The PRISM Project Teacher Resources
PRISM BEST STEM PRACTICES
Brevard County
Brevard County has three STEM career academies in engineering, science/technology, and aerospace where students have the opportunity to earn nationally recognized industry certifications and benefit from articulation agreements with post-secondary education institutions. Students enter the STEM career academies through a voluntary process with parental knowledge and support, and they are open to students of all abilities and achievement levels.
For more information contact Erika McLaren, Career Academy Resource Teacher, at mclaren.erika@brevardschools.org.
It also puts on annually the Society of Women Engineers - Introducing Girls to Engineering Workshop & Teacher Science Workshop for girls in third and sixth grades - it includes hands-on activities introducing students to engineering concepts and careers - the latter in part involves meeting and having information exchanges with women engineers.
For more information and registration details visit The Society of Women Engineers' website, or contact Judy Kersey at judy.kersey@swe.org.
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County's Middle School STEM Institutes initiative is an attractor program incorporating rigorous and authentic instruction anchored with a STEM focus - they are hands-on, minds on, three-credit experiences in biotechnology engineering, aeronautics, robotics and architecture - institutes for pre-med and environmental resources are planned for 2011-2012.
For more information contact Rob Weinberg at robert.weinberg@sdhc.k12.fl.us, visit http://ITE.mysdhc.org or call (813) 231-1894.
Lake County
Lake County's STEM Bowl is being implemented this year involving all elementary schools - each selecting a team of five students and a teacher sponsor - the key activities include scientific and math discussions, cooperative efforts, multiple solution strategies, use of "manipulatives" representing math concepts, problem solving strategies - all designed to foster knowledge and love of science and math - AIMS training activities integrating math and science also will be implemented focusing on second and fifth grade teachers from each school.
Central Florida Citrus Council/Girl Scouts have sponsored a grant for a middle school to increase Science and Technology for their female students. The grant supports two LEGO robotics teams for competition this year. It includes training, a field trip to NASA, computers, competition equipment, team shirts, supplies, competition entrance fees and transportation.
Lake Sumter Community College has sponsored the Mathlympics extracurricular competition for the feeder public and private high schools in Lake and Sumter County which is open to students enrolled in higher level math courses. For approximately 15 years our high schools have sent mixed teams of students from Algebra 2 Honors through AP Calculus BC to this competition.
For more information contact Rose Sedely at sedelyr@lake.k12.fl.us.
Manatee County
Manatee County has embarked on a seamless K-20 STEM initiative that starts at the elementary level with our nationally recognized Engineering by Design (EbD) program that was created in conjunction with the National Science Foundation.– students rotate through a hands-on engineering lab applying content area math and science knowledge to solve real-world problems.
At the middle school and at the high school level students are engaged in a higher level of STEM working with such software programs as SolidWorks and CAMWorks, in addition to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, to produce products and solutions for everyday real-world challenges. These programs are linked to a wide offering of programs at the postsecondary level from our very own Manatee Technical Institute (MTI), where we provide education in over 50 technical areas that lead to industry certification and a start on a successful high tech career.
For more information contact: Doug Wagner at wagnerd@manateeschools.net.
Marion County
Marion County has joined with a local construction group to sponsor an innovative and educational summer camp program for economically disadvantaged students. Each year 40 hand-picked students are chosen to learn math and science through hands-on labs, technology and video projects, strategic field trips, guest speakers, and community presentations - each year the camp theme changes and is hosted by a different elementary school. In addition it has an engineer and manufacturing institute of technology high school magnet program where students apply for admittance and are selected based on their study interests.
For more information contact Jacqua Ballas at Jacqua.Ballas@marion.k12.fl.us or
(352) 236-0588.
Orange County
Orange County has correlated Inquire to INSPIRE - Essential Engineering Design Challenges to reinforce existing science curriculum in elementary school through which students and teachers have the opportunity to use the engineering process to create technology such as coolers, windmills and playground equipment through cross-curricular experiences.
In addition, it has a Bridge to STEM project where this spring kindergarten teachers and students will build a "bridge to STEM" in 27 pilot classrooms through an innovative block building curriculum - working within limited constraints using wooden unit blocks, ramps, and marbles to complete challenges that teach the physics concepts associated with motion.
It also has a Student Space Flight Experiment Program where more than 1,000 students at two middle schools are taking part in the Student Space Flight Experiment Program where they work in collaborative groups to design their own experiment that tests the conditions of microgravity on a natural phenomena - all proposals are evaluated at a district level and then submitted to NASA for a final formal review with one experiment chosen to fly aboard the next space shuttle mission.
For more information contact Mariel Milano at mariel.milano@ocps.net.
Osceola County
Osceola County Schools has an annual science SMACKdown (Science and Math Activities Creating Knowledge) Competition for middle and high school students - all events are based on next-generation sunshine standards - designed to extend student learning and impact life-long STEM learning.
For more information contact Valerie Rivera at riverav@osceola.k12.fl.us.
It also as a STEM pathway program introducing students in K-5 at an elementary school to applied science and mathematics through technology and engineering fundamentals - they then go to feeder middle schools and focus on engineering, aerospace, and bio-technology themes and then to their feeder high schools and possibly major in either its engineering or health occupations academies.
For more information contact Mark Hunt at huntm@osceola.k12.fl.us.
Polk County
Polk County Schools have implemented nine middle school STEAM programs this school year. The academies utilize district curriculum maps which include integrated culminating activities that are cross-curricular. Students in the academies are also taking a Chinese online course and studying humanities. The humanities portion of the program is the “A” in the STEM acronym.
Polk County has created a district ASPIRE program through PRISM funding. ASPIRE (Advancing Science in Polk through Inspired Robotics Education) is a First Lego League robotics program for middle school students. During the first year of PRISM funding, we started the program with seven teams. This year there are 26 ASPIRE teams up and running. In addition, Polk County has focused on the creation of numerous STEM-related high school academies. As of the 2010-2011 school year, there are 11 high schools that offer Career and Technical Framework STEM courses and four high school STEM academies.
For more information, contact Rebecca Braaten, at rebecca.braaten@polk-fl.net or (863) 534-0632.
Seminole County
Seminole County has a new Bioscience Technology planned which emphasizes STEM subjects in three strands – Bioscience, Biomathematics, and Biotechnology – each includes existing math, science and Advanced Placement courses. Future plans include adding courses that provide research and internship experiences at nearby bioscience facilities and students will have the opportunity to participate in competitions such as the International BioGENEius challenge.
For more information, contact Greg Register, at Greg.Register@scps.us.
Volusia County
Volusia County School's high school STEM initiatives revolve around career academies with required integrated curriculum in math and science - they specialize in such areas as engineering, biomedical, simulation, gaming, robotics, and drafting and design.
For more information, contact Liz Taylor at eataylor@volusia.k12.fl.us, or Tom Besaw at tbesaw@volusia.k12.fl.us or by phone at (386) 734-7190, Ext. 20641.