Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin

Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin

April 10, 2008

Volume 14, Number 14

Published by the
Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education

This Week's Topics:

SCIENCE CLASSROOMS RECEIVE $550,000 FROM TOYOTA TAPESTRY GRANT PROGRAM
SYMPOSIUM INSPIRES STUDENTS REGARDING STEM CELL RESEARCH
2007 DIGEST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS
2008 IGNITING CREATIVE ENERGY CHALLENGE WINNERS ANNOUNCED
KUMON SUPPORTS PUSH TOWARD NATIONAL MATHEMATICS BENCHMARKS
PASCO ANNOUNCES SCIENCE-WITH-TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PIONEER PROGRAM
INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH NAMES TOP WINNERS
PREVIOUS ISSUES

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SCIENCE CLASSROOMS RECEIVE $550,000
FROM TOYOTA TAPESTRY GRANT PROGRAM

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. recently recognized 78 science teachers from across the country with $550,000 in grants via the Toyota TAPESTRY: Grants for Science Teachers program. The announcement was made at the National Science Teachers Association's National Conference on Science Education in Boston, MA. At the conference, Toyota also received recognition for its significant contribution toward the construction of a new, state-of-the-art science education center in Arlington, VA, and a corresponding web-based resource portal to be used by science teachers nationwide. As the nation's largest science teacher grant program, Toyota TAPESTRY selected 78 proposals for funding from the more than 500 submitted by K-12 teachers. The projects funded by the Toyota TAPESTRY program will be implemented in classrooms beginning in June 2008. Of the $550,000 granted, 50 teachers received up to $10,000 each and 28 received grants of up to $2,500 each. More than $8 million has been awarded to 986 teams of teachers throughout the program's 18-year history. Through the TAPESTRY program, Toyota awards grants to innovative teachers each year. Judges, accomplished in various areas of science, select projects that stand out in creativity, risk-taking, and originality in three areas: environmental science, physical science, and integrating literacy and science. This year's projects explore topics ranging from an atmospheric research rocket to studies of endangered and endemic species. Toyota TAPESTRY is open to elementary, middle, and high school science teachers in the United States and its territories, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Teachers may apply individually or in teams. Applications are submitted online and are due in January each year. For more information about Toyota TAPESTRY grants, visit www.nsta.org/programs/tapestry.

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SYMPOSIUM INSPIRES STUDENTS REGARDING STEM CELL RESEARCH

Triangle Coalition member, the Biotechnology Institute, recently partnered with the National Academy of Sciences and members of the Illinois education and biotechnology communities to hold the Chicagoland Stem Cell Education Symposium, a forum for discussing innovative approaches to teaching stem cell research. The symposium was held at Northwestern University and convened 150 teachers, leading scientists, and journalists to discuss stem cell research. Topics included underlying scientific foundations, ethical and societal considerations, and approaches to educating Illinois students about stem cell research. "Our goal is to educate students about this ground-breaking and sometimes controversial science by engaging the scientific community with educators in a conversation about advances in stem cell science and how to convey them to the classroom," says Paul A. Hanle, president of the Biotechnology Institute. The symposium was one of four stem cell education forums that will be conducted in 2008 by the Biotechnology Institute and its national partner, the National Academy of Sciences.

The Biotechnology Institute is an independent, national nonprofit organization dedicated to education about the present and future impact of biotechnology. Its mission is to engage, excite, and educate the public, particularly students and teachers, about biotechnology and its immense potential for solving human health, food, and environmental problems. Each year, the International Conference on Biotechnology Education integrates the Biotechnology Institute's core programs into a unique national conference for teachers, students, and their supporters in the biotechnology industry. This year's conference will be held in San Diego, CA, June 14-19. For more information, visit www.biotechinstitute.org.

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2007 DIGEST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS

The 2007 edition of the Digest of Education Statistics is now available online. The Digest has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from pre-kindergarten through graduate school. The Digest includes a selection of data from many sources, both government and private, and draws especially on the results of surveys and activities carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The Digest contains seven chapters: All Levels of Education, Elementary and Secondary Education, Post-secondary Education, Federal Programs for Education and Related Activities, Outcomes of Education, International Comparisons of Education, and Libraries and Educational Technology.

According to the report, enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools rose 26 percent between 1985 and 2007. The fastest public school growth occurred in Pre-K-8, where enrollment rose 28 percent over this period, from 27.0 million to 34.6 million. Part of the relatively fast growth in public elementary school enrollment resulted from the expansion of pre-kindergarten programs. The NCES forecasts record levels of total elementary and secondary enrollment through at least 2016, reflecting expected increases in the school-age population. In addition, a projected 3.7 million full-time-equivalent elementary and secondary school teachers were engaged in classroom instruction in the fall of 2007. This number has risen 17 percent since 1997, and has risen faster than the number of public school students over the past 10 years, resulting in declines in the pupil/teacher ratio. Most of the student performance data in the Digest are drawn from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP assessments have been conducted using three basic designs: the national main NAEP, state NAEP, and long-term trend NAEP. The national main NAEP and state NAEP provide current information about student performance in a variety of subjects, while long-term trend NAEP provides information on performance over time in reading and mathematics only.

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2008 IGNITING CREATIVE ENERGY CHALLENGE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Johnson Controls, Inc., has announced the three national winners of the 2008 Igniting Creative Energy Challenge (ICE), an educational competition that encourages students to develop ingenious ways to live a more sustainable life and protect the environment. Out of thousands of entries, Tessa Hartley of Missouri, Matthew Belz of Ohio, and Wesley Fulkerson of California are named this year's national winners. The contest is sponsored and funded through a grant by Johnson Controls, Inc., with additional support from Philips and the United States Energy Association, and is administered by the National Energy Foundation. The Challenge asked students to submit projects that demonstrated ways of practicing sustainability at home, at school, or in the community. Tessa Hartley is a kindergartener who wrote and illustrated a book, "ABC's in My Trash," that identified how she saved a piece of trash for every letter of the alphabet and found a way to reuse the item instead of throwing it away. Matthew Belz is a sixth-grader who developed a documentary highlighting his journey to find environmentally-friendly alternatives to the polystyrene trays used in his school's cafeteria. Wesley Fulkerson is a high school junior who wrote and recorded a song, "It's a Beautiful World," that encourages others to make simple changes in their lives to conserve energy.

The Igniting Creative Energy Challenge is open to all students in grades K-12 in the United States and Canada. Students are asked to submit entries that reflect the competition theme, Igniting Creative Energy, and demonstrate an understanding of what an individual, family, or group can do to make a difference in the places they live or travel. In addition to the three student winners, there is also one teacher winner.

Jean Kegerreis, a chemistry and zoology teacher in West Ottawa Public Schools in Michigan, was selected as the teacher winner because his students had the highest average score for student work. More details are at www.ignitingcreativeenergy.org.

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KUMON SUPPORTS PUSH TOWARD NATIONAL MATHEMATICS BENCHMARKS

Recently, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel called for schools to focus on several "critical foundations" or benchmarks for U.S. schoolchildren. These recommendations require that by the end of the seventh grade, students should be fluent with whole numbers and fractions, and proficient with geometry and measurements. "We are pleased to see the panel acknowledge the need for building stronger math skills in American children," says Matthew Lupsha, vice president of education services for Kumon North America. "Many middle school students struggle in algebra because of their inability to master fractions earlier on." The National Mathematics Advisory Panel also proposed that children should gain mastery of arithmetic in early grades, teachers should focus on a smaller number of key elements and textbooks should be condensed to cover fewer math topics. According to the report, "difficulty with fractions (including decimals and percents) is pervasive and is a major obstacle to further progress in mathematics, including algebra." Unless schools focus their attention on improving students' abilities for "quick and effortless" applications of arithmetic and algebra, the panel worries that the United States will continue to be outperformed by other countries.

Much like the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, Kumon Math and Reading Centers' primary focus is helping students master the basic math concepts of addition, subtraction, fractions, and algebra as preparation for more rigorous math courses. Kumon is an international after-school math and reading program that uses a systematic individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Kumon strives to unlock the potential of children by motivating them to achieve more on their own. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration, and develop better study skills. The program supports both students who need additional guidance to meet grade level expectations and those working well above grade level who require additional support to encourage a passion for mathematics, reading, and grammar. Kumon is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008 and has 26,000 centers in 45 countries with more than four million students studying worldwide. More details are at www.kumon.com.

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PASCO ANNOUNCES SCIENCE-WITH-TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION PIONEER PROGRAM

PASCO scientific recently announced that the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) will partner with PASCO in a pilot program to explore how real world scientific inquiry coupled with modern technology can accelerate the development of students' 21st century science skills. The pilot program is part of PASCO's Science-with-Technology Education Pioneer (STEP) program, an initiative designed to help school districts explore ways they can bring science education in step with 21st century science tools and methods. AMSTI is a statewide program funded by the Alabama Department of Education to improve math and science teaching and learning in Alabama so all students develop the skills necessary for success in post secondary studies and the work force. Through the STEP pilot program, AMSTI will work with PASCO to explore how it can accelerate its well-established, well-defined initiative that already recognizes the need for better science teaching and learning solutions. The pilot program centers on the use of the "SPARK Science Learning System," an all-in-one mobile solution that integrates the power of probe ware with inquiry-based content and assessment.

The PASCO STEP program combines consulting services, technology training, professional development, and teacher support. Though still "under construction," partners will have access to PASCO's online science education community, a web-based virtual environment through which science educators worldwide can share ideas and resources. PASCO scientific is a developer of technology-based solutions for hands-on science. Throughout its more than 40-year history, PASCO has focused exclusively on science education -- designing, developing, and supporting better ways of teaching and learning science. Teachers and students in more than 100 countries throughout the world use PASCO solutions. More details are at www.pasco.com.

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INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH NAMES TOP WINNERS

Honoring the next generation of American innovators, Intel Corporation recently announced the winners of the Intel Science Talent Search. Shivani Sud, 17, of Durham, NC, won the top award, a $100,000 scholarship from the Intel Foundation. For her research project, Sud developed a model that analyzed the specific "molecular signatures" of tumors from patients with stage II colon cancer. She then used this information to identify those at higher risk for tumor recurrence and propose potentially effective drugs for treatment. Also achieving top placement in the competition were Graham Van Schaik, 17, of Columbia, SC, who received a $75,000 scholarship for his 2-year project studying the effects of pyrethroids, a common type of pesticide, on breast cancer and nerve cell degeneration. In addition, Brian McCarthy, 18, of Hillsboro, OR, received a $50,000 scholarship for developing new types of solar cells in order to provide a less expensive, renewable form of energy. Information about all the winners is available online.

This year's finalists hailed from 19 states and represented 35 high schools throughout the United States. Society for Science & the Public (formerly Science Service), a nonprofit organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education, owns and has administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942. To learn more about Intel's commitment to education around the world, visit www.intel.com/education. To learn more about Society for Science & the Public, visit www.societyforscience.org.

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