Monday, August 21, 2017

August is National Back to School Month

The Region 3 Expanded Learning Triad Team hopes that this blog post finds all of you doing well. Thank you to all of those that in some way shape or form had a hand during the summer of 2017 to help stave off summer learning loss by engaging youth in summer learning programs. Hopefully at some point you were able to get a few days off to recharge your batteries and dedicate a few days to you / your family. The work you do truly changes trajectories, is important, is hard, and is rewarding. Thank you for all that you do for it is greatly appreciated and inspiring.

With that being stated this blog post is filled with resources to add to your toolkits and to assist you as you embark on the 2017-2018 academic school year. Here is to a wonderful year, with many amazing memories.



STEM /  Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles: 

1) New Resources for STEM in after school from Research + Practice Collaboratory 
    (Afterschool Alliance article by Leah Silverberg July 10, 2017)

2) Evaluating Afterschool: Building an Advisory Board
    (Afterschool Alliance article by Jason Spector July 5, 2017)

3) Evaluating Afterschool: Answering Questions about Quality
    (Afterschool Alliance article by Charlotte Steinecke June 5, 2017) 

4) Do Laptops Help Learning? (NPR article by Robbie Feinberg August 18, 2017)

5) In Children's Storybooks, Realism Has Advantages
    (NPR article by Tania Lombrozo August 14, 2017)

6) 4 H is Helping Kids Plant the Seeds for Healthy Relationships
    (NPR article by Kayla Lattimore August 11, 2017)

7) Relationships Matter More Than Rules 
    (Edutopia article by Rebecca Alber August 16, 2017)

8) Building Trust with Parents
    (Edutopia article by Heather Wolpert-Gawron August 29, 2014)

9) Bite Size SEL Lessons
    (Edutopia article by Kerry Elson August 14, 2017)

10) Stirring Students' Imagination
      (Edutopia article by Diana Rivera August 8, 2017)

11) We Stand with Charlottesville
      (LIAS Blog post by Sam Phia August 16, 2017)

12) Yes, Race and Politics Belong in the Classroom
      (Education Week article by H. Richard Milner IV August 15, 2017)

13) Teaching Secrets: Get to Know Students Through Seating Challenges
      (Education Week article by Sandy Merz June 27, 2012)

14) Leveraging ESSA to Promote Science and STEM Education in States
       (Achieve article July 12, 2017)


STEM / STEAM / Etc. Activities / Videos / Websites:

1) How Do We Get Kids Hooked on Science 
    (NPR / TED Staff video by Tyler DeWitt August 11, 2017)

2) Kids Learn What it Takes to Be an Astronaut
    (NPR Staff podcast by Scott Simon August 19, 2017)

3) How Do Teachers Talk About Hate Speech
     (NPR Staff podcast by Audie Cornish August 16, 2017)

4) Five Years in, What's Next for DACA
    (NPR Staff podcast by Claudio Sanchez August 15, 2017)

5) What Can We Do To Empower Students Living in Poverty
    (NPR / TED Staff video by Linda Cliatt-Wayman August 11, 2017)

6) Ten Back to School STEM Activities to Welcome Your Class 
     And Break The Ice (Steve Spangler Activities)

7) Back to School STEM - Team Builders and Activities
    (Momgineer Blog Activities)

8) Science Activities for the First Week
    (Science Penguin Blog)

9) Science Activities and Experiments
    (Education.com Website)

10) Speak Up! Responding to Everyday Bigotry!
      (Teaching Tolerance Guide)

11) How Can Photographs Help Create Social Change
      (KQED Lesson Plan)

12) Teaching Tolerance Learning Plans
      (Teaching Tolerance)

13) Black Innovators shine through history in these animated films for kids
      (PBS News Hour)

14) Online Resources for Culturally Responsive Teachers
      (NEA Online Resources)


STEM / Non-STEM Grants:

1) The Big List of Educational Grants and Resources (Edutopia)
    (Updated on August 16, 2017)

2) Bank of the West (Grant Page) 

3) Wells Fargo Community Grants (California Grants Page)

4) CAN Afterschool Grants Page (CAN Webpage)

5) The Impact Foundry Grant Page (Updated)


Professional Learning Sessions / Contests / Symposiums / etc. 

1) CDE / CAN Grantee 101 / 201 Orientation
    (Sacramento) (August 29, 2017)

2) GEMS Electric Circuit Workshop
    (SMUD) (Cost: Free) (September 16, 2017)

3) NBA Math Hoops Workshop
    (September 27, 2017) (Cost: Free) (Grades 4-8)

4) GEMS Spooky Science of Energy Transformation
    (SMUD) (Cost: Free) (October 18, 2017)

5) California Dream'n Site Coordinator Symposium
    (October 20-21, 2017) (Cost: $50.00 + slight surcharge for two-day event)

6) California STEAM Symposium
    (December 10-11, 2017) ($345 per participant)



Thanks again for all that you do in the field. Please keep us posted about STEM 
events / activities in your area. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

Monica Gonzalez-Williams (SCOE: Region 3: After School Regional Lead):
mgonzalez@scoe.net

Phil Romig (SCOE: Science Curriculum Specialist): promig@scoe.net

Mark Drewes (SCOE: Project Specialist II: Expanded Learning) mdrewes@scoe.net