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I S S U E 25 | O CTO B ER 2 017
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Full S.T.E.A.M Ahead!
Index: Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Technology...........................................5 Food For Thought...............................6 Nutrition...............................................7 Poems....................................................8 Art........................................................12 Math....................................................13 Education...........................................14 Engineering........................................15 STEAM..............................................16 Science.................................................17 College Tour......................................18 Teacher’s Corner................................21 Parent’s Corner..................................23 Volunteer opportunity is available for students and adults. Contact us info@kidsstandard.com Let us know if your school wants to partner with us. Follow us on Twitter http://twiter.com/kidsstandard Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/kidsstandard 248-410-3976 © Copyright Kids Standard Publication Inc, Michigan. All Rights Reserved
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Dear Readers and Writers,
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he word ‘STEAM’ is often associated with a desirable modern approach to learning that implies innovation and creativity for both students and teachers. STEAM is an educational strategy that puts a special emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as media or starting points for directing student inquiry, collaboration, and acquisition of knowledge. The need for this approach comes from the many changes that are currently happening in our world - how we live, communicate, conduct business, and think of ourselves as human beings. While innovation is closely connected to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, it is the Arts that allow us to deepen our perception of the world and ourselves as individual beings. STEAM education is always project-based and driven by students. As a result, children who study STEAM develop a range of valuable skills and dispositions that are essential for their success as workers and individuals:
Arina Bokas
Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities
critical thinking and problem solving, thoughtful risk taking, open mindedness, communication, collaboration, and respect for perspectives of others, to name a few. Our October 2017 issue Full S.T.E.A.M Ahead! showcases student work and thinking in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and the Arts. Enjoy!
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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R
2017-2018 Editorial Calendar November 2017 Where I Belong‌
What does it mean to belong somewhere? Every person has a place that makes him or her feel whole. It could be a place where we live, such as our home, or a place that makes us feel special like no other. It can be a park, town, state, or country that is part of our heritage and upbringing. Or it can be our entire planet. What about this place makes you feel special? How does it make you who you are? Why is it important for people to know where they belong? What is your responsibility to this place and its people? What do you do to help it and others in it flourish?
that exist on it? How does knowledge of geography and other cultures help us understand ourselves and others? Research oceans, lands, animals, people, and cultures. Offer your perspective on the connections that exist in our world. Share your travel experiences to other countries and lessons you learned while being abroad. Write about explorers, geographers, and politicians and their impact on the world.
January 2018 Growth Factor
March 2018
December 2017
Around The World: Lands, Cultures, Traditions We live in a big world, but how much do we really know about it? Why is it important to know and understand our planet and all of the variations
What are the factors that allow each person grow into the best version of him/herself? What do we need to do to develop our minds, nurture our hearts, and achieve the best life for ourselves? Describe experiences that pushed you to become a better person and discover something important about yourself or others. Research and offer perspectives of psychologists and educators on the process of personal growth. Reflect on what you believe to be the most important growth factor that people need to remember to incorporate in their lives.
February 2018
Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory OCTOBER 2017
and development of computer systems that are able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. Some of the most exciting fields are robotics, automotive (self-driving cars), and medical (fast and accurate diagnostics). What benefits and drawbacks does it have? Will this reduce the human work or make human work different? What will humans do once all jobs are gone to AI? What kind of rights AI/robots should have in our Constitution? What new technological development would you like to see? Tell stories about our live in the future. Share your point of view of what artificial intelligence means to humankind.
Readers’ Circle We know that it is important to learn how to read and to read a lot. But great reading is more than just sounding out letters and words. It involves thinking. How do reading and thinking connect? How does reading help us in everyday life? What and how can we learn when we read? Write stories about your own important reading experiences, alone and with others. Share lessons that you have learned from books. Write a book review. Research authors. Anything and everything related to reading and books is welcome.
April 2018
Everyday Heroes According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a hero is a person who is admired for his or her brave acts and other fine qualities. There is a hero 3
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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R
2017-2018 Editorial Calendar inside each of us. We may not realize it, but someone, somewhere, does. Share a story about your personal hero or about a well-known hero. Offer a perspective on what qualities make someone a hero. Research events in our history that are recognized as heroic events and share your take on them.
May 2018
The Sound of Music What is music? Why does it have such a great effect on human beings? There are work songs to make tedious tasks
more bearable. There are marches and fight songs to prepare for battle. There are lullabies to ease us to sleep. How does music influence us? What role does music play in your life? Write about your personal experiences with music, whether it is singing, playing an instrument, composing, or just listening. Research music genres and musicians. Compose a song. Review songs or any other piece of music.
Summer 2018 (digital only)
The Break! Most people love breaks, whether it is a break from school, work, or activities. Why is it important to have a break? What do you like about a summer break? Do you think you can learn during summer while having a break? Share your advice and experiences. Offer recommendations on activities that families can do in summer.
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TECHNOLOGY
Technology Changes Our Life By: Emory Carter, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac
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echnology plays an important role in our world. We use technology for many things. It helps make human progress easier and learning fun. It has changed how we do things and cut back on the amount of time it takes to do them. Instead of spending hours at the library reading through books, we can now stay at home and turn on a computer to search the internet for what we need.
Computers allow us to access the information on the internet. They also allow us to do everyday things differently. People can order their lunch on line, and it will be ready for pick-up when you get there. Bills can be paid over the computer. Banking can be done without going to the bank. Computer technology even allows cars to be driven without a driver.
VARIOUS SIDES OF MODERN VIDEO GAMES By: Mark Bokas, 6th grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston
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n our world today, too many kids and young adults are obsessed with video games. New games and gaming systems come out every year to the joy of millions of fans who give this industry hundreds of their dollars. Many researchers and health professionals state that video games are not good for people in general, and most of them promote violence. I believe that when played in moderation, video games can help develop OCTOBER 2017
Lastly, phones have changed how we communicate. Long time ago, people could only talk or write letters to each other. When phones were first created, you could only call people from your house. With smartphones we use now, we can take our phones with us, text, email, or call from anywhere to anywhere. That’s how much technology has improved.
players’ problem solving skills, critical thinking, and reaction time. First off, playing video games really helps with problem solving skills. When playing a game, you have to have a strategy and a plan, just you have to do in real life. You have to have a good understanding of the game’s rules and structure, and to find a way to be creative. Secondly, video games help with critical thinking skills. When playing “Call of Duty,” for example, you need to anticipate where the other players are, what escape routes they have, and if there are more players near them. You also need to think ahead what your best strategy must be. According to Rick Navert, Ph.D., a 2013 review “of published studies found that playing shooter video games improved a player’s capacity to think in three dimensions.” This helps with learning science, technology, and math. Finally, playing video games improves reaction time. When playing a game, you have to move and make split-second decisions that could cost you the game. Research shows that players develop a heightened sensitivity to what goes on around them. This helps with everyday activities, such as driving, keeping track of things, and navigating (Blank-Rochester). Overall, good things can come out of playing video games, but only when it is done in moderation. Too much of anything is exactly that - too much. Video games are not an exception. Reference: Blank-Rochester, Alan. “Video Games Speed Up Reaction Time.” Futurity. University at Buffalo. Web Navert, Rick. “Video Games Can Help Boost Social, Memory, and Cognitive Skills.” Psych Central. Web 5
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
STEAM and Our World
By: Dequarius White, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac
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cience, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics mean a lot to our world. Science helps us keep up with Earth’s talent and allows us to conduct different experiments. Science is connected to math; together, they create a foundation for development of technology. People use technology every day to call, to text, to connect and get information on the internet. Technology allows us to have light and control the temperature in our homes by using heating and cooling systems. Technology helps with emergencies, medicine, music, education, and pretty much everything else. Then, there is Engineering. Engineering provides safety and comfort. People work on roads, buildings, bridges, airplanes, and cars. Many young people say they want to be engineers when they grow up. Engineering helps us combine science and technology into a product. In the future, I think phones will float in the air and there will be a rocket car so people could get around faster.
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Different kinds of robots that are like a person will be invented. I also think that people will find out how many more things our planet Earth can do. By: Justin Sykes, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac
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echnology, Engineering, and Mathematics play an important role in my world. Technology brings entertainment and internet connection with family. It has helped me learn in a fun way. Instead of the old chalk boards, we now have interactive boards that hook up to a desktop computer. Engineering brings shelter, television, and happiness. It has made human and pet life easier. None of that would be possible without math. Technology, Engineering, and Math have helped us progress as human beings; they will also determine our future. By: Jeydi Cortes, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac
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n our world today, technology allows me access the internet and google things I don’t know. Art
allows me to express my feelings, while Paint makes it possible to paint more and think of more ideas for new art. Technology and art help human beings function because technology gives us an opportunity to look for answers when we need them and learn more about life. Through art we learn more about the world and ourselves. Technology affects our education with new educational programs and websites, such as Moby Max, Prodigy, and Coolmath. Technology allows for growing and exploring. By: Adrian Reyes, 5th grade, Herrington Elementary, Pontiac
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echnology is something that we use all the time and don’t even think about it. I use technology to learn things so I can be smarter. Technology helps humans by providing different ways to learn. It teaches us how to multiply and tells us the answers. I am excited to see how technology will advance. I predict that there will be robot servants to listen to your every command. I wonder if one day there will only be machines doing people’s jobs. What jobs will people have?
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NUTRITION
A Message From Nuview Nutrition: From Healthy Hacks for Eating on the Run
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ith summer coming to an end, fall and winter bring new demands with school functions, sports, and shorter days. From work to school and then to the field or court, dinner seems to be a forgotten necessity until the hunger pangs force you to drive through McDonalds. Later, as you collapse into bed, exhausted and wishing for more hours in the day, you can’t help but notice your bloated stomach and terrible case of regret. This in an everyday epidemic for families onthe-go. Every night, we lie in bed and wish we hadn't eaten that fast food or pizza. We promise ourselves we won't do it again tomorrow, but we do. If only we had time to make better decisions. If only we had time for our family’s health to be a priority. If only… When we choose convenience over our health we choose meat that usually isn't meat, poisonous packaging, processed sugars, potent preservatives, inflammatory oils…need I say more? Our bodies run on blood sugar. It’s the fuel that makes us go, but it can also be the tainted fuel that makes us crash. At Nuview Nutrition, I’ve learned how to juggle it all. Want to know my secret? It does involve a little bit of preparation, but it’ll be worth it. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re sliding into bed at a decent time with a clear head and zero gas. On days when you know you’ll be running from point A to point B and then to point C, wake up a little earlier (yes!) and pack a cooler. Fill it with bottled water, organic fruits and veggies, and healthy snacks like organic string cheese and Boar’s Head meats. For healthy meals, make a big salad the night before and put it in your cooler. Will you be stuck outside for football or soccer? Have a few servings of healthy soup or chili ready in the crockpot and purchase a good thermos. Want to learn more? On October 12th at 5:30 p.m., join Nuview Nutrition for our Pack and Go class. You’ll learn tips and tricks to eating healthy on the run that you can share with your family. Remember that health and wellness are contagious. Clear that motherly conscience by showing your children healthy habits today that will follow them into a healthier future.
OCTOBER 2017
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POEMS BLING! The timer goes off at a crackling volume And the rest of the bland light finally disappears. As totality arrives I whip off my glasses surrounded by a series of shrieks and shouts I leap to my feet quickly
Solar Eclipse: A Hole In The Sky By: Audrey Parker, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston
And let loose a yell of my own Encircled by complete chaos Terrified, exhilarated, I stare at the sky And when a dull orange skyline is the only light left the world becomes unrecognizable
A burning hot Kentucky day On the front lawn of the church
Soon the nighttime world comes to life
Clear blue skies, towering trees
Bats fly, birds chirp sharply, owls cry out
I stare upward, intently focused
Stars appear in the early night
Waiting for the eclipse of the sun
And Venus peeks out to say hello All of this is amazing, but it’s not the best part
I look around me, surrounded by my family
Not even close
Cousins, grandparents, my sisters, my dad, All completely still with anticipation
It’s the sun The hole in the sky
All is silent, and nobody moves
It’s on center stage, giving a show like no other
Thump, Thump, Thump
Glowing orange and white around the rim
My heart beats loudly in my chest
Buttery light, straining to be seen
I breath heavily
Proving to us what was once there
I can’t wait any longer
The moon roughly shoves it out of the way The early arrival that we’ve all been waiting for
Yet a sharp fear settles in my stomach
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What if I’m dissapointed?
I can’t look away
What if we came all this way, and for nothing?
I don’t want to miss it, and I don’t want it to leave
I desperately shove away those thoughts
But in this moment, I know that it will soon disappear
It will be good
And there is nothing I can do
It has to be
But soak it all in
Suddenly, the sky turns numbly dark.
Looking up at the sky, I appreciate things more now
A chilled blackness clouds our sight
Things can be beautiful
And we wait
But they don’t always last
And wait
So we ought to always be grateful for the amazing things
And wait...
Grateful for the hole in the sky
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POEMS Science of Skiing: Ascend
I’m on
By: Evan Hackstock,
The chair lift quickly
8th grade, Clarkston Junior High School
The sun rises Over the mountain, Bright light reflects Off of the snowy ground I start to suit up In many layers Long johns, socks, snow pants I buckle my boots The room is getting hot Once Outside, A blast of cold air hits me like a truck The chill slowly creeps into my jacket It feels refreshing to be outside Mountains Trees Snow Blue bird sky
I hear my skis scraping Across the ice
Zooms up the mountain
Unbreakable
The air becomes
I take a rest to
Thinner and thinner
Grab my breath
It seems like
I get back up
There is no more air
Roots sticking
The wind picks up
Through the snow and ice
The chair lift swings
It seems to never end
Back and forth
All I can see Are trees and snow
I get to Needles Eye
I start to sweat
Ski patrol warns Potential
No breeze to cool me off
Avalanche Finally out Fearless
Pine needles in the Hood of my jacket
I look over the edge 75 degrees drop
I head back to the chair lift
Thousands of trees Up Now down
I go
I carve in between the trees
Epic pass in my pocket I get scanned by the workers In red I hear a beep I line up at the gate
OCTOBER 2017
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POEMS things were sprawled all over the floor. My mother reached out to grasp the shaking door handle. It was like everything slowed down. Her eyes were mad but her face was petrified. I had never seen her so frightened about anything. She looked down at her hand on the door knob, hesitating to turn it.
Earthquake By: Maddie Blomberg, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston
It started off as a typical night. We were packed and ready to fly home the next morning. California for three weeks had been a traveler’s dream driving up to the redwood trees and down the coast to San Francisco where the Golden Gate bridge towered over us. We got ready for bed as we talked about the wonders we saw on our trip. My favorite, was seeing the Redwood Trees. My sister liked Sea Glass Beach. We joked about there not being an earthquake. We went to sleep happy in our memories, but sad because we had to leave first thing the next morning. I was sprung out of my sleep by the ascential blow of my mother’s hand to my stomach. The whole room was shaking and swaying like some kind of carnival ride. A deep black covered the room. Things were rattling and falling to the floor
I could hear the faint yells and screams of the other people in the little hotel and the doors slamming. My mom started talking, but I couldn’t understand her. I was in shock. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t die now. Not tonight. Could I? I didn’t want to. I wasn’t ready to die yet. I couldn’t imagine it. People die every day, you see it on the news. But how could I? How could anyone I knew or loved die? My thinking was cut off when I heard a sudden change in sound. The landline fell from its post, and a faint buzzing filled the room. “ MMMOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!” My sister’s scream sliced through the noise around us. I peered over to my mother, she sat up, and without hesitation, I sat up too. My mother climbed out of bed. So I did too. I slid off of the side of the bed feeling as though my feet would never hit the ground. I was stumbling trying to keep my feet underneath me, as we made our way to the door. The room seemed different. I could barely see, but I could tell
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Everything stopped. The shaking. The swaying. The yells and doors slamming. All you could hear was the faint buzzing of the phone hanging from its post. My mother turned back to my sister and me. We both looked back at her with the same question. What do we do now? My mother told us “Let’s go back to bed. If there are any aftershocks, we will go out to the parking lot.” I could see right through her. She was just as scared as me. I didn’t think that was possible. I just quietly shook my head up and down and climbed back into my bed. I gazed at the ceiling, playing what happened over and over. Just thinking about what could have happened. But what I couldn’t quite shake was the fact that we never saw it coming. There was no one to tell us what we should have done. There was no warning. After all, It started off as a typical night.
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POEMS
The Coaster By: Ryan Berry, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston
Staring down at me The whole 420 feet of the Dragster 17 seconds of thrill going 140 mph Closer, closer, closer we approach the front of the line Every minute feels like forever With each step it seems like I have weights on my feet We reach the front My chest starts cramping, legs get weak, hearing impaired I feel a tug on my arm “Are you ready?” My dad asks. “Now or never,” I respond. The gates open. I feel like I’m jumping through time as I find myself lowering the safety bar.
OCTOBER 2017
Within 20 seconds we hear the all clear and were jolted forward We reach a roadblock at the starting line. I look up and see the lights change to yellow to green 3, I gaze around at the people watching us ride on a death train 2, I squint at my Dad clinging to the safety bar 1, I lean back and brace myself Go! Pressed against the seat not having time to think at all We launch forward Within seconds we already climb the 420 feet of steel We stop for a split second look around at the sunny night we plunge back down I look at the high speed camera smile and feel amazing The ride comes to a quick stop The silence of voices try to comprehend what is happening I look at my dad and say, again!
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A RT
Pollution
By: Melody Lebert,
Goldfish Bowl
8th grade, Junior
By: Anna Voto,
High School,
6th grade, Sashabaw Middle School,
Clarkston
Clarkston
Robot
By: Tommy Fletcher, 1st Grade, Clarkston Elementary Clarkston
Cavalier
By: Anna Voto, 6th Grade, Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston
Tiger
By: Melody Lebert, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston
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M AT H
COOKING UP By: Jacob Boddy, Orion Oaks Elementary, Lake Orion
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f you have ever been to a restaurant or had home cooked meals, you know that this involves two subjects: math and cooking. Math is used in a lot of things, but my favorite thing is that math is used in cooking! Cooking is related to fractions, addition, and multiplication. If you do your math right, the things that your make are tasty. We need to eat to think better and we need to think to cook better foods. That’s why cooking is my favorite hobby and I need to know math to do it well.
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E D U C AT I O N
Learning by Doing By: Grayson Phillips, 2nd Grade, Kurtz Elementary, Huron Valley Schools
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n my three short years in elementary school, my classmates and I have been lucky to have awesome teachers that have shown us that we can do anything if we believe in ourselves. They told us we can be anything, and they gave us time to explore things we loved or wanted to know more about. They challenged us to think outside of the box and asked us to do things that they knew would be hard for us. It is by doing these things that I have become the learner and creative thinker I am today. In Kindergarten, we were given time to play. Some people might think that kids have too much to learn in Kindergarten and should just play after school or on recess, but our teacher knew that playing was learning. Some kids played in the kitchen area, pretending to be bakers and chefs. Other kids liked to draw pictures and write captions like a real author and illustrator. School was new for us, so some things seemed hard. Our teacher reminded us that every successful person made mistakes and had to keep trying, so we did, too. We went to first grade still loving to write. Our teachers knew we loved to write even more when we could create books on Google Slides and share them with our friends. They even let us present our Google Slides books to our class. What we loved more than writing was donuts! Our class was obsessed with donuts, so we were really excited when our teachers told us about a bakery that was having a contest to create a new donut for their shop. We worked in partners to
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design and describe our idea and then sent them to the bakery. We waited a long time to find out which entry won. No one from our class won, but we kept coming up with new ideas anyway, just in case they have another contest. In both grades our teachers asked our class to be problem solvers when they gave us different challenges, like figuring out with a group how to stack 22 cups the highest, or the cookie and paper challenge when partners had to work together using one piece of paper, one cookie, and eight pieces of tape to get the cookie as high as possible. The first time we were given these challenges, it didn’t go so well. Our teachers reminded us
that we should learn from our mistakes, learn from other classmates, take risks, and think about other ways we could complete the challenge. A lot of the challenges were about something we were learning about in science, math, or social studies. We learned what we needed in a fun way. I know that as I get older, playing and learning will probably look a little differently. I hear that some of the higher grades have Makerspaces and cool technology that I haven’t used yet. I want teachers to know that it’s easy to help kids learn when they let us do something and move. I hope kids remember that even though sometimes projects or assignments seem hard, with a growth mindset, anything is possible. Even though I am only in 2nd grade, I know it is important to have fun and always learn new things so I can have a good life in the future.
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ENGINEERING
Electronic Drums By: Gabe Van Goor, 5th grade, Andersonville Elementary, Clarkston
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can plug in your phone (or other device) to get some music going and then drum along with the music. You can also plug
it into an amp to make it louder. If you are not wearing the headphones and drumming but watching, your cannot hear anything - it is completely quiet. I like playing the electronic drums because I can just play whatever I want and pretty much whenever I want. Another good thing that can come from electronic drums is the easy recording feature that has been added to them. Recording right from the drums is possible - just plug your drums into a computer with a recording program and start playing. Easy as that! Electronic drums are also easier to move because they are smaller and lighter than an acoustic set. You can still move acoustic drums, but it’s harder because they are bigger and heavier. Most professional drummers play acoustic drums because they are more dynamic. Dynamics simply means playing loud or soft, so if you are playing soft and you want a loud CRASH, you can do that. However, if you are just beginning to play the drums, electronic drums are a better choice, and there are lots of drum sets to choose from. Some brands that offer good quality are Yamaha, Roland, and Alesis.
owadays, there are smart engineering designs in pretty much everything. Drums are no exception. Nobody knows the exact date when the first basic drum was created, but drums have been around ever since our ancestors played them: tribes used them in rituals, and later on, drums were used in many military and festive activities. From my experience with drumming, I think electronic drums are better than acoustic drums. There are a few reasons for this. One reason is because they are engineered in such a way that a drummer can plug in headphones and play along with music whenever he or she wants and still get all the sounds. The other reason is that electronic drums make it possible to record what you play. They are also smaller and lighter. If you are playing acoustic drums, other people might not like that because it is loud. With electronic drums, you
OCTOBER 2017
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STEAM
VALUE OF STEAM
By: Mylan Harris, 9th grade, International Technology Academy, Pontiac
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cience, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math are all integral parts of our life; yet, each one has its own individual place and properties. I believe science plays a key role in our everyday living. When we enjoy a comfortable plane flight, we should remember Sir Isaac Newton and his discoveries that gave a start to many inventions and began the scientific revolution. When we enjoy a good dinner, Emmett Chappelle comes to mind; he showed us how to monitor the growth of crops through satellite. When I think of technology, not only do I envision computers, cell phones, and tablets but also cash registers at the
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grocery store that now can match your signature without your driver’s license. We are advancing daily in technology. I believe the future with be transformed by technology so that we will be using robots to control the universe. If we are not careful, man will become extinct. Currently, we are training engineers to build robots to do fascinating things, but they can’t give birth to humans. Robots cannot help soothe a human mind like art can. Robots can’t get into your brain and tell you how to paint in order to relax or stay focused. However, robots can work longer, faster, and harder than humans. Understanding of mathematics has also changed drastically over the last 40 years. When I ask my mom or grandmother to help me with Algebra, the reply usually is “What kind of math are
they teaching nowadays?” We can’t survive without math in our lives, whether signing a check or counting vegetables in a grocery basket. Math is here to stay. How we count may change, but at the end of the day 1+1+1=3. Life as we know it will definitely become different whether ten or a hundred years from now. The video games, computers, cell phones, libraries, and many services will be geared more and more towards robotics. There will be robotic dogs, robotic and flying cars in the future. According to engineers, these robots will help make our living much better. Yet, if we really look at the big picture, the robots will make us lazy, leading to more obesity and other health challenges. Technology is a great thing, but human beings should always remember that it has to help them live better, not worse.
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SCIENCE
Stem Cell Research: What Does it Mean to Humankind? By: Sasha Bokas, 8th grade, Junior High School, Clarkston
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tem cells can be considered the body’s raw materials. These cells are not differentiated, which means that they don’t have specialized functions. It is from these cells that cells with a more specific function, for example, blood cells, brain cells, and heart muscle, are generated. (“What are Stem Cells?”) For a long time, scientists believed in only one reproduction of cells, but recently it has been found that cells can be produced into several different cells. Stem cells are unique because no other cell in the body can generate new cell types. Because of this special property, cell stems play a very important role in medical research, called stem cell research. Stem cell research offers many benefits. When scientists watch stem cells grow into specialized cells, they can better understand how diseases develop. Stem cells can also be conditioned to become specific cells to renew and heal damaged tissues. This means that such incurable diseases as Type 1 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer can possibly be treated. Testing of new drugs for safety and effectiveness before using them in people is another benefit of stem cell research. While there is definitely a lot of positive to stem cell research, there are also drawbacks. Before 2007, most controversy around this research was related to one way the cells were found- from aborted or in-lab created embryos. “The embryos used in these studies were created for reproductive purposes through in vitro fertilization procedures.” (“Stem Cell Basics”) Many people feel that no matter how the embryo is obtained, it contains a human life, and by destroying an embryo, we destroy a human being. Currently, OCTOBER 2017
however, scientists use a different type of stem cells - iPS - that are artificially created from some types of adult cells. Another drawback is how the results of this research could be used. Because stem cells can regenerate, or even reproduce organs, it can lead to knowing how to clone humans. This can be disastrous
As American people tend to live longer, their chances to develop Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease and cancer increase. Through stem cell research scientists have a high chance of finding a cure. University of Michigan is a popular site for stem cell research and medical procedures. More than 200 children and adults receive stem cell transplants every year. (“Stem Cell Research”) There were many cases when drug companies released a new medicine just to find out that it is not good for humans. Many people died because of that. Stem cell research can prevent this from happening, reduce suffering, and improve the quality of life. Still, we should not recreate people or exchange one human life for another. For this reason, the ethics committee has to be part of this research.
for humankind. I believe that stem cell research is a complex issue for only one ‘yes or no’ approach. I think that stem cell research should continue, but be limited to what types of cells are used and should be closely supervised by the ethics committee. I think this for the following reasons.
Sources: “Stem Cell Basics I.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Web, September 6, 2017 “What Are Stem Cells?” Medical News Today. July 19, 2013. Web. September 4, 2017 “Stem Cell Research.” University of Michigan. N.d. Web. September 6, 2017.
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From Science Olympiads in High School to Medical Sciences at U of M Laima Augustaitis, Graduate Student, Concentration: Chemistry and Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Your undergraduate concentration was in Movement Science/ Neurophysiology. Now you are studying Chemistry and Physics. What inspired you choose this path? I has always been interested in medical sciences and robotics. I used to do Science Olympiads in high school, and this was a natural choice for me.
We are accepting applications for various volunteering and internship positions. For more information contact info@kidsstandard.com
How challenging is your school load? My school load was very heavy some semesters, especially in my senior year because I did clinical rotations on top of regular classes. There are usually study groups to join in difficult classes, which is nice, but nonetheless, it requires effort and focus. How much creativity and critical thinking do subjects like Science, Mathematics, and Technology entail? Most classes do not explicitly emphasize that creativity is important. However, in order to critically think about homework sets or possibilities for experiments, one needs to be creative in how he or she approaches challenges. This is extremely rewarding. Do you think you can apply what you are learning in a real job situation? Yes! School is not just about learning facts. It is also about learning how to think and examine multiple viewpoints and various information. How will your field impact the future? I hope that the work I am doing in the future will impact people’s quality of life, improve their access to resources, and increase their autonomy (both directly and with use of technology).
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STEAM in the Classroom: An Integrated Approach
By: Melissa Kempski, Media Specialist, Oakview Middle School, Lake Orion Community Schools
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egos, marble runs, cardboard, 3D printers, virtual reality, duct tape, pipe cleaners - the options seem endless and overwhelming when looking to do a STEAM lesson. With the number of things teachers must accomplish each day, it is daunting to add another thing to the mix. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) are the components of the newest educational approach that is infiltrating schools. So, what to do? Jump onto the bandwagon or wade cautiously into the waters? My perspective is that of a classroom
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The best way I envision to effectively teach the standards, use technology, keep kids engaged, and use the STEAM approach is by integration. — Melissa Kempski
teacher, turned Media Specialist. I understand the demands of day-to-day classroom life and yet appreciate the need to push our students further for the sake of their future. Where to Begin For me, it comes down to one keyword, integration. The best way I envision to effectively teach the standards, use technology, keep kids engaged, and use the STEAM approach is by integration.
For example, third graders may have a Science unit on weather systems, renewable and nonrenewable resources, and alternative energy. Instead of teaching three separate units, we could combine them with a little creativity. The students could work in small teams to create sail cars, for instance. They will design the sail, use a box fan as wind, then graph their results (could use Excel as a technology piece), and keep a record in their STEAM journal. All of the components of that lesson now tie together, and students are left with a sense of accomplishment and a memorable lesson. An added bonus for teachers is that the standards are being met in an engaging way. STEAM is not a one-size-fits-all approach, however. While the above
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example could easily take two weeks to complete, other activities may last as short as ten minutes. According to the article “Not all STEM is Equal: 3 Stages of STEM Education,” which outlines various stages of STEM, smaller projects, such as who can build the tallest and strongest pipe cleaner tower, would be considered a stage one project, while robotics teams may constitute a stage 3 project (please take a look at this article posted on vivifystem.com or http://bit. ly/2x7JEig). Designing Your Lesson The market is filled with items labeled as STEAM/STEM products, but when it comes to curriculum, teachers remain the experts. We must determine what our purpose is when using STEAM. It is important to trust our instincts, even though we may not feel very confident with words such as technology and engineering. We do know our subjects and how to best engage our students. Once we have the driving question, there are a few logistics to figure out. How long do we want this lesson to be? What type of materials do we have or need? What do we want our students to take away from the lesson? A simple Google search may be a good starting point: “STEAM lessons weather.” Research a few lessons that seem doable and alter them so that they fit your teaching style. Finally, seek out the support of your media specialist, technology coach, or teaching partner. Begin small and you will see benefits of 22
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an integrated approach to teaching using STEAM. Scratch A website and app that I enjoy using with students and teachers is Scratch (for grades 3 and up) and Scratch Jr. (for K-2). Scratch is a site where children can program and share stories, games, and animation. Here are some examples of how Scratch can be used in an integrated lesson combining STEAM and ELA. ● After reading any fiction or nonfiction text and following up with a retell mini-lesson, a teacher can use Scratch as a formative assessment to gather the
students’ knowledge of the story in a creative way. ● To finish a writing workshop lesson, students can be instructed to program their characters and showcase their story to others in an animated way. Concluding Thoughts From Kindergarten to high school, the idea remains the same: Integrate STEAM into your classroom and embed the basic principles of perseverance, integrity, and collaboration into all your lessons with minimal effort. By doing so, purposeful planning and engaging lessons will take center stage in your classroom. We owe it to our students.
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From STEM To STEAM
Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder
Hello and Welcome!
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ducation today has evolved tremendously from what it once was. Back in the day, art skills in school had nothing to do with science or math success. They certainly had nothing to do with engineering. Art was something you went into as a hobby or a pastime unless you were incredibly talented. You likely performed poorly in math and science classes. At least, that was the assumption back then. Students never had much choice between taking art classes and math. If you were smart, you took math, science, and technology, knowing that anything with art in the title was sure to be useless to your career and college aspirations. Art was something people would do as an interest, not a career. Today, you find
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many designers who have a lucrative career in art, such as Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. Smart schools and universities, like the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of TexasAustin offer degrees in Art & Technology or Design and Creative Technologies. Over the years, we have seen that people value art. As a result, the arts have been intertwined with science and math and technology to bring about masterpieces that have become part of our culture. For instance, the Google logo designer is now a famous internet entrepreneur who was good at technology but also had an eye for art. Sergey Brin, an immigrant to America and one of the Google co-founders, learned to combine art and technology to develop many memorable designs for Google. Brin and his cofounder Larry Page designed the first Google Doodle in 1998, and it paid homage to Burning Man. The 18th-century German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was particularly astute about the integration of art and science. He said, “True works of art are a manifestation of the higher laws of nature.” That quote is accurate because we see more instances of art included as an integral component of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For example, the artistic beauty seen in the spiraling chambers of a nautilus or the delicate frond of a fern are explained by a numerical sequence called the Fibonacci sequence. The sequence is developed by adding two numbers in the sequence to each other: 0+1=1; 1+1=2; 1+2=3; 2+3=5, and so on. The sequence is 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5 . . . . Science and math have been taking center stage in art for hundreds of thousands of years, and we’re just now
catching up by adding engineering to the mix. Students find themselves engaged in courses designed around science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). These hands-on classes have helped students fall back in love with learning. STEM hasn’t stood still, however. STEM has evolved to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). These subjects now integrate art. Teachers are encouraging students to use art in approaching STEM subjects in creative ways, making them real-worldrelevant to all students, not only for those already interested in science and math. Adding art to STEM courses puts student personality and individuality at the forefront. Creativity has returned to the classroom, and STEAM is inspiring students. The pressure is off to become a scientist or engineer exclusively—you can be a designer, digital artist, coder, art director, as well as scientist and engineer, all at the same time. STEAM says we can be better engineers by learning how to think artistically, and we can re-engage artists with science by letting them see how STEM can work in the arts. It’s more exciting than STEM alone, especially in an interdisciplinary and digital world. Goethe was right. Art and the higher laws of nature do not exist in isolation. Finally, the transformation of STEAM instruction is exciting to see. Educators understand that the arts ignite students’ imaginations, and the arts help students innovate through hands-on projects. Scientists and engineers can look at their work through an artist’s eye. I am so excited for today’s students who have so much going for them! The world of STEAM is abundant! Enjoy!
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