Spring 2021 Vol. 62, #3
Foundation Grant Awards
From the President
The WSST Foundation is proud to present WSST President, Matt Lindsey the following 2021 grant winners. Welcome to 2021 Educators of Science! Byerly Grant As I look back on the past The Byerly is a memorial to Don Byerly. The year in education, I am amazed by all of grant, in the amount of $500.00 is to be used to improve the science classroom experience for the obstacles that we have overcome and students. continue to overcome in the past year. Joanne Zosel, Solon Springs Each and every one of us has had a difPurchase lab equipment for physics experiments ferent experience with teaching during a This grant will provide Joanne’s students with pandemic, which needs to be celebrated the necessary equipment to perform laboratory and shared. We have all learned how to experiments that they otherwise would just have handle daily adversities and become betto read about, hear about or see demonstrated ter teachers due to our tenacious problem instead of actually doing. solving skills by providing the best possiFounders Grant ble education for our students, while This $1000 grant can be used to reimburse costs maintaining some of our own sanity. I of professional development (including graduate believe my students question my sanity coursework for WSST members, professional development fees for WSST members, materials, daily! WSST has continued to provide high or other costs related to a member's professional learning for WSST members). value quality opportunities to our membership throughout this pandemic. We Molly Carlson, Mauston Graduate School in Biotechnology This grant will fund graduate work during the Spring Semester 2021 in Experimental Design and Analysis in Biotechnology and Leadership in Organizations. Molly teaches Biology and Biotechnology at the high school level, and these courses will continued on page 4
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Inside this Issue! Page 1 Page 5 Page 6-7 Page 8-11 Page 12-14 Page 15-17 Page 19
President’s Address & Grant Winners WSST Grant Applications WSST News WSST Member Submissions WSST Elections Science News and Opportunities NASA’s Night Sky Notes
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2020-2021 The Wisconsin Society WSST Directory, Matt Lindsey, President president@wsst.org of Science Teachers 715-321-3291 Our Mission: Promoting, supporting and improving science education in the state of Wisconsin. Our Vision: The Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers will carry out its mission of promoting, supporting and improving science education in the state of Wisconsin by providing leadership, advocacy and programs to enhance the teaching and learning of science.
WSST Advertising Rates Full page ads: Half page ads: Quarter page ads: 1” Bottom page banner: Business card:
$250 $150 $75 $40 $25
10% discount on two or more of identical ad in current volume Advertising must be submitted to editor in camera-ready form or electronically, with check or money order (payable to WSST)
Jay Gullickson, President-Elect jgullickson@whitnall.com Whitnall Middle School 5025 S. 116th St. Greenfield, WI 53228 Stephanie Baker, Secretary bakeste@wc.k12.wi.us Kevin Niemi, Chief Financial Officer kjniemi@wisc.edu Tammy Dymesich, Chief Operating Officer coo@wsst.org Kevin Mason, District 1 (CESA 11 & 12) masonk@uwstout.edu Brad Wysocki, District 2 (CESA 9 & 10) bradley.wysocki@bloomer.k12.wi.us Dennis Rohr, District 3 (CESA 7 & 8) drohr@seymour.k12.wi.us Julie Lundeen, District 4 (CESA 3 & 4) lundeenj@cashton.k12.wi.us Sara Krauskopf, District 5 (CESA 2 & 5) district5@wsst.org Brian Bartel, District 6 (CESA 6) newsletter@wsst.org Morgan Building Appleton Area School District 120 East Harris St. Appleton, WI 54911 Cody Smith, District 7 (CESA 1) cody.smith@nbexcellence.org
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WSST Committees Awards/Recognition Miranda Dahlke (co-chair) Laura Ramthun (co-chair) Tom Davies Nancy Smith Kathy Biernat Stephanie Bartels
Professional Development Kevin Anderson (chair) Chad Janowski Matt Lindsey Karen Mesmer Sarah Adumat
Document Review Greg Bisbee (Chair) Dave Bergerson Erik Duhn
Publications Brian Bartel (co-chair) - Newsletter Editor Julie Fitzpatrick (co-chair) - Website Sarah Adumat - Newsletter Copy Editor Karyl Rosenberg - Historian Tracy Swedlund Dan Nelson
Elementary Education Marcia Gardner (chair) Karen Nesbit Abby Krueger Emily Miller Finance Matt Lindsey
Dolly Ledin
Strategic Planning Matt Lindsey Kevin Niemi
Terry Schwaller
Higher Education Mike Beeth (chair) Lynn Diener Teale Mach
Kevin Mason John Greenler
Membership Michelle Griffin-Wenzel (chair) Ray Scolavino Tracy Swedlund
Ray Scolavino Shelly Rudnick-Peterson
WSELA Kevin Niemi (chair) Kevin Anderson Michelle Bartman Scott Woody
Foundation Bob Boone (President) Denise McCulley (1st Vice-President) Carol Ochsner (2nd Vice-President) Brian Bartel (3rd Vice-President) Tracy Swedlund (Treasurer) Steve Gustafson (Secretary)
WESTA Ben Sanderfoot (chair) Beth Allcox Justin Frey Margaret Guderyon Jay Gullickson Amy Schiebel
Dan Bugenhagen
Gina Vogt
Cheryl Esslinger Emily Miller
WSST Conference Chairs Connie Rauterkus & Shelly Rudnick-Peterson, Appleton 2021 WSST Conference Director Ray Scolavino
Deanna Brunlinger
Nominations and Elections Dan Nelson (chair) Cindy Edlund John Johnson
WSST Vendor Coordinator Rodney Dymesich
WSST Newsletter Archive Visit www.wsst.org/newsletter to download past issues of the WSST newsletter. Available from 2002, all newsletters are in Adobe PDF format.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. To submit a letter to the WSST Newsletter, send your thoughts via e-mail to newsletter@wsst.org Content may be edited for length, clarity and appropriateness.
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President
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have created and run share sessions both for both grade levels and by discipline, created monthly membership social hours via Zoom, developed a virtual conference that will continue throughout April, expanded our annual Book Study with the DPI to encompass the whole school year, continued our annual Essay contest (which is now open, see page 6), provided help to other organizations of science to continue to provide high quality professional development and science fairs, and many others activities that continue to make our organization a great one to belong to. Thank you to all of you who have shared your knowledge, time, and beer sign collection with others to learn, grow, and maintain some form of sanity, knowing that we are all going through a tough time and that we can get through it together by sharing knowledge and a good laugh! Even though we will not be getting together in Appleton this year for our annual conference, I am hopeful that will be able to reconvene in Wausau in 2022.
Foundation
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enhance her knowledge in this field and help her teach research techniques. Foundation STEM Grant These grants, up to $1,000 each, are to be used to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering or maths) learning for science students through the purchase of innovative technology hardware or other STEM equipment tied to a specific project or curricular topic.
Greg Rose, Clintonville VEX Robotics Update Greg will use this grant to fund challenge game equipment in 8th grade robotics class. The addition of competition game field equipment will excite and motivate students to learn robotics in a gamified platform. He will use that class as a launchpad to establish a robotics club that will one day participate in area robotics competitions. Milt Pella Grants The Milt Pella Grant supports the professional activities of our members.
Terrence Neumann, New Richmond Leadership in Curriculum Development This grant will support Terrance’s personal leadership development. He has extensive experience teaching chemistry and aims to expand his knowledge of school-based program decision and curriculum implementation. This will allow him to take on more leadership roles in his district. Mary C Caucutt, Hamilton Digital Frog Dissection Mary will use this grant to allow her enriched science students and those in
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other classes in her district to participate in a virtual frog dissection using The Flinn Digital Dissection for the grass frog. Zachary Pratt, Janesville After School Bacteriophage Research Zachary will create an after-school research program for high school students, allowing them to explore bacteria and bacteriophages, or the viruses that infect them. Students will participate in authentic research and communicate their discoveries with diverse audiences.
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Emily Bennett, Neenah Hydroponics Project for Every School This grant will help fund Emily’s goal of having at least one hydroponics unit in each building in her school district. She will work with a local company that builds hydroponics units to help students grow vegetables for school use, raise money for sustaining the program and learn about the science behind alternative ways to grow food.
Listen to Lab Out Loud
A biweekly podcast from NSTA Lisa Swaney, Waukesha on science teachInteractive Activities for Planetarium The goal of this project is to incorporate ing, science news, educational, informative, hands-on, inter- and anything else with “science” in active displays that are designed to it. engage all in the school planetarium Listen to Brian lobby. This plan includes motion-sensing tech- Bartel and Dale Basler discuss science news and science nology and projection systems, display education with leading scientists, panels that can be quickly changed depending on seasons and current events, researchers, science writers, and other and interactive kiosks that can be readily important figures in the field. Lab Out Loud episodes and notes can be upgraded for a variety of topics. found at www.laboutloud.com/episodes Jonathan D. Baker, Wonewoc Subscribe to our RSS feed, or by email. Citizen Science Study of Prairie Plants All episodes are archived, and can be This grant will be used to develop an downloaded at any time. innovative, project-based unit on plant Lab Out Loud is sponsored by the ecology in Jonathan's Conservation National Science Teaching Association. Biology class. The unit will focus on the Any questions, comments or suggestions exploration of the wet-prairie ecosystem can be submitted to: laboutloud.com/confound at his school’s Outdoor Learning tact/ Area, and will be centered around the driving question: “How can we best manage and preserve the biodiversity found in this rare wet-prairie remnant?”
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WSST NEWS Water Week Essay Contest Write an essay on the topic given for your grade level. Deadline: April 1, 2021
winning submission will also receive a $100 prize. Additional highly-rated essays may be published to the WSST website at the discretion of the contest organizers, as well as shared with the water community through the Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Partnership through the Lake Tides publication of the contest organizers. Results will be announced at www.wsst.org on April 22, 2021 and the teacher of the winning entries will be notified. Eligibility Any classroom teacher in Wisconsin can submit one student essay. Student essays must be original work. Student essays must be submitted in one of four categories: PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
Grade Level Topics Grades PK-2 & Grades 3-5: Every living thing on Earth needs water. How do we use water in our communities every day? What would happen if we didn’t have water? Grades: 6-8: Wisconsin has over 15,000 lakes and thousands of miles of rivers and streams. It takes both scientists and the general public working together to protect all our water resources. Research an agency or organization in Wisconsin that collects data related to our surface waters. Write an essay that suggests the importance of water conservation and sustainable use of water resources based on the information you found. Grades: 9-12: Wisconsin Water Week is a statewide celebration of our water resources as well as an opportunity to bring attention to the issues facing our water resources. Research an issue facing our water resources in Wisconsin and provide actions that all people can do to help protect or restore our water. Awards The winning essay in each category will receive a $100 prize and publication in the WSST newsletter and on website. The teacher of the
Format PK-2 category: Essays should be between 150300 words and can include a picture. PK-1 teachers can help with the conversion of spoken essay to text. All other essays should be 500 words or less in length. The essays must be typed, 12 point font, and double-spaced. Text to speech and other adaptations may be made at any grade level based on a student’s Individualized Education Program.
Submission Any teacher in Wisconsin can submit ONE essay in the appropriate category. Submissions should be emailed as ONE file that includes both the essay and release form in PDF format to essay@wsst.org. All submissions must be received by 5:00 pm (CST) on April 1, 2021. Essays submitted after 5:00 pm (CST) on April 1, are longer than 500 words, or do not include a signed release form will be disqualified. Submissions that cannot be read will not be judged. Multiple essays submitted from the same teacher will be disqualified. The decisions of the judges are final. Visit www.wsst.org/science-matters for more information, to download the essay flier with release form and see past essay award winners.
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WSST Virtual Awards Ceremony and Town Hall Meeting, March 11 Join us on March 11 for a special virtual awards ceremony featuring WSST Award and WSST Grant winners. After the awards ceremony, stay for the Town Hall featuring the passing of the gavel, recognizing past conference chairs, updates from our COO (on membership) and the CFO (on finances) as well as an address from President Matt Lindsey. Throughout the Town Hall, 19 prizes valued at over $7000 will be distributed! Look in your inbox for more information and a link to join!
*statistics are from 2019
4cities 9 visited
6500 over
participants UW-Madison Biotechnology Center
hosted 162 events
BioTrek Please contact us at “biotrek@biotech.wisc.edu” to plan an online program during 2020-21 COVID
23 workshops offered
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WSST MEMBER SUBMISSIONS Historian’s Corner: Keynote Speaker Memories
2012, Tim Samaras: Meteorologist/Tornado Chaser From Karyl Rosenberg By Karyl Rosenberg When I saw that Tim Samaras was going Over the years, there has been a wide to be the keynote speaker at the 2012 variety of keynote speakers at WSST conference I was delighted, especially conferences. Many have come from the because I am a “weather weenie” from amazing collection of scientists working way back and was teaching a high school in Wisconsin institutions and others from meteorology class at that time. We always places outside our state. In a recent con- talked about storm chasing and storm versation with fellow members, we got to chasers during the class, but to actually talking about some of the memorable be able to see and hear the premier tornakeynote speakers we have had the pleas- do chaser live was an amazing opportuniure of hearing over the years. What folty. Mr. Samaras did not disappoint; his lows are some of those memories. enthusiastic presentation with striking 2009, Michelle Thaller: Space Scientist storm pictures and descriptions of the tornado chaser’s research tools were wonFrom Karyl Rosenberg and Dawn Pfaff While those of us who were on the 2009 derful. His willingness to answer many questions was terrific. It was so sad to Milwaukee conference committee were doing our planning, it came to our atten- learn that he was killed while doing his favorite thing on May 31, 2013 - just a tion that one of our team members had little more than a year after our time with attended a space science workshop the him. WSST was fortunate to have had the previous summer and met this amazing chance to learn from this intrepid scientist who was a Waukesha South researcher. High School grad who then went on to Harvard and became an astronomer. Dr. 2017, Brian Ewenson: Spaceport Thaller agreed to come back to her Sheboygan school to give a local presentation. After From Tammy Dymesich an engaging presentation, she was After having Brian Ewenson from secured to come back for our conference Spaceport Sheboygan as a classroom the next year. At the Milwaukee confer- speaker, several times I recommended ence in 2009, Dr. Thaller shared a simihim as a speaker for our 2017 conference. larly dynamic program with conference Brian, an aerospace educator, has worked attendees as she had for the community with Lockheed Martin’s Space Day, the members who saw her earlier. A true sci- Canadian Space Agency and with ence communicator of the best kind. NASA’s Space Shuttle program. He has
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designed, developed and flown eight experiments on the space shuttle and has subsequently trained astronauts to perform his work in space. He did not disappoint those of us who attended the lunch program or his session after lunch. Brian made us think about the space program and what it takes to be an astronaut. He stumped the lunch crowd with one of his first questions. He asked us what the primary language was for a mission to the space station. We learned that day that the primary language is the native language of the commander! So if you want to be part of a mission you may need to learn a different language. We were able to see actual NASA gear and even learn how the toilet works on the space station (and we were not quite as excited to learn what happens if that toilet does not work). Not only were we able to learn from Brian, but several members were able to connect with Brian to have Skype sessions with their students. Brian demonstrated his dedication to science in Wisconsin by spending the day with us at the conference and even attending our evening banquet. This was one lunch speaker I will always remember.
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especially memorable for you. Once again, please let your historian know about those and they will be featured in future newsletters.
Bringing Diverse Voices and Perspectives into the Classroom By Sara Krauskopf, PhD. WSST District 5 Director
This summer I wrote a statement to the WSST membership about white privilege and the need for the majority of us, who are white science educators, to improve our understanding of racism embedded in the disciplines we teach and the places where we work. I provided resources to learn more generally about the way marginalized people experience racism, about the ways in which science research perpetuates inequalities, and one selection to start learning about Indigenous ways of knowing the world compared with Eurocentric approaches. In this installment, I will provide some specific ideas to use directly in the classroom. In general, there are four ways to bring diverse voices and perspectives into the classroom (Sheth, M. J. (2018) ‘Grappling with racism as foundational Each of these speakers has brought something special to our conferences and practice of science teaching’, Science Education, pp. 1–24). each have has an effect on our teaching over the years. Whatever the topic, hav- ▪ Representation: Are you showcasing a ing the chance to hear from these memo- diverse group of scientists in your classrable speakers has certainly enriched our room? Do students of all backgrounds lives. If there are any others you remem- know who really did the work? Can every ber, please let your historian know! child see someone in your curriculum or In the future I want to see what field on your classroom walls who helps them trips sponsored by WSST have been say: “I can see myself as a scientist”?
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▪ Creating Relevance: Do you teach topics by making concrete connections to your students’ backgrounds and experiences? Are you getting to know your students in a way that you can make those adjustments? How can you put concepts into an engaging context? ▪ Confronting Injustice: Are you telling the full story? Did you include the story of historical harm connected to the scientific achievement? Do you give credit to someone whose work has historically been ignored? Are you addressing current social justice issues? ▪ Adding a New Type of Knowledge: Are you recognizing and validating student and community Funds of Knowledge? Do you admit that you do not know everything? Have you expanded your conception of what it means to do science? Below are some resources to help you dive in and bring these new ideas into your classroom. These provide scaffolded models for teaching science in a way that increases the representation of diverse voices related to science, are highly relevant to students, confront injustice, and consider other forms of knowledge that are relevant to solving the problems. ▪ COVID-19 and Healthy Equity Units (www.openscied.org/covid-19-healthequity/) from OpenSciEd, free units for different age levels that address the science and inequities involved with the pandemic. ▪ Beyond Just a Cells Unit (rethinkingschools.org/articles/beyond-just-acells-unit/), from Rethinking Schools,
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provides an example of how one biology teacher brought in the story of Henrietta Lacks and her famous HeLa cells into the classroom. ▪ Canipe, M., Tolbert, S., & May, A. (2016). Many Ways of Knowing (my.nsta.org/resource/103897/manyways-of-knowing) The Science Teacher, (April/May), 31–36. This activity uses observations gathered through both Indigenous and Eurocentric methods to investigate climate change. ▪ The Underrepresentation Curriculum Project (underrep.com) is a “free, flexible curriculum for STEM instructors to teach about injustice and change the culture of STEM.” ▪ Sign up for the Science History Institute mailing list (www.sciencehistory.org/join-our-mailing-list) to receive regular links to stories nobody taught you about the marginalized people who did the science. Learn more about diverse scientists who contributed to our science knowledge.
Similar Inquiry Approaches in Social Studies and Science by Kevin Anderson
Both science and social studies are courses about making sense of the world. In social studies we use cultural, societal, psychological, and historical lenses to make sense of what’s happening. In science we use natural and scientific lenses to make sense of the world. Notably, engaging students in the inquiry process involved in each subject requires a move from “learning about” topics to “learning
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in order to” do this sensemaking. For example, in workshops I’ve facilitated, I often share a unit on ecosystems, which starts with groups exploring some data about changing bat populations. Both science and social studies could tackle this phenomenon. Science would investigate biodiversity, ecosystem dynamics, and specific causes of bat deaths (including how that relates to bat body systems’ structures and functions). Social studies would dig into government policy, changing people’s habits, and a historical through current era dissection of people’s relationship with nature. Both perspectives are clearly critical for understanding the problem and effecting change! These units would focus on learning about how ecosystems and the government work, though not as the ends themselves, but in order to make important and relevant use of that knowledge. As another example, when I used to teach beginning physics, we’d take field trips to the local amusement park. Students could learn about forces and motions concepts, and also apply that understanding to make specific fair/park rides safer or more exciting in a safe way. In social studies, students might study the history of traveling carnivals and tent revival groups, looking at the impact of recreation and religious movements on culture – including who is invited into those spaces and who is not. Social studies could also debate seat belt and helmet laws in relation to personal freedoms and societal impacts (pun intended). Kris McDaniel, the Wisconsin Social Studies consultant, and I created a couple
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documents that detail science and social studies connections. The first document (tinyurl.com/ss-and-sci-2021) lists big ideas (like inquiry and place) and defines them for each area. The second document (tinyurl.com/ss-and-sci-2) lists the science and engineering practices and the crosscutting concepts from the science standards, and it describes what they could look like in both science and social studies in elementary and secondary classrooms. Importantly, effective science instruction can’t ignore the broader cultural intricacies of science, as science takes place within social systems. Scientists, like all of us, are biased. Wanton and intentional misinformation campaigns, such as with the anti-vaxx cult, can’t be shifted by sharing scientific facts. It also takes social connections and cultural understanding to make a difference in this world.
WSST Elections · February 2021 RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 5: Sara Krauskopf, Madison Position Statement and Vision: I want to support members of WSST in their ongoing learning to develop a more inclusive, anti-racist approach to teaching science. We can all learn from one another and develop reciprocal partnerships with other organizations as we work towards that goal. After serving as the interim District 5 Director this past year, I better understand the function of our organization and our educational networks. During the pandemic, much of WSST’s role was providing support and information to our overworked members and educational partners. As opportunities open up for more in-person learning, I hope WSST can again facilitate in-depth, in-person programs and connections to help us build more equitable environments for science learning. I also want to find ways to continue offering on-line
learning programs that connect educators around the State. We don’t want to return to school exactly as we did before the pandemic; let’s find ways to leverage our experiences during this unprecedented year to create better opportunities for teaching and learning overall. Background Education: I hold a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from UWMadison and a B.A. from Carleton College. I taught secondary science and math in the Madison area for over 15 years. I also worked in Science Outreach, writing curriculum and providing teacher professional learning opportunities. Present Teaching Assignment or employment: I supervise secondary science teacher candidates at UW-Madison and work as an independent educational consultant. My independent work currently involves
WSST Voting Districts District 1 (CESA 11 & 12) District 2 (CESA 9 & 10) District 3 (CESA 7 & 8) District 4 (CESA 3 & 4) District 5 (CESA 2 & 5) District 6 (CESA 6) District 7 (CESA 1)
WSST Elections · February 2021 writing curriculum for a Wisconsin agriculture education group. Professional Activities: DPI Science Education Book Equity group, WSST District 5 Director Professional Organizations: WSST, NSTA, SEEDS, WAEE
RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 6: Sarah Adumat, Oshkosh Position Statement and Vision: I am committed to supporting veteran, new, and preservice teachers in learning and teaching science that supports student sensemaking in an equitable environment for all learners. I believe educators should support students in reading, writing, speaking, and listening as they investigate phenomena and build a conceptual understanding that is relevant and applicable to their lives. Part of making science relevant is helping teachers and students find connections across disciplines and in their daily interactions. Since many districts may not have a person dedicated to providing professional learning in science, WSST plays an important role in offering ongoing professional opportunities for educators and administrators alike to engage in learning and conversation around science and equity. One aspect I am passionate about is increasing the numbers of elementary educators who are members of WSST and who participate in the conference and other professional learning opportunities in science. In addition to focusing on mathematics
and literacy skills, all students deserve opportunities to build on their curiosity about the world through asking questions, conducting investigations, analyzing data, constructing explanations, developing models, arguing from evidence, and communicating information. These practices are applicable across all subjects, grade levels, student backgrounds, and communities. As an organization, WSST should strive to bring people together to support a network of educators committed to promoting social justice through three dimensional science learning. Background Education: I attended UW-Madison and earned my undergrad degree in Secondary Science Education and a Master’s in Science Education. In 2020, I received my EdD in Educational Leadership from UWOshkosh. I also obtained a Director of Instruction license and will have my Principal License in August of 2021. Present Teaching Assignment or Employment: I am currently a STEM Coach in the Oshkosh Area School District. I am also working with UW-Oshkosh Secondary Science Education students this semester for their clinical course. Professional Activities: Shapiro STEM Academy Equity Leadership Team; WSST PD Committee; WSST/DPI book club Professional Organizations: WSST; WSELA; NSTA; NARST; AERA
WSST Elections · February 2021 Interests: Traveling, biking, hiking, kayaking, gardening, home improvement projects
RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 7: Cody Smith, Position Statement and Vision: I view WSST as a vital resource for science education, and science educators in the state of Wisconsin. My first experience with WSST was as a pre-service teacher. During my student teaching semester, my host school signed me up and allowed me to attend the spring conference. It was in that experience that I truly saw how powerful the networking opportunities are between science educators. WSST as an organization has the potential to bring more educators together to share resources and experiences. Teachers are naturally collaborative in nature and WSST should work to facilitate as many conversations as possible. WSST can work to bring science educators closer together and support us all in our classrooms. Additionally, I want to focus my time with building WSST programs to recruit and support pre-service science educators. With the stress of COVID-19 on the class-
room, there will likely be a greater shortage of effective educators. WSST has an opportunity to help find, and develop quality effective educators early in their careers. Background Education: I attended Carroll University where I earned my B.S. in Biology, and a minor in secondary education. I also completed a broadfield science licensure. Present Teaching Assignment or employment: I currently teach high school science, primarily life science, at New Berlin West Middle/High School in New Berlin Wisconsin. Professional Activities: District 7 Director WSST Professional Organizations: Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers, National Science Teachers Association, Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Interests: Coaching Football and Wrestling Spending time outdoors
Vote online at www.wsst.org by March 11
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SCIENCE NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES WCEE Spring Opportunities x?pk=1831711 Energy Educator of the Year – Call for Nominations! Deadline is April 10, 2021 Who drives creative energy education and efficiency solutions in your K-12 community? From classroom teachers to higher education and technical college instructors, utility professionals, environmental educators and more, leaders throughout Wisconsin are bringing meaningful energy experiences to their communities through their own passion for lifelong learning and living the subjects they teach. Since the 2009 inception of the Wisconsin Energy Educator of the Year Award, 31 educators have been recognized for their contributions to energy literacy and their motivations to bring unique and innovative energy technologies and skills into their classrooms and communities. Visit www.uwsp.edu/cnrap/KEEP/Pages/Networking/EnergyAward-Info.aspx for more information and to nominate someone today! Hear from the Experts - WDNR Forestry Lecture Series Sponsored by LEAF, join LEAF staff and DNR experts over your lunch-hour as we explore different topics in the world of forestry. Each online session will provide background content about the day’s scheduled forestry topic, mention career pathways for students, and allow question and answer time for participants to interact with the presenter. ▪ Burning Questions – March 3rd at noon wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.asp
▪ All About Urban Forestry – April 8th at noon wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.asp x?pk=1831274 ▪ Protecting Wisconsin Forests from Invasive Species – May 4th at noon wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.asp x?pk=1831288 Tea Time & Tapas Join us for a virtual Tea Time and Tapas and be inspired to teach outside at your school site and in your community and build seasonal connections—whether you’re a beginner or an expert! Each month, we will explore seasonal bounty in our Tea and Tapas that you can share with your students and connect to other highlighted lessons and resources. Hear inspiring stories and practical educational examples from guest experts. Find space for discussion and networking to enhance outdoor learning places. Have a cup of tea, relax, and share! ▪ Fire, Succession, and Creating Outdoor Memory Storylines – Tuesday, March 16 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.aspx?pk=1847703 ▪ Teamwork and Storytelling Through ArtScience – Tuesday, April 13 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.asp x?pk=1847711 ▪ Creating Educational Stewardship Communities – Tuesday, May 18 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. wcee.asapconnected.com/ClassDetail.asp x?pk=1847714
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Add your Garden to the Wisconsin School Garden Network Map The Wisconsin School Garden Network is building a supportive community for educators across the state to connect and learn from each other through regional networking opportunities, professional development, and school garden technical assistance, as well as the Wisconsin School Garden Network Map (see wischoolgardens.org/view-map/) The map features over 700 youth education gardens from around Wisconsin at schools, early care and education sites, community sites, nonprofit organizations, botanical gardens, and anywhere that gardens are used to engage youth. We are currently updating our map to
more accurately represent school gardens in the state and I’m hoping you might be able to put the word out in your newsletter. We define youth garden programs very broadly - they could include raised beds, orchards, greenhouses, aquaponics, container gardening, farming, or any other ways of growing plants and food. Many of the state’s FFA programs have added themselves to the map. If you have a school garden as part of your program that you would like to add to the map, you can add your site through this link: wischoolgardens.org/put-yourself-on-the-map-3/ The only information required is the location of the garden/program (although you can add more info about the program if you wish, such as contact information or a website).
2021
UW–Madison
SCIENCE EXPEDITIONS Explore science - wherever you are!
April 9-11
All events are FREE and open to the public. Virtual events available.
Event website: science.wisc.edu/science-expeditions 19th Annual UW-Madison Science Expeditions Campus Open House 2021
EVENT CONTACT: Tom Zinnen • zinnen@biotech.wisc.edu • (608) 265-2420
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Advanced Placement® Summer Institute from the University of Iowa The Advanced Placement® Summer Institute (APSI) provides comprehensive preparation for developing and teaching an AP® course. APSI is hosted by the University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. The event will take place June 28 – July 2, 2021 and all courses will be offered online. Each workshop includes: preparation of course syllabi and lesson plans; examples of classroom materials applicable to the particular AP® subject area; and preparation for the new College Board Audit, required for every AP® teacher. The AP® Summer Institute is designed for teachers who want to learn to teach AP® courses, current AP® teachers, and educators who wish to strengthen their school’s core curriculum. Science courses offered in 2021 include AP® Computer Science Principles, AP® Physics 1, and AP® Psychology. Scholarships to help cover the cost of participation are available through the College Board and through the BelinBlank Center. For more information, visit www.belinblank.org/apsi or email apsi@belinblank.org
2021 Aspirations in Computing WI Honorees The nominations are submitted, the applications have been reviewed by our community leaders, and NCWIT WI Affiliate is thrilled to announce our 127
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WI honorees this year! We would also like you to join us in congratulating Tania Mishra, a junior at Brookfield Central, and a 2021 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) National Winner! We are thrilled to also congratulate, Olivia Eckes (Whitefish Bay, WI), Ellie Ertl (Cedarburg, WI), Rucheng Pan (Brookfield, WI) and Grace Vanden Heuvel (Hortonville, WI) all of whom are 2021 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) National HonorableMentions. What a great year for all!
Is 2021 the Year You Become a Change Leader?
Change is good, but inclusion is even better! Thank you for all your hard work in 2020, encouraging your students, educating them that a career in technology is a definite possibility for all young women. May 16, 2021 is the date and 23:30 p.m. is the time when we will honor and showcase this year’s outstanding Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award winners and the educators who inspired them. Join us in our first ever virtual event to see all the excitement. Be ready to be inspired. More information and details to follow, check out our NCWITWI website at www.aspirations.org/aspirations-community/wisconsin
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Spring WSST Newsletter
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Spring WSST Newsletter
Taking the Dog Stars for a Springtime Walk: Sirius and Procyon
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people today: when rising or setting near the horizon, its brilliance mixes with our atmosphere’s turbulence, causing the star’s light to shimmer with wildly flickering color. This vivid, eerie sight was an indication to ancient peoples By David Prosper of changes in the seasons, and even triggers UFO reports in the modern era! March skies feature many dazzling stars and constellations, glimmering high in the night, but Both of these bright stars have unseen companions: tiny, dense white dwarf stars, the two of the brightest stars are the focus of remnants of supermassive companion our attention this month: Sirius and stars. Interestingly, both of these dim Procyon, the dog stars! companions were inferred from careful Sirius is the brightest star in the nightstudies of their parent stars’ movements in time sky, in large part because it is one the 1800s, before they were ever directly of the closest stars to our solar system at observed! They are a challenging observation, 8.6 light years away. Compared to our Sun, even with a large telescope, since their parent Sirius possesses twice the mass and is much stars are so very bright that their light overyounger. Sirius is estimated to be several hunwhelms the much dimmer light of their tiny dred million years old, just a fraction of the Sun’s 4.6 billion years. Near Sirius - around the companions. The white dwarf stars, just like their parent stars, have differences: Sirius B is width of a hand with fingers splayed out, held younger, brighter, and more energetic than away at arm’s length - you’ll find Procyon, the Procyon B. Careful observations of these nearby 8th brightest star in the night sky. Procyon is systems over hundreds of years have helped another one of our Sun’s closest neighbors, advance the fields of: astrometry, the precise though a little farther away than Sirius, 11.5 light years away. While less massive than Sirius, measurement of stars; stellar evolution; and astroseismology, the study of the internal strucit is much older and unusually luminous for a ture of stars via their oscillations. Discover more star of its type, leading astronomers to suspect about our stellar neighborhood at nasa.gov! that it may “soon” – at some point millions of years from now – swell into a giant star as it nears the end of its stellar life. Sirius and Procyon are nicknamed the “Dog Stars,” an apt name as they are the brightest stars in their respective constellations – Canis Major and Canis Minor – whose names translate to “Big Dog” and ”Little Dog.” Not everyone Sirius A and B imaged by two different space telescopes, revealing dramatisees them as canine comcally different views! Hubble’s image (left) shows Sirius A shining brightly panions. As two of the in visible light, with diminutive Sirius B a tiny dot. However, in Chandra’s brightest stars in the sky, image (right) tiny Sirius B is dramatically brighter in X-rays! The they feature prominently in “Universe in a Different Light” activity highlights more surprising views of some familiar objects: http://bit.ly/different-light-nsn the sky stories of cultures around the world. Sirius also NASA, ESA, H. Bond (STScI), and M. Barstow (University of Leicester) captures the imaginations of (left); NASA/SAO/CXC (right)
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Volume 62, No. 3 Published in Appleton, Wisconsin Editing & Layout: Brian Bartel Publisher: Kevin Niemi
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WSST Calendar WSST Virtual Awards March 11 WSST Spring Board Meeting March 13 WSST Summer Board Meeting TBD 2022 Conference: Wausau April 7-9, 2022 2023 Conference: Madison Monona Terrace, March 9-11, 2023
2020-2021 Newsletter Deadlines Fall: Friday, August 21, 2020 Winter*: Friday, November 13, 2020 Spring: Friday, January 22, 2021 Summer*: Friday, April 9, 2021 *These will be digital issues only
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