Fall 2017
STEM Active Learning Professional Development Workshop Series
 
The STEM Active Learning Community Partners Working Group of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council is hosting a series of professional development workshops for informal educators.

During these active, hands-on workshops attendees will have a chance to transform a STEM lesson with the Dimensions of Success Program Planning  Tool.  Register now!

At the end of the workshop, you'll leave with:
  • a high-quality STEM activity to use at your own program or organization
  • an understanding of the DoS Lesson Planning Guide that will lead you through the activity planning process using DoS
  • a free, online resource as additional professional development
  • increased confidence in facilitating STEM activities!
Participants will receive a $50.00 stipend for attending the workshop and submitting a revised STEM lesson plan after the workshop.
Thursday, October 12

Thursday, November 2
Cass County Community Center
805 W 10th St.
Atlantic, IA 50022
Stew Art Studio
926 Broad St.
Grinnell, IA 50112
Register for the workshop  here.

Register for the workshop  here.

All workshops are 10am to 2pm. Lunch will be provided.

Grant Opportunities
The Fruit Tree Planning Foundation
Deadline: rolling
FTPF  provides high-quality fruit trees and shrubs, equipment, on-site orchard design expertise and oversight, horticultural workshops, and aftercare training and manuals to afterschool programs and community organizations.

Click here to read about the program.

Deadline: rolling
KaBOOM has several grants available to programs to purchase play equipment or create outdoor play spaces.

Click here to find out more.

The Wild Ones Seeds for Education
Deadline: October 15th, 2017
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program  provides small grants for youth-centered efforts to establish and maintain native plant landscape learning environments. Grants are $500.

Click here to apply.
Rubik's Cube Lending Library

You Can Do The Rubik's Club has a Rubik's Cube 
l ending library and offers rubik's  cubes, solutions 
guides,  and a learn-to-solve curriculum to programs 
free  of charge - all you have to pay is the return 
shipping costs. 

Programs can receive sets of 
12, 24, or 36 cubes for up to 6 weeks of programming. 

Learn more here. 
Resources
SciGirls Connect
The SciGirls PBS television series, website, and outreach initiatives emphasize current research on strategies proven to increase girls' engagement in STEM. The SciGirls Seven summarizes seven research-based strategies for engaging girls in STEM, including tips for putting these strategies to practice and references for additional information.

Click here to check out the website.

Good To Know Videos
Good To Know  is a digital video series for adults that introduces the methods, vocabulary, and processes their child learns at school. These short, clear and fun videos will help to explain math topics that are taught in Pre-K through 4th grade Common Core curricula. The videos will help develop a conceptual understanding of how math practices build on previous knowledge and empower parents and caregivers to help their children learn foundational math skills!

Click here to view the videos.

New Spanish Translations from Engineering is Elementary
Engineering is Elementary has translated the student notebooks for all of their Engineering Adventures and Engineering Everywhere units. 

Download the notebooks and curricula here.
  
You can find more resources on our wiki site: iowastemactivelearning.wikispaces.com
Reports and Research

PDK Poll Shows National Support for Afterschool
PDK is one of the most trusted poll of the public's attitudes towards public schools. Their latest poll results show near unanimous public support for afterschool nationally.

Click   here for the full data.

Full STEM Ahead: Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education
The Afterschool Alliance releases this report as part of the third edition of America After 3PM , which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. This report provides the first national look at access to afterschool STEM programs and parental attitudes towards such programs by outlining survey findings, identifying current challenges, and providing recommendations to improve afterschool STEM programming in the future.

Click here to download the full report.
Recent Webinars

Understanding and Responding to Incidents of Bias
Presented by: Afterschool Alliance

Like schools and other community spaces, afterschool providers across the country have noticed an uptick in incidents of bias over the past year among students, parents, and even sometimes staff. This behavior might range from insensitive jokes and remarks, to hateful language or graffiti, to bullying and harassment. If one of these incidents happens in your program, how you respond is critical for maintaining the trust and respect of youth and their families. In this webinar we'll discuss these situations and share resources for educators.


Selecting Making and Tinkering Activities
Presented by: Click2Science

Whether you have a dedicated makerspace or have to pick everything up and put it away each day, this webinar will help you find great making and tinkering activities for your program. We go beyond just finding activities and prepare you to evaluate and adapt activities to maximize the learning experience.


Building Connections and Building Roller Coasters
Presented by: Click2Science

Help youth build on their prior knowledge & experiences during making & tinkering activities. In this webinar, we'll provide strategies to support youth in building and problem-solving by using their own experiences to inform solutions. Participants will receive a hands-on roller coaster activity to try out with youth and practice building connections. 

You can find more webinars on our wiki site: iowastemactivelearning.wikispaces.com
Advocacy

Making the Most of ESSA
Education First, with the support of Overdeck Family Foundation, developed this resource to help policymakers, district and school leaders, and advocates learn how states are using ESSA to support STEM education and how they can push those ideas further.

Click here to read more.

For more advocacy resources and contact information for your legislators, visit our wiki: iowastemactivelearning.wikispaces.com
Dimensions of Success Observer
Training




Would you like to become an out-of-school time STEM program observer? 
 
Upcoming Observer Training Date s :
  • September 20th - 21th, 2017; 9am- 3pm
The Iowa Afterschool Alliance is using the Dimensions of Success (DoS) Evaluation tool, which pinpoints twelve indicators of STEM program quality out-of-school time, to measure the quality of afterschool STEM programs across the state.

We are currently seeking individuals in different areas of the state who are interested in observing afterschool programs using the DoS Tool. Thanks to our funding from STEM Next, this training is provided at no charge to you!

If you are interested in becoming a DoS observer, please contact Gracie Brandsgard at the IAA at  [email protected]. 
STEM Save the Dates

September 20- 21, 2017
DoS Observer Training, online webinar
If interested in becoming an observer, please contact Gracie Brandsgard at  [email protected]. 

October 4, 2017
DoS Recertification Training, online webinar
Contact [email protected] if you need to renew your DoS Observer certification.

For general questions, please contact:
Gracie Brandsgard
STEM Active Learning Lead
Iowa Afterschool Alliance
2910 Westown Pkwy, Suite 302
West Des Moines, IA 50266
515.237.0340