FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Now accepting applications for 2022

 

OXFORD, Ohio (Sept. 1, 2021) – Miami University’s Project Dragonfly is accepting applications now through early 2022 for graduate courses and master's degrees that offer extraordinary experiences through zoos and botanical gardens in the United States and in 15 countries throughout the world. http://ProjectDragonfly.MiamiOH.edu

Earth Expeditions are study abroad courses that take place online and in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Americas. Earth Expeditions courses can be taken as stand-alone graduate credit, or they can build toward the Global Field Program (GFP) master's degree. The GFP combines summer field courses worldwide with web learning communities, and students can complete the GFP master's part-time from anywhere in the United States or abroad. http://EarthExpeditions.MiamiOH.edu; http://GFP.MiamiOH.edu

Project Dragonfly also offers the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) master's degree that combines web instruction from Miami University with experiential learning and field study through AIP Master Institutions in the U.S. Applications for Miami's 2022 cohorts are being accepted now with place-based experiences provided through Master Institutions in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Jacksonville, New York, San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis. http://AIP.MiamiOH.edu

Graduate tuition for all programs is greatly reduced because of support from Miami University.

COVID-19 Info and Curricular Innovation

Spencer C. Pate

Curricular Support Assistant

Project Dragonfly, Miami University

Oxford, Ohio 45056

patesc@miamioh.edu

http://EarthExpeditions.MiamiOH.edu

Ad Astra Kansas Galaxy Forum--“ARTEMIS and BEYOND” event scheduled for October 24

The theme of the annual Ad Astra Galaxy Forum on Saturday, October 24, at the Cosmosphere  will be The Artemis Program--NASA's plan to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024.  A hybrid event, it will include both in-person and virtual presentations. The Forum will feature an overview of NASA's program by Artemis-connected speaker and native Kansan Michael Staab; also, a closer look at our only natural satellite, plus an update on the next rock on our space exploration bucket list—Mars. And more.

Information flyer

Speaker bios

Teacher information

The event will be 1-2:30 at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. Attendance can be either in-person or virtual. Due to social and mask requirements, in-person seating is limited and registration is needed. Do so at  contact@adastra-ks.org.   If you would like to attend virtually, it will be LIVE on our Ad Astra Kansas Foundation Facebook page. No registration needed.

Sponsored by the 501c3 Ad Astra Kansas Foundation to promote science education in Kansas.

 

Jeanette Steinert
Ad Astra Kansas Foundation
316-722-3503
jeanettesteinert@att.net
www.adastra-ks.org

Good afternoon,

We hope this finds you well. We are pleased to share the October newsletters from the KSDE STEM team.

A link to each content area’s newsletter may be accessed here (Link) and I have included some science highlights below.

 

Science-

Included in this month’s science newsletter (Link) are

·         Professional Development Opportunities

o    Modeling in Secondary Science
October 11th at 4 pm (Registration Link)

o    FALL into Phenomena with a Great Book! (Thematic Elementary Science)
FREE BOOKS for first 10 participants
October 21st at 4:30 pm (Registration Link)

o    A Thematic Unit Adventure with Body Venture (4^th grade)
Join KSDE STEM, Health and Child Nutrition & Wellness in a professional development centered around elementary science, nutrition and fitness. The virtual Body Venture opportunity will be paired with FREE lessons and kits (as supply allows) that can easily be tailored towards elementary classrooms that want to eat smart and play hard.
Help science come alive in your classroom with the living body as it's guide!

Join us for a kick-off on Tuesday October 12th at 4 pm to learn more OR register for a training today
November 5th from 8-noon, (REGISTRATION LINK)
November 10th from 12:30 - 4:30 (repeat) (REGISTRATION LINK)

KSDE Stem Team

KAS is happy to announce a new grant opportunity: we are funding K-12 classroom grants for the 2021-22 school year. Individual science teachers or teams of teachers are encouraged to apply before the September 30 deadline. Full set of instructions and application can be found at our website. http://www.kansasacademyscience.org/educator-grant.html.

Information from Jill Fisher at Wichita State University

 

In the September issue:

• Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)- K-6 Cycle
• The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program is pleased to announce that nominations and applications for the 2021–2022 application cycle are open. 
• Nominate a teacher here: (Link)

• Fall Book Study- Ambitious Science Teaching
• Starting September 9, 6-7 pm CT, College Credit available! PD Credits available! To register: (Link)

• Call for KSDE Teacher Leaders!
• A teacher leader has demonstrated expertise with strategies, methods, and trends in education in Humanities and/or STEM.  The teacher leader is collaborative, knowledgeable, and evidence based.   Additional skill in dynamic presentation is a plus. Link to interest form: (Link)

• Fall Conferences- Save the dates and more!
•  
• Reminders for Collaboration: 
• Science Curriculum Leaders Collaboration, September 21st, 4pm (Registration Link)
• Science Teacher Collaboration, September 15th at 4pm (Registration Link)

Art Auction Fundraiser—November 6, 2021, 1:00-3:00pm at The Barn at Kill Creek

Farm, Desoto, Kansas

Proceeds will go to the Wendell G. Mohling Foundation to be used to support Kansas

Science Teachers.

Kay Neill, President

Are you a K-12 Kansas teacher who currently teaches science? Would you like the opportunity to apply

for funds so that you could experience attending a National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

Conference this year? In 2006, the Wendell G. Mohling Foundation began selecting a teacher each year,

to receive a $1000.00 scholarship award to attend a NSTA conference of their choice. The application

deadline is September 24, 2021, so you still have plenty of time to complete and send in your

application. The application with requirements can be downloaded by going to the foundation website

at www.wendellmohlingfoundation.com and click on “Apply” at the top of the page.  This year there

will be 2 national NSTA conferences to choose from: March 31-April 3 in Houston, Texas and July 21-24

in Chicago, Illinois.

If a teacher has questions, he/she can contact me at neill1703@gmail.com or by phone at 1-620-342-4677

Kay Neill, Foundation Chair

We hope this newsletter (Link) finds you and yours well. This month features back to school safety, opportunities, collaboration and more!

Also included in the August issue:

 

• Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)- K-6 Cycle
  • The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) program is pleased to announce that nominations and applications for the 2021–2022 application cycle are open. You are a part of over 5,100 award-winning educators and we need your help to continue to grow this network!
    
    To nominate a K–6th grade teacher for this award, complete the nomination form available on the PAEMST website and submit the teacher’s name, email address, and school contact information. You are welcome to submit multiple nominations if you know more than one teacher deserving of this award. The nomination deadline is January 7, 2022, and the application deadline is February 6, 2022. PAEMST awardees are one of the best sources of future nominations!
    
  • 
    
• Fall Professional Development
  • 3D Classroom Assessments- Where to Start?- MS & HS, August 23rd at 4pm (Registration Link)
  • Clay Circuits and Lightbulb Moments- Elementary (Repeat of August 2 Session), August 30th at 4pm (Registration Link)
    
    •  
• Fall Book Study- Ambitious Science Teaching
  • Starting August 26, 6-7 pm CT
  • Free books available for the first 20 participants who register! College Credit available! PD Credits available!
  • To register or get additional information: (Link)
  •  
• Call for KSDE Teacher Leaders and Introducing KSDE STEM
  • Recently organizational changes have occurred within the Career Standards and Assessment Services (CSAS) at the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE). Multiple disciplines are being reorganized into Humanities and STEM. The disciplines, standards, assessments, and support of great classroom instruction will continue.  KSDE will continue to do what the agency has always done -- elevate great teacher leaders. We are looking for individuals, Teacher Leaders, who are interested in joining this work.

     

    Definition of Teacher Leader:  

    A teacher leader has demonstrated expertise with strategies, methods, and trends in education in Humanities and/or STEM.  The teacher leader is collaborative, knowledgeable, and evidence based.   Additional skill in dynamic presentation is a plus.

    Link to interest form: (Link)
    
  • 
    
• Fall Conferences- Save the dates and more!

 

 

Reminders for Collaboration: 

July's Theme: Family Engagement

 

Science Curriculum Leaders Collaboration,

August 17, 4pm (Registration Link)

 

Science Teacher Collaboration,

August 18th at 4pm (Registration Link)

 

 

Thank you again and please let me know if us can help support you in any way,

Meg & Stephen

 

 

 

 

	Meg Richard, NBCT, PAEMST 19' Education Program Manager - K-12 STEM Education Career, Standards and Assessment Services (785) 296-8108 mrichard@ksde.org www.ksde.org
	Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.
The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: KSDE General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, KSDE, Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson, Suite 102, Topeka, KS 66612, (785) 296-3201.

• Fall Book Study- Ambitious Science Teaching
  • Starting August 26, 6-7 pm CT
  • Free books available! College Credit available! PD Credits available!
  • To register or get additional information: (Link)

James Webb Space Telescope headlines 2021 Galaxy Forum  

From J. Steinert-- Ad Astra Kansas Foundation

Complete with its mirror (21-ft diameter),  power (7x more powerful than Hubble), type (infrared) and viewing distance  (one million miles from Earth)  the long-anticipated JWST is currently scheduled to launch in late 2021.  Sure to be a trending science topic, teachers will be ahead of the curve with a presentation by Dr. Scott Acton, of Ball Aerospace and Technologies, where part of the JWST was built. In talking about the telescope, its design and construction, the presentation will be heavy on graphics, animation and appreciation for the universe we live in.

The Galaxy Forum, sponsored by the Ad Astra Kansas Foundation, will be from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, August 21, at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson.  The event is FREE.  Students also welcome.  In-person and virtual attendance available.   For more info.  For questions or to register here.

Also, Dr. Nick Solomey of WSU will speak about how we use different types of particles to look into places we cannot see. Sarah Lamm, K-State master student in geology, will update us on that intrepid rover, Perseverance. Steve Durst, AAKF board member, will update us on a current  educational project.