New Opportunities: September 2023
Many, many opportunities–please review carefully for due dates and pass them on!!

PROMOTING INNOVATION IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS GRANT:

Burroughs Wellcome Fund supports teaching professionals in their efforts to provide quality hands-on, inquiry-based activities for their students. The Promoting Innovation in Science and Mathematics awards enhance the excitement for STEM in the classroom by providing funds for materials, equipment, and supplies related to the implementation of high-quality curriculum and activities in the classroom.

This award provides up to $3,000 for one year to cover the cost of equipment, materials, and supplies. An additional $1,500 may be requested for professional development related to the implementation of new equipment or the use of materials in the classroom. Awards are made to teaching professionals that hold a professional educator’s license to teach in a North Carolina K-12 public school.

Due before September 29, 2023

STEM West is happy to assist any partnering district teachers with application process! (Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba/Newton-Conover, Iredell-Statesville, Yancey, and Polk–Contact Carol Moore at [email protected])

NC STEM Center has a new platform:
Register your organization and programs!

Grant Opportunities for Teachers and School Employees

Do you have field trip ideas for the upcoming school year but have little to no funding? Could your school benefit from an outdoor structure that allows students to learn and engage in activities outside?

Thanks to funding from the N.C. General Assembly, Go Outside Grants are now available through the N.C. Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission to support outdoor educational field trips and the construction of outdoor gardens, greenhouses and trails.

Apply HERE!

STEM Challenges

Our newest Purple Plow challenges have launched! Are you and your classroom up for it? This Fall 2023 cycle we have three challenges (listed below) available for classrooms from across the country to choose from.

Pollinator Challenge
Growing Green
Cattle Ranch Riddle

Click the button below to learn more about each challenge and what you could win for your classroom!

Learn More

Fellowship Applications Open

Apply on or before Dec. 1, 2023 to receive priority consideration

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State invites K-12 educators to apply for its 2024-25 industry-based fellowships.Our Why
Educators are professionals deserving of respect and investment.Who can apply?

North Carolina K-12 public and charter school educators of any grade level or discipline.
We seek community-minded educators who aspire to drive innovations in their schools and districts.

What will I do?

Partner with a mentor from a local industry or higher education institution who will provide firsthand insights into the workforce.
Spend 3 weeks immersed in your mentor organization’s culture, shadowing employees, touring their facilities, and exploring career pathways available for students.
Translate these immersion experiences into resources and programs for your school community, and in some instances, for your mentor organization.

What are the benefits?

In addition to the industry immersion experience, you will participate in 80 hours of professional development that provides encouragement and fosters an environment of growth. Our professional development consistently ranks among the best in North Carolina.
Alumni and Kenan Fellows Program staff members share resources and offer guidance and support.
Membership in a dynamic network of growth-minded educators driven by a passion for advancing education and enriching student experiences.
Earn a $5,000 stipend.

Apply Now

Engineering Resources for K-5: Matrix

Cohort Three Recruiting: We will be recruiting another batch of interested school districts over the next 8-10 weeks. These districts opt-in to receive planning and support (at no cost) for incorporating high-quality STEM into their K-5 Classrooms. I’ll be sending another blast specifically about this soon, including a flyer regarding 3 virtual info sessions available in the coming months. More info about cohort model here.
FREE Building Engineers Conference (Spring 2024): We are putting the final touches on the date/location for the conference. Stay tuned this fall for a “save the date” as well as a call for presenters. Click here to see photos from last year.

Teacher Opportunity for MS and HS teachers: Please pass on!

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Overview

With support from the National Science Foundation, the RightOn Education team is developing a math learning platform that inspires learning by embracing mistakes.

By engaging middle and high school students in thinking about and learning from mistakes and misconceptions, the RightOn! beta app strives to increase engagement, self-efficacy, and conceptual understanding. We seek to foster a positive classroom culture of error where students feel safe making and discussing mistakes together. Rather than rewarding only correct answers, RightOn! uses mistakes as opportunities to playfully revise mathematics understanding, showing students that their starting knowledge, even if incorrect, is valuable for learning. Co-Design Opportunity for Math Educators

Through grants awarded for education technology innovation, we have been expanding our co-design efforts with middle and high school math educators across the country. Gift cards will be extended to all selected co-design participants.

Gift Card Amount Time Commitment

$100 4 hours

$200 8 hours

4- Hour Commitment

● 2 hours: conduct pilot with two or more of your classes, note in Google Doc what went well and what might be improved

● 1 hour: Zoom call within 1-2 weeks of classroom pilots to discuss observations and suggestions

● 1 hour: Zoom call approximately 1-2 months after classroom pilots to discuss new feature ideas

8- Hour Commitment

● 4 hours: conduct pilot with four or more of your classes, note in Google Doc what went well and what might be improved

● 2 hours: create content for games (including explanations for correct and incorrect answers for topics you are or will be teaching) and/or social media posts ● 1 hour: Zoom call within 1-2 weeks of classroom pilots to discuss observations and suggestions

● 1 hour: Zoom call approximately 1-2 months after classroom pilots to discuss new feature ideas

Reference Links

Website: https://www.rightoneducation.com/

Beta App Overview: https://youtu.be/VUS0sEPWhOM

Feature on NBC Nightly News: https://nbcnews.to/3SUJLo8

Beta App Links (can be launched from any browser; no downloads or installs needed): Teacher-Facing Web App: https://central.rightoneducation.com/

Student-Facing Web App: https://play.rightoneducation.com/

For More Information / To Sign Up

For folks who are interested, please send us your resume and/or LinkedIn profile to [email protected] and let us know a few dates and times that’d be convenient for a quick 45-minute interview. We’ll coordinate with you from there!

Deadline approaching for Duke Energy Science Night sponsored kits!

Host a Duke Energy Science Night at your elementary school in April 2024!

The program includes a STEM kit and our support throughout the school year to create a science night for your school community during NCSciFest.

Duke Energy Foundation funds program kits to award to schools at no charge. The application deadline for these kits is midnight September 22. There are also a number of spots in our kit program for purchase. Don’t wait – these kits go fast!

Apply or Pre-Order Here

NCSSM- Morganton is excited to announce that we will be hosting several Teacher Professional Development opportunities and meetings on our campus! Please see the informational flyer for the TAG summit. Attendees for the Merge Cube and Makey Makey will receive their own device!

9/19 Currículum Coordinators Meeting @ NCSSM Morganton

10/3 T.A.G. Summit @ NCSSM Morganton

10/4 Makey-Makey Training @ NCSSM Morganton

Registration Coming Soon!

12/12 – Augmented Reality with the Merge Cube

1/26 Makey-Makey Training @ NCSSM Morganton

Do you ever wish you had enough supplies to teach that “perfect lesson” Do you want to provide a terrific learning experience, but are hindered by the lack of resources? Perhaps the NCSTA “fairy godmother” will grant your wish at the 2023 PDI. Submit your wish list for the chance to receive up to $200 worth of classroom materials. All wishes meeting the mini-grant proposal requirements will be considered. Selections will be based on: Feasibility (how likely will grant materials be used), Sustainability (will materials be used more than once), Value (how does grant request align to current science standards), and the number of students affected.

The NCSTA website has more information and the application form.

Get the Funding You Need for Your Classroom this Year with an eCYBERMISSION Mini-Grant

The eCYBERMISSION Mini-Grant program provides funding to teachers that incorporate eCYBERMISSION into their classroom. eCYBERMISSION is a free, virtual STEM competition for 6-9 graders. Students form teams of 2-4, led by an adult Team Advisor, and select a community problem to investigate with science or solve with engineering.

The eCYBERMISSION Mini-Grant application takes less than 10 minutes and requires no essays. The first payment goes to the school to purchase project supplies, while the second payment goes to the teacher(s) as a professional stipend. Plus, multiple teachers within one school can apply together to increase the amount of money received per student.

The Mini-Grant application closes November 16, so don’t wait! Learn more and apply today at www.ecybermission.com/MiniGrantProgram.

Apply

eCYBERMISSION Mini-Grant Funding Breakdown

Professional Learning Opportunities

NCDPI Mathematics Content and Pedagogy Series

NCDPI Mathematics team will be continuing the Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Content Series and kicking off the High School Mathematics Content & Pedagogy Series for the Fall 2023 semester. These virtual PD sessions are open to teachers, teacher leaders, instructional coaches, administrators, pre-service teachers, and IHE instructors. Participants will receive certificates for 2 contact hours per session. Each session meets for 90 minutes with a 30-minute asynchronous reflection time. Sessions will be focused on mathematics content and pedagogy and will highlight practitioners in the field. Please share this opportunity with teachers and leaders in your area. We look forward to seeing you there!

MCS

Elementary Math Content Series Middle School Math Content Series

Click here to register: Click here to register:

https://bit.ly/2023NCDPI-EMCS https://bit.ly/Fall2023-MSMCS

For more information, contact: For more information, contact:

Denise Schulz Tammy Lackey

[email protected] [email protected]

High School Math Content & Pedagogy Series

Click here to register:

http://bit.ly/HSMCPFall2023

For more information, contact:

Lisa Ashe, [email protected]

Joe Reaper, [email protected]

Scholars Program Returns—Apply now!

Project Scientist’s Scholars program for girls* ages 13-18 will be returning for the 2023-2024 program year. Like last year, the program will be held virtually, at NO COST to students and include an exciting array of STEM careers and topics such as: Biomedical Engineering, Financial Literacy, Astronomy, Sustainability and Climate Change, the Chemistry of Beauty, and more!

Scholars will have the opportunity to engage with women STEM professionals and make connections with like-minded girls across the country. Students will also participate in fun online and hands-on activities using specially created curriculum and STEM kits.

Join us for 20 weeks of STEM fun, apply now!

Applications close September 14, 2023.
*While we focus on girls, Project Scientist is dedicated to serving students of all gender identities and expressions.

Apply Today

Future Teachers: Apply for a NASA/NC Space Grant Education Scholarship

Future STEM teachers can apply to North Carolina Space Grant’s STEM Pre-Service Teacher Education Scholarship now until Monday, October 16, 2023.

The $3,000 scholarship supports undergraduate students at the junior or senior level enrolled in an education degree program.

“The program’s mission is to promote science education in the classroom and prepare future science teachers with NASA educational content,” Jobi Cook, NC Space Grant associate director, said.

Selected scholars will participate in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) professional development webinars and complete NASA lessons and discussion sessions, where they will share best practices and foster connections.

This new cohort of STEM pre-service teacher scholars will contribute to NC Space Grant’s growing network of early-career teachers who implement NASA educational content in classrooms and increase pre-college students’ interest in STEM across the state.

“We are very excited to welcome a new cohort of future STEM teachers,” Cook said.

Students can apply using the following portal:

Apply

For full details about the award:
STEM Pre-Service Teacher Education Scholarship RFP

Contact:
Jobi Cook, Associate Director
[email protected]
919-515-5933

Greetings – We are offering a free workshop on a six unit curriculum for early childhood ages. Below is information on how to register. Please share this with others who work with very young people.If you attend the training, you will get the curriculum guidebook and we will support the purchase of supplies for these activities. Here is the link to register for the early learning kit training: https://forms.gle/dv3gsJwsusQVPKyM9

The training will be held at SCC in Sylva on October 11th (1pm to 4pm) or October 12th (9am to 12pm) – you only need to pick ONE SESSION. There is no cost to you for the training and if you wish to attend in person and need travel reimbursement, let us know.

ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES
The six unit curriculum is an early childhood series that builds on the sense of wonder about science and space. It encourages children and their caregivers to explore ideas from measurement to the Moon, with a range of hands-on activities and experiences which create a foundation for STEAM learning through exploration and discovery. The curriculum includes a guidebook with a book list, vocabulary list, and activities that range from unstructured play to art, science, music, food, movement and a take home activity for each unit.

The STEAM Kit for Early Childhood learning was developed by the Arizona Rural Activation and Innovation Network and the Arizona Science Center through funding with one of our NASA Science Activation partners.

Let me know if you have any questions.

—
Randi Neff, Project Coordinator
Smoky Mountain STEM Collaborative
224 Balsam, SWCC
447 College Dr., Sylva, NC 28779
phone: 828.339.4357

STEM Teaching Resources from National Institute of Health

Do you love graphic organizers? So do we!

Corgi is a free, Google-based application to engage all students in rich and meaningful STEM learning. We took what’s already great about graphic organizers and infused the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to make them more flexible and accessible by bringing them online and adding built-in tools and supports.

Corgi’s key features include:

Graphic organizers that support comparison, cause and effect, reasoning, and question exploration
User-friendly Google App environment
In-app language translations, read-aloud options, a built-in dictionary, speech-to-text, and multimedia content and supports
Real-time collaboration among students and teachers and much more!

Are you ready to discover all that Corgi has to offer? Connect your Google account for free to get started: https://corgi.cast.org

Want to collaborate with us?

We have a number of ways for middle school STEM teachers to collaborate with us.

Option 1 (approximately 6 weeks; up to $1,500 stipend): Attend a 1-hour virtual training and participate in 2-4 approximately 1-hour working meetings to collaborate with the Corgi team to determine a preferred research design. During these meetings, we’ll support you to develop Corgi lessons to use with students in at least 4 of your class sections over approximately 6 weeks. You and your students provide us feedback on the use of Corgi.
Option 2 (approximately 3 weeks; up to $800 stipend): Same as Option 1 except a smaller number of classes and a shorter time frame. You’ll be supported to develop Corgi lessons to use with students in at least 2 of your class sections over approximately 3 weeks.
Option 3 (2-6 weeks; up to $650 stipend): Use Corgi independently in your classes for a minimum of 2 weeks, using Corgi’s built in resources and guidance to support you in creating Corgi lessons. You and your students provide us feedback on the use of Corgi.

If these options don’t match your site, contact us to explore other types of research partnership!

Project EXPLORE is currently open for applications from teachers throughout North Carolina! This program is open to all K-12 teachers who are interested in getting their students outside doing hands-on community science. We offer a mini-grant, materials, support from a local environmental educator, and curriculum-based programming correlated to the NC state standards. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled, so apply soon while space is open!

You can find more information about the program at https://www.ncprojectexplore.org/ and in the attached flyer. For questions, please email [email protected]

Apply Here!

2023 AFTERSCHOOL CHAMPION AWARDS

We are excited to announce the launch of the 2023 Afterschool Champion Awards!

These awards help recognize and celebrate outstanding individuals in North Carolina who have made remarkable contributions to the field of afterschool and out-of-school time (OST) programs.

These awards honor professionals at different stages of their careers, highlighting their dedication, leadership, and impact on the afterschool community.

1. Emerging Afterschool Champion Award:

This award is dedicated to individuals who have been working in the afterschool or OST field for up to 5 years.

2. Distinguished Afterschool Champion Award:

This award recognizes professionals who have between 5 and 15 years of experience in the afterschool or OST field.

3. Lifelong Afterschool Champion Award:

This award is bestowed upon individuals with over 15 years of experience in the afterschool or OST field.

Your nominations are vital in recognizing the exceptional individuals who have made a substantial difference in the lives of children and families through their work in afterschool and OST programs. We encourage you to take this opportunity to acknowledge these champions of afterschool education and share their inspiring stories with us.

Awardees will be honored at the Governor’s Mansion during the annual Lights on Afterschool Celebration on October 26th!

Nominations are open from September 15-28th

Thank you for joining us in honoring these dedicated professionals and celebrating their contributions to the afterschool community.

Get Ready to Embark on an Adrenaline-Pumping STEM Adventure

Students will dive headfirst into real-life STEM applications, while exploring the world of racing. It’s a dynamic combination of STEM education and entertainment, and it’s here to turbocharge your teaching! Our NASCAR-themed lessons are designed specifically for K-8 students, completely FREE of charge.