June 2024 STEM Newsletter

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Texas Lone Start STEM

June 2024

K-12 Stem Newsletter

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Texas STEM Announcements

Preview of Resources

New Recurring Themes and Concept Resource

The Texas Education Agency is proud to announce the new resource, Recurring Themes and Concepts Question Prompts. Recurring themes and concepts provide structure to connect scientific ideas across disciplines. This resource provides questions to drive intentional conversations amongst students, making deep connections between content and recurring themes and concepts. For more information about how the recurring themes and concepts can be applied through the lenses of both scientists and engineers, check out the TEA Brief–Recurring Themes and Concepts.

Science TEKS Guide is Live

Districts will implement the new science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in the 2024-2025 school year. The Science TEKS Guide provides science educators across the state with a common understanding of the new science standards, including connections between recurring themes and concepts and science content standards. The TEA science team will provide summer webinars and office hours to support educators in navigating the TEKS Guide and using the components effectively. 

Upcoming Webinar:

June 21st from 1-3 CDT registration

Texas EcosySTEM

Upcoming TEA Kindergarten12 STEM Professional Development Dates:

Leadership Training

This immersive professional development prepares campus administrators to shape, support, and sustain STEM initiatives within their district or campus. Participants will learn by doing, engaging directly in the instructional approaches most critical to the STEM endeavor: project-based learning, design-based challenges, and computational thinking. Working backward from a model vision for STEM education, the session culminates with leaders collaboratively planning for real-life implementation of STEM programming.  

Teacher Training 

This professional development prepares teachers for successful implementation of STEM instruction in their classrooms by immersing teachers directly in the role of STEM learner, engaging first-hand in high-impact STEM practices such as project-based learning, design-based challenges, and computational thinking. To better understand the role STEM plays in education, educators will make connections between the Texas STEM framework, STEM fluency skills, and contemporary workforce demands. Most importantly, educators will begin embedding these STEM strategies into what matters most—their daily work with students. 

See the TEA STEM web page to connect to the STEM Lead at your regional education service center. TEA STEM Web Page

Upcoming Events

 

TEKS Guide 101 Webinars:

June 5th from 2-4 CDT (Full)

June 21st from 1-3 CDT 

Registration

July 23rd from 10-12 CDT
(Full)

Texas Mobile STEM Lab 2024-2025 Schedule

The 2024-2025 schedule will be announced at the end of the month and included in the July STEM newsletter.

Upcoming Regional STEM Conferences

Region 15: June 11, 2024  STEAM Expo Registration

Region 10: June 27, 2024 STEM Gifted and Talented Institute Registration

Michelle Sedberry

Contact Information

Michelle Sedberry Statewide STEM Coordinator Texas Education Agency

Texas EcosySTEM STEM Leads, Education Service Centers 

STEM Lead Contact Information

 

Texas Education Agency Curriculum Standards and Student Support For general curriculum questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the TEA Help Desk.                

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STEM Newsletter Subscription

If you would like to receive this newsletter monthly, please subscribe via this link: STEM Newsletter Subscription


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Building a Chair Challenge

The 2023–2024 Texas Mobile STEM Lab program has successfully concluded the school year with exceptional outcomes. This innovative mobile lab has been instrumental in catering to educational needs across all 20 regions in Texas, impacting a total of 6,000 students from 363 diverse classrooms. Moreover, the dedicated team engaged with1,293 members of the community during campus STEM Nights held throughout the state. The overwhelming success of the program has led to plans for expansion in the upcoming year, with the expected introduction of three mobile STEM labs. This expansion will enable the program to reach and benefit even more students across the state, fostering a deeper interest and engagement in STEM education.


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Region 20's Somerset Academy Brooks STEM Night

Somerset Academy Brooks had its 4th annual STEM Night in May and it was a huge success. Many community partners including Toyotetsu, Girls Inc., Palo Alto College, South Texas Vocational Training, San Antonio Water Systems, and Home Depot participated in the event. 

The community members and families engaged in a wide range of STEM hands on projects with an emphasis on engineering, robotics, drones, math, and science. Students showcased their engineering projects to the community explaining their designs and displaying their prototypes. 

Somerset Academy Brooks emphasizes the STEM fluency skills in all disciplines creating a STEM mind set among the student population from kindergarten–grade 12. 

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STEM Program Highlights

If you have a STEM event or program you would like to feature in the STEM newsletter please send your information and picture to michelle.sedberry@tea.texas.gov

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