📆 It’s Still January!

It’s Still January!

As January, 2025 moves into its seemingly endless 15th week, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support, for doing what you do, and for your commitment to educating Hawai‘i’s students.

With all the change, it’s important to keep your eyes on the things that are important.  We have been working hard to set a course into this new year and we’re very excited to keep pushing forward.  We’ll share more about this, but here’s a look at STEM Pre-Academy’s vision for next few years:

In this newsletter, we’re highlighting a few UH resources, upcoming opportunities for teachers and students, and UH research highlights.

UH Resource Highlights
 

These resources can be used to support standards-based teaching and learning.  They are not lesson plans and are not intended to meet the full scope of any given standard.  Only some standards are highlighted; the resources developed by UH may be connected to many more standards!  We encourage you to explore and to let us know if you have any questions!
 

Hart Lab – UH Hilo 
 

How do Hawai‘i’s birds use their internal and external structures to share information and survive (4-LS1-1; 4-LS1-2)?  See pictures of birds, learn about their relationships to their environments, and listen to their calls on “Meet the Birds” and Manu Minute.  Use this information to construct arguments and understand how birds use their physical features and senses to survive.

How might bird calls help birds to survive and reproduce (MS-LS1-4)?  Listen to a variety of bird calls on “Meet the Birds” and Manu Minute.  Incorporate this evidence into arguments for how animal behaviors help them to survive and reproduce.

Why do birds in Hawai‘i have different types of beaks (MS-LS4-4; MS-LS4-6)?  Listen to this episode of the podcast Ka Leo o ka Uluau, Nuku Superpower, with Patrick Hart and Lisa Kapono Mason.  Construct explanations of how Hawai‘i’s bird populations have survived, reproduced, and adapted over time.

Related lesson resources  If standards are not noted, the lesson may not be fully aligned to NGSS and may need to be adapted. 

Listening to Bird Songs GRC Lesson (4-LS1-1, 4-LS1-2)

Engineer a Bird Beak:  Our Endemic Hawaiian Birds STEM Pre-Academy EDP Lesson (Grades 6–8)

Hawaii’s Endemic Birds: Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) Discovery Forest Bundle (Grades 6–8)

Upcoming Opportunities

 

Hawai‘i Regional Bridge Building Contest!

(The deadline for this one is coming up fast!)

The American Association of Physics Teachers, Hawai‘i Chapter is looking for student contestants for the 2025 Bridge Building Contest (which is being held separately from the Physics Olympics, this year).  High school students from all islands are encouraged to compete in this rigorous regional competition.

Entries are due by February 9, 2025, with final bridges due on Friday, February 19, 2025.  Note that the contest is for individual high school students and not teams.

👉 Please see the official announcement for more information!

TeachAstro 2025
 

The Institute for Astronomy (IfA) at the University of Hawaiʻi invites Hawaiʻi educators in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to apply for TeachAstro 2025, an immersive, one-week summer program. Held in person at the IfA’s facility in Mānoa, Honolulu, from June 9–13, 2025, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore cutting-edge astronomical research while gaining tools and resources to enhance your classroom curriculum.

Participants will engage in guided research activities, learn from world-renowned astronomers, participate in nighttime observing, and develop customized, standards-aligned lessons using authentic data. With generous support from the Heising-Simons Foundation, attendees will receive a $2,000 stipend, financial assistance for dependent care, travel and housing support for neighbor island participants, and up to $300 for classroom astronomy activities.

📅 Application Deadline: March 7, 2025, at 11:59 PM HST

👉 Learn more and apply here: https://student.ifa.hawaii.edu/teachastro/

4th Annual Tree to Sea Camp
 

Mālama Maunalua is excited to host the 4th annual Tree to Sea Camp, a unique, experiential learning opportunity for students ages 12-14. From March 17–21, 2025, during spring break, participants will explore Maunalua Bay’s vibrant ecosystems, culture, and science through hands-on activities across four incredible sites—from the uplands of Pia Valley to the waters of Maunalua Bay.

In partnership with Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi, the Maunalua Fishpond Heritage Center, the Coral Resilience Lab, the Division of Forestry & Wildlife, and Hui Nalu Canoe Club, students will gain stewardship skills, dive into sustainability and Hawaiian culture, and work alongside field experts in marine biology, botany, cultural studies, and more.

If you know a middle school student with a passion for science, nature, and outdoor learning, they can apply now! Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with a $200 fee per student (scholarships available).

👉 Apply here: bit.ly/tree2sea

35th Annual Physics Olympics at Kapi‘olani CC
 

For our high school community members, get ready for a day of science, teamwork, and friendly competition at the 35th Annual Physics Olympics, hosted by the American Association of Physics Teachers – Hawaii Section! High school students across Hawaiʻi are invited to test their skills through fun, hands-on physics challenges that spark creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

📅 When: Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

📍 Where: Kapiʻolani Community College, Great Lawn (Registration closes February 22, 2025)

👥 Who: Teams of 3-4 high school students

👉 Learn more and apply here: https://sites.google.com/hawaii.edu/physics-olympics/home

UH Research and Innovation News