Enhance Multiple Literacies, Experience Different Cultures & More

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Encourage Tomorrow’s STEM-Smart Innovators

The DuPont Challenge, North America’s premier science essay competition, encourages students in grades 6–12 to delve deep into their interests in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and express themselves with creativity and purpose. Students’ essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words in length, include a list of research sources, and address one of four themes: (1) Together, we can feed the world; (2) Together, we can build a secure energy future; (3) Together, we can protect people and the environment; and (4) Together, we can be innovative anywhere. On the competition’s website, students will find valuable tips for writing their essays: “How to Prepare a Winning Essay”; “Guide to Research and Writing”; “Tips for Introductions and Conclusions”; and more. The awards total up to $100,000, including US Savings bonds for all winners and a special awards trip to Orlando, Florida.

Deadline: February 5, 2016, at 11:55 p.m. (PT)

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Plus: This year The DuPont Challenge has created an Elementary Division competition to help teachers motivate K–5 students to become tomorrow’s STEM-smart innovators. This hands-on science writing competition provides classrooms with challenges specifically geared toward each K–5 level. The DuPont Elementary Division Challenge is designed to fit seamlessly into the elementary curriculum, with the challenges based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). From developing healthier snacks to protecting wildlife in the community, the Elementary Division Competition brings real-world challenges to the forefront and asks students to solve them using STEM. The grand-prize-winning classroom in each elementary level will receive a day of fun science activities hosted by DuPont and featuring a special VIP guest. The top classrooms and honorable mention winners will receive resources from Britannica Digital Learning and other prizes. Teachers of the grand-prize-winning classrooms will win an expenses-paid trip to the 2017 NSTA National Conference in Los Angeles.

Deadline: March 1, 2016

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Take the Science Fair into Cyberspace

eCYBERMISSION is a free web-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) competition administered by NSTA. The competition challenges students in grades 6–9 to work in teams to identify a problem in their community and then propose a solution by using scientific practices or engineering design processes. The teams, composed of three to four students and one adult team advisor, all from the same grade and state, will compete against thousands of their peers to be named as a State First-Place Winning Team. The first-place state teams will have a chance to compete at the regional level and possibly the national level and win up to $9,000. eCYBERMISSION Virtual Judges will score all submissions, based on the following criteria: Use of “Scientific Inquiry Using Scientific Practices” or “Engineering Design Process,” Benefit to the Community, and Team Collaboration. NSTA is seeking volunteers to serve as Virtual Judges.

Deadlines: February 29, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. (ET), for submissions and Virtual Judging Registration

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Click Here to Register As a Volunteer Virtual Judge

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Search for Essential Nutrients

Sponsored by the Nutrients for Life Foundation and Discovery Education, From the Ground Up: The Science of Soil is an interactive, multiyear engagement program that offers middle school students, educators, and families nationwide a comprehensive suite of digital resources designed to deepen understanding of the importance of soil science and nutrients in today’s agricultural practices. New this year, the program’s Let It Grow Contest will award six middle schools across the country with agricultural grants and other classroom prizes. The Let It Grow Contest is open to educators and community adults nationwide. Entrants are encouraged to visit The Science of Soil website to unlock the contest application by answering five soil-related questions, and to vote daily for a middle school of their choice. One grand-prize-winning school will receive a $5,000 agricultural grant, half day of professional development, introduction to a local agronomist, Nutrients for Life Foundation prize pack, and celebratory winner assembly. Five runners-up will each win a $1,000 agricultural grant and a Nutrients for Life Foundation prize pack.

Deadline: March 7, 2016

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Supplement Your Stretched Budget

GetEdFunding is a free website sponsored by CDW•G to help educators and institutions find the funds they need in order to supplement their already stretched budgets. GetEdFunding hosts a collection of thousands of grants and other funding opportunities culled from federal, state, regional, and community sources available to public and private, preK–12 educators, schools and districts, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that work with them. GetEdFunding offers customized searches by six criteria, including 43 areas of focus, eight content areas, and any of the 21st century themes and skills that support your curriculum. After registering on the site, you can save the grant opportunities of greatest interest and then return to them at any time. This rich resource of funding opportunities is expanded, updated, and monitored daily.

Click Here to Search for Funding Opportunities

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Build Knowledge with Different Media

The Text Set Project, from Student Achievement Partners, lets teachers create text sets composed of articles and media on a similar topic. The texts are sequenced to create a coherent and gradual knowledge-building process, empowering students to become “experts” on the topic. The text sets typically begin with lower reading levels and increase in complexity to support students in reading the next selection (mostly) independently and acquire a deeper understanding of the topic. The sets are equipped with a glossary of terms to help students access challenging vocabulary. The sets also include suggested activities to help students consolidate and express their learning.

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Develop Vocabulary While Encouraging Debate

Word Generation is a supplementary curricular resource developed by the Strategic Education Research Partnership for students in grades 4 and 5, and middle school. Word Generation offers a series of discussable dilemmas designed to promote students’ academic language and argumentation skills. It employs vocabulary learning principles validated by research and includes weekly topics, each separated into four strands—English, social studies, mathematics, and science—to connect all vocabulary to their disciplines. Students will debate questions such as, “Should voting be compulsory in local and national elections in the United States?” and “What divides us and how can we resolve our differences?” Topics are intended to engage students and encourage debate.

Click Here to Access Free Resource for Grades 4 and 5

Click Here to Access Free Resource for Middle School

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Interact in Human Dramas

Developed at The University of Michigan – Flint and Ann Arbor, ImagineNation Matters “virtual tour” modules are like storybooks come to life, in which upper elementary students can experience, for example, the human drama of the Underground Railroad or life as a modern Arab American. Each of the modules is in the form of a story that involves protagonists of the approximate age of student participants. As they turn the pages of their virtual storybook, students are prompted with questions to consider. Students’ comments are responded to by University of Michigan student mentors, who speak in the voices of the characters in the stories. These mentored conversations continue throughout the tour, offering students a chance to develop writing and research skills while they experience important moments in history.

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Engage in Meaningful Discussion and Active Participation

Developed by Iowa educators, Caucus 101 is a comprehensive curriculum that provides insight into the first contest of the primary season. The curriculum helps students learn life skills, such as how to formulate an argument and engage in healthy, constructive debates. Teachers can choose from 30-, 60-, or 90-minute lessons designed to be implemented over seven days. The curriculum is flexible, with an emphasis on social media enhancements to appeal to how students learn today.

Click Here to Access Free Curriculum

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Stand Up with Students

On February 8, 2016, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (ET), the Amazing Resources for Educators community on edWeb.net will host a free webinar titled “School Moves! How to Improve Your Students’ Health, Behavior, and Achievement Through Movement.” In this webinar, sponsored by Ergotron, the presenter will explore the role of low-level physical activity on the musculoskeletal, psychosocial, cardiovascular, and metabolic health of students, as well as the linkage of these health factors to classroom performance. The presenter will also share grant-writing resources for adding height-adjustable and mobile student desks into the learning environment to put “enheightenment,” or daily movement, back into the classroom. This presentation is designed for teachers, principals, and administrators. Participants’ questions will be answered during the live, interactive session, and the webinar will be recorded and archived for members of the Amazing Resources for Educators community to access after the event.

Click Here to Join Amazing Resources for Educators Community

Click Here to Register for Free Webinar

Click Here to Visit Ergotron Website

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Turn Professional Passion into Classroom Inspiration

Spark 101 unites educators and students with employees from the private and public sectors in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Through the use of case study videos, Spark 101 makes potentially difficult academic content more understandable for students in middle school and high school classrooms. On February 9, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. (ET), Spark 101’s STEM Learning: Full STEAM Ahead community on edWeb.net will present a free webinar titled “Igniting the Spark: Engaging Secondary Students in Real-World Mathematical Problem Solving.” In this webinar, participants will learn how to use Spark 101’s free real-world, standards-aligned case study videos to engage their students in problem-based learning—with authentic problems from business, government, nonprofits, and academia. They will also explore Spark 101’s supporting tools to help students make connections to prior knowledge, solve the problems, and shape future impact and meaning. All educators are invited to attend the webinar; math educators, math coordinators, and administrators at grades 7–12 will especially benefit from this interactive session.

Click Here to Join STEM Learning: Full STEAM Ahead Community

Click Here to Register for Free Webinar

Click Here to Visit Spark 101 Website

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Use Technology Creatively

Now, more than ever, school librarians are leading creative technology use in K–12, from maker activities and robotics to mobile devices. Led by top practitioners in the field, School Library Journal’s free, one-hour webcasts provide practical takeaway information on hot topics in educational technology. On February 17, 2016, at 3 p.m. (ET), School Library Journal (SLJ), in partnership with ISTE, will present “Using Technology to Engage the Reluctant Reader.” From virtual book clubs to the creative use of Instagram and Pinterest, this webcast will show how students can find the right book, share it with their peers, and expand their writing skills. An expert on the intersection of technology and literacy will provide added insight. In addition, on March 2, 2016, at 3 p.m., SLJ and ISTE will present “Reading on Mobile Devices: Challenges and Opportunities,” during which experts in the field will share insight and practical tips on everything from the finer points of 1:1 integration to the best apps, all toward enhancing multiple literacies among students and teachers.

Click Here for More Information About “Using Technology” Webcast

Click Here for More Information About “Reading on Mobile Devices” Webcast

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Walk Around the World

Geo Walk HD – 3D World Fact Book teaches students about different places around the world. Developed for iOS devices by Vito Technology, the app, which does not require an Internet connection, encompasses more than 500 people, places, objects, unusual animals and plants, and events from around the world. Students use their fingers to navigate the globe. Photos from the areas on the globe enlarge, and when the photos are tapped, a flash card displays the name and a photo of the object. The flash card also includes a button to open the topic in Wikipedia. Students can share the flash cards via Twitter, Facebook, or email. A search function lets users quickly locate an item, and in-app purchases will add new card series to the storage chest in the app. Geo Walk HD allows the user to switch from discovery to quiz mode in which questions are asked using the photos and cards. An icon labeled “news” brings up flash cards for the areas around the globe with current news and sources. Cost: $2.99; in-app purchases, from $0.99

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Penetrate Hidden Enigmas in Art

Secrets of Da Vinci HD, an iPad game about the life of Leonardo da Vinci, gives players the opportunity to penetrate the hidden enigmas of his work. The game, developed by Microids, includes dozens of puzzles based on the artist’s major works, including Mona Lisa, Battle of Anghiari, Saint John the Baptist, and Da Vinci's flying machine invention. Using the app, students embark on fascinating quests full of risks and discoveries about the life of Leonardo da Vinci. The game incorporates videos, voices, and texts in a number of languages, including English and Spanish. Graphics offer stunning realism and beauty. The game was developed in partnership with Clos Lucé, the last residence and now the official museum of Leonardo da Vinci, making the content rich with highly detailed historical perspectives. Cost: $3.99

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Think Like a Writer

Free from the SAS Institute, the SAS Writing Navigator suite of tools guides and supports students throughout the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, and publishing. The Writing Planner helps students determine their purpose and audience. They generate ideas and organize a plan, gather research information, group and sequence their ideas, and review their writing plans. With the Writing Drafter, students transform their plans into first drafts. They develop sentences, supporting details, and transitions; create introductory and concluding paragraphs; gather research information; and analyze their writing to improve sentence patterns and transitions. The Writing Reviser lets students refine their draft and gather research information. They focus on organization, sentence structure, and diction. By learning to ask questions experienced writers ask automatically, students begin to express themselves with greater precision and power. The Writing Publisher guides students as they complete their research and finish their essay. The Publisher tools aid students in proofreading and documenting sources using an innovative feature that generates internal citations and a Works Cited page. The Writing Navigator suite is available for the web, iPad, and Chromebook. Cost: Free

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Click Here to Visit iTunes App Store

Click Here to Visit Chrome Web Store

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Volunteer with eCYBERMISSION

eCYBERMISSION, a web-based STEM competition for students in grades 6–9, is seeking dedicated individuals—teachers, college students, parents, community leaders, business leaders, and anyone else with a background or interest in STEM—to serve as Virtual Judges and help build students’ interest in and knowledge of STEM, as well as be a part of a rewarding experience. Register as a volunteer before February 29, 2016.

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Click Here to Volunteer As a Virtual Judge

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Establish a STEM Pipeline

The Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program is the solution of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to the underrepresentation of African American students in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. The free, three-week program is a pipeline designed to expose African American children to STEM fields as early as the third grade and through the twelfth grade. This exposure will be provided by young, black, collegiate students majoring in STEM fields. There are no eligibility requirements to participate in the program.

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Change the Equation

At Alexa Café, an all-girls summer tech camp inspired by iD Tech, girls between the ages of 10 and 15 collaborate in small, close-knit clusters during weeklong day and overnight sessions in programming, game design, filmmaking, and more. With an emphasis on entrepreneurship, leadership, brand identity, and philanthropy, the program helps these girls build their tech skills in a unique setting, alongside tech-savvy female mentors. The summer tech camps are held at select universities and campuses nationwide.

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Connect, Communicate, and Collaborate Around the Globe

How do the traits of hummingbirds, geckos, and other animals help scientists design robots? What does bird’s nest soup tell about Chinese culture? How do images, color, and text work together to communicate ideas that can change the world? These are just a few examples of the high-interest Experiences, or explorations, that students can work on collaboratively with peers in Afghanistan, Greece, Iceland, India, Italy, and other countries around the world through the free ePals Global Community. STEAM, English language arts, and social studies are among the core curricular skills students practice within the larger context of cultural investigations on topics such as growing up in Turkey or Cambodia, the causes and effects of poverty globally, and recipes from Spain, Russia, Holland, and the American South that reflect regional beliefs and customs. Teacher materials include Experience descriptions, standards-aligned objectives, step-by-step tasks, thought questions, collaborative activities, and homework suggestions. Marginal notes provide tips on grouping students and setting goals, and suggest ways students can contribute their ideas and solutions to charities and other real-world organizations.

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Plus: In spring 2016, educators will be able to access templates that will allow them to create and submit their own Experiences for review and possible publication on the ePals platform. Later in 2016, new capabilities will include digital histories that track students’ Experience participation and accompany them from one grade level to the next throughout their K–12 years.

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Celebrate Friendship, Peace, and Music

Sponsored by Discover Education, DEN Voices Connect is a singing collaboration with schools across the globe. In its second year, DEN Voices Connect pairs a participating class with a partner class, allowing both to connect and share via the Internet. Each year a song is chosen for the students to learn, and the school submits a video performing the chosen song. The videos will be combined for a virtual choir performance in May 2016. Registration to participate in this year’s collaboration is open. This year’s song, “Celebrate the Music,” is a free download. No musical experience is necessary to participate in this collaborative singing event.

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Examine Historical Moments in Media

Coupled with a commitment to technology integration, the Museum of Broadcast Communication (MBC) in Chicago is dedicated to ensuring that students are ready for college and their future careers. Using its vast library of primary and secondary historical media sources, growing collection of specifically tailored classroom lesson plans, and professional development opportunities for teachers, MBC is working to ensure that its educational practices and resources can be used by schools and students all over the nation. As part of this effort, the museum has launched the MBC Education website, where teachers will find engaging historical lessons with skills and technology integration to transform social studies education.

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Plus: With more than 1,000 original essays, the Museum of Broadcast Communication’s Encyclopedia of Television examines specific programs and people, historic moments and trends, major policy disputes, genres and themes, and more. The encyclopedia includes photos, original sources, and bibliographic information related to more than 250 contributors, including leading media scholars from around the world.

Click Here to Access Encyclopedia of Television

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BOOKMARK THESE!

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