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  • 11 Feb 2020 6:57 AM | Anonymous

    Hello,

     

    My name is Blair Schneider and I am the Educational Outreach Manager for the Kansas Geological Survey. I am not sure who to contact at your organization about this, but we are having a fundraiser this month on February 20th as a part of the One Day. One KU campaign. The KGS is being featured, and one of the projects we are hoping to raise funds for is building free Earth Science Teaching Toolkits that can be distributed to teachers across the state, as well as provide free trainings and professional credit hours for them on how to use them.

     

    The toolkits will cover a variety of topics, including rocks, minerals, water, earthquakes, etc! You all have an amazing community, and so I wanted to see if you would be willing to advertise that this event is happening. You can learn more about the campaign here: https://kansas.scalefunder.com/gday/giving-day/18833/department/22073

     

     

    Blair Schneider, PhD

    Education Outreach Manager
  • 31 Jan 2020 8:15 PM | Anonymous

    The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) Energy Office partners with the Kansas Energy Program* to provide energy education resources to K-12 schools throughout Kansas. The program has provided energy education assistance to more than 77 schools and K-12 organizations/events and 9,838 students through on-site presentations and KidWind Challenges, and through its energy equipment lending library.

    This year, the KCC Energy Office stepped it up a notch and has launched a new initiative to assist Kansas’ schools in benchmarking energy consumption through Energy Star Portfolio Manager, an online tool you can use to measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. This hands-on, project-based learning activity is intended to get students involved in learning about energy use in their schools. The Kansas Energy Program will provide personnel to conduct the initial benchmarking, and will train teachers and students in the use of Portfolio Manager. Student-led teams can then maintain the Portfolio Manager database and present the school’s progress to teachers and administration. As an additional activity, students can use energy-measuring equipment in the Kansas Energy Program’s lending library to conduct mini energy audits to see where energy may be used more efficiently.

    To gather initial data on interest in the project, we request you complete the following survey (16 questions, 3 minutes). Visit our websites to learn more about the KCC Energy Office/Kansas Energy Program partnership, and feel free to give us a call if you have any questions. Again, all activities through this KCC Energy Office initiative would be at no-cost (other than teacher time).

    Survey: https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0wep6EV2DHOb4DX

    *The Kansas Energy Program is housed with Kansas State University Engineering Extension.

    Kurt Foley

    Graduate Student Intern

    Kansas Energy Program

    K-State Engineering Extension

    2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 300 | Manhattan KS 66502

    785-532-4998 (office) | 785-532-6952 (fax)

    ksenergyprog@ksu.edu | www.kansasenergyprogram.org
  • 25 Jan 2020 11:10 AM | Deleted user

    In order to build the future workforce to meet the demands of the animal health industry, Kansas State University through a USDA grant is offering a summer "boot camp." It is geared to give teachers the basis needed to develop STEM curricula and career-related materials. Find out how you can participate by clicking link below:

     https://olathe.k-state.edu/community/k-12/animal-health-education/


  • 23 Jan 2020 5:28 PM | Anonymous

    Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT)


    The Geoscience Career Ambassador Training (GeoCAT) Workshop will be held June 22-26, 2020, at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, and will focus on introducing and familiarizing educators (for teachers, advisors and 4-H volunteers) with geoscience careers in an effort to increase interest and enrollment of diverse student populations in geosciences across the state of Kansas. The GeoCAT program emphasizes recruiting and supporting under-represented students from populations in STEM fields to geoscience majors, in an effort to build a strong geoscience workforce in the future, particularly in Kansas, with industries that depend heavily on environmental and energy resources and their effective management. The GeoCAT workshop is an NAGT sponsored project and is also supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant ICER-1911590 GP-IMPACT: GeoCAT Workshop: Geoscience Careers Ambassador Training Workshop. For more information contact geocat@k-state.eduApply here by April 30, 2020. 


    Some important information about the workshop:

    1- Zoom participation, and partial participation is possible.

    2- Those who participate physically for the whole workshop will receive a stipend of $300.

    3- Participants can earn 3 graduate credits (or less) for participating in the workshop.

    4- This workshop is accepted as a Professional Development for teachers of all levels by Kansas Department of Education.




    Dr. Aida Farough

    Teaching Assistant Professor

    HydroLearn Fellow: https://www.hydrolearn.org/

    Lead PI on GeoCAT: https://www.k-state.edu/geocat/ 

    Department of Geology

    Kansas State University

    108 Thompson Hall

    Manhattan, KS 66506

    office: 202 Thompson Hall

  • 04 Jan 2020 9:44 AM | Anonymous

    Grant Opportunity: National Park Trust's Kids to Parks Day National School Contest

     National Park Trust's annual Kids to Parks Day National School Contest empowers students to plan their own educational park experience. Open to all Title I students (40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch)  in grades PreK through 12, this contest provides grants up to $1,000 to cover transportation, park-related fees, stewardship supplies, or anything else students believe would enhance their experience. The deadline to apply is February 14, 2020. Details can be found at http://bit.ly/KTP2020STO

     Emily Edgar

    Senior Education Coordinator 

    National Park Trust
    401 East Jefferson Street, Suite 207
    Rockville, MD 20850
    Office: 301.279.7275

    Cell: 301.807.5297

    emily@parktrust.org

    www.parktrust.org

     

  • 14 Oct 2019 3:20 PM | Anonymous






    The weather is turning cool, but we have some hot topics in the  2019 Fall issue of the Ad Astra Kansas News 

     

    • Upcoming Symposium's Next Giant Leap:  Ad Astra
    • Wichita aerospace company selected as NASA partner
    • Galaxy Forum topics inform
    • NASA Eyes--Kansas Minds
    • Celebrating the Scientific Legacy of NASA and Apollo
    • Move over Mighty Mouse: KSU researchers send mice to space for immune studies
    • Symposium science fiction panel
    • KU expanding aerospace / satellite design facilities
    • Interstellar R&D

     

  • 01 Oct 2019 2:05 PM | Anonymous

    The deadline for accepting applications for the  Mohling Foundation Scholarship to attend a regional or national NSTA convention has been extended through Oct 16.  

    Applicants must have two years of teaching experience in any of grades K-12 in Kansas Schools and intend to continue teaching for the next year.

    Application follows:

    Wendell G. Mohling Foundation Scholarship Application

     

    This scholarship, in honor of Dr.Wendell G. Mohling, will be awarded to a Kansas science teacher, to attend a National Science Teachers Association Conference.

    The scholarship, to be used sometime during the school year it is awarded, will be in the amount of $700.00.  Application deadline is October 1st.

     

    The applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

    1) The teacher is currently teaching science in a Kansas school, in grades K-12, and has

         been teaching science for a minimum of 2 years. 

    2)  The teacher will continue teaching science in a Kansas school during the following   

         school year, after the scholarship is awarded.  A letter of support from the teacher’s 

         superintendent/ principal will be required, and must accompany the application.

    3)  The teacher has never attended an NSTA convention.

    4)  The teacher will provide receipts to the foundation, to document the teacher’s 

         expenses while attending the convention.

    5)  The teacher will join or renew his/her Kansas Association of Teachers of Science

          membership for the year.  The foundation will reimburse the cost of this membership.

        

     

    Applicant Information

     

     

    Name:____________________________________________________________

                 First                              Middle                           Last

     

    Current Teaching Assignment:  ________________________________________

     

     

    School Name:______________________________________________________

     

     

    School Address:   ___________________________________________________

                             

                                 ___________________________________________________

     

    School District:  ____________________________________________________

     

    School Phone Number:  ______________________________________________

     

    School Fax Number: ________________________________________________

     

    Email Address: ____________________________________________________

     

     

    Home Address: ____________________________________________________

     

     

    Home Phone Number: ______________________________________________

     

    Mobile Phone Number:  ____________________________________________

     

     

    Undergraduate Degree: _____________________________________________

     

    College/University:  _______________________________________________

     

            Year Granted:   __________________________

     

    Prior teaching experience:  List the school district, the dates employed, and subject(s) taught.

     

    ________________________________________________________________

    ________________________________________________________________

    ________________________________________________________________

    _______________________________________________________________

     

     

    Respond to the following on an 8 ½” x 11” paper, double-spaced, one side only:

    Explain in detail how attending a NSTA Convention will benefit you as a science teacher, and the impact your attendance will have on the students that you teach.  Maximum length not to exceed one page.  Attach this essay to the application.

     



    By signing this application, you are attesting that the above information is correct and that you meet all of the requirements for the scholarship.  Please mail this application with the letter of support from your superintendent/principal to:  Wendell G. Mohling Foundation,

    P.O. Box 442536, Lawrence, KS  66044.   Deadline:  October 16, 2019

     

     

    __________________________________________________     __________________

                     Signature                                                                                   Date

      

    Information about the Mohling Foundation, downloadable scholarship application, and biographical information about past winners is available at:  www.wendellmohlingfoundation.com

    Questions may be directed to: mohlingfoundation@gmail.com





  • 22 Aug 2019 8:06 PM | Anonymous

    Teachers, you are invited to the Ad Astra Kansas Foundation’s

    2019 GALAXY FORUM

    At the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, KS

    August 24, 2019 / 1-3 p.m.

     

    THEME: “Black Holes, Humans in Space… and more”

     

    Purpose:  Teachers will be provided useful classroom information on galaxy space exploration and humans in space.

     

    They will:

    • 1.     Hear information on the Event Horizon Telescope and other cutting-edge research into black holes.
    • 2.     Be apprised of a recent discovery of “cold quasars” and what that might mean for stars’ life cycles.
    • 3.     Follow the process by which engineers design habitable environments for astronauts
    • 4.     Be familiarized with the newest technologies being used to explore our solar system.
    •  
    • This event is FREE of charge. To register send name, school and number attending to jeanettesteinert@att.net Certificates of attendance will be available. Geared to middle school on up.

    BRIGHT IDEA:  Make a day of it-- attend the “Apollo 11: First Steps Edition” free documentary screening for teachers provided by the Cosmosphere at 10 a.m. or 4 p.m. For info, go to teachers.  

    Speakers and Topics:

    NOTE:  Both main speakers are accomplished women scientists—role models for any interested students who would like to come.

     

    Hearts of Darkness: Uncovering the Supermassive Black Holes at Galaxy Centers"

    By Dr. Allison Kirkpatrick / University of Kansas

     

    Kirkpatrick is an expert on supermassive black holes. As an observational astronomer, Dr. Kirkpatrick uses data from Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra, and other telescopes to quantify the energy output of supermassive black holes and the amount of star formation in host galaxies. She will share the latest on the Event Horizon Telescope observation and other cutting-edge black hole research. Kirkpatrick recently garnered national attention for her discovery of yet unknown “cold quasars”, a breakthrough that changes scientific thought as to how galaxies mature.

     

    Humans in Space”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

    By Dr. Amy Betz / Kansas State University

     

    Heat and water--two big concerns in space. Dr. Betz, of the K-State Department of Mechanical Engineering, will discuss the designing and developing of habitable environments for astronauts. She is currently part of a Kansas multi-university NASA research project to develop more efficient and compact technologies for cooling and water recycling systems in spacecraft. As part of the discussion, she will demonstrate two activities to illustrate principles she works with. This is part of a STEM workshop she is developing for middle school teachers.

    “An Interstellar University in the Ad Astra State”

    By Steve Durst / AAKF

     

    Steve Durst is a co-founder of the Ad Astra Kansas Foundation. Durst, whose Space Age Publishing Company has offices in Hawai’i and California, has focused on space news and exploration for over 40 years. He discusses his hopes for the space sciences in Kansas in the 21st century.  

    The Ad Astra Kansas Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on enriching science education in Kansas, especially the space sciences. This FREE educational event is sponsored by the Ad Astra Kansas Foundation with the generous cooperation of the Cosmosphere. Find us at www.adastra-ks.org  and on Facebook.

     

  • 12 Jun 2019 9:32 PM | Anonymous member

    Instructor-Part-time-Biological Sciences /Education The Department of Biological Sciences at Emporia State University invites applications for a part-time instructor to teach “Field and Lab Biology” to Elementary Education majors in our BEST program in El Dorado, KS. The appointment will be for the Fall 2019 semester with the potential for renewal.

    Position Summary

    The responsibilities of the position are to teach two sections of GB 303, Field and Lab Biology. This unique course is a hybrid lab and lecture class designed to provide pre-service K-6 teachers with the content and skills necessary to effectively teach biology in their future classrooms. The content of the course is a broad survey of the diversity of organisms with an emphasis on botany and zoology as well as human anatomy and physiology.

    Qualifications:

    A Master’s degree in Biology or Education is required. Experience teaching life science at the K-12 level and/or training elementary teachers in science teaching methods is preferred. Must be available to teach Thursday evenings and Friday mornings at our offsite location in El Dorado, KS.

    Application

    To apply, submit a letter of application, CV, and contact information for three references to Dr. Tim Burnett, Emporia State University, 1 Kellogg Circle Box 4050, Emporia, KS 66801 or tburnett@emporia.edu. Screening of applicants will begin July 1 and continue until the position is filled. A background check and official transcripts are required prior to hire.

    Emporia State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as an individual with a disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other factors which cannot be considered by law


  • 30 May 2019 10:58 AM | Anonymous

    Hello,

    I hope you all had a great close to the school year with students and in this month's newletter you will find professional development resources that may help support you this summer. Check out the resources using the link below!

    I am also writing today as I am moving out of this role with the Kansas State Department of Education and will be working at the University of Arkansas/School of Education next year teaching graduate science education courses and working on an equity teacher preparation project. If you need to reach me after June 4 please do so at lizette.burks@gmail.com.

    I have thoroughly enjoyed these last three years helping support curriculum, instruction, and assessments state-wide for science. I was an 8th grade science teacher when the current Kansas Standards for Science (NGSS) were adopted and I took this role in hopes of supporting implementation of what this vision has in store for students. It has been an honor supporting the transition from scientific inquiry to three-dimensional learning found in our standards. What I can say for sure is that this vision is definitely worth all of our hard work happening across the state!

    If you are interested in leading science education with the Kansas State Department of Education my job will be posted on this site in the future. I will be at the Kansas Excellence in Math/Science Teaching Conference KSDE is holding in June at Newman University. I hope to see you there and the deadline to sign up was extended!

    Thank you for all that you do and again it has been an honor to serve in this role. Have a great summer!

    www.smore.com/2fveb

     

    Lizette Burks, Ed.D.

    Science Education Consultant

    Career Standards & Assessment Services

    (785) 296-8108

    lburks@ksde.org

    www.ksde.org/science

    Kansas State Department of Education

    LANDON STATE OFFICE BUILDING, 900 SW JACKSON STREET, SUITE 653, TOPEKA, KS 66612


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Emails for all officers can be found at CONTACT US.



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