Saturday September 25, 2010

9am-3pm

The College of New Jersey

Armstrong Hall Room 102

Learn hands-on, middle school STEM activities and innovative ways to teach engineering with a green message

· Build a solar powered flashlight out of recycled materials

· Build structures that can withstand “earthquakes” and crushing forces

Receive:

· A stipend for attending

· Complimentary light breakfast

· Complimentary catered lunch

· Professional development hours

· Free resources and materials to take home

Please RSVP by Monday, September 20, 2010 to:

Jeanette Alicea

The College of New Jersey

Armstrong 103

Email: vega@tcnj.edu

Phone: (609)771-3336

Fax: (609)771-3330

Thanks for continuing to follow my blog and letting me share my classroom experiences with you. This Summer, I’d like to take you away from my usual location at Gateway High School, and direct you to a new set of students and activities taking place at the Boys & Girls Club in Trenton, NJ.

First, let me back things up a bit and provide you with some background information. For the last three summers, I have been running a summer camp located at the Trenton Boys & Girls Club, which we call Future Engineers. The camp itself is just one function of a larger grant project, also called Future Engineers, which provides camps, after school enrichment programs and professional development throughout the year, in order to enhance K-12 Engineering Education in New Jersey. The grant itself is funded by the Martinson Family Foundation, and housed within the Center for Excellence in STEM Education, located within the department of Technological Studies at The College of New Jersey. This summer, I have 75 students, ages 9-15, enrolled in Future Engineers for a total of eight weeks.

With the help of the project coordinator, Susan Harrison, and my three amazing college students (Brianna Kurowski, Shane Evans and Julie Ryan), we are already halfway through our sessions and having a lot of fun. Many of our students have never had a tech-ed or engineering course before, but some of them have been involved with Future Engineers before through the after school enrichment programs.

Ms. Julie Ryan from The College of New Jersey, one of the pre-service teacher assistants

Thanks to a very supportive art teacher who gave us permission to use her classroom this summer, we have setup “shop” in an environment most conducive to project based learning. The students enjoy guest speakers and learn about STEM related careers, but most of what we do involves giving the students hands-on design challenges- and lessons in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – which they are able to apply while prototyping a solution to a design problem with various constraints, using a variety of machines, processes and materials.

This summer’s activities include the following topics and activities:

Lessons: Safety, The Design/Engineering Process, Sketching & Drawing, The Designed World, The Impact of Technology on Society

Activities: Creative Name Tag Design Challenge; Innovative Candy Design and Foam Modeling Design Challenge

The foam sculptures were a modeling and brainstorming activity built into a design challenge where students had to come up with an innovative design for either a type of edible candy product, or a piece of art that represented their personality. The foam is cheap and easy to work with, making it a good choice for students learning how to operate different tools and machines for assorted processes.

Lessons: Careers, Higher Education Pathways, Aerodynamics, Newton’s Laws, Alternative Energy Transportation, Mag Lev Vehicles

Activities: Egg Crashing MagLev Vehicles – CO2 Power – Design Challenge

Lessons: Electricity, Circuits, Ohm’s Law, Light Reflection/Refraction, Repurposing Used Materials, Reverse Engineering a Flashlight

Activities: LED Simple Circuits and Schematic Diagrams; The Apocalypse Light Source Design Challenge

Field trip to The College of New Jersey, School of Engineering and Department of Technological Studies. The student were taken on a tour of the university and facilities in Armstrong Hall. While there, high school students in the STEM Educators Summer Academy, engaged the Future Engineers in hands-on design based projects, allowing them to practice for their future careers as teachers!

Lessons: The Design Principles and Elements, Effective Logos, Marketing, Communication Mediums, Silk Screening Processes

Activities: Logo Design Challenge; T-Shirt Silk Screen Design Challenge and Manufacturing

Lessons: Solar Panels, Alternative Fuel, Energy Storage and Conversion

Activities: Solar Powered Apparel Design Challenge; USB 2.0 solar to 5v circuit design challenge

Lessons: Farming Systems & Technologies, Agricultural & The Environment, Hydroponic/Aquaponic System Design, Organic Farming Techniques

Activities: Composting System Design Challenge; Soda-Bottle Wick System Design Challenge; Classroom Hydroponic System Design Challenge

Big open window at the back of the classroom is perfect for setting up hydroponics systems and “garden sock” compost growing systems!

This workshop taught attendees how to harness the power of the sun in order to charge battery powered devices like phones, ipods and PSPs. Each attendee learned lessons about circuits, electricity, solar energy and power and built their own circuit to convert the energy collected from a panel into the exact voltage necessary to charge a device.

Handouts and Instructions (PDF)

Go Green…

with Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM)

Winter 2010

Saturday February 20, 2010

9am-3pm

The College of New Jersey, Armstrong Hall Room 102

Download Flyer (PDF)

Each student that participated in Saturday’s event attends weekly after-school sessions of the Future Engineers program at their respective schools, which double as Boys & Girls Club after-school satellite sites. With the guidance of their Future Engineers Instructors, students built solar powered cars over the Fall/Winter 2009 semester, one of several hands-on activities they did after researching alternative forms of energy.

The College of New Jersey’s Center for Excellence in STEM Education, in the School of Engineering, receives funding from the Martinson Family Foundation to facilitate the Future Engineers program, which cultivates science, technology, engineering and math knowledge and career awareness among Trenton youth. The race was judged by TCNJ staff members Susan Harrison, Michael Anderson, Alison Goeke and Brianna Kurowski

Andre Thomas, the Manager of the Center for Energy and Environmental Training at Isles, Inc. attended the event as the guest speaker. Isles, Inc. is an award-winning, nonprofit community development and environmental organization based in Trenton. Thomas spoke to the students about current trends in the environmental engineering profession, relating these trends to the research, design and product development students have implemented in the Future Engineers program.

First Place for fastest car in the Solar Car Competition was awarded to Joshua Lopez and Joseph Vasquez from Monument School.

Second Place was given to the Lightest Car that also made it to the finish line. James Munn from Mott School received the trophy with his car weighing in at 107 grams.

A Third Place trophy went to Aaliyah McCleese and Breeina Griffin from PJ Hill School for Best Overall Design.

Students, parents, instructors and program staff celebrated with lunch after the Award Ceremony. All participants in the day’s events received a prize pack and a certificate to take home.

Bats and the Environment

Presenter: Nick Beykirch

Friday, December 4, 2009 (Free), 4 to 6:30 pm, Room: Armstrong 112

“Going green” is the new buzzword on everyone’s lips-attend this workshop and learn how to practice green methods of pest control!

Learn how a manufacturing system can be utilized to design and produce bat habitats from recycled materials. Each participant will leave with a completed bat house, plans, and various resources that can be used when completing the activity. The impact of bats on the environment as a means of pest control will be a key part of the presentation.

All participants will receive:

• Complimentary snacks and beverages
• Professional development hours
• Free resources and materials to take home

Contact:

Jeanette Alicea

vegaj@tcnj.edu / (609) 771-3336

Please be sure to include the workshop title, your name, school, district, grade,

email address and contact phone number.

RSVP by November 24th

Please note:  If you do not receive a confirmation please contact the office to be sure that you are registered.

Register now – vegaj@tcnj.edu or call 609-771-3336.

How to Reach Your Urban Middle School Student

Presenter: Ed Butler

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 (Free), 4 to 6:30 pm, Room: Armstrong 102

Ed Butler has been a teacher in an urban environment for over 20 years.  His methods in reaching his students have made his teaching experience rewarding for both his students and himself.  Come see what works for him!

Topics will include:

• Understanding urban students
• Finding what sparks their interest
• Techniques to help engage students
• How to keep them motivated
• How important is structure
• Discipline techniques
• Types of free after-school programs and activities students can attend
• How to get parents involved

All participants will receive:

• Complimentary snacks and beverages
• Professional development hours
• Free resources and materials to take home

Contact:

Jeanette Alicea

vegaj@tcnj.edu / (609) 771-3336

RSVP by November 30th

Please be sure to include the workshop title, your name, school, district, grade, email address and contact phone number.

Please note:  If you do not receive a confirmation please contact the office to be sure that you are registered.

Register now – vegaj@tcnj.edu or call 609-771-3336.

Workshop Flyer

In this workshop you will learn hands-on, middle school STEM activities , and build structures that harness wind, solar and geothermal energy!

Each attendee will receive:

· A stipend for attending
· Complimentary light breakfast
· Complimentary catered lunch
· Professional development hours
· Free resources and materials to take home

Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 23, 2009 to:

Jeanette Alicea at The College of New Jersey

vega@tcnj.edu / (609)771-3336.

Please include your name, school, grade/subject you teach, email and phone number where you can be reached.

This FREE workshop is sponsored by The Future Engineers of Trenton program at The College of New Jersey.

Please join the Center for Excellence in STEM Education at our new upcoming professional development events!

True Colors

June 3, 2009 from 4:00-6:30pm

True Colors is a diversity and equity tool that utilizes colors to identify four distinct perspectives and personalities, and supports the basic values of self-confidence, pride, dignity, worthiness, and esteem. K-12 educators join us for this fun, highly interactive session focusing on understanding yourself and others and how it applies to various educational and classroom settings.