Category Archives: Science

Baylor Summer Science Institute giving educators new ways to teach old lessons

All are designed to get elementary and middle school students excited about science and STEM careers

The classroom at Herod Elementary School didn’t have any ring stands available, but that didn’t stop the seventh-grade science teachers in it from completing their experiment on heat and energy at the Baylor Summer Science Institute.

The two-week event, which concludes on July 25, focuses on giving elementary and middle school teachers creative ways to deliver lessons on familiar subjects. And participants displayed that same spirit of ingenuity this year in assembling an acceptable substitute for that basic piece of lab equipment—made from a wet cork, some tin foil, and a coat hanger.

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12 schools compete in All-Earth EcoBot Challenge

A dozen Houston ISD schools took part on the All-Earth EcoBot Challenge at Reliant Center last weekend, which allowed students in grades 5-8 to show off their engineering skills.

Teams of four students designed, built, and programmed autonomous robots. The teams then used their robots to complete a series of missions that connect to the commercial and industrial future of energy exploration, transportation, technological innovation, medical research, and environmental sustainability.

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Pumps and Pipes give STEM Schools Taste of Real World

It’s not every day that a freshman in high school gets to talk one-on-one with a former astronaut and current NASA chief, but for Energy Institute High School students Chisom Anyanwu, Matthew Brack, Timothy Chung, and Avin Passalar, meeting NASA Director Ellen Ochoa was beyond comprehension.

“I just can’t believe it,” said Passalar. “I could have talked to her for hours. She had such amazing things to say about being a woman in the space industry.”

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HISD Wins $12 Million for Magnet Schools

Six HISD schools have been awarded a combined $12 million in federal grant funds for new magnet programs that emphasize science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction.

“This is fantastic news for HISD students, and for local taxpayers,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier. “We have heard loud and clear from the business community that demand for graduates with a strong foundation of science, technology, engineering and math has never been higher, and that this demand will continue to grow. In addition to strong neighborhood schools, new magnet programs like these make HISD even more competitive as parents and students explore all of the great school choices available to them in our city.”

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Challenges Help Students Understand STEM Careers

If students learn best by doing, 120 eighth-graders from The Rice School gained valuable knowledge that may influence their future career choices. On Sept. 20, they experienced a hands-on day filled with competitive, educational activities promoting awareness of and interest in careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

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Students Dig in to Mock Drilling Exercise at PetroChallenge

More than 150 sophomores from Milby HS, Westside HS, and the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA) in Houston ISD and Southwest HS in Fort Worth ISD competed in the fifth annual PetroChallenge held Sept. 20.

The computer simulation exercise, which took place this year at the Houston Community College’s Alief Campus, asks teams of students to form an energy company entering a new oil and gas field. Starting with $200 million in funds, their goal is to achieve the highest company value by finding oil or gas and investing in other teams’ opportunities.

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Rice U. Summer Camp Sparks Chávez HS students’ Interest in Science

A dozen female students from Chávez High School are spending their summer studying science and building new relationships, thanks to a new three-year program at Rice University.

The girls had to apply for acceptance to the program, and 80 percent of the 15 participating were selected from Chávez (the remainder are from a local charter school).

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HISD’s Washington High School Partners with British School to Build a Mission on Mars

Partnership possible thanks to KBR’s support

Students at HISD’s Booker T. Washington High School are collaborating with students at the Ormiston Victory Academy in Norwich, England to build a mission on Mars, thanks to KBR’s Discover Engineering Committee.

The SAMbassadors program is designed to engage students in science and engineering projects with a global perspective.  The students at both campuses Skype every other week to discuss the logistics of this project and share documents online.  Each school has 25-30 students in the program.

One group of students has been determining environmental conditions on Mars such as wind speed, temperature, atmospheric gases, sunlight and shade, radiation and soil conditions. Another group is designing the living conditions.  Meanwhile, the British students at Victory Academy are creating 3D CAD drawings.

The students from both campuses will Skype immediately following the press conference on Monday, May 20, 2013.

What: SAMbassadors, program to a build mission on Mars

Who:  Aimee Yuan, KBR-DEC chairperson; Patrick Harkin, KBR-DEC outreach chair; Jack Kramer, KBR engineer; Dr. Nghia Le, engineering teacher, Washington High School; LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, principal, Washington High School; Elizabeth Nolazco, student, Washington High School

When:  Monday, May 20, 2013; Press conference – 9:30 a.m.; Skype interview – 10 a.m.

Where: Washington High School, 119 East 39th Street, Houston, 77018

Team HISD is Hiring – Early Application Deadline is March 18

HISD currently has openings for motivated teachers who are invested in making an impact on student achievement.  To attract the best candidates, we are currently accepting early applications for the 2013-2014 school year. The deadline for the early application round is March 18, 2013. We are continuing to access applications for the 2012-2013 school year.

While vacancies exist in all areas, the highest need for teachers exists in critical shortage areas including bilingual (Spanish), secondary Spanish, secondary math, secondary science and specific areas in special education.

To get started, click here and follow the directions to start your application for employment with HISD today! Candidates who apply early will have the best chance of securing contracts for the 2013-2014 school year.

For more information about a teaching career at HISD, visit the teacher recruitment page by clicking here.

Combine love of teaching and the outdoors as a camp leader

[slideshow]Love to teach?  Love the outdoors?  Combine both for the perfect job!  Work with the Houston Independent School District in promoting a positive, holistic, natural experience for 5th grade students in the Sam Houston National Forest as a camp leader or assistant camp leader! 

 Job details include teaching a set curriculum of Science and Social Studies lessons while instilling core community values in our students.  A typical work week requires a day of set up, 3 nights supervising a small cabin group and teaching lessons during the day. Benefits include housing, 3 fresh meals a day, health insurance options, weekends and holidays off and doing what you love to do!

Requirements:  Availability from August to May.  Associate/Bachelors degree preferred.  Summer camp or outdoor experience is helpful.  Must be capable of supervising and guiding students safely throughout their stay.  Quality communication skills with children and adults are a must!  Sound like your line of work? 

 Visit Houstonisd.org/jobs or e-mail Kenneth Pyle @ kpyle@houstonisd.org for more information.