Cyber Innovation Center Resource Showcase – Feb 11

The Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education and the Department of Technology, Management, & Budget, will be offering a one-day professional development session for K-12 educators and administrators. This
session will showcase robust Cyber & STEM curricula developed by the CIC’s team of university faculty, master teachers and subject matter experts.

The event will be held in Lansing on February 11, 2016.  Click here for details and a one-page flyer.

The Department of Homeland Security has identified The Cyber Innovation Center as the national model for cyber education, thus allowing the free access to curricula threads including: Cyber Literacy, Cyber Science, Physics, Advanced Math, Computer Science
and much more! The curricula is being taught by thousands of teachers across the country.

Teachers are the key to systemic and sustainable change in education. During this informational session, teachers will gain hands-on experience with curricula, projects, and technology that provide new, innovative ways to engage their students in entirely new ways! This transformation will provide greater opportunities for learning as well as introduce students to potential Cyber & STEM career fields.

#coding, #professional-development, #stem

Would You Like a UAV or 3-D Printer for your School? Fantastic MDE Grant – SMALL AVAILABILITY WINDOW

The new Michigan Science Standards have just been adopted. If you are looking for an engaging way to meet the new engineering component of the standards the Kent ISD can help you to leverage a free 3D Printer and a free drone (UAV) in your classrooms! We are an approved PD provider for MDE’s 99s(5) district-level grant. The grant will also cover substitute costs for educators in attendance.   Here’s what you need to do:

Enroll in one or both of of the Professional Development offerings on the attached flyer

• Apply for the grant per the instructions here: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-5236-343832–,00.html
• Follow directions closely: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Section_99b_instructions_for_website_478192_7.pdf
• Choose our PD on line 25 by scrolling to the bottom of the list and selecting either “STEM Thinking: Autonomous Vehicles,” or, “STEM Thinking: 3D Printing”
• Email your MDE confirmation of GRANT SUBMISSION to careerreadiness@kentisd.org so we know to order your equipment!
  See you at the PD!!!
• Please note – This is a district level grant that is submitted your authorized MEGS+ official at your school.

**Small window per MDE grant guidelines November 12- December 15**

Click the image below for the flyer with live links.

#3d-printing, #stem, #uav

Bring a Maker Faire to your School!

Here’s a great idea for your school – launch a Maker Faire!

Maker Faire is a celebration of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. It’s a place to show what we’ve made and to share what we’ve learned with others—a great match for any educational community.

Schools host Maker Faires because they are a perfect combination of part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new. School Maker Faire exhibitors, or “makers,” are primarily students—either as individuals, clubs, classes or groups. And Maker Faire exhibits can be from any discipline — from science to art to gardening to engineering to craft.

For more information and how to get going on this next-level STEM event going at your school, please visit the Maker Faire School website.

#faire, #maker, #stem

Join an Hour of Code with the Kent ISD!

Did you know?

• There will be one million more computing jobs than students over the next 10 years. (That’s more than $500 billion in salaries!)

• More than 50% of all projected math and science occupations are in computing.

• Computing jobs are among the highest-paid positions for new graduates. Yet fewer than 3% of college students graduate with a degree in computer science.

• Less than 20% of AP Computer Science students are women. Less than 10% are black or Latino. Seriously? That’s crazy.

---

Computers are EVERYWHERE, but fewer schools teach computer science than 10 years ago. The good news is that we’re working to change this. If you’ve heard about the Hour of Code challenge, you might know that it made history last year. For one week in 2013, 15 million students tried computer science!

This year, let’s take that number even higher!

West Michigan Tech Talent is asking you to join in for Hour of Code 2014 during Computer Science Education Week, December 8-14, 2014.

---

It’s not only a great opportunity for your students, but each school that participates is entered for the chance to win $10,000 worth of technology.

C’mon! We are partnering with grades 3-8 and will provide supplies, training, marketing materials, prizes for all students…even co-facilitators from the tech industry to give your teachers a hand.

To register, please contact Lindsey at LindseyTilley@kentisd.org by November 14. To learn more about Hour of Code, simply visit hourofcode.com.

Thanks for being part of the movement!

#code, #programming, #stem