Dinosaur Brains LIVE in Inspired Classroom RIGHT NOW!

Kallie Moore from University of Montana Paleontologist brings Dinosaur Brains to the Classroom for BRAIN WEEK!

Kallie Moore discussed TRex brain fossils with High School Students today.  Video of Peck's Rex cast of the skull housed at University of Montana fascinated students.  Kallie discussed the evolution of dinosaur brains and what the science tells us about our brains.  Great presentation!  More BRAIN WEEK activities to come!

Brain Awareness Week Begins on March 15!

At We Are Montana in the Classroom’s distance-learning Brain Awareness Week, UM faculty members from an array of academic disciplines will share their research and lead hands-on and minds-on activities in the study of the most complex organ in the human body. Sessions of approximately 45 minutes will be open to elementary, middle-school, and high-school audiences throughout the week of March 15, 16 &17. Sessions will be open March 23 &24  for schools who have Spring Break during the first week. Presenters will include:

Brains and Robots!
For Elementary School Students  
Wednesday, March 16 1:00-1:50 pm and 2:00-2:50 pm
and Wednesday, March 23 1:00-2:00 pm

Dr. Rachel Severson, assistant professor of developmental psychology, who studies how children think about personified technology (robots) as having thoughts, emotions, and the capacity to be friends;  during her presentation, she will share with students the robot she uses for her research.

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Filmmaker in the Classroom is a big success!

Filmmakers Robin Hamilton and Amy Nicholson have presented to schools across the state as part of the Inspired Classroom facilitated Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Filmmaker in the Classroom.  Students have watched short documentary films created by these talented filmmakers and then had the opportunity to ask questions about storytelling, filmmaking, and the professionals personal journey.  Events conclude today with high school students working with Adam Bedient.

Student's drawing of "Pickle" after view Amy Nicholson's film and discussion with the filmmaker.  

Inspired Classroom presents at One Million Cups Missoula.

Inspired Classroom presented at the One milleion Cups meeting for entrepreneurs on Feb. 17.  This is a community of start-ups who share connections, expertise, and support.  

One connection made with Montana Associated Technology Roundtable's Russ Fletcher.  He gave a great shout out to Inspired classroom in his MATR newsletter.  Thanks Russ and also One Million Cups!

http://www.matr.net/article-70283.html

http://www.1millioncups.com/missoula

Welcome to the New Year 2016! Inspired Classroom Moves to Montec

2015 was a growing year for Inspired Classroom and we grew right out of our studio!  ANNOUNCING our big move to the University of Montana Montana Enterprise Technology Center.  Thanks Mamalode magazine for sharing an office space.  We are so excited to be with energetic, innovative Montana technology companies.  The synergy will help us grow into 2016 and bring more educational programming to our partners.  Happy 2016 Everyone!

BIG SKY FILM FESTIVAL POSTER CONTEST FOR STUDENTS--DUE DEC. 10

Please Share with Students!

Do you LOVE movies?
Are you an ARTIST?

Submit to the BIG SKY DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
SCHOOLHOUSE DOCS POSTER CONTEST!

Schoolhouse Docs is an after school series of films for youth during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (FEBRUARY 19TH - 28TH, 2016). We are holding a contest for poster art for our youth series this February! The poster should have an image related to the themes of film, kids, or school. The winning design will be made into a poster that will bedisplayed around town and in the Wilma, Crystal, and Roxy theaters before and during the 10-day festival in February!Prizes & Free Tickets will be awarded to the best art in three age categories: Grades K-5; 6-8; and 9-12.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION – DEC 10
 
Contest Details:
 
What: BSDFF Schoolhouse Docs Poster Contest
When: Now through Dec 10
Who: Students - Grades K-12
Size: 8 ½ x 11, 11 x 17, or 14x20
How: Create your artwork and then mail, drop off or scan it to the contact information below.

 
Please submit poster art via email toyouth@bigskyfilmfest.org or mail to:
Attn: Sarah Briggs, Big Sky Film Institute,113 W. Front St. Suite 105Missoula, MT 59802

US Ambassador Vicki Huddleston to Present to Montana Classrooms on Dec. 8th

Vicki Huddleston

"U.S.--Cuban Relations 1900-1925:  The Best of Enemies"
December 8th, 2015
9:00-9:50 am
and 10:15-11:05 am

FREE TO MONTANA SCHOOLS

Ambassador Huddleston was the Chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana from 1999 to 2002, during the custody battle between Fidel Castro and Cuban Americans over a five- year old child found floating on an inner tube in the Florida Straits. Ten years earlier she was Deputy Director and then promoted to Director of Cuban Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. As a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institute she wrote with Ambassador Carlos Pascual “Learning to Salsa – New Steps in U.S.- Cuban Relations” that provided a blue print for normalizing relations with Cuba, much of which President Obama followed. Vicki was the U.S. Ambassador to Mali and also to Madagascar and acting Ambassador in Ethiopia. She is a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Africa.  Earlier in her career she held the same position at the Department of State. Vicki received the U.S. Department of State’s Distinguished Honor Award and a Presidential Meritorious Service award. Most recently, Ambassador Huddleston was Chief of Party for a USAID – funded development project in Haiti.  
She lives in Santa Fe, NM and is married to Bob Huddleston; they have two children, Robert and Alexandra.Vicki claims Montana roots: when she was a young she lived in Kalispell and Hungry Horse for a period of ten years, her grandfather was one of Kalispell’s founding fathers.
 

Register Now: fill it out in Google Forms. 

Thank you from Inspired Classroom!

Dear Students, Educators, Partners, and Friends--

In this time of gratitude, we give thanks for you. We value your support and appreciate your confidence in us. We learn so much from all of you every day.  Counting you among our clients is something for which we are especially grateful. You inspire us!

Alli and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and a restful break among those you hold most dear!

 

Welcome Tom Cubbage--Inspired Classroom Educator Advisory Board Member

Tom Cubbage is a teacher at C. M. Russell High School in Great Falls Montana teaching biology 1-2, A.P. Biology, Speech I & II, and Argumentation and Debate Classes.   He is currently the president of the Montana Science Teachers Association and past president of the Montana Forensics Educators Association (Speech and Debate).   Education includes BS Biology, BS Secondary Education, MS Science Education.  He has spent 8+ summers as a teacher researcher at the McLaughlin Research Institute for Biomedical Science and was a M.J. Murdock Partner in Science recipient.   He served as the teacher leader on a HHMI Grant to bring teachers and students into the biomedical research lab and then take those skills and knowledge back to the classroom.

Meet Echo Allison--Inspired Classroom Advisory Board Member

Echo Allison, M.Ed.

Echo Allison is currently a K-5 Enrichment Specialist in Hamilton, MT. She has taught elementary school in Hamilton for 23 years. She has been married for 24 years to her fabulous husband, David. Her amazing child, Raymond, is a freshman at Hamilton High School. She enjoys spending with her family. Downhill skiing at Lost Trail and Big Sky Resort is her favorite hobby. Facilitating strategies labs and other unique thinking opportunities for 2nd and 3rd graders is a highlight of her career.  She enjoys challenging her students to persevere!