This website resource will help you learn more about teaching STEM in New Jersey.

https://www.njstemteachers.org/home

"Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future articulates a vision for high quality science education, describes the gaps in opportunity that currently exist for many students, and outlines key priorities that need to be addressed in order to advance better, more equitable science education across grades K-16. This report makes recommendations for state and federal policy makers on ways to support equitable, productive pathways for all students to thrive and have opportunities to pursue careers that build on scientific skills and concepts. Call to Action for Science Education challenges the policy-making community at state and federal levels to acknowledge the importance of science, make science education a core national priority, and empower and give local communities the resources they must have to deliver a better, more equitable science education."

New Jersey Mapping Competition open to all middle school and high school students!

 

Maps contain a wealth of data which can be analyzed to answer all types of spatial questions related to science, social studies, language arts, etc.  Students are empowered when they can create their own maps showing relationships among data of their interest.  We are pleased to announce a contest to create New Jersey-themed online maps, using ESRI’s freely available ArcGIS Online platform. Teachers: Encourage your students to learn some online mapping skills and create a story map using New Jersey content. 

This competition is part of a national mapping competition sponsored by ESRI, the maker of ArcGIS.  Students may work alone or in pairs to create their maps, and a school may submit up to 5 of their best maps to be judged at the state level.  New Jersey may award up to ten Amazon gift cards of $100 each for the top high school and middle school maps ($100 per team, max of 5 high school and 5 middle school). The top map from New Jersey will be submitted to the national competition.  Winners of that competition will be invited to California to receive their award.  Story Maps must be submitted by Monday May 10, 2021.  For more information about the contest, visit https://tinyurl.com/2021njgiscompetition

Send your questions to: mapnjcompetition@gmail.com

Connecting Models and Evidence

August 4-6, 2021

Virtual Workshop

 

Join us August 4-6, 2021 for the virtual Earth and Environmental Science Educators' Institute, which will provide professional development in the use of Model-Evidence Link (MEL) activities centered on current Earth and environmental science topics. These 3-dimensional (core ideas, practices, crosscutting concepts) instructional scaffolds facilitate critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, construction of scientific explanations, and collaborative argumentation to support scientific reasoning within challenging Earth science topics. This three-day institute is free, and a $750 stipend will be provided!  Applications are open to middle and high school teachers who teach Earth and Environmental Science courses and topics in the NJ-PA-DE area.

Application Deadline: May 14, 2021.  Decisions will be made by May 19, 2021.

Pre-Workshop Webinar: May 24, 2021

Workshop: August 4-6, 2021, 8:00 AM -12:30 PM EDT

For more information about the MEL scaffolds, and to apply, go to: https://serc.carleton.edu/mel/prof_dev/NJ_PD_2021.html

 

The Council of State Science Supervisors Professional Learning Committee invites you to attend their webinar “SPLS and Online Learning Strategies” in which we will share strategies and how technology tools can support meeting the attributes of professional learning outlined in the SPLS.   During this webinar, participants will engage with this resource as we model some of the strategies. 

 

When:  May 5, 2021  2:00 pm EDT to 3:30 pm EDT

Where:  Register and Connection Information Here

Who:  All parties interested in science online professional learning

“Data? I’m all ears! The JC NERR’s Soundscape Ecology project” When: Wednesday, May 12th, 2021. 12:30 PM-1:30 PM. Join us via Zoom Presenter: Andrea Habeck, Stewardship Coordinator for the Jacques Cousteau Reserve Click here to register. The event link and passcode will be in your confirmation email. The JC NERR and other Reserves around the country have started a new and exciting monitoring effort which involves recording ambient sounds within a habitat, both natural and man-made. What can sounds tell us about the estuary? How does it work? Tune in to find out!

"Creativity: A Lifelong Universal Skill"

Free for Teachers, Principals, District Leadership. 

 "Creativity" is one of the essential skills needed to be a productive citizen in the 21st century.  Colleges seek creative high school graduates with STEM experience.  High tech firms need creative people to develop globally competitive products and services. School leaders have great interest in "creativity" in the classroom as part of an exciting school-to-work paradigm.

 

PRISM is offering two related professional development activities dealing with the background and foundations of creativity, and how K-12 students get to be part of an exciting and creative school-to-work paradigm.

 

Register HERE for both dates at no cost.

 May 21, 2021 "Creativity: A Lifelong Universal Skill " 4:00 - 5:30pm. 

 An interactive online webinar. A zoom link will be provided after registration.

Facilitator: Harry Roman, retired from PSE&G with a long career in engineering, teaching, and invention.

 

 

June 4, 2021 "Creative Aids to the Classroom" 10:00am - 3:00pm.

An in-person hands-on workshop held at Montclair State University in the PRISM workshop center at 1515 Broad St., Bloomfield. PD hours will be provided.

Registration limited to 15 with social distancing and masks required.

Facilitator:  Dr. Vince Walencik, retired from MSU and a key player in technology education as part of an integrated STEM philosophy (iSTEM).

We are excited to announce upcoming professional learning opportunities this summer at QUEST 2021 Virtual Summer Institute for K-12 STEM teachers. 

QUEST is designed to enhance teachers' knowledge of science and mathematics aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Science and Math. Each session is co-taught by Princeton University researchers, content experts, and lead teachers. QUEST builds on K-12 teachers' knowledge of science and math content and practices through virtual experiments, field experiences, and data analysis. These learning experiences aim to increase teachers’ enthusiasm, knowledge, and confidence in teaching science and math.  

This summer's QUEST includes: Climate and the Ocean, From Farm to Fork: Analysis of Food Systems, and Elementary Math: From Anxiety to Mastery. Click the titles for additional details.

 Submit your registration here: https://teacherprep.princeton.edu/quest2021 Please contact Dr. Jessica Monaghan or Dr. Anne Catena with any questions.

PRISM at Montclair State University is giving away FREE "Grow and Learn" plant growth kits at their office in NJ.  Each boxed kit has 80 peat pots packaged as "pods" containing seeds in paper planting strips, labeled tags for all 20 different kinds of vegetable and herb seeds, with pellets of growing medium, and are ideal for children.  Take one kit for a class or several for a school or community garden, as long as the supply lasts.

YouTube videos provide step-by-step instructions:  Grow and learn with seed pods!

Also, use the GROW & LEARN app in the App Store.  The seed pods are each coded for scanning and use in the app, which has extensive instructions and activities for kids.

Pick up at PRISM offices in Bloomfield on April 27, 28, 29, May 5, and May 6 between 2:00 and 4:30 pm. 

Call or email first to let us know you are coming!  Multiple sets of kits can be taken for many classes, but please reserve and come soon.