The Baldwin County School District is pleased to announce that Tynisha Harris, a teacher at Georgia College Early College, is one of 100 middle and high school science educators throughout the country who has been selected to receive a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) research kit to help students conduct scientific research outside the classroom. She will be able to choose from a selection of 13 high-quality kits amounting to $1,000. These kits are distributed through the Society for Science & the Public’s STEM Research Grants program.
“We are very proud of Mrs. Harris for receiving this grant. I hope that this STEM Research Grant will enable our students at Georgia College Early College to further their love of science and empower them to become the next generation of innovative problem solvers,” said Dr. Noris Price, Superintendent of Schools.
In prior years, the Society offered grants of up to $5,000 to educators through the STEM Research Grants program. Educators then used that funding to purchase resources for their classrooms. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the STEM Research Grants program was adapted to provide teachers the necessary tools for effective at-home learning. In order to better help educators adjust to their continually shifting environment and to maximize the money being spent, the Society purchased resources in bulk and developed multiple kits for educators to choose from.
Here are just a few examples of the 13 available research kits that will allow budding scientists to explore their distinct research interests:
Foldscope Instruments – These paper microscopes work just like real microscopes and are perfect for students learning from home. Made with paper and lenses, these microscopes can fit right into your pocket and can give you magnifications of over 140X and 2-micron resolution.
Arduino Starter Kits – With this open-source hardware and software platform, students can get started on learning about electronics. Available in a variety of languages and simple to use at home, teachers can lead students through projects about voltage, current, coding and also the fundamentals of programming. Students can build innovative prototypes with Arduino boards for their science fair projects with this kit.
PocketLab Weather Sensors – Equipped with a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless connection, this sensor technology allows students to easily measure data about the physical world, such as temperature, humidity, pressure, light and more. The data can be collected, visualized and analyzed in a cloud platform, enabling students to access the data in real-time on their iPads or mobile devices.
Neuron SpikerBox Bundles – Neuroscience isn’t often taught in middle or high school, but this take-home kit from Backyard Brains was fashioned to encourage teens to study the brain and develop future therapies to treat neurobiological disease. The bundle gives budding neuroscientists exposure to the field early, exposing them to overlapping sciences, such as biology, chemistry, computer science and medicine. The built-in bioamplifier will allow students to hear and see action potentials in real-time.