Sensing for Science program offers free Arduino coding resources

The Sensing for Science Professional Development Program for Teachers is a new program that teaches educators how to use Arduino tools and create an electrical device that can collect data on water quality and simulates the research being done by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program.

This training program was developed by middle school teacher Susie Fisher Dobkins and Kayce Williams, an SMRC team member who is also an instructor in the MSU Department of Agricultural and Technology Education. The program was first taught at the 2022 STEM Summer Institute, and all resources, including more information about how educators can receive their own kit, can be found for free on the Sensing for Science program webpage.

MSU offers free graduate-level courses on Proficiency-based Education in Spring 2023

In April 2021, the Montana Legislature approved funding to strengthen the preparation of the state’s educators to understand and implement proficiency-based/competency-based education. One of the ways to do this is by offering graduate level courses at NO COST to current in-service teachers or school leaders. Please note these courses count toward a master’s degree and carry expectations consistent with a 3-credit graduate level course.  

Course Description 

A multitude of schools, districts, and entire states, such as New Hampshire, are shifting away from the traditional, time-based, Carnegie model of instruction. These innovators, including some rural schools in Montana, are developing and implementing what the Federal Department of Education identifies as Competency-Based Education (CBE). CBE includes personalized, mastery, project-based, and blended and/or virtual teaching/learning. This course will introduce future and practicing educators to these various teaching/learning modalities and prepare educators to compete for employment in these schools and districts or prepare educators to implement these modalities in their own classes/districts. 

To learn more about the course and how to register, please complete this brief Google form.

>> Hailey Hancock of MSU presents Proficiency-Based Education: The Inquiry Design Model and MT SS Standards -- 3pm on Thursday, Oct. 20 at MFPE <<

American Mathematics Competitions to be held at MSU in November

The Science Math Resource Center will host two AMC 10/12 tests in November (A and B). The AMC 10 exam covers the high school curriculum through grade 10. AMC 12 covers the high school curriculum, including trigonometry, advanced algebra and advanced geometry, excluding calculus. Both are 25-question, 75-minute tests. Registration is free for Montana students.

Students may take Test 10A or 12A on Nov. 10 and/or Test 10B or 12B on Nov. 16 (the A and B tests are similar; just offered on two different days. Students may take either or both). Both tests are in person this year at MSU, not online as they were during COVID. Test A is Thursday, Nov. 10 at 4:30PM and Test B is Nov. 16 at 4:30pm.

Registration opens Oct. 10. Please email smrc@montana.edu for more information.

National Nanotechnology Day is Oct. 9; vote for MSU in the photo contest

Thanks to our friends with MONT - the Montana Nanotechnology Facility for sharing these educational resources!

In celebration of National Nanotechnology Day (Oct. 9), the 16 sites of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) have sponsored a photo contest. These photos are made at universities across the US. There are 3 categories for submission: Most Stunning (may be false-colored), Most Unique Capability (a microscope or tool that has unique functions), and Most Whimsical (artistic license applied to a base image).Take a look at these magnificent and fun images and try to guess what they are before reading the descriptions! Vote for your favorite in each category. MSU has one submission in the Most Unique Capability category - Look for It’s slime! Cryo-SEM image of bioengineered human gastric mucus. Be sure to vote for MSU!

And.....

• The MONT Website (based at MSU) has nano resources for teachers
• And for students/teachers/anyone, they have All About Nano

2023 BIG SKY REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL

The Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration announces the 2023 Annual Big Sky Regional Science Bowl, which will be held on March 9 (Middle School) and 10 (High School) at MSU-Billings. The competition is open to all Montana middle and high schools. Home schools are also welcome.

Science Bowl is an academic tournament, with regional events held across the country, that challenges students’ knowledge of math and science in a fast-paced quiz competition. The tournament is run in a round-robin style during the morning with the high scoring teams advancing to a double-elimination game in the afternoon. To win, a team must work together to quickly and accurately answer toss-up and bonus questions while following the rules of play. Teams consist of four or five high school students (only four team members will be playing at any time). The coach can be a teacher, parent, or community volunteer. At the end of the tournament day, the first-place teams are awarded a trophy and the opportunity to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to compete at the National Science Bowl held outside of Washington, D.C. The trip includes sight-seeing and educational visits to museums and monuments in Washington, D.C. 

For more information, see the National Science Bowl website and reach out to Nilo Cabrera at nilopacabrera@gmail.com.