tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36708091098655436362024-10-06T22:53:40.854-07:00STEAMing Ahead with SusanProviding curriculum and consulting services for Hopeful Futures!Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-68099751255860717332016-02-15T06:21:00.000-08:002016-02-23T10:59:12.923-08:00Read Across America: Engineering FocusWill you be celebrating Read Across America in your classroom? Every year, thousands of classrooms (across the WORLD) celebrate reading on or around March 2nd.
ReadAcrossAmerica.org
In my fifteen years as an educator, I have seen a multitude of ways to celebrate Dr. Seuss and his contribution to reading.
Schools hold assemblies.
Some show Dr. Seuss videos. &Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-8892331128249910032015-10-29T05:59:00.000-07:002015-10-29T06:09:12.948-07:00STEM Family Challenge: November
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is a term used by teachers to encompass lessons and projects which include these subjects. STEM does not just happen at school. In fact, STEM can be very effective, engaging, and fun at home.
STEM Family Challenge: November
November is Native American Heritage Month. Click here for the Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-58442240556467089742015-10-23T06:20:00.000-07:002015-10-23T06:20:00.072-07:00Architecture of Accomplished TeachingThe Architecture of Accomplished Teaching. National Board candidates and teachers know this double helix well. They are accustomed to using the upward spiral to impact student learning. I would like to posit that National Board candidates use the highly reflective practice when reflecting on their own journey to certification.
http://boardcertifiedteachers.org/
When Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-58965174185385888622015-10-01T18:46:00.000-07:002015-10-01T18:46:39.517-07:00National Farm to School Month
October is usually filled with thoughts of pumpkins, candy, and leaves changing colors. But, did you know that October is also Farm to School Month? Farm to School Month is "a time to celebrate the connections that are happening all over the country between schools and local food" (www.farmtoschool.org). It doesn't get more local than a school garden.
Why a School Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-26466361550920789942015-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:002015-10-01T05:00:14.206-07:00STEM Family Challenge: October
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is a term used by teachers to encompass lessons and projects which include these subjects. STEM units usually start with a problem. The teacher guides the students through discovery and experimenting to find solutions. STEM does not just happen at school. In fact, STEM can be very effectiveSusan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-81631114618710155412015-09-30T13:07:00.000-07:002015-09-30T13:11:49.686-07:00After-School STEM Club ResourcesAhh, Labor Day is behind us and a new school year awaits us. Time for teachers to label desks, folders, bins, and notebooks. Time for students to gear up for success. And, time for after-school clubs to commence.
The After-school Alliance recently released data on after-school STEM Clubs.
afterschoolalliance.org
Their report, titled "Full STEM Ahead", makes the following Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-238827927475705032015-09-21T18:46:00.000-07:002015-09-23T06:02:41.303-07:00Autumn: The Most Wonderful Time of the YearIt's the most wonderful time of the year,
With the kids robot building
And everyone telling you "Fall Break is near"
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
It's the cool-coolest season of all,
With the leaves a-changing and lunar eclipsing
When elk start to call,
It's the cool-coolest season of all.
There'll be pumpkins for carving,
And butterflies larving,
And harvesting corn by the row.
Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-52980952993623062592015-09-07T10:27:00.002-07:002015-09-07T10:39:25.783-07:00Meet Up at the SciTech Festival Kickoff Event
http://www.cox7.com/stem-journals/
When you think of STEM, do you imagine Silicone Valley? San Francisco and New York City even? But, Arizona?
Yes, Arizona. Arizona has been on the forefront of promoting STEM for students, families, educators, and communities.
In fact, my last Meet Up was in Arizona for the STEM Club Conference.
The popular TV show "STEM Journals" is filmed primarily in Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-87303367927259740872015-09-01T08:07:00.000-07:002015-09-02T06:01:50.921-07:00America's Greatest Classrooms: Free Annual PassAmericans have been responsible for some amazing inventions. Electricity, the telegraph, the iPhone (just sayin'). Americans have also been credited with the invention of the national park system. A system which serves to protect natural wonders, culturally significant sites, and historic locations. National Park Service was created by an act signed by President Wilson on August 25, 1916.
Now, Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-20429915999314636002015-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:002015-09-01T05:29:31.049-07:00STEM Family Challenge: September
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is a term used by teachers to encompass lessons and projects which include these subjects. STEM units usually start with a problem. The teacher guides the students through discovery and experimenting to find solutions. STEM does not just happen at school. In fact, STEM can be very effectiveSusan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-4676986651115397172015-07-12T07:04:00.001-07:002015-07-13T06:42:34.722-07:00STEM Immersion Guide and ResourcesI recently had the distinctive pleasure of working with an amazing group of educators who are in the process of transforming their school into a STEM Academy. You might be wondering: What is a "STEM Academy"? How can I integrate more STEM into my school?
The answers can be found on the STEM Immersion Guide.
Science Foundation Arizona, the Arizona STEM Network, and Maricopa County EducationSusan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-70709700270911572042015-06-29T19:29:00.001-07:002015-09-17T11:13:29.312-07:00Get Skills. Be Awesome.Ahh, the age-old question. What do you want to be when you grow up? Today's kids are finding that question harder and harder to answer. Actually, studies show "65 percent of today’s grade-school kids may end up doing work that hasn’t been invented yet" (Cathy Davidson). If our kids will be doing work that isn't invented yet, what can we do to prepare them today?
Enter DIY.org.
You Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-31800062003849469882015-06-16T05:32:00.003-07:002015-06-16T05:45:07.941-07:00Fun Websites for You and Your StudentsAre you overwhelmed by the amount of websites/programs/software available? I used to be. I learned a long time ago that I could never keep up on ALL the websites and resources available. I would have to prioritize. And set goals.
Every year, I set a personal goal for Ed Tech. One year it was to improve my students' writing by using Ed Tech. I used In2Books, a wiki, and Weebly (Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-62226237181277083142015-06-07T09:58:00.000-07:002015-06-07T09:58:15.074-07:00Meet Up in PhoenixSummer is rife with educational conferences. It only makes sense. Teachers don't have to worry about sub plans. Districts either have to use up title monies or they have a new batch of title monies to spend. In all my years in education, I have never had "the summer off". Instead, my calendar is full of trainings, conferences, and expos. This summer will be no Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-47662811955638795592015-05-30T13:30:00.000-07:002015-06-03T06:26:54.499-07:00Tutorials 101: Creating Student Tutorials
I love the 21st Century Classroom. The teacher is no longer the "sage on the stage", yet the "guide on the side". And that's true of the 21st Century Conference. Conferences now have interactive keynotes (awesome presentation, Nick!), smackdowns during lunch, and collaborative sessions. Don't even get me started on the concept of un-conferences! That will blow your mind!
This past weekend, I Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-27022603686136627702015-05-28T15:47:00.004-07:002015-05-29T05:57:50.273-07:00More Than a Ride: Why Educators Should See "Tomorrowland"Today's post is a special guest post by famed Erik M. Francis, M. Ed, M.S.
Don't dismiss Tomorrowland as another marketing ploy by Disney to buy merchandise or visit their parks by making a movie about one of its rides.
Tomorrowland is not SPACE MOUNTAIN: THE MOVIE. It's also not THE HAUNTED MANSION or PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. There is no Jack Sparrow, and Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-26876992015512800462015-05-22T05:00:00.000-07:002015-05-25T06:02:27.082-07:00STEM Summer Reading: Transforming Schools
Summer is a time to catch up on reading, whether you are lounging poolside in an exotic location or lying on your couch. But, what to read? With a limited amount of time and limited amount of funds, which books are other STEM professionals reading right now?
Recently, I spoke with some STEM experts about what they are reading for summer. Below is a list of what we are reading about Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-14852313155765883872015-05-21T05:59:00.003-07:002015-05-21T08:08:08.158-07:00STEM Summer Reading: Engineering
Ask any teacher what they are reading this summer, and they are bound to give you a list. Don't get me wrong. Teachers read during the school year too. They read Island of the Blue Dolphins for the tenth time or The Very Hungry Caterpillar for the hundredth time. They still pause for predictions for what will happen to the caterpillar. They Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-13149378363047472882015-05-20T08:22:00.000-07:002015-05-20T08:22:17.007-07:00Free Field Trips
Does your school have loads of money to send your students on fascinating field trips monthly? No? Mine neither. If it weren't for free field trips, we wouldn't have ever been out of the classroom.
Although I like to incorporate field trips throughout the year, the end of the year is the perfect time to step up my free field trips. The students know the state testing Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-1558811538347798022015-05-19T08:42:00.000-07:002015-05-19T08:42:38.008-07:00STEM Summer Reading Series
The end of the school year approaches like an airplane, preparing for landing. You ask yourself, "Did I teach them enough?" "Did I expose them to other cultures?" "Did I inspire them?" Your journey is ending; it's been mapped out for you. 180 days. 7 hours per day. But you know the truth. The truth is, the journey of a lifelong learner is not over. Summer is merely a layover, until your Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-55158924253833009632015-05-17T06:15:00.000-07:002016-05-27T08:34:09.298-07:00STEAMing Ahead to Stop the Summer Slide: Engineering Part 2Summer slide is the phenomenon where students lose concepts learned the prior year. Experts have estimated that teachers spend over one month reteaching those concepts when school does resume. Summer slide has also been targeted as a major cause of achievement gap in students. (click on the infographic to the right)
Believe it or not, school will be out in a few short weeksSusan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-57650989429153136192015-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:002015-05-17T06:16:17.785-07:00STEAMing Ahead to Stop the Summer Slide: 2015 Edition
Source: http://blog.memetales.com/
Summer slide is the phenomenon where students lose concepts learned the prior year. Experts have estimated that teachers spend over one month reteaching those concepts when school does resume. Summer slide has also been targeted as a major cause of achievement gap in students. (click on the infographic to the right)
Believe it or Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-21269331956713834692015-03-29T06:48:00.002-07:002015-03-29T14:27:11.093-07:00Arbor Day, STEM (STEAM) Style
It has been over 135 years since J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day, and his simple idea of setting aside a special day for tree planting is now more important than ever. The Arbor Day Foundation asks for your help in replanting our national forests, so they'll be there, for us, for future generations, and for those with whom we share our planet. (ArborDay.org)
"Great. Sign me up," Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-30370490078875666272015-03-26T13:31:00.002-07:002015-03-29T07:38:22.512-07:00Summer Camps (for Students AND Teachers)What are you doing this summer? More importantly, what are your kids doing this summer? Why not send them to camp?
Tonto Creek Camp is where we take our 4th graders every year to prepare them for the Arizona Science Assessment (AIMS). Read about our classes here. This summer, Tonto Creek Camp is hosting two unique camp experiences.
TontoCreekCamp.com
SEED Camp For Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3670809109865543636.post-35992824231232056532015-03-26T10:51:00.002-07:002015-03-29T07:20:49.449-07:00National Poetry Month, STEM StyleYou might think that poetry and STEM are polar opposites. But, you can integrate both of them.
Read Poems about Science, Engineering, and Math
Draw inspiration from some accomplished science and nature poets using resources from your library.
http://books.simonandschuster.com/Spectacular-Science/Lee-Bennett-Hopkins/9780689851209
http://start-engineering.com/Susan Rodriguezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14589345286907140125noreply@blogger.com0