south central stem hub newsletter...making them available to more dcg students through this codejam...
TRANSCRIPT
1/5/2016 Cheers to 2015 STEM (SC Iowa STEM Hub Newsletter December 2015)
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TAG teacher Suzanne Kurth accepted the award from Dr. SarahDerry, SC STEM Hub Manager.
Representative Steve Olson incorporates technology daily. "Lotsof documents that used to be print access are now online. It'salso how I get the most uptodate current events."
Manager: Dr. Sarah Derry
South Central STEM Hub Newsletter
STEM Happens
SE Polk's Spring CreekWins Code Iowa Award
Congratulations to SE Polk's Spring Creek 6th Grade Building for beingchosen as Google's Code Iowa awardwinning school in the SC STEMHub's region! The award, a partnership between Google, Code.org, and theIowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council, comes a grant of $4,000 for theschool to use on new technology. TAG teacher Suzanne Kurth applied forand coordinated the schoolwide award.
"This event startedthree years ago," saidKurth. "I thought itwould be somethinggreat to bring to thewhole school, and it'skind of blown up fromthere."
Every sixth grader atSpring Creek had theopportunity toparticipate during theweeklong coding eventfrom December 711. Kurth has alwaysenjoyed incorporating
technology into her life and the classroom. This year, she's even started anafter school coding club.
"Hour of Code gives students the opportunity to program and gets themexcited about the possibilities of the future," said Kurth. "I hope they'llcontinue down this path."
Representative Steve Olson was on hand to celebrate the award. He evenworked on coding during the hour.
"Our kids are the bestresources we have,"said Olson. "It's aglobal economy, andwe're in competition tomaintain our status andability to make globaldecisions. Marketwise,technology andinnovation are whereit's at."
Sixth grade studentCharly, selfprofessedtheater buff, hasenjoyed her experiences. "I coded last year and really loved it. Every timeyou go on to the website, you learn something new."
In This Issue
Spring Creek Wins Award
You're invited! IHCC STEM Festival
DCG's CodeJam Celebration
WANTED: Summer Externs
Upcoming Events
Got a ScaleUp Story?
Code Iowa School Shares District Vision
ASAP's Roxanne Rings in the Holidays
A Look Back at 2015 STEM
Got a Great ScaleUpStory? Share It!
We're looking for 201516ScaleUp stories. Inviteus to your classroom orevent so we can shareyour success via thisnewsletter, social mediaor website.
Why share? It gets yourschool some positivepress, gives othereducators ideas for future STEM pursuits andit's fun!
To set up a visit, please email Lisa Morlock(newsletter editor) at [email protected].
Manager: Dr. Sarah Derry Call: 5152712403 Find us at:SC STEM HubDrake University School of Ed3206 University AvenueDes Moines, IA 50311
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://scstemhub.drake.edu/
Check out our calendar!
Remember to send us your STEM events andnews, too! We can help you promote yourevent.
Code Iowa aligns to districtwide
Tech Focus
1/5/2016 Cheers to 2015 STEM (SC Iowa STEM Hub Newsletter December 2015)
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Thanks to Channel 13 for interviewing Grace on theevent.
Christian and Jac (at right) work through the Hour of Code."I like that it gives you a challenge and that you have tothink about a way to solve it," said Jac.
Last year's festival featured over 27 interactive,handson exhibits.
For some students, codingwas a new experience. Grace,who likes technology ingeneral, was one suchstudent. "It's kind of hardfiguring out some of theprogram," she noted. Christian,also new to coding, added,"Every program brings up avideo to show you how tobegin and play."
Sixth grader Noah is at theopposite end of thecoding spectrum. He's self
taught and working on his own game. He'd like to be an architect when hegrows up. "I really like to design structures on the computer," said Noah.
SE Polk is working on athoughtfully structured K12 technology access andintegration plan.
Principal Scott Bauer saidthe entire building supportedKurth's efforts. "Coding isnot just for TAG kids, it'sfor all kids. We forget thereare still families out therewho don't have access totechnology at home." Bauereven tried his hand atcoding during the week,adding. "The hard part ishaving to stop."
Charly, top left, says she'll consider future computer classes because "this program is soencouraging." * Noah, top center, likes textbased games. "I was just bored one day andcame up with an idea for a game." In order to survive Noah's game, the hero must escape ahouse, outwit a troll and procure needed items.
You're invited to the 2016
IHCC STEM Festival
WHERE: Indian Hills CC RHEC Building Ottumwa, IA
DATE: February 23, 2016
TIME: 5:007:00 p.m.SETUP: 4:00 p.m.
REGISTER hereto EXHIBIT/VOLUNTEER! REGISTER here to ATTEND!
SE Polk 6th graders Grace and Charly collaborate onGrace's game. Feedback is essential to creating abetter product, and collaboration is one of the district'simportant 4Cs.
As SE Polk's technology integrationcoordinator, Jamie Fath's job is to make surestudents are ready for future digitalchallenges.
"As a district, we've been integrating morecode. That's where jobs are headed, and wewant our students to be successful throughoutlife," she says. "Code Iowa is helping do that."
The district focuses on the 4 Cs oftechnology:
CreatingCommunicatingCritical ThinkingCollaborating
Part of her job is ensuring parents arecomputer literate, also. The district recentlyhosted a parents' Coding and Literacy night.Between 150200 people came for theeducational event.
"We want students to focus on usingtechnology in a purposeful way," she noted,"not just being in front of it."
If you're looking for resources as a teacher orparent and aren't sure where to begin, Fathrecommends Common Sense Media. The sitecontains reviews, ratings and tips on how toget the most productive technologyexperiences. Visithttps://www.commonsensemedia.org/ to learnmore.
ASAP Rings in theSpirit with Roxanne!
Team ASAP is a regular exhibitor at the Hub's localSTEM festivals. To learn more about this serviceendeavor, please click HERE for a Des Moines Registerarticle.
Central Iowa High School FIRST RoboticsCompetition Team ASAP raised money for thelocal Salvation Army chapter in an unusualway on Saturday, December 19.
Team ASAP'srobot, Jingle BellRoxanne, rangbells andentertained visitorsoutside the Scheelssporting goodsstore at JordanCreek Mall.Robotics teammembers answered questions about the team,FRC, and Roxanne.
Team ASAP is a group of more than 15students from area schools, includingUrbandale, Roosevelt, Johnston, DallasCenter Grimes, Ankeny, North, as well ashomeschool students. Each yearas part of the FIRST Robotics Competition,Team ASAP constructs a robot to complete aspecific challenge for the year, as well asengaging in community outreach eventsincluding STEM festivals and this one.
1/5/2016 Cheers to 2015 STEM (SC Iowa STEM Hub Newsletter December 2015)
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Photo courtesy of Ben Chadwick.
DCG Introduces CollaborativeCodeJam Event
Photo courtesy of Ben Chadwick.
The Dallas CenterGrimes HyperStream Program hosted DCG CodeJam onDecember 4, 2015. This event celebrated the cooperative efforts of multiplefall elective courses, including 94 students from Graphic Design,Entrepreneurship, Programming, Sports Entertainment and Marketing andWebsite Development. The purpose was to bring students together for aoneday event, using their combined skills to plan, produce, evaluate, revise,and present a product all in an eight hour period.
This past fall, the HyperStream Team worked diligently to expand theimplementation of business partner projectbased learning experiences,making them available to more DCG students through this CodeJam event.
Students who participated not only displayed the characteristics of theUniversal Constructs (critical thinking, complex communication, creativity,collaboration, flexibility, adaptability, productivity, and accountability), butalso demonstrated enthusiasm and pride in their work as they take on achallenge so large that it can only be completed within the time framethrough collaboration, effective communication, and time managementskills.
With the HyperStreamPrincipal partnership, DCGis able to offer uptodatecareer guidance, authenticworkplace experiences,teacher training, andcurriculum advisingpartnerships with thebusiness members.DCG envisions growingthis program, inviting theother schools involved inPrincipal Financial Group'sHyperStream Consortium.
Planning is in the works to pilot a smaller project in a crossdistrict capacityinvolving only one class, Multimedia, before next fall's DCGCodeJam. Thisproject will take place in the spring and involve the Multimedia coursesbetween DCG and Ankeny, with potential involvement from Waukee.
***********************************DCG's Hyperstream program was seeded with an Iowa Governor's STEM AdvisoryCouncil ScaleUp Award two years ago. It is a continuing initiative with thepurpose of partnering students with business professionals from PrincipalFinancial Group to serve as mentors, coaches, and active participants. We areproud to share how Mr. Chadwick, his students, and their partnersat Principal Financial Group have leveraged their ScaleUp Award and grown theprogram!
This article is courtesy of DCG's Ben Chadwick. If you would like moreinformation on starting a program like this, please contact Chadwick [email protected].
Business Hosts Sought for Summer 2016 Externships
For more information, email the team [email protected], or visit its web siteat www.team4646.org.
A Look Back at
2015 STEMFrom the I'll Make Me a World STEM Festivallast January to December's Spring CreekGoogle/Code Iowa award, 2015 was a verygood year. Take a look back at a few of thememories.
If you missed a newsletter, please clickHERE to visit our archives.
1/5/2016 Cheers to 2015 STEM (SC Iowa STEM Hub Newsletter December 2015)
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Teacher externs Olivia Palmer (left) and Talor Hubbard (right) worked with David Jahn(center) from the City of Des Moines. Their special project involved research with theEmerald Ash Borer.
Real World Externships provides educators with the experience to steerstudents towards mathematics, science and technology related fields byworking sidebyside with knowledgeable and skilled employees at the localbusiness level. The benefits of this unique school/business alliance include:
Create lasting partnerships between businesses/ industries and localschools.Match talented, educated and skilled teachers as participants andcontributors to your business needs.Give students realworld career information about businesses andindustries right here in Iowa, creating a future work force in the area.Gain publicity through the program's promotion of thisbusiness/industry partnership with schools, officially recognizing yourcommitment to education in Iowa.
Proven value: Externs have worked on highlevel business projects in a variety ofindustries across the state. From working with a continuous improvementexpert in surgical units at a regional hospital, to mussel diving and waterquality monitoring, to mapping machine efficiencies at a major advancedmanufacturing business, externs can offer uncommon expertise and savehost sites time and money. Time commitment: Externships typically run from June through July with a standard 40hourwork week for five to six weeks. Learn more:
Read excerpts from Teacher Externship blog. Check out the Externship website.Businesses Complete an interest form to host Summer 2016Teacher Externs.Teachers Apply for 2016 Summer Externship.Email [email protected] for more information.
***********************************Article courtesy of NC STEM Hub.
EventsAdd these dates to your calendar!
January 11 Register Exploring Iowa's Natural ResourcesJanuary 1617 State FLL Competition, ISUJanuary 26 SC STEM Hub Advisory Board MeetingJanuary 28 IAA Day at the CapitalJanuary 31 Excellence in Teaching Science Award Nominations Due
February 3 Iowa's Geological Resources WorkshopFebruary 4 Blank Park Zoo Speaker SeriesPeter KnightsFebruary 6 Jewels Academy Math CampFebruary 22 SC STEM Hub Advisory Board MeetingFebruary 23 IHCCOttumwa STEM Festival
March 3 Blank Park Zoo Speaker SeriesWally VanSickle March 31 ISU's Taking the Road Less Traveled
April 7 Blank Park Zoo Speaker SeriesJames PeaseApril 14 DrakeDes Moines STEM Festival
Spread the word about STEM EVENTS in your community!
1/5/2016 Cheers to 2015 STEM (SC Iowa STEM Hub Newsletter December 2015)
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Visit the South Central STEM Calendar to get details on theseevents and see LOTS more!
To submit your STEM event, click here!
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