My name is K. W. NicholsonMy name is K. W. NicholsonI teach math and physics atI teach math and physics at

CACC CACC

Brief Resume Brief Resume

Tehran, Iran

1967

Sydney, Australia

1973

Began attending TYC meetings

1993

Marie Plum&

John Taylor Gatto

1998

Next few years watching 3rd graders & Science Team’ers

Idea: What if we taught Football like we teach physics?

2008STEM Camp RecruitmentObserved ridicule of students interested in

STEM first hand.

Also watched STEM Camp’ers react to Lego competitions.

CACC Physics DepartmentCACC Physics Department Road Show Part I Road Show Part I

The Education ProblemThe Education Problem

Nat’l Bureau of Labor, 1996: “America needs to produce 750,000 engineers by 2006.

We only produced 440,000. “ Source: ASE

The number of people majoring in engineering dropped 15% even though college enrollment increased by 15% during that period.

China produced 450,000 engineers in 2006 alone. Source: USA Today News

Excerpts from"Clueless In America"by Bob Herbert, New, York Times April 22, 2008

• 'We have one of the highest dropout rates in the industrialized world' - Allan Golston

• Many students get a first-rate education in the public schools, but they represent too small a fraction of the whole to save us all from disaster. - Allan Golston

• “When I compare our high schools with what I see when I’m traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow.”

• “By obsolete, I don’t just mean that they are broken, flawed or under funded.

• By obsolete, I mean our high schools — even when they’re working as designed — cannot teach all our students what they need to know today.” - Bill Gates

Male students make up 82% of that 40%.

Adults who don't finish high school in the U.S. earn 65 percent of what people who have high school degrees make, according to a new report comparing industrialized nations. No other country had such a severe income gap.

So, I’m no economist but, it seems to me that:If the number of dropouts is increasing,

Then average income is decreasing,

Which means people have less money to spend,

Which is bad for business in general.

So, enough about the problems, what’s my plan to do something about it?

I’m glad you asked. Here’s The Plan

What? Build a Science TeamWhy ? To duplicate the methods used in sports.How? Provide stipends for science team members.

CACC Physics DepartmentCACC Physics Department Road Show Part VI Road Show Part VI

Science TeamersScience Teamers

Target Audience for This ProposalDadeville elementaryStephens elementaryHorseshoe bend k12

Central elementary coosa countyReeltown k12

What we needWe need a four person team for each school.So we need 20 Science Team members.

The idea is to teach math &

science like we teach football.

The Science Team will:

Do science activities with 2 third grade classesCoach "mini lego league" for grades 4 - 6 in springCoach real First Lego League (FLL) team for grades 5 - 8 for state competition for six weeks in fall.Organize a First Tech Competition (FTC) team for grades 7-9 and perhaps even a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) or a BEST team for grades 10 - 12.

How much will it cost?Third Grade Science Team activities - Free.Mini Lego League - “Nearly” Free

Cost will be a major factor for First Tech competition, (FTC) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).

Here are the costs in round figures, which include robot kits and registration fees, with some added for miscellaneous costs.

"mini lego league”a lego mindstorm kit and a computer,

both of which I am prepared to provide for free.

Cost of a Mindstorm Robotics kit is $275

FLL - $500 FTC - $1500FRC - $7000 - $10000,

plus, a professional engineer as a mentor is required, deep pocket sponsors also highly recommended. Might get some sort of grant to support this.

How much should we pay Science Team members?

$1000 each semester

These scholarships can be used to buy tuition or anything needed from the bookstore.

These scholarships will be awarded in conjunction with any other scholarships students have obtained.

Dual enrollment students should be eligible for these scholarships

Why do I believe the Robot competitions are the correct mechanism for this objective?

From personal observations of the STEM camp lego competitions and the following:

What Can A First Lego League Do For Our Young People?

(FIRST Robotics Competition is the high school version of FIRST LEGO LEAGUE)

2005 independent study by Brandeis University, funded by the Ford Foundation» FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) alumni who graduated between 1999 and 2003» Teams from metropolitan areas, including schools serving low-income,inner-city populations» Diverse group, including substantial numbers of minorities (56%) and women (41%),and students from families with limited educational background

Compared to a group of students with similar backgrounds and achievementin high-school math and science,

FIRST alumni are:» Twice as likely to major in science and engineering

» 10 times as likely to have had an apprenticeship, internship, or co-op job in their college freshman year» More than twice as likely to expect to have a science or technology-related career after college

» Significantly more likely to attend college

Case Histories:

»Just 5 years ago, East Tech, an urban high school located in

the center of Clevelands most impoverished housing projectwas slated for closing.What FIRST opened up for these students can be seen in their achievements.We've become the science/engineering magnet school for all the district. More students try out for the FIRST team than for football and basketball combined.

12 students, including 5 females, representing the first class to experience four years in FIRST,Case Western Reserve; Cornell; MIT; University of Dayton; Cleveland State; Air Force Academy;Ohio State; Allegheny College; Mount Union College; Georgetown.Mr. Jerome Seppelt FIRST Program Manager, East Technical High School, Cleveland,OHall from inner city neighborhoods, all received scholarships and went on to the following schools:

» At Chatsworth High School in inner city Los Angeles, where 60% of students graduateand less than half go on to college, every FIRST participant graduated on time, attendedcollege and many enrolled in Honors and Advanced Placement courses» At Joseph C.Wilson High in inner city Rochester, NY, every FIRST team member has graduated. Graduates have attended Cornell, Harvard, Penn State, Rensselear PolytechnicalInstitute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Stanford, SUNY and Tufts

» At Pennsylvanias William Penn High School, about 17% of students drop out, 50% do not attend college. » Only one partnership has caused a fundamental change in both our institution and the young people it serves. FIRST has inspired and revitalized the Wilson teachers.The effect on our young people has been a profound one. Never in my long experience as a high school principal have students been so totally absorbed in a project.Suzanne JohnstonPrincipal, Joseph C.Wilson Magnet High School, Rochester, NYEvery FIRST participant has graduated and gone on to college or technical school.The 01-02 team received more than $250,000 in scholarships

The Science Team Proposal2009 version

The Governor’s AddressGovernor Bob RileyState CapitolMontgomery, Al 36130

Chancellor Freida Hill

P.O. Box 302130

Montgomery, AL 36130-2130 Email : fhill@dpe.edu

State Superintendent of Education

Joseph B. Morton Ph.D.P.O. Box 302101 Montgomery, AL 36130-2101

Email: jmorton@alsde.edu

CACC Physics DepartmentCACC Physics Department Road Show Part II Road Show Part II

Stem CampersStem Campers

The Science Team Proposals2010 & 2011 versions are located on the webpage for this workshop, and also at:

http://caccphysics.cacc.cc.al.us.html

Under the link “Science Team Proposals”

Last Spring – Introduced Lego Robots to 24 kids at Radney Elementary.

Last Fall- Took 4- six person teams to FLL qualifier in Birmingham, and a 10-person to the Alabama State Championship.

This SpringHeld a one day workshop for teachers from Dadeville, Horseshoe Bend, Radney and Stephens elementary schools.

We had 2 person teams for the training phase.We’ve divided up into 4 person teams for the competition phase.

7 teams at Stephens Mon & Wed4 teams at HSB Tuesday4 teams at Radney Tuesday & Thursday18 person team at Dadeville Monday & Tuesday

We are hosting our Spring Training Competition at CACC on March 10

from 7:30 AM til 3 PM

Y’all Come Watch!

This Stuff really works.

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