Brainstorms! Montana STEM Educator Network

December 2023

Welcome to Brainstorms!, the monthly e-newsletter of the MSU Science Math Resource Center. We share cool opportunities for Montana STEM educators of all grade levels, subjects and settings, including upcoming professional development workshops through MSU and our partners; grant applications and STEM resources; STEM events and contests for students; and more.

Please forward to a colleague and encourage them to subscribe – including your school administrators and school counselors, too! For questions or ideas, contact the MSU Science Math Resource Center.

Host a geospatial skills camp for rural youth in your community

Five rural communities will be chosen with full funding and training; apply by Dec. 22

The MSU Science Math Resource Center has been funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to create Exploring Our Place: Geospatial Skills Camps for Rural Montana Youth. SMRC is accepting applications from organizations that wish to host a camp in a rural Montana community in June 2024. The camp is designed for rising 9th and 10th graders who have been under-served in STEM. All camp supplies and curricula are provided; the host organization also receives educator training and stipend, and funds for room rental, transportation, lunches and snacks, and STEM supplies for students.

Applications are due Dec. 22, 2023

Learn more and apply at http://www.montana.edu/smrc/geo-skills.html or for more information, contact Suzi Taylor at taylor@montana.edu

Applications open for summer STEM experience for elementary teachers

Montana State University will host a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for elementary teachers in Summer 2024. The experience includes a stipend plus housing and travel expenses.

In the energy-themed program, teachers gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art engineering research labs and will visit multiple energy facilities such as hydroelectric dams and oil refineries. The field trips include visits to nearby American Indian cultural sites and discussions about Indigenous perspectives in engineering, with a focus on integrating STEM with Montana's Indian Education For All curriculum. The application deadline is Feb. 4, 2024. Visit www.montana.edu/ret for more information and a link to the application. No STEM degree or prior experience is required, and all elementary teachers are encouraged to apply.

It's not too late to start a Science Olympiad team! You could win a prize if you sign up by Dec. 22

Science Olympiad is one of Montana's premier STEM competitions with opportunities to win medals in topic events and an overall team trophy. But participating in the annual Science Olympiad tournament is much more than the tournament itself -- we also offer STEM Night at the Museum of the Rockies; Talks & Tours of MSU's labs, studios and classrooms; and the chance to hang out at MSU and enjoy the college vibe for a day. All teams that are registered by Dec. 22 could win a Science Olympiad Starter Pack of your choice. Learn more on our website

The 2024 tournament is Friday, April 19 at MSU

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AMC8 math competition for middle schoolers is Jan. 18 at MSU. Registration is free!

The AMC 8 competition for middle schoolers is Jan. 18, 2024 at MSU, and registration is open through Jan. 10. AMC 8 covers topics up through 8th grade.

The American Mathematics Competitions are a series of examinations and curriculum materials that build problem-solving skills and mathematical knowledge. Students who are inspired to learn advanced math beyond the classroom, test their proficiency on a national level, and meet fellow students interested in mathematics are encouraged to participate. National registration fees are covered by the center, and SMRC staff proctors the exam.

Read more on our AMC page, where you can also sign up to be notified of other math-related opportunities from the Science Math Resource Center.

STEM Summit 2023 report launches Dec. 12

Whether or not you attended the 2023 Montana STEM Summit (April 13, 2023 in Helena) we invite you to join us for a launch celebration and an overview of the key findings presented in the 2023 Montana STEM Summit Report. We'll review national and Montana-specific STEM data, and share the challenges, barriers, ideas and opportunities put forward by Summit attendees to advance STEM learning for youth in Montana. We will also discuss next steps for building more communication and collaboration across Montana as we go forward.

The presentation will be recorded, but please register to ensure you receive the link.

Brought to you by the Montana Afterschool Alliance and MSU Science Math Resource Center with members of the planning committee from ExplorationWorks!, Helena SACC, MAPS Media Institute, Montana Afterschool Alliance, and UM spectrUM Discovery Area.

SAVE THE DATE! STEM Summer Institute is Aug. 5-7, 2024 at MSU

Save the date for Montana's premier professional development conference on STEM education. This conference has tracks and sessions for all levels of educators K-12 plus outstanding keynote speakers, exhibitors and fun networking events.

Calls for speakers will go out early in 2024.

"A breakthrough that could transform civilization"

Quantum computing featured on 60 Minutes

Montana State University is a pioneer in quantum technologies, and we predict many more breakthroughs on the horizon. This new piece on 60 Minutes does a nice job of explaining what IS quantum computing and why should we care. If you would like to stay in the loop on quantum in Montana and how K-12 and higher education can be on the forefront, please email smrc@montana.edu with "Quantum" in the subject line, and we will add you to our interest list.

Join us in welcoming a new team member!

Julia Wente serves as Program Coordinator I for the Science Math Resource Center. She supports various projects, including the Geospatial Skills Camps for Rural Montana Youth and the NSF EPSCoR SMART FIRES project, among others. Julia also coordinates MSU’s Citizen Science Network.

Julia earned her bachelor’s in biology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and is currently pursuing her M.S. in Science Education at MSU. Her current research interests are focused on using citizen science data to analyze trends in humpback whale abundance within the Main Hawaiian Islands.

Partner programs and opportunities

BRITE Application Closes Dec. 15 - Informal STEM for girls 13-16

The National Girls Collaborative Project is recruiting girl-serving informal STEM education programs to participate in Year 2 of BRITE Girls Online STEM Practices: Building Relevance and Identity to Transform Experiences. The Brite Program provides an online suite of activities centered on collaborative learning and engagement with diverse women role models for self-identifying girls ages 13-16. BRITE is a Research in Service to Practice National Science Foundation Grant led by Florida State University, in partnership with NGCP and Smart Girls HQ. The project examines the STEM identity development of girls via the implementation of an online learning community. The application closes December 15, 2023,

K-12 mini-grants for Earth and Space Science. Deadline Dec. 15.

MTSGC is hosting a K-12 Mini-Grant for STEM engagement activities to enhance teaching and learning this year. The maximum amount requested or granted is $1,200. There will be 12 awards given out statewide. The due date for applications is December 15, 2023, at 11:59pm.

Learn more and apply here.

Teachers: Win a trip to Houston with Montana Space Grant. Deadline Jan. 8

Montana Space Grant Consortium is sponsoring one 5-12 teacher to attend the 2024 Texas Space Grant Consortium’s LiftOff Summer Institute, June 24 – 28, in Houston, Texas. We will pay for the airfare and registration, which includes lodging, meals and tours. The deadline for MSGC is January 8, 2024 by 5pm. Since we are working with the Directors for LiftOff, they will send the applications to us, not through the LiftOff website. Visit Montana Space Grant for information.

Become a CDC Science Ambassador Fellow. Deadline Jan. 15.

Middle and High School STEM Teachers: Apply to become a CDC Science Ambassador Fellow! You'll spend a week at CDC HQ this summer engaging in interactive sessions on foundational epidemiology, emerging public health topics, and career pathways for your students. Apply by January 15.

Citizen Science: Monitor sharks from anywhere in the world

Project SIARC (Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities) is working with scientists, fishermen and communities to protect sharks and other elasmobranches (like skates and rays) in Wales.You can take part from anywhere in the world by flagging elasmobranches in videos taken by underwater cameras. You never know what you may see under the waves! Go shark watching!

Invite the Space Public Outreach Team to visit your classroom

The Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) provides free presentations about current NASA missions and research for Montana K-12 schools. This year's presentation is the 2023 & 2024 Solar Eclipses. If you are interested in having a SPOT Ambassador come to your classroom to talk about NASA, please contact us at spot.montana@gmail.com to request a presentation. In the subject line please put the event name or name of school and the location. In the body of your email please include the following information:

Your name
Your email address and phone number
Your school/organization
What grade(s) the presentation will be for with the number of students/participants
When you would like a presentation, please give as many options as possible

For more information, visit the SPOT Team

Free math posters for classrooms

The American Mathematical Society offers free posters to promote prominent mathematicians and concepts. Priority will be given to math teachers and students and to AMS members. Featured posters will change every six months. Apply by January 15.

$300 Montana Public Lands Field Trip Travel Grants Available

for Primarily Fourth Grade Classrooms

Glacier National Park has been selected as a National Park Foundation Open Outdoors for Kids (OOK) Grant recipient. Glacier National Park, Montana State Parks Foundation and the Montana Environmental Education Association are partnering together to provide transportation funding to Montana classrooms (with an emphasis on fourth grade) to visit federal and state public lands.

To apply for a grant, complete a 2023 Montana Students to Public Lands Travel Grant Application . Grants will continue to be awarded until funding is no longer available.

Field trips must take place by June 30, 2024. Applicants must indicate that they are going to a public land site that is supported by the Open OutDoors for Kids Grant Program (which includes state parks in Montana). Educators receiving grant awards must agree to complete a post-visit report after their field trip that includes a field trip photo.

Preference will be given to applicants that:

Describe in their applications how they will implement a “three aspect” project that includes a pre-visit lesson, the field day, and post visit elements. (Ex. Plan to include interpretative and/or educational programs at public lands sites.)
Hold Title 1 school classification in 2022 and/or 2023 (if the applicant is school-based)
Have a majority of fourth graders in their classroom/group.
Represent a wide geographic range across the state.

If you have questions please contact glac_education@nps.gov.

Send your name to Jupiter

EuropaClipper – Message in a Bottle. Sign the message… get on board! upYour name will fly on the Europa Clipper spacecraft as it travels 1.8 billion miles on its voyage to Jupiter's moon Europa. The Europa Clipper website also has a participation map so you can see where other names are coming from and a commemorative poem written U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limon (also available in audio).

Montanans needed as NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassadors

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross from Mexico through Maine. In an exciting new NASA partnership, undergraduate students and eclipse enthusiasts will partner to engage their local communities in advance of the eclipse to enjoy the awe and wonder of this unique alignment. Eclipse Ambassadors will bring outreach programs to underserved audiences in local libraries, colleges, schools, and other community organizations. Training, partnerships, and resources are provided and all engagement can be done before the eclipse - there's no commitment when the shadows arrive. Undergraduates will also receive a stipend, plus opportunities to further their involvement in NASA programs. This is open to anyone in Montana, even though we are not in the path of totality.

Apply today! www.eclipseambassadors.org

Find someone near you on the Eclipse Ambassador Map

Do you know a Montana STEM teacher interested in cool opportunities? Please share this newsletter so they can follow along for next year. Or, they can subscribe at bit.ly/smrc-news

Host a geospatial skills camp for rural youth in your community﻿