Southeast Iowa STEM News

February 2019

Kristine Bullock

SE Hub Manager

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STEM Family Free Night Last Friday of the month 5pm-8pm Iowa Children's Museum

We Can Code

Saturdays 2pm-4pm Iowa City Public Library

Coding Club

Thursdays 4pm-5pm Keokuk Public Library

Little Makers at Eastern Wednesdays 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Davenport Public Library

Girls Can Code

Tuesdays 4:30pm-5:30pm Davenport Pubic Library

STEAM for Teens

Feb 25 3:30pm - 5pm Marion Public Library

STEM Club

Feb 19 4pm-4:50pm Hiawatha Public Library

57th Annual QCESC Banquet Feb 21 5pm-9pm

John Deere World Headquarters

Hidden Figures: Science on Screen

Feb 22 5pm-8pm

FilmScene Iowa City

Southeast Iowa STEM Festival

Feb 23 10am-1pm

Southeastern Community College, Burlington

Linn County STEM Festival Feb 26

4pm-7pm Kirkwood Linn Regional Center

2019 Battle of the Bridges

Mar 1 & 2 11:30am

Putnam Museum

UIowa High School Hackathon Mar 2 8am-5:30pm

Liberty High School

ASM & QCESC STEM Pro Hockey Night Mar 9 6pm

QCESC

Submit Your STEM Event HERE

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.

Iowa STEM Council Announces Innovation Fund Awardees

The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council has awarded seed funding through the Iowa STEM Innovation Fund to four exemplary programs to scale their STEM efforts across the state. The STEM Innovation Fund supports statewide STEM programming to develop programs of promise for inspiring and engaging youth in STEM activities and careers.

"Iowa has many outstanding organizations that provide innovative and inspiring STEM programs and activities for today's youth. Some of those programs need access to additional resources in order to have an impact beyond their local community. The STEM Innovation Fund helps provide support to local programs of promise for possible scaling across the state and beyond," said Jeff Weld, Executive Director of the STEM Council.

The STEM Council opened the application for the STEM Innovation Fund to all six Iowa STEM regions in September 2018. After completing the review process, four awardees were selected out of a pool of 20 applicants based on their innovation, scope of work, evaluation metrics, community collaborations and financial sustainability.

Iowa Tech Chicks' Innovation Fund program is Digital Web Portfolios for underprivileged girls and women. Their mission is to encourage more female participation in computer science. By focusing on 5th and 6th grade girls, Iowa Tech Chicks hope the Web Portfolios will spark female interest in CS and technology early in their career outlook.

The Digital Web Portfolios will include custom project-based programming after-school classes provided by Stairway5 in Coralville. Laura Christenson of Iowa Tech Chicks says, "We hope girls who have the opportunity to take this class with other girls from their school will feel more empowered and confident in their skills. Our goal is to develop a foundation in computer science for these students, and we ultimately hope to ignite their passion for STEM as well."

STEM Innovation Fund awards are made possible through generous contributions from private-sector partners. For more information about the STEM Innovation Fund, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/innovation-fund.

2019-2020 Scale-Up Program Application Closes Soon

Since 2011, the Iowa STEM Council has vetted high quality STEM programs available to Iowa educators in formal and informal education settings. The 2019-20 Scale-Up Program application is now open through March 4, 2019. The Scale-Up program menu ranges from coding programs to hands-on biotechnology and agriculture projects to STEM career exploration. All programs provided by the STEM Council have a proven track record of increasing student interest and achievement in STEM as well as meeting state academic standards for all learners.

Why should you apply for an Iowa STEM Scale-Up program?

The programs have gone through a rigorous application process and have proven they can increase student interest and achievement in STEM.
Each program provides professional development, curriculum and the materials needed to implement the program.
Most programs are at little or no cost to the awarded organizations.
Join a statewide network of Iowa educators implementing the same program!

Apply here today: https://iowastem.gov/Scale-Up-Application

I nterested in learning more? Educators or organizations can request an in-person presentation by completing the following form: https://goo.gl/forms/HGeCtM15LFxnwiHm2

Learn More About CS is Elementary During Live Webinar

The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council and Iowa Department of Education will be hosting an informational webinar about the Computer Science is Elementary pilot project, including an overview, review of application and rubric, tips, benefits and deadlines. Each webinar will have the same information, offered on two separate dates, and will be recorded.

February 26 at 8:00 a.m.

Webinar Registration Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cselementary

You may connect to the Computer Science is Elementary project application informational webinars by video conference or by telephone as follows:

Video Conference URL: https://uni.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID number

Conference Call Telephone Line: (669) 900-6833 followed by the pound (#) key Participant ID - Note: You need not enter a Participant ID number. Simply press the pound (#) key again after entering the Meeting ID number.

Meeting ID # for both Video Conference and Conference Call: 436 807 312

Agenda:

Welcome and Introductions
Summary of Loess Hills Elementary Computer Science Model
Review of Application/Rubric/Resources
Timeline
Q&A

Audience: School districts and non-public school systems (or stand-alone non-public schools) interested in learning more about the Computer Science is Elementary project or those who have started the application but have yet to finish before the deadline.

Know someone who would be interested in this webinar? Please forward this email to spread the word.

More about Computer Science is Elementary: The Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council and Iowa Department of Education are partnering with business and industry on a new Computer Science is Elementary project to transform six high-poverty elementary schools across Iowa into models of innovative computer science instruction.

Six existing high-poverty elementary schools will be selected through a competitive award application process. Each school will receive a one-time planning award to weave computational thinking and other elements of computer science into the broader curriculum. After launching no later than August 2020, the schools in turn will serve as resources for other elementary schools in their region. For more information, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/cselementary

TIMELINE

January 22, 2019: RFP opens
February 18 & 26, 2019: Live informational webinar
March 29, 2019: RFP closes
Summer 2019: Selected schools announced
Summer 2019: Initial planning meeting for selected schools
Summer 2019 - Summer 2020: Planning and/or implementation year
Summer 2020: Progress report
June 30, 2021: Final date for use of funding

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN JANUARY 22 - MARCH 29, 2019.

Southeast Iowa STEM Festival	Linn County STEM Festival
Saturday, February 23, 2019 10 AM - 1 PM Southeastern Community College	Tuesday, February 26, 2019 4 PM - 7 PM Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center
Register To Attend	Register To Attend

Available Resources

A collection of resources for STEM educators, businesses, and community members

Virtual Reality Headsets

6 Virtual Reality 3D headsets are available for checkout. Students can use the headsets to view STEM career videos, explore the world beyond the classroom and much more. Educators will need to have access to Apple or Android device to use with the glasses (typically student's personal device). If interested in checking out the glasses, click here.

Pint Size Science Kit Check-Out

New BeeBot mats have been received and are available for checkout! Four types of kits from the Science Center of Iowa that are designed for 3-5 year old 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.

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

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 . Please replace any consumables you use.

Sincerely,

Kristine Bullock
SE Iowa STEM Manager
kristine-bullock@uiowa.edu