Region 3 STEM Blog takes a look at the "First Lady of Physics"

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage month and so to celebrate this month let's learn about the "First Lady of Physics". Chien-Shiung Wu was a Chinese American experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the field of nuclear physics. Wu worked on developing the process for separating uranium metal into uranium-235 and uranium-238 isotopes. Her expertise in experimental physics evoked comparisons to Marie Curie. Her nicknames include "the First Lady of Physics", "the Chinese Madame Curie", and the "Queen of Nuclear Research". 

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

Name of Out-of-School-Time Provider: San Juan Unified Bridges After School 
Program

Name of District: San Juan Unified School District

Name of School Site: Encina High School

Grade Level of Activity: 9th Grade

Number of Students Who Took Part in The Activity: 20 students

Type of Activity: Robotics Club

Description of STEM Activity: 

The video at the link below was created by a group of  students in the Encina ASSETs program using footage taken from a Quadcopter they assembled and fitted with a camera. The five students are part of a Robotics/Engineering club in the ASSETs program and have been working on the Quadcopter project in the after-school program since early in the school year. The students had to solve issues with the weight and placement of the camera before they were finally able to achieve successful flight and ultimately capture video of their school, and the Color Run they partnered with the Associated Student Body (ASB) to host.

Click here to see video that the Quadcopter took. 

For more information on this project please contact San Juan Unified School District's Expanded Learning Program Grant Manager Debbie Middleton at DMiddleton@sanjuan.edu.



Name of Out-of-School-Time Provider: San Juan Unified's Bridges After School 
Program

Name of District: San Juan Unified School District

Name of School Site: Starr King K-8

Grade Level of Activity: 6th through 8th Grade

Number of Students Who Took Part in The Activity: 20 students

Type of Activity: Cow Eye Dissection

Description of STEM Activity: 

The Bridges After-School Program at Starr King K-8  scheduled an expert from the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum of Michigan to lead an exciting learning opportunity for Bridges students. Corrina Strecker, Distance Learning Manager for the museum, walked the group through a cow eye dissection via live video streaming. The museum shipped the cow eyes to the Bridges program in preparation for the conference. The students learned the anatomy of a cows eye and the function of each part as  they removed and examined it.  Each participant had the opportunity to share their observations and ask questions of the museum expert during this engaging learning experience.

Bridges Expanded Learning Program students working on a cow eye dissection.

Bridges Expanded Learning Program student is proudly displaying his cow eye.

Bridges Expanded Learning Program students learning how to properly dissect a cow's eye.

For more information on this project please contact San Juan Unified School District's Expanded Learning Program Grant Manager Debbie Middleton at DMiddleton@sanjuan.edu.


STEM / Expanded Learning Program and Other Pertinent Education Articles:

1) Protect California's Quality After School Programs: AB2663
    (Save Afterschool website)

2) Messaging Documents to Protect CA's Quality After School Programs
    (Save Afterschool website)

3) Politics and Afterschool: 4 Tips That Could Help you this Election Season
    (National Afterschool Association Website)

4) May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
     (National Afterschool Association Website)

5) Arts and Afterschool: A Powerful Alliance
    (National Afterschool Association Website)

6) Thinking About Science + Nature: An Art Teacher's Approach
    (Kimberley Campisano, April 11, 2016, KQED)

7) Zoo Crew empowers youth to tackle conservation
    (Erin Murphy, April 8, 2016, After School Alliance Blog)

8) The Power of Art to Build Strong Youth and Heal Trauma
   (Alex M. Johnson, April 11, 2016, Huffington Post)

9) Why Kids Should Use Their Fingers in Math Class
    (Jo Boaler and Lang Chen, April 13, 2016, The Atlantic)

10) Some after school program providers say flat funding may cause them to close
      (Susan Frey, April 6, 2016, Ed Source)

11) Can Songs Help You Learn Scientific Concepts?
      (Tania Lombrozo, May 2, 2016, NPR)

12) The problem with teaching "grit" to poor kids? They already have it. Here is what 
      they really need.  (Valerie Strauss, May 10, 2016, The Washington Post)

13) Understanding Gender Identity in Young People: A Briefing Paper for 
      After School Programs
      (Sam Phia and Samantha Waters, April 28, 2016, Temescal and Associates)

14) A Vision for Expanded Learning in California (Strategic Plan Update April 2016)






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

1) Want to Teach In Urban Schools? Get to Know the Neighborhood
    (April 10, 2016, NPR) (Podcast)

2) Survey Raises Concern about Non-English Speaking Students
    (Claudio Sanchez, May 13, 2016, NPR) (Podcast)

3) Feds turn to Hip Hop to Tamp Down Teen Smoking
    (Maanvi Singh, May 10, 2016, NPR) (Podcast)

4) Preparing Youth To Thrive (Promising Practices in Social Emotional Learning)
    (SEL Practices Website) (Resource Guide)

5) STEM Gems (Experiential STEM Learning Activities)
    (STEM Activities from National After School Association) 

6) After School Tech Trends 2016 ( National After School Association website)

7) Four Free Tools for Arts Integration in the Content Classroom
    (Graphite Blog, January 26, 2016)

8) New App helps families find summer meal sites (App)

9) What Killed the Dinosaurs? (Activity #2 PBS) (Grades K-2)

10) Arts Edge (Integrated Art Activities)






STEM / Educational Grants:

1) Math Moves U: Math Hero Award (Math hero receives a $2,500 grant and school 
    receives a matching award) (Deadline: Applications open Spring of 2016)

2) Best Satellite Providers: Technology Grants for Educators

    17 Resources for Future Proof Kids

    (Deadline: Varies by Grant Opportunity) 

3) California Regional Environmental Education Community (Grant Database)

4) The Big List of Educational Grants and Resources (Edutopia List of Grants)

    (This webpage has been updated on May 7, 2016)

5) Target Field Trip Grants ($700)  (August 1 through September 30, 2016)

6) Project WET Funding Database (Scroll down to the bottom of the page 

    and click on the "Grants" link)




STEM / Misc. Professional Development / Contest / Events:

1) CA STEM Symposium 2016 (October 9-11, 2016: Fee: $310 per participant 

     before September 1, 2016)

2) Lights on After School Poster Contest (Deadline: June 1, 2016)

3) Sustainable Cities (CA Lead Module) (Cost: Free) (June 2, 2016)

4) Let's Put The A(rt) in STEM (Cost: Free) (Date: June 9, 2016)

5) CASRC Online Courses (Free)

6) CalSac Online Courses (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: After School) mdrewes@scoe.net