A Visit to Oregon Freeze Dry

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

Guest Contributor: Melissa Steinman

Students involved in the Oregon Outdoors course at Waldport High School traveled to Albany last month to take a first hand look first at the process of making freeze dried camp food. Our destination was Oregon Freeze Dry, Inc., the parent company for the Mountain House brand. In our ecotourism-focused outdoor education class, the students had been discussing preparation and planning for trail excursions, and this included learning about food and water options. Many of the students had also taken part in our Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) during which they looked at shelf-stable food options for natural disaster preparedness.

The Vice President of Manufacturing, John Damon and Director of Research and Development, Drew Huebsch met the students at the main office to give them an overview of the company, its mission and the education pathway that could lead to a career in food science. President Jim Merryman, who fishes the Alsea Bay, stopped by to welcome our students to his facility. After the introductions and a freeze-dried ice cream sandwich, the class toured and took part in a taste test and data gathering in the Research and Development Department. The staff explained the process of getting a product to market; from the initial idea through to insuring its taste profile is intact at the end of its published shelf life.

Leaving R&D we were taken to the manufacturing plant to see the process from individual ingredients, through cooking, freeze-drying, packaging and quality control. Along the way, students were introduced to data stations set up around the plant that lets all workers see their productivity rates, and see how that impacts the company, and as a result, their profit sharing bonus. The students were impressed with how much input each worker – at every level – has on making the process better.

Many thanks to the Oregon Coast STEM Hub for providing the transportation and substitute funds needed for students to go on this field trip to Oregon Freeze Dry!

Student Quotes:

My favorite part was learning about how the food was made. -Trevor Bjelke

I really enjoyed the taste-testing part, and wearing all that fancy gear! -Lacey McDaniel

I liked going into a working environment and seeing what it is like. -Michael Mordecai

My favorite part was trying the beef stroganoff taste testing, and I learned a small amount of added flavor makes a lot of difference. -Emma Strampe

My favorite part was the [freeze dried] ice cream. -Damie Miller

I learned that it takes a lot of people to make one product. -Angel Butchas

There are many fields that are involved in this company. The food was amazing and the way they processed it was cool. -Nick Grant-Grierson

I learned that -20 is way way way colder than I thought! -Lacey McDaniel

My favorite part of the field trip was touring the factory, getting to wear the protective gear and using their automatic hand washer. It was surprising to see that it wasn’t super, super high tech. Anybody would be able to work there. -Hannah Houck

Melissa Steinman is a teacher at Waldport High School. In addition to Oregon Outdoors, she teaches Ocean Engineering, Oceanography, Integrated Science and TeenCERT, and serves as Athletic Director. She also coordinates the Cadet Fire Fighter program, and will be bringing student teams to the Oregon Regional MATE ROV Competition in April.

Seaside Robotics

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

The Daily Astorian reports that a robot built by 25 high school students on Seaside High School’s CYBORG Seagulls robotics team is ready to compete at the FIRST Robotics divisional qualifier. Seaside High School technology teacher Mike Brown is the faculty advisor to the team.

What motivates the students? Opportunity for hands-on learning:

“[O]ne of the things that I love about this program, is that instead of doing 30 more problems out of a math book, I can apply what I actually learned in math,” team captain and Seaside senior Austin Milliren said…

Some may end up pursuing STEM careers, but all are becoming STEM-literate citizens:

The team includes several students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors. But it also includes students like Seaside senior Coral McNeill, who wants to be an English teacher but said she was recruited by Brown and finds building robots enjoyable.

Read the entire Feb 24 article here: http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20150224/cyborg-seagulls-are-ready-to-recycle

Or find a PDF of the article on the Oregon Coast STEM Hub website’s Hub Happenings page

For more information about the team, check out their website: www.team3673.org

Stormwater Pathways

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

storm drain

Guest Contributor: Jenna Kulluson

When exploring the outdoor exhibits at the High Desert Museum in Bend, OR the coastal watershed connection isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind, but that was not the case in early February when fourteen Central Oregon educators went out in search of water. While the coast sees much more rain than communities in the high desert (North Bend averages 65 inches/year while Bend sees closer to 11 inches) communities across Oregon still must think about what to do with excess rainwater, or stormwater runoff.

The Oregon Coast Education Program (OCEP) has been providing field based professional development and curriculum to 3^rd-12^th grade teachers since 2009. With funding from the NOAA B-WET program, OCEP began as a partnership between four coastal institutions, offering teacher workshops in Coos Bay and Newport, and creating education modules focused on coastal ecosystems. Shortly thereafter, OCEP gained two inland partners with the High Desert Museum and Portland State University’s Center for Science Education and added coastal education trainings for teachers located in the Willamette Valley and east of the Cascades. This recent set of community workshops aims to focus on discovering human impacts to watersheds and infiltration processes while making connections to the incoming Next Generation Science Standards.

Armed with local maps, a few tools, and a good sense of curiosity, the group set out to discover how the museum manages their stormwater runoff in a developed setting much like that of nearby communities. Historically, the high desert had undeveloped, permeable surfaces that efficiently soaked up large amounts of rainwater from storms into groundwater systems or nearby streams. However, when impermeable surfaces like asphalt roads and buildings were added, the excess water had to go somewhere. The group devised an experiment to see how different variables could impact infiltration rates on the local grounds. After digging test pits and watching water soak into them, teachers engaged in lively discussions about how the plant community, recent burns, livestock grazing, nearby parking lots, and soil types could impact the infiltration rate.

With the infiltration exploration under their belts, the group set off in search of drains, ditches, and potential human impacts to the watershed. This is one workshop where a recent rainstorm provides the much-needed clues for reading the landscape and following the pathways. Following the water’s path helped participants recognize examples of non-point source pollution, and discover that contaminants picked up from developed areas can run off into nearby rivers and, ultimately, reach the ocean. Discussing ways that communities deal with related problems and ways that students could help solve these issues was inspiring for everyone involved.

The Oregon Coast STEM Hub is one of three STEM Hubs that are helping to sponsor this set of workshops this winter. OCEP will be returning to the coast on February 28^th for the last Stormwater Pathways workshop and hoping for a big rainstorm the day before! While the facilitators are excited to get back to familiar territory, the lessons learned from working in new settings in urban Beaverton and the High Desert Museum will help connect all Oregon teachers to stormwater and the ocean, and help them bring students outside on a meaningful watershed experiences while integrating the science and engineering practices outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards. One thing is for sure, no one involved will ever look at a stormdrain again without wondering “where does it go from here?”

Jenna Kulluson is a coordinator for the Oregon Coast Education Program, as well as an educator at South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Director of the Oregon Chapter of the Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators, and a member of the Oregon Coast STEM Hub Communications Committee. OCEP is a collaborative effort involving several Oregon Coast STEM Hub partner institutions, as well as leaders from the Portland Metro STEM Partnership and the Central Oregon STEM Hub.

Taft Tech Brings Robot to Tournament

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

Guest Contributor: Noah Lambie

Taft Tech showed up to OSU’s Kelley Engineering center on Sunday, February 8th in anticipation of their first ever FTC High School Robotics Qualifying Tournament. Facing experienced robot teams from all over the region, the Taft high school team was tired from their early morning drive from Lincoln City, but they unloaded their robot, handed over their engineering notebook, and prepared for the inspection. Little did they know the adventure that awaited them.

Things started off well. The team breezed through the robot inspection. But the next phase was the software inspection, and it turned out we were missing a ‘Samantha’ module and two necessary programs on the NXT robot brain. The software programs were called ‘Santosan’, and ‘Program Chooser’. It turned out we were one of two teams using Labview software for programming. The other 22 teams used ‘RobotC’. The two necessary programs were absent from our Labview software, so the students bravely set forth to find these files somewhere, and load them on their robot.

It took them about two hours, but they finally located the correct programs and loaded them on the NXT brain. The final missing piece, the Samantha module, was donated to Taft from another team. Hopeful, Taft Tech headed out to the practice arena for another inspection. They passed, but when they moved the robot to the practice arena for the field test, it failed to connect to the Wi-Fi operating the controllers. So Taft Tech returned to the pit, set back but determined to work on their robot.

With the help of another team, Taft Tech was able to convert their NXT brain programming to the more common ‘RobotC’ programming. This was no easy task, and in fact involved programming and transferring as the team was walking up to their first appearance in the arena. Just as they disconnected the USB, Taft Tech placed their robot on the ramp for the first round.

Despite being completely worn out from the early morning drive and the busy, stressful morning antics, Taft Tech represented well in their 5 rounds, winning two rounds (in each round 2 teams ally against 2 others), and finishing 18^th. The field of robots was really quite spectacular, with conveyor belts, sweeping devices, extensions, gears, and sophisticated sensors. After the event, Taft was tired… and inspired. Eneki Trujillo explained, “Many hoops were jumped through”, to which Hunter Bishop added, “at a very fast pace”. Hunter went on to say that “The experience was amazing, especially to go to OSU to compete”. “And to see OSU’s Mars Rover,” Eneki added.

FTC stands for First Tech Challenge, and is the step between FIRST Lego League Robotics (Elementary and Middle School) and First Robotics Competition (for grades 9-12 with large robots and complex missions). The theme for this year’s FTC season was ‘Cascade Effect’, and the arena, a square 12’ x 12’, had a bin of whiffle balls held in an elevated tub in the center. The goal of each robot is to release the balls from the bin, and then load the balls into large vertical plastic tubes. Points can also be earned by ending inside designated areas, and for placing the plastic tubes in particular places.

The Taft Tech team emerged from students in Noah Lambie’s Advanced Robotics class at Taft, who decided to take this mission on, and worked on it every day for a few months. They ended up building a robot with an elevating arm and pinching claw, which could pick up one of the whiffle balls, and elevate it to drop into the plastic tubes. They also had to program software that moved the robot during the autonomous period, and allowed them to wirelessly control the robot during the rest of the 2:30 time period. Taft Tech found many avenues for support. Taft High bought the team the Tetrix base kit, which provided the aluminum building pieces. The Oregon Coast Stem Hub provided funds for travel, food, and Bluetooth devices. The team also fundraised at a home basketball game with a paper airplane contest, and allowed those interested to test the robot for themselves.

Watch a short video of Taft Tech and their robot in action!

Noah Lambie teaches Physics, Art, and Engineering classes at Taft High 7-12 and coaches the Taft Tech FTC team. He is also a Mentor Teacher with the Oregon Coast STEM Hub.

Tillamook Students: Problem Solvers

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

Guest Contributor: Annie Thorp

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” T.S. Eliot

I have always thought that as an educator, I learned as much from my students as I taught them. A group of Tillamook students and their instructor recently had an opportunity to put what they had been taught into action. Their belief in what they had been taught combined with their enthusiasm for the project, resulted in achieving an invaluable success in the pursuit of research and exploration. Their findings and results were a huge help to their instructor and a very important project.

Photo credit: Tillamook Estuaries Partnership

Clair Thomas, an educator and researcher with Tillamook School District, is involved in numerous research projects, some involving water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and estuary/wetlands management among others. He is also a Professional Development lead partner in the Oregon Coast STEM Hub, and his students have been learning about streams, salmon recovery, as well robotics and their numerous uses in aquatic environments.

East Beaver Creek

One of their projects is to provide data for the BLM, the local watershed council, and the Oregon Department of Forestry, by measuring water temperatures in East Beaver Creek (near Tillamook) to determine if the water flow and temperature might be conducive for juvenile salmon migration. If the water flow is too fast, the juvenile salmon cannot swim up stream. The students have been experimenting with stream flow mitigation by placing large logs and boulders in strategic locations to slow the water flow and create areas of slower water called eddies. However, if water temperatures are too high, then oxygen levels may be too low for salmon, so monitoring the temperatures in the stream and pools is essential to provide necessary data for all the stakeholders involved.

HOBO data logger

They placed five instruments called HOBO data loggers in several places in the stream to measure the water temperatures. These instruments are checked periodically and the data are recorded. The HOBOs are secured to metal rebar to weight and anchor them to the streambed.

Usually, checking the data recorded is accomplished with a diver or person with a snorkel, but this past December, after heavy rains and water temperature of 8 degrees Centigrade, this normal method used to locate the HOBOs proved to be very difficult. The water visibility was poor due to recent heavy rains, and turbulence made it impossible to see the instruments and even when Clair went diving for them, he could neither see nor feel them, and the current made it difficult to maintain his position. The cold water also made his fingers so cold, they were numb, making feeling anything even more challenging. He managed to locate and retrieve only two of the instruments he needed.

Example of a student-built ROV

Fortunately, his enterprising and clever students suggested that they use one of the ROVs they had designed and built in their robotics club. They proposed deploying the ROV in one of the eddies, as they had learned that this was an area where water flow would be minimal, hence increasing the odds of success at floating and maneuvering the device. Clair was skeptical at first, but his students reminded him that he had taught them about eddies, and they were confident they could use the ROV, that was equipped with camera, lights, and a grabber, to locate and retrieve the instruments.

They tethered the ROV on four sides with lines, deployed it in an eddy, and the search went wonderfully well. Within five minutes, they found the three missing loggers. The ROV picked up two of them, and the other could be seen wedged in a crack between two rocks, but after seeing its location, their ever-intrepid instructor, Clair Thomas, was able to retrieve it manually, after donning his wet suit again.

Clair is understandably proud of his student crew. Their collaboration and inspired use of the ROV technology they had designed and built, combined with thoughtful application of what they had learned, is a wonderful example of student success in a “real world” application. Kudos, to student team, Bryton Dorland, creator and builder of the ROV they used, Dylan Lundy, and Sabrina Polman. Another teacher, Nathan Sandberg, assisted Clair in his original diving search when the first two were located. Congratulations to students and staff for your remarkable teamwork.

Annie Thorp is a volunteer at HMSC and enjoys working on a variety of projects there. She is a retired community college adult educator, and a lifelong learner with a love of the ocean, ships, and all things aquatic. She was a Teacher at Sea, and a volunteer several times, along with her husband, on university research vessels. While at sea, they coauthored a blog called Buoy Tales, to help educate the public about the research being done by the scientists onboard. Her passion for marine sciences outreach and education, along with her involvement in HMSC education programs, inspired her to become a volunteer blogger with the Oregon Coast STEM Hub.

Student FLL Robotics Team

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

Guest Contributor: Cari Jenkins

Coastal team “SNL” competes at the FLL Championship Tournament

On January 17- 18, 2015, 117 First Lego League (FLL) teams from around the state gathered at Liberty High School in Hillsboro for Oregon’s 14^th annual Intel FLL State Championship Tournament. They had been chosen out of 460 Oregon FLL teams (over 3,300 students age 9-14) who had competed in regional tournaments held in December 2014. The top 25% competed in the Championship Tournaments. Newport’s SNL-Super Ninja Legends competed in McMinnville in December and was one of the lucky teams chosen to compete in the championship meet with eight team members ranging from 4^th to 8^th grade.

SNL team members learn how to properly handle a kayak paddle

The team has been meeting at least weekly since September to complete this year’s FLL Challenge – World Class Learning Unleashed. Team members had to research and develop an innovative solution to improving learning and education. SNL chose to research kayaking, and designed the Paddler’s Box Pro, which helps individuals new to kayaking keep the right form while paddling. Team members were able to take the US Coast Guard Paddle Boating class thanks to instructor Tom Murphy, where they learned about the issues of paddling and Tom’s paddle box approach. On top of the challenge research, the team also used a LEGO robotics kit to design, build and program a robot, which completes as many missions as possible on a 4-foot by 8-foot playing field.

SNL present their design

As part of the tournament the team was required to present their robot and programs for judging, present their Paddler’s Box Pro to another team of judges explaining why they chose to design the Paddler’s box Pro, show their teamwork skills to yet another team of judges using the FLL Core Values, and then compete with their robot in three different competition rounds.

Members of Lincoln County 4-H SNL robotics team

The SNL team was sponsored by Lincoln County 4-H and HC etc., Inc. Team members include Trent Kinion, Isaac Kinion, Reegan Jenkins, Katie Hartsell, Daisy O’Hearn, Max Kinion, Marcus Lehrer, and Kaden Raever.

Cari Jenkins is a coach for the Lincoln County 4-H SNL-Super Ninja Legends Robotics Team. First Lego League Robotics is one of several STEM student activities supported by 4-H Youth Development in Lincoln County. Contact your coastal county OSU Extension office to find out more about STEM learning opportunities for youth in your area. 4-H is a partner in the Oregon Coast STEM Hub through OSU Precollege Programs.

Sharing Salmon Stories Abroad

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Cait Goodwin

Sometimes STEM careers lead to amazing travel opportunities and collaborations. Find out where an Oregon salmon hatchery technician and educator is going this spring:

Guest Contributor: Joseph O’Neil

Joseph O’Neil leading an education program at Oregon Hatchery Research Center

I never thought I would travel to the Russian Far East, and yet I now find myself a willing traveler to the Primorsky Aquarium and Research Center to discuss how we on the Oregon Coast educate our youth about the challenges of environmental issues pertaining to salmon. It is a once in a lifetime chance and I am anxious to share the wonderful work that is being done here to engage youth in shaping their future. The Primorsky Aquarium is located in the south eastern corner of Russia at about the same latitude as the coast of Oregon. The eastern coastal area of Russia has some of the most pristine salmon habitat left in the world, and the Aquarium is interested in establishing educational programs to address issues pertaining to salmon and their habitat. Look for more to come following my visit in late March.

Joseph O’Neil is the Senior Technician and Outreach Coordinator for the Oregon Hatchery Research Center (OHRC) in Alsea, Oregon. OHRC is a cooperative research project between the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon State University Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and is a partner in the Oregon Coast STEM Hub.

Another Grant: K-6 NGSS Instructional Specialists

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Cait Goodwin

Another grant from ODE will help support teachers in the Oregon Coast STEM Hub! From Portland State University and the Portland Metro STEM Partnership:

Portland State University has received a 3-year $1 million grant from the Oregon Department of Education to deliver an innovative elementary teacher professional development in science. The award entitle “Expansion of K-6 NGSS Instructional Specialists Program” was made from Oregon’s federally funded Title IIB Math Science Partnership Program. The project will operate out of the Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP), one of Oregon’s six regional science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) hubs. Seventy elementary teachers will be trained to serve as instructional specialists during the implementation of Oregon’s Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It will also provide science content instruction to over 300 elementary teachers statewide.

…The PMSP will engage Dr. Okhee Lee from New York University (the NGSS Equity and Diversity Team Leader), science faculty from PSU, and K-12 partners from Hillsboro, Portland, Beaverton, Forest Grove, east Multnomah County, the Oregon Coast STEM Hub and the South Metro-Salem STEM Partnership.

Read the entire press release

Download an Overview

Apply by January 30

Award: $1m to Develop Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leaders in Oregon

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Cait Goodwin

The Teaching Research Institute (TRI) at Western Oregon University (WOU) has been awarded a $1 million grant by the Oregon Department of Education to recruit and educate 60 teachers to become Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leaders. Project DEMILO (Developing Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leaders in Oregon) is a collaboration between WOU, the Willamette Education Service District, and the Oregon Coast STEM Hub to address the need for increased mathematics content knowledge for elementary school teachers.

WOU is the first university in Oregon to offer an Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) approved program leading to an Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leader specialization According to Dr. Cheryl Beaver, the Project Director, “underachievement in math in elementary school becomes a barrier for students who wish to pursue STEM jobs or a STEM college major.”

Elementary Mathematics Instructional Leaders (EMIL) are teachers, teacher leaders or coaches who are responsible for supporting effective mathematics instruction and student learning in the classroom, school, district and/or state levels. Their specific roles will vary depending upon their school district, but all EMILs will act as a resource and provide leadership to their colleagues – a critical and timely role as the state fully implements the new Common Core State Standards in Mathematics

The strategies used in Project DEMILO to provide professional development for teachers in mathematics have been successfully used by the Oregon Coast STEM Hub to increase elementary students’ achievement in science. These strategies are an integral part of this project. “Given the time constraints of teachers and the distance challenges of living on the coast or in rural locations, using online and web-video conferencing for professional development is necessary,” noted Ruth McDonald, Partnerships Coordinator, Oregon Coast STEM Hub.

Over the course of three years, three cohorts of 20 teachers will complete the EMIL specialization and employ their instructional leadership to help elementary students succeed and to meet Oregon’s 40-40-20 goal. “For 40% of Oregon’s students to have some post-secondary education and another 40% to attain a bachelor’s degree, they will need to have a strong conceptual understanding of math,” stated Beaver. “The U.S. is predicted to need an additional 1 million STEM professionals by 2020. This project helps us contribute to closing that gap.”

The mission of the Teaching Research Institute (TRI) at Western Oregon University is to inform and facilitate change in educational and human service systems to improve the quality of life for individuals. In existence for over 50 years, TRI is guided by partnerships with consumers, families, and practitioners. TRI houses seven Centers focused conducting programs of research, developing evidence-based interventions that are provided through technical assistance and professional development, and increasing system capacity to effect change. TRI manages a yearly grants’ expenditures budget of $7–$7.5 million of extramural funds and houses 58 staff.

For more information contact:

Dr. Cheryl Beaver (503-838-8404, beaverc@wou.edu)
Dr. Christina Reagle (503-838-8871, reaglec@wou.edu)

Information about how Oregon Coast STEM Hub teachers can participate in Project DEMILO will be coming soon and shared through the Oregon Coast STEM Hub network.

Teachers Dive into STEM Using Underwater Robots

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Cait Goodwin

Guest Blogger: Tracy Crews

WALDPORT —On a frigid Saturday morning on the Oregon Coast, a group of over thirty educators from across the state huddled around a pool, gazing with pride at the underwater contraptions they had just created. From Port Orford to Seaside, teachers braved the icy roads to participate in a day long workshop designed to provide them with the skills they would need to teach their own students how to build Remotely Operated Vehicles or ROVs.

Waldport High School was the scene of this unique training which was supported by the Oregon Coast STEM Hub and the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center. During the day-long workshop, participants learned about the growing field of Marine Technology and how ROVs are being used off the Oregon Coast to monitor Marine Protected Areas (MPS), lay cable and install instruments for the Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI), and conduct research on deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Teachers then worked in small gro ups with seasoned mentors and students from Lincoln County, who shared their expertise and encouragement, as the new crop of teachers learned how to splice wires and solder circuit boards. According to Kama Almasi, a 7^th-12^th grade teacher in Waldport, “The kid-teachers were fabulous and inspiring!”

In addition to the hands-on training, participants in Saturday’s workshop received ROV kits to take back to their classrooms and use with their own students. The goal of the workshop being to engage hundreds of 6^th -12^th grade students in designing and building their own underwater robots. Each teacher who participated in the workshop will have the opportunity to bring their top 1 or 2 student teams to the Oregon Regional MATE ROV competition which will be held on the Oregon Coast in April of 2015. This statewide competition is one of 23 regional contests supported by the MATE Center and numerous other partners. Qualifying participants will earn the chance to represent Oregon at MATE’s International ROV Competition which will take place at the end of June in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

For more information contact Tracy Crews at OregonCoastSTEM@oregonstate.edu