Olympic ESD STEM Hotspot

We are the STEM Hotspot at OESD114, connecting teachers to content knowledge, STEM professionals, classroom best practices, and standards from math, science, CTE, ELA, and computer science.

Click the underlined links for each event to register.

For a PDF of the latest STEM Hotspot flyer, click here.

STEM Office Hours

Individual STEM support is available by appointment throughout the summer!  Get one-on-one help on any STEM activity, lesson, or unit.

By Appointment; Email Kim at kweaver@oesd114.org to schedule 

NASA's Cutting Edge Crosscutting Concepts Series

This 6-part series features monthly workshops from January to June.  Each workshop will focus on a specific NASA mission and one or more of the NGSS Crosscutting Concepts.  Classroom-ready resources in every session!

Always 4:30 - 7:30 PM, dinner provided, 3 STEM Clock hours.

Bremerton Dates:  Jan 9, Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 16, May 6, Jun 3

Port Angeles:  Jan 10, Feb 5, Mar 5, Apr 15, May 7, Jun 4

Zombie Guacamole Educator Training (5th grade focus) 

Provided by Washington Green Schools

4 STEM Clock Hours Available; Light breakfast  and lunch provided.

Februrary 2, 9 AM - 1 PM
OESD in Bremerton 

NGSS 101 for Elementary Teachers

What are the NGSS?  This introductory workshop has an elementary focus on!

3 STEM Clock Hours Available; Dinner and $75 Stipend Provided

February 12 in Bremerton
February 13 in Port Angeles

4:30 - 7:30 PM

 K-8 Introduction to Edison Robotics

NGSS 201 for Elementary Teachers

Beyond the basics!  Some experience with NGSS (such as NGSS101) required.

3 STEM Clock Hours Available; Dinner and $75 Stipend Provided

March 19 in Port Angeles
March 20 in Bremerton

4:30 - 7:30 PM 

Novel Engineering
Level 1 

Level 1: January 16, 2019
OESD Bremerton
4:30 - 7:30 PM

Middle School Science Collaboratory

Port Angeles Only
January 17, March 21, April 25
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM Each Day

FoldScope Workshops

January 28, 2019, PA Skills Center4:30 - 7:30 PM

January 31, 2019, OESD Bremerton, 4:30 - 7:30 PM

OESD 114 STEM Vision

STEM is a change in mindset that supports the integration of the standards and associated instructional shifts in math, science, engineering, technology and English Language Arts in service of a classroom experience that supports discovery, problem solving, and communication to provide equity and access to college and career readiness.

STEM Office Hours

By appointment

K-12 teachers (any subject)

None

Bring what you are working on, and we will help you "pump up the STEM" for your students, whether you are just starting out or you're a seasoned STEM veteran, or anywhere in between. We can also bring STEM Office Hours to you and your team. Email Kim at kweaver@oesd114.org to schedule!

NGSS101 for Elementary

Feb 12 Brem

Feb 13 PA

Any K-5 teacher or specialist.  Administrators welcome!

None ($75 Stipend)

Wherever you are in your journey to understand and implement the NGSS standards in your classroom, this workshop is for you.  We will start assuming no prior knowledge of the NGSS and build towards a deeper understanding of the NGSS standards and 3D learning.  

3 STEM Clock Hours Available; Dinner, $75 Stipend Provided

NGSS201 for Elementary

Mar 19 PA

Mar 20 OESD

4:30-7:30 PM

K-5 teachers

None

($75 stipend)

There is more to the NGSS  than just the basics!  This "next-level" workshop will help you advance in your  understanding and application of NGSS.  Topics will include 3D assessment, phenomenon-based learning, opportunities for integration with ELA and math, and small adaptations that can help bring existing materials into stronger alignment with the NGSS.  

Participants should have some previous understanding of NGSS basics, which could include NGSS101 workshops or other experience.

3 STEM Clock Hours Available; Dinner and $75 Stipend Provided

Feb 20

OESD

4:30 - 7:30 PM

In this workshop, you will learn how to use the Edison robots to teach your students about technology, engineering, and computer programming.  These tough and  versatile robots can be programmed four different ways (bar code scanning, visual block programming, text block programming and Python programming language), so they are accessible to all students.  This workshop will focus on bar-code programming  and visual block programming most suited for beginners.

Participants in the workshop will be eligible to borrow a classroom set of Edison robots (15 robots, batteries, lesson plans) for 3 weeks at a time.  

3 STEM Clock Hours; Dinner Provided

 Oct 22 OESD

4:30 - 7:30 PM

Did you know that for less than $2 each, you can give every one of your students a powerful paper microscope?  Come experience Foldscopes!  In this workshop, participants will each assemble and use a FoldScope paper microscope to examine samples.   Each participant gets to take home a Foldscope!  All teachers are welcome, but lesson plan ideas and standards connections will focus on 6th-12th grades.

3 STEM Clock Hours Available; Dinner Provided

STEM Think Tank

Any K-12 teacher

none

Open work space and time for you to get help with any STEM-related lesson, unit, or project.  Come get the personalized assistance you need!
Lunch Provided

NASA Workshops

4:30-7:30 PM

See Dates in Details, new topics each month

Grade 6-12 teachers of any STEM subject

none

These workshops have a secondary (6th-12th) focus, with new topics each month.  See registration links for more details.

Bremerton: Jan 9, Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 16, May 6, Jun 3

Port Angeles: Jan 10, Feb 5, Mar 5, Apr 15, May 7, Jun 4

Always 4:30-7:30 PM
Dinner provided; 3 STEM Clock Hours Available

Novel Engineering (Level 1 and 2 Workshops)

Level 1:
Sept 24 OESD

Level 2:
Oct 15
OESD

Any teacher who has attended Novel Engineering Level 1 Workshop

 $20

LEVEL 1:

Even the youngest students can create authentic engineering projects with the Novel Engineering approach developed by Tufts University.  Learn how to guide your students to engineering solutions based on problems in storybooks or chapter books.  Participants will engage in a full example project and get resources and tips for planning their own projects based on books students are already reading.

Dinner provided;  3 STEM Clock Hours Available

LEVEL 2:

Since you've been to the initial Novel Engineering, you know the basics, but there is so much more to Novel Engineering!  This workshop focuses on the teacher's role as the "guide on the side" in student-driven Novel Engineering projects.  Come learn with us as we explore the answers to these questions, and more:

- What are some common pitfalls that can sidetrack student success in Novel Engineering, and how can you avoid them?
- What can you do to get stuck students or groups "unstuck?"  
- What questions can spark students to greatness, and when in the Novel Engineering project is each type of questioning most useful?

Dinner Provided; 3 STEM Clock Hours Available

Science Leadership Team Meetings

Any K-12 science teacher or teacher leader

None

In these sessions, we will explore strategies to support implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards, including the use of phenomena, 3D learning, and assessment of NGSS.

Bring your own lunch; 6 clock hours available.

Math Leadership Team Meetings

Any K-12 math teacher or teacher

leader

None

In these sessions, we will explore various strategies to support implementation of Common Core Standards in Mathematics.  We will focus on making student  thinking visible, fostering a growth mindset, and mathematically productive instructional routines using a variety of print and internet resources.  Come get the ideas and resources that you need to take your mathematics students to the next level.

Bring your own lunch; 6 STEM clock hours available.

Middle School Science Collaboratory

 Jan 17, March 21, April 25 in Port Angeles

9 AM - 3:30 PM

This group will support the needed changes as we transition our classrooms to alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards (WSSLS). We will focus on supportive and developmental collaboration as we move towards improving science instructional practice.  Course scope and sequence will be a major topic.

18 Clock Hours Available; Lunch Provided