Education Commons^™

The Adolescent Mind & Burnout Culture Program, Alyssa Gehrke

Goal 4: Intrapersonal Intelligence Narrative

No abstract provided.

Imsa’S Equity And Excellence Plan: 3 Year Outcome Report, Adrienne Coleman

Equity and Excellence Plan

The Academy recognizes and acknowledges the historical underrepresentation and marginalization of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse groups, both universally, and particularly, in STEM education and professions. These disparities also exist in the representation of the Academy’s workforce. We are committed to advancing equity in STEM education and representation and creating a diverse, inclusive community of global citizens who can realize their full potential, and execute our mission to advance the human condition, through a model of Equity and Excellence.

2. Fire Tactics, David Hernandez

Fighting Fire with STEM

Students will explore information interpretation and analysis, as well as a constant progression of information evolving as the event takes place. Students will be exposed to different decision- making processes according to given information (“sizing-up” concept). Additionally, students will utilize strategically thinking methods to place hydrants on a city map. Then, students will find the time needed for the fire truck to travel to the emergency location by using given speed and distance values. Lastly, students will have the opportunity to create a rescue plan based on information provided throughout the activities.

1. What Is Fire?, David Hernandez

Fighting Fire with STEM

Students will be introduced to the concept of fire. First, they will make observations to create an explanation of how fire works or the factors needed for fire. Then, students will explore the interaction between elements that constitute the creation of fire by constructing a model to represent these elements.

4. Fire Innovations, David Hernandez

Fighting Fire with STEM

Students will explore the mechanism of the instant fire suppression system by creating a model demonstrating how to control and manipulate waves in order to push the air around them.

Hispanic Heratage Month | Alebrijes Mysterious Creatures, David Hernandez

STEM al Estilo Latino

THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITY WILL GUIDE THE STUDENTS AS THEY EXPLORE THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN ART. STUDENTS WILL EXPLORE THE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN PROCESS BY CREATING “ALEBRIJES”, A MYSTERIOUS CREATURE THAT REPRESENTS A UNIQUE MOMENT IN THEIR LIVES. THROUGH THEIR WORK, STUDENTS WILL INCORPORATE MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND ART. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WILL PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO EACH OTHER’S ART PIECES BY INTERPRETING THE ARTWORK.

Focusing On Stem, David Hernandez

STEM al Estilo Latino

THE COLOR OF STEM UNIT WILL GUIDE STUDENTS AS THEY EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF HOW THE HUMAN EYE PERCEIVES THE COLOR TRANSMITTED FROM AN IMAGE. STUDENTS WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE HOW PIXELS ARE CREATED AND COMBINED TO FORM COLORS. STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE HOW TO INFLUENCE THE HUMAN EYE COLOR PERCEPTION BY PRACTICING AN ART TECHNIQUE CALLED “POINTILLISM”.

This Is Gess-Nius!, David Hernandez

STEM al Estilo Latino

THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITY WILL GUIDE THE STUDENTS AS THEY EXPLORE THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN ART. STUDENTS WILL CREATE DIFFERENT MIXTURES OF ELEMENT (CHEMICAL CHANGES) TO OBTAIN THE OPTIMAL GESSO FOR A PAINTING THAT STUDENTS IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WILL PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO EACH OTHER’S ART PIECES.

3. Fire Forensics, David Hernandez

Fighting Fire with STEM

Students will analyze different types of fabrics commonly used in the production of everyday items. Then students will analyze the physical properties of the fabrics and will predict the fabric’s behavior during and after combustion. They will also compare their prediction to the actual process after watching a video. Lastly, they will prepare a presentation to explain the reason why certain fabrics burn in a certain way due to their structure.

Imagination To Innovation: Design Thinking For Young Learners, Lindsey Herlehy, Cassandra Armstrong

Publications & Research

Design thinking is the intersection of engineering design and social-emotional learning. Today’s learners must be empathetic problem solvers capable of defining problems and designing appropriate solutions to meet the needs of the user. In this session, participants will experience design thinking through literature-based scenarios appropriate for early learners. They will analyze and compare their own models to those of others and compose a lesson that will engage students in the design thinking process.

This Is Me: My Past , My Present & My Future, Cynthia Smith

Goal 4: Intrapersonal Intelligence Narrative

This “show & tell” activity will provide students with an opportunity to share important aspects of their lives including values, hobbies, and interests. This practice is important for individual growth in areas of self-love and acceptance, as well as, practicing the art of compassion for others and choosing to get to know others on a deeper level.

The Perfect World: Creating My Utopia, Cynthia Smith

Goal 1: Social Responsibility Narrative

This activity allows students to tap into their imagination and creative skills. The goal is to create a utopia, the perfect world. This activity allows for complete autonomy, the only boundaries being respect for self and others, and maintaining an open mind. The idea is to sharpen critical thinking and problem solving skills, while also determining what values and beliefs are most important to their world view.

A Letter To My Future Self, Cynthia Smith

Goal 2: Life Skills Narrative

This letter is an opportunity for students to create a vision for their future selves, create goals that they would like to accomplish within a given period of time, and/or write an encouraging note to read in the future. For some students, this letter will represent the beginning of their journey at IMSA and for others, this will encourage them to create short term goals and something to look forward to. This letter is capturing a moment of time that the students will be able to look back on with nostalgia and gratitude for the progress they have, hopefully, made …

The Art Of Problem Solving, Taylor Jones

Goal 3: Interpersonal Intelligence Narrative

Lesson Outcomes:

• Be able to identify and resolve a problem

Purpose: Problem–solving isn’t just a skill that will be used in an academic setting; it will be used throughout a lifetime. Identifying a problem's cause, choosing how to react, and applying that solution is a vital life skill.

How To Keep A Clean Space For A Clear Mind, Taylor Jones

Goal 3: Interpersonal Intelligence Narrative

Lesson Outcomes: In this lesson, students will learn how to maintain a clean space for a clear and healthy mind. o Maintaining a clean space will help the student’s mental health, o Teach responsibility and cleanliness o Be considerate of others if spaces are ever shared.

Purpose: This program aims to help students maintain a clean living space and tips to keep it.

2023 Imsaloquium, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

Welcome to IMSAloquium 2023. This is IMSA’s 36 th year of leading in educational
innovation, and the 35th year of the IMSA Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program.

Bhsc Retreat: The World Within Reach, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Brotherhood Sister Circle (BHSC)

The Black and Latinx faculty/staff at IMSA meet to discuss strategies to provide additional support for Black and Latinx students. This year, the group is hosting a retreat for students on Sunday April 2nd, 2023. As a strategy of the IMSA Board of Trustees approved Equity and Excellence Policy (https://go.boarddocs.com/il/imsa/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=AXVRKP68F803), the goal of the retreat is to provide Black and Latinx students with additional academic resources and social/emotional support to ensure they have the tools to be successful at IMSA and in the global world.

Naval Engineering For Grades 4-6, Patrick Young

Publications & Research

Reading The Girl with a Mind for Math, we learn about the career of Raye Montague, an African-American woman who broke every barrier to pioneer computer-aided ship design and become the first female program manager in the United States Navy. Lessons are provided for using free, online software to design ships while exercising several Common Core Math standards and NGSS standards for engineering design.

Why Are There Microscopes In The Art Room?, Joyce Symoniak

Professional Learning Day

During this presentation we will explore how working cross curriculum enhances learning within the visual arts, science and mathematics. We will discuss how the visual arts curriculum can be created in order to bond with STEM courses for student success. Through exploration we will discuss how collaboration within these courses can be used to solidify cross curriculum understanding and learning. Attendees are asked to bring a sample project or lesson.

E2: Equity And Excellence Framework, Adrienne Coleman

Professional Learning Day

Considering there is a national and global equity focused call to action, IMSA engaged in a process to institutionalize and operationalize Equity and Excellence to address educational inequities. This included policy development, capacity building to engage in equity work, an inclusive and comprehensive data collection methodology, data meaning making, as well as an equity and excellence plan and scorecard development. This presentation will provide participants with an understanding of educational equity, share tools to assist in drafting datainformed policy/plans, and provide a framework to score and measure progress in advancing equity. It will share how to approach equity and excellence …

Functional Design + Steam, David Hernandez

Professional Learning Day

Electronic kiosks are everywhere...ordering your food at a restaurant, checking your luggage at the airport, or getting the perfect paint for your living room. Do you know how they work? During this session students will explore the Functional Design Specification (FDS) and encourage students to think abstractly, create, engineer, test, redesign, and create a marketing campaign for a new product. STEAM to the next level.

Saving Skee-Ball: Applying Engineering & Science With A Fun Storyline, Christine L. Moskalik

Professional Learning Day

How do engineering and science apply to a simple game of skee-ball? In this session, participants will be introduced to various STEM concepts that can be incorporated into a simple, inexpensive, and fun activity that is coupled with a fun storyline (saving the game of Skee-ball). Educators will work as teams to modify, design aspects of, and play the game. Along the way, they will discover ways to do this with their own students.

Can I Pick Your Brain? Exploratory Brain Dissection, Nicole Ross, Jessica Amacher, Desirae Klimek

Professional Learning Day

Science labs, particularly dissections, are often confirmatory in nature, conducted at the end of learning to solidify and assess concept knowledge. What if we flipped the script on these labs and began with an exploratory version, instead? Participants will engage in an inquirybased brain dissection, and explore ways to flip one of their current labs to encourage active exploration of concepts in their classroom. This session includes an active dissection of a sheep brain.

Statistics With The Amazing Web-Slinging Spiderman!!!, Brian Trainor

Professional Learning Day

An introduction to linear regression, prediction, and linear transformations featuring the Amazing Spider-Man!!! Students will collect data and create a linear model with the goal of predicting how much "web" Spider-Man will need to use in order to land safely on the ground. Attendees must bring a computer.

Visualization Tools And Analogies To Model Strong Vs. Weak Acids, Angela Ahrendt, Laura Kopff

Professional Learning Day

We will present two different ways to introduce the difference between a strong acid and a weak acid. The first one uses a Phet simulation where the students can change different parameters in an inquiry based approach. The second one is a hands-on activity using a guided packet and manipulatives to model the differences between strong and weak acids. Attendees must bring a computer.

The Art Of Currency!, David Hernandez, Joyce Symoniak

Professional Learning Day

While some artists dream about making tons of money, other artists dream about designing money. STEM plus art (STEAM) is the perfect mix for the creation and innovation of currency. First, the students will explore the paper making process to find out the best currency paper. Then, students will create their own currency in an engaging, hands-on, and 3-dimensional learning activity. Join us to take STEAM to the next level and let’s create money!

I'M Tired Of Punnett Squares, But Genetics Is Still My Jam, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll

Professional Learning Day

As STEM educators, it can be hard to keep up with what’s happening in our fields outside of the classroom because we have to prioritize the content and skills we share with the students in front of us. But we teach what we do, hopefully, because we love it, and part of our professional development should be to keep that love alive. In this session, we will share ideas for how to stay current, excited and engaged in your own field and in STEM as a whole, when your classroom content only covers the basics that repeat every year. Bring …

Stem Strategies That Engage And Excite Curious Students, Christine L. Moskalik, Elaine Wu

Professional Learning Day

STEM League programs are designed around a hot topic in STEM and are for self-motivated, independent middle and high-school students. Come learn how we foster a deeper understanding of and appreciation for STEM and simultaneously address relevant ethical considerations. STEM Leagues are different from the typical, competitive science extracurriculars because we focus on the collaborative and constructivist side of STEM. Leave inspired to try some of our strategies to engage and inspire your own students!

Snowflakes And Chaos, Patrick Young

Professional Learning Day

One day, you may find yourself with a class that can think of nothing but the approaching snowfall. What will you do? Learn an activity about the formation of snowflakes that addresses the idea that no two snowflakes are identical. This fun activity may be engaged with on several levels, from crystal growth to mathematical probability to the science of chaos theory. Keep it handy for the right teachable moment.

The Bisection Method: A Single Technique Yielding Simple Proofs Of The Four "Hard" Theorems Of Calculus, Anderson Trimm

Professional Learning Day

The Intermediate Value Theorem, Boundedness Theorem, Extreme Value Theorem, and Integrability Theorem are all vital theorems of Calculus, yet are almost never proved in calculus textbooks. I will give simple proofs of these theorems using the Bisection Method, explain how I incorporated these into inquiry-style lessons at IMSA, and discuss the benefits to students. As a connection to Computer Science, the Bisection Method can be viewed as a Binary Search Algorithm.