CeMaST CeMaST Newsletter Newsletter - Illinois State Newsletter Newsletter FEBRUARY 2012 O n July...
Transcript of CeMaST CeMaST Newsletter Newsletter - Illinois State Newsletter Newsletter FEBRUARY 2012 O n July...
progress, from construction through to the finish,
on Facebook or Twitter.
To find out more information about the upcoming
race, check for announcements on the official
site of the American Solar Challenge.
CeMaST Newsletter CeMaST Newsletter
FEBRUARY 2012
O n July 18th-19th, the American Solar
Challenge will return to Illinois State
University. The American Solar Challenge is a
competition to design, build, and drive solar-
powered cars in a cross-country race, covering a
1,200-1,500 mile course. The race is hosted by
the Innovators Educational Foundation, an organ-
ization devoted to educational opportunities
where students are challenged with “hands-on”
learning experiences in the areas of science,
engineering, and technology. The 2012 race will
run from Rochester, NY to St. Paul, MN with an
overnight stage stop here in Normal.
The American Solar Challenge came through
Illinois State for the first time in the summer of
2010. The 2010 race ran from Tulsa to Chicago,
with a final pit stop at Illinois State before the
finish in Naperville. The Normal Pit Stop was
sponsored by the Center for Mathematics,
Science, and Technology (CeMaST) at Illinois
State, along with the Town of Normal and the
Children’s Discovery Museum. This stage stop
included activities for the race teams, as well as
the public, as the cars arrived. The next
morning, the solar car teams were seen off by
those in attendance at the Sustainability Fair in
uptown Normal.
Last year’s Formula Sun Grand Prix was held at
the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The
Formula Sun Grand Prix is a track event that is
held on grand prix or road style closed courses,
testing the limits of solar cars in handling curves,
braking and acceleration.
Illinois State's Team Mercury is, quite literally,
counting down the seconds to the American Solar
Challenge. They compete annually in the race
with other teams from across the country, as well
as international teams. You can follow their
American Solar Challenge Returns to Illinois State
Upcoming Events:
February 28 — MIST Battery Recycle Drive
March 01 — Family Science Day Exhibitor
registration closes
April 14 — Expanding Your Horizons Conference
April 22 — Family Science Day
April 23 — Guest Speaker Benjamin Mee (author
of We Bought a Zoo)
More information, including details about registration, can be
found at our website:
CeMaST.IllinoisState.edu
Page 2
CEMAST NEWSLETTER
With the Center for Mathematics, Science, and
Technology (CeMaST) Teacher Innovation
Grant we purchased laboratory equipment for
Honors Physics, AP Chemistry, and AP Environ-
mental Science classes. We used the funds to
purchase Vernier Labquest equipment for the
classroom. The laboratory equipment engaged
students by providing hands-on science experi-
mentation in the classroom and in the field.
Our school requires three years of science (with
laboratory component) to graduate high school.
The students must take Biology, Chemistry, and
Physics. Those students interested in science
or majoring in a science or related field in
college will take additional science courses.
We wanted to increase the capabilities of our
classroom to engage the students with
technology in chemistry, physics, and environ-
mental science with hands-on activities. The
Labquest equipment allows rapid and versatile
data collection in various types of experiments.
The grant funds would allow us to purchase
more Vernier Labquest equipment for
laboratories and field experiences for the
students then we previously had. We have
found that hands-on activities help to engage
students in science and technology.
Field testing, such as water testing
experiments, also greatly interests the students.
If the testing is on samples that directly relate to
the students (i.e. school drinking water or a
stream that runs through campus), they are
even more engaged. We were able to analyze
the water for pollutants and data will be
collected in future classes. We were also able
to conduct soil studies. Soil studies also
incorporated data collection with the Vernier
laboratory equipment. The data will be
compared with a sister high school that is
approximately ten miles south of our school.
We will investigate trends in the data. We will
continue these studies to obtain long term data.
The data will also be shared with Illinois
Riverwatch, a collaborative river-monitoring
network of citizens, organizations, agencies,
private interests and governments working
together to ensure the health and beauty of
Illinois streams and watersheds. The Labquest
equipment is a very useful and intuitive
interface for science education. It helps
teachers bring STEM concepts to life through
hands-on learning with modules for educational
hardware. Vernier Labquest can be used as a
computer interface, a stand-alone device or in
the field. It has built-in graphing and analysis
software, a vivid color touch screen, and is
compatible with existing Vernier sensors.
Some of the most engaging labs we have
incorporated into the classroom are water
testing labs. Some of these labs include testing
different samples of drinking water. We can
test temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and
turbidity. We have also tested water in a
stream near our school in AP Environmental
Science. In the fall and spring semesters we
are able to test the water quality of the stream
multiple times and collect data versus time of
the year. We will collect data over multiple
years to monitor any changes in water quality.
We would like to thank The Center for
Mathematics, Science, and Technology
(CeMaST) at Illinois State University for funding
our grant proposal. We have increased our
ability to include engaging activities for our stu-
dents. We have been able to increase our use
of technology into our science classrooms.
Through the use of Vernier Labquests and the
Vernier probes, our students have become
more familiar with scientific instrumentation.
2011 Teacher Innovation Grant: Vernier Labquest
Probes for Science Laboratories and Field
Experience Activities by Dr. John Thurmond, Plainfield North High School
Page 3
FEBRUARY 2012
Ways to Get Involved
On Thursday February 9th, Governor Pat Quinn
joined business and education leaders to launch
the Illinois Pathways Initiative, an innovative
public-private partnership between Illinois’
public education institutions and the business
community to foster Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning. Funded
through the state’s secured Race to the Top
funds, Illinois Pathways will help prepare
students for college and careers in new and
growing fields. As part of Governor Quinn’s
agenda to reform and improve education in
Illinois, this initiative will provide for strong
collaboration in Illinois’ business and education
communities to prepare students for the jobs of
today and tomorrow. “We have a mission in
Illinois to ensure that at least 60 percent of adults
have either a college degree or a career
certificate by 2025,” Governor Quinn said.
“Through this initiative, our state agencies will
partner with the education community and our
business leaders to better support students and
prepare them to graduate and get a good job in
the 21st century economy.”
CeMaST, along with Research and Sponsored
Programs, has been closely following the
Illinois Pathways development. Illinois Pathways
is a STEM initiative that will help students pursue
their academic and career interests through
STEM Learning Exchanges. The Learning
Exchanges work to increase student enrollment
in STEM programs by forming public-private
Illinois Pathways Initiative
statewide networks in specific career areas.
Networks will include PreK-12 and higher
education institutions working together with
employers, industry associations, labor
organizations, and other education partners.
During his State of the State address last week,
Governor Quinn laid out a proposal to achieve
the goal of ensuring at least 60 percent of adults
in Illinois have a college degree, an associate’s
degree, or a career certificate by 2025. “Across
Illinois, we can find individual examples of
school-to-work success. We need to build a
statewide system of school-to-work success,”
said Lt. Governor Simon, the Governor's point
person on education reform. “STEM Learning
Exchanges can get us there by instilling a love of
science and technology in middle school and
keeping lessons relevant and connected to the
job market as students become working age.”
One way in which CeMaST has been involved
has been through the development of a
sophomore level high school course in Research
and Development. Dr. William Hunter and Dr.
Darci Harland have been meeting with others
state leaders to develop this course for
implementation over the next few years. They
will also be working with business and
professional organizations across the state to
identify ways in which ISU faculty and staff can
contribute to the Learning Exchanges.
Volunteer your time by participating in one of the following
programs or events:
Become a faculty mentor to LS-AMP students in
the STEM disciplines ([email protected] or 8-3714)
Get involved with the MIST student organization
Volunteer to help out at Family Science Day ,
High School Research Symposium, American
Solar Challenge Normal Pit Stop, or other events
Join us as an exhibitor for Family Science Day on Sunday,
April 22nd, 2012:
Follow the link below and register online to be
an exhibitor at the second annual Family Science
Day . Exhibitor registration will close on
March 1st .
http://www.familyscienceday.com
Contact Us: [email protected]
Center for Mathematics, Science, and
Technology
210 W. Mulberry St.
Campus Box 5960
Normal, IL 61790-5960
Phone: 309-438-3089
Fax: 309-438-3592
E-mail: [email protected]
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
For m ore new s a nd i n form at i on ,
V i s i t our w ebs i t e :
C eMa ST . I l l i no i s S t a t e . e du
Christa Platt is the new Coordinator of Targeted
Retention for University College. Her role is to
support the needs of Illinois State University’s
targeted student populations. Included in her
role is overseeing the Illinois Louis Stokes
Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-AMP)
program. This National Science Foundation
funded program exists to increase the number of
underrepresented graduates and under-
graduate students pursuing careers in the fields
of mathematics, science, engineering,
technology, and teacher education in these
fields. Currently, the program supports over 50
students through providing faculty mentors,
funding for conference attendance, and support-
ing student research opportunities. In addition,
the program’s graduate assistant, Katrina
Jackson, Educational Administration Foundations
graduate student, works closely with students in
the areas of tutoring, mentoring, and preparing
for internships and graduate school.
LS-AMP bi-weekly meetings, “Community of
Scholars,” are held on the second and fourth
Wednesday of every month from 5:00-6:00 in
Vrooman 107.
LS-AMP is actively seeking faculty mentors in the
STEM disciplines. If you are interested in serving
as a mentor, please contact Christa Platt at
[email protected] or 309.438.3714.
Christa Platt, Katrina Jackson, and ISU LSAMP students with Dr. Leroy
Jones II, Director of National Science Foundation Illinois LSAMP, at the
2012 Spring Symposium & Research Conference in STEM.
(Left to right: Christa Platt, Chidinma Umesegha, Olivia Onwodi, Dr. Leroy Jones II, Kyana Stewart, Katrina Jackson, and Gino Corrales-Delgado)