Putting the STEAM in STEM

The STEAM movement is the latest K-12 education initiative—adding the Arts to STEM. Recent studies show the "sciences could benefit from a more interdisciplinary, inquiry-based model, incorporating the arts into technical education." Read about STEM to STEAM: Integrating the Arts into Science and Technology Education and The STEAM Movement: It's About More Than Hot Air.

Take Acton's Composting Survey

Did you know the average person produces 4.6 pounds of trash per day and 27% of that trash is compostable? A team of R.J. Grey 8th graders would like to make Acton more environmentally friendly by raising awareness about composting. Composting will decrease Acton's carbon footprint, save money on landfill spending, and provide residents with free fertilizer. Please give them 5 minutes of your time and Take This Survey.

Hosted by the RJG Siemen's Science team called Black Gold.

Summer STEM Internships

It's not too early to apply for summer internships or think about camp! Our friends at Newton STEM compiled a list of STEM Camps, Weekend Activities and Summer Internships.

AB PIP STEM Calendar

AB PIP STEM events and activities take place during the school year. See our new! 2011-2012 PIP Brochure or Calendar for dates and times. For descriptions, see K-6 Events or 7-12 Events or Library Kits, Museum Ideas and Online Games.

AB PIP STEM Wins Service Award

Acton-Boxborough PIP STEM received the William L. Ryan Community Service Award at the 2011 AB graduation ceremony on June 3. Congratulations to all PIP volunteers (parents, students, educators, and community partners) for promoting Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) K-12 education in Acton and Boxborough, Massachusetts.

AB PIP STEM Shares Market Math Model

Parents in Brantford, Connecticut heard about PIP's Market Math Mania and decided to try it in their town. On May 21, Brantford Students Tested their Math Skills at the Big Y. This "event was modeled off a decade old program created by Acton-PIP, a district wide non-profit parent group. PIP, located in the technology corridor of Massachusetts, stands for Parent Involvement Project, whose goal is to increase community involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (STEM) K-12."

AB PIP STEM Scholarships

Congratulations to 2011 Scholarship Winners

AB PIP STEM awards annual Leadership scholarships to AB seniors who have volunteered for PIP and shown leadership qualities. Special consideration is given to those interested pursuing STEM careers. The 2011 Leadership/Scholarship Award winners are Jennifer Kappel, Melissa Wang, Naman Bharadwaj and Prateek Sahay. AB PIP STEM also recognizes AB seniors who have consistently volunteered for PIP with Service Awards. Read about PIP Scholarships.

Where Science Meets Art

Discover the artistry behind the 2010 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge winners as they explain the processes, techniques and thoughts behind their entries. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Vanished: A STEM Mystery Game

Developers at MIT and scientists at the Smithsonian Institution recently launched a website called VANISHED for middle schoolers who want to help solve a mystery surrounding an environmental disaster. The Smithsonian and MIT invite all scientists-in-training ages 10-1/2 to 14 to sign up for VANISHED, an online/offline interactive event. VANISHED is an 8-week episodic quest that will transform you into principal scientific investigators who must collaborate to find the answers. Participating in Vanished is free, and you can spend as much or as little time as you want. Parents and educators can learn more.

Volunteers

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

Visit Science News for Kids. See the Visible Body and Winking Skull for the latest in anatomy & physiology or the Periodic Table of Videos for chemistry online.

AB PIP STEM 2012 Events

4th Grade Star Party

Please join us for the Star Party.
Date: Monday, March 5, 2012
Cloud Dates: Tuesday, March 6 & Wednesday, March 7. If all dates are cloudy, we will hold the Star Party indoors on Wednesday, March 7.
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Place: Parker Damon Building
Info: Download the Flyer
Volunteer: Find out more!
Questions: Contact us at actonpip@gmail.

2012 Family Skate

Please join us for the Family Ice Skating Party/AB PIP STEM Fundraiser. Bring the entire family; all ages.
Date: Sunday, March 11, 2012
Time: 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Place: Nashoba Valley Olympia, Boxborough
Info: Download the Flyer
FUNdraisers: Find out More

2012 Family Game Night Recap

Thanks to attendees and volunteers for Family Math Game Night on January 19, 2012 at the Boxborough Library.

2011 Discover STEM

Read the Acton Patch article, Students explore scientific careers at Acton-Boxborough fair about Discover STEM 2011. Thanks to all the participants, volunteers, exhibitors and sponsors who made DiscoverSTEM2011 a success. See more information and pictures.

Acton Nature Guides

Available at AB PIP STEM, EMS & ABRHS School Store

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.

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.

Science & Engineering Sites for Girls

edequity.org/sigt. Early Childhood Science Program.
braincake.org. Math & Science for Girls 11-17.
engineergirl.org. Careers in Engineering.
engineeryourlife.org Engineering for High School Girls.
iwaswondering.org. Women's Adventures in Science

Acton Becomes a Green Community

Congratulations to Acton for Achieving Green Community Status. PIP supports the science behind green technology and concepts of Reduce/Recycle/Reuse. This June, PIP donated reusable/recyclable Preserveware plates for the ABRHS teacher's appreciation luncheon. Read about the science behind the 3 R's, Reduce/Recycle/Reuse.