The Minnesota Department of Education will host a series of Town Hall events presenting and soliciting  public comment on the first draft of the revised academic standards in science.  In addition to public events in communities around the state MDE staff will also hold an online event November 20th.  The list of events includes Moorhead, Rochester, Duluth, and other communities.  All events are 5:30 – 7:00 pm and will be led by MDE staff. The Town Halls will include general discussion of the draft and may provide an opportunity for individual entries into the online feedback survey. Bring a laptop or tablet, if available, to use the survey.  MDE will be using an online form to collect comments so participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet to the events.

• Moorhead: Nov. 12, Horizon Middle School West, Media Center
• Rochester: Nov. 12, Southeast Service Cooperative, Cedar Room
• Roseville:Nov. 13, Minnesota Dept. of Education, Conference Center B
• Mankato: Nov. 14, Intergovernmental Center, Mankato Room
• Duluth:Nov. 20, UMD, Alworth Hall, Planetarium, An optional demonstration of the
  planetarium will follow the meeting.
• Online: Nov. 20, 8 – 9 am.

The standards committee for a fifth time on October 3^rd.  This meeting included a change in venue, meeting at the new Bell Museum.

The meeting opened with a review of the significant work that the committee has already done.  This includes an overview of the standards development process, reviewing current Minnesota standards against other states standards, developing a draft of the required career and college statement, reviewing the NGSS standards, and examining the public feedback on the current standards.

The committee then had an extensive discussion on how best to organize standards within the requirements of Minnesota state law.  After much discussion the committee chose to prioritize student practice expectations emphasizing what students would know and be able to do.  Having already decided to use anchor standards across all of K-12, then worked across grade levels to suggest what performance expectations should be placed broadly at what grade level.

Discussion among some committee members included the challenges that many schools face in finding appropriately licensed teachers to teach science classes.  The graduation requirement that students take three years of science between 9^th and 12^th grades was also raised as a factor in both standards writing and student opportunities.

MDE staff reminded committee members of several items to keep in mind as the committee works.  First, by law the standards must include the contributions of Minnesota’s Native American tribes and communities.  Consultation with Native American leaders will be an important aspect of the process as standards are developed.  As the committee works the standards they develop must be understandable to the public and must be able to be assessed.  Additionally according to Minnesota law standards must be grade level specific.

The committee voted heavily to empower the writing group to begin writing standards from the Next Generation Science Standards practices for this first draft.  MDE will be hosting a number of public feedback sessions across the state after the initial draft of new standards is released November 9.  It is understood that “the first draft is never the last draft”.

The committee meets next on Thursday, November 1 at MDE, Conference Center B, room 17-18.  The first draft of standards is due to be released November 9.

STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair returns August 23

STEM Day (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) returns for the opening day of the Minnesota State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 23, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., in Dan Patch Park just outside the grandstand.

State Fair visitors will find over 30 exhibitors with hands-on activities and interactive demonstrations designed for children of all ages, including a new Girls Zone, a First Robotics Competition Zone, and a performance stage.

Exhibitors and stage performances have been chosen to represent a broad range of science and technology to show visitors how everyday objects, systems and buildings are driven by science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Visitors will be able to sit in the cockpit of an F4 jet and learn what it’s like to drive a MNDOT snowplow in their training simulator.

STEM Day at the State Fair is an initiative of SciMathMN, a nonprofit statewide organization that advocates for effective, engaging, and rigorous STEM education opportunities for all Minnesota students to prepare them for citizenship, career, and college. Organized by volunteers, STEM Day at the State Fair is supported by Boston Scientific, Smiths Medical, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Seagate, MTS Systems Corporation, and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT).

“Kids love to explore their world. That tinkering, exploring, and questioning is an interest in STEM,” said Jim Davnie, executive director of SciMathMN. “Minnesota companies already have more jobs requiring STEM skills than they can fill, and the gap is growing. STEM fields offer a variety of rewarding career paths and STEM Day at the State Fair is designed to showcase this diversity.”

2018 STEM Day at the State Fair Participants
3M Visiting Wizards America’s Fun Science
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Minnesota American Public Works Association – Minnesota Chapter The Bakken Museum
Bell Museum Boston Scientific
Challenger Learning Center of Minnesota Code Savvy
Emerson
First Robotics Competition Zone Girls Inc. at YWCA Minneapolis High Tech Kids
iBrics – Experiential Learning for the 21st Century Market Science
Midwest Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) Minnesota IT Services (MNIT)

Minnesota MATHCOUNTS
Minnesota State High School Mathematics League Minnesota Zoo
MTS Systems Corporation
NASA’s MN Space Grant Consortium Northern Star Scouting – STEM Northrop Grumman Corporation Osseo Area Schools Kidstop
Play Quiz Bowl
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Minnesota SciGirls / Twin Cities PBS
Science from Scientists Science Museum of Minnesota SciMathMN
Seagate Smiths Medical
Society of Women Engineers – Minnesota Chapter
The United States Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Fort Snelling Cadet Squadron The Works Museum
“WOW Wind Power” / Blattner Energy / YIMA Aviation STEM Academy

Performance Stage
9:15 AM University of Minnesota Raptor Center 10:15 AM University of Minnesota Physics Force
11:15 AM Minnesota Department of Education – Presidential Award Finalists Recognition 11:25 AM Science Museum of Minnesota
12:15 PM University of Minnesota Raptor Center 1:15 PM The Bakken Museum
2:15 PM Science Museum of Minnesota 3:15 PM Concordia Science Academy 4:15 PM The Bakken Museum

Sponsors
Platinum sponsors: Boston Scientific, and Smiths Medical Silver sponsor: Seagate Technology, Northrop Grumman Corporation T-shirt sponsor: MTS Systems Corporation
Tote bag sponsor: Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT)

For more information
Visit STEM Day at the State Fair on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/STEM-Day-at-the- Minnesota-State-Fair/213598361997441

Join us for a special networking event Tuesday, August 14, 7:30-11:30 a.m. at the Rochester Arts Center and a chance to visit the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Genome Project exhibit.  The Human Genome exhibit is a perfect focal point for discussions on STEM education, workforce development, and how science is leading to new jobs and new cures.  Come mingle with others in STEM industries and education, share ideas, and consider what the future could be for Southeast Minnesota and beyond. Our partners in STEM Forward are co-hosting the event. A light breakfast and refreshments will be provided. Thank you to the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine for sponsoring the event.  Let us know you’re coming!

 

 

Do you have a family-friendly STEM-related demonstration or performance that you would want to present on the biggest stage of the summer, STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair?  We are now accepting applications for the Dan Patch Park stage on Thursday, August 23, 2018.  STEM Day attracts thousands of fair-goers on the State Fairs opening day.  It’s a great opportunity to wow the crowd with your performance, excite them in STEM concepts, and sneak in some education in an entertaining way.  Apply by May 1 here.

The 9th annual SciMathMN STEM Day at the State Fair, Minnesota’s annual celebration of all things STEM will again open the Great Minnesota Get Together, Thursday,  August 23, 2018.  Last year over 13,000 fair goers visited Dan Patch park to enjoy a broad variety of hands-on activities in robotics, aeronautics and aerospace, programming, modern manufacturing, health care, and other STEM fields.  The event attracts a wide variety of fair goers with a growing number of families coming the first day of the fair specifically to attend STEM Day.  Groups wishing to apply to be an exhibitor can apply here.  In considering your organizations application please consider the following selection criteria.

First Priority will be given to organizations which meet the following criteria (listed in order of importance):
1. Organization’s mission and purpose pertain to and are based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
2. Organizations that are willing to collaborate and share exhibit space (if needed).
3. Organizations that provide a hands-on, STEM-based activity focused on children and youth.
4. Organizations from outside the Twin Cities metro area.
5. Organizations new to the STEM Day event.
6. Demonstrated goals to target audience.
7. Appropriateness of planned activity.
8. Organization’s ability to underwrite their activity.

Other factors that influence the committee’s decision:
1. Non-profits must be registered in the state of Minnesota.
2. For-profit companies and organizations are restricted from conducting commercial operations by State Fair policy.
3. Sponsorship of STEM Day.
4. Organizations have a mechanism for community engagement in STEM or a record of volunteer service to the community in STEM activities.
5. Date of submission of the application

Exhibitors are asked to have demonstrations and interactive events centering around one or more of these topics:
– Activities for children/parents outside of school (or perhaps school field trips)
– Promoting STEM activities in school – providing programs or support in advancing STEM
– Career, College and beyond – education and employment opportunities in STEM fields.

The deadline for application submissions is Tuesday, May 1, 2018.  Exhibitors selected will be notified in early June.

University of Washington Professor Deb Morrison will keynote Capturing Imaginations Building Skills, the second biennial joint conference of Ignite Afterschool and ScimathMN. Morrison will focus on closing equity gaps in STEM education.  Improving equity within STEM teaching and learning is a central goal of recent policy conversations and reform. Both K-12 and informal STEM educators in Minnesota and nationally have long worked towards closing the STEM learning experience opportunity gaps that exist between students with varied lived experiences. In this presentation, Dr. Morrison will define the inequities found in our current terrain and explore research on practical solutions both informal and formal educators can use to disrupt cycles of inequity. A central focus of her work at the Institute of Science and Math Education is the way in which STEM instruction integrates students’ interests and supports expansions of identity development. Dr. Morrison will address generalized approaches used across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as highlight some specific to science learning.  You can learn more about Morrison’s work here.

Registration for the November 29-30, 2017 conference is still open.  Register at this link.