Waffle Bytes

Check out these upcoming community science opportunities hosted by MI Birds partners across the state: From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources -  Another round of winter bird counts is on the horizon The Great Backyard Bird Count  (Feb. 15-18):  This four-day event, coordinated by Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, invites people all over the world to record their bird observations in their own backyards for at least 15 minutes. All ages and birding levels are welcome, and you can participate in any or all of the four days. Last year, over 190,000 people participated in this global bird count, and Michigan was among the top 10 participating states, with a total of 3,890 checklists submitted. Project FeederWatch  (various dates, November through April):  This winterlong community science project, organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada, is much like the Christmas Bird Count. Here’s what you need to know if...

International Year of the Periodic Table From  Zachary Constan, Ph.D. Outreach Coordinator National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory Michigan State University In celebration of the International Year of the Periodic Table, the NSCL social media feeds will post facts about every element throughout 2019. Follow NSCL on  Twitter   or   Facebook   and look for #periodictweets starting near the end of January!

Science teachers have the opportunity to attend an intensive and residential one-week experience that will let them explore world-class research in nuclear astrophysics!  They will get to spend time at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University - a facility used by scientists from all over the world.  What: Physics of Atomic Nuclei program When & Where : July 15-19 at Michigan State University Cost:  FREE More Information:   at  https://www.jinaweb.org/ educational-outreach/physics- atomic-nuclei-pan/ There is also a program for high schools students - information about it is also on the website above.

Have you seen Science Journal by Google?  If not, you may want to! The free app (which works on Android, iOS, and "most Chromebooks" according to the site) puts a plethora of sensors on your device - in one app.  Well worth checking out! A great place to start is the Getting Started with Science Journal site Here is a 2 minutes video on how to record data with the sensors -

From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources: On Nov. 14, second- through fourth-grade students across the state will join in a one-day adventure designed to teach them about the importance of white-tailed deer. This day, fondly called “Deer Camp,” is full of fun activities for all school subjects. Once you register, you’ll receive a packet of activities that you can do throughout the day (or pick a few if you are limited on time). The activities cover a variety of subjects, including science, math, English, gym and art. You also will get a PowerPoint presentation as an optional aid to guide discussions. Deer Camp is designed for second through fourth grades, but all educators are welcome to participate! Please be aware that you may need to modify lessons and activities if you are using the materials with younger or older students. If you would like to participate, please register by Nov. 13. Register for Deer Camp curriculum  ► Explore additional DN...

The seventh  Google Science Fair  challenges students ages 13 to 18 to submit science projects that explore unanswered questions or tackle scientific hurdles that have yet to be overcome by December 12, 2018. Check out the website for lots of ideas, how to get involved, and to learn about cool prizes!

From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Michigan teachers can get wildlife  – w ildlife topics, that is  –  in the classroom! Registration is open for  wildlife classroom curricula  available to elementary through high school educators.  Curricula fit current state educational standards and are free of charge.  K-5th grades Go Wild for Michigan’s Wildlife  i ntroduces elementary students to a variety of species found throughout Michigan and their habitats.  Included in the materials are sets of "critter cards" for each student to keep. Sets of the cards are limited and are issued on a first-come, first-served basis to Michigan educators who register.  6th-8th grades Students can learn about Michigan black bears – from their life history to how the DNR manages populations – with  A Year in the Life of a Michigan Black Bear .  Students get to “follow” black bears' movements by looking at actual loca...

Looking for some activities that focus on the Great Lakes?  Check out the Center for Great Lakes Literacy ! The site includes curriculum resources, professional development and webinars that you can use to help tie your science lessons to the Great Lakes.  Many lessons in the curriculum resources are multi-disciplinary and convey the complexity of problems faced when looking at Great Lakes issues.    Additionally, teachers may apply to for a shipboard professional development opportunity.  Selected teachers spend a week aboard a research vessel on one of the Great Lakes, working alongside and learning from scientist.  Housing and meals are provided for this experience, along with a $500 stipend.  The target audience is educators in the Great Lakes basin. that work with 4th-12th grade students

The United States Drought Monitor site tracks drought status throughout the United States.  In addition to the current map, there are additional maps - even an animated map to see changes over time.   (Part of the Useful Site Flashback series - sometimes we forget about the good websites out there!)

From the August 10 edition of the Google for Education newsletter : Earth as seen from the Cupola Observation Module Take a tour inside the International Space Station For 16 years, astronauts have been working and living on the International Space Station (ISS), a structure made up of 15 connected modules that floats 250 miles above Earth. On his last mission,  Thomas Pesquet , an astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA), captured  Street View imagery  in zero gravity to show what the ISS looks like from the inside, and shares what it’s like to look down on Earth from outer space. Students can journey to the station via  Google Expeditions ,  Maps , and  Google Earth Voyager , and even go  behind the scenes , floating right alongside the astronauts.

The new and improved Google Earth is here after 2 years of development, and it is worth checking out! (First note - at this time you can only check it out using the Chrome browser, or with an Android devices.  From The Keyword  Google Blog it will be "on iOS and other browsers in the near future.") To get a nice introduction, I recommend reading the blog post Welcome Home to the New Google Earth . Then, here are some quick overviews for starting to use it - The landing page for Google Earth on the web gives some awesome views - I just sat and watched it scroll through a few times before clicking on the "Launch Google Earth." After you launch, it will load - the time for this varies depending on your connection.  You will then see the new Google Earth There are a variety of icons on the left side - you can click on the Waffle at the top to open the drawer if you need to know what each icon is. One icon is not represented in the drawer - the ...

This week I just found out about WKAR's Curious Crew TV shows .  If you teach science at the lower level - or have a kid that is curious - these shows are worth checking out.  From the site: "Inquisitive kids take a hands-on approach to investigating principles of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with award-winning educator Rob Stephenson." The show has several kids that test & learn about different science principals using household items.  In addition to the shows (which can be streamed on the site, or watched on live TV), there are "Curiosity Guides" that teachers (or even parents) can use to recreate or explore what is seen on the show further.   Check it out!

Michigan Teachers: Do you know any high school seniors with an interest in science?  Encourage them to apply for the National Youth Science Camp - a summer residential program!   The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) is an honors program for two high achieving high school seniors from each state in the United States and others from around the world. Two high school seniors (eligible for graduation between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 ) from each state will be selected for for this  all-expenses-paid  program . This summer residential program runs from June 14 - July 8, 2017 . The NYSC is one of the nation's premier programs in science education. Since its inception in 1963 as part of West Virginia's Centennial celebration, the residential summer program has offered educational forums and recreational activities that encourage the development of thoughtful scientific leadership. This camp is made possible through the planning and fund-raising ...

For 6-12 th grade math, science, or civics teachers in Michigan. (from MDOT_TRAC) What : 1 day free MDOT-TRAC (Transportation and Civil Engineering) Training  When: Thursday November 17 Time: 8:00am-3:30 pm   Where: MDOT Transportation Service Center                   15300 West Michigan Avenue                   Marshall, MI  49068 Registration : Contact information provided at end of page For this FREE training and hands-on tools provided by MDOT:   Educators will learn to use (and will receive) hands-on math and science tools/exercises. Supplies are replenished as used.   Six SCECH hours are also available for the training. At least 1200 Michigan teachers have been trained to use these tools.  The program is used in 26 of the 50 states and is available for use in grades 6-12.  Training covers civil engineering r...

From Brandy Archer at MeL - some great resources that you may find useful: Greetings, Below are links to great Open Educational Resources (FREE).  Some of these (Word Generation) I have shared before.  Keep scrolling down and you will even see some quick mindfulness activities to help students focus. SERP MEDIA Open Educational Resources for Public Use . Visit the SERP Media Website . LITERACY : WordGen Weekly . Visit the WordGen Weekly Website . WordGen Weekly (the “original” Word Generation program) is a supplementary curricular resource that offers a series of discussable dilemmas designed to promote academic language and other academic practices prioritized in the 21st century learning standards. The program is unique in its cross-disciplinary design, giving teachers of ELA, science, social studies, and math the chance to collaborate on the shared goal of helping students use aca...