the excitement of scientific discovery. Each year, over 50,000 students and hundreds of science teachers participate and have the opportunity to explore the methods scientists use to create biotechnology medicines.

National Partnerships for Afterschool Science2 http://npass2.edc.org/

Education Development Center’s NPASS2 initiative trains afterschool staff to lead engaging hands-on science and engineering projects with children. Afterschool is the perfect place for kids to have fun while exploring interesting, simple (but not necessarily easy) challenges with common and inexpensive materials! This online Education Development Center resource provides info about NPASS2’s approach, as well as links to the Design It! and Explore It! curricula, professional development materials, videos, and more.

Mathematical Practice Institute https://mpi.edc.org/

The Mathematical Practice Institute at Education Development Center works to make rigorous mathematics available and interesting to all students. The Institute emphasizes the development of deep content knowledge and mathematical habits of mind—ways of thinking, mental habits, and research techniques that mathematicians use when approaching problems—that bring coherence to any curriculum and highlight mathematics as a sense-making activity accessible to all. The Institute’s website offers a wealth of mathematics-related resources, as well as info about the Institute’s curricula, research, technical assistance, and professional development services.

Inquiring Into Science Instruction Observation Protocol http://isiop.edc.org/

This free classroom observation protocol is designed to assist evaluators and researchers in determining the extent to which quality pedagogical practices and instruction about scientific inquiry are present in secondary science teaching. The protocol was created by Education Development Center, in close collaboration with teachers, field test participants, and other instrument developers. The website includes a user’s manual, codebook, and other materials.