cemast newsletter
TRANSCRIPT
SPRING 2017
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1
CeMaST Newsletter
Upcoming Events and Deadlines:
April 28 – High School Research Symposium
May 1 – Final Deadline for Illinois Summer Research
Academy (ISRA) Applications
June 25–30 – Illinois Summer Research Academy (ISRA)
More information can be found at our website:
CeMaST.IllinoisState.edu
S ince the Smart Grid for Schools program started in
2014, CeMaST has been offering schools the
opportunity to learn about the new smart grid
technology currently being rolled out by the utilities
companies in their area. The smart grid is an
electricity delivery system that uses special switches
and meters to communicate with the electric utility.
This two-way communication technology improves
reliability and will allow customers to monitor their
usage and prices. Customers will be able to save
money and enhance sustainability.
The Smart Grid for Schools program engages students
from Kindergarten through Grade 12 with the smart
grid in a fun, hands-on way that is designed to
captivate young minds with activities and experiments
to explore electric utility strategy and planning. We
also offer training to help teachers present our
curriculum into their own lesson plans for an in-depth
unit of classroom study.
This program started with the Smart Grid Interactive
Display, which includes three life-size rooms that are
contained in six large boxes and an appliance box that
holds several different household appliances. Students
select electrical appliances and plug them into outlets
in the three rooms to discover energy use and how the
smart meter can help them
make better energy use
decisions. The Smart Grid
Interactive Display also
includes three interactive
tables which allow
students to connect power
lines from the power plants
to several different
customers. The Smart Grid
Interactive Display will
accommodate up to 36
students at a time.
Curriculum has been
developed for grades
K–2, 3–5, middle school,
and high school. These instructions guide the
student’s discovery of how
electrical energy is
generated, transported to
the customer, and used in
the home.
The most recent addition to
the program is the Smart
Grid Construction Set,
which consists of two
components: the Smart
Homes and the Smart Grid.
The Smart Homes consist
of actual smart home
components, including
smart outlets, thermostats,
lights, sensors, and smart meters. Students are able to
plug in and test the energy outputs of real appliances
from home or the classroom. These energy outputs
can be monitored from a tablet that is included or
other computers or cell phones. The Smart Grid
system allows students to experience the
development of the power grid through a historical
perspective. Students start with the discovery of
electrical generation by Michael Faraday in the early
1800s and progress through the decades by adding
capacity and complexity to their grid. Eventually
students make their grid “smart” by adding special
meters and switching devices. This is a hands-on
activity with design challenges tailored to various
grade levels.
For more information, please visit:
www.smartgridforschools.org
Smart Grid for Schools
CEMAST NEWSLETTER
Page 2
There is a growing interest in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) that has
resulted in many STEM schools being set up and many
STEM-related activities and competitions being held
in children’s museums and other venues. There are
many different competitions in areas such as robotics,
coding, and bridge building available for these
students to hone and display their
skills. None of these, however,
would be considered a "sport"
because none of them have a
physical component. Push car
racing was a popular activity in the
early 1900s. Children would be
propelled around a track in a home
-made car. The STEM Racing Series
seeks to revive the sport by
introducing “Muscle Kart” racing as
a means to teach valuable
knowledge and skills in STEM that
also requires a physical component.
Muscle Kart racing is open to anyone ages 5–12.
Teams consist of one driver and six runners, all within
specific age groups. A team might consist of people
from the same club, organization, neighborhood,
school class, family, or scout troop. Each racing team
starts with a preassembled chassis, which includes
steering, brakes, seat, and safety considerations. In
some situations, it may be best for students to start
with a disassembled kit. Detailed and fully illustrated
assembly instructions are included. The racing team
researches, designs, and builds a body for their car
from cardboard and other inexpensive materials. The
body is not structural and does not affect performance.
Many skills are required to successfully complete
a Muscle Kart Race, including
documentation of the design
process, budget accounting,
research on karts and driver,
designing kart specifications, and
analyzing data. Many STEM
concepts could be covered with
kart design and racing. You could
incorporate testing air resistance,
measuring and minimizing weight
requirements, or measuring kart
acceleration. We are in the process
of developing a curriculum book
to aid you in the design of your lessons.
Muscle Karts are available free of charge within
Illinois, and each school is responsible for
consumables (e.g., glue, tape, accessories).
For more information, please visit:
cemast.illinoisstate.edu/educators/muscle-kart
Muscle Kart Racing
The Monster Chopper is a kit that allows students to
build a full-size motorcycle which can then be
customized. It is made of plywood and held together
with a few bolts. It is appropriate for Grades K–12 and
adults. Although it does not roll, the
Monster Chopper Challenge is an
exciting and engaging vehicle to
teach communication, teamwork, and
problem-solving skills as well as
specific STEM content.
The kit consists of the front and back
wheels, frame, seat, handle bars,
bolts, wrench, and fully illustrated
instructions. All parts are clearly
labeled. Adults can completely
assemble the motorcycle in less than
20 minutes and spend another 40 minutes customizing
it. Kindergarteners will require more time, but
assembly is certainly not beyond their capabilities.
Young students might need some help getting
everything pulled together and
tight.
The Monster Chopper allows students
to do something big. They will find
that by following the directions and
working together, it is possible to
achieve something very impressive.
Once assembled, the chopper can be
customized with a cardboard gas
tank, an aluminum foil headlight, or a
construction paper fender. The
options are limited only by the
Monster Chopper Challenge
Page 3
SPRING 2017
students’ creativity. The experience can also be
customized to address specific educational content
and skills, including reading and following directions,
working in a team, problem solving, forces,
measurements, electrical circuits, aerodynamic drag,
geometry, and motorcycle design and construction.
When planning, start with teams of 3–5 people working
on each motorcycle for 60–90 minutes. Of course, if
more time is available, more aspects can be
incorporated into the project.
The Monster Chopper kits are available free of charge
to any school or organization within Illinois that
requests them. Each organization is responsible for
consumable items (e.g., cardboard, tape, construction
paper), but these items will be of minimal expense.
For more information, please visit:
cemast.illinoisstate.edu/educators/monster-chopper
2017 Illinois Summer Research Academy
In June, CeMaST will once
again welcome high
school students to the
Illinois State campus for
the Illinois Summer
Research Academy (ISRA).
The ISRA, which started in
2010, brings high school
students from across the
state and beyond to
campus the week of June
25–30 to work with their
peers and ISU professors on various hands-on
research projects. Students will be introduced to
current research projects that ISU professors are
working on and will learn about the tools and
techniques that are being used to accomplish this
research. Students then make contributions to these
research projects and/or work on their own research
projects with their peers.
Research opportunities for this summer include the
following:
Molecular Neuroscience with Dr. Andrés Vidal-Gadea
Students will investigate the neuronal deficits associated
with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disease
which affects 1 in 3,500 boys, using the tiny nematode
worm C. elegans. Students will learn how to care for
these animals and then test the motor, learning, and
memory skills of worms afflicted with DMD. Students
will use of transmitted microscopy to film animals,
motion tracking software to analyze their behavior,
fluorescence microscopy to evaluate neuronal health,
and statistical software to compare healthy and
dystrophic groups.
Biochemistry with Dr. Marjorie A. Jones
Students will help grow Leishmania tarentolae, a one-
celled organism, which is a pathogen for reptiles but not
humans, so it can safely be used as a model system.
Students will also help perform assays to measure how
additions of various compounds affect the cells and use
spectroscopy and microscopy. The long term goal of
this research is to develop pharmaceutical drugs to treat
human Leishmania diseases, which infect more than
20–25 million people world-wide.
Organic Chemistry with Dr. Andrew Mitchell
Students will focus their research on the development of
new reactions that are either inspired by or directed
toward natural products. New synthetic methods arise
from a hypothesis which is based upon a foundation of
knowledge. We then test that hypothesis, and creativity,
perseverance, and serendipity pay off with the
development of new technology. Skills and techniques
that will be introduced are creative thinking, problem
solving, teamwork, synthesis, and spectroscopy. More
importantly, students will be encouraged to ask
questions and will be trained to observe and understand
why a reaction failed to afford the desired product.
Opportunities in Computing: A Hands-On Overview of
Information Technology with Dr. Glen Sagers
Computers and information technology are everywhere
and impact us at home and school! Would you like to
learn more about the many facets of computing and
information technology?
Do you have an interest
in understanding more
about how computer and
mobile applications
work? Maybe you have
thought about pursuing a
degree in information
technology or computing
but are not sure if it is
right for you? We will
have fun answering these
questions and many
more.
For more information, please visit:
cemast.illinoisstate.edu/students/high-school/
summer-academy
Center for Mathematics, Science, and
Technology
210 W. Mulberry St.
Campus Box 5960
Normal, IL 61790-5960
Phone: 309-438-3089
Fax: 309-438-3592
E-mail: [email protected]
For m ore new s a nd i n form at i on ,
V i s i t our w ebs i t e :
C eMa ST . I l l i no i s S t a t e . e du
Now in its 16th year, the Annual High School Research
symposium brings Illinois high school students to
Illinois State University to showcase their research
projects. CeMaST has been sponsoring this event
since 2010. This symposium offers students the
opportunity to share their research with an audience of
ISU professors, ISU students, and other Illinois high
school students. This year, the
Annual High School Research
Symposium will be held on
Friday, April 28th in the Brown
Ballroom. Last year’s event
brought 264 students from 20
different high schools to
campus to share their original
work in science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics
(STEM).
The symposium is open to all
high school students engaged in research,
scholarship, and creative achievement under the
direction of a teacher and/or professional mentor.
Students may participate as individuals or
in groups. Taking part in the symposium allows
students to gain valuable experience in presenting
their research to a diverse audience; students will also
be able to network and gain an appreciation for the
work of their peers.
Participants may present research in the following
categories: animal sciences, behavioral sciences,
biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology,
chemistry, computer sciences, earth
and planetary sciences, energy, engineering,
environmental sciences, geo-
spatial sciences, mathematical
sciences, medicine and health
sciences, microbiology, physics
and astronomy, plant sciences,
product sciences, and social
sciences.
Participants will also be able to
meet and interact with
high school students from
throughout Illinois; visit with ISU
professors, staff, and students;
participate in a research
scavenger hunt to earn prizes; learn about cutting-
edge research ISU professors are working on; and
explore CeMaST’s Smart Grid for Schools interactive
exhibit and the Illinois Geographic Alliance's Giant
Traveling Floor Map of Illinois.
For more information, please visit:
cemast.illinoisstate.edu/students/high_school/hsrs
16th Annual High School Research Symposium