NWESD Science Announcements and Opportunities

Good Morning,   In case you missed our presentation at NSTA's fall virtual conference Engage20, our information and materials are attached for you to review and share with k-12 science educators. Teachers may apply for both the Shell awards and the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge.   You or your colleagues may also nominate teachers for these awards anonymously by following the links provided.   Copied on this e-mail is Ruth Ruud, the lead judge of the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge competition who is available for mentoring and can answer additional questions.   NSTA and Shell are fueling success with students. The Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge Competition will provide lab resources and professional development for k-12 teachers who need a new science lab.  This program is for teachers in regions across the U.S., such as Mobile, AL, Monaca PA, Puget Sound WA, Louisiana, Kermit and Houston TX, and CA.  Begin your journey i

Are you tired of students just trying to get a grade and not learning science? Using Modeling Instruction, we will develop the pedagogical framework to Get students to think hard Develop equitable practices in the classroom Bring joy back into teaching In our Distance Learning course, we will delve into the Modeling Cycle, its basis in cognitive science, and the practical ways that teachers use Modeling Instruction in the science classroom. This course will sample Life Sciences and Physical Sciences in order to explore the Modeling pedagogy through multiple content lenses. By utilizing both student mode and teacher mode, participants will use readings, virtual whiteboarding, discussions, and reflections to engage in Modeling practices that will lead to improved student learning. Day : Sundays from 4-7 pm (EST), except February 7, which will be 1-4 (EST) (PST = EST - 3) Duration : 15 weeks, January 10 - May 2, 2021 Costs : $750 for current AMTA members; $82

For high school students who are passionate about biology or are interested in growing their experiences,  the USA Biolympiad (USABO) is a national and international competition open to all 9-12 students.      The competition has four tiers. The first tier, 50-minute Open Exam, is open to all students nationwide . In the second tier, the top 500 students in the USA from Tier 1 sit for a 2-hour exam to determine the top 20 students in the USA. These 20 students identified as National Finalists move forward to the third tier of the National Finals, a two-week training program with lectures, discussions and hands-on lab training conducted with instructors from top level universities which include Stanford, MIT, UC San Diego, George Washington University and others. Students are evaluated during this portion and the top four students compete against 80 other countries in Tier 4 International Biology Olympiad (IBO).   Students at each tier have declared that