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