From NATIONAL GIRLS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT: Beginning in pre-kindergarten, research has shown that subtle features of common language used by teachers (and other adults, like parents and caregivers) can interfere with – or facilitate – the development of children’s own engagement with science. If you are an educator or caregiver working with young children, consider making a few shifts in the language you use when teaching STEM. Here are 3 simple suggestions from Amanda Cardarelli, a researcher at Education Development Center (EDC) who previously spent five years working at New York University (NYU) in a cognitive developmental research lab.
Young learners in Louisiana’s Ascension Public Schools make great strides in literacy thanks in part to Elise Frederic. A first grade teacher at Lakeside Primary School in Prairieville, Frederic is a resident expert in helping to meld phonics with comprehension. Her students use mirrors to visualize new phonetic skills and write words in sand or gel as they transfer new learned sounds to writing. Literacy is visible in Frederic’s room, which includes a “sound wall” that links new sounds and mouth movements, and floor tiles covered with pictures representing reading criteria. Frederic helps each child set daily goals and pairs students strategically to address their specific needs. Her laser focus on literacy delivers in spades—in 2021-22, more than 90% of her students reached mastery on district benchmark assessments in ELA, and 70% achieved mastery in math. Colleagues have adopted many of Frederic’s literacy strategies, seeing significant growth across Lakeside’s early grades as a result.
Frederic constantly researches innovative instructional strategies, introducing concepts like The Writing Revolution to Ascension’s master teachers for field testing. She has served as a TAP mentor teacher, leads her grade-level professional learning community, contributed to district math and ELA committees and attended the Ascension Leadership Academy. Frederic is a teacher leader advisor for the Louisiana Department of Education, helming its K-2 instructional materials review team, and welcomes student teachers into her classroom. She is a resource for literacy instructional strategies in her building and district, but also beyond: Frederic created a Facebook group for Louisiana educators to discuss the science of reading, connecting hundreds of teachers who share resources and professional development opportunities.
When the pandemic closed school buildings in March 2020, Frederic created an informative video series for parents to share strategies for building fine motor skills, conducting read-alouds and helping children with phonological awareness and phonics. As classrooms reopened, Frederic focused on student well-being, holding morning meetings where students made commitments for the day and checked in on their emotions. Students had personal “calming corners” under each desk where they could regroup, and visual schedules and classroom jobs helped the young learners feel valued and part of Frederic’s classroom family. When illness or quarantine kept students home, Frederic went to great lengths to keep them connected to their peers and class routines, making each return to school an event to be celebrated.
Frederic earned a bachelor’s in elementary education (2007) and a master’s in educational leadership (2016) from Southeastern Louisiana University, as well as a master’s in education with reading specialist certification in 2010 from Louisiana State University.
First grade teacher Elise Frederic talks with the Milken Family Foundation after her surprise Milken Educator Award notification at Lakeside Primary in Louisiana's Ascension Public Schools.
Please help us in identifying young women in our region who qualify for the prestigious Emmy Noether Awards, a STEM merit-based award opportunity for qualifying female high school seniors in Louisiana and Mississippi. This award is presented annually to (3) female seniors aspiring to pursue post-graduate degrees in STEM-related fields. After completing undergraduate studies, the Gold Medalist will receive up to $75,000, and the two Silver Medalists will be awarded $25,000 each for qualified graduate-level programs (to be divided over a 3-year span). In addition to the 3 merit winners, up to 10 applicants will be invited as Emmy Noether Scholars to join a network of young female aspiring research scientists and receive information on internship and networking opportunities. An awards banquet will be held in New Orleans on April 23, 2023, at 12:30pm to honor the awardees and scholars.
You Be The Chemist™ Registration Deadline Extended to January 31, 2023!
CEF’s You Be The Chemist Challenge® is a collaborative, multilevel student science competition that celebrates the science of chemistry and elevates STEM careers. 5th-8th grade students are eligible to compete in teams of three (3) or four (4).
Register now: https://youbethechemist.submittable.com/submit/234489/2022-2023-challenge-registration
Baton Rouge Regional Challenge
March 11, 2023 at 9am
More information contact Victor Garcia-Lopez at vglopez@lsu.edu
Stephon Alexander will visit Baton Rouge to talk to middle and high school teachers and students about physics, music and more. Science teachers are encouraged to bring their students to the lecture on LSU’s campus on Tuesday, February 7, 2022.
The Louisiana Art & Science Museum (LASM) will host Super Science Sunday: Let’s Get Chemical as a part of the American Chemical Society 2022 Southwest Regional Meeting (SWRM 2022) on Sunday, November 6, from 2 PM – 4:30 PM. For this Super Science Sunday, visitors will explore chemistry through fun demonstrations with local scientific groups and can attend a discussion on a stratagem to prepare future scientists. Admission for the day will be free of charge for LASM’s Free First Sunday and includes all shows in the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium.
U.S. Department of Education YOU Belong in STEM initiative
Join KidWind for this dynamic, in-person wind energy workshop in Baton Rouge on Friday, December 9, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This engaging workshop will introduce you to teacher-approved, hands-on 4th–12 lessons and help you grow your content knowledge of the science and technology of wind energy.
You will explore wind turbine blade design, power measurement and the construction of creative wind devices. You will receive a $100 starter kit for your classroom. This workshop will prepare you for joining a regional KidWind Challenge in Louisiana with your students in February 2023.
Teachers do not need any prior knowledge. Preservice teachers are welcome. Snacks and lunch are provided. Register today!
Can’t make it to the Baton Rouge workshop? KidWind will also offer another workshop on Wednesday, January 4, 2023.
Margaret A. Davidson Coastal Career Development Program Workshop in New Orleans, LA on December 4, 2022
Tuesday, October 25 at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Barred Owls are the most abundant owls in Baton Rouge and among the most common raptors in Louisiana. They inhabit large, mature trees, often within Baton Rouge neighborhoods and BREC parks. But little is known about how they use the urban environment. Join LSU for a hybrid live and online LSU Science Café with faculty researcher Dr. Sabrina Taylor—the Weaver Brothers Distinguished Professor in the School of Renewable Natural Resources at LSU—for a fascinating presentation on these charismatic creatures.
Free Code.org Teacher Professional Development opportunity at Louisiana State University on Saturday, October 29, 2022.
Louisiana Sea Grant event at Louisiana State University
Employers, governments, educators and individuals must consider access—and agency—related barriers across a woman’s entire career life cycle. Social or cultural norms may constrain a woman’s choice of what she can study, and unpaid home responsibilities oftentimes will limit women's ability for entering or succeeding in a cybersecurity career. A framework supporting women in cybersecurity careers is essential for women breaking into the industry. Access, such as greater awareness or increased cybersecurity education, is not the primary reason why women are not pursuing cybersecurity careers. The true difficulty lies in agency: controlling resources and making decisions about their use. (Source: World Economic Forum)
Free science virtual field trip for grades 6–12, available beginning September 15, 2022.
Upcoming Louisiana Art & Science Museum exhibition featuring star plates from 1964–1985 that will be on display through late August of 2024.
The Capital Area STEM Center and the LSU Gordon A. Cain Center for STEM Literacy announced their selection as a Code.org regional partner which will drive new awareness and expansion of computer science education across the state.
The Louisiana Art & Science Museum (LASM) will celebrate the release of the NASA Webb Space Telescope's first full-color image. Admission is free.
Letter of support for PK-12 computer science from CEOs.
Hands-on activities offered at the annual LASM Dino Day, June 25th.
EBRPSS' Workforce Development Support Site
EBR Parish Library takes on a STEM Summer Reading Program - Oceans of Possibilities
Girls-only Engineering Challenge
LaSTEM Summit
Math and Coding Competition
LaSTEM Summit - February 8th at the Raising Cane Conference Center
Coding workshop
Virtual Career Fair for Women
Virtual Coding Camp sponsored by Future's Fund.
Calling all Louisiana high school girls interested in STEM careers!
STEM in afterschool
Mid-City Comic Con Event
Hands-on STEM/literacy project at EBRP Library in August
Planning and delivering STEM integrated projects in elementary and middle school grades.
Online robotics competition
Kenilworth Science and Technology will partner with 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge to offer a STEM and Robotics Summer Academy at our campus. Students are enjoying computer programming, robotics, science experiments, and much more!
Louisiana State Energy Office is offering standards-based PD and materials focusing on energy. One day workshops will include supplies to fully participate in workshop and state-aligned curriculum on saving energy, types of energy such as solar and renewable and nonrenewable energy topics.
I am so excited about a new partnership between ExxonMobil, Volunteers In Public Schools(VIPS), and Baton Rouge Youth Coalition(BRYC) have teamed up to bridge the gap between summer vacation and the start of the new school year by initiating its Math & Me project...
Great workshop for educators on programming drones.
Register: https://ncatech.org/events
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is kicking off a summer of STEM with their June 1st STEM Day. 10 am - 2 pm.
This event will expose girls to STEM through literature; provide role models for African American girls; STEM education; college ideation; mentoring; integrate the content and skills of STEM to students around metropolitan Baton Rouge. Students will not only hear about STEM through stories that present characters that they can relate to (race and gender), but also provide an opportunity for K-3rd students to witness role models performing experiments via Zoom.
Learn all about Million Women Mentors, an initiative working to get more girls and women in STEM through mentoring, and how you can contribute to the movement in Louisiana. Join us as we begin our efforts in the state.
February 2, 2021 – 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET – Inspiring STEM Interest. Research shows STEM interest can blossom in a variety of settings, sparked in a variety of ways.
On Thursday, Jan. 28, education leaders of Baton Rouge will gather to share updates and key data points to the community on the Capital Area Promise, a joint initiative to create more college and career pathways for students in Greater Baton Rouge.
A Unique Opportunity to Influence What’s Next for STEM - TIES, founder and lead of the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice is holding two Town Hall discussions for members of its 94 STEM Ecosystems and others to capture thoughts about the nation’s STEM needs.Parents, students, teachers, government officials, leaders from business and industry and non-profits are being encouraged to join. Jan 5 and 7
Regional Teachers!!! Did you know that the LASM is now offering live, presenter-led Virtual Voyage field trips for K-12 students? Join the fun and book your Voyage by emailing reservations@lasm.org today. Programs, which are designed in accordance with Louisiana Student Standards, include interactive tours, engaging demonstrations, and hands-on activities facilitated by museum educators.
Hack the Classroom: STEM Edition is a free virtual event series designed for K-12 educators, parents, and guardians. The sessions will feature resources and tutorials to help educators support students in learning future-ready skills.
Inventors Hall of Fame
Cooking with Curiosity! The @InventorsHOF has put together a beautiful collection of fall recipes so that families can come together and explore STEM concepts in the kitchen. Download your cookbook today: https://lnkd.in/ekk9b_w
The 2020 LaSTEM Summit Starts Today!
Data literacy is a critical 21st century skill that students need for the jobs of tomorrow.
It is time for the 2020 LaSTEM Annual Summit! This year's virtual event will feature great breakout sessions. Use the links below to register and to personalize your schedule.
