MicroGravity University for Educators

Experiment Name: “Gravity Check”

Team Name: “i-Nerds of Martian Gravity”

Mission Patch:         

Students in one 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade classes worked in groups to submit a proposal to NASA’s Microgravity University for Educators with the assistance of Dr. Taylor.  Their proposal for a Satellite Launching Experimental Device (SLED) that will automatically deploy a mock satellite into a targeted zone mimicking a Mars orbital insertion was created from the materials list provided by NASA.  The list includes items such as Duct Tape, Rubber Bands (different sizes and strengths), String, Tongue Depressors/Craft Sticks, Springs (different sizes and strengths), Bungie Cords (different sizes and strengths), 1 & 2 inch strips of Aluminum Tubing 1-2 feet long, 5 feet of Rubber Tubing, Paper Clips, Straws, Masking Tape, Clothes Hanger, Paper Towel Rolls, and Balloons. Students also design a mission patch and created the team name i-Nerds of Martian Gravity.  There are approximately 110 students working on this project and five teachers.  The team will be working directly with NASA to refine and improve their SLED design before the team of teachers takes the design to NASA’s Johnson Space Center to test their design in simulated microgravity.

All the students will have jobs to complete for the SLED to be ready for testing in April.  Your student may be assisting with the build, conducting scientific research for mechanics and aerospace, quality assurance on the build, launch team, trip planning to Houston, data collection and analysis, final report, public relations (website), simulator development and build, documentation, time management, and materials management.  Just like other NASA projects, it will take the entire team to have our SLED ready for testing at NASA Johnson Space Center.  During the teachers’ time at Johnson Space Center, the team of teachers will be communicating live with the students to share the experience and the results of the test. 

https://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/theProgram/micro-g-ue/index.cfm

First LEGO League - Year 3

Yesterday I finished up my third First LEGO League season.  My goal with the school's First LEGO League (FLL) team has always been to provide students with the opportunities the competition provides.  The competition is made up of different components.  It can be summed up as two components, a project and the robot missions.  The FLL Core Values are used to guide the team and help them complete the competition while having fun.  The teams have to present in three different sessions at the competition tournament, project, robot design, and core values.  The experience with presenting is a valuable one for the students.  The project is also valuable for skills it teaches.

The team this year was all first time participants a team of fourth grade students.  The amount of work to be done is difficult to accomplish from late August to early December.  Many teams meet multiple times per week including weekends.  As a school team, it is difficult to require that significant of a time commitment.  However, my goal is to share the opportunity with as many students as possible and not to just strive to win.  I want students to develop existing strengths and discover new ones as well.  This goal does not require students to give up all their free time or choose FLL over other activities.

Each year my experience with the team has been different, much as classroom dynamics change with each new group of students.  I have enjoyed all three years but each year consider not doing it again.  At the same time, perhaps oddly enough, I recommend it for both students and coaches.  Again, I think the experience for both is invaluable.  I have tried each year to improve a different aspect of the school's FLL team to make it work better for students and myself.  I always ask coaches that I meet how they organized their team.  How often did they meet?  How did they design their robot?  How did they distribute the work?  What I have finally come to realize is that it does not matter how other teams are organized.  I have to find what works to help my team achieve our goals.  Our goals may not be the same as other teams.  As I watched many of the team members literally bouncing with excitement before our last round, I realized I had achieved my goals.  The team members and discovered new strengths and developed existing ones.  They had found an interest in something they did not know anything about.  There was talk of plans for next year's tournament that may or may not come to fruition, but they were there.  The team of eight had experienced a brand new opportunity and whether or not they participate again, they have grown from it.

I have grown from my experiences over the last three years as well.  I have grown in many professional ways and enjoyed the excitement and youthful enthusiasm of my teams.  It is a tough challenge to take on, coaching an FLL team, but well worth the time and effort.

http://www.firstlegoleague.org/

Resources from 2016 NSTA Regional Conference in Portland, OR

I had many takeaways from the 2016 NSTA Regional Conference in Portland, OR.  Below are a few highlights from the sessions I attended.  

Scalable Game Design: Reinventing computer science in public schools

https://sgd.cs.colorado.edu/wiki/Scalable_Game_Design_wiki 

Information for a summer institute is available on the site.  Educators can apply to be part of the institute in June 2017.

Globe

globe.gov

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science and education program that provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, and contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment.  Announced by the U.S. Government on Earth Day in 1994, GLOBE launched its worldwide implementation in 1995.

NOAA in your backyard

http://www.noaa.gov/education/noaa-in-your-backyard

NOAA has hundreds of facilities and professional communicators across the nation. The site includes links to resources in various regions of the country that would be of interest to educators.

Free Google Earth Pro for PC and Mac

https://www.google.com/earth/download/gep/agree.html

Google Earth Pro is now free.

Features of Earth Pro:

Use advanced GIS data importing features to your advantage

Measure area, radius and circumference on the ground

Print high-resolution screenshots

Make compelling offline movies to share

Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program

http://science.energy.gov/wdts/einstein/

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to serve in the national education arena. Fellows spend eleven months working in Federal agencies or in U.S. Congressional offices, applying their extensive knowledge and classroom experiences to national education program and/or education policy efforts. At the end of the Fellowship, educators are prepared to return home, equipped with access to a national network of education leaders and programs, a better understanding of the challenges and possibilities in STEM education, and a renewed passion for teaching, ready to make significant contributions to their schools and school districts.

Barnes and Noble Maker Faire

The second annual Barnes and Noble Maker Faire in Boise was definitely bigger and better than last year.  I attended last year to do some research on what tools might be useful in my classroom.  While there were some new ideas to be had, there were not many new tools or technology to learn about.  This year, Barnes and Noble had increased the number of programs demonstrating and sharing their maker ideas.  Our school was one of them.  We simply shared some of the activities that students at our school participate in each Wednesday morning during our makerspace.  Our makerspace philosophy is to provide the opportunities and materials and let the students take it from there.

Cups for creating structures, straw builders, and the wind tunnel

Cubit racer robot

Hot Wheels, Ozobots, dominoes, and Keva planks

Cubit Racer Kit

Here is a peek at the arrival of my Cubit Racer Kits.  I love the look of them.  I'm doing some testing today.  Next week the students will be digging in.

http://cubit.cc

Apply for Grants and Awards

I apply for a variety of awards and grants.  I apply frequently and often for awards and grants I am interested in.  Typically I submit applications for professional awards that include monetary awards to supplement my teaching income.  Similarly, I submit grant applications for monetary needs within the classroom.   There are no guarantees when I complete applications.  However, I receive some of them because of the number of applications I complete and the belief I have in it what I do.  Whether my application is successful or not, I think it is important to share all my grant and award application opportunities.  I often feel odd applying for awards of my own initiative, but who knows better what I do than me.  I have difficulty accepting recognition even after applying for awards.  I doubt that I am the only education professional that feels this way.  That's why I feel it is important to share my experiences with other educators.

I do not receive every grant or award that I apply for.  In fact, many awards I don't receive.  However, if there is something I really believe in, I will continue to apply.  I am very excited about recently completing my application for the Honeywell Educators at Space Academy (https://educators.honeywell.com/).  I made sure I shared the completion of my application and encouraged others to apply.  I will also be compelled to share the end results.  It is important for other educators to see their colleagues are not always successful.  We are never assured of success for grant or award applications.  Educators often want our students to try activities in the classroom without fear of failure. And yet, many of those same educators do not apply for grants or awards for fear of failure.  I encourage those educators to accept the same challenge you offer to your students each day.  Find your passions in education.  Apply for professional development that further develops your passion.  Apply for grants to share that passion with your students.  I believe everyone who apply for grants and awards receive notices of rejection.  We survive.  We also sometimes receive notices of acceptance and enjoy a rejuvenating professional experience.  It takes time and can be disappointing when you do not achieve the results you desire.  However, when you do have success, it's like Christmas morning.  Your excitement spreads both to your students and colleagues.  Come on!  Give it a try.  Then try again, and again.

Recognition in the Education Profession

After being included in a recent article for Boise State's Focus Magazine (https://focus.boisestate.edu/article/ed-d-in-educational-technology/), I was reminded of a few concerns I have with any type of professional recognition.  Although I appreciate recognition for the hard work I put into my career each day, I worry that when people see such articles or other such recognition they believe I have perfect lessons each class and I handle every situation with perfect outcomes.  While I hope to lead other educators by my examples, that does not mean I am perfect.  It does not mean I have all the answers.  What I try to do as a teacher-leader is what I think is right for students based on my experience and expertise, as well as, research.  I am always trying to improve my own instructional practices through reflection and on-going learning.  I am willing to try new practices and tools if if appears it will benefit students.

On a similar note, teachers should be recognized for their successes.  We face a high level of scrutiny from people who understand education and more often from people who have little or no understanding of education and the classroom setting.  While the scrutiny can be frustrating at times, it is important for people to understand the various aspects of the education profession.

Celebrate the Small Successes

Elementary Engineering students in 3rd-5th grades are closing in on week eight of using the Student Menus that allow them to choose different projects from a collection of required projects.  Students started off very enthusiastic about the process.  There were difficulties communicating and understanding the expectations with the new writing process of claim, evidence, and reasoning this year.  In addition, it is difficult for me to provide as much one-on-one support as the teacher because I am pulled in so many directions during class.  In addition, students may have more difficulty finding students to ask because there may not be any other students on the same project or the same step.  Students are also only allowed to have the a partner for one project.  They cannot have the same partner for multiple projects.  This creates an additional difficulty of finding a new partner when a student is ready to begin a new project.

With all the challenges, I remind myself and the students why we are using the menus.  In the past, a project was covered and then we moved on.  What I mean by this is that I would give the students x number of days to complete a given project.  If students were adept at building with the materials, they would complete their project.  If not, students had to move on whether or not their project was complete, documenting only the portion that was completed.  While I tried to support all students in finishing their projects in the allotted time, it never seemed to work well.  Some students would be done and free building other projects.  Other students would be frantically trying to complete their work and still not have enough time.  The use of the student menus not only a provide some opportunities for student choice, but also allow student completion and mastery of projects rather than covering and moving on in elementary engineering.  Of course there are both pros and cons to this system as well.  Today, however, I want to share with you a pro.

I have had many of the students in my fifth grade classes for five years now.  They are the last group of students in the school that have known any other elementary teacher besides me.  One young lady, I will call her Suzy, has always been a hard worker.  She has always shown perseverance and a good attitude, but has had difficulty completing builds with the past structure of the classroom.  This allowed her very little opportunity for feelings of success.  Yesterday, Suzy completed her first independent building project in class this year.  She had paid attention to detail, followed instructions carefully, asked for assistance with needed, and completed her full project.  She was finally allowed to shine.  After all, don't most teachers want to encourage the aforementioned traits in our students.  And yet, this was not the pinnacle of her success.  Suzy was happily starting on her next project, ready to tackle a build that was noted as a partner build individually.  She happened to notice I was caught between two different sets of students who needed me.  A pair of the students were working on the build Suzy had just completed individually and having some difficulties.  Suzy came up to me and asked if I wanted her to help the pair of students while I helped the others.  Relief was my first emotion to surface as I gladly handed the pair of students into her capable hands.  Excitement was my next emotion once I had a moment to reflect on the event.  Here was my student who had experienced few completed individual projects, and was not only able, but volunteering to assist another pair of students.  I was elated.  Perhaps this is how Suzy felt even if she didn't show it.  Moments like these are why I teach.  Moments like these make me love my career and renew my passion for what I do.  While I could reflect on all the things I have done wrong during my teaching career, I have always tried to do what was best for students.  My methods may work for some and not for others, and I am always looking to improve my practices.  But through all the years, there has always been moments like these to sustain me.  Remember to celebrate the successes no matter how small.  Those successes matter to students like Suzy and they should matter to you.  Best wishes to you and to your successes.

Junior Botball Challenge Training

I attended the Junior Botball Challenge Training in Boise with a colleague yesterday.  We were attending this training as part of a grant through the Idaho STEM Action Center (https://stem.idaho.gov/).  The grant covered our time and travel to the training, seven robotics kits, seven sets of mats, and the curriculum resources for students to learn C programming while completing robotics challenges.  I had no previous knowledge of the Junior Botball Challenge but was thoroughly impressed by the robotics kits and the learning goals for the students.  In addition, the ease of use as an educator with the program and the robot itself was great for beginners but also could challenge more experienced users.

 

 

During the first part of the training, we built our first robot.  The intention of the Junior Botball Challenge (https://www.juniorbotballchallenge.org/) is to focus on students learning to program using C language and receiving the immediate feedback from the hands-on use of a robot.  While we built our robot, students will typically only by using pre-built robots and add on parts to perform the necessary task for various challenges.  Two things struck me about the program.  I like both the emphasis on programming and using C language instead of a drag and drop (GUI) interface.

   

I look forward to getting started with students, which will be after the next five robots are built.

More Professional Development Opportunities - Paid

Of late, I have been thinking about how important professional development opportunities are for educators.  Every school day I come in contact with fantastic educators.  We do great things for students each day.  Some of the great things I am aware of but there are many more I may never know.  Within my own school district, I don't know if other teachers are using robotics or 3D printing.  What engaging and valuable learning opportunities have they found for their students?  It is difficult to find time to interact with local educators and especially educators from other areas.  Therefore, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of paid professional development opportunities.

Paid professional development opportunities do not necessarily pay educators for their time spent at workshops, academies, or conferences. Rather paid professional development cover the costs to attend the various opportunities for learning new instructional strategies, content information, and networking with other educators.  As an educator with three children in college, I do not have the funding to attend conferences or other professional development opportunities without assistance to cover the costs.  I often look for ways to earn money outside of my contract days teaching workshops, writing curriculum, etc.  However, there is still so much I want to learn and so many student opportunities to discover.  In order to attend or present at conferences, I write grants to cover or assist in the costs associated with travel, registration, etc.  Many grants prefer to support items that will be used directly by the students.  While this is understandable, I think it is important to remember that the most important tool students have access to each school day is the teacher.  The better the teacher, the better the results.

There are opportunities for educators to attend teacher academies such as Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy, and Honeywell Educators at Space Academy.  However, these opportunities are few and limited to a small fraction of all educators each year.  Furthermore, applications for the paid opportunities, while worth the effort, can be fairly time consuming.  Benefits for professional development extends beyond the immediate ideas taken back to the classroom.  Professional development can make educators feel valued and rejuvenated.  Meeting educators from around your state, country, or internationally, creates a vital network of support and on-going professional development.  The network creates an impact for colleagues back at school and students within the classroom.  Just visualize the ripple effect that can be created by teachers attending professional development.

There are so many fantastic educational conferences, workshops, and academies available.  It would be great to make them more accessible for interested educators.  Funding should not be the factor that prohibits educators from achieving their professional goals and growing their professional aptitudes.  There are so many fantastic educators.  We need to provide them a way to continue to grow and share their strengths with others.  My network continues to grow and I continue to improve my instructional practices.  I share what I can with others.  In fact, I love talking about my classroom.  However, I will never be done improving my practice. I will continue to seek opportunities that will make me a better teacher so my students can be better.  I simply wish there was more support and funding to make the process easier for all educators.

Conferences

Although it is difficult to be out of the classroom during the school year, I am excited to be attending the Regional NSTA Conference in Portland, OR in November.  This will be my first time attending an NSTA conference,  I am looking forward to all the learning opportunities and networking with other education professionals.  In addition, the timing for this conference does not require me to miss any days with the students, which is always a good thing.

In March, I will be presenting at the 2017 NCCE Conference in Portland, OR.  For this conference, I will be teaching a workshop, as well as, learning new instructional and integration strategies.  My workshop will involve participants working through an abbreviated City X Project curriculum, creating clay models, and designing their 3D solutions on Tinkercad.com.  Although I will have to miss some time with my students, I am looking forward to working with other educators and bringing new ideas back to my classroom.

I'll make sure to share all the great ideas I gather during the course of both conferences.  Keep watching for updates, additional conferences, and other professional opportunities.

Pilot Projects

I am so excited to get started on a couple of new projects, Cubit and Junior Botball Challenge.  I have been working with Cubit http://cubit.cc/ on testing and piloting their science curriculum and robots and should receive my materials in late October.  I just received word this week that I was accepted in the Idaho STEM Action Center Junior Botball Pilot grant https://www.juniorbotballchallenge.org/.  Both programs will be used in my after school groups to provide additional instruction in elementary engineering.  I am thrilled because both pilots come with existing curriculum that does not me require to search and plan instruction.  Furthermore, both projects will be valuable to students in the after school groups and then will be available for use in the school's makerspace to promote further exploration.  I have started working with Cubit on planning and discussing implementation, and can't wait to learn more about the Junior Botball Challenge.  Stay tuned for updates as the pilots get underway.

Update on Student Choice Menus

Since I only see my students once a week, my third-fifth grade classes have only been working on their menus for four weeks.  The first day of use was the honeymoon.  It seemed like all the students understood how to use the menus and progress from project to project.  However, the honeymoon was short lived.  The second day of class it appeared some repetition of how the menu should be used was needed.  I will say that the older the grade level the easier it was to implement.  Fifth grade is doing the best by far.  Third grade needs the most reminders.  However, third grade students have not completed any similar projects as listed on the menu before.  Therefore, the result is actually realistic and makes perfect sense for the students' prior experiences.

I thought I would be required to do less talking, but more monitoring of student progress.  Nevertheless, I have discovered that I talk more to explain the next steps in some of the main dishes and to remind students how to prepare to have their projects checked on an individual basis.  It has been fun to see students able to move at their own pace through various projects and be able to pursue their interests to a certain degree.  A third grade student came up to hug me while I was on duty outside at recess.  She told me she loved the menus in engineering.  While I am making adjustments to improve the implementation and use of menus, I believe they are serving the reason I chose to use them.  I want students to engage and find their interests in the learning opportunities offered in the elementary engineering lab.

I am excited for upcoming years of use because I will only need to teach new students and incoming third grade students how to use the student choice menus.  I am working to balance talking whole class to students as compared to individual instructions.  The student choice menus in classes of 32 students makes it difficult to assist students as needed and monitor students who might be using their time ineffectively.  I am also trying to improve my ability to monitor student progress to be able to readily assist students who may be struggling with using their time wisely and efficiently.

Student Choice Menus in Engineering

Well, I did it.  I created my Menus for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade engineering.  I have been introducing them to the classes this past week.  It has gone remarkably well.  I go through the process of asking the students if they all run the mile at the same time in P.E.  Do they all finish their classwork at the same time?  Or, finish reading a book at the same time.  I explain to them that building is the same.  This seems to make perfect sense to the students.

Realistically, this is probably just the honeymoon of the new instructional practice, but I have high hopes for students to progress at their own pace and increase engagement with less down time listening to me explain what they will be doing each day.  I know I will have to continually monitor and check in with all the students, but I think this will take pressure off the less experienced builders while allowing the more experienced students to try builds that will challenge them.

I am including links to the menus I created for my class, as well as, project guidelines for some of the projects listed in the Main Dishes.

3rd Grade Menu
4th Grade Menu
5th Grade Menu

3rd Grade Rube Goldberg Project
4th and 5th Grade Explorer Robotics Project
5th Grade 3D Printing Project

Changes for the 2016-2017 School Year

Students started back for the new school year this past.  The past four years as the elementary engineering teacher has led to me seeking as much professional development as possible and changes each year in instructional practices.  I have also completed my Ed.D. in Educational Technology during these past four years and hope to publish more about the use of educational technology in the elementary engineering classroom.  With the "extra time" I know have after completing my coursework, I want to begin by publishing academic papers from my dissertation data and providing more resources for teachers who are interested through this blog.

During the past four years, instruction in the elementary engineering lab has focused on hands-on, problem-based learning.  Students work individually, with partners, and in small groups depending upon the project.  Projects include building working models with LEGOs, K'NEX, and Fischertechnik.  In addition, students complete 3D printing projects.  Students in first through fifth grade use robotics.  First and second grade students use the LEGO WeDo robots.  Third through fifth grade students use LEGO Mindstorms.  Fourth and fifth grade students complete a problem-based project with robotics that focuses on identifying a problem, designing a robotic solution, and building and testing the working solution.

As I mentioned to the students last week, sometimes when we try something new it doesn't work.  I told students we are going to try this and do our best to make it work. Updates on the progress of these new changes will be coming along with additional resources I am using in the classroom.

Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning Resources:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/science-inquiry-claim-evidence-reasoning-eric-brunsell
https://www.nsta.org/elementaryschool/connections/201104ClaimsEvidenceRubric.pdf
http://www.activatelearning.com/claim-evidence-reasoning/
http://bpssciencecer.weebly.com/examples-from-workshop.html

Student Menu Choices:
http://curry.virginia.edu/uploads/resourceLibrary/nagc_choice_menus.pdf

Bono's Six Thinking Hats Resources:
http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php
http://sisdtx.sharpschool.com/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=17274974

2016 Idaho MEMTA Retreat

After attending the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy (MEMTA) in 2016, I became part of the Idaho MEMTA group.  Each year when funds are available, teachers who have attended MEMTA are invited to be part of the Idaho MEMTA retreat.  During this time, we get to reconnect with Idaho teachers we met at MEMTA, as well as, meet past and current attendees.  We are given time for team building in addition to continuing our personal professional development.  With all the educators being engaged there are so many ideas being shared.  It was simply amazing to me how many ideas I walked away with during our brief two days together.



Takeaways:

• How do we encourage more teacher leaders in Idaho?
• How do we continue to build capacity within ourselves and others?
• Talk, Task, and Tools
• Be thoughtful about the questions we as teachers ask.
• Convergent (closed, one right answer) vs. divergent (open-ended, more than one right answer)
• How do we create a safe environment for divergent thinking?
• Cooperative learning
• Bono's Thinking Hats for student scaffolds on the talking process.
• Allow students to have process time
• Perhaps have them write individually first (write or draw a picture) in their notebooks before taking verbal responses
• Prevent unintentional shutdown of ideas
• Think, pair, share
• Alternate which student gets to start
• Small group modeling
• Identify alternate ways of problem solving ( anonymously if needed to build student confidence first)
• Prelesson requires more time than the actual task
• Setup time
• Planning
• Prep

• Hot Wheels Speedometry set for 4th grade teachers
• Available intermittently for Hot Wheels at no charge (http://www.hotwheels.com/en-us/speedometry.html)
• Classroom set of Hot Wheels track and cars
• Use table tents to support and scaffold desired talk behaviors
• CER
• Sentence starters
• Respectful talk starters
• Can also be added to science notebooks rather than as table tents
• Supporting posters can also be placed in the room
• Project-based learning
• Buck Institute for Education (bie.org)
• Discuss observable and unobservable 
• Ex. What did the car do? vs.  What forces change the car's movement?
• GlobalLab (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9EBD53TjC1lYmx0TUlsQndDRFk)
• Your class can post their experiment data and have other classes around the world duplicate the experiment and share their data
• Your class can find an experiment and duplicate it.  Compare existing posted data with other classes around the world.
• Socially Situated Science
• Current events and student interest drives the science learning
• Choice or menu options for student work
• Tic Tac Toe
• Cafe Menu
• Use of CER (Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning)
• Not only does it support successful talk, but it promotes critical thinking
• Use of this terminology is in the ISAT tests
• Engineering Challenge Solo Cups

   

Apply to the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teacher Academy (http://www.sendmyteacher.com/) even if you didn't get accepted the first time you applied.  It's worth it!

2016 Texas Regional Collaboratives Conference

Texas has a system for teacher support and professional development that I have not seen before.  There are regional service centers that contract out for professional development to schools and districts for math and science.  These regional service centers are supported by universities around the state.  There is a chance that I am explaining this a bit incorrectly because even after asking numerous questions, I still had difficulty grasping the hierarchy and structure of the support system.  What I did come away with is Texas has numerous professional development opportunities for their teachers both through the region service centers and the local universities.  If possible, I would have stayed in Texas longer to take advantage of their coding sessions.  Nevertheless, in the short time I was there I was able to gather many takeaways, both from speakers and the teacher-led sessions I attended.
  

Takeaways:

• Computer Science Resources: Barefoot Computing, Computational Thinking Teacher Resources, Code.org, scratch.mit.edu, CSTA, Daisy the Dinosaur (K-2), Dash and Dot, Tickle, Pixel Press Flowers, Code Warriors (Ages 9+), Hopscotch, Lightbot, Scratch Jr., Bloxels, Tynker, Botlogic, Blockly, Enchanted, Wonder Workshop,
• Robotics - Ozobots, Sphero, BeeBot, LEGO WeDo, LEGO Mindstorm, Dash and Dot
• Create a Symbaloo for coding sites for students.
• Debugging is important in coding and robotics programming to develop computational thinking.
• Code. org has unplugged activities that don't require technology.  Use these activities in centers with students along with programming and robotics.
• Students designed arduino cars and printed their own wheel designs on 3D printers.
• Teach a group of students to teach other students
• Help them develop their knowledge of the materials and project to understand how to teach the other students.
• TI Inspire Apps for iPads.  TI Inspire has programmable brain.

• Science Notebooks can be designed to meet teacher and students needs.
• Designate use of sides - left =assignments and right=creative or left =student output and right =teacher input
• Use packing tape to protect cover
• Can use multiple composition notebooks by joining covers with duct tape
• Have notebook quizzes for accountability
• "Tell me what's on Page 2."
• Cafe menu for student outputs or assignments
• Store notebooks in rooms or take pictures of pages for students to recreate lost notebooks
• Dotstorming,com
• Remind101 for private team communications (FLL or Idaho TECH Challenge) or other group cmmunications
• "Why do some students wonder?"
• "Why do some students crave more knowledge?"
• Transitions between schools are critical moments to shape students' success.
• Capabilities (growth mindset) - if you don't believe you can excel you won't put in as much effort.
• So how do we shape students' sense of capabilities?
• Belonging (comfort/ownership) - Are the other students in the class like me?
• Gives you a sense of comfort and ownership.
• Purpose (why) - How might what they are learning be useful to others?
• Personal
• Help students develop long lists of things they are good at.
• Identify goals
• Students may have different goals
• learn content (learning goals) - increases likelihood of mastery response
• show they know the content (performance goals) - increases vulnerability to a helpless response
• May be different because students have different opinions about the intelligence (fixed or growth mindset)
• We can insulate students from their own bad self theories to combat fixed mindsets.
• ADI - Arugment Driven Inquiry
• identify a task or need to solve a problem
• generate and analyze own data
• produce a tentative argument
• argumentation sesssion with peers
• write an investigation report (formal communication)
• double blind peer review of investigation report
• revise report
• reflective discussion over the the inquiry
• ADI website

      

      

Collaboratives sharing ideas at the evening showcase:
        

Wrapup:

Dr. Coker and Dr. Taylor


http://129.116.119.51/fmi/webd/#TRC_Collaboratives15_16
http://www.thetrc.org/trc-21st-annual-meeting/

2016 MAVEN Elementary Teacher Summit

The MAVEN Elementary Teacher Summit was an application based professional development.  Housing and registration was covered, but travel was not.  The goal of the PD was to develop content knowledge about Mars and space science, as well as how to integrate the content and lessons into elementary curriculum.  The organizers were fantastic, but sadly, we were told this was the last year for this teacher summit.  Lessons can be found at http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/for-educators/red-planet/.  Besides having engaging presentations and lessons shared with us, it was great to network with teachers from across the country.

Takeaways:

• "Vote with your feet"- students move to a particular part of the room to show they agree or disagree.
• Mars is similar to Earth - ice caps, topography, etc.
• Still a lot we don't know about Mars...Scientists don't have all the answers.  Scientists still disagree and have discussions to come to a consensus.
• Let students self-evaluate themselves before and after the lesson. 

• Mystery Bag activity - would be a good lesson for introducing Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning.  Students are given a sealed bag that holds mystery items.  They have to make a claim and evidence based upon their observations.
• Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) vs. Argument Driven Inquiry (ADI)
• instructional approaches
• practices of science
• share, critique, and revise ideas
• find contextual evidence from text, activities, etc.
• Teaching magnetism goes well with Mars lessons.

• If you pin a location on Google Earth, it will show the similar location for Mars when you choose Mars as an option.  Compare where your school would be located on Mars.
• Transition from teaching scientific method to teaching scientific process. Play "Would you Rather" with living in different locations on Mars.
• Have a classroom timeline of Earth's history.  Could be compared to Mars or other timelines.  
• Print out some of the futuristic NASA travel posters.  http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/resources/mars-posters-explorers-wanted/
• Have students learn to create academic scientific posters.

• Plan for full solar eclipse August 21, 2017.

http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/for-educators/summit/

2016 Global MindED Conference

After receiving a scholarship for registration and a grant from the Micron Foundation to fund the travel, I attended the Global MindED Conference for the first time.  This conference was unique in that attendees included high school students, K-12 educators, higher education, and businesses.  Topic tracks included K-12, STEM, Health, Higher Education, Global Work Skills, Students, Technology, and Policy.

During the two day conference, I had big picture and classroom level takeaways.

Big Picture:

• There is no STEM pipeline, but rather individual STEM castles with moats around each.
• Education should help bring out students' innate strengths.
• Today's students are more risk averse.
• Host a school-wide Innovation Week.
• Use 6 Good Life Habitats for the school's character traits.
• No one is exempt from having a brilliant mind.
• Grit/gumption - resilience, perseverance, determination, resourcefulness
• Grow other students and teachers.
• How do you define educational excellence?
• Capacities to be independent
• Value the diversity of students
• Different talents (human potential)
• Different motivations (where does the passion come from)
• Different opportunities
• Do you provide different opportunities, spend time nurturing, teach or coach?
• We need the different passions in our communities.
• Find a way to help students see themselves in STEM careers and doing it.

Classroom Level:

• Consider long-term projects across grade levels.
• Kerbal Space Program and Learning Blade are good ways to integrate gaming and learning.
• Capacities to build in students - communication, teaming, and collaboration.
• Implement dense instructional units
• standards
• technology
• problem-based learning (Buck Institute for resources)
• Assess novelty/creativity, efficiency, and accuracy of engineered solutions, not just whether or not it works.
• Have expert guest speakers as hook at the beginning of projects or as resources throughout the project (virtually or in-person).
• How do I come across to my students?
• Be a self advocate.
• Take risks as a professional.

2017 Global MindED Conference - June 22-23
Scholarship applications for educators
http://www.globalminded.org/

Fantastic Summer of Professional Development

It's been another amazing summer of professional development.  I attended the 2016 Global MindED conference in Denver, the MAVEN Elementary Educator Summit in Boulder, Texas Regional Collaborative Conference, and the Idaho MEMTA retreat.  Furthermore, I taught camp for STEMBus.usa.  All of these events combined for an exciting time networking and learning more strategies and content for my classroom.

In order to make the most of these professional development events, ideas, and people met, I decided to keep one notebook for all of notes, worksheets, and contacts.  Usually, I use a different notebook for each event and then have a hodge podge of notes and handouts that are difficult to keep organized and access.  After a summer full of learning, I now have all my information in one place.  I also made sure to highlight specific items I would like to integrate into my classroom instruction.  Now, as I prepare for the fast approaching school year, I can easily find information key for the new year.

If you are interested in attending professional development opportunities, it is possible to do it without funding it yourself.  My PD opportunities came through applications, scholarships, and grant writing to fund any remaining costs of the training.  There are a variety of paid professional development opportunities out there.  Do some basic searches, and you will begin to find opportunities that fit your needs.

Teachers, you have something of value to offer other educators

A recent discussion with a colleague of mine reminded me of how often teachers feel that what they do in their classroom each day has little impact on others outside of that classroom.  I am not referring to the impact in reaching students but rather the impact fellow educators can have on one another.  It was only just a few years ago that I too felt as though what I did in the classroom related only to me and my students.  However, when I began the pursuit of an Ed.D. in Educational Technology at Boise State University, I was encouraged to move outside of my comfort zone and begin presenting at conferences.  My initial thought was what could I possibly have to share that would be of value to other teachers.  I quickly realized that much like the students all educators have their own strengths that other educators can learn from.  While I could go into a discussion of how I found my strengths and shared those with others, I think it is more important to remind other educators who may read this to share their strengths.  Your strength may be in a particular subject, a style of teaching, technology integration, developing relationships with students, or another possibility from the multitudes that are out there.  You have something of value to offer not only students but your colleagues as well.  Sometimes it is difficult to recognize this in yourself.  Take the time to understand your strengths and share them when you can. 

The video below is a surgeon who gave a group of teachers participating in an i-STEM summer workshop a tour of the surgical robot room.  After thanking him for his time and sharing of his strengths, he had the following to say in response about educators.