March is National Women's History Month: Do You Know About....

March is National Women's History Month so let us celebrate and highlight the accomplishments of the many women who have made tremendous contributions to STEM throughout the history of the United States. With that being stated here are a few amazing female STEM pioneers:

Mary G. Ross the first Native American female engineer.

1) Mary G. Ross - Mary was the first Native American female engineer. She was one of
    40 founding engineers of the Skunk Works; an official pseudonym for Lockheed
    Martin's Advanced Development Program. It is responsible for a number of famous
    aircraft designs, including but not limited to the U-2, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird,
    and the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk. Mary was known for her work at Lockheed
    Martin on "preliminary design concepts for interplanetary space travel, manned and
    unmanned earth-orbiting flights, and the earliest studies of orbiting satellites for both
    defense and civilian purposes.

Norma Sklarek was the first African-American woman architect in NYC.

2) Norma Sklarek - Norma was the first African-American female to earn an architect's
    license in the state of New York. Not only did she build a lasting career in a field
    dominated by white males, but she was also an advocate for more women in the
    field. Later in her career, she started her own all-woman architect firm. Norma's
    spirit and work left an imprint on the world as her work can still be seen nationally
    and internationally. For example, two of her most well-known projects are the
    American Embassy in Tokyo and Fox Plaza in San Francisco.

Xie Yi is a ground breaking Chinese female scientist.

3) Xie Yi - Xie was honored with a L' Oreal - UNESCO for Women in Science Award in
   2015 for creating new nano materials with promising applications in the conversion of
   heat or sunlight into electricity.

Adriana Ocampo is a Colombian planetary geologist.

4) Adriana Ocampo - Is a planetary geologist, whom in 1989, while examining satellite
    images of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Ocampo spotted the 130 mile wide
    Chicxulub crater (the scar left behind by the asteroid impact that may have wiped
    out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Here are some links that will allow you to engage your youth in various activities that will provide the students with a variety of ways to celebrate National Women's History Month:

a) Women's National History Month (Lesson Plans, NEA, Grades K-5)

b) Women's National History Month (Lesson Plans, NEA, Grades 6-8)

c) Women's National History Month (Lesson Plans, NEA, Grades 9-12)

d)  Women's National History Month (Activity Plans, Read/Write/Think, Grades 3-12)

e) Women's History Month: A Collection of Resources
    (Scholastic: Grades Pre-K to 12)

f) Women's History Month Activities (Anti-Defimation League, Grades 2-12)


Now let's take a peek and see how a few expanded learning programs in the region have been engaging youth in STEM learning activities.



Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 
Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District

School Site: Caroline Wenzel Elementary

Grade Level of Activity: 5th and 6th Grade

Number of Students who took part in activity: 21 students

Type of Activity: Potato light bulb experiment

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Learn how a potato can create electricity
• Understand the basic concepts of electricity
• Learn about circuits and how electricity can be transferred
• Explore the different amounts of electricity that different varieties of potatoes can produce

An expanded learning student exploring circuits and electricity with potatoes.

For more information on this activity please contact Ashley Lo the expanded learning
program manager at Caroline Wenzel Elementary at ashley@sccsc.org

Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 

Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District

School Site: D.W. Babcock Elementary

Grade Level of Activity: K-6

Number of Students who took part in activity: 23 students

Type of Activity: Process Engineer - Engineering our Own Playdoh Recipe

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Create their own playdoh from scratch
• Use the Engineering Design Process to create the best batch of playdoh they could
• Collaborate and reflect with their teammates on what worked and didn't work

Expanded Learning students creating the perfect batch of playdoh.

For more information on this activity please contact DeMarcus Wooten the expanded learning program manager at D.W. Babcock Elementary at demarcus@sccsc.org

Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 

Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District

School Site: Tahoe Elementary

Grade Level of Activity: 4th thru 6th

Number of Students who took part in activity: 21 students

Type of Activity: Research and Presentation

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Gain an understanding of the research process
• Learn about endangered animals from around the world
• Design and create presentations on their findings
• Present on their research topic

Expanded Learning students reporting on their endangered species  project.

For more information on this activity please contact Sophia Keen the expanded learning program manager at Tahoe Elementary at sophia@sccsc.org

Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 

Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District

School Site: Orchard Elementary School

Grade Level of Activity: K-6

Number of Students who took part in activity: 23 students

Type of Activity: Paper Mache Volcano

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Collaborate
• Learn about team work and ensure that everyone contributed
• Build something that they would be proud of
• Learn about volcanic eruptions
• Own their project

Expanded Learning students learning about volcanoes!!!

For more information on this activity please contact Jesus Robles the expanded learning program manager at Orchard Elementary School at jesus@sccsc.org

Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 

Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Sacramento Unified School District

School Site: John Bidwell Elementary

Grade Level of Activity: 1st-6th

Number of Students who took part in activity: 15 students

Type of Activity: STEAM Activity: How to engineer your own bowl

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Learn how to utilize recycled items in the design of their product
• Learn how to engineer a bowl using the engineering design process

Expanded Learning students engineering their own bowl.

For more information on this activity please contact Teresa Hernandez the expanded learning program manager at John Bidwell Elementary at teresa@sccsc.org



Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: 

Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center

Name of District: Sacramento Unified School District

School Site: Thedore Judah Elementary School

Grade Level of Activity: 4th Grade

Number of Students who took part in activity: 12 students

Type of Activity: Which Milk Dissolves Skittles the Fastest?
                              First Course: My Plate, Myself

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Write a hypothesis
• Observe liquid diffusion
• Observe the effects of different types of milk
• Identify five food groups and name a variety of examples from each
• Explain how My Plate serves as a reminder to eat from all five food groups
• Learn about Go slow and Whoa foods

Expanded Learning students learning about liquid diffusion.

For more information on this activity please contact Monik Vega the expanded learning program Coordinator at Theodore Judah Elementary School at monik@sccsc.org

STEM / Expanded Learning and other Pertinent Articles:

1) STEM in the Summer 

    (Report by the National Summer Learning Association, October 2016)

2) STEM Policy Brief: The Power of Summer

     (Report by the National Summer Learning Association, October 2016)

3) STEM in Summer Time: A Multi-Layered Learning Experience

     (Report by the National Summer Learning Association, February 2017)

4) How Much Do You Know About STEM Education (Education Week Quiz)

5) Summer Learning - A Smart Investment For California School Districts
    (Summer Matters Report, February 2018)

6) Sustaining Expanded Learning Programs: A Manual for Implementing Family Fees
    (Partnership For Children and Youth, February 2018)

7) #100masks Challenge (LIAS Blog, February 14, 2018)

8) Educating Stewards of the Earth (Education Week Blog, February 13, 2018)

9) Tell Congress: No cuts to after school!! (Email / Call Congress)

10) The Roots of STEM Success: Changing Early Learning Experiences to Build 
       Lifelong Thinking Skills 
       (Executive Summary by Center for Childhood Creativity)


STEM / STEAM / DACA / Educational Resources etc.:

1) Earth Echo Activity Ideas (Grades 6-12)

2) Women's History Month Science Activities / Resources (Grades K-12)

3) Top 15 Women's History Month Activities (Grades K-12)

4) 5 Content Rich Activities and Resources for Women's History (Grades 1-8)

5) A Brief History of Earth Day (with a Lesson Plan) (KQED)

6) What Legal Rights Do Undocumented Immigrants Have (with a Lesson Plan)
    (KQED)

7) QUEST (KQED Science Resources)

8) Art School (KQED Art Resources)

9) Resources to Help You Protect Your Immigrant Students (United We Dream) 

10) Local School Wellness Policy Interview (WEL YouTube Video)


STEM / Non-STEM Grants:

1) The Big List of Educational Grants (Updated on January 3, 2018)

2) Bank of The West Grants (Grant Page)

3) Wells Fargo Community Grants (Grants Page)

4) CAN Grants Page (Grants Page)

5) The Impact Foundry (Grants Page)


Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Conferences / etc.:

1) Placer County Office of Education - STEM Expo (March 8, 2018)

2) Solar Schoolhouse Solar Primer (SMUD Workshop)
      (Date: March 10, 2018) (Fee: Free)

3) Abstract Art Exploration (Crocker Art Workshop)
    (Date: March 20, 2018) (Fee: Free)

4) State Parks in Your Classroom (SMUD: Grades K-12)
     (Date: April 4, 2018) (Fee: Free)

5) STEM-ulator Educator Conference - Be Curious
    (Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jeff Goldstein - Director of the National Center for 
    and Space Science Education) (Date: April 5, 2018) (Fee: $100)
    (Breakout sessions for expanded learning practitioners)
6) Expanded Learning Through Improv (B Street Theatre)
    (Date: April 12, 2018) (Fee: Free)


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