For children who visit the ocean beach or shore this summer, the experience of visiting a very different ecosystem can inspire interest in animals that inhabit it, and wonder about “how did it get this way?” Children who experience the beach and shore ecosystems frequently may have a similar reaction when visiting other ecosystems. How do we incorporate their questions and experiences into the classrooms in their home place?

Some of us live in areas where we never see a sandy area in nature, much less a whole beach of it, so sand is a sensory experience rather than an exploration of the environment. Sand is a standard in early childhood programs because it feels so soothing as it pours through our fingers and we can build such interesting structures with wet sand. Sensory play provides a foundation for learning vocabulary, engaging socially with others, and learning about the properties of matter.

I’m thinking of some materials that can also be soothing and interesting yet be local, for my program:

• Leaves, dry or fresh, paired with scissors, or in water.
• Dish soap bubbles in water (local as in every home).
• Rocks from a stream valley or landscape company (washed to remove pollutants that wash into streams.)
• Grass clippings if from a known pesticide- and fertilizer-free source.

Some of these materials may be appropriate for children of certain ages—you know your children. Some materials may only last for a day or two.

To support children as they talk about their beach experiences on a trip away from home we can have a shell collection in the classroom to use for sorting, making impressions in playdough and incorporating into imaginative play. Edible seaweed is a wonderful sensory experience. It is sold in a dried form and becomes nicely slippery and wet when soaked in water. Not every child will want to do more than look at the wet seaweed but with teachers modeling how to touch it with first just one finger, more children may want to experience this interesting plant material. A fish bowl with a single goldfish or betta fish is not the same as the complex community of organisms found in the near shore ocean but it does give children a chance for up-close observation of an animal that lives in water. Children can mix salt into water, taste a few drops, and compare salt water to fresh water.

In a July 11, 2012 post, “Going to the Beach?,” I shared this resource and other early childhood educators commented and contributed more ideas:  Writer and scientist Ann McElhatten, shares her knowledge of Atlantic seacoasts in a free e-book, 10 Beachcombing Activities: A guide for investigating the Atlantic coast shoreline. 

Talking with children and helping them reflect on, and perhaps draw or paint, what they observed. This extends children’s thinking about experiences in any ecosystem. What did you do there? What animals did you see? How did the ground feel? Was there water? What plants did you see? What smells did you sniff? What kind of weather did you experience? Was it warm or cold, or both?

For those educators who do live near a marine ecosystem, the National Marine Educators Association’s (NMEA) annual conference is happening  June 29 through July 2 at the Newport Marriott, in downtown Newport, Rhode Island. Formal and informal marine educators from across the U.S. and around the world will come together to help promote the mission of “making known the world of water, both fresh and salt.” 

Someone in your family loses their hearing aid…again! But it’ no problem, you just print a new one on your 3D printer and life goes on seamlessly. Sound too good to be true? Not for long, in the world envisioned by young scientists who were honored last weekend during the 23^rd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision awards weekend.

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), along with Toshiba celebrated the national student winners for their hard work and creative ideas in science and technology. The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision program challenged participants to imagine what technology might be like in 20 years. Students worked in teams to propose ideas for innovative future technology based on a challenge of what already exists, simulated real scientific research to outline how they planned to test their idea, and built websites to further illustrate and communicate their concepts.

This year, more than 5,000 team projects were entered into the competition representing 15,473 students from across the United States and Canada. First place winning projects included the S.T.A.R. Sea Turtle Assistance Rod (Grade K-3), The Green Tablet (Grade 4-6), Survival of the Freshest: Preservation of Organic Food (Grade 7-9), and Programmable Bio-Scaffolding: The Suture of Future (Grade 10-12). This year’s second place winners were SportaVision (Grade k-3), Clarite- A Better Cochlear Implant (Grade 4-6), Heat Utilizing Hearing Aids (Grade 7-9) and External Microbial Cleansing Device – EMCD (Grade 10-12).

All students from the eight first and second place teams received savings bonds and an exciting expenses-paid trip with their families, mentor and coach to Washington, D.C. Activities included a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and a Science Showcase where students displayed and demonstrated their winning ideas. The highlight of the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision weekend was the gala awards banquet and ceremony where students were formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments.

At the STEM Education Science Fair that took place on Thursday in the Rayburn House office Building, finalists showcased their projects to members of Congress and their staff. This informal event provided members of Congress and their staff with the opportunity to see first-hand the benefits and importance of STEM education. The kids loved engaging with these important men and women and were excited to share their ideas and projects. The atmosphere was upbeat and lively; students were even taking selfies with their Congressmen!

The students then attended the Senates STEM Panel and were able to meet with Senators from their home state.

The fun continued on Friday with the National Press Club Science Showcase. You can probably hear the theme song now… because everyone’s favorite man in science, Bill Nye the Science Guy was there! The kids loved meeting him and explaining their projects during the satellite media interviews that were broadcasted in their hometowns. After this, the eight winning teams presented their projects to NSTA leadership and high-level Toshiba executives. In their interaction, many of the Toshiba executives explained their hope that one day these young scientists might join their company!

The Gala Awards Banquet, which took place Friday night, was the pinnacle event. The night started with students being congratulated with a “live broadcast” from Times Square. They also had the incredible opportunity to listen to a past winner from 1998 –Dr. Kim Ly – speak about her experience with the competition; and Bill Nye encouraged them to “change the world.” The students were then welcomed to the stage to individually receive their awards and the night ended with confetti, cannons and music as we celebrated science and innovation.

View our Facebook album to see more, and if you were there and see yourself, please tag yourself.

That’s wrap! We’re ending #ExploraVision weekend with confetti! pic.twitter.com/3MmKIJXEsw

— Toshiba Innovation (@ToshibaInnovate) June 6, 2015

Author Lindsey Reichert works with the National Science Teacher’s Association with the Communications, Legislative, and Public Affairs Team. e-mail her at lreichert@nsta.org.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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Earlier this spring the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 (HR 1806) by a vote of 217-205, with 23 Republicans joining every Democrat present in voting against the bill.

The bill was strongly opposed by a number of groups—including the Association of American Universities, Computing Research Association, American Geophysical Union and the Consortium of Social Science Associations—who claim the legislation sets false priorities for the science agencies and would limit research.

Read more about the opposition to the America COMPETES Act.

The Administration also strongly opposes the legislation, saying it “would undermine critical investments in science, technology, and research” and “would be damaging to the Administration’s actions to move American competitiveness, innovation, and job growth forward through a world-leading science, technology, and innovation enterprise.”

Read the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1806): Impact on the National Science Foundation.

In regards to STEM education, the bill would seek to coordinate and improve the extensive portfolio of STEM education programs at the different federal agencies by creating a new function at the National Science Foundation. It would also work to coordinate STEM education activities conducted across the government with a new federal STEM Education Advisory Panel.

Read the STEM Education Coalition statement on the bill.

In the Senate, a bipartisan group of seven senators introduced legislation which would reauthorize the energy title of the America COMPETES Act. In contrast to the House bill, according to Politico, the proposed Senate COMPETES legislation “seeks to lay out funding through fiscal 2020 and provide steady increases each year. Meanwhile, the House bill, which also covers broader funding needs at the National Science Foundation and other non-Energy Department programs, would keep funding levels flat across the board and stops at fiscal 2017.”

Update on Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Still no definitive word on when the respective House and Senate bills to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind) will move forward in both chambers for final amendments, consideration, and passage. Many believe (hope) the bills will be taken up by both bodies by the end of June.

Stay tuned and look for upcoming issues of NSTA Express for the latest information on developments in Washington, D.C.

Jodi Peterson is Assistant Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Chair of the STEM Education Coalition. e-mail Jodi at jpeterson@nsta.org; follow her on Twitter at @stemedadvocate.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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