The MiSTEM Network is providing a comprehensive professional learning series for educators to implement Computer Science Fundamentals to elementary educators at no cost! 

The workshop will provide an intro to computer science, pedagogy, overview of the online curriculum, teacher dashboard, and strategies for teaching “unplugged” classroom activities. Workshops last 6-7 hours and will prepare you to teach the Code Studio courses for grades K-5.  

Series 1 is underway and Series 2 starts on January 12, 2022! 

12 SCECHs and $150 stipend are available for participants.  No prior computer science experience is needed for this series. 

For more information and to apply, see Mi-Coding.com/pl-cs-fundamentals. 

Share this flyer with educators or administrators: 
Computer Science Fundamentals Flyer 2021-2022 

Phenomenal Science is a complete K-5 curriculum that has been designed for meeting the vision of the NRC Framework,  the NGSS, and the Michigan Science Standards.  The units are phenomena-based and integrate engineering, math, and language arts. Phenomenal Science (PS) emphasizes students making sense of phenomena which requires them to engage in hands-on investigation, discourse, modeling, argumentation, and explanation. 

The PS team is committed to enabling all elementary students the opportunity to engage in sense-making around real scientific phenomena and is working with the Center for Digital Curricula in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan to add the first PS unit for each grade level to the Collabrify Roadmap Platform. Six units are currently available for download and classroom use on the Center’s Collabrify Roadmap Platform.  

The newly added units are deeply-digital using a visual pathway of exploration, allowing for digital modeling and collaborative student work online.  These units can be used by the teacher in a whole group setting using a smartboard, by students in small groups, or by a student individually.   

Using audio, video, and animations, students can create artifacts of their learning such as dynamic models characterizing the observed science phenomena. Students can hold discussions with peers who are co-located or in completely different physical spaces by talking through Collabrify’s Voice-over IP channels. Student assessments are also presented in this digital format, offering a safer and paperless option.  

The Collabrify Roadmap Platform is browser-based (e.g., Chrome, Safari) and runs on Chromebooks, Windows or Mac laptops, desktops or tablets. Teacher set-up and administration is easy and help and training is available. More information is available at the  Collabrify Phenomenal Science landing page.  

Watch this how-to video from Collabrify to learn more! 

Do you know a student who loves science? Are you looking for an after-school program that’s both free and fun? Van Andel Institute for Education (VAI) can provide students grades 4–7 with engaging, hands-on investigations that are sure to spark their curiosity while introducing them to the world of STEM!  

In VAI’s Afterschool Cohort, students explore a diverse catalogue of subjects while thinking and acting like real scientists. Whether they are discovering the exciting ecosystems of our planet, or creating solutions for natural disasters, students will work together to solve real-world problems in a way that’s memorable, meaningful, and fun! As a bonus, they will even get the chance to meet with scientific experts and gain firsthand knowledge of how their work is being applied in the field. Applications for spring 2022 are now open: Ecosystem Explorers and Energy Innovators. 

Van Andel Institute for Education strives to foster a love of learning in every student who walks through our doors. We are proud to play a small role in their science journey and hope to spark a lifelong passion for science with each lesson. Be sure to read, From Science Cohort to Fulbright Scholar: One Student’s Journey with VAI to hear from one former Cohort attendee! 

Participation in VAI’s Afterschool Cohort is secured on a first-come, first served basis. There is no cost; tuition is underwritten by Van Andel Institute. Remember to stay connected for news on our upcoming cohorts by visiting vaei.org.  

For more information on available sessions, including their dates and times, visit vaei.org. 

What comes to mind when you think of the future?  

Designed by the award-winning Rockwell Group, the FUTURES exhibit spans 32,000 square feet inside the Arts + Industries Building of the Smithsonian. FUTURES is a multidisciplinary project that features objects and research drawn from the Smithsonian’s vast collections and research centers as well as commissioned artworks, interactive exhibits, and speculative designs. Students and teachers don't have to visit the museum in person to learn from this interactive exhibit - the Smithsonian Science Education Center has developed a free toolkit that includes objects and ideas in the FUTURES exhibit that explore sustainability! 

Organized around the concepts of Futures Past, Futures that Work, Futures that Inspire, and Futures that Unite, this toolkit for grades six through eight encourages students to embrace their own role, both as individuals and as a community, in shaping the future. It asks students to examine questions about sustainability and relates them to hands-on Common Core and NGSS-aligned activities.  

The toolkit contains eight activities, each with three sections called Examine, Investigate, and Share. In the Examine sections, students are presented with a question about sustainability. Students focus on understanding background information regarding this question and how the question relates to an object or objects found in FUTURES. In the Investigate sections, students perform an NGSS-aligned hands-on activity relating to the sustainability question. In the Share sections, students put their existing and new knowledge into action by speculating about the future and sharing their ideas and dreams. 

Visit the Smithsonian Science Education Center's Curriculum Toolkit Resource Site to explore the resources and download a copy of the Futures! Curriculum.  

Have you ever considered trying your hand in the cybersecurity career field?  Not sure where to start or you're not sure if you would like it or not?  

The SANS Institute is offering a series of free courses through their Cyber Aces Online program to help individuals, schools, teachers, businesses, and other community members.  Cyber Aces Online is designed to meet a range of participants including those seeking to strengthen their existing cybersecurity knowledge, self-taught individuals seeking to assess their skill levels, and newcomers seeking to enter the field. Past participants include: 

• High school students 
• High school teachers and administrators 
• College students 
• Military veterans 
• Active military 
• Job seekers 
• Career changers 

Click here for more information and to view the free Tutorials: SANS Cyber Aces Online Courses 

Source: SANS.ORG

An additional resource for both parents and classrooms is the Lost Women of Science Initiative. This is a nonprofit educational organization with two overarching and interrelated missions: To tell the story of female scientists who made groundbreaking achievements in their fields yet remain largely unknown to the general public and to inspire girls and young women to embark on careers in STEM. The Initiative’s flagship is the Lost Women of Science podcast which revisits the historical record one extraordinary scientist at a time through deep reporting and rich storytelling.

The Michigan Bridge to Opportunity Academy (MBA) is seeking candidates for their training and certification program. MBA was specifically developed to empower and enable people with disabilities to achieve a meaningful career in information technology. MBA is the result of a public-private partnership with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS), operated by Three Talents LLC. The program provides technical and ready-for-work training and a strong support team to ensure each candidate reaches their full potential. 

This tuition-free opportunity for Michigan residents with disabilities runs for 20 weeks, uses curriculum provided by the Cisco Networking Academy, and leads to certification as a Cisco Certified Technician to enable entry-level IT jobs for participants. Potential candidates must have a documented disability, an 11th grade reading and math level, and an interest in IT. 

For those interested in applying, MBA is hosting informational sessions this fall. You can sign up online on the Michigan Bridge Academy program website: michiganbridgeacademy.org.  

MRS assists persons with disabilities to achieve competitive employment and self-sufficiency. For more information on Michigan Rehabilitation Services, visit Michigan.gov/MRS. 

Do you love science? Was your erupting volcano the best in your class? You are probably a chemist in the making! 

A chemist is a scientist who researches chemical substances, performs experiments with the properties of chemical substances, measures the effects of chemical compounds in various situations, and studies inter-chemical reactions. 

Almost every industry benefits from the theories and chemical compounds brought about by research in the chemical sciences.  Chemists are a high-demand, high-wage STEM occupation in West Michigan: 

What does a Chemist do? 

A chemist will often work as part of a larger research team in order to create much needed compounds for use in a wide variety of practical applications. A chemist also works to improve the quality of established chemical products and utilizes advanced computer programs to establish new technologies in the field. 

Check out Career Explorer's Chemist overview to see average salary, education requirements, personality types, demographics, and much more!  

Visit The American Chemical Society and explore over forty fields of specialization and careers in the Chemical Sciences to find the right path for you! Explore The American Chemistry's six main areas of chemistry  and profiles of chemists to learn what chemistry professionals do in each area and what kind of jobs are available.  

Careers in the Maritime Industry

Did you know that Naval, Marine and Ocean Engineering is a fast growing and dynamic field as people turn to the oceans for resources such as food, transportation and energy? 

These engineers must be creative and visionary to see the potential to use transportation and the oceans effectively. Government, industry and academia are hungry for experts and researchers to develop new processes and systems to explore and travel the ocean with minimal or no danger to its habitat and environment. Marine structures, vessels and ocean systems are unique because only a small number of each design is built, they are very large and complex, and they operate in this environment. 

Check out the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology's  Sea Your Future and learn about Marine careers, role models/mentoring and more! Visit The Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineering (SNAME)'s Careers in the Maritime Industry to view career spotlights for naval architecture, marine and ocean engineering.  

Explore Career Girls Marine Engineer and Naval Architects career overview and videos.  

Want to start a school garden? The Nature Conservancy's Nature Lab has videos that cover planning, building, and caring for a garden, plus a video on overcoming common student fears in the garden. Learn how to design your garden for the most impact - maximize the sunlight, water source, soil quality, climate, and budget available to you. The Nature Conservancy's youth curriculum has been aligned to The Nature Conservancy's research and designed specifically for a young audience and classroom use.  

Looking for ways to fund a school garden? Kids Gardening Grants can help!  

Applications for the 2022 Youth Garden Grant is now open!

Any nonprofit organization, public or private school, or youth program in the United States or US Territories planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18 is eligible to apply.  

40 Winners will receive award packages valued at $1050 that include: 

• $250 cash prize from Kids Gardening 
• A variety of gardening tools and supplies including: 
  • Fifty seed kits from American Meadows
  • Curriculum package from Kids Gardening 
  • Plant support kit from Thriving Design 
  • Big bag bed from SmartPots 
  • 1 pound bag of fertilizer from JavaCycle 
  • Vegetable seed variety pack from High Mowing 
  • Tubtrug and paper pot press from Gardener’s Supply Company 
  • Hose nozzle from Dramm Corporation 
  • Tool kit from Corona Tools 
  • Vegetable seed variety pack from Botanical Interests 
  • Mushroom growing kit from Back to the Roots 

 Applications are due December 17, 2021

Find additional funding opportunities here!

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) satellites circle the earth to provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis.  The satellites provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes. When these conditions develop the GOES satellites are able to monitor storm development and track their movements. GOES satellite imagery is also used to estimate rainfall during the thunderstorms and hurricanes for flash flood warnings, as well as estimates snowfall accumulations and overall extent of snow cover. 

The 2022 GOES Virtual Science Fair (VSF) will be accepting projects from October 2021 to May 2022.  

Students can participate and submit individual projects from home or in small teams with classmates. The main requirement is using data from GOES satellites to investigate weather and natural hazards. There will be three winning teams/individuals: middle school, high school or grades 13/14 (community college or university). 

Students from the winning teams will receive $25 gift cards. 

Questions? Contact: Margaret Mooney, margaret.mooney@ssec.wisc.edu 

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth program prioritizes work experience for enrolled youth (WIOA section 129(c)(4)).  The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has developed a series of technical assistance resources to help state and local workforce leaders, youth program practitioners, and other stakeholders and partners better understand and successfully implement The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program. 

Under WIOA, a work experience is a planned, structured learning experience that takes place in a workplace for a limited period of time. Work experiences may be paid or unpaid, as appropriate. A work experience may take place in the private for-profit sector, non-profit sector, or public sector. Work experiences must include academic and occupational education.  

The types of work experiences include the following categories: 

• Summer employment opportunities and other employment opportunities available throughout the year; 
• Pre-apprenticeship programs; 
• Internships and job shadowing; and 
• On-the-job training opportunities. 

Visit the Workforce GPS WIOA Youth Program Resources Page for information on eligibility, training tools, strategies, youth recruitment and retention and more.   

Download the WIOA Youth Factsheet here. 

Ginger Rohwer
Regional Director
(616) 331-2272
rohwergi@gvsu.edu

Diane Miller
Business, Community, and Education Liaison
(616) 331-2265
milledia@gvsu.edu

www.gvsu.edu/mistem

Services provided through a MiSTEM grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.
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