Wouldn't It Be Cool If... is a contest for kids, ages 10-15, sponsored by Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds, and i.am FIRST. There are two age categories, 10-12 and 13-15. The challenge is to dream up the "coolest invention idea to make their lives, communities, and even the world more AWESOME."

Students can enter the contest now through March 28th as an individual or teams of 2 or 3 people. The submission is the invention idea and how math and science can make it real.

Winners will be selected by an expert panel of judges and then finalists in each age group will be invited to pitch their ideas, live, to will.i.am, Dean Kamen (master inventor) and other judges at the FIRST Robotics Championship in St. Louis, MO. One grand prize winner may even have their idea developed by innovation firm Fahrenheit 212.

This is a great way to have students apply math and science concepts, creativity, and innovation in a project.

Details on how to enter and official rules are available at the site: http://www.wouldntitbecoolif.com/



Related:

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Resources for Educators

Project Based Learning Resources for Educators

WPI Plan - a great educational model for all schools

10 Important Skills Students need for the Future

Earlier this month, I wrote "The 16 Best Science Visualizations of 2011 - Use to engage students in Science" which was about the top science visualizations from the Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge for 2011. It's a great collection of images that can be used in science education.

The 2012 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge has been announced. The contest is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the journal Science to showcase science and engineering images. The old phrase "a picture is worth a thousands words" is very relevant to science, where many concepts are extremely hard to understand without images.

Categories include: Photography, Illustrations, Informational Posters and Graphics, Interactive Games and Videos. Winners are showcased in the journal Science, Science Online, and on the NSF Website.

While most of the entries are from scientists, engineers, and colleges, students of any age could enter and compete. This is a great project for students that incorporates science, photography, and computers. Even if students don't enter this contest, this is a great project. Students could be assigned to take photos, or create informational posters or games on a science topic. I'm planning on using this with my classes as a project this Spring and I'm going to contact the photography and digital arts teachers for assistance and collaboration on the project.


The competitions opens May 31, 2012 and the deadline is September 28, 2012. Questions can be directed to  scivis@nsf.gov.



Related:

The 16 Best Science Visualizations of 2011 - Use to engage students in Science

STEM Resources for Educators 

Adobe Digital Schools Collection - digital creation, editing and publishing resources

Google is once again hosting a Doodle 4 Google contest for K-12 students in the US. Students create a doodle of the Google logo based on this years topic "If I could travel in time, I'd visit...". The winner gets their design on the Google homepage and gets a $30,000 college scholarship along with a $50,000 technology grant for their school.

The theme, "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..." could mean visiting past, present, or future setting. Last year's contest had over 100,000 entries, so competition is fierce. There will be one winner per state and then from those 50 State winners, the 5 National Finalists and the National winner will be chosen.

This year the winning Doodle will also appear on a special edition Crayola 64 crayon box!!

To enter, you just need to submit your child's or student's artwork by March 20th with a signed and completed entry form. 

There will be some celebrity judges along with the Google employee judges. They will determine the State finalists. On May 2nd, the State finalists will be up for public vote.

Being a finalist is pretty cool and all 50 state finalists will get flown to New York city for the national awards ceremony on May 17th. The winning Doodle will appear on May 18th and all of the 50 state winning doodles will be displayed at the New York Public Library.

Complete rules, prizes, and registration information is available at the Doodle 4 Google site.

This is a great way to get students thinking creatively and coming up with some great ideas, as well as having a chance to win a scholarship.

The DuPont Challenge Science Essay Contest is a contest for students that challenges them to write a 700 to 1,000 word essay discussing a scientific discovery, theory, event or technological application that they are interested in. The purpose is to help increase science literacy among students.

There are resources, tips, and help for students and teachers and the prices are very cool. Winners receive savings bonds, prizes, and a trip to Orlando, FL, with a parent and the sponsoring teacher, to go to Disney and the Kennedy Space Center. The sponsoring teachers also receive a classroom grant.

This is a great way for students to work on their science literacy skills and possible win some money for college, along with a very cool trip.

Even if they don't win, students gain literacy. The resources on the site are also great for teachers to use with their classes even if they don't enter the contest.

The contest is open to grades 7-12. Entries must be received by January 31, 2012 using the electronic submission form. Check the site for full rules and requirements.

Dymo Mimio has a contest for you. You can win a MimioView Document Camera (I used them and they are very nice) just by sharing your lesson resources.



To enter the contest, just post a winter-inspired lesson on MimioConnect and you'll be entered for a chance to win a MimioView Document Camera. MimioConnect is a community of educators who use Mimio technology and share lessons, resources, and ideas. MimioTeach system - great tools for teachers - IWB, CRS, Doc Camera, and more

Adobe Education Exchange is a great resource for educators, with resources, lesson ideas, lesson plans, and a place to collaborate with other educators.


They are sponsoring a contest for educators - The 2011 Educator's Choice Awards. Any educator can enter. You submit your innovative teaching and learning materials and you could win some really nice prizes. Submit  your projects, lesson plans, curricula, tutorials, and more. Educators will rate the work submitted. There are four categories: Primary/Secondary Cross-Curricular, Primary/Secondary Digital Arts and Media, Higher Education Cross-Curricular, Higher Education Digital Arts and Media.

Prizes include laptop (Macbook Pro) and tablet computers, digital cameras, and Adobe software with prizes in each category.

The contest begins August 1, 2011 and ends on October 31, 2011. All entries must be received by Adobe no later than 11:59pm Pacific time on October 14. 2011. Complete rules are available on the contest site.

You can even go to the site and check out other lessons for ideas for your submission, or just get ideas to use in your classroom. Check it out. You will share your great idea with other educators and have a chance to win a great prize.

You can also follow information about the contest using this hashtag on Twitter: #AdobeEduAwards 

“Spaced Out Sports” is a national student design challenge geared toward grades 5-8.  The purpose is for students to apply Newton’s Laws of Motion by designing or redesigning a game for International Space Station (ISS) astronauts to play in space.  As students design a new sport, they will learn about Newton’s Laws of Motion and the effect of gravity on an object.   They will learn to predict the difference between a game or activity played on Earth and in the microgravity environment of the ISS.  


These kinds of contests are great for students. They learn and apply new things while having fun and have the chance to win some prizes. 


NASA is a great resource for all educators, no matter what subject they teach.