March 2021

K-16 STEM in the NEWS

BGSU hosts The 58th Annual Ohio Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

KaisalShah

BGSU once again served as the host university for the Ohio Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (OJSHS) on March 11 – 12, 2021. This statewide event annually showcases the outstanding work of high school students from all across the state of Ohio who have accomplished original scientific research in the areas of STEM.

Students virtually presented the results of their original research in both paper and poster sessions. The Ohio JSHS is patterned after research sessions at professional meetings where both paper and poster sessions take place.

Over 100 students virtually presented their own original research on Thursday and Friday where a distinguished panel of judges selected the outstanding presentations. Poster judging occurred concurrently where each poster presenter interacted on a one-to-one basis with a faculty professor in the discipline of the student’s research endeavor. 

Faculty members from BGSU, Case Western, University of Findlay, and Lourdes University and staff from the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service served as judges for the competition. Jenna Pollock, NWO Education Program Manager served as the moderator for the paper sessions.

At stake were more than $18,000 in scholarship money and cash awards for the awardees of the Ohio JSHS. The top three paper presenters all received scholarships and the top five presenters earned an opportunity to present their research at the virtual National JSHS.

The top two Ohio presenters will have the opportunity to present their research in the paper sessions at the National JSHS for more scholarship opportunities.

The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) and the National Science Teaching Association, along with the U.S. Departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force sponsor the National JSHS as well as the 48 regional symposia held across the country.

As part of a grant project extension with AEOP, students from Toledo Public Schools also participated in Ohio JSHS. One of the goals of the grant project is to further the reach of students exposed to scientific research. The AEOP, in collaboration with Battelle, awarded grants to organizations and institutions to expand student participation in enriching STEM exploration and learning, particularly for underserved students. AEOP offers students and teachers Army-sponsored programs that effectively engage, inspire, and attract the next generation of STEM talent.

Students had the opportunity to virtually tour the research laboratories at BGSU.

A highlight of the event was the keynote presentation from OJSHS alumnus Nathan Yaussy, a KIPP Columbus High School Teacher and Milken Education Award Recipient.

Dr. Emilio Duran, Ohio JSHS Director for the past 19 years and BGSU Professor stated, “It’s always a pleasure to hold this competition each year and to see what these students have accomplished. All the students are winners with bright futures, and we are already looking forward to next year!”

The Award list is as follows:

1st Place Winner – Kaisal Shah, Hathaway Brown School

  • $2,000 College Scholarship sponsored by the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force
  • Presents research paper at the 2021 virtual National JSHS

2nd Place Winner – Laalitya Acharya, William Mason High School

  • $1,500 Ohio JSHS College Scholarship sponsored by the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force
  • Presents research paper at the 2021 virtual National JSHS

3rd Place Winner – Anish Gupta, Sylvania Northview High School

  • $1000 Ohio JSHS College Scholarship sponsored by the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force
  • Presents research poster as 2021 virtual National JSHS

4th Place Winner – Shruthi Ravichandran, Hathaway Brown

  • $500 Award sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, BGSU
  • Presents research poster at the 2021 virtual National JSHS

5th Place Winner – Ivy Wang, Hathaway Brown

  • $250 Award sponsored by the Department of Chemistry, BGSU
  • Presents research poster at the 2021 virtual National JSHS

1st Alternate – Michelle Park, Solon High School

  • $150 Award sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development, BGSU

2nd Alternate – Jacob Rintamaki, Westlake High School

  • $100 Award sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, BGSU

Thomas Alva Edison Award – Carlton Cort, University School

  • $250 Award sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences, BGSU

Colonel George F. Leist Distinguished Teacher Award – Crystal Miller, Hathaway Brown School

  • $500 Teacher Award for Classroom Materials sponsored by the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force

For more information and photos from the event, please visit: www.ojshs.org

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STEM Opportunities

2021 Women in STEM "Virtual"

37th Annual Women in STEM Program
April 22, 2021, Earth Day
FREE Virtual Field Trip

Invitation to Present!

The goal of the Women in STEM program at BGSU is to provide a rewarding experience for 6th - 8th-grade girls that connects STEM education to the real world and sparks an interest in pursuing STEM majors in college and ultimately STEM careers.

This year's unique virtual field trip event will celebrate Earth Day with our 6th-8th grade female student audience with the theme 'Restore Our Earth'. (NOTE: Your individual sessions do not need to be an Earth Day theme, but they certainly can if you want!)

Please click here to apply to be a presenter.

Questions, contact Jenna Pollock at jpolloc@bgsu.edu

School Registration for 2021 Women in STEM is now CLOSED.

If your school would like to be placed on the Wait List, please email Jenna Pollock, jpolloc@bgsu.edu

All who wish to attend Women in STEM are welcome regardless of their gender.

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BGSU Academic Enrichment Camps

Virtual Academic Enrichment Camps are back for 2021 and have been redesigned to meet the needs of students in grades 3 through 8.

Every day for two weeks, students will be engaged in online interactive learning in a variety of content areas. Students can select to enrich their learning in mathematics, reading, science, and now social studies. These courses are taught and designed by trained teachers who are experts in their content. During the camps, students will work directly with their camp instructor and same-age peers, enjoying a variety of activities to peak their interest in learning and deepen their knowledge.

Dates

  • Session 1: June 14-25, 2021
  • Session 2: July 12-23, 2021

Format

  • The Academic Enrichment Camps will be conducted virtually
  • Access to the internet and a computer is necessary
  • All grades have been separated into their own cohort aligning content level and prior knowledge
  • Camps will meet virtually with an instructor every day for 60 minutes and will run for two full weeks
  • Students will be engaged in conversation, activities, and hands-on projects as they learn from their BGSU academic camp instructor and meet their classmates virtually

Camp Crates

  • All campers will receive a Base Camp kit with supplies needed for the duration of the program
  • Base Camp supplies include: AEC camp T-Shirt, supplies box with writing utensils, BGSU journal, dry erase board and marker, ruler, graph paper, and more.
  • Depending on which program your camper is signed up for, they will also receive additional supplies such as reading materials, science fair, and investigation items, geography and social studies materials, or manipulatives needed for making sense of mathematical ideas.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER 2021 CAMP OFFERINGS

COMING SOON: Information about on-campus Academic Enrichment Day Camps

  • Day Camp Session 1: June 28-July 2, 2021
  • Day Camp Session 2: July 26-30, 2021

For all of the latest updates and camp information, visit the Academic Enrichment Camps website.

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Believe in Ohio Program

The Believe in Ohio program has online STEM Professional Development Workshop Opportunities for STEM and Business/Economics teachers. Believe in Ohio provides the program curriculum in a Google Classroom for teachers. These workshops will familiarize teachers with the concepts of entrepreneurship and design-thinking ideation by engaging teachers in the resources to utilize with students to develop a STEM business or commercialization plan. Through this process of engagement, the workshop will provide instruction and activities to increase teachers' conceptual knowledge of the entrepreneurial mindset, design-thinking, and the relationship between STEM and innovation. For more information, contact: Jenna Pollock: jpolloc@bgsu.edu and the website at: www.BelieveinOhio.org.

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Believe in Ohio Statewide Scholarship Program to recognize students for STEM Innovation and Entrepreneurship

To ensure that students from all parts of Ohio receive recognition, at least one (1) $1,000 scholarship will be awarded in each of Ohio’s ninety-nine (99) State House Representative districts, and thirty-three (33) Ohio State Senate districts. That is a total of 132 scholarships.

Only high school juniors and seniors (School year 2020-21) are eligible to apply. 

For more information, including award criteria, please follow the links listed below.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION RUBRIC

The application deadline is April 15, 2021

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Ohio STEM Learning Network Code.Org

Applications open for Code.org Professional Learning Program

Ohio teachers can join Code.org’s Professional Learning Program, an intensive, year-long learning experience for middle and high school educators interested in teaching Code.org’s Computer Science Discoveries (middle school) or Computer Science Principles (high school) courses.

Participants will explore the Computer Science curriculum and tools, experiment with specific teaching strategies, and join a local community of teachers using this curriculum. Learn about the program here or nominate another educator.

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Metroparks Toledo’s New educational experiences

Learning opportunities are available for Metropark Naturalists to connect virtually with students in a classroom setting or from home.

Wildlife Detectives for K-12th: $30 per class
Decode the mysteries of Northwest Ohio wildlife during this live virtual program. Learn the secrets of locating animals based on their tracks, feathers, and scat to become a true wildlife detective. A downloadable worksheet for further investigation will be provided digitally. 

Awesome Owls for K-7th: $5 per student
Individual prepacked materials for your students to conduct an owl pellet dissection from home or in the classroom. A recorded nature nugget introduction to the activity and food chain worksheet will be provided digitally. 

For more information or to book an educational experience, please contact Nick Dian at nick.dian@metroparkstoledo.com

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ITEEA Virtual Conference for 2021

Theme:
Where Technology and Engineering Education Come to Life!

Description:
The 2021 conference focuses on the way educators make technology and engineering education relevant for all. Educators use active learning, authentic assessments, collaboration, and put research into practice in order to help technology and engineering come to life!

https://www.iteea.org/ITEEA2021.aspx

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Elementary STEM CON & Beyond: April 16-19, 2021
  • Grade bands: K-2, 3-5, and secondary CET elementary materials
  • High-quality content that is practical and implementable
  • Passionate, knowledgeable expert presenters
  • Affordable
  • Flexible options to participate 

https://kerry-tracy.mykajabi.com/esc-2021?affiliate=momgineer

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Summer STEM Institute (SSI), a six-week virtual summer research program for high school students

The program consists of three main parts:  

  • Research and data science bootcamp: Students learn how to design and conduct data science research projects. Students learn about the research process and how to apply statistical and machine learning methods to address scientific questions with real-world impact. 
  • Masterclass lecture series: Students are connected to accomplished young adults around the world. Students have the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship from Forbes 30 Under 30 recipients, science research from International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) grand prize winners, and other topics from speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. 
  • Mentored research project: Students complete a research project through a rigorous, hands-on learning experience under the guidance of mentors. Last year, students have worked in a variety of fields, from computational biology to quantum physics.

Many students who attended the program said SSI changed their lives and asked for the SSI team to continue running SSI in future years. Please view distinguished research projects and read about student experiences on the website. 

Applications for SSI 2021 are now open. Students who are interested in the program can learn more about SSI and apply on our website at: https://www.summersteminstitute.org/.

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NWO STEM Activity

Create Egg Carton Turtles

Brought to you by PBS Kids

Before you start, show your child some pictures of a sea turtle and its habitat. As you craft your turtles, talk about the environment they inhabit. Explain to your child that sea turtles lay eggs in the sand, and once they hatch, migrate to the ocean. Act this out using your egg carton turtles.

What actions does the sea turtle do on land? What does it do when it’s in the water?

Why do you think it’s important to recycle egg cartons? What would happen to them if you threw them in the trash? Explain that sometimes people’s trash ends up in the ocean. Sea turtles (and other sea creatures) can mistake this trash for food or swim into it by accident.

What You'll Need:

  • Egg carton
  • Scissors
  • Paintbrush
  • Green paint
  • Glue
  • Crafting pompoms
  • Felt or craft foam
  • Googly eyes
  • Embellishments like buttons, sequins, gems, stickers, etc. (optional)

Directions:

  1. Help your child cut turtle “shells” from an egg carton and paint them green.
  2. Cut four legs and a triangle tail from the felt or craft foam.
  3. Glue the legs and tail to the underside of the turtle shell.
  4. Add a pompom for the head.
  5. Decorate the shell using the embellishments you’ve collected or draw on it with a marker.
  6. Glue the googly eyes onto the pompom head. You can draw on a mouth with a black permanent marker if you’d like! What adventures will your sea turtles have today?

Updated: 05/14/2021 08:51AM