May 2023

BGSU Faculty Member Kristina LaVenia worked with partner school district Washington Local Schools Teaching Professions students in their classrooms. The juniors and seniors at Whitmer High school became equipped them with more knowledge and positive attitudes about diversity and inclusion, and also became more aware of the critical need for BIPOC educators, encouraging and motivating them to continue with their education career.

Printed with permission from Kristian Brown, WTVG-ABC

A local Ottawa Hills High School senior is making his mark in the school’s history.

Max Chandar-Kouba is the second student to qualify for the world’s largest science fair.

The Ottawa Hills senior is headed to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas, Texas, next month to showcase his project: The Search for the First Stars.

“I’m running this large-scale, simulation of matter under early universe conditions, and basically looking near these bodies of quasars, which is basically a black hole, feeding on stuff and shooting out this big ray of radiation, and I’m looking near those quasars in the simulations to see do these large pockets of starts form and can we look at them with these next generation of telescopes, the James Webb,” said Max.

Max says the science behind time travel through light piqued his interest at an early age.

“It certainly helps that my mom is an astrophysics professor and also Professor Jdhmet Smith is my stepfather. So they definitely really help me with my project and like they’ve taught me stuff, especially when I was younger whether I liked it or not that kind of thing,” he said.

Jeremy Nixon, Ottawa Hills High School Science Teacher, explains the goal of his scientific research class is to introduce students to research projects.

“To get kids in research situations and elaborate labs situations where they can shine and do these awesome things anywhere from biology to what Max did with astronomy stuff to space stuff. It’s pretty cool to see the kids do this amazing research and then to make it to this level is really awesome,” Jeremy said.

Max says this opportunity will open doors for him in the future. In the fall, he’s headed to Carnegie Melon to study physics.

Each year, the Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) hosts a design challenge where students from all over Ohio collaborate to create workable solutions to the key issues facing the state of Ohio. Any K-12 school in Ohio may participate. The #STEMbuildsOhio Design & Entrepreneurship Challenge for students this year was, " How can we secure our data, our environment, our way of life? Identify a focus and develop a plan, product or system that provides or improves security for someone or something." Educators know that learning is at its best when students can find a personal connection to their work. This year’s design challenge was created to help students connect to the world around them.

Regional awardees include:

Van Buren Elementary School OSLN Northwest Hub Regional Winner

Glandorf Elementary OSLN Northwest Hub Regional Winner

The Ohio STEM Learning Network also invited students from across the state to create a design for a water bottle sticker that represented this year’s #STEMsecuresOhio OSLN Statewide Design Challenge. One of this year’s top designs is from a student in Chris Brown’s class at Glandorf Elementary in Glandorf, Ohio.  

This year’s competition brought over 75 entries from students across the state. 

Sticker designs were judged in three different grade categories: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Entries were judged on how well they encompassed or represented the theme of this year’s #STEMsecuresOhio Challenge. Students were given a set of constraints on basic design, size and colors used in the sticker, but were allowed poetic license in their interpretation of the theme.

The winners of this year’s challenge received a plaque of their sticker commemorating their first-place finish and stickers to distribute to their family and friends. In addition, the winning stickers will be produced for distribution at this year’s Ohio STEM Innovation Summit on May 12, 2023.

For more information and to see the other winning stickers, please see: https://osln.org/how-we-help/classroom-opportunities/statewide-design-challenge/sticker-design-contest/

OSLN Offerings:

OSLN Ohio Rural Educator Program 
Science teachers can connect their lessons to real-world agriculture needs, helping students connect to agriculture careers. The Ohio Rural Educator Program (OREP) fosters those connections. The Ohio STEM Learning Network and Education Projects & Partnerships are recruiting for the third and final cohort of the program.

During the 2023-2024 school year, 15 middle school science teachers will receive the training, resources and support necessary to transition a current classroom lesson into a hands-on, problem-based learning lesson with a focus on agriculture.

https://tinyurl.com/42khnty7

OSLN Computer Science and Code.org Professional Development
The Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) offers professional development to all Ohio teachers looking to bring the critical ideas of computer science and computational thinking to their students. Each program targets a different age group:

• OSLN Computer Science K-5 Program (Grades K-5)
• Code.org Computer Science Discoveries (Grades 6-10)
• Code.org Computer Science Principles (Grades 9-12)
• Code.org Computer Science A (Grades 9-12)

https://tinyurl.com/4whafahm

OSLN Fostering STEM Institute Cohort 2
Now recruiting for a second year, the Fostering STEM Institute helps instructional specialists and teacher leaders foster STEM culture and instructional practices in their schools. The institute is designed around essential tenets of effective instructional coaching, transformational professional learning, and quality STEM education. The Fostering STEM Institute includes both workshops and a residency opportunity. Applications close June 2, 2023

https://tinyurl.com/4aez6n88

BGSU Math Camps

Math Camps is entering its 4th year of offering *completely free* virtual enrichment camps during June and July for students in grades 3-8 in mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies. Keep your child's mind active this summer by accessing this video: https://youtu.be/gYSsPlTj94Q

2023-2024 ENGAGE (Earth, NASA, GLOBE And Guided Explorations) GLOBE Mission Earth Educator Cohort

Audience: Middle school and high school educators in the U.S.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 31
Contact: rosalba.n.giarratano@nasa.gov

Take part in a year-long virtual professional development program to explore ways to help your students improve their observation and science writing skills using the GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment). Participants will be introduced to pacing guides and lesson plans centered on outdoor environmental observations. The sequence will culminate in student writing that will be considered for publication on the GLOBE website.

NSTA Online Workshop for Teachers

Online Teacher Workshop: Wildfire, Drought, and the Future of Forests

In this free workshop, University of Colorado Boulder curriculum developers will lead teachers through The Future of Forests, a middle school/high school curriculum connected to Next Generation Science Standards life science standards that explores patterns of post-fire recovery (or lack thereof) across the west and inspires classrooms to engage in citizen science using NASA’s GLOBE Observer land cover app. Participants will engage with online interactives from the National Forest Service, authentic datasets, and app-based labs in this online workshop, taking place on June 7–8. Participants will have the option to receive a certificate for 10 PD hours (free) or purchase 1 graduate credit ($90) from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Oak Openings Green River Initiative

Each May, partners of the Green Ribbon Initiative (GRI) assemble a wide array of programs to encourage people to get out into the amazing beauty in the Oak Openings Region. This globally unique area is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Programming is in the works and will include opportunities for students/groups to explore the beauty of the Oak Openings Region. To learn more, visit the website: https://www.oakopenings.org/

Texas Instruments Michigan Professional Development Summit

June 20, 2023 | 8:15 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University | Pierce Hall | Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Join Texas Instruments for a hands-on, content-rich exploration of new insights and proven ways for leveraging TI technology and activities to drive student achievement in math, science and STEM. Topics include: Coding, Test Prep Strategies, Teaching Strategies, STEM, and more.

Program information is available at: education.ti.com/t3regionalsummits