How
AZ teachers can get probeware
(9/2017 by Jane Jackson)
Need
probeware? Lists of suggested
probeware & lab equipment for physics & chemistry are at
http://modeling.asu.edu/Projects-Resources.html Scroll ¾ of the way down, to the
section called <Lab Equipment & Technology for the Modeling Classroom>.
1) Josh Cunningham teaches 6 sections of
physics at Sunnyslope HS in Glendale UHSD. In 2016-17, he got $5000 donated for
classroom technology/probeware. I asked him how. (He is in our summers-only MNS degree program at ASU, so I
see him often.) He replied
as follows: "In asking
for funds, there are a few ways I have learned to do this over the years.
* local parent club / booster club: the
school parent club is usually more than willing to lend teachers/coaches money
-- the teachers just need to apply for it. In the past I have had to first
apply for the money, then at the monthly parent club meeting give a little 5
minute presentation on what the money would be used for. I have yet to be
turned down, and if you're asking for too much usually they will donate as much
as they are able to give. As I always tell people, the worst case is they say
"no," and everyone walks away.
* Undesignated tax credits: I have
had a lot of success with this over the years. People usually give tax credits
to the school, but if the donor does not specifically state what club they want
the money to go to then it becomes "undesignated." At the end of the
school year, this pool of undesignated money can be applied for. You have to
first apply for the money, then there is a board that votes on your
application. This board is comprised of a representative from the parent club,
a school administrator, a kid from student council, and a teacher. Most
teachers do not know about this method, so usually they are able to give out
whatever money you ask for (within reason).
* Get friendly with CTE: CTE
departments have an ungodly amount of money given to them every year. So much
so that the teachers usually don't spend all of it and have to buy a ton of
junk towards the end of the year so their budgets don't get cut. Get friendly
with the CTE department and plan on some joint projects or equipment that both
classrooms can use. The CTE teacher and I bought 15 new Vernier Lab Quest 2's
($5,000) with the promise that they could use them whenever, and/or my physics
class would come help them analyze things they're doing. For example, we go
over and measure force and velocity for the trebuchets they build every year,
and that justifies the purchase."
2) Ask your local service organizations.
Colleen Megowan had great success at this, when she taught 9th grade
physics. She wrote, Òcontact your
local chapter of Rotary, Lions, Elks, or Soroptimist International (or other
community service organizations) and ask to speak at an upcoming weekly lunch
meeting. They need a speaker every week. You might be surprised at how glad
they are to have a competent speaker volunteer to be on the program.Ó Download a 2-page Òhow-toÓ at http://modeling.asu.edu/MNS/ServiceOrgs-financialHelp.doc.
3) After-school STEM or science clubs are
a good way to get probeware, physics teachers say. Three resources for Arizona
teachers:
* Science Foundation Arizona did a lot of
work to develop an online STEM CLUB GUIDE. Teachers can use it to help start a
science club. Potential funders
can use the guide to assess its viability and learn ways to support it. Visit http://stem.sfaz.org/?page=scghome
* Even if your
science club meets only once a month,
I would think it is eligible for SUPPORT MY CLUB (SMC). Get your needed
probeware, etc. listed at http://supportmyclub.org
. In 2016, a Phoenix-area philanthropist funded all items listed by Title I
high schools – maybe that will happen again. The following note is from
SUPPORT MY CLUB staff in Phoenix.
------------------------------------
Attention:
Leaders of High School science clubs, STEM clubs, robotics clubs!
Are you are a
public high school science teacher in Arizona who doubles as a club advisor? If
so, we have a great resource for you! Support my club (SMC) is a local
nonprofit that works to get donated items for high school students. SMC's goal
is for clubs to have all the resources necessary to be successful, and for
teachers to stop spending money out of their own pockets!
Does your STEM
club need EL wires, arduino kits, or a tool cart? Do they need assistance with
competition fees or field trips?
If so, Support My Club will be a great tool for you!
Any type of club
or team affiliated with a public or charter high school can register, and there
are no restrictions on the type or number of items a club or team can
request. Please visit http://supportmyclub.org
or e-mail outreach@supportmyclub.org to learn more.
Or call
602-339-8421
Research says
that structured after-school activities work. They engage students, keep them
in school, and keep them from participating in risky behaviors. Clubs need help
to provide students with tools to succeed. That's where SMC comes in.
-------------------------------
* A useful
article on a rural science club led by two teachers (physics/chemistry and
biology) that meets monthly is ÒExamination of a Successful and Active Science
Club: a Case StudyÓ. By Marc Behrendt, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor at
Ohio University, Athens. Email:
mb109411@ohio.edu Published in Science Educator, vol. 25, #2 (winter 2017).
Abstract: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1132085
. Email Marc Behrendt and ask him for a copy.
4) Buy used probeware at VernierÕs forum: http://www.vernier.com/forums/trade-and-sell
Teachers
nationwide offer their no-longer-used probeware inexpensively or for the cost
of shipping! (Suggested by Ann
Hammersly, a Vernier consultant, retired from Chaparral HS.)
5) Apply for a grant from APS or SRP, if
you are in their service area. Apply in August (APS) or October (SRP). Grants of up to $2,500 (APS) or $5000
(SRP) are awarded each year to K-12 teachers for innovative hands-on STEM
projects in the classroom -- projects which encourage creativity and increase
student motivation to learn. Funds may be used to purchase equipment, classroom
supplies and/or other items that
would otherwise not be supported by the school or school district.
APS: Apply from
August 14 to the beginning of October. Awardees announced in December. Winners
must do the project in spring semester.
Public schools only. APS info and application:
SRP: Apply from
Oct. 1 to Feb. Winners announced in May. Do the project the following year.
SRP info,
application, grant-writing tips: http://www.srpnet.com/education/grants/default.aspx
All K-12 educators in metropolitan Phoenix,
Pinal County, Gila County, Yavapai County, Page, St. Johns, and NGS community
chapters are eligible to apply for SRP learning grants.
GUIDELINES FOR
YOUR PROPOSAL (APS. SRP is similar):
Activities should engage students
in hands-on lessons that lead to new knowledge, understanding, investigating
and/or and awareness about STEM. Describe what youÕre trying to achieve and
what you will do (activities, experiments, lessons, field trips, research and
data collection, speakers, etc.) in a timeline with specific learning outcomes.
Make sure you tie the activities to the objectives. How long will the project
last? Will it be ongoing?
Budget: Itemize the expenditures, including
materials and equipment needed, supplier and cost. Be specific as to how the
required items relate to the project.
Evaluation: How will you
measure achievement? How will you know your students learned what you wanted
them to learn?
EXAMPLES of APS
grants (won in fall 2016):
Peoria High
School, Peoria. Students Impacted:
65
Project Title:
STEM Engineering: M.E.S.A Club .
Grant: $1,500
Description: Funded activities, experiments and
challenges given to the students come from M.E.S.A. and are presented through
an after-school program designed to increase the numbers of under-represented
groups in college majors and professions related to STEM.
Wenden
Elementary School, Wenden.
Students Impacted: 41
Project Title:
Solar Power – Direct and Indirect.
Grant: $2,000
Description: Students will be introduced to solar
power as an alternative energy source and will compare efficiencies of direct
solar power and indirect solar power.
EXAMPLE OF SRP
grant (won in spring 2017):
Seton Catholic
Preparatory (Chandler) – $3,500. The physics department at Seton needs to
improve the equipment available to students to better prepare them for college
and careers. VernierÕs ÒDynamics Cart and Track SystemÓ is ideal because it
matches their existing graphing software. When combined with the software
Logger Pro, each lab experience can be enhanced with real-time results to be
observed and examined. A cart and track system addresses the core of physical
laws and helps students understand and explain these forces as they apply to
the real world. Computer-based tools that enable students to collect, display
and analyze data in real time have catalyzed the design of a laboratory
curriculum that allows students to master a coherent body of physics concepts
while acquiring traditional laboratory skills. SRP funds will impact 550 students
with this project.
Sample proposals: http://modeling.asu.edu/Projects-Resources.html
Scroll down 4/5 of the way, to
<Grants for Instructional Technology, Improved Instruction, Modeling
Workshops>.