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Kristine Bullock
SE Hub Manager
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February 25, 5:30-8:00 pm, John Deere's Worldwide Headquarters
February 27, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Geonetric
March 1, 5:00 pm
March 2, 6:00-8:00 pm, Pleasant Valley High School
SE Advisory Board Meeting
March 17, 9:00-11:00, TBD
March 23-March 26, UNI Dome/McLeod Center, Cedar Falls
April 4, 3:00-7:30 pm, St. Ambrose University
April 16, 9:00 am-4:15 pm, Pappajohn Business Building at the University of Iowa
Governor's Talent Pipeline Summit
April 19
SE Advisory Board Meeting
April 21, 2:00-4:00, TBD
April 23, 10:00-4:00, Southeastern Community College, Burlington
May 4-May 6, Waterloo
SE Advisory Board Meeting
May 19, 9:00-11:00 am, TBD
SE Advisory Board Meeting
June 16, 2:00-4:00, TBD
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| Submit Your STEM Event HERE |
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| The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council is a bipartisan collaboration of legislators, educators, businesses, students and families to increase STEM awareness and opportunities in Iowa. To learn more about STEM programming going on in southeast Iowa, visit us at http://se.iowastem.org. |
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Cedar Rapids STEM Festival- A Success!
Last night, on Tuesday, February 23, the SE IA STEM Hub sponsored the Cedar Rapids STEM Festival! The event, held at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, was free and open to the public. It gave amazing opportunities to students and their families to engage in hands-on activities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
There were a total of 48 exhibitors at the STEM Festival, including Alliant Energy, Imagination Iowa, Rockwell Collins, the University of Iowa College of Engineering, National Advanced Driving Simulator, Coe College Chemistry Club, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The full list of exhibitors can be found
here.
Alliant Energy also sponsored ten scholarships to Kirkwood Kick Camps, and students attending the festival were able to sign up to try to win one of these awesome scholarships!
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Reminder: Scale-Up Applications Due March 1!
With the top priority of boosting student interest and achievement in STEM, the Governor's STEM Advisory Council has partnered with Change the Equation to vet the top STEM programs, for both inschool and out-of-school educators. After a highly competitive selection process completed by education, community, and business leaders from across the state, the council approved 11 high-quality STEM education programs for 2016-17. The following programs were approved:
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STEM Day at the Capitol Reignites Iowans
On February 18, STEM advocates from across the state gathered in the Iowa State Capitol rotunda to promote the importance of STEM education and workforce development to legislators. Students from Keokuk Community School District were accompanied by their teacher, Diane Berner, who is implementing the Engineering is Elementary scale-up in her classroom along with other great STEM programs such as Hour of Code and Lego robotics. Students from Berner's class reiterated the impact of quality STEM programs saying "we were able to create what was in our minds and see if it would work in real life. It felt good to let our minds free." In fact, more than 78% of Berner's students are now interested in engineering compared to 35% before participating in the program.
In total, more than 30 Iowa STEM partners ,representing over 170 people, attracted more than 450 people to the event.
Legislators were also able to hear from Southeast STEM Advisory Board members including Pat Barnes, Chris Cournoyer, Dwight Dolhman, Adriana Johnson, and Craig Martinson. Board members talked to legislators about the importance of the bipartisan public-private partnership that is crucial to continuing the STEM momentum in Iowa. Interested in learning more about how the Iowa STEM Council is supporting programming in your area? Contact Kristine Bullock at [email protected].
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ST Math Program Gets Students Excited About Math
In an innovative and competitive world, kids are pressured to remember everything they learn. In the U.S., 70 percent of students are failing math classes by middle school. The Mind Research Institute has created a video game to increase involvement and information retained. Active engagement in the ST (Spatial-Temporal) Math video game allows students to be hands-on, rather than easily forgotten and superficial math learning.
At the Johnson STEAM Academy Magnet School in Cedar Rapids, students have become enthusiastic about math. Thanks to ST Math, kids are reaching higher levels and mastering new concepts in math quicker, making learning these concepts in the classroom curriculum easier for many students.
At Johnson STEAM, students work in a computer lab for 30 minute blocks on their math skills through programs in ST Math and teachers assign homework based on curriculum through the online portal, as well. Students complete puzzles and pass levels for class, but many parents say their kids even like to play the game after a long day of school. Here are what some teachers, parents and students alike say about ST Math.
"It's turned into a nice activity for the kids to do in a supportive manner, with a little friendly competition thrown in for good measure. If they've struggled to master a particular puzzle and finally do, they call me over and proudly show me how they did it, explaining the process until they are sure I understand what they did and why it worked."
- "Many times, my sons use their home "electronic time" to "play" ST Math because they find it to be so much fun. It's great that ST Math is graduated enough to allow my sons to work on new concepts when they are ready. The program is a big hit in our house."
- "It's difficult for my children to sit still in a chair and be expected to be quiet while a lesson is taught. ST Math is so hands on and interactive that the children are able to express themselves through the learning process without feeling like it is the same repetitive thing being taught."
Johnson STEAM received a STEM Scale-Up award as well as other independent funding for ST Math programming at their school.
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New Resources Added!
A collection of resources for STEM educators, businesses, and community members
Renewable Energy Activity Kits
The Southeast STEM Hub is proud to partner with the ATEEC Interactive Learning Lab at Eastern Iowa Community College to offer renewable energy activity kits to educators throughout the southeast region. Thanks to the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, ATEEC is able to offer a variety of kits that are sure to engage any student.
If interested in checking out a kit or for more information on the available kits, click
here
Facebook Resource Exchange
Do you have a great resource that you would like to share with teachers? Are you in search of STEM materials? Check out the Southeast Iowa STEM Hub Resource Exchange group on Facebook to post items you have to share or items that you are in search of!
A World In Motion Activity Kit Check-Out!
Three types of kits designed for primary or elementary students are currently available for checkout.
If interested in checking out a kit or for more information on the kits that are available, click
here.
Materials may be checked out for 6 weeks. They can be picked up and returned at the Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa, 2301 Oakdale Boulevard, Coralville, IA 52241
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Please replace any consumables you use.
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Sincerely,
Kristine Bullock
SE Iowa STEM Manager
[email protected] |
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