Monday, April 17, 2017

April is Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month

April marks a time to increase the understanding and appreciation of mathematics and statistics. Why? Both subjects play a significant role in addressing many real-world problems-- internet security, sustainability, disease, climate change, the data deluge, and much more. Research in these and other areas is ongoing, revealing new results and applications every day in fields such as medicine, manufacturing, energy, biotechnology, and business. Mathematics and statistics are important drivers of innovation in our technological world, in which new systems and methodologies continue to become more complex.

Mathematics Awareness Month began in 1986 as Mathematics Awareness Week with a proclamation by President Ronald Regan, who said in part:

"Despite the increasing importance of mathematics to the progress of our economy and society, enrollment in mathematics programs has been declining at all levels of the American educational system. Yet the application of mathematics is indispensable in such diverse fields as medicine, computer sciences, space exploration, the skilled trades, business, defense, and government. To help encourage the study and utilization of mathematics, it is appropriate that all Americans be reminded of the importance of this basic branch of science to our daily lives."

Here are a couple of current day Mathematical Pioneers:

1) Maryam Mirzakhani - She became the first woman to win the Fields Medal, one of
    the most prestigious awards in the mathematics community. She is also the first
    Iranian to receive this honor. "Math is the Aha moment, the excitement of discovery
    and enjoyment of understanding something new - the feeling of being on top of a hill
    and having a clear view."

Maryam Mirzakhani Stanford University Mathematics Professor



2) Katherine Adebola Okikiolu - In 1997, Okikiolubecame the first black recipient of a
    Sloan Research Fellowship. She was also awarded a Presidential Early Career 
    Award for Scientists and Engineers for both her mathematical research and her
    development of mathematics curricula for inner-city school children.

Katherine Adebola Okikiolu Mathematician at Johns Hopkins University. 


Click here for a list of grade level math activities to engage your expanded learning students in.


Now let's take a look and see how many Region 3 Grant Managers, Expanded Learning Program Providers, Expanded Learning community members, and business partners came together to help host year six of the Region 3 Expanded Learning Math Tournament.


Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider(s): City of West Sacramento KidZone, 



Other Expanded Learning Community Partners: California Department of Education / 

Grade Level of Activity: 4th through 8th Grade

Number of Students who took part in Activity: 110


Day of Event: April 1, 2017

Learning Outcomes: Students were able to deepening their understanding of: 

  • computing percentages
  • comparing ratios
  • creating a ranking system
  • evaluating formulas
  • interpreting data
  • using probability to make decisions

A photo of how this was truly a collaborative effort.



A photo of one of our many expanded learning teams deep in thought.



A trophy for the division winners.



Pony Express Elementary for the Win!!!!


STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) New science standards raise hopes for narrowing achievement gap
    (EdSource article by Carolyn Jones April 13, 2017)

 2) Letters send wave of after school support to Capitol Hill
    (Afterschool Alliance article by Jullian Luchner April 13, 2017)

 3) Having Just One Black Teacher Can Keep Black Kids in School
    (NPR article by Anya Kamenetz April 10, 2017)

4) A Surprising Explanation For Why Some Immigrants Excel in Science
    (NPR article by Anya Kamenetz March 30, 2017)

 5) Kids Who Suffer Hunger In First Years Lag Behind Their Peers in School 
     (NPR article by Rhitu Chatterjee March 23, 2017)

 6) How Empathy Is Important For Parents and Teens When Things Get Stressful
    (Mind/Shift article by Juli Fraga April 16, 2017)

 7) How Play is At The Heart of Many World-Changing Inventions
     (Mind/Shift article by Katrina Schwartz April 13, 2017)

 8) Why Giving Effective Feedback Is Trickier Than It Seems
    (Mind/Shift article by Katrina Schwartz April 12, 2017)

 9) All Students Can Find Power In Thinking Like Computer Scientist
    (Mind/Shift article by Katrina Schwartz April 7, 2017)

10) Five Ways To Shift Teaching Practice So Students Feel Less Math Anxious
      (Mind/Shift article by Katrina Schwartz April 5, 2017)

 11) 13 Magic Spells for Quieting a Noisy Class
      (Fusion Yearbooks article February 13, 2017)


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

 1) Resources for Advocacy in the Expanded Learning Field
    (VLOG by Bruno Marchesi / Strive)

 2) Art Activities for Grades K-12 (SEDL Expanded Learning Activities Page)

 3 Literacy Activities for Grades K-12  (SEDL Expanded Learning Activities Page)

 4) Science Activities for Grades K-12 (SEDL Expanded Learning Activities Page)

 5) Technology Activities for Grades K-12 (SEDL Expanded Learning Activities Page)

 6) KQED Lesson Plans for Subject Grade Level Activities (KQED Lesson Plans)

 7) Students From Different Cultures Collaborate To Communicate With Each Other
    (NPR Podcast by Katrina Schwartz April 9, 2017)

 8) Fighting Hate in Schools (NPR Podcast by Tovia Smith April 5, 2017)

 9) Google Hopes To Hire More Black Engineers By Bringing Students To Silicon Valley
    (NPR Podcast by Queena Kim March 28, 2017)

 10) Howard University Aims To Build Silicon Valley Pipeline of Black Software
       Engineers
     (NPR Podcast by Queena Kim March 25, 2017)

 11) A High School's Lesson For Helping English Language Learners Get To College
      (NPR Podcast by Claire McInerny March 25, 2017)
STEM Educational Grants: 

 1) The Big List Of Educational Grants and Resources
   (Edutopia Grant Page Updated April 12, 2017)

 2) California After School Network Funding Opportunities (CAN Grant Page)

 3) After School Funding Database (Afterschool Alliance Grant Page)

 4) Grant Funding Opportunities (The Impact Foundry Grant Page)

 5) Bank of The West (Grant Opportunity)

 6) Application for Free Computers (RRR Computers)
STEM / Misc. Professional Learning Sessions / Contest / Events:

 1) Ali Prose Poetry Contest
    (Deadline: April 28, 2017)

 2) SCOE Mindful Educators Round Table Session 
    (Free: May 11, 2017 10:00 am to 12:00 pm)

 3) SCOE Kidz Science: Alternative Energy Workshop
     (Free: May 19, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 pm)

 4) SCOE One Day Art Projects Workshop
    (Free: May 23, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 pm)

 5) SCOE College and Career Readiness Workshop
     (Free: May 31, 2017 9:00 am to 12:00 pm)

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

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

This March Let Us Celebrate the Female Pioneers Who Have Contributed to the STEM Fields

In the United States, Women's History Month traces its beginnings back to the first International Women's Day in 1911. In 1978, the school district of Sonoma, California participated in Women's History Week, an event designed around the week of March 8 (International Women's Day). In 1979 a fifteen-day conference about women's history was held at Sarah Lawrence College from July 13 until July 29, chaired by historian Gerda Lerner.[2][3] It was co-sponsored by Sarah Lawrence College, the Women's Action Alliance, and the Smithsonian Institution.[2] When its participants learned about the success of the Sonoma County's Women's History Week celebration, they decided to initiate similar celebrations within their own organizations, communities, and school districts.[3] They also agreed to support an effort to secure a National Women's History Week.[3]
In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women's History Week.[3]The proclamation stated, "From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well. As Dr. Gerda Lerner has noted, 'Women’s History is Women’s Right.' It is an essential and indispensable heritage from which we can draw pride, comfort, courage, and long-range vision. I ask my fellow Americans to recognize this heritage with appropriate activities during National Women’s History Week, March 2–8, 1980. I urge libraries, schools, and community organizations to focus their observances on the leaders who struggled for equality - Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, and Alice Paul. Understanding the true history of our country will help us to comprehend the need for full equality under the law for all our people. This goal can be achieved by ratifying the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states that 'Equality of Rights under the Law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.'"[3] Carter was referring to the Equal Rights Amendment, which was never ratified, not to the amendment which did become the 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution after his presidency.
In 1981, responding to the growing popularity of Women's History Week, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) co-sponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a Women's History Week. Congress passed their resolution as Pub. L. 97-28, which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982 as “Women’s History Week."[4] Throughout the next several years, Congress continued to pass joint resolutions designating a week in March as Women’s History Week.[4] Schools across the country also began to have their own local celebrations of Women's History Week and even Women's History Month. By 1986, fourteen states had declared March as Women's History Month. 
In 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women's History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as Women’s History Month.[4] Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.[4] Since 1988, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month. (Wikipedia)

For more resources (i.e. videos, photographs, activities, etc.) please click here.

Here are a few pioneers who deserved to be celebrated:

1) Marjorie Lee Brown - was a noted mathematics educator. She was one of the first
    African-American women to receive a Ph. D in mathematics. Browne also saw the
    importance of computer science early on, writing a $60,000 grant to IBM to bring a
    computer to NCUU in 1960 - one of the first computers in academic computing, and
    probably the first at a historically black school. 

Marjorie Lee Brown


2) Kamala Sohonie - was a noted biochemist. She was also the first Indian woman to
    receive a Ph. D in scientific discipline. Please click here to read about other famous
    Indian female scientist. 

Kamala Sohonie


3) Chika Kuroda - was a Japanese chemist whose research focused on natural pigments.
    She was the first woman in Japan to receive a Bachelor of Science. 

Chika Kuroda


Now let's take a look and see how one site in Region 3 is engaging expanded learning youth in STEM Learning Activities.


Name of Expanded Learning Program Provider: Sacramento Chinese Community


Name of School Site: John Cabrillo Elementary School

Grade Level of Activity: 4th and 5th Graders

 Number of Students who took part in the activity: 22

 Type of Activity: Slime

 Learning Outcomes: Students were able to: 


  • Learn about chemical reactions
  • Learn about the different states of matter (liquid and solid)
  • Learn about viscosity
  • Learn how to work together
  • Learn the basics of Newtonian Fluid

Expanded Learning students learning about chemical reactions.
For more information about this STEM learning activity please email 
Duc-Hanh Nguyen @ duchanh@sccsc.org.
STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

   (Afterschool Alliance article by Rachel Clark March 16, 2017)

2) Why Strong After School Programs Matter
    (Washington Post article by Jodi Grant December 15, 2011)

 3) Afterschool Program Quality and Student Outcomes
    (The Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project report by 
    Deborah Lowe Vandell)

 4) The Importance of STEM
    (The Hanford Sentinel article by Julissa Zavala March 8, 2017)

 5) Teachers eye potential of virtual reality to enhance science instruction
    (Edsource article by Carolyn Jones February 20, 2017)

    (California Community Schools Network Blog March 2017)

    (NPR article by Sophia Alvarez Boyd March 10, 2017)

    (NPR article by Anya Kamenetz March 9, 2017)

    (KQED article by Leah Shaffer March 8, 2017)

      (Guardian article by Paula Briggs March 17, 2016)

      (Guardian article by Lilufa Uddin February 24, 2017)

      (U.S. News article by Anzish Mirza March 1, 2017)

      (World Economic Forum article by Alex Gray January 19, 2016)

 14) DACA One Student's Story  
      (NPR article by Claudio Sanchez March 8, 2017)

 15) Coding for All with Free C-STEM Studio for Raspberry Pi
      (UC Davis article by Andy Fell March 14, 2017)



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

    (Teaching Tolerance resources for educators)

    (Teaching Tolerance resources for educators)

    (Activity Ideas)

    (NPR Radio Clip March 2017)

     (NPR Radio Clip March 2017)

     (NPR Radio Clip March 2017)

    (Lesson Plans)

    (SEDL Website)


STEM Educational Grants:

1) The Big List of Educational Grants and Resources 
     (Edutopia: Updated on March 15, 2017)

2) California After School Network Funding Opportunities
    (CAN Grant Page)

3) After School Funding Database (Afterschool Alliance)

4) Grant Opportunities (Impact Foundry)

5) Bank of The West (Funding Opportunity)

6) Application for Free Computers (RRR Computers)



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

    (High School Students can submit their art: April 24, 2017 is the 
    deadline to submit)

    (SCOE: May 19, 2017 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)

    (SCOE: May 23, 2017 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)

4) College and Career Readiness Workshop (Grades 5-12)
    (SCOE: May 31, 2017 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)


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








Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

This February and Going Forward, Let's Pledge to Highlight All of the Hidden Figures of the Past


In October of 2012, CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson appointed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be California's After School STEM Ambassador for the 2013 calendar year. At the time Tom Torlakson stated:

 "Few things are more important to children's education and to California's economy than the STEM subjects, and few people have more vision and commitment to making an impact in kids' lives than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar," Torlakson said. "I've long admired Kareem as an athlete, and I'm delighted now to count him as an ally in giving California's kids every chance to succeed, not just in the classroom, but after school as well."   

 But what stood out for me most during this October 2012 CA STEM Symposium are the following two items that Kareem shared with the audience:

 "If America is to maintain our high standard of living, we must continue to innovate," said Abdul-Jabbar. "We are competing with nations many times our size, and STEM learning represents the engines of innovation. With these engines we can lead the world, because knowledge is real power."

 To me the most powerful part of Kareem's speech came when he stated:

  " My 7' 2" inch frame predestined my future to that of an NBA basketball player. It wasn't only my body type that led me to believe this, but it was also the era that I grew up in. As a child, I did't know that people who came before me, who had my same color of skin had done great things in Science. It wasn't until I started my college career at UCLA that I started learning about all the wonderful, amazing contributions that African Americans had made in the field of Science. If I would have known this when I was younger, maybe this would have set me off on a different career trajectory."

 It was also at this conference that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar revealed his children's book that he had just written entitled "What Color is my World? The Lost History of African 
American Inventors." He wrote this book in particular so that African American children of today and tomorrow could see that their ancestors have done great things in the past, continue to do great things, and that the students themselves can do great things in the future.

 As educators, parents, community members we must make it our number one goal to unearth all of the hidden figures from the past so that no matter what ethnicity a child is that they can see that people that looked just like them have made tremendous contributions to the society that we all currently live in. 

 Some hidden figures that Hollywood has currently unearthed in the movie "Hidden Figures" are:

 Katherine G. Johnson an African American physicist and mathematician who made contributions to the United States aeronautics and space programs with the early application of digital electronic computers at NASA. 

Katherine Johnson African American NASA Scientist.
Dorothy Vaughan an African American mathematician who oversaw the staff at West Area Computers and helped NASA win the "Space Race."

Dorothy Vaughan: African American NASA Mathematician.
Mary Jackson an African American mathematician and engineer at West Area Computers and eventually became the first female engineer at NASA who helped NASA win the "Space Race."

Mary Jackson: African  American NASA Mathematician and Engineer.

Watch as Sacramento City Unified School District's Office of Equity and Office of Academics rented out a local theatre and used it as a classroom to unearth and highlight yesterday's Hidden Figures.



Please remember to share the STEM / STEAM activities that you are engaging 
your youth in. We would like to share it in our STEM blog. Please also invite us 
out to your STEM events. 






STEM / Expanded Learning and Other Pertinent Articles:

1) STEM Afterschool (Change the Equation, October 23, 2014)

2) BlackMinds Matter: Supporting the Educational Success of Black
    Children in California (Ed Trust - West, October 26, 2015)

3) Ten Tips to Become a STEM Superstar
    (National AfterSchool Association article by Andy Allan, February 1, 2017) 

4) Unlocking Learning: Science as a Lever for English Learner Equity
    (Ed Trust - West, January 4, 2017)

5) 4 L.A. Colleges get $6 million grants to support Latinos in STEM
    (KPCC Staff - November 30, 2017)

 6) STEMtistics (Change the Equation)

 7) Not All Fun and Games: New Guidelines Urge Schools to
    Rethink Recess (NPR article by Sophia Boyd, February 1, 2017)

8) Creating a Safe Space for California Dreamers
    (N.Y. Times article by Patricia Leigh Brown, February 3, 2017)

9) Teaching Middle Schoolers to Patent their Creations
     (Edutopia article by Kevin Jarrett, February 1, 2017)

 10) Gender Equity in the Classroom 
      (Edutopia article by Rebecca Alber, January 27, 2017)

 11) Engaging Children in STEM Education Early!
      (Natural Start Alliance article by Joshua M. Sneideman, December 2013)

 12) Get Up, Stand Up: California's Search for Education Equity
      (Public Integrity article by Susan Ferriss, February 6, 2017)

 13) The Next Big Blue-Collar Job is Coding
      (Wired article by Clive Thompson, February 8, 2017)

 14) Creating a Door Out of Proverty Starts with Partnerships
      (Urban Institute article by Jennifer Peck and Jennifer Hicks, 
      January 13, 2017)

 15) Innovative science instruction boosts academic performance among English
       Learners (Edsource article by Carolyn Jones, January 17, 2017)

 16) Talking to students about STEM fields boosts test scores and career interest 
      (U Chicago News article by Mark Peters, January 17, 2017)

 17) NASA's Real "Hidden Figures"
      (Space.com article by Elizabeth Howell, January 23, 2017)

 18) A Growing Threat to Quality Expanded Learning Programs
      (Learning in Afterschool and Summer Blog by Sam Phia, February 6, 2017)


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

 1) Writing Women Back into Science History (Science Friday - Podcast)

 2) 12 Poems to Read for Black History Month (Poets.Org / Poems)

 3) Madiba Lessons on The Life of Nelson Mandela 
    (Scholastic Lessons - Grades 7-12)

 4) Icebreakers and Energizers  (YDN Network Resources) 

 5) 20 Must-Try STEM Activities for Valentine's Day
    (Science Kiddo - Activities)

 6) Librarian Approved: 30 Tech Apps to Inspire Creativity and Creation
     (Mindshift - Apps)

 7) Share why your students love after school! (After school Alliance Activity)

 8) 27 Ideas for Kids Artwork (Buzzfeed Art Activities)

 9) Crafts for Kids (PBS Kids Art Activities)

 10) Black History Month Lessons and Activities  (Education World)

 11) NEA: Black History Month Lessons and Resources (Grades K-12)


STEM / Educational Grants: 

 1) The Big List of Educational Grants and Resources 
     (Edutopia: Updated on February 8, 2017)

 2) California After School Network Funding Opportunities
    (CAN Grant Page)

 3) After School Funding Database (Afterschool Alliance)

 4) Grant Opportunities (Impact Foundry)

 5) Bank of The West (Funding Opportunity)

 6) Application for Free Computers (RRR Computers)

 7) Win $5,000 with the Science Everywhere Innovation Challenge
    (Deadline: February 17, 2017)


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

 1) Region 3 Winter Conference for MS/HS Expanded Learning Practitioners
    (SCOE: February 21, 2017 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Free Admission)

 2) Chemical Reactions - Grades 3-8
    (SMUD: February 22, 2017, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Free Admission)

 3) Cabbages and Chemistry - Grades 3-8
    (SMUD: March 9, 2017, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Free Admission)

 4) Project WET Grades K-12
    (SMUD: March 15, 2017, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, Free Admission)

 5) Put a Lid on It #2 (Engineering Everywhere) (Grades 6-8)
    (SCOE: March 21, 2017 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)

 6) Alternative Energy (Kidz Science) (Grades 3-5)
    (SCOE: May 19, 2017 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)

 7) College and Career Readiness Workshop (Grades 5-12)
    (SCOE: May 31, 2017 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Free Admission)



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


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)