MINNDEPENDENT Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Mini-Grant Program
MINNDEPENDENT launched its Science and Mathematics Initiative during the 2005-06 school year. The program matured quickly during the first five years, and in 2009 was transformed to include a new STEM Mini-Grant Program that supports curriculum development for its member schools.
The purpose of the MINNDEPENDENT STEM Initiative is to strengthen and enhance the teaching of STEM subjects at MINNDEPENDENT member schools. The Program is intended to support the development of new curriculum for hands-on student engagement projects in STEM for middle and high schools (grades 4-12) and the teacher professional development needed to implement this curriculum. The program also supports the acquisition of certain classroom resources and materials required for the new curriculum.
Last year, we were delighted to present the very first STEM Mini-Grant awards, and at this yearäó»s Minnesota Private and Independent Education Awards held on May 5, 2011 MINNDEPENDENT gave out 15 STEM mini-grants to the following schools:
- Al-Amal School in Fridley
Creating a Schoolyard Wildlife and Pond Habitat with Weather Station - Central Minnesota Christian School in Prinsburg
FOSS Hands-On Science and Night of Science Community Event - Community Christian Middle School in Willmar
Keeping Our Pond Water Quality Investigation - Cotter Jr. High School in Winona
Modeling Renewable Energy Sources - Gethsemane Lutheran School in Maplewood
Bridging the St. Croix: The Stillwater Bridge Project - Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls
Modeling Physics - Maranatha Christian Academy in Brooklyn Park
Rocketry: Blast-off to Success - Mayer Lutheran High School in Mayer
Simple Machines!? Not Really! - Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis
STEM Human Anatomy and Physiology - St. Croix Lutheran High School in West St. Paul
Indoor Aquatic Ecosystem - St. Francis-St. James United School in St. Paul
From Greenhouses to Growing Green Plants - St. Markäó»s School in St. Paul
Growing STEMs of Creativity - St. Pascal Baylon School in St. Paul
T.E.A.M. (Together Exploring About Math) - St. Paul Preparatory School in St. Paul
Robot Design: From Concept to Construction - Southwest Minnesota Christian High School in Edgerton
Whatäó»s so äóìfishyäó about the Redwood River? And, why is it so important?
This year as part of MINNDEPENDENTäó»s STEM Initiative, we presented two additional awards under our STEM Professional Development Pilot Project program. These awards were presented to:
- Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield
Make the Connection - Benilde-St. Margaretäó»s in St. Louis Park
Mobile Applied Learning Project