The STATellite (August 2014)

Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

About Us We are STAT, the Science Teachers Association of Texas.

STAT is committed to the enhancement of the teaching of science in Texas at all levels and in all science disciplines.

For STAT Position Statements, go to: http://www.statweb.org/positions STAT is: o A statewide organization of elementary, middle level, and high school

teachers, college educators, supervisors of science, and others dedicated to

maintaining the highest levels of science and education in our schools. o A chapter of the National Science Teachers Association o Visit the NSTA site STAT seeks to: o Serve as a unified voice for the science teachers of the state. o Keep science teachers and other members informed about current trends in

science education. o Provide opportunities for members to examine techonology, curriculum,

materials, and services. o Inform members of local, state and national meetings, conferences, seminars

and workshops related to sciences. o Cooperate with other science oriented organizations and teacher associations in the promotion of teaching of science.

History: STAT, Science Teachers Association of Texas, was formally organized in 1957 during the 4th Annual Conference for the Advancement of Science & Mathematics Teaching (CASMT). STAT membership is now more than 7,000 strong!

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Table of Contents Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

Calendar...................................................................... 5 President’s Message................................................. 7 CAST 2014 Registration........................................... 9 Shoot for the Stars..................................................... 14 Capture Your Colleagues......................................... 20 Affiliate News .......................................................... 27 STAT Contacts .......................................................... 30 Elected Officers Appointed Positions Affiliate Congress Texas State Board of Education

STAT Contacts

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Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

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Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

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Capture Your Colleagues with a Literacy + Science Approach for K-5

by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong

Calendar

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Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

are also comprehensive anthologies such as The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination, The National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry, and The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science, with 218 poems about solar power and hybrid cars, gears and robots, hurricanes and the human body, video games and glaciers, and famous scientists and everyday inventions. (A TEKS Guide for The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science is also available providing information about which poems address which TEKS in Science, in Technology, and in English Language Arts and Reading for every grade level, K-5.) Using these science poScience + Poetry = A Fun Way to Learn (and etry resources, it’s possible to find a short “poem match” for almost any elementary science topic Teach)

For some kids—and K-5 teachers, too— to provide a moment of learning that is also a science is a little intimidating because of the fun break in the routine. unfamiliar vocabulary, abstract concepts, and the text-heavy format of many science books. Science in a poem is easier to understand How can you, a recognized science expert at Of course a poem alone is not intended your school, make science more accessible and to be the entire science lesson, but it offers an “friendly”? Try a science poem every Friday. innovative, engaging, and vocabulary-full and concept-rich way to launch or conclude a sciScience poems span a wide range of topics ence lesson (Vardell and Wong, 2014). Royce,

Many people who feel uncomfortable with science feel very comfortable with lan- Morgan, and Ansberry (2012) confirm “studies guage arts. If you approach them with a science have shown gains in literacy as well as science book on physics, you might have a hard time achievement in programs that blend science and engaging them. But, if you approach your col- literacy instruction” (p. 6). Poems can help inleagues and students with a short science poem, troduce unfamiliar science vocabulary in easyyou’ll have their attention immediately. There to-understand “natural” language. Even experiare many poetry collections devoted to science- ments or investigations can benefit from being related subjects, such as animals, weather, sea- introduced first in a poem. Here are a few examsons, and space. In addition to short, visually- ples of poems from The Poetry Friday Antholappealing poetry collections such as Water Sings ogy for Science that contain a science concept Blue: Ocean Poems, Ubiquitous: Celebrating described in a story-like fashion (see the actual Nature’s Survivors, and A Strange Place to Call poems on the next page): Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats and the Animals That Call Them Home. There

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his past summer, the K-5 Summer Reading theme at many Texas libraries was “Fizz, Boom, Read!”—with science-themed book clubs and programs such as “Robots Unplugged!” (Austin), a singing zoologist (San Antonio), Chemistry Road Show (Round Rock), The Science of Music, with bagpipes (Hurst), LEGOs Lab (Waco), and more. Kids are more eager than ever to learn about science—and you’re ready to share your favorite science labs and lessons— but what about your colleagues? Is everyone at your school on board with science?

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Capture Your Colleagues... (cont.)

Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

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Crazy Data Day

by Janet Wong We rolled a car down the ramp four times and timed it with my stopwatch.

Six seconds.

Six seconds.

Six. And six.

And then the car started playing tricks!

The next time was NINE! I cleaned the wheels.

George checked the track.

We rolled again.

Did the six come back?

What?

THREE! No way!

What a Crazy Data Day!

STAT Contacts

Dog in a Storm

by Stephanie Calmenson Yo! It’s me—Buster the Brave.

Wait. I feel a storm coming.

The air is hot. It’s humid.

Winds are blowing.

Clouds are rolling in.

The air is suddenly getting cooler.

KABOOM! Thunder! Lightning! Rain, rain, rain!

I’m scared. I dive under the bed.

The weather reporter says, “Thunderstorms may come when cold air pushes warm air up—” KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM! Then the sky gets lighter.

The world gets quieter.

The rain stops.

I come out from under the bed.

Yo! It’s me again—Buster the Brave.

Go Fly a Kite

by Laura Purdie Salas Above the kite, the pressure’s low.

The air’s a streaming, breezy flow.

Below the kite, the pressure’s higher.

Up! Up! Up! This one’s a fly-er!

Lift versus drag.

Lift wins!

That’s why . . . your kite breaks free and climbs the sky!

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Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

Shoot for the Stars

Capture Your Colleagues

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

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Affiliate News Calendar

President’s Message

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Affiliate News

ISEA

-NEW Online Graduate Courses, Science and the Public Interface, beginning THIS FALL—

Tuition Assistance Available

This Fall, Stephen F. Austin University (SFA) is piloting a year-long series of courses, Science and the Public Interface, centered on the topic of effective communication of controversial science (such as water allocation, urban wildlife, evolution, climate change, nanotechnology, stem cell therapy, etc). The courses are developed by state, federal, museum, non-profit and university partners.

The 5-course sequence is designed to help you facilitate audience connections to science, place, each other and community, and provide opportunity to master 21st century science communication/ interpretation skills including citizen science, framing, crucial conversations, facilitated dialogue, and community engagement.

SFA states that the courses will:

•strengthen your ability to engage audiences about the process of science and what makes science controversial

•explore emerging communication techniques that lead to such outcomes as self-discovery, mutual understanding, respect, care, community capacity building, and stewardship

•outline a communication framework within which collaboration can emerge, helping audiences move from awareness to action.

Courses can be taken online through Stephen F. Austin State University at the 1-credit workshop or 3-credit graduate course level. Tuition assistance is available.

STAT Contacts

Apply/Register Now to join in the first semester of courses, beginning August 26, 2014 (Tuesday) and ending on or before December 12, 2014 (Friday).

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STAT Contacts Calendar

President’s Message

CAST 2014

STAT Office Mailing Address: 5750 Balcones Dr., Ste 201 Austin, TX 78731 Phone: (512) 491-6685 Fax: (512) 873-7423 www.statweb.org stat@statweb.org

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Appointed Positions

Elected Officers President: Melana Silva (361)-242-7592 president@statweb.org

Past President: Donald Burken (713)-251-2499 pastpresident@statweb.org

President-Elect: Matthew Wells (713) 723-0273 presidentelect@statweb.org

Treasurer: Jo Anne Jackson (817) 305-6741 treasurer@statweb.org

Vice President: George Hademenos (469)-593-3097 vicepresident@statweb.org

Secretary: Kara Swindell (806) 766-1744 secretary@statweb.org

Members At Large: Becky Lindsey Laura Lee McLeod Terry White

becky@statweb.org laura@statweb.org terry@statweb.org

Executive Director:

CAST Meeting Planner

(512) 491-6685 stat@statweb.org

(512) 491-6685 registration@statweb.org

Chuck Hempstead Affiliate News

Assistant Executive Director: STAT Contacts

Lauren Swetland (512) 491-6685 lauren@statweb.org

CAST Exhibits Manager Frank Butcher

(281) 424-1230 frank.butcher@comcast.net

Ame Petry

TEA Representative: Irene Pickhardt Curriculum Division

(512) 463-9581 irene.pickhardt@tea.state.tx.us

STATellite Submissions: (512) 491-6685 publications@statweb.org

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Affiliate Congress Calendar

ACT2

President’s Message

CAST 2014

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Affiliate News

TABT

Texas Association of Biology Teachers Karla Dean

ISEA

Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas

Informal Science Education Association

Jamie Flint

Jerrell Geisler

jamie.flint@springbranchisd.com

jerrelgeisler@sbcglobal.net

TAEE

TCES

Texas Association for Environmental Education Lisa Brown

Texas Council of Elementary Science Michael Sweet

kdean@bhisd.net

lob002@shsu.edu

mikeasweet@mac.com

TESTA

TMEA

TSAAPT

Texas Earth Science Teachers Association

Texas Marine Educators Association

Kathryn Barclay

Kris Shipman

kathryn.barclay@fortbend.k12.tx.us

kris.shipman@tpwd.texas.gov

Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers Karen Jo Matsler kjmatsler@gmail.com

STAT Contacts

TSELA

Texas Science Education Leadership Association Kenn Heydrick

kkwwhh@sbcglobal.net

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Calendar

President’s Message

Texas State Board of Education SBOE District 1 - Martha M. Dominquez P.O Box 960543 El Paso, Texas 79996 (915) 373-3563

SBOE District 2 - Ruben Cortez, Jr.

CAST 2014

735 Habana St. Brownsville, TX 78526 (956) 639-9171

SBOE District 3- Marisa B. Perez

Shoot for the Stars

P.O. Box 276406 San Antonio, TX 78227 (210) 317-4651

SBOE District 4 - Lawrence A. Allen, Jr. 2130 Vermillion Oak St. Fresno, Texas 77545 (713) 203-1355

Capture Your Colleagues

SBOE District 5- Ken Mercer P.O. Box 781301 San Antonio, TX 78278-1301 (512) 463-9007

SBOE District 6 - Donna Bahorich

Affiliate News

P.O. Box 79842 Houston, TX 79842 (832) 303-9091

SBOE District 7 - David Bradley 2165 North Street Beaumont, TX 77701 (409) 835-3808

STAT Contacts

Barbara Cargill, Chair Thomas Ratliff, Vice Chair Mavis B. Knight, Secretary

SBOE District 10 - Tom Maynard

P.O. Box 2885 Georgetown, Texas 78627 (512) 763-2801 (512) 532-9517 fax

SBOE District 11 - Patricia Hardy 900 North Elm Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 598-2968 (817) 598-2833 fax

SBOE District 12 - Geraldine Miller

1100 Providence Tower West 5001 Spring Valley Road Dallas, Texas 75244 (972) 419-4000 (214) 522-8560 fax

SBOE District 13 - Mavis B. Knight 6108 Red Bird Court Dallas, TX 75232 (214) 333-9575 (214) 339-9242 fax

SBOE District 14 - Sue Melton 101 Brewster Waco, TX 76706 (254) 749-0415

SBOE District 15 - Marty Rowley

P.O. Box 2129 Amarillo, TX 79105 (806) 373-6278 (806) 220-2812 fax

SBOE District 8 - Barbara Cargill 61 W. Wedgemere Circle The Woodlands, TX 77381 (512) 463-9007

SBOE District 9 - Thomas Ratliff P.O. Box 232 Mount Pleasant, TX 75456 (903) 717-1190

Need to find your state legislators?

Search by zip code at:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us

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Calendar

President’s Message

Want to be published?

Email us your letters and articles!

STATellite Due Dates

CAST 2014

Due dates for publication of articles in The STATellite are: Submission Deadline

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August 1 December 1 February 1 May 1

Publication Date August 15 December 15 February 15 May 15

Text files or Microsoft Word documents are preferable, but InDesign files are also acceptable.

A minimum of one picture to accompany each article is required.

Affiliate News

STAT Contacts

E-mail your submissions to: The STATellite publications@statweb.org The views of the columnists in The STATellite do not necessarily represent the views of STAT or its Board members.

Changing your e-mail address?

Login to your statweb.org user account and update your information.

If you’ve forgotten your password, visit the main page and select “Request New Password” under the User Login section.

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