If you’re interested in educating students about energy or reducing energy use in schools, consider attending our informational webinar on the K-12 Energy Benchmarking program, Thursday, May 28^th at 3:45 pm. If you’re unable to attend, a recording of the webinar will be posted to the Kansas Energy Program’s website for viewing.

 

Project-based learning opportunity for Kansas schools: We have started a new K-12 Energy Benchmarking program, where we will be assisting schools with benchmarking their energy use in Energy Star Portfolio Manager and then identifying opportunities for improvement. Now is a great time to get started for the next school year! Here’s how the program works:

• For the summer, we will focus on establishing a baseline for your building by obtaining utility bills (at least 12 months of electric, natural gas, and water) and entering the energy use data into the Portfolio Manager database.
• We will then work with you to figure out how to best incorporate this project at your school during the next school year. This part is flexible and totally up to you. Ideally, we would like a group or class of students to take over data entry, learn how to analyze the information, conduct energy audits, and present their findings to teachers and school administrators. We are here to help during this process!
• Energy auditing equipment will be available for loan (infrared cameras, light meters, data loggers, range finders, etc.)

 

Webinar description: Are you interested in learning more about the K-12 Energy Benchmarking program? Our upcoming webinar will provide an overview of the project, what to expect, activities for students, how to pay for energy efficiency improvements, and more. The webinar will be conducted via Zoom and is scheduled for 30 minutes, but we will stay on longer to answer any questions.

 

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://ksu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0odeqqrzMoHNcvVY2uDS5M3pGP1jLC7cdz

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 

Regards,

Kurt

 

Kurt Foley

K-State Engineering Extension – Kansas Energy Program

2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 300 | Manhattan KS 66502

816-898-5711 (mobile) | 785-532-6952 (fax)

www.kansasenergyprogram.org

Galaxy Forum to focus on NASA  Artemis Program

The theme of the annual Ad Astra Galaxy Forum in August at the Cosmosphere  will be the Artemis program--NASA's plan to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024.  Whether it will be an in-person, Skype or Zoom-type event will depend on the COVID-19 status.

The Forum will feature an overview of NASA's program, an Artemis-connected speaker, plus more on the Moon. If you are interested in keeping updated about this free event as it develops, please send name to contact@adastra-ks.org  You are not registering at the present time, you are just indicating interest.  

Jeanette Steinert
Ad Astra Kansas Foundation
316-722-3503jeanettesteinert@att.net
www.adastra-ks.org

As a result of recent online elections and in accordance with the KATS bylaws, the KATS executive board has added a new member and reorganized itself as follows:

President – Elizabeth Tackett

President-Elect  - Betsy Lawrence

Vice-President:  Robert Hamilton

Past President-  Nancy Smith

The secretary and treasurer positions remain as:

Secretary:  Fred  Snyder                    

Treasurer: Brian Nelson   

---Randy Brull, Webmaster

The Advanced Placement Chemistry staff has provided a collection of online chemistry information which looks too good to pass up, no matter what level of chemistry you might be teaching.  Here is the list posted on March 30. 

AP Chemistry Exam Information

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-chemistry/exam?course=ap-chemistry

 

Resources that Support Online Chemistry Education from ChemEdX

https://www.chemedx.org/blog/sharing-resources-those-moving-online-classes-covid-19

 

Resources from the American Association of Chemistry Teachers

https://teachchemistry.org/news/unlocked-resources-through-march-31

 

Virtual Chemistry Experiments and Simulations from the American Chemical Society

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/activities/simulations.html?fbclid=IwAR2vdhtgCWa39I81jaQGNMnGqBhhf1017tJK7PumYXgcrjPLiDOiEKkKLi0

 

At Home Science Education from Flinn Scientific

https://www.flinnsci.com/athomescience/

 

Teaching Chemistry & Science Online Resource Guide

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C7GHeG5ehmPU_mxNwPg4ivV2BV85pL4u6o6Gn377BcM/edit#heading=h.i75abg5zeh1

 

Collisions - an interactive game that helps high school students visualize and interact with chemistry concepts

https://www.playmadagames.com/

 

Mechanisms - a tool that allows students to learn and practice reaction mechanisms by moving and manipulating individual bonds and electrons.

https://www.alchem.ie/mechanisms

 

Enjoy--Randy Brull

P. S. As you find more resources during this strange time, please feel free to share them.  Any KATS member can post to the NEWS section of the website.  (Remember to log in to activate your ability to post.)  --rb

March 13, 2020

KATS Members and KATS Kamp registrants,

            In the spirit of providing a safe learning environment for our science community, the Kansas Association of Teachers of Science organization is cancelling the 2020 KATS Kamp.  This professional development conference was to be held at Ft. Hays State University on April 24-25, 2020.  We regretfully will not be rescheduling the conference for this year.  This decision was not made lightly, and we are committed to the health and safety of participants.  That being said, here are some updates:

• KATS Kamp 2021 will be held at the K-State Olathe Campus (22201 W. Innovation Drive, Olathe, KS 66061) on April 23-25^th
• KATS Board Members:  Look for an upcoming email about our spring Board Meeting.
• KATS Members:  Look for an email about positions that will be open on the Board for the 2020-21 school year and voting procedures.

            Thanks to all of our vendors, presenters and registrants…we value your continuing support of providing quality professional development for Kansas teachers.  If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at president@kats.org

Yours in Science Education,

Nancy Smith, President

KATS 2019-2020

Click here for February 2020 Newsletter

If you are reading this KATS news item, so are dozens, maybe hundreds of others who are interested in teaching and learning natural science in Kansas.  If you are also a KATS member you have the ability to publish your own news on the KATS website.  Simply log in as a member, select the "NEWS" tab on the main menu, and publish your news.  That's all there is to it.  You may also submit your item by email to webmaster@kats.org. 

Second Annual Art Auction...Wendell G Mohling Foundation

                             Fundraiser

The Wendell G Mohling Foundation is hosting the second annual Art Auction Fundraiser, March 21, 2020, at Holy Field Winery, 18807 158th St. Basehor, KS.  All proceeds benefit the Foundation, whose mission is to support science education in Kansas by awarding an annual scholarship to a K-12 Kansas Science teacher to use in attending a National Science Teaching Association conference.

Bidder registration and item viewing begins at 2pm.  Auction begins at 3:00.  Approximately 30 items of original or limited edition art will be offered, including: watercolor, oil, acrylic, pen and ink, photography, textiles, jewelry, turned wood, wood carvings and collectible prints.  Our New limited quantity collectible wine glass, commemorating the Wendell G Mohling Foundation will be showcased and offered for sale at this event. Wine by Holy Field Vineyards and music by LaJoie.

This auction is a live auction. In addition we will also have a direct sale table with a few choice items which you can purchase without bidding. 

For additional information, visit our website: wendellmohlingfoundation.com.  In addition, see Facebook event to view auction items: https://www.facebook.com/events/1039152509901912 

To contact the Foundation, mohlingfoundation@gmail.com or 785-764-9625. 

 

Silent Auction - Wendell G Mohling Foundation

Once again, Wendell G Mohling Foundation will be hosting its annual fundraiser Silent Auction at the meeting in Hays, KS.  We will be open from 7:15am Saturday to 1:00pm.  All proceeds benefit the Mohling Foundation. We award one K-12 Kansas science teacher, $700 to use to attend an NSTA conference of their choice in the year they win.  Since 2006, we have been issuing these scholarships to a KATS member. 

The award is named in honor of Wendell G Mohling, a Kansas high school Biology and Student Naturalist teacher, who was also president of KATS, NSTA,  1983 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math, 1985 NASA Teacher in Space from Kansas and Space Ambassador, plus numerous other awards.  But he never forgot his Kansas roots or his love of teaching Science.  He valued the experiences he gained attending national science teacher conferences.

So, when you come to KATS KAMP in April, if you have something you would like to contribute to the auction, please let me know and bring it along with you.  We will gladly accept your donation. 

As usual, we encourage you to "bid high and bid often".  You must be present to pay for and pick up the items you win.  We accept cash, checks and credit cards.  We do pass along the 4% transaction fee, which the foundation is charged.  The generosity of KATS  members is appreciated and passed along to all our recipients.   Thank you. 

Keep in touch via Facebook: Wendell G Mohling Foundation.  Website : wendellmohlingfoundation.com.  Email: mohlingfoundation@gmail.com. 785-764-9625 Carol Mohling

ADVENTURE IN THE SUBATOMIC UNIVERSE an inaugurual lecture by KU physicist Alice Bean, is open and free to the public at Alderson Auditorium of the KU Memorial Union on February 25 at 5:30 pm.  Reception follows at 6:30.  Dr. Bean has participated in subatomic particle research  with the Large Hadron Collider and has collaborated in presenting the results of this research to young and old via a series of website games under the title of Quarks for Kids.