STEM and the BSA

This was a great article in Scouting Magazine this month.  Even though Dr. Harris is the STEM Nova spokesman for BSA, his message applies to all of us who are working hard to inspire students and support educators at all levels.  Our communities will be stronger and our workforce will be more prepared as we "do hard things!"

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/former-astronaut-shares-how-to-get-scouts-hooked-on-stem-subjects/

theharrisfoundation.org

I have been involved in BSA my whole life, since I was raised with all brothers.  I have been a merit badge counselor for years, and I love working with Cub Scout Day Camp each year teaching science.    My husband is a dedicated scoutmaster.  There are amazing people in every community that volunteer with not just BSA programs, but Boys and Girls Clubs, the Girl Scouts, and other youth programs.  As adults, we are meant to use our skill sets to benefit our communities and the youth that we interact with.  I really enjoyed this interview with Dr. Harris.

Here is how one region exposes hundreds of scouters to STEM- related merit badges and careers.  We can do this just as easily here in the Magic Valley...no MIT needed!

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/ideas-for-teaching-stem-subject-merit-badges/

How creativity powers science | Science News for Kids

I am trying to catch up on my favorite science websites, and this article was great!  So spend some time outside tomorrow on Memorial Day, and get inspired.  Happy Summer!!

How creativity powers science | Science News for Kids

Idaho Earth Tracks Summer Workshop Schedule

Here is the link to all the great workshops being offered this summer through PLT, Project Wild, and Project Wet.  I have always learned cool things by attending these workshops, and I still consider PLT part of my family!  Check them out!

http://www.idahoforests.org/news.htm

Updated: Solar Eclipse 2012: Annular Eclipse Visible From California to Texas as Bright Ring Around Sun - ABC News

We used heavy duty welding masks, R-14, and it was so cool to see the eclipse move into place

for about an hour before a big cloud came!

The paper pinhole method worked great for us.  And I loved that the kids realized the image was upside down.  It was a good teaching moment.

Science is always fashionable!

Solar Eclipse 2012: Annular Eclipse Visible From California to Texas as Bright Ring Around Sun - ABC News

Awesome Science Camp flyers for Burley and Twin Falls

Camp in Burley is just a month away!  We are going to have so much fun!  Sign up your kids today!!

Idaho 8th Grade Science Scores

I will take all the good news I can find about Science trends in Idaho.  My concern is that even though Idaho students did better than almost every other state in the NAEP in 2011, there was no improvement in their scores compared to 2009.  So there is still so much work to do.

http://educationidaho.blogspot.com/2012/05/idaho-students-continue-to-outpace.html

5th Grade STEM Day in Declo

We had another great STEM Day for our 5th graders!  This activity was created to give the students a fun and interesting day since the field trip budgets have been cut.  There were 6 classes taught by professionals and parents in STEM fields, and 20 other parents volunteered in some way!  That is great for our kids!  The classes taught were Chemistry and Ecology, by CSI instructors, EMT/Ambulance....thanks Maggie from Malta!, Robotics with the Declo HS FRC team coaches and kids, Math games with a DJHS teacher and mom, and the Physics of Flight...aka the SLING SHOT class!  The students rotated all day and finished with prizes and cottan candy.  I am so grateful for the support I received...everyone helped to pull this off!

Amazing summer course for Middle School girls!

This just came across my inbox, and I had to share it.  Girls in grades 5-8 can apply to participate in this online class this summer.  It doesn't matter how small our communities are...our kids can have great experiences if we are just willing to look for them.  Check it out and like this program on FB!
http://women.nasa.gov/nasa-g-i-r-l-s/

FInal Episode of the Season...D4K on IPTV tomorrow

Tomorrow the episode focuses on Butterflies and it should be really interesting.  I hope we are using resources like IPTV when we are teaching.  They are kind of a "Use It or Lose It" resource.  We want these programs to do well so that we can use them in our classrooms.

http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/

A Biologist's Mother's Day Song

So I have been too busy again to post all the great science happening around me, but this was shared with me on FB, so I knew I could post it here for all Science Moms to enjoy!

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/osWuWjbeO-Y?rel=0"

4th Graders explore the Discovery Center of Idaho

Friday was a long wonderful day for our lucky 4th graders.  Field trips are getting harder to pull off, and in our case, the PTO pays for the whole thing, which sounds great.  But the flip side is that it is so expensive to take this one meaningful trip to Boise, that the other grades don't get field trips now.  That is a discussion for another post or audience, but I will always vote for field trips because they allow kids to have a special experience with their peers.  Last fall, I helped the teachers submit an application for the Target Field Trip Grant, and we were awarded $700 to use for this trip.   I wrote the grant specifically so we could afford to visit the Discovery Center of Idaho, the interactive Science Museum in Boise, so we were all thrilled to learn that our admission was covered thanks to a separate gift to DCI from the Scentsy Company.  All Title 1 schools in Idaho can attend free this year.  So we had a great day visiting the History Museum, which has a lot of information about Lewis and Clark, the State Capitol, and DCI.  I am grateful for all the work the teachers do to make these activities worthwhile.  80 kids from Declo will not soon forget their trip to the Big City!

May is the MONTH of Science in our schools!

I have been too busy visiting schools this week to stop and write about it.  One of the best parts of May is that teachers have time for FUN!  And I mean Science FUN!  Last Friday, I visited a HS Physics class to play with paper helicopters, magnetic kites, and squishy circuits.  They had just finished launching their rockets, and their next activity is making ice cream in a bag.

On Tuesday, I was able to see Junior High kids get awarded for poems they wrote in conjunction with Arbor Day.  Thanks to a mini-grant from Idaho Forests Products Commission, we had money for prizes and a TREE!

Today, I visited a HS physical science class because students were showing off their simple machine projects.  They were so cool!  Especially my own son's creation..."Locked and loaded." 

Finally, on Friday, the 4th graders will be traveling to Boise and one of their stops will be the Discovery Center.  I am so excited for that trip!!  So you see, while some love Halloween in October or the 4th of July or Thanksgiving in November, I love Science in May!  Especially in Declo!