Back To School!

Welcome back to school everyone! I hope your summer has been full of adventure, although I can guarantee that it has been HOT!

As you get back into the daily routine of the classroom, know that you can contact me for any support you may need with your AMSTI science modules. We will be spending concentrated amounts of time in particular schools with ASAP (AMSTI Sustainability Action Plan) but have left at least one day per week open for other school visits.


Looking forward to hearing from you,
Carrie

AMSTI Science Module Schedules

An email has been sent to your administrator and science Lead Teacher that contains your school's science module schedule for the upcoming school year. Please contact me if you do not receive this helpful planning information soon and I will send it directly to you.
There are a few teachers scheduled for compressed training, so those modules are tentatively entered in the schedule pending attendance confirmation.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer vacation and I will see you in the classroom!
Carrie Lin

Cycle Schedules are available on AMSTI site

The 2010-11 Cycle Schedule is now available at www.amsti.org . All you have to do is:

Look under the "cycles" column and click on the Athens-AMSTI Detailed Schedule link,
then click on "open" in the dialog box,
then click on "save" in the dialog box,
then click on "save" again in the save box,
then click "yes" in the 'do you want to save?' box,
then click "open" in the download complete box

...yep just a few steps!!

It opens up to the "cycle dates" and then you can select the appropriate system tab to find your school.

Please let me know if you have any questions,
Carrie

Check out the new AMSTI website!

Take a moment to visit the recently updated AMSTI website at www.amsti.org. It has undergone several improvements which makes it user-friendly and easier to navigate.

Notice the link on the right side where you can obtain your cycle schedule for the upcoming school year. Just click on "Detailed Schedule" underneath AMSTI-Athens!

Contact information for all the site can be found after clicking on the particular site and choosing Contact Information at the top of the screen.

Under the Science tab, you will find several links to resources including GLOBE, FITH, Literacy Strategies, video clips, and AL COS correlations. Everything is at your fingertips!

Grant Opportunities

Here are some new exciting grant opportunities!

1. Best Buy
Best Buy grants are open to any group across the country planning to conduct an environmentally responsible consumer electronics recycling event. Priority will be given to not-for-profit groups, but any organization is welcome to apply.
Grants are designed to defray costs for events already planned and allow groups to do more with their budgets. Grants range from $500 - $1500 per event, depending on the size and scope of the events. Priority is given to electronics recycling events, but other types of events that include electronics recycling are considered.
Online applications are accepted year round. Applicants will be notified by Best Buy if they have been awarded a grant. Notification should come between one to two months after an application is submitted.
Complete details and how to apply available at http://www.e4partners.com/grant_info.htm

2. AIAA Grant
K-12 teachers who develop or apply science, mathematics, and technology in their curriculum may qualify for a grant of up to $200 per individual request to supplement their learning program. Each school is limited to up to $1,000 per calendar year.
Classroom grants may be used for demonstration kits and science supplies, math and science software, supplies for making flying objects (what kid can resist the chance to build and launch a rocket?), supplies for robotic programs, and other materials to help make science, mathematics, and technology come alive in the classroom. Preference is given to grants that align with the AIAA mission. Please note that grants will not be considered for computer hardware, printers, cameras, equipment and general math and science supplies not tied to a specific lesson plan.
Complete details and how to apply available at http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=216

3. Toshiba America Grant
(2 winners from GA and 2 winners from AL last year!)
Toshiba America Foundation contributes to the quality of science and mathematics education in the U.S. with an annual grant budget of approximately $500,000. Teachers K - 12 are eligible to apply for grants ranging from up to $1,000 for grades K - 6 and $5,000 for 7 - 12.
Recent K - 6 grantees include a kindergarten class using their urban neighborhood as a laboratory for an introduction to geometry, and elementary students participating in hands-on activities at a National Wildlife Refuge. Some recipients in grades 7 - 12 are working on creating new science based classes, lesson plans or research laboratories for their schools.
Deadline for K – 6th grade programs is October 1st (may request up to $1,000). Grant Applications for 7th - 12th grade programs are accepted year round for grants under $5,000 and are due August 1st for grants over $5,000.
Complete details and how to apply available at http://www.toshiba.com/taf/


Good luck!

Thanks to Ned Colley from Texas Instruments for these links.

Hurray for Summer!

Now that you've closed out the 2009-2010 school year, I want to wish you a wonderful summer vacation full of rest, relaxation, and time with your family. Recharge your batteries and return in August ready to face the new crop of students that will eagerly enter your classroom.

We are not having a full AMSTI Summer Institute but there are compressed training opportunities for those of you who have changed grade levels since you were trained or for those who teach multiple grade levels (mainly middle school teachers). If you are interested in registering for these sessions, please contact our office at 256-216-6622 before the June 15 deadline. Registration forms were sent to your schools last month, but you are still able to sign up!

Please feel free to contact me this coming school year if you need any assistance with your science modules. We will be posting your kit cycles soon!

Thanks so much for all you do!
Carrie Lin

Funding Opportunities

Check out these wonderful opportunities!

1. Wal Mart State Giving Program
Through the State Giving Program, the Wal Mart Foundation supports organizations with programs that align with our mission to create opportunities so people can live better. The State Giving Program awards grants starting at $25,000 to nonprofit organizations that serve a particular state or region. For complete details please visit http://walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/8168.aspx

2. AIAA Grant for Math & Science Education
K-12 teachers who develop or apply science, mathematics, and technology in their curriculum may qualify for a grant of up to $200 per individual request to supplement their learning program. Each school is limited to up to $1,000 per calendar year. Classroom grants may be used for demonstration kits and science supplies, math and science software, supplies for making flying objects (what kid can resist the chance to build and launch a rocket?), supplies for robotic programs, and other materials to help make science, mathematics, and technology come alive in the classroom. For complete details please visit http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=216

3. Toshiba Grant for Math & Science
Toshiba America Foundation (TAF) is currently accepting applications for grants to support innovative projects designed by math and science teachers to make their own classrooms more exciting and successful for students. Check out the deadlines for your grade level and download the application form and guidelines. Discuss your project ideas with your principal and call or e-mail TAF if you have questions about the process. NEXT DEADLINE: Applications for 7-12 Grants of more than $5000 are due August 2, 2010. For complete details please visit http://www.toshiba.com/tafpub/jsp/home/default.jsp.
Congratulations to recent winners in GA and AL including Mountain Brook HS (AL) and Grovetown MS (GA), among others!

As always, free assistance with your proposals is available from Texas Instruments at http://education.ti.com/grants.

Engineer Your Life resources

Engineer Your Life (EYL) has FREE resources you can use to spark girls' interest in engineering.

What is EYL?

EYL breaks down stereotypes about engineering and encourages college-bound girls to consider it as a career option.

EngineerYourLife.org features ten great reasons to become an engineer, streaming video of inspiring women engineers, descriptions of dream engineering jobs, and advice for parents, educators, and engineers on how to talk to girls about engineering.

An independent evaluation shows that 78.5% of girls, after exploring the EYL website, listed engineering as their number one career choice.

Use EYL in your classroom:
Share www.EngineerYourLife.org with students, parents, teachers and counselors.
Order FREE brochures/postcards by sending an email to feedback@engineeryourlife.org.
Present EYL videos of inspiring women engineers to students and parents.
Incorporate EYL into your career exploration programs and curricula.
- Mary Schmitz, a geometry teacher in Missouri, gives her students the assignment of researching engineering careers on EYL’s site and posting their favorite on their class wiki. Mary comments:
“I just want to let the girls know what is available to them and maybe open up more opportunities for them. I think your site is wonderful and I get really good responses from my students after they have read about the different fields of engineering.”

Questions about EYL? Contact feedback@engineeryourlife.org with any questions or requests related to EYL.

And for additional classroom resources, check out the Engineering collection on Teachers' Domain.

Thank you!

New Educational Games Available at NASA.gov

NASA has introduced four new educational games geared toward students in grades K-8.

Build Your Own Space Mission -- Grades K-2

In this interactive game, students choose a scientist, laboratory, spacecraft and destination as they design their own space mission. After packing the spacecraft into a rocket, they watch it blast off to their destination of choice.

http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/edu_game/



Astro-Matic 3000 -- Grades K-8

Use the Astro-Matic 3000 to learn how much you would weigh or how old you would be if you lived on another planet. Students also learn facts about each planet.

Astro-Matic 3000 supports the following national education standards and benchmarks:

National Science Education Standards: Objects in the sky.
National Science Education Standards: Earth in the solar system.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standard: Recognize the attributes of length, volume, weight, area and time.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Astro-Matic_3000.html



Let’s Fly Away Airplane Dodecahedron -- Grades K-8

In the interactive version, students click and drag the dodecahedron to see NASA aircraft. They also can read about the aircraft and print full color pictures or a coloring page. In the Build Your Own activity, students print, color and construct their own dodecahedron featuring 12 different NASA aircraft.

Let’s Fly Away supports the following national education standards:

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Identify, compare and analyze attributes of two- and three-dimensional shapes and develop vocabulary to describe the attributes.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Describe attributes and parts of two- and three-dimensional shapes.
National Science Education Standards: Science as a human endeavor.
Interactive Dodecahedron http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/clubhouse/Lets_Fly_Away.html

Build Your Own Dodecahedron http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Lets_Fly_Away.html



Put It Together Puzzle -- Grades K-6

In this interactive online game, students build online puzzles of NASA pictures.

Put It Together supports the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standard:

Understand patterns, relations and functions.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Put_It_Together.html

Science Notebooks as an Assessment Tool

Here are two links to articles regarding the use of science notebooks that I have revisited in helping Charlene prepare for a workshop on Authentic Assessment. Hopefully, I will be preaching to the choir here, but they both have great refresher potential as well. Notebooks are not only great for teaching students the scientific method, organizational skills, and how to reflect on their own learning, but they are an amazing tool for assessment for the teacher!

Science Notebook Essentials

Five Good Reasons to Use Science Notebooks

Enjoy! Please feel free to post comments regarding your experiences with science notebooks in your classroom. Let's learn from each other!

Handling Live Animals in the Classroom

Your Safety Training Notes from Flinn for February is entitled "Handling Live Animals in the Classroom." Having living organisms in a science classroom seems completely natural, however the types of organisms that are used, and for what purpose, may be controversial and potentially dangerous. This offers some general guidelines that should be considered before bringing animals into the classroom.

Anticipating problems and taking precautions to avoid them is a sensible strategy. For AMSTI kits with fish and frogs, remember to always prepare your habitats prior to the arrival of your living specimens. Tap water must be allowed to sit out for at least 24 hours and always use the conditioning drops that come in your kit.

It is also a good idea to space the arrival of your living specimens over time. This may increase the likelihood of 'fresh' animals for the students to investigate. Reorders take time to process and deliver.

You can print "Handling Live Animals in the Classroom" from Flinn Science by connecting to:http://www.flinnsci.com/Sections/Safety/Snotes/snotes.asp

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding living specimens for your AMSTI science modules.

Thanks!
Carrie Lin
carrie.lin@athens.edu

Developing Higher Level Thinking with Effective Questions

Teachers: One of our new specialists, Jana Byrd, shared a resource with us during her interview process that gives a multitude of questioning prompts for higher level thinking. It was originally written for mathematics, but can easily be adapted to science. These would be a great resource to have posted in your classroom to use during the Explore & Explain phase of your lessons. Enjoy!
Carrie




Developing Higher Level Thinking with Effective Questions

To help students build confidence and rely on their own understanding, ask…
• Why is that true?
• How did you reach that conclusion?
• Does that make sense?
• Can you make a model to show that?

To help students learn to reason, ask…
• Is that true for all cases? Explain.
• Can you think of a counterexample?
• How would you prove that?
• What assumptions are you making?

To check student progress, ask…
• Can you explain what you have done so far? What else is there to do?
• Whey did you decide to use this method?
• Can you think of another method that might have worked?
• Is there a more efficient strategy?
• What do you notice when…?
• Why did you decide to organize your results like that?
• Do you think this would work with other problems?
• Have you thought of all the possibilities? How can you be sure?

To help students collectively make sense of data, ask…
• What do you think about what _____ said?
• Do you agree? Why or why not?
• Does anyone have the same answer but a different way to explain it?
• Do you understand what _____ is saying?
• Can you convince the rest of us that your answer makes sense?

To encourage conjecturing, ask…
• What would happen if…? What if not?
• Do you see a pattern? Can you explain the pattern?
• What are some possibilities here?
• Can you predict the next one? What about the last one?
• What decision do you think he/she should make?

To promote problem solving, ask…
• What do you need to find out?
• What information do you have?
• What strategies are you going to use?
• Will you do it mentally? With pencil and paper? Using a number line?
• Will a calculator help?
• What tools will you need?
• What do you think the answer or result will be?


To promote problem solving, ask…
• What do you need to find out?
• What information do you have?
• What strategies are you going to use?
• Will you do it mentally? With pencil and paper? Using a number line?
• Will a calculator help?
• What tools will you need?
• What do you think the answer or result will be?

To help when students get stuck, ask…
• How would you describe the problem in your own words?
• What do you know that is not stated in the problem?
• What facts do you have?
• How did you tackle similar problems?
• Could you try it with simpler numbers? Fewer numbers? Using a number line?
• What about putting things in order?
• Would it help to create a diagram? Make a table? Draw a picture?
• Can you guess and check?
• Have you compared your work with anyone else? What did other members of your group try?

To make connections among ideas and applications, ask…
• How does this relate to…?
• What ideas that we have learned before were useful in solving this problem?
• What uses of mathematics did you find in the newspaper last night?
• Can you give me an example of…?

To encourage reflection, ask…
• How did you get your answer?
• Does you answer seem reasonable? Why or why not?
• Can you describe your method to us all? Can you explaining why it works?
• What if you had started with… rather than…?
• What if you could only use…?
• What have you learned or found out today?
• Did you use or learn any new words today? What did they mean? How do you spell them?
• What are the key points or big ideas in this lesson?

© 2006 PBS. All rights reserved.
The contents of this sheet were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
PBS TeacherLine
www.pbs.org/teacherline

eLearning Spring 2010 Semester Schedule

AMSTI Educators:

E-Learning is offering FREE courses on-line with NO class attendance. Each 6-week course provides 30 contact hours credit (3.0 CEU’s).

The math and science courses:

The Complexities of Measurement
Life Science K-2
Life Science 3-5
Intro to Functions: Using Visual Models
Life Science 6-8

These were developed to deepen content knowledge and to provide avenues for teachers to learn how to integrate web-based resources into science and math teaching. Also, these courses provide teachers who have already attended both AMSTI Summer Institutes follow-up opportunities for additional science and math training.
THESE COURSE OFFERINGS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUE FOR THE YEAR ONE OR YEAR TWO AMSTI SUMMER INSTITUTES.

Also, those of you with administration certificates who need PLUs can get ACLD-approved PLUs with the EDU55xx courses listed below.

Please consider enrolling in one or more of these courses.

Spring 2010
Feb 3 – Mar 23

Click the Course Name below for a short course overview ... or sign is as a Guest to our Moodle website by clicking "Login as a guest" then clicking "Course Catalog..." at the lower right of the page to preview the courses in greater detail. By clicking this link, you can view a short Moodle Tutorial from our friends at EDC.


21st Century Classroom

EDU4401E Web-Enhanced Lessons
EDU4403E Virtual Field Trip
EDU4405E Best Internet Educational Resources
EDU4408E Teaching with Web 2.0 Tools
EDU4421E Data-Driven Decision Making
EDU4465E Wikis, Blogs, Podcasts, and Skype
EDU4499E Teaching Your First ELLs
EDU6611E Becoming an Online Facilitator (10 wks)


Elementary School

ELA2413E Teaching Writing ES
MTH2512E The Complexities of Measurement
REA2451E Reading First: Supporting Early Reading Instr
SCI3651E Life Science K-2
SCI3652E Life Science 3-5


Middle/High School

ELA3413E Teaching Writing MS
HIS3711E WWII - Using the Movies to Teach History
MTH3512E Intro to Functions: Using Visual Models
REA3455E Kids, Content, and Comprehension 4-12
SCI3653E Life Science 6-8


School and District Leaders

EDU5501E Data-Based School Reform
EDU5502E Planning for Curriculum Integration of Technology
EDU5503E Internet Safety in Schools
EDU5504E Smart Budgeting for Technology
EDU5505E Leading Schools in a Web 2.0 World
EDU5507E Special Students in Regular Classrooms: UDL

Those wishing to earn PLUs for the School and District Leaders courses above must follow a multi-step process:

They must use STIPD to register for one of the six EDU55xx courses above.
They must successfully complete and receive credit in STIPD for the course.
They must return to their school/district and plan for changes based on what they learned in the EDU55xx course. Those not in a position to make changes may formulate the plan as a proposal.
They must prepare a presentation that showcases their plan and results in an up-loadable format (PowerPoint, Photo Story, website, wiki, video, spreadsheet, etc.)
They must use STIPD to register for the corresponding 2-week PLUACLDxxx showcase course listed below 6-months after taking the EDU55xx course.
The PLUACLDxxx course requires them to:
Post their showcase on the course discussion forum.
Review all showcases posted by classmates
Comment on at least three of those showcases.

Upon completion of all these requirements, they will receive 1 PLU credit in STIPD.. eLearning can create STIPD accounts for those who do not have access to STIPD.

PLUACLD020 PLUASIL 1 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5501E
PLUACLD038 PLUASIL 6 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5502E
PLUACLD039 PLUASIL 6 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5503E
PLUACLD040 PLUASIL 6 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5504E
PLUACLD021 PLUASIL 6 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5505E
PLUACLD041 PLUASIL 6 ACLD, e-Learning for Educators, EDU5507E


School Counselors (4 week courses)
Each course will be run during each of three
mini-sessions beginning Feb 3, Mar 3, Apr 7
(you can take all three at once or in any sequence)

CCTI101E Building a College-Going Culture for All Students
CCTI202E College, Career, and Academic Planning
CCTI303E Financial Aid and College Applications


National Board (Jan 13 - Mar 23)

NBCT202 Building Writing and Video Skills (9wks)


Keys to Success Taking eLearning Courses

The courses are structured in weekly sessions (one orientation week plus six academic weeks) - each week begins on Wednesday. Each session has assignments for you to complete ... readings, activities, discussion questions. After you finish the reading assignments (days 1 and 2), sit back and reflect on what you’ve read. Complete the activities (days 2 and 3) and spend some more time reflecting on what you already knew and what you may have learned from the readings and activities. On days 3 and 4 contemplate your original post (thread) to the discussion question. On days 4 and 5 post your thread and read those of your classmates. Reply to the one or two that appeal to you. That's how the learning is done. No need to be online at any given time on any given day - but you should spend about 3-4 hours a week reading, doing activities, reflecting, composing, posting, replying. You must complete the weekly assignments in the assigned week – you may, with approval from your facilitator, work ahead or fall behind one week. You must successfully complete 6 of 7 weekly assignments AND complete the course project to receive credit for the course – course projects are due within 30 days of the course end dates (extensions can be granted on a case-by-case basis).


Registration Procedures

You can register online through STI PD for any of our online teacher professional development courses by following these simple instructions (or contact us if you do not have STI PD access):

Go to https://pdweb.alsde.edu/pdweb/ for the STI PD registration page.
Enter your USERNAME (you can obtain it from your central office).
Enter your PASSWORD (you can obtain it from your central office).
Choose the correct LEA from the drop-down list.
Select the PD TITLES tab from those across the top of the page.
Select the link SEARCH THE PD TITLE CATALOG.
Enter the course number in the box along the right margin labeled PD TITLE NUMBER then click the SEARCH NOW button at the bottom of the page.
After the course description appears, select the link LIST under VIEW SCHEDULE along the right hand margin.
Scroll down the list of sessions until they find the session you wish to enroll in.
Select the ENROLL NOW button associated with your chosen session.

If you have any questions, contact Ben Hicks at bhicks@ALSDE.edu

Thanks!
Carrie

Environmental Education Association of Alabama Conference

The 2010 Environmental EducationAssociation of Alabama (EEAA) Conference registration materials are now available at www.eeaa.us. Together we will be "Soaring to New Heights" in environmental education at Lake Guntersville State Park, March 4-6th.

There are scholarships opportunities available for our members and for classroom teachers. (And STI-PD hours too!) This conference promises to be an extra special one with children's author Brian "Fox" Ellis impersonating John James Audubon, providing a workshop on combining scientific inquiry and storytelling, and presenting a concurrent session on nature journalling. We'll also have a bird watching field trip, a presentation on the ellusive Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, a search for luminescent lichens plus much more!

Heather L. Montgomery
Science and Nature Writing for Kids
www.heatherLmontgomery.com
www.dragonflyeeprograms.com
256-426-5871