Elementary, Middle and High School Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Teaching
Resources and Activities for Teachers
National Science Teachers Association
National Science Teachers Association
National Center for Rural STEM Outreach
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Rural STEM Outreach focuses on providing training in geospatial technologies to rural middle school teachers. Focusing on geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems, the Center provides professional development and curriculum materials. Contact Dr. Bob Kolvoord for more information.
Project GRASP (GIS/GPS Related Activities for Student Progress)
This project, funded with No Child Left Behind funds from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia, focuses on providing GIS and GPS professional and curriculum development for teachers in the Shenandoah Valley. Teachers participants have come from grades 4-12 and across the different curriculum content areas.
Archaeology for Elementary and Middle School Classrooms
Dr. Carole Nash has developed SOL-based materials to help teach social studies content using Archaeology. There are also wonderful science and math connections to the Archaeology content. Contact Dr. Carole Nash for more information.
ISAT Professor, Dr. Johnathan Miles, is one of the University’s “Professors in Residence” at Virginia High Schools .
Visualization in Science and Math
With the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation, the ISAT Department holds summer workshops in the techniques and application of data visualization for math and science teachers. These month-long workshops help K-12 teachers to see the forest (data visualization possibilities in the classroom) as well as the trees (software and curricula), with hands-on examples of Image processing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) , Molecular modeling , and Simulation (using STELLA) with instructors who have used these tools in their classrooms, including both K-12 and university faculty. Contact Dr. Bob Kolvoord for more information.
Great Outdoors Digital Indoors
The Great Outdoors Digital Indoors is an exciting new project combining the excitement of field work in a national park with innovative new technology to help interpret the data collected. It brings experimental science and technology together in a way that allows teachers and students to use both in the classroom. Contact Dr. Bob Kolvoord for more information.
Additional Links:
Resources for Students
Professors-in-Residence
ISAT Professors, Dr. Johnathan Miles (Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, VA) and Dr. Cindy Klevickis (Huguenot High School, Richmond, VA) are two of the University’s “Professors in Residence” at Virginia High Schools.
Geospatial Semester
The Geospatial Semester is an innovative dual-enrollment project helping students earn JMU credit as they learn about geospatial technologies and do research projects in their high school classes. Focusing on locally-based research projects, students are able to develop problem-solving skills in the context of working with real data. Contact Dr. Bob Kolvoord for more information.
TSA – Rally in the Valley
Each year, ISAT hosts a day long “Rally in the Valley” for over 180 high school and middle school Technology Student Association (TSA) members. We have also served as project judges and presenters for other TSA events. Contact Dr. Cindy Klevickis for more information.
Science on a Sphere
Science on a Sphere is an exciting new tool that allows students and teachers to interact with scientific data on a "life-size" 3-D globe. Using state-of-the-art visualization technology, Science on a Sphere lets students experience the excitement of discovery as they explore real-world data. Contact Dr. C.J. Brodrick for more information.
First Lego League
http://www.firstlegoleague.org Spear-headed by the Computer Science Department, and supported by ISAT faculty, the Virginia First Lego League (headquartered at Virginia Tech) now sponsors several regional competitions around the state as well as a state final competition in Blacksburg. The competition involves thousands of students ages 9-14 in team- based challenges focused on robotics engineering and scientific research. It's a fun, educational, and challenging way for students to learn more about real-life technical challenges and to come up with their own creative solutions.
The JMU College of Integrated Science and Technology hosts the Harrisonburg regional competition, as well as coaching workshops. For more information, contact Ralph Grove, Computer Science Department groverf@jmu.edu .
Girls Go Tech! Site sponsored by the Girl Scouts Organization.
Activities for Pre-service Teachers
ISAT is involved in teacher education and K-12 outreach through the Roop Learning Community. The Inez Roop Learning Community is a community of students interested in teacher education who live together in the same residence hall as freshmen. They take the IDLS Science Core classes together as a cohort and participate in service learning activities together as a group. The Roop Learning Community was started in 2000 with the first IDLS Science Core sections. Through 2006, there have been over 120 Roop Learning Community students.
This year, the Roop Learning Community logged over 800 hours of volunteer service learning and K-12 outreach. Some of the agencies where Roop Learning Community students volunteered include:
- Volunteering in pre K-12 classrooms and Special Education Classrooms
- The “Book Buddies Project” at Harrisonburg High School, (We led online small book discussion groups that involved both high school and Roop Learning Community students and we hosted a day-long JMU Experience Day at ISAT for over 50 Harrisonburg High School Students.)
- The Madison Art Center (We added science projects to their curriculum and participated in outreach activities.)
- Volunteering at The Dayton Learning Center
- Individual Tutoring programs for elementary and middle school students.
- Roop Learning Community students helped host and present many K-12 classroom field trips to JMU.
- We presented two hands-on science and technology programs at Fulk’s Run Elementary School. Attendance was >100 parents, teachers and students for each program.
Roop Learning Community students also formed a Relay for Life Team to raise money for Cancer Research. (Our team won a 3rd place award), baked pies to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief, and volunteered in local museums and soup kitchens.
For more information, contact Dr. Cindy Klevickis, Roop Learning Community Faculty Advisor.
