Update: Rupert Elementary Science Fair and Family Night

I had a great time at the Family Science Night in Rupert.  The Science Moms, April, Amber, and Lori, organized a fun evening with volunteer presentations and hands-on activities about fiber optics, fossils, microscopes, evidence collection, and more.  More than 40 projects were displayed by the kids and they were excited to see their ribbons and prizes.  I was able to bring the microscope station and the squishy circuit station so kids could investigate and discover.  Thanks goes to INBRE for funding the microscope materials.

Three grand prize winners won a trip to the CSI Summer Camp in Burley June 18-21.  Congratulations to all the kids who chose to participate!  Go Science!

http://minicassiavoice.com/community/little-einsteins-at-the-rupert-elementary-science-fair/

Grand Prize winners learned about circuitry doing Squishy Circuits!

EPSCoR Conference in Sun Valley

What a busy and informative day I had in Sun Valley yesterday.  I attended meetings and poster presentations for the EPSCoR Tri-State Consortium annual conference.  This is a collection of research scientists and institution professors that work to create a stronger environment for research in Idaho, Nevada, and New Mexico.

What is EPSCoR and why is it so great for Idaho?  First, it stands for Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.  The theme of the Tri-State Consortium is Water and Climate Education, and it is based on science issues that are critical to our local economies.  So the researchers receiving funding from this program are all tackling some piece of the theme.

http://www.idahoepscor.org/

I am just scratching the surface, but the program is responsible for funding and providing materials, cyber-infrastructure, and training for all levels of students in Idaho and beyond.  EPSCoR is a NSF program, and the money and services provided by EPSCoR have helped state institutions as well as informal centers like MOSS. 

I had good discussions with several scientists that want to help CSI students get involved in research across the state.  Since community college students don't get exposed to faculty who are focused on research, some partnerships would really benefit my students.  I look forward to continuing the conversartion that leads to my summer school students getting some field experience.  Exciting day!!

Climate Change Lesson plans for Teachers

This looks like a great resource for educators, and I like the fact that the materials have been prepared by multiple agencies.  Climate science needs to be understood by everyone, so that we can make informed policy decisions based on science and not opinion.

http://www.globalchange.gov/resources/educators

Last week, a study was released that showed how much different groups of Americans "trust" science content.  There was a direct connection between a person's opinion about climate change and their trust in ALL science.  It was a sobering look at how powerful one issue can polarize an entire population.  Let's stick with science on this one.
http://desne.ws/H9tlRv

Here is an older article (2010) from Scientific American with some great graphics!
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=in-science-we-trust-poll

Mini-Cassia Science Fair Updates

Well, we are in the home stretch of science fair projects.  Next week, Rupert Elementary is sponsoring a Family Science Night and Fair on the 5th.  The Declo elementary projects are due on Monday, April 9th.  As I sit here with my son, I am reminded that projects are not to be hurried.  My advice is to do a few tasks at a time.  Develop the pictures, decide on how the display board will look, and help your student write out a few sections.  Remember all the steps are clearly explained in the packet that all the students received.  The projects at Declo will also be a grade, so don't wait until next weekend to start!!  You and your child will not be loving the experience!  Good luck!

2012 CSI Science Camp Dates and Theme

I am so excited for Science Camp this summer in the Magic Valley!  If you are like me, you will appreciate knowing the dates for both the teacher workshop portion of camp and the actual dates of camp in Burley and Twin Falls.  So I thought I would post this teaser and get all of you excited as well!

The theme this year is S.T.E.M. in Space.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, so one major difference at camp this year will be an emphasis on more than science.  Kids and teachers will be building projects and measuring distances as well as learning about geology, astronomy, and biology.  Another minor change will be the ages of campers.  We are inviting 2-7 graders this year so that we can provide an opportunity for older kids to participate.

Teachers are a critical piece of our successful camp.  K12 teachers will attend a 2 day workshop before camp to review content and practice activities that will be done at camp, and they recieve a free credit from CSI, as well as some other great perks.

The Burley dates are in June.  The teacher workshop will be June 13 and 14.  The Camp will be June 18-21.

The Twin Falls dates are in July this year!  Teacher training will be July 11-12, and camp is July 16-20.

There is lots more to announce, but I will wait for another post to give more details.  Plan on a great experience for your kids this year!

Dr. Shropshire is scheduled to return for another great show!!  Lasers and lights and flaming tubes, oh my!

Microscope Day at Declo Elementary

Yesterday I taught all the 3rd and 4th grade students at Declo Elementary about microscopes.  Thanks to grant money from INBRE to CSI, we were able to purchase scopes, cases, and slides for science outreach, and this is how we use them!  The kids kept saying, "Cool" and "This is awesome!" and "Can we come back at lunch?"  Thanks to a supportive principal, teachers, and a good friend who helped to refocus 7 microscopes for 4 hours!  I am grateful that I am able to bring something different to schools when I visit.  The time I spend with my kids and their friends is always worth it!

Ellie kept sneaking out of class to check out what Mom was up to...

Animal Migrations on Idaho PTV D4K

It is time again for Joan's Discovery 4 Kids, and tomorrow's episode is about animal migrations.  This topic has interested me lately, especially since learning about a great website called Journey North.  There are awesome resources for classes to use on this site, and they follow a variety of plants and animals in some fun ways.  Students can see how far whales and butterflies travel,but they can also submit data about tulips, for instance,  to see how different regions of the country prepare for Spring.  Enjoy the show tomorrow on Idaho PTV, and check out Journey North.  I can't wait to play Mystery Class with students next year!

http://idahoptv.org/dialogue4kids/season13/animal_migration/