Here is to a STEM-amzing New Year!!!

The Region 3 Expanded Learning Team just wanted to take the time and wish all of you a Happy New Year. We hope that you were able to take some time off during the winter break and recharge your internal batteries. We hope that you were able to fully step away from work and truly enjoy "you time". We also hope that you were able to spend quality face-to-face time with family and friends making memories. We hope that all of you found a moment or two to take care of your physical and mental health. All of the above helps you to be at the top of your game.

With that being stated we just wanted to inform you all of how awesome you are. The work that you do on a daily basis are strengthening communities. On a daily basis the work that you do engages 20,000 youth on average across Region 3 with opportunities that wouldn't exist without you.

Once again, incase you have not been adequately informed, please consider this official notification that you are awesome.


Activities to help you plan for possible February learning activities:

a) Build a Light Bulb - Circuits Activity

b) Engineering Activities (Discover Engineering)

c) 28 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month (Scholastic Activities)

d) Black History Month Lessons and Resources (National Education Association)

e) 28 Days of Art Activities for Black History Month (Creative Child)

f) PBS Learning Media Black History Month Resources (PBS)

g) Black History Month Celebration (Crocker Art Museum)
    (Date: February 18, 2018) (Time: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm)

h) CSUS Black History Month Events (CSUS)

i) U.C. Davis Calendar of Events (U.C. Davis)

j) Famous Black Engineers Throughout History (How Stuff Works)

k) 12 Women Whose Names You Should Know (Refinery 29)


Now let us check-in on Region 3 Expanded Learning Programs and see what STEM / STEAM activities they have been engaging youth in:

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

Name of District: Twin Rivers Unified School District

School Site: Madison Elementary

Grade Level of Activity: K-3rd  

Number of Students who took part in the activity: 20

Type of Activity: STEAM

Learning Outcomes - Students were able to: 

• Identify pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
• Understand the value of each coin
• Count coins in same and mixed situations
• Engage in activities that require addition and subtraction
• Engage in a simulated grocery store shopping trip

For more information on this project please feel free to contact Johnny Ramirez at johnny@sccsc.org.

Madison Expanded Learning students being engaged in real world math learning activities.

STEAM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) How to Make Sure Your Math Anxiety Doesn't Make Your Kids Hate Math
    (NPR article by Sara Ernst, December 16, 2018)

2) Making Connections with the STEM Learning Ecosystems Initiative
    (Scientific American article by Amanda Baker, December 26, 2018)

3) Engaging English Learners in K-12 Engineering
    (NTSA Blog post by Christine M. Cunningham, January 8, 2019)

4) English Learners in STEM Subjects
    (NTSA Blog post by Okhee Lee, January 8, 2019)

5) Why Millions of Kids Can't Read, and What Better Teaching Can Do About It
    (NPR article by Emily Hanford, January 2, 2019)

6) How Do You Teach Kids To Be Honest?
    (NPR article by Kamala Thiagarajan, December 25, 2018)

7) Building Community With Friendly Fridays
    (Edutopia article by Elizabeth Peterson, January 8, 2019)

8) Social and Emotional Learning in Science Class
    (Edutopia article by Sarah Kesty, January 3, 2019)

9) A Mindfulness Story by Kids
    (Blog post by Sam Phia, January 9, 2019)

10) 6 Lessons Startup Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Dance Class
      (Ed Week Market Brief article by Sara Potler LaHayne, January 9, 2019)


STEAM (other core content) Activities / Websites / Podcast:

1) Free Science Lesson Plans (Grades K-12)
    (ExploraVision)

2) 150 STEM Resources for PBL and Authentic Learning (Grades K-12)
    (Tech and Learning)

3) Racing Extinction Education (Activities) (Grades K-12)
    (Discovery Website)

4) Alexa Can Help Kids With Homework, But Don't Forget Problem -
    Solving Skills (NPR Podcast)

5) Character Education Resources 
    (CDE Website)

6) Youth for Youth (Free Online Professional Learning / Resources)
    (Ed Gov. Website)

7) The EDge (CDE Special Education Newsletter)

8) Art Activities (Dick Blick Art Website)

9) Bedtime Math (Free Curriculum)


STEM / Non-STEM Educational Grants: 

1)  Afterschool Alliance Grant Page

2)  Bank of the West Grant Page

3) CAN Funding Opportunities Webpage

4) The Impact Foundry Grant Page

STEM / Non-STEM Educational Grants: 

1) NPR Student Podcast Challenge

    (January 1 - March 31, 2019)

2) SMUD Free Educational Workshops (Free)

3) Physical Computing: Series (SCOE: Free)
    (January 2019)

4) CA Cruz'n: Expanded Learning Site Coordinator Symposium

    (Dates: February 8 and 9, 2019) (Cost: $100)
    (Location: Long Beach, CA)

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