MnSTA Winter 2022 Newsletter

MnSTA

Newsletter Volume 61 No. 2 A Quarterly Publication of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association Inc. Winter 2022

Remembering Joe

We are deeply saddened by the loss of our own Mr. Joe Reymann. Joe was a friend to many and a very caring man who gave countless hours to attend to the details of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association. Joe had nearly infinite patience in supporting so many people connected to our organization! He was always ready to listen to ideas - and then patiently help us to find the best ways forward.

Joe’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the hundreds and hundreds of documents and reports he produced for MnSTA. He was the face of our organization to thousands of conference registrants and hundreds of conference exhibitors over the years. Joe served as the Treasurer of MnSTA for 21.5 years!

Joe’s commitment to excellence in his work makes us all better. We will miss him - and fondly remember him!

Joe, at a vigorous 82 years old, left us on Wed, January 12th after a very short period of hospitalization.

Joe Reymann was a permanent fixture at MnCOSE Joe Reymann

President’s Message-Angela Osuji “Caring for myself is not selfindulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Audre Lorde.

I am dedicating this Present’s message first to Joe Reyman, MnSTA Treasurer for more than 22 years, whose sudden transition from this earth shook my being to its core. I wish him God’s speed. May he dwell in perpetual light.

Many of us have been learning and experiencing a lot these days that challenge us physically, mentally, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and every other aspect of our being. We are experiencing exhaustion, fatigue, despondency, and trauma in a lot of ways.

The science education community, Minnesota science teachers, and MnSTA members are not immune to these. As a result, I am also dedicating this message to you, MnSTA members. In doing so, I am reminded of the above quote from Audre Lorde, a black feminist lesbian poet.

Diversity, Equity, Justice-centred Science learning, NGSS, Climate Change, Distance Learning, COVID-19, Omicron variant - all seem to be like arrows targeting us and we may no longer feel that confident that our reaction time is fast enough to dodge any impact that may cause our being harm.

All the same, I want us to resist. I want to continue to react. I want us to continue to be justice-focused.

I believe that justice-centered science education also means that we present ourselves in the science teaching and learning systems as very fit and ready to do the work. We can only be as strong as our weakest link. We, however, have a responsibility to take care of ourselves. We need to do this both individually and collectively. We need to do this in our private and professional practices. We need to do this in the policies we advocate for and the politics we indulge in. We need access and opportunity to explore practical tools to mitigate traumatic impacts caused by inequitable and unjust systems especially practices that can support moving us beyond resilience to embodying overall wellness – mind, emotion, body, and spirit. We need to learn what

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Education for Liberation Network (https://www. edliberation.org/) calls “basic principles for Resting Through the Resistance to attain restoration and preservation of SELF- inner-peace and inner-power for sustainability” We learned from STEM Teaching Tools #67, that “Justice-centered science pedagogy addresses inequities as components of larger oppressive systems. Meaningful science education should teach young people not only to use the tools of science but also to critically reflect on how they and others use these tools”. We, as science educators cannot be authentic justice-centered science pedagogues, especially in view of what we are experiencing in schools these days if we do not take our survival and selfpreservation as an act of resistance. Our students, especially our underserved students and students of color, depend on us to win this “war”.

My friend, Ed Hessler, MnTSA past Excutive Secretary, and Joe Reyman’s friend always sends me poems. I would condole him for the loss of his friend with this poem by Audre. It is also my way of honoring the Black History Month.

A Litany for Survival

BY AUDRE LORDE For those of us who live at the shoreline standing upon the constant edges of decision crucial and alone for those of us who cannot indulge the passing dreams of choice who love in doorways coming and going in the hours between dawns looking inward and outward at once before and after seeking a now that can breed futures like bread in our children’s mouths so their dreams will not reflect the death of ours; For those of us who were imprinted with fear like a faint line in the center of our foreheads learning to be afraid with our mother’s milk for by this weapon this illusion of some safety to be found the heavy-footed hoped to silence us Presidents message......................continued on page 3

MnSTA Newsletter

Teacher Feature-Heather More Presidents message......................continued from page

For all of us this instant and this triumph We were never meant to survive.

And when the sun rises we are afraid it might not remain when the sun sets we are afraid it might not rise in the morning when our stomachs are full we are afraid of indigestion when our stomachs are empty we are afraid we may never eat again when we are loved we are afraid love will vanish when we are alone we are afraid love will never return and when we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed but when we are silent we are still afraid So it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive.

Teacher Feature

Our featured teacher for this issue of the MnSTA newsletter is Heather More.

Heather currently teaches 3rd grade at JanesvilleWaldorf-Pemberton Elementary School in Janesville, MN. This is her 4th year with this district. She previously taught 6th grade for 3 years at JWP and just moved to teaching 3rd graders this school year.

She also taught in St. Clair, MN at St. Clair Public Schools as their Title One teacher for two years and was a long-term substitute teacher in a 1st grade class for Owatonna Public Schools.

Heather has wanted to be a teacher since she was 5 years old. She was that kid who loved to play school and dreamed of teaching as a career because she also loved working with kids. As she actually got into teaching, she realized she had loved it so much because she loves to instill a love of learning for her students and the relationships that are built in the classroom. She wanted to show them that math, reading, science, social studies, all types of learning, can be fun and it doesn’t need to be boring. It makes her smile when she has students leaving her classroom with smiles on their faces because of what they learned that day and that they enjoyed their time in

the classroom together.

Heather’s favorite activity to teach is Simple Machines.. Her students worked in groups to research a type of simple machine, understand how it works, and then present their findings to their peers.

Once they had some background knowledge on their simple machine, they then had to build a working carnival game based on their machine to be featured at their 6th Grade Simple Machine Carnival. The students spent weeks planning, designing, building, and perfecting their creations and would be beyond excited to show off their work. They would invite other students, teachers, and parents into the school to play the carnival games and view their research. This gave each student a creative outlet to build on and brought out their interest for science. She stated, “It has been such an awesome learning experience!”

Heather’s teaching style comes from a poster that she has outside her classroom door – “Please excuse the laughter, noise, mess, and chaos, but we are learning here.” In her classroom, they are constantly moving around, discussing, laughing, and using hands and bodies to learn. Some days the students never know what to expect out of the lessons that she has planned for them to dig into, but they know that they will enjoy them. It may be making a mess of peanut butter and jelly to teaching sequence or it may be a song and dance to practice skip counting, but her classroom is always a safe learning environment for everyone to thrive in where mistakes are welcomed and encouraged.

Heather has been involved in JWP’s Science Committee helping to collaborate with other teachers on navigating the new MN Science standards and phenomena teaching.

Heather lives with her husband, Brian, out in the country by Pemberton, MN with their two children, Oliver (2 years) and Callie (2 months). They love being outside, whether it’s in the garden or on the family farm. She loves reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends.

Principal Jeff Adamsinterim stated this about Heather, “My children had Heather as a teacher so I know from a parent perspective that she challenges students to do their very best, to think outside the box, and to never give up. She is always willing to try new things, open to suggestions and new ideas, and has great rapport with students. Heather is a natural teacher that is dedicated to being the best teacher she can be. We are fortunate to have her educating our students at JWP.”

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Outdoor Learning Experience Impact as a River Educator with Mississippi Park Connection “I know I’m not alone in feeling that being a teacher is a calling. I feel very blessed to be able to be a part of the lives of so many young people.”

-Mark Lex Being a River Educator is an opportunity to continue hopefully making a difference in children’s lives in my retirement years. In particular, I hope to help children know, appreciate, and take care of the environment. Through a paper I researched in college, I found that environmental sensitivity develops through experiences in the outdoors, and through mentors such as parents and teachers.

Recently, I was helping with a National Park Service program at Hidden Falls Regional Park. After telling the children we were going into the woods for an activity, one of the children asked me, “Is the woods scary?” A child who thinks the woods is a scary place might not believe the woods are worth taking care of and protecting. As a River Educator, I get to try to change that thinking.

These children learned that nature is a great place to play, live, learn, and enjoy. It is very fulfilling to make children aware of this and I hope that it will factor into the environmental decisions they make in the future.

Benefits of incorporating outdoor education into your curriculum: There has been a lot of research recently of the benefits of outdoor education. An outdoor education program can help children gain a more positive attitude toward the environment. A summary of outdoor education research from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point also says that, “Research has documented increased standardized test scores, enhanced attitude about school, improved in-school behavior, improved attendance and overall enhanced student achievement when students learn in and about nature.” There is also some evidence that spending time in the outdoors can increase students’ physical, mental, and social health.

Resources to bring the natural world into your classroom: *Taking part in a Mississippi National River and Recreation Area / National Park Service field trip or online experience would be an excellent way to connect students to the outdoors. *Minnesota fortunately has many nature centers

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and environmental learning centers that provide programs for school groups. The Minnesota Association of Environmental Education has put together a map of organizations, schools, parks, government agencies, and other entities involved in environmental education *Check out Teach Outdoors! Minnesota. They have all kinds of resources to help teachers teach in their own schoolyard, including a free weekly online workshop for all teachers.

Words of wisdom for these modern times: In many ways, technology has changed the way we teach compared to 40 years ago when I started teaching. But ultimately, teaching is the same as it has been since the beginning of time. Teaching is about encouraging students to wonder, think, discover, and create.

On retirement: There are very few days, if any, where I’m sitting around doing nothing. Enjoying retirement is as easy as doing what I enjoy!

Reprinted from Mississippi Park Connection Educators Newsletter

Mark Lex teaching students about the northern pike life cycle at the Mississippi Park Connection

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Department of Education Happy New Year Science Community!

With John Olson’s retirement, it is my pleasure to write a message from MDE in this newsletter. We know it has been a challenging fall and in the challenges of the pandemic, I am happy to share two items of excitement with you.

First, the science standards completed the formal rulemaking process and was officially published into the State Registrar on Monday, September 27, 2021.

The new rules will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year. As John mentioned in his message in the Fall newsletter, districts and teachers can decide on their timeline, however the MCA-IV will be operational in the Spring of 2025.

Second, it is my great privilege to introduce, after a long and exhaustive process our new State Science Specialist, Dr. Angela Kolonich. Angela comes to Minnesota from the University of Michigan State and will be a wonderful partner with all of you in implementing the new science standards.

She is a science teacher educator focused on supporting equitable science learning environments for students. She is of mixed settler/Indigenous ancestry, fish clan, originally from Winnipeg Manitoba, and part of the Red Cliff community in northern Wisconsin where her spouse is a tribal member.

Dr. Kolonich has over 16 years of experience teaching and working in urban school communities, including the Lansing School District and Detroit Public Schools Community District in Michigan, and the Los Angeles Unified School District in California. She taught high school science and engineering in Lansing Michigan, and was a FIRST and VEX Robotics coach. In 2017, she earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education from Michigan State University with certifications in science education and urban education, and joined the CREATE for STEM Institute as the Director of Professional Learning for the NextGen PBL Initiative. In this role, Dr. Kolonich designed professional learning programs for science teachers shifting to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and developed, evaluated, and supported the implementation of NGSS curriculum. Specifically, she was part of the writing team for Interactions – which was the first curricular resource to earn an NGSS Design Badge for “High-Quality NGSS Design” from Achieve©.

Dr. Kolonich served as an affiliate faculty member of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at Michigan State where she collaborated with colleagues to support Native American Undergradu-

ate Students pursing STEM careers. During her time in this role, she was Co-PI on the “Growing Native American Pathways into Agriculture” grant, and coauthored two open-source workbooks: Reciprocal Research: A Guidebook to Centering Community in Partnerships with Indigenous Nations and Honoring the Whole Student: Developing Space for Native American Students in STEM by Supporting Complex Identities.

She will be living in northern Wisconsin with her spouse and sibling, their husky Potema, and three cats; Joey, Butterscotch, and Ella. She enjoys spending time with her family, and outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and kayaking. Her favorite thing about working with science teachers is digging into everyday problems of practice together, and figuring out new ways to support students in science learning.

Angela’s first day at MDE was February 2, 2022.

She can be contacted at that time at angela.kolonich@state.mn.us Please take time to welcome her to Minnesota and introduce yourself to her. She is excited to join our community.

Doug Paulson, Department of Education Academic Standards, Instruction, and Assessment

Opportunities

News

New MDE Science Specialist

Dr. Angela Kolonich is the new science content specialist at the Minnesota Department of Education, starting in February. She has over 16 years of experience teaching and working in urban school communities, including the Lansing School District and Detroit Public Schools Community District in Michigan, and the Los Angeles Unified School District in California. Angela designed professional learning programs for science teachers shifting to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and developed, evaluated, and supported the implementation of NGSS curriculum.

Dr. Kolonich served as an affiliate faculty member of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program at Michigan State where she collaborated with colleagues to support Native American Undergraduate Students pursing STEM careers. She is of mixed settler/Indigenous ancestry, fish clan, originally from Winnipeg Manitoba, and part of the Red Cliff community in northern Wisconsin where her spouse is a tribal member. She can be contacted at angela.kolonich@state.mn.us

.Earth Science High School PD survey and upcoming 6th grade PD

The MnSTA Earth Science PD planning committee wants to gauge interest in a summer professional development program focused on the content and pedagogy of the MN Earth and Space science standards for high school. They are considering a range of options, including a one-week institute, online offerings, and a 1.5-year program. They are seeking funding, but may need participant contributions to the expenses, especially this coming summer.

Please complete the survey to help them understand the needs of MN high school science teachers as we transition to the new MN Science Standards.

Completing the survey is not a commitment to participate. Survey link: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclCRV0ZBcYD3kx5W_ aLoND3kK_7f4yxw0YSzbg4cJJCl3-zQ/viewform The group is also planning to again offer oneweek boot camps for 6th grade earth science teachers next summer. Watch for further information. The contact for these programs is dana_smith@isd31. net.

Dr. Angela Kolonich

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New science education reports from the National Academies

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine has recently published two reports of interest to science educators. These further support A Framework for K-12 Science Education. Both are available as free downloads at www.nap.edu • Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future articulates priorities and makes recommendations to state and national level policy makers on how they can elevate science education opportunities so that they are equitable and high quality. The recommendations also apply to districts, higher education, and informal education.

• Science and Engineering in Preschool through Elementary grades: The Brilliance of Children and the Strengths of Educators provides evidence-based guidance on effective approaches to preK-5 science and engineering instruction that supports the success of all students.

Teacher Events and Workshops

Recorded sessions from MnCOSE are still available

Sixty-two recorded sessions from the MnSTA Conference on Science Education in November are available for viewing. For only $60, MnSTA members (membership is $25), can view the recordings.

That’s close to 50 hours of professional development!

A wide variety of topics are available including Strategies for Virtual Learning, Phenomenon-based Learning, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Earth Science, Life Science, and more. See this link for a listing of sessions.

Go to this link to register.

Watershed Game Training, Feb. 9 & 16, Webinar

The Sea Grant Center for Great Lakes Literacy is offering a virtual training on the classroom version of the Watershed Game from 4 – 5:30 P.M. Learn how to use this game with your students by playing the game. One free copy of the Watershed Game will be offered to workshop participants who fully participate in both sessions, complete an action plan, and agree to be a resource for other teachers looking to play the game. Information and registration at https:// docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOwnfXMm zMPa1ywSUkjk0pE2l8knrpEqSOZJYLG0vJMB6yqg/viewform

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Opportunities Teaching Climate Change Essentials PD, Various course starting dates, Online The Presidio Graduate School has a facilitated online course for K-12 educators focused on climate change education. The nine-week teacher professional Development, Teaching Climate Change Essentials, includes a learning module each week plus three live interactive webinars with subject experts in the field of climate action. Teachers can enroll for free by using the scholarship code: K12Scholar. A course on Extreme Weather is also available. Information at https://k12.presidio.edu/climateeducation/online-teacher-pd/climate-change-essentials/?utm_ medium=email&utm_source=GovDelivery

Teacher Earth Science Course, May 18-June 30, Online

Earth Science Essentials, an advanced online review of Earth Science for high school and middle school science teachers, will be offered May 18 – June 30, 2022, through Minnesota State University Moorhead. The course materials are available free for self-study. Participation in the course via tuition provides college undergraduate or graduate credit which are a reasonably priced at $80/$110 per credit hour.

Learn more at http://web.mnstate.edu/colson/ESE/Opportunity to strengthen your Earth Science credentials.pdf Contact: Russ Colson, colson@mnstate.edu

Science Fusion at the Science Museum, dates in February and March, St. Paul

Special field trips are available to celebrate STEM diversity on the following dates: • Latinx Americans in STEM: February 23 • Native Americans in STEM: March 4 • Asian Americans in STEM: March 25 • African Americans in STEM: March 31 Science Fusion Field Trips with bus subsidies and support for the cost of admission are available to qualifying schools. Information at https://new.smm.org/us/science-fusion?utm_ source=educator-enews&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=science-is-all-of-us&utm_ content=experiences-1-18

Science of Winter Resources

Check out videos, activities, and lesson on the science of winter at https://www.mnsta.org/cgi/page.cgi/ article.html?aid=2021&zine=show

Chemical Safety course and resources

The National American Chemical Society is working with the regional Minnesota ACS chapter to develop an online chemical safety course designed for middle and high school science teachers. The course will be free and possibly provide continuing education units to those that participate. Look for more information early next year. The regional ACS chapter is developing a database of “Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)” for chemical demonstrations. This will also become available to teach-

ers. The ACS wishes to enhance the use of chemical demonstrations in the classroom so that they are safe, appropriate to the curriculum and easily prepared.

The current resources are at https://institute.acs.org/ lab-safety/education-and-training/high-school-labs. html

Vaccines! How can we use science to make decisions about vaccines?

Utilizing a transdisciplinary approach to learning, the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project’s newest community response guide, Vaccines! features 8 tasks that incorporate investigations and hands-on science to help students discover, understand, and take action. Students learn about the science of vaccines throughout history; understand the science of how vaccines work; learn about how vaccines are developed; examine issues of equity, access, and misinformation; and develop an action plan for addressing vaccine concerns in their communities.

Boundary Waters Educators Resources

The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness provide these free online resources for students in grades 6-12: • Digital units on Boundary Waters subjects that get students to investigate their local green spaces.

• A live virtual “Ask the Expert” presentation with a range of topics.

• A monthly BWCA educational resource email with news on presentations and other opportunities.

Information at https://www.friends-bwca.org/outdoor-education/outreach-visits/

Mississippi National River Programs

Twin Cities standards-based outdoor field trips along the Mississippi River, classroom visits by National Park Service rangers, and great online content for all students throughout the state are available.

Also subscribe to the Educators Newsletter to receive information about upcoming programs. Information at https://parkconnection.org/educator-resources (Kudos to anyone who can identify a MnSTA board member in the pictures)

Elementary MnSTA Member Announcement

Please speak with your administrators and consider adding a building membership to your elementary science teaching. Have your building join with the building membership and extend your membership with this opportunity! See ad on the next page.

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Opportunities

Opportunities

Student Programs, Awards and Competitions Youth Climate Justice Summit, Feb. 25-26, Virtual

Join workshops led by youth and partners in the movement for climate justice. Meet with legislators to talk with them about what matters to you. Join the YEA! Network campaign for climate justice education and learn how you can support other efforts to transition to a thriving climate future. Plus, meet youth from across the country and discuss how to make change in your communities! Sponsored by Climate Generation. Information and registration at https://www.climategen.org/events/youth-climatejustice-summit-2022/

Fluor Engineering Challenge

The 2022 Fluor Engineering Challenge asks students to design and build a ball run using only paper and tape. The twist is that the goal is for the ball to take as long as possible to travel from start to finish!

The Fluor Challenge is free to enter, fun for all ages, uses simple materials, and is designed to work well in the classroom or at home.

Submissions for the Fluor Challenge will be accepted February 20-March 20, 2022, but students can start planning, designing, and building now!

Information at https://www.sciencebuddies.org/fluorchallenge-2022?from=Newsletter

Science Starts Early!

An MnSTA member’s daughter created a number of science related videos for the Scott County Library System. She gave us permission to share them.

Her daughter is now in college working toward an engineering degree. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OTEyZC5Jlmc&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H64BdXJOYyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhS_gl1_st0 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HosjeFyCGEo&t=10s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2fN_b61MhM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ17fa958YA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQBlfU28qnA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ EgqjFxsWFY&t=126s

WaterWorks!: A Drinking Water Institute for Educators

August 1-3, 2022; Red Wing Twin Bluffs Water Treatment Facility; 1468 Pioneer Rd.; Red Wing, MN Enrich your water curriculum, investigate drinking water quality, chemistry, engineering, community resources, and practice-based activities for your classroom. This three-day, hands-on workshop allows grade 4-10 teachers of science to gather information from expert presenters about how safe, reliable drinking water is delivered to your community as well as drinking water issues facing Minnesota. Meals and resource folder provided. Choose between two graduate credits or stipend. Join the ranks of over 400 teachers that have participated in WaterWorks! throughout Minnesota over the last 20 years. Funded by the Minnesota Dept. of Health and the American Waterworks Association.

Application and information at: http://www.hamline.edu/education/environmental/cgee/waterworks With questions, contact Sara Robertson at the Center for Global Environmental Education, srobertson01@hamline.edu

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“Teach Outdoors! Minnesota Workshop Series”

Join us for FREE, weekly Professional Development workshops on Teaching Outdoors

via Zoom on Wednesdays @ 4:00 CST

teachoutdoorsminnesota.com email:TeachOutdoorsMinnesota@gmail.com March 4th 9:00 AM CST by Teach Outdoors! Minnesota Give Me Proof: Exploring What the Research Says About Nature-Based Learning Hear directly from a researcher in the field about how nature-based learning supports growth in all areas of development to help children thrive.

CEUs provided, To register for free workshops go to :https://forms.gle/nBCc9o56bD79sVsz8

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Opportunities

Opportunities

The Clean Tech Competition is all about a sustainable future, and we want to hear what your solution is!

REGISTER FOR FREE TODAY! Check out our website for more info

www.cstl.org/cleantech

$ 7,000 G E Z I R R AND P The best time to enact the change you want is NOW! Join students across the globe making a difference.

Create a healthy Earth for your future!

Phone: 1-516-764-0045

Email: cleantech@cstl.org

@CleanTechComp

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@CleanTechComp MnSTA Newsletter

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Department of Education Opportunities

Free resources for teaching how science works

Decoding Science https://www.nap.edu/resource/25303/interactive/index.html?utm_so urce=NASEM+News+and+Publications&u tm_campaign=d18874372b-Eblast_Decoding_Science_Ed_2021_05_27&utm_medium=email&utm_ term=0_96101de015-d18874372b102201965&goal=0_96101de015-d18874372b102201965&mc_cid=d18874372b&mc_ eid=1e54d40e2e is a free interactive resource from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and medicine. It’s all vetted by experts and ready to use in your classroom.

A 90-second video on how science works Clear answers to challenging questions Stories from real-life scientists And more…

PLT “Explore Your Environment” K-8 Activity Guide Released

Project Learning Tree (PLT) released a new curriculum guide to engage kindergarten through grade 8 students in exploring their environment. Fifty fieldtested, hands-on activities integrate investigations of nature with science, math, English language arts, and social studies.

Educators can obtain a copy of PLT’s Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide https://www. plt.org/curriculum/k-8-activity-guide-explore-yourenvironment/ directly from PLT’s Shop https://shop. plt.org/Shop/ProductDetails/k8guide, from Amazon and other places where books are sold, or by attending a local PLT professional development workshop https://www.plt.org/trainings/attend-a-training/ conducted by PLT’s 50-state network of 75 coordinators and 1,000 facilitators across the country. Minnesota PLT site https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/plt/index. html . Student

Programs, Awards and Competitions

Science and Engineering Competitions • •

• • • • •

Science Bowl – middle and high school Minnesota Science Olympiad – middle and high school Science and Engineering Fair – middle and high school FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Chal lenge, FIRST Robotics- All grades Supermileage Challenge - High school Real World Design Challenge - High school Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision - Classroom

• • •

based for all grades NSTA Angela Award – girls grades 5 – 8 MN Scholars of Distinction – high school National Youth Science Camp – two high school seniors are selected as MN delegates

Minnesota Programs and Competitions

Many competitions, out-of-school programs and field trip opportunities are listed in the Reach for the Stars Catalog of Programs and Activities.

MDE Science Contacts:

Angela Kolonich, Science Content Specialist angela.kolonich@state.mn.us Jim Wood, Science Assessment Specialist jim.wood@state.mn.us Judi Iverson, Science Assessment Specialist judi.iverson@state.mn.us Sarah Carter, STEM and Computer Science Specialist sarah.carter@state.mn.us Send submissions for the Science Update to Angela Kolonich angela.kolonich@state.mn.us

Other Minnesota Links:

Minn. Dept. of Education Science Page http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/stds/sci/ Minn. Science Teachers Association mnsta.org Frameworks for MN Science and Mathematics Standards http://scimathmn.org/stemtc/ Get – STEM Connections between schools and businesses https://getstem-mn.com Mn-STEM STEM programs and resources for families, schools and community http://mn-stem.com/ stem/ Sharing Environmental Education Knowledge environmental education resources https://www.seek. state.mn.us Minnesota Academy of Science: Science Fair, Science Bowl and other competitions https://www. mnmas.org/ Mn DNR Education website: Curriculum, professional development, posters, etc. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/index.html Youth Eco Solutions (YES!) – Statewide, youth-led program for hands-on eco related projects

https://yesmn.org/

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MnSTA Newsletter

MnSTA, Inc. is an IRS 501 (c) (3) Charitable Educational Corpora-tion, incorporated as a tax exempt, non-profit organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State. Donations and dues are tax deductible charitable contributions for itemized deductions on IRS form 1040 Schedule A. The newsletter is an exempt program service provided to the membership.

A membership form is found on the last page

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MnSTA Board Directory

MnSTA Board Directory Below, you will find information about your MnSTA Board Members. The listing includes the board member’s school (or organization), mailing address, work phone, FAX number, and e-mail address. The board wishes to make itself as accessible as possible for our members. Please feel free to contact your discipline representative, regional representative, or executive board members if you have ideas, concerns, or wish to help with the mission or operation of MnSTA. We are always looking for members who wish to serve MnSTA as Board Members, Non-Board Service Chairs or Members, and as Committee Chairs or Members.

Region 7: Eastcentral

President President-elect Treasurer

Karen Bengtson

St. Cloud Area School Dist. 472 1000 44th Ave N. St. Cloud MN 56303

320-253-9333

karen.bengtson@isd742.org

Angela Osuji Washburn High School

201 W 49th St. Minneapolis, Mn 55419

612-668-3400

Angela.Osuji@gmaiil.com

Jill Jenson

Scott Highlands Middle School

952-423-7581

jill.jensen@district196.org

John Olson

Metropolitan State Univ.

14011 Pilot Knob Rd. Apple Valley, MN 55124 700 E. 7th St. St. Paul, MN 55107

johnolson98@gmail.com.

Discipline Directors: Biology Earth Science Chemistry

Informal Ed

Physics Private Schools

Eric Kehoe 507-234-5181

JWP Hight School ekehoe@sd2835.org

Region 10: Southeast

Emily Zinck

Lewiston-Altura

507-523-2191

ezinck@lewalt.k12.mn.us

Region 11: Metro Region 11: Metro

Megan Earnest

megan.earnest@gmail.com

David McGill

Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet 560 Concordia Ave. St. Paul MN 55103

Ancillary Positions: Database

Mark Lex

marklex@umn.edu

Webmaster

Eric Koser

Mankato West H.S.

1351 S. Riverfront Dr.

W: 507-387-3461 x 322

F: 507-345-1502

e: ekphys#gmail.com

Jerry Wenzel

jerrywenzel@brainerd.net

218-333-3215

dana_smith@isd31.net Worthington High School jose.morales777@gmail.com

NSTA Dist. IX Director 1211 Clary St. Worthington, MN 56187

Scott Johnson

Century High School

701-323-4900x6666

scott_johnson@bismarckschools.org

Conference Coordinator Eric Koser

Southwest Minn State Univ.

100 County Road 25 Lewiston, MN

612-624-5852

Newsletter

507-376-6121

110 E 3rd At. Janesville, MN 56048

Bell Museum-Universitiy of Minnesota 2088 Larpenteur Ave. W St. Paul, MN 55113

Bemidji Middle School

1501 State St. Marshall, MN 56258

W: 507-387-3461 x 322

Mankato, MN 56001

1000 East Century Ave. Bismarck, ND 58503

Mankato West H.S.

1351 S. Riverfront Dr.

F: 507-345-1502

e: ekphys#gmail.com

Mankato, MN 56001

kandy.nolesstevens@smsu.edu

Lee Filipek

Southview Elementary

952-431-8370

Lee.Filipek@District196.org

1025 Whitney Dr. Apple Valley, MN 55124

Rachel Humphrey

St. Cloud State Univ. Wick Science Bldg #160 720 4th AVe. So. St. Cloud 56301

320-308-3232

rhumphrey@stcloudstate.edu

Caitlin Potter

Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve 2660 Fawn Lake Dr. NE E. Bethel 55005 caitlin@umn.edu

Events Calendar

VAcant Phillip Sexton

Minnetonka High School

18301 Hwy 7 Minnetonka, MN 55345

612-401-5700

phillip.sexton@minnetonkaschools.org

Steve Heilig

St. Paul Academy & Summit School

651-696-1432

sheilig@spa.edu

1712 Randolph Ave. St. Paul 55105

If you have events you want placed on the calendar, send them to the editor - see page 2 for deadlines, address, etc.

Conferences / Workshops Future MnCOSE Conferences: Nov. 3-5, 2022 Duluth

Jennifer Aakre

TrekNorth Jr.&St.High School 2400 Pine Ridge Ave. NW Bemidji, MN 56601

218-444-1888

jaakre@treknorth.org

Caitlin Djonne

Park Rapics Schools

218-237-6312

cdjonne@parkrapids.k12.mn.us

Region 3: Northeast

Nikki Ojanen 218-879-3328

Cloquet Middle School 2001 Washington Ave. Cloquet, MN 55720 nojanen@isd94.org

Region 4: Westcentral

Harrison Aakre

Alexandria Area High School

Region 1&2: North

Region 9: South

Dana Smith Jose Morales Collazo

400 Tiger Drive Marshall, MN 56258

holly.knudson@marshall.12.mn.us

201 West 49th St. Minneapolis, MN 55419

Region Representatives: Region 1&2: North

Marshall High School

Minneapolis Washburn HS

1910 Middle School Ave. NW Bemidji, MN 56601

12000 Hancock St. Becker, MN 55308

507-537-6920 X 1059

Michelle.housenga@mpls.k12.mn.us

Alternative Ed.

molson@isd726.org

612-720-5705

Higher Ed

320-274-3341

Michelle Housenga

Elementary/Greater MN Kanday Noles Stevens Elementary/Metro

Becker High School

Region 8: Southcentral Holly Knudson

Executive Board: Exec. Secretary

Missie Olson

501 Helten Ave. Park Rapids, MN 56470

4300 Pioneer Rd. Alexandria, MN 56308

haakre@alexschools.org Region 5: Northcentral Miranda Graceffa 218-330-6154

Crosslake Community School 36972 Cty Rd 66 Crosslake, MN 56442 mgraceffa@crosslakekids.org

Region 6: Southcentral Holly Knudson

Marshall High School

507-537-6920 X 1059

400 Tiger Drive Marshall, MN 56258

holly.knudson@marshall.12.mn.us

16

MnSTA Newsletter

Winter 2022 17