Thursday, October 18, 2018

October is Chock-full of STEM-azing Treats and Activities for Expanded Learning Programs

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, 1857, Luzones Indios came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra SeƱora de Esparanza  and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California.

Click here to find out more about Filipino American History Month.

Here are nine ways to celebrate Filipino American History Month.



Do you know.............
Andreia Carillo, astrophysicist


           
                                     
                                             Sarah Oliva, geophysicist

To find out about the Filipina scientist and learn about some of their colleagues, please click here.


October is also bullying prevention month. Here is a list of resources to start you off.


a) National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month (Stop Bullying Website)

b) Lesson Plans, Activities, Stats, FAQs (Pacer Org.)

c) Stand Up!!! Activity (Teaching Tolerance)

d) Peer Exclusion Activity (Teaching Tolerance)

e) Developing Empathy (Teaching Tolerance)

f) Middle School Anti-Bullying Lesson Plans (Intermediate Unit 1)

g) Teaching Students to Prevent Bullying (NEA)



STEAM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

    (Education Week Blog Post by Charle' LaMonica, October 11, 2018)

    (Education Week article by Alyson Klein, October 15, 2018)

   (LIAS Blog Post by Sam Phia, October 9, 2018)

4) The Value of Silence in Schools (Mindfulness)
    (Edutopia article by Dana Weeks, October 15, 2018)

5) How Restorative Justice Helps Our Students Learn
    (Edutopia article by Jacquelyn Richards, September 4, 2018)

6) 3 Tips for Connecting With English Language Learners
    (Edutopia article by Serena Sachar, October 12, 2018)

7) A Better Way to Teach the civil Rights Movement
    (Edutopia article by Melinda Anderson, September 19, 2018)


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

1) 5 Simple Ways to Encourage Brain Development in Your Little One
    (NPR Podcast by Elissa Nadworny, October 1, 2018)

2) Need Help Paying For College? There is an App for That
    (NPR Podcast by Cory Turner, September 25, 2018)

3) Are LGBTQ Students Any Safer in Schools Today?
    (1A Podcast, September 20, 2018)

4) Why A High Schooler Started Covering the Supreme Court 
    (NPR Podcast by Lulu Garcia-Navarro,  September 16, 2018)

5 ) STEM Webinars (various topics) 

6) STEM Activities and Resources (Shell United States)

7) 36 Resources for STEM Project Based Learning Activities
    (Global Digital Citizen Foundation)

8) After School STEM Talking Points (Afterschool STEM Hub)

9) Scholastic STEM PBL (Grades K-8)

10) STEM Activities for Middle School Students 
      (STEM Activities for Kids)


STEAM / 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


STEAM / Miscellaneous Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events:

1) California STEAM Symposium
    (Fee: $350) (Dates: October 28-29, 2018)

2) SMUD Free Educational Workshops 

3) Sacramento Area Girls Fire Camp
    (November 3 and 4, 2018) (Grades 9-12)

4) Project Based Learning in STEAM
   (Date: November 9, 2018) (Cost: Free) (Grades: 3-12)

5) Classroom Management (A Two Session Series)
    (Dates: November 30, 2018 and January 8, 2019) 
    (Cost: Free) (Grades: 3-12)

6) Nadine Burke Harris in Conversation
    (Date: December 3, 2018) (Cost: $29.00)

7) Conflict Resolution: (Date: December 12, 2018) (Cost: Free) 
    (Grades: K-12)

8) Engineer It (Date: December 19, 2018) (Cost: Free) 
    (Grades: 5-12)

9) Angela Y. Davis and Ibram X. Kendi in Conversation
     (Date: January 10, 2019) (Cost: $29.00)

10) Put Me In Coach (A two session series)
    (Dates: January 23, 2019 and March 6, 2019)

11) California Cruz'n: Expanded Learning Site Coordinator 
    Symposium (Dates: February 8 and 9, 2019) (Cost: $100)
    (Location: Long Beach, CA)

12) Mayor Michael Tubbs in Conversation
       (Date: February 13, 2019) (Cost: $29.00)


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

Thursday, September 13, 2018

September 15th through October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month


Dolores Huerta - Labor Leader / Civil Rights Activist

"Let's teach kids, at the kindergarten level, what the contributions of people of color were to the building of the United States of America." - Dolores Huerta


Rigoberta Menchu' Tum - Guatemalan Indigenous Rights Activist  and Nobel Peace Prize Winner

"Peace cannot exist without justice, justice cannot exist without fairness, fairness cannot exist without development, development cannot exist without democracy, democracy cannot exist without respect for the identity and worth of cultures and peoples."


September 15th to October 15th in the United States is when we in the Expanded Learning field can engage our youth in learning activities that recognize the contributions that our brothers and sisters from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize have made to make our world a better place.

September was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. All declared independence in 1821. In addition, Mexico, Chile, and Belize celebrate their independence days on September 16th, September 18th, and September 2nd respectively.


Here are a few additional activity resources for you and your Expanded Learning staff to possibly engage your scholars in:

a) National Hispanic Heritage Month Activities (Free) (Grades K-12) (NEA)

b) Bring National Hispanic Heritage Month to Life (Free) (Grades K-8) (Scholastic)

c) Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Free) (Grades K-6) (Education World)


STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Education Articles:

1) Explore Why High School Expectations Matter (Achieve.org)

2) Woodland Teachers Explore Sunflower Science
    (Woodland Daily Democract article by Cutter Hicks, 8/3/18)

3) Physical Computing Is Heading to Education: What You Need To Know
    (EDWEEK Market Brief article by Nikki Navta, 9/6/18)

4) Integrating Social Emotional Learning Isn't Easy. Here How It Is Done.
    (Education Week article by David Adams, 9/6/18)

5) Summer programs increase STEM learning opportunities for
    visually impaired students
    (Education Dive article by Linda Jacobson, 8/21/18)

6) STEM Worker Shortage at a Crisis Survey Shows
    (U.S. News and World Report article by Sintia Radu, 8/23/18)

7) 5 Proven Benefits of Play
    (NPR article by Anya Kamenetz, 8/31/18)

8) Race, Discipline, and Safety at U.S. Public Schools
   (Report by the ACLU)

9) Immigration and Afterschool 
    (LIAS Blogpost, 8/29/18)

10) The Most Popular High School Plays and Musicals
      (NPR article by Elissa Nadworny, 8/1/18)


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

1) PBS Design Squad Activity Guides 
    (Free to Download) (Grades 3-12)

2) CA Academy of Science Lesson Plans 
    (Free to Download) (Grades Pre-K to 12th)

3) PBS Design Squad Electricity and Circuits 
    (Lesson Plans)

4) PBS Design Squad Engineering Design Process 
    (Lesson Plans)

5) PBS Design Squad Green Design 
    (Lesson Plans)

6) PBS Design Squad Helping Others STEM Challenges 
    (Lesson Plans)

7) PBS Design Squad Simple Machines 
    (Lesson Plans)

8) PBS Design Squad Structures 
    (Lesson Plans)

9) Top 5 Ways to Welcome Students Back To School
    (Scholastic Lesson Plans) (Pre - K to 5th)

10) From Poverty to Rocket Scientist to CEO, A Girl Scout's Inspiring Story
      (NPR Podcast by Elissa Nadworny, 9/5/18)

11) To Raise Confident, Independent Kids, Some Parents are Trying "Let Grow"
      (NPR Podcast by Deena Prichep, 9/3/18)


STEM / Educational Grants: 

1) ASES Kids Code (Due November 5, 2018)

2) Afterschool Alliance Grant Page

3) Bank of the West Grant Page

4) CAN Funding Opportunities Webpage

5) The Impact Foundry Grant Page


STEAM / Miscellaneous Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events:

1) NBA Math Hoops (September 20, 2018) (Free)
    (Grades 4-8)

2) California STEAM Symposium
    (Fee: $350) (Dates: October 28-29, 2018)

3) How Kids Learn Conference
    (Fee: $125) (Date: December 6, 2018)

4) SMUD Free Educational Workshops



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    

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

August is National Back to School Month

The SSEL Region 3 Expanded Learning 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 2018 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 2018-2019 academic school year. Here is to a wonderful year, with many amazing memories.

Here are some monthly themes and activities that you might want to incorporate into your Expanded Learning Program:

One of the many posters free to download.




Classroom Posters that Promote Unity / Inclusion:

a) One World Posters (Teaching Tolerance)

b) This School Welcomes You (Teaching Tolerance)

c) CTA for All Students (CTA)

September 2018:

a) National Hispanic Heritage Month (Wikipedia)

b) Learning Activities to engage your students in (Modern Miami Website)

c) Lesson Plans for celebrating National Heritage Month (NEA Grades K-12)

d) Lesson plans and activities (Discoveries of a Latina Homeschooler)

e) Frida Kahlo Artwork Guide (SF MOMA)

f) International DOT Day Activities Guide (Roughly September 15th)


October 2018:

a) National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month (Stop Bullying Website)

b) Lesson Plans, Activities, Stats, FAQs (Pacer Org.)

c) Stand Up!!! Activity (Teaching Tolerance)

d) Peer Exclusion Activity (Teaching Tolerance)

e) Developing Empathy (Teaching Tolerance)

f) Middle School Anti-Bullying Lesson Plans (Intermediate Unit 1)

g) Teaching Students to Prevent Bullying (NEA)

h) Global Cardboard Challenge Event

i) Caine's Arcade Activity Curriculum and Activity Kits (Free to Download)


November 2018:

a) Native American Heritage Month (Native American 360)

b) Native American Art Activities

c) Additional Resources


STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) Raising Brilliant Kids - With Research to Back You Up
    (NPR Article by Anna Kamenetz; July 23, 2018)

2) How to Make A Civics Education Stick
    (NPR Article by Emily Cardinali; August 14, 2018)

3) How The Science of Learning is Catching Up To Mr. Rogers
    (NPR Article by Anna Kamenetz; July 23, 2018)

4) (Teacher Wellness) Reclaiming a Sense of Joy
   (Edutopia Article by Shane Safir; August 10, 2018)

5) Reflections on Shifting to a Flexible Classroom
   (Edutopia Article by Brooke Markle; August 20, 2018)

6) Using Stories to Teach Math
    (Edutopia Article by L.L. Barkat; December 22, 2017)

7) To Get Girls Into Coding, Nonprofit Looks to Historic Inspiration
    (Education Week Article by Lauraine Genota; August 15, 2018)

8) Social Skills Are Critical For Future Job-Seekers
    (Education Week Article by Pam Roy; August 15, 2018)

9) Equity and Voice: How a Sense of Belonging Promotes Students' Agency
    (Education Week Article by Contributing Blogger; August 15, 2018)

10) Kids Need to Play at Recess, Their Mental Health May Depend on It
     (Education Week Article by Peter DeWitt; August 1, 2018)


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

1) 36 Resources for STEM Project-Based Learning Activities

2) 17 Examples of STEM Project Based Learning Activities

3) Integrated STEM Education through Project Based Learning

4) Project Based Learning and STEM Afterschool

5) Project Based Learning and the Arts

6) Arts-Infused Project Based Learning: Crafting Beautiful Work

7) Buck Institute: Project Based Learning Resources

8) ITeach: A Guide To the Most Useful Apps For the Classroom

9) The Social Classroom (Video)

10) Projects That Work (PBL Video)


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


STEAM / Miscellaneous Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events:

1) NBA Math Hoops (September 20, 2018) (Free)
    (Grades 4-8)

2) California STEAM Symposium
    (Fee: $350) (Dates: October 28-29, 2018)

3) How Kids Learn Conference
    (Fee: $125) (Date: December 6, 2018)

4) SMUD Free Educational Workshops


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

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

July is for Summer Learning

During summer, students with the greatest need fall further behind. Summer learning loss, or summer slide, is responsible for as much as two-thirds of the ninth grade achievement gap. Every year a child that does not participate in a summer learning opportunity puts them at risk for summer learning loss, weight gain, and unhealthy eating.

Summer learning provides uniquely innovative opportunities for learning and enrichment. Field trips, projects, and camp-like activities provide meaningful and engaging learning experiences. Unlike a remedial or mandatory summer school, high quality summer programs make learning meaningful and engaging.

For resources in regards to the following summer learning topics, please click on the following links:

1) Reports on the benefits of summer learning

2) Summer learning tools

3) Summer learning videos

4) National Summer Learning Association resources




STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) There's Something Missing From STEM Learning
    (Education Week article by Susan Riley; October 2, 2017)

2) Students of Color Face Persistent Disparities in Access to Advanced
    STEM Courses
    (Education Week article by Stephen Sawchuk; April 24, 2018)

3) How to build an equitable learning community in your science classroom
    (STEM Teaching Tools article)

4) The Next Generation in Learning
    (The Signal article by Brennon Dixson; June 20, 2018)

5) San Francisco school finds key to raising math scores: Teacher Training
    (EdSource article by Carolyn Jones; July 3, 2018)

6) What Families Need to Know About Screen Time This Summer
    (NPR article by Anya Kamenetz; July 9, 2018)

7) Raising Kids Who Want to Read - Even During the Summer
    (NPR article by Cory Turner; July 2, 2018)

8) At the Education Department, Student Artworks Explore Tolerance and Racism
    (NPR article by La Johnsonr; June 29, 2018)

9) 17 Ways to Help Students with ADHD Concentrate
    (Edutopia article by Youki Terada; June 28, 2018)

10) Connecting Learning With Emotions
      (Edutopia article by Harry O'Malley; June 25, 2018)



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

1) Helping Children Identify as Readers - Starting with a Haircut
   (NPR podcast by Cory Turner; July 3, 2018)

2) Teaching Parents of Kids with Disabilities to Fight Back
    (NPR podcast by Joseph Shapiro; June 29, 2018)

3) Summer STEM Activities - 20 STEM Challenges For Summer Fun
    (STEAM Powered Family Blog: Grades 3-6)

4) 24 STEM Learning Activities for Summer STEM
    (A Dab of Glue Will Do Blog: Grades K-3)

5) STEM Learning Activities for Middle School Students
    (Illinois Valley Community College: Grades 6-8)

6) STEM Activities for Middle School Students
    (STEM Activities for Kids: Grades 6-8)

7) Expanded Learning Time in After School and Summer Enrichment Programs
   (CSU Long Beach: Grades 6-12)

8) STEM Activities and Resources for K-12 Educators
    (NSF: Grades K-12)

9) After School Technology Tool Kit
    (National After School Alliance: Grades K-12


STEM / Educational Grants:

1) CAN Funding Opportunities Webpage

2) The Impact Foundry Grant Page

3) Afterschool Alliance Webpage

4) Bank of The West Grant Page



STEAM / Miscellaneous Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events:

1) Science Action Club Opportunity
    (Fee: Free) (Date: Submit application by July 31,2018)

2) California Expanded Learning Summit #1 Oakland California 
    (Fee: Free) (Date: August 16, 2018)

3) California STEAM Symposium
    (Fee: $350) (Dates: October 28-29, 2018)

4) How Kids Learn Conference
    (Fee: $125) (Date: December 6, 2018)


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

Monday, June 4, 2018

June is a Month Chock-full of Multicultural / Equality / Healthy Lifestyles Celebrations

June is a month in which we love to celebrate. We tend to celebrate the end of our academic school year, graduations, the beginning of summer and.......

1) Juneteenth - Is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official on January 1, 1863. (Please see resource section below for activity ideas.)

2) LGBTQ Pride Month - Is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, but also to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally. (Please see resource section below for Teaching Tolerance lesson plans.)

3) Great Outdoors Month - June is a special time to celebrate America's great outdoors. Help youth celebrate the natural wonder and outdoor spirit by getting them outside and engaged in a variety of outdoor activities. Click here for outdoor games to engage youth in.

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



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

Name of District: Sacramento City Unified School District

Grade Level of Activity: 1st -6th Grade

Number of students who took part in the activity: 15

Type of Activity: S.T.E.A.M.

Learning Outcomes - Students were able to:


  • Learn about the periodic table of elements
  • Learn how and why carbonated drinks actually help plants grow


Expanded Learning youth learning about how carbonation helps plants grow.

For more information on this activity please feel free to email Expanded Learning 
Site Coordinator Teresa Hernandez at teresa@sccsc.org.





STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) Learning is Social, Emotional, and Academic 
    (Education Week article by Linda Darling-Hammond and 
     Tim Shriver, May 1, 2018)

2) Immigrant Students: Our Kids, our Future 
    (Learning Policy Institute Blog: Education and the Path to Equity)

3) Closing the Communication Gap and Finding Time
    (Learning in Afterschool Blog)

4) Juuling Craze: Schools Scramble to Deal with Student Vaping
    (Education Week article by Evie Blad, May 4, 2018)

5) Ways to Integrate Writing into Science Classes
     (Education Week Teacher Blog)

6) The Power of Sharing Circles
    (Learning in Afterschool Blog)

7) Happy Teachers Practice Self-Care
    (Education Week Article by Madeline Will)

8) The Science Behind Student Engagement
    (Pearson- Whitepaper)

9) Early-Grades Science: The First Key STEM Opportunity
    (Education Week article by Madeline Will, May 22, 2018) 

10) Why Children Aren't Behaving, and What You Can Do About It
      (NPR Education article by Cory Turner, June 2, 2018)


STEM (and other core content) Activities / Websites / Media Content:

1) Parent Engagement as a lever for Equity and Achievement
    (Education Week Conversation: Video)

2) Meet the Women Who First Integrated America's School's
    (NPR Podcast May 29, 2018)

3) Asian American Heritage Month Activities (Pre-K-12th)

4) Teaching Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 
    (NEA Activities: K-5)

5) Summer Reading Resources (NEA)

6) NEA Science Resources Page (K-12)

7) Gender and Sexual Identity Lesson Plans (Teaching Tolerance Activities)

8) Children's Activities for Juneteenth

9) Activities / Resources / Videos for Juneteenth

10)  7 Games from Around the World


STEM / Educational Grants: 

1) CAN Funding Opportunities Webpage

2) Impact Foundry Grant Page

3) Afterschool Alliance Grant Page

4) Bank of The West Grant Page


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

1) How Kids Learn Conference (December 6, 2018) (Oakland)


We will share items as they come across our desk before the next blog post.



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