What is the Idaho State Grant Consortium?

Today I was able to attend the Affiliate meeting for ISGC.  Basically, each state has a direct connection to NASA and they work to connect amazing resources with students, teachers, and researchers throughout the state.  Our Idaho Space Grant is managed by great people at UI.    They work with affiliate partners including BSU, ISU, NNU, College of Idaho, and CSI, as well as Discovery Center of Idaho, EIEC, IASE, and other groups who provide support and trainings.

Please check their website at idahospacegrant.org.  There are funding opportunities for all ages, and great resources for teachers.  

A dedicated team from CSI was awarded a NASA ORBIT grant for two years.  Part of their project includes semester long workshops for HS juniors and Seniors and CSI students.  The Spring program was a great success, and applications are now being accepted for Fall semester.

Noche de Ciencias: Engineering Night Encourages Hispanic Students to Pursue Science

This was a great activity last year when I attended at BHS.  This year I had parent teacher conferences, so I missed this group of UI engineering students as they came to Minico HS.  But I am sure it was awesome!!



Noche de Ciencias: Engineering Night Encourages Hispanic Students to Pursue Science

MARS Rover Challenge Volunteers Needed

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

 The NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium needs your help!

 

Idaho TECH: Mars Rover Challenge, sponsored by the NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium, is a wonderful educational science & engineering program that enables 4th, 5th and 6th grade student teams to design and construct motorized Mars Rover models from LEGO's.  Each team of 4-6 students test their Rover in one of two Engineering Design Competitions (EDC), located in Twin Falls, or Moscow.  It is a GREAT program that's really fun to be involved with!!

 

This is where you come in.  Idaho TECH is not possible without wonderful volunteers like you that donate their time to help judge at each competition.  I hope you want to be one of these wonderful volunteers at the Twin Falls competition held in the gym at the College of Southern Idaho on Saturday, April 12th.  Did I mention that you will receive FREE pizza and beverages at the competition???

 

Here are the details...during the competition, each team demonstrates their rover's capabilities on five different courses designed to measure speed, climbing skill, rock collection ability, and weight, as well as overall teamworks skills (blind driving).  Each team is required to have a poster display that highlights the Engineering Design Process, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their Rover.  Teams will also be presenting to a panel of judges using Microsoft PowerPoint.  Finally, teams submit lab notebooks that document their experiences during the design process.  We need your help to judge these eight events during the Twin Falls competition!!! 

 

I'm sure you are very eager to see these LEGO rovers in action!!!  The judged events at the competition will last from 8:30am until approximately 3:00pm at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, ID.  If you are interested in volunteering, please fill our the attached volunteer form at your earliest convenience and email to jackshay@isu.edu or fax it to (208) 282-2721.  You will be able to indicate a preference for one or more of the eight events listed about on your form.

 

If you know anyone else who might be interested, please pass this request along.  To sign up or for questions, please contact Shayla Jackson at Idaho State University, jackshay@isu.edu, (208) 681-2996

 We look forward to meeting you at the Twin Falls competition!

 

Harmony Boxes at Burley High School

Thanks for inviting me, Mrs. Heiner!  These special hydroponic boxes are a project from ISGC that the kids have successfully been growing plants in.  Today, Mrs. Heiner (with a little commentary from me) showed the students how to cross-pollinate cucumber plants using the same techniques as Mendel used in the garden.  It was a fun visit and the kids are lucky to have such a passionate teacher!

 

 

Harmony Boxes for Idaho Science

I saw a version of these boxes a few years ago when I traveled to UI for a FIRST robotics competition.  We took the kids from Declo to Ed's lab and it was a great opportunity to be at ground zero for future projects.  I know my friend Angela from BHS is using this tool to teach ecology.  We have such cool connections in Idaho!

  http://www.uiargonaut.com/2013/11/18/education-through-harmony/

What an awesome day in Moscow, ID!!

Where do I start?   We have had a great time at the University of Idaho at the FIRST Lego League State Competition.  About 60 teams from all over Idaho came to share their projects and show off their mad programming and robot design skills.  Our boys, the Hotwired and RoboRebel Teams, did great in all categories.  The RoboRebels ended the day at 7th overall in the robot competition...so awesome!  Hotwired is taking home a First Place Trophy in Research...which is because they learned so much about cross-contamination.  They also finished 13th in robot competition...thanks STEVE (Robot name)  We are so proud of all the kids who represented not just Mini-Cassia, but Magic Valley.  The RoboSpuds from Rupert took home a 2nd place trophy in Innovative Solutions and the Kimberly Bacon Bits got 2nd Place in Overall CHAMPION!  WOW!

After the awards ceremony, our Declo teams met with Dr. Ed Galindo, a scientist and awesome science dude here at U of I.  We learned about his NASA research, toured his fish-naut lab, and had a great dinner.  Thanks Ed!  It was great to see you again!

Magic Valley Winners

The Burton Christmas Card?  Thanks for everything, Carrie!