Tis the Season for STEM

Despite the title of this blog post; every season should include STEM. Every child should be exposed to high-quality, hands-on, inquiry-based, project based STEM activities on a daily basis. A STEM-rich background will prepare our students for the 21st century. Meaningful STEM activities will also expand our student's horizons and make them college or career ready. As the recent data from the Great Recession (2007) shows, in California, STEM  skills have stayed in demand even through the economic downturn. There were 1.4 jobs available for every 1 unemployed person that had a STEM background. In comparison, there was only 1 job available for every 4.9 unemployed people who didn't have a STEM background. The U.S. Department of Commerce also highlighted in its report STEM: Good Jobs Now and for the Future, that STEM jobs are projected to grow by 17% from 2008 to 2018, compared to 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations. STEM workers also command higher wages, earning 26% more than their non-STEM counterparts. We can even take a closer look and look at the E (Engineering) in STEM and see why U.S. companies are lobbying for more H1B visas (the STEM pipeline in america is not producing enough engineers); in the U.S. about 4% of all bachelor's degrees are in engineering, compared with 19% in Asia and 12% in Europe.

We in the after school field have been and can continue to help turn children on to STEM by exposing them to high-quality, hands-on, meaningful STEM activities. Keep in mind though that STEM education is more than just science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; it is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with real-world, problem-based learning (Gateways East Bay STEM Network). This means there is art, history, literacy, etc. in STEM. The more that we can weave into an activity, the more doors we can open for our students and their futures. We need to start early though, for if students are not interested in STEM by fifth grade then 92% of boys and 97% of girls will loose interest in STEM subjects.

Now let's step off the STEM data soapbox and see what after school sites in Region 3 have been up to in the last month.



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

Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District

Name of School Site: Woodridge Elementary School

Grade Level of Activity: 4th Grade

Number of Students who took part in the activity: 20

Type of Activity: STEAM Circle of Pong

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• engineer a device with limited resources
• work collaboratively and communicate effectively to engineer a device
• use critical thinking skills when resources were either added or taken away
• test their engineered device and make revisions based upon observations
• able to successfully transport a ping pong ball with an engineered device

Expanded Learning students engineering ping pong transport devices.

For more information on this activity please contact Gladys Gonzalez at gladys@sccsc.org.


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

Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District

Name of School Site: John Bidwell Elementary School 

Grade Level of Activity: 3rd Grade

Number of Students who took part in the activity: 20

Type of Activity: Chemistry Lesson (Kitchen Chemistry)

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• become more familiar with scientific terms and the scientific method
• investigate changing states of matter
• understand chemical reactions
• learn about the properties of salt and ice
• observe and improve their product using the engineering design process

Expanded Learning Program students learning about the properties of salt and ice.

For more information on this activity please contact Guadalupe Rios at guadalupe@sccsc.org.


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

Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District

Name of School Site: Caroline Wenzel Elementary School 

Grade Level of Activity: 1st and 2nd Grade

Number of Students who took part in the activity: 23

Type of Activity: STEM Balancing Robot

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• explore the concept of the center of gravity
• to use the Engineering Design Process
• engineer a balancing robot
• explain why the robot's pennies needed to be balanced on each side

Expanded Learning students engineering their balancing robots.

For more information on this activity please contact Stephanie Vega at stephanie@sccsc.org.






STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Education Articles:

1) 5 Reasons Your After School Practitioner is Your Biggest Ally
    (Edutopia article by Dr. Nicole Edwards, December 15, 2016)

2) 30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class
    (Edutopia post by Todd Finely, October 21, 2014)

3) High School Library Coloring Center De-Stresses Students
    (School Library Journal article by Joy Millam, December 14, 2016)

4) "Makerspaces" for science instruction also proving helpful for English learners
     (EdSource article by Pat Maio, November 30, 2016)

5) The White House Hosted an Interactive Girls Make Games Workshop
    (Amy Poehler's Smart Girls article by Trilby Beresford, December 19, 2016)

6) A shocking number of young people can't separate fact from fiction online
    (The Hechinger Report article by Nichole Dobo, November 30, 2016)

7) Laughter, Learning, and Why Teens Are Such a Tough Crowd
    (Edutopia article by Dr. Matt Bellace, October 21, 2016)

8) Kids with disabilities benefit from physical education focused on motor skills
    (Michigan Radio article by Leah Ketcheson, November 14, 2016)

9) Opportunities and challenges in after school computer science
    (Afterschool Alliance article by Melissa Ballard, December 7, 2016)

10) Ways Educators Can Respond to Student Trauma
      (Education Week article by Larry Ferlazzo, December 17, 2016)


STEM (and other interdisciplinary core content) Activities / Videos / Websites

1) Science Explorer Activities (Grades 4-8) (Exploratorium)

2) STEM Gems Activities (Grades 4-8) (National After School Association)

3) STEM Fact Sheets (Resources for Educators)

4) Design Squad Build Activities (Grades 1-6) (PBS)

5) Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences
    (Oregon State) (Grades 4-12)

6) How to Smile STEM Resources (How To Smile)  

7) Understanding the Standing Rock Standoff (with Lesson Plan)
    (KQED article by Matthew Green, December 13, 2016)

8) Seven Creative Alternatives to Showing Movies Before the Break
   (John Spencer Blog) 

9) The Honest Truth about Fake News and How Not to be a Sucker 
    (with Lesson Plan) (KQED activity by Matthew Green, December 6, 2016)

10) Prevent Bullying Webinar (After School Alliance Webinar)


STEM / Educational Grants: 

1) The Big List of Educational Grants (Updated on December 13, 2016)

2) California After School Network Funding Opportunities Page

3) After School Funding Database

4) The Impact Foundry

5) Bank of the West

6) Application for Free Computers

7) Lowe's Toolbox for Education


STEM / Misc. Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events: 

1) Region 3 Winter Conference for Elementary Expanded Learning Program 
    Practitioners (Free) (January 24, 2017)

2) Region 3 Winter Conference for Middle / High School Expanded Learning Program
    Practitioners (Free) (February 21, 2017)

3) 2017 Expanded Learning Symposium (February 23, 2017 in Berkeley)
    (Registration: $89 per participant)

4) CASRC Online Professional Learning Sessions (Free) 
     (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

5) CalSAC Online Professional Learning Sessions (Free)
    (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

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

   

November has a Cornucopia of STEM Offerings

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National Native American Heritage Month. This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area.

Here are some resources that could help you and your students celebrate and learn more about Native American Heritage Month.

Native Americans have made many great contributions to the field of Science:


1) Mary Golda Ross - was the first Native American female engineer. She was one of 
    the 40 founding engineers of the Skunk Works, and was known for her work at 
    Lockheed Martin on preliminary design concepts for interplanetary space travel, 
    manned and unmanned earth-orbiting flights, the earliest studies of orbiting 
    satellites for both defense and civilian purposes.

Mary Golda Ross the first Native American female engineer.

  

2) John Herrington - Astronaut John Herrington was the first Native American to travel 
    to space. Herrington, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, spent over 330 hours in 
    space before retiring in 2005. 

John B. Herrington first enrolled Native American Tribe member to fly in space.

Let's see what STEM learning activities the Expanded Learning Program practitioners have been engaging the Region 3 students in.


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


Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District


Name of School Site: John Cabrillo Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 1st and 2nd Graders


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 22 Students


Type of Activity: Marshmallow Towers


Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Learn about the Engineering Design Process
• Learn about the stability of structures
• Learn how to make blue prints
• Learn how to work collaboratively
• Learn about the importance of base and foundation

Expanded Learning Program students at John Cabrillo testing their Marshmallow Tower designs.

For more information on this activity please contact Duc-Hanh Nguyen at duchanh@sccsc.org.

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


Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District


Name of School Site: A.M. Winn Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 4th thru 8th


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 22


Type of Activity: Making Stress Bottles


Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Learn about the Engineering Design Process
• Identify and discuss stressful situations, what causes them, the effects that they have on the body, and how to deal with them
• Learn about measurement
• Explore, test, and redesign their Stress Bottles
• Learn how to work collaboratively together
• Experience peer learning
• Learn about healthy ways to deal with stress

Expanded Learning Program students showing off their Stress Bottles.

For more information on this activity please contact Monik Vega at mvega@sccsc.org.




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


Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District


Name of School Site: Sierra View Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 4th thru 6th Grade


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 20


Type of Activity: Demonstration / Experiment: Students use oil, water, and seltzer tablets to learn about the differing densities of liquids while eventually making their own lava lamps.


Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Explore the Engineering Design Process
• Create their own lava lamps using oil, water, food coloring, and seltzer tablets
• Explain the density of certain liquids
• Explore what ratio of oil and water creates the most effective lava lamps
• Collect and analyze data

Expanded Learning Program students at Sierra View Elementary exploring density and making lava lamps.

For more information on this activity please contact Ryan Mallory at ryan@sccsc.org.


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


Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District


Name of School Site: Noralto Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 2nd Grade


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 13


Type of Activity: Rock Identification


Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Learning the different between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks
• Identifying 6 rocks by their features
• Seeing if the rocks react to saturated citric acid

Expanded Learning Program students at Noralto  classifying the different types of rocks.

For more information on this activity please contact Tanya Velasquez at tanya@sccsc.org.


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


Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District


Name of School Site: William Land Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 4th Grade


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 26


Type of Activity: Taternauts Project


Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 

• Understand the changes in the scientific method
• Understand the importance of budgeting in relation to project funding
• Understand the effects of mass and velocity on acceleration
• Collect, calculate, and input data to better their model via Project Based Learning 
• Understand why there is a need for space junk clean-up projects

Taternauts materials.

Expanded Learning Program students at William Land Elementary getting ready to test their Taternauts.

For more information on this activity please contact David Constancio at david@sccsc.org.



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


Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District


Name of School Site: Foothill Ranch Middle School


Grade Level of Activity: 7th and 8th Grade


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 10


Type of Activity: STEAM



Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Students will study the structures of molecules 
• Build a molecule of their choice out of a styrofoam cup, toothpicks, and marshmallows
• Explain the structure of their molecule
• Students will be able to use correct scientific academic language when describing their molecule

Expanded Learning Program students creating their molecules at Foothill Ranch Middle School.

For more information on this activity please contact Jessica Jones at jessica@sccsc.org.



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


Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District


Name of School Site: Foothill Oaks Elementary


Grade Level of Activity: 4th and 5th Grade


Number of Students who took part in the activity: 21


Type of Activity: Learning about volcanoes



Learning Outcomes: Students were able to:

• Learn about volcanoes and how they affect us and the planet
• Different types of volcanoes that exist and how they are formed
• Create a volcano as a team and make it erupt

Expanded Learning Program students at Foothill Oaks learning about volcanoes.

For more information on this activity please contact Luis Ramirez at louis@sccsc.org.

STEM / Expanded Learning Program and other Pertinent Education Articles:

1) Culinary Programs Increase Student Appetites for Art, Science, Math, and Life Skills
    (The Journal of Expanded Learning Opportunities Project)

2) What do after school programs do for our youth?
    (The Journal of Expanded Learning Opportunities Project)

3) How a summer learning program helped one community's literacy problem
    (Afterschool Alliance Article by Jodi Grant, October 6, 2016)

4) Rainstorms and Symphonies: Performing Arts Bring Abstract Concepts to Life
    (Edutopia Article by Mary Gresock and Lisette Steinwald, October 5, 2016)

5) The New Focus on Children's Mental Health
    (The Atlantic Article by Emily Goldberg, October 17, 2016)

6) Kid Cudi's Mental Health Struggle has Inspired Black Men to Talk About Depression
   (Essence Article by Sydney Scott, October 6, 2016)

7) LA principal encourages students to be peacemakers, not peace breakers
    (EdSource Article by Michael Janofsky, September 25, 2016)

8) Learning In The Age of Digital Distraction
    (NPR Article by Eric Westervelt, November 5, 2016)

9) 5 Reasons Schools Should Measure Chronic Absence
    (NPR Article by Elissa Nadworny, November 3, 2016)

10) How a Happy School Can Help Students Succeed
      (NPR Article by Kat Lonsdorf, November 1, 2016)

11) Trump Brings Uncertainty To Big Education Issues
      (Education Week Article by Andrew Ujifusa, November 9, 2016)

12) 3 Ways Schools Can Be Supportive of Students' Mental Health
      (MindShift Article by Meg Anderson, September 26, 2016)

13) Feeling they are part of a group increased preschoolers' interest, success in STEM
      (University of Washington Article by Molly McElory, September 7, 2016)

14) Next Generation Science Opportunities in Expanded Learning 
      (The Journal of Expanded Learning Opportunities Project)

  
STEM (and other interdisciplinary core content) Activities / Videos / Websites: 

1) Resources to Fight Bullying and Harassment at School (Edutopia)

2) The Kindness Game Activity (Edutopia)

3) Farm to School Resources  (Farm to school, Articles, Toolkits, etc.)

4) Garden Activities (Kids Gardening, Activities)

5) Garden Lesson Plans  (Kids Gardening, Lesson Plans)

6) Build a Straw Hands-Free Holder (Design Squad, Activity)

7) Water Way Design Challenges (Design Squad, Activity)

8) How Slow Can You go? (Creativity Catapult, Activity)

9) Here's What Students Are Saying About The Election Results (NPR, Podcast)

10) College Is A 4-Year- Long Balancing Act For First-Generation Students
      (NPR, Podcast)

11) Freedom To Explore: 2 Schools Where The Students Call The Shots
       (NPR, Podcast)

12) National Science Test Scores Are Out, But What Do They Really Tell Us?
        (NPR, Podcast)


STEM / Educational Grants:

1) The Big List of Educational Grants and Resources
   (Edutopia, Updated on November 2, 2016)

2) The Impact Foundry (Grant Opportunities)

3) Walmart Foundation (Grant Opportunity)

4) Bank of The West  (Grant Opportunity)

5) Application for Free Computers (Ongoing)

6) Lowes Tool Box for Education 
    (Application opens December 18, 2016)



STEM / Misc. Professional Learning Sessions / Contests / Events:


1) How Kids Learn Conference (December 7, 2016 in SF)

    (Registration: $120 per participant)

2) 2017 Expanded Learning Symposium (February 23, 2017 in Berkeley)

     (Registration: $89 per participant)

3)  CASRC Online Profesional Learning Sessions (Free) 

     (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

4) CalSac Online Professional Learning Sessions (Free) 

      (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

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

October is full of STEM-azing Treats and Activities in Expanded Learning

October’s significance as Filipino American History Month is due to the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States when on October 18, 1587, “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esparanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California.

Click here to read more about Filipino American History Month


Filipino Americans have made many great contributions to the field of Science:

1) Fe del Mundo - The first women admitted as a student to the
   Harvard School of Medicine, she also founded the first pediatric hospital
   in the Philippines.

Fe delo Mundo first female student admitted to Harvard School of Medicine.

2) Pedro Flores is a famous Filipino inventor who is widely accredited with being the
    first yo-yo maker in the United States.

Pedro Flores a famous Filipino inventor.

Click here to read more about other areas that Filipino Americans have made contributions in.

We just wanted to remind the Region 3 Expanded Learning Programs to submit STEM Blog posts that highlight the great STEM learning activities that you are engaging your youth in. Please take a look (please see the pdf below) at the information that we would like you to submit. Once you have gathered the following information, along with images of the STEM activity (any students in the images that you submit should have a signed media release form on file with your agency) please email them to Mark Drewes at mdrewes@scoe.net.

STEM / Expanded Learning Program and other Pertinent Education Articles:

1) "Destined for great things" : Low-income students as educators to believe
       that they can succeed (Jane Meredith Adams, Edsource, 11/17/15)

2) Physical fitness central to Sacramento district's focus on the "whole child"
     (Michael Collier, Edsource, 9/26/16)

3) Why the art of speaking should be taught alongside Math and Literacy
    (Mindshift, KQED, 10/3/16)

4) New Report: Participation in summer learning program yields positive outcomes
    (Erin Murphy, Afterschool Alliance, 9/15/16)

5) Why we desperately need to bring back vocational training in schools
    (Nicholas Wyman, Forbes, 9/1/15)

6) How to spark learning everywhere that kids go - starting with the grocery store
    (Anya Kamenetz, NPR, 10/3/16)

7) Talking to students about police violence and protests
    (Lauren Camera, US News, 9/27/16)

8) How schools can help notice and serve the "quiet kids"
    (Elisa Nadworny, KQED, 7/6/16)

9) The most important skill for the modern educator may be the "art of 
     turning it around" (Global Citizen, 9/27/16)

10) How mindfulness and storytelling help kids heal and learn
      (Juli Fraga, KQED, 9/26/16)

11) This school replaced detention with meditation
      (James Gaines, Upworthy, 9/22/16)


STEM (and other interdisciplinary core content) Activities / Videos / Websites:

1) NPASS Activities (Design-It Free Activities)

2) NPASS Activities (Explore - It Free Activities)

3) Sensational Summarizing Strategies (Resource)

4) October Homework: Full STEM Ahead (Free Activities for Grades 1-5)

5) After School Science Activities (Free Exploratorium Activities)

6) Math Explorer: Searchable Math Games (Free Exploratorium Activities)

7) After School Science Activities (Free Science Net Links Activities)

8) After School Exchange Science Activities (After School Exchange Activities)

9) Climate Kids (Free NASA Climate Activities)

10) Kid Sustainability Videos (Videos)

11) Earth Day Activities for Kids (Resources)

12) Ultimate Guide to Sustainability and Recycling for Kids (Resource)



STEM / Educational Grants:

1) The Big List of Educational Grants
    (Edutopia Updated on October 12th, 2016)

2) Afterschool Alliance (Grants Resource Page)

3) The Impact Foundry (Grants Resource Page)

4) Captain Planet Foundation (Grants ranging from $500 to $2,500
    for activities that are project-based, performed by youth and have
    a real environmental impact. (Deadline: 1/31/17)

5) KaBOOM! Grants for outdoor play (Deadline: Ongoing)

6) Fender Music Foundation Grants (Deadline: Ongoing)

7) Walmart Foundation Grants (Deadline: Ongoing)

8) Bank of the West Charitable Grants (Deadline: Ongoing)



STEM / Misc. Professional Learning Sessions / Contests / Events:

1) GEMs Spooky Science of Energy Transformation (Free) (Grades 5-12)
    (SMUD Workshop) (Date: 10/19/16) (Time: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)

2)  Engineering Design Challenges (Free) (Grades 5-12)
    (SCOE Workshop) (Date: 10/25/16) (Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) 

3) Making a Solar Powered Emergency Preparedness Kit (Free) (Grades 8-12)
    (SMUD Workshop) (Date: 11/02/16) (Time: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)

4) The How Kids Learn Conference (December 7, 2016 in SF)

    (Registration: $120 per participant)

5) Crocker Art Museum: Art Projects Workshop (Free) (Grades K-12)

     (SCOE Workshop) (Date: 12/13/16) (Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) 

6) CASRC Online Profesional Learning Sessions (Free) 
    (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

7)  CalSac Online Professional Learning Sessions (Free) 
      (Various Topics / Grade Levels)

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