On April 22, 2013, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) and the Acton Public Schools (APS) were awarded the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Award (ED-GRS) for reducing environmental impact and costs; improving the health and wellness of students and staff; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education, which incorporates STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.
ABRSD-APS is one of only fourteen school districts in the US to receive this "first-ever" honor. More
2013 Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to this year's AB PIP STEM scholarship winners including Clark Jacobsohn, Erin McLaughlin, Prakhar Sahay
and Ethan Sherman.
Sharing Biodiversity and Culture
From September 2010 to January 2012, a 3rd grade classroom at Merriam School in Acton and students at Caserio Helen School in Ilobasco, El Salvador participated in a cultural exchange through school-based projects. The program, Sharing Biodiversity and Culture, was developed jointly by The Discovery Museums in Acton and a Salvadorian children's museum, Tin Marin Museo de los Ninos.
Museum of Science Summer Courses Grades 1–8
MOS registration is now open. Plan a summer of discovery! From the aspiring biologist to the future technology wizard, every science-minded child will have something to look forward to this summer at the Museum of Science. Students entering grades 1–8 can choose from a variety of hands-on, week-long courses with topics ranging from bugs to robots to food chemistry, and more.
MIT Summer Program for Teens
2013 Summer Design/Build for Teens at MIT:
Public Works—New Architecture in Public Spaces.
Bridges, overpasses, and tunnels. These "Public Works" are often really ugly, unfriendly, and out of scale with people and their communities. This summer's Teen Design/Build will imagine and build new architectures to transform neglected urban structures into great new public spaces. Students will visit sites, brainstorm ideas, build 3d models, present their designs, and then build and install their proposals for public use.
These hands-on architectural experiments will use the landscape of existing infrastructure to seed radically new ways to serve the needs of real people in their communities.
Study Jams
Study Jams combines the coolest songs about math and science with over 200 tutorials on topics and concepts like the Universe, Landforms, and Range.
Turning Stem to Steam
The equation for 21st century problem solving: STEM + Art = STEAM. Innovation remains tightly coupled with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math: the STEM subjects. STEAM is a movement championed by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) adding Art + Design to the equation, transforming STEM into STEAM.
Flu View
Want to know more about the flu? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) FluView report provides weekly influenza surveillance and statistics in the United States.
Is Mars Red Hot?
What would it feel like if you could stand on Mars—toasty warm, or downright chilly? Find out in this 60-second video from NASA.
Mars may look hot, but don't let its color fool you. Mars is actually pretty cold! In orbit, Mars is about 50 million miles farther away from the Sun than Earth! That means it gets a lot less light and heat.
Recurring Lyme Disease Rash Caused By Reinfection, Not Relapse
"Some doctors thought Lyme disease was a chronic condition that relapsed. Now, there's evidence that recurring cases of Lyme disease may actually be caused by multiple, discrete tick bites and infections." more >>
U.S. News & World Report listed 2012 rankings of the Best High Schools for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Acton-Boxborough High School ranked 7th* Best High School for STEM. *Based on the number of 12th graders who take, and pass, any AP math or science test.
ABRHS Green Flag Award
In an award ceremony on May 4, ABRHS was awarded the prestigious international Green Flag award—the 4th school in the United States to receive this honor! The award recognized significant success in energy conservation and other green initiatives. See award coverage including an Acton Patch video, Beacon article and Beacon photos. Visit the ABRHS sustainability website for more info.
Children and Nature Network
The Children & Nature Network is leading a movement to connect all children, their families and communities to nature. Recommended reading includes an AB PIP STEM Book Club selection, Last Child in the Woods.
PIP welcomes parent and student volunteers. Student volunteers qualify for community service credit and the chance to win a PIP Scholarship.
Education
Find Free Online Tutorials for High School students and teachers including video clips, lecture notes, practice problems and exam questions from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Courses include AP biology, AP calculus and AP physics at MIT: Free OpenCourseWare Material for High School Students & Teachers
Please join us for a FREE Guided Nature Walk at Nara Park with Tom Tidman, the Director of Acton's Natural Resources Department. Pre-registration is required. Enrollment is limited to 20 school-aged children. This is not a drop-off event; children must be accompanied by an adult, but siblings are welcome. Nara Park is handicap accessible. Read the flyer or sign up below!
Summerskills Fundraiser
Every spring, AB PIP sells SummerSkills Math Books. These books are refreshers to help your children review math skills over the summer. During this fundraiser, you can also purchase the Acton, Naturally Nature Guide and PIP reusable grocery bags on the same order form. Take the guide with you while hiking the Acton conservation lands this summer! Summerskills 2013 have been updated to reflect the New Math Curriculum Standards. Find out more.
Available at AB PIP STEM, EMS & ABRHS School Store
Looking for a holiday gift for that naturalist? Sponsored by AB Schools, Town of Acton and AB PIP STEM, Acton Naturally, Pocket Naturalist Guides feature species indigenous to Acton. To order, contact actonpip@gmail.com or pick up your copy for $6.00 at EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) on Route 2A or the ABRHS School Store.
Weekly STEM Resources
Nikon's Small World
Small World showcases the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. Enter
the Small World Competitions, Deadlines for Entries is April 30, 2013.
Play Species Bingo
Check out ARKive's Games or get out into the wild with fun and free outdoor activities including Species Bingo. Fun for all the family. Print the bingo sheet and get exploring! There are 24 different examples of animals, plants and fungi for you to find.
Top 10 New Species—2012
Check out the Top 10 New Species—2012, according to the Arizona State University's International Institute for Species Exploration.
Thanks for joining the AB PIP STEM nature walk at Acton Arboretum with our guide, Tom Tidman, Director of Acton's natural resources department. We identified local birds with our Acton Naturally Guides, collected leaves for art projects and discovered an esker along the trail. Nature-related Art Projects and Books: Constructing Fairy Houses Art in Nature Look What I Did with a Leaf! (available at Acton Memorial Library)
How Big Is it?
Dimensions is an experimental prototype to bring home the human scale of events and places in history. How far would the Titanic stretch down your street? The Dimensions website juxtaposes the size of historical events with your home and neighborhood—overlaying important places and events on a satellite view of where you live. Certain Dimensions can be transformed into short walks, so you can get a physical appreciation of the distances involved.
