Northeast MiSTEM Updates
March 2024
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Michigan M in STEM Collaborative
Salmon in the Classroom
Are you ready to join the almost 300 Salmon in the Classroom teachers around the state? Classes raise and learn from Chinook salmon, from eggs in the fall to releasing young smolts in the spring. Classrooms utilize provided activities, maintain the tank, care for the fish and then release them in a fun culmination of the year.
Applications are due between Jan. 1 and April 15 each year. Any third-12th grade classrooms are able to apply.
Things to know before you apply:
- Applicants will know in May if they are accepted to the program.
- Over the summer, teachers should seek out sponsors and purchase the $1,500-3,000 worth of equipment needed.
- In mid-October, new teachers must attend a two-hour Zoom workshop on aquarium setup and maintenance, then set up their own tanks.
- In mid-November, new teachers must attend a one-day, in-person professional development workshop.
- At the end of the workshop, you get your eggs and go straight to your classroom to acclimate them to your tank.
- From January through release, fish must be fed daily on weekdays, with any debris siphoned out.
- Weekly, you must measure water parameters, siphon the bottom and exchange 25% of the water.
- Throughout the year, you will use the classroom activity guide to incorporate learning about the salmon, the Great Lakes and ecology.
- In the spring, you and your students will select and travel to a local approved stream to release your fish. This day can be a short fieldtrip, or include learning stations and activities.
Apply and learn more:
- Read through our Start-Up Guide and Application to understand the program and to apply between Jan. 1 and April 15.
- Check out all our great resources for SIC teachers.
Returning or replacement teachers
If you are returning to the program after a year or more off, or you are replacing a teacher that used to participate in the program, you must:
- Submit a completed SIC application by Oct. 1.
- Read your confirmation email for the next steps.
For questions about the program, contact the DNR's aquatic education coordinator, Tracy Page.
Shipboard Science Workshop 2024
Shipboard Science Workshop 2024
Location: Lake Erie
Date: July 7-13, 2024
Formal and nonformal 5th-12th grade educators from across the Great Lakes’ states are invited to apply to join the Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) and Great Lakes scientists for a once-in-a-lifetime, free opportunity to assist scientists and bring the Great Lakes back to their classrooms! The week-long scientific exploration of Lake Erie will take place July 7-13, 2024, providing educators with a hands-on opportunity to explore microplastics, phytoplankton, benthic organisms, sediment, and other Lake Erie-specific topics while living and working alongside Great Lakes scientists on a vessel conducting critical research. This is truly an amazing opportunity for educators.
Deadline for applications is February 19, 2024.
Through a partnership with the US EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, and funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through NOAA, educators will spend a full week alongside researchers aboard the US EPA R/V Lake Guardian. Hosts for the Lake Erie workshop are CGLL partners Ohio Sea Grant and Pennsylvania Sea Grant educators.
The Shipboard Science Workshops rotate among the five Great Lakes and are designed to promote Great Lakes sciences while forging lasting relationships between Great Lakes researchers and educators. CGLL is a collaborative effort led by Sea Grant educators throughout the U.S. Great Lakes watershed. CGLL fosters informed and responsible decisions that advance basin-wide stewardship by providing hands-on experiences, educational resources, and networking opportunities promoting Great Lakes literacy among an engaged community of educators, scientists, and youth.
For more information on the 2024 Shipboard Science Workshop and application materials, visit the Center for Great Lakes Literacy website.
Cybersecurity Summer Camp Opportunity!
High School students are invited to apply for this free, academic cybersecurity, two-week residential camp on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. The camp begins with a series of topics explored in a pre-camp virtual setting (synchronous & asynchronous activities) in April and May.
On June 16, 2024, accepted students will start the face-to-face portion of the camp, where they will have a chance to stay in a residence hall while learning about cybersecurity topics during the day and enjoying recreational activities in Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula in the evenings.
Following the two-week face-to-face camp, students will again have the opportunity to explore a final series of virtual activities.
This camp covers all necessary fees and transportation associated with field experiences and will use the facilities and technology of Northern Michigan University. The camp is free to accepted applicants thanks to the GenCyber Grant through the National Security Agency.
To Apply, please visit: https://cvent.me/g8ba9G
Great Lakes Clean Up Mini Grant
Need funds for a local cleanup? Apply for up to $500 through the 2024 Great Lakes Cleanup Mini Grant, designed to help communities in the Great Lakes basin target locations for marine debris removal and cleanup!
The deadline for applications is Sunday, March 31, 2024. All interested parties should complete the online application and budget spreadsheet. Grant winners will be announced by April 19, 2024 or earlier.
Organizations, municipalities, youth or school groups, and those dedicated to eradicating marine debris and beautifying their communities are encouraged to submit an application!
