• This month you will notice that the newsletter has a fresh new look....new logo... new mantra:  Greatness STEMs from Iowans.  Change the message.  
• I am taking a chance and giving blogging a try. This will be my first blog post.  Change can be scary. 
• Information is shared about how you can get involved in STEM opportunities. Involvement is change.
• We hope you share information, so please forward our newsletter to someone who might benefit from a story.  Sharing might result in change.  
• We are in the process of revamping our website.  Change =  improvement. 
• We will be using new ways to share information (and that change is not easy). But, I know that ways to communicate are changing and that means I need to change. You will notice more tweets, blogs and Facebook posts from me. Please use the hashtag #iastem when posting your STEM stories.  
• We want to share what is happening in classrooms.  That is change at it's best and reason to celebrate!  
• In February we will introduce a new Facebook Campaign:  STEM Stories.  Start thinking about the STEM stories you want to share. Change can be fun.   

And lastly, a STEM approach is about change:  

• Science is finding answers to questions.  Change.  Technology is creation of new things to make something better. Change.  Engineering is solving problems.  Change.  Mathematics is the language of science.  Helps us understand change. But collectively, STEM changes our approach to teaching, learning, and working.   

For Educators and Parents: 

Computational Thinking =
"T" & "M" in STEM   

Computational thinking is a critical thinking skill that, according to some, is a required skill for success in the 21st century.  For most students, exposure to computational thinking as a problem solving tool comes late, or not at all.  Computer science develops students' computational and critical thinking skills and shows them how to create, not simply use, new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study or occupation. SCRATCH is a program that can foster computational thinking in the elementary grades.

SCRATCH

With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations - and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively - essential skills for life in the 21st century. Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is provided free of charge.

To access SCRATCH click here.

Why Scratch Club?

 Computational Thinking at   

Iowa State University  

The Computer Science Department at ISU is making efforts to change this in Iowa K-12 schools with a series of events and workshops designed to help K-12 educators, parents and students learn about computational thinking.   

Link to ISU K-12 Outreach page:  

Computational Thinking Workshops for K-12 Students, Teachers, and Parents   

2014 Workshop dates: February 1, 2014 and March 1, 2014    

Students, teachers and parents interested in learning more about computational thinking, or preparing for the CTC can attend one of our CTC workshops, held on Saturday morning from 9-12, with an optional additional workshop on Scratch programming from 1-3pm. These workshops are free, but space is limited, so please register early!

Held in the Pearson Hall Computer Labs on campus, the CTC Workshops offer students a chance to get started with computational thinking projects. Parents and teachers can also participate!   

The ISU Computational Thinking Competition seeks to introduce K-12 students to problem solving with computational thinking in the context of their current coursework in Iowa schools. Student projects are in the form of computational models that help students to understand a problem, understand all of the requirements for a solution, be able to test their solution, and demonstrate the solution. Students can sign up for a Computational Thinking Workshop so that they understand what computational thinking is and how they can apply it to a project, either for their regular schoolwork, or for the CTC. (Note that attendance at one workshop is sufficient. Students do not need to attend multiple workshops.) At the CTC, students will present their project to judges, and compete for prizes!  

Winners of the 2013 Computational Thinking Competition:   

  Featured Board Member:    

Robin Anderson 

Robin Anderson has served as President & CEO of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce since 2001.  She is a native of Sioux Falls, SD and is a graduate of the University of Iowa and holds a masters degree in Servant Leadership.

Anderson has earned both the IOM and CCE professional designations.  She is one of only 455 chamber executives who have earned the Certified Chamber Executive certification in  the United States over the past 41 years.  

A 20 year veteran of the banking industry, she is a former bank president of Bank of America in the Mason City/Clear Lake market and served as Regional Executive for the state of Iowa overseeing consumer banking operations for the bank's 21 Iowa locations.

Robin has served on the Iowa Values Fund Loan Board and the Iowa Great Places Board through appointments by former governors Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver.  She is a past chairperson for the Iowa Chamber Alliance and the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives. 

Robin and her husband, Matt, are the parents of a daughter and son.

As a representative of employers, we are very interested in ensuring Iowa students make the school-to-work connection.  Quite simply, today's jobs require STEM skills.  Unfortunately, our employers have difficulty filling many positions because the available applicants don't possess the necessary qualifications.  This skills mismatch, especially in Middle Skills positions, is a serious problem in Iowa.

The 2014 DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition is accepting entries  through January 31st. In its 28th consecutive year, the DuPont Challenge essay contest encourages students to consider how science and innovation can be used to meet the needs of the 21st century for food, energy and protection.
 
"Education is at the core of strong communities everywhere.  A strong foundation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) encourages students to think critically about how scientific discovery, innovation and invention can be used to meet the needs of our society," said Benito Cachinero-Sánchez, senior vice president of DuPont Human Resources.  "How to fulfill nutritional needs, increase available energy and protect people and the environment is what the scientists at DuPont strive to solve every day.  The DuPont Challenge inspires students to examine these issues and become passionate about results as they explore potential solutions and share them through their essays." More  

DuPont Pioneer is proud to offer grants to high schools to assist with the implementation of CASE in the 2014-15 school year.  DuPont Pioneer believes that CASE places proven tools in the hands of those who are strategically positioned to help end world hunger - agricultural science teachers. Their important work in and out of the classroom inspires future scientists, who will discover innovative and sustainable ways to improve agricultural productivity.

The Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) empowers teachers for student success by providing inquiry-based educational experiences, which enhance the rigor and relevance of agriculture, food, and natural resources subject matter.  Concepts are taught using activity, project, and problem based instructional strategies and build skills in the areas of science, mathematics, and English.  As an added bonus, this effort ensures quality teaching by providing extensive professional development for teachers that leads to certification.

Schools may apply for grants up to $5,000 for CASE Institute registration and travel, purchase of equipment to be used in CASE courses, and/or acquisition of software to implement a CASE course.  An interested teacher should work with school administration to ensure the necessary level of commitment to the CASE program and to complete the application form. Follow this link for more information and the application.