On Oct. 17, 2014 nearly 100 girls visited Sierra College, were inspired by entrepreneurial women in tech fields, made hands-on projects in labs and met for round table discussions with mentors from local companies.
Posts Tagged ‘STEM’
Manufacturing Day events in October
Thursday, August 7th, 2014
Sierra College and SME Sacramento Valley have partnered to connect schools and businesses for National Manufacturing Day and events throughout the month of October. The goal is to make students aware of STEM education paths that lead to advanced manufacturing careers. There are many opportunities for students to become designers, engineers and fabricators with companies in Placer and Nevada counties.
Students enrolled in Career Technical Education courses in high school can further their education at Sierra College earning certificates and degrees. With technical skills, students can secure internships and part-time work with employers to gain practical skills and earn money to pay for their education.
By attending tours, students learn more about what local manufacturing firms produce and determine if they can envision themselves working in the environment. They can also gain insight into the hiring process and make connections. Students find it especially interesting to talk directly with employees about their work and see how they use advanced manufacturing techniques on the job. The students often discover that the tools and software they are using in the classroom are directly applicable to the workplace.
Businesses can work with faculty members to customize the tour. For example, RobbJack, a high-end cutting tool manufacturer located in Lincoln CA, offered a tour to trigonometry students at Colfax High School. Throughout the tour, employees explained how trigonometry was used on the job. The company also developed sample math problems based on real life situations in designing and fabricating tools.
To learn more about the 2014 activities in October for National Manufacturing Day, check out the flyer (SME No CA Manufacturing Day Oct 2014 emailweb) developed to invite companies to participate. Teachers can contact Carol Pepper-Kittredge, CACT Director, Sierra College and manager of the Sierra College STEM Collaborative.
Should Art be added to STEM?
Wednesday, June 25th, 2014A new White Paper, Exploring STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, written by Elizabeth Dayton for the Sierra College STEM Collaborative, considers adding art to STEM.
According to Dayton, “The value of including art and innovation as part of our national effort to encourage careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is multifaceted.” The paper explores the evidence in support of adding arts and innovation to our national effort to encourage STEM education and careers.
Read this paper to learn about the evidence that indicates adding art to STEM can better prepare students to meet industry’s needs for creativity, imagination and innovation: Exploring STEAM Science Technology Engineering Arts & Math E Dayton Sierra College STEM.
College Math & Welding Faculty Create Curriculumn
Friday, May 23rd, 2014Sierra College faculty members worked together to infuse math activities and worksheets into welding classes. The project was originally funded by NSF. As a result students math scores were higher in the welding class with infused math than in the control group.
Watch the 30 minute webinar - Ignite CTE Students’ Math Skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kryZRdulhGE
Sacramento Common Core Math Workshops
Wednesday, February 26th, 2014
The Sierra College Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Collaborative is offering a series of three workshops on implementing the Common Core standards of mathematical practice. To prepare teachers to meet the new Common Core mathematics requirements, participants will learn how to use hands-on activities to engage students and facilitate critical thinking.
Implementing the Standards of Mathematical Practice on Fridays March 14, April 4 and May 9, 2014 in Roseville CA. Sierra STEM Hands on Math Common Core March May 2014 Workshops Flyer
Today is Inventor’s Day
Tuesday, February 11th, 2014What are you doing to celebrate Inventor’s Day today?
- Recall great inventors from the past – Wright Brothers or Edison?
- Use a 3D printer provided by Sierra College STEM at Placer, Colfax, Del Oro or Oakmont High Schools?
- Head over to Sacramento Hacker Lab?
Find out what Quirky is saying:
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFNaGR3-7Fs
Blog Posts
http://www.quirky.com/blog/post/2014/02/in-honor-of-national-inventors-day/
Talking Directly to Advanced Manufacturing Employees Inspires Students
Wednesday, November 6th, 2013
Del Oro High School Students Tour Progressive Technology
Students participating in tours of Sacramento manufacturers repeatedly reported that the direct interaction with technicians, engineers and staff had the most impact of them. Many said that it solidified their education and career plans. The tours were part of the National Manufacturing Day and organized by Sierra College Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) and the Sierra Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Collaborative.
An Oakmont High School student said, “It definitely made me more sure of my plans to pursue higher education for engineering and gave me a more clear idea what a future job might look like.”
Dan Frank, who teaches Engineering Support Technology at Rocklin High School, toured RobbJack in Lincoln, CA with his students. “As a result of the tour, my students seemed more committed to the program and can see themselves becoming technicians and engineers,” said Frank. “Students really connected to individual employees who talked to them about welding, organizing the shop using 7S or programming CNC machines to create prototypes.”
Teachers also say that the experiences are enriching their curriculum with applied academics and 21st Century Skills.
Learn more about the impact of high school STEM students touring local businesses as part of the National Manufacturers Day and how teachers are using the experience to help students refine their interest in Advanced Manufacturing careers as well as bringing real world applications into their classrooms by reading: STEM Teachers See Impact of Manufacturing Day Tours Organized by Sierra College.
Sierra College Arts & Innovation Day is Sept. 26, 2013
Thursday, September 12th, 2013Sierra College hosts “Arts and Innovation” day on Thursday, September 26th, 2013. This new, all-day event is free, open to the public and features lectures, workshops and fun activities for all ages. Presentations will emphasize the critical link between the arts and science, technology, engineering and math. The organizers believe that the arts and innovation are critical to science and engineering, and that science and engineering are critical to artistic expression.
The event will offer a project based Creativity Fair from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, at which a wide variety of student clubs, faculty, vendors and sponsors will provide hands on projects designed to promote creativity and innovation. Additional activities include musical performances and workshops, as well as a Creativity Salon, Art Installation Tour and Scavenger Hunt, Nature and Art Tour, welding demos, and much more.
Sculptor, Anthony Maki-Gill, Carr Wilkerson, System Administrator at Stanford’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), Larry Ortiz, director of Nevada Placer Arts Council, The California Arts Project (TCAP) and guest Comedy Improv artist, Brian Crall, join an impressive roster of faculty and guest speakers. The series of thought provoking lectures planned throughout the day will explore the role arts education plays in developing creativity and fostering innovation across discipline, especially in math, science and engineering.
Keynote speakers are Maryanna Rogers Ph.D, Executive Education Workshop Facilitator for the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school) at Stanford University and Director of Innovation for The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA.; Kathleen Taylor, Ph.D, professor of psychology at Sierra College in Rocklin and a specialist in Social-Cultural psychology; and Angela Tahti, Executive Director of the Arts Council of Placer County DBA PlacerArts.
In the spirit of “Arts and Innovation” day, the Ridley Gallery will also be presenting “Kinetic Conveyance”, art invented, engineered, designed, fabricated and powered by humans. This photographic and video documentary-image driven exhibition makes visible the thinking, innovation, and collaboration between disciplines of Engineering, Art, Welding, Music, Drama and more. The Ridley Gallery show runs from September 9 through October 3, 2013.
This exhibition focuses on creations for entry into the Kinetic Grand Championship in Humboldt County, California, also called the “Triathlon of the Art World” because art and engineering are combined with physical endurance during a three day cross country race that includes sand, mud, pavement, a bay crossing, a river crossing and major hills. The Ridley Gallery will showcase images from the 2013 race, the prize winning entry from Colfax High School, and the planning stages of Sierra College entry for 2014!
A reception for this exhibition will be held on Tuesday, September 10 from 4-7pm. Ridley Galley is located on the first floor of the Library/LR 102, on the Rocklin campus, 5000 Rocklin Rd, Rocklin. Regular hours for Ridley Gallery are 11am -6:00 pm Monday through Thursday. Admission to Ridley Gallery is free and open to the public.
There is a $3 parking fee on campus. Parking permits are available at dispensers located on the campus parking lot. For more information, Call (916) 660-7242 or check out our website at www.sierracollege.edu . Click on events
CTE Online posts Design & Engineering Curriculumn
Wednesday, September 4th, 2013Nearly 100 new project-based units and 400 new lesson plans have been posted on CTE Online, several developed by teachers in the Sierra STEM Collaborative.
The Engineering Pathway & Project includes the STEM areas of Engineering Design I & II, Engineering Design III, Advanced CAD/CAM, and Advanced Robotics.
The Media Design Pathway & Projects spans Media Design II & III, Video Production and Editing, and Advanced Animation Design.
Our Sierra STEM Collaborative partners have contributed these new lessons:
- Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax- Core-Cards the Fractional Playing Cards
- Dan Frank, Rocklin- Household Appliance Design Analysis
- Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax- Golden Ratio Calipers
- Scott Seacrist, Lincoln- My First CNC Project
- Jonathan Schwartz, Colfax-CNC Cutting Board Design and Build
- Scott Seacrist, Lincoln- Desk Clock Design and Build
- Scott Seacrist, Lincoln- Machining 3D Surfaces
- Dan Frank, Rocklin - GD&T and SkillsUSA
- Christian Kinsey, Colfax - First Day of Class / Scavenger Hunt
Maker Camp Shares 30 STEM Projects
Wednesday, August 28th, 2013For class project ideas, check out 30 Great Projects Shared by our Maker Campers in Make’s online magazine – http://makezine.com/. You might also be inspired by these clips of what participants enjoyed during theses hands-on STEM summer camps at The 8 Best Hangouts From Maker Camp 2013