Brown Bag Innovations
Judith Hughes
SMILE Program DUE-1136435
A Hands on Approach to Building Excitement and
Igniting the Drive for Excellence
Noyce Scholars Program
S M I L E
Science and
Math
Innovative
Learning
Environments
(SMILE) for Encore Careers in Education
SMILE Noyce Scholars Program
National Science Foundation
Online 15-month comprehensive secondary teacher
certification program in math or science.
Recruitment of re-careering Engineering, Math, and
Science Professionals into a Post-Baccalaureate
certification program leading to an Arizona teaching
license in grades 7th through 12th.
Primary Recruitment Focus
Encore Career STEM Professionals
Maintain
Income
Make a
Social
Impact
Add Personal
Meaning
Freedman, Marc, - Encore, Finding Work That Matters in the
Second Part of Life
SMILE Noyce Scholars Program
 Program participants receive:
 $16,500 stipend to cover tuition, fees, books and some living
expenses
 Field experience, teaching seminars and student teaching
 Assistance in Job Placement
st
 Success coach support and mentoring program through 1 year
of teaching
 Professional development during two year teaching
commitment
 Must make a 2 year commitment to teach in a high-need
school district within four years of completing program
SMILE Noyce Scholars Program
Bringing SMILEs to the next generation
Contact
Jennifer.Gresko@riosalado.edu (PI)
Karen.Nave@riosalado.edu (Grant Manager)
Brown Bag Innovations
Judith Hughes
A Hands on Approach to Building Excitement
and Igniting the Drive for Excellence
Why Use Brown Bag
Projects in your classroom?
 Brown Bag Projects support the following
*College and Career Ready Standards:
• College and Career Ready Standards


Significantly raise the bar for our students
Focus on critical-thinking, problem solving, adaptability, collaboration,
teamwork, creativity, responsibility and effective communication skills.
*Association for Career and Technical Education
Brown Bag Rationale
Fun
Quick
Easily Evaluated
Uses the Team Approach
Encourages Critical Thinking,
problem solving, communication,
collaboration and teamwork skills
Brown Bag Bird
 Groups of 2-3
 Each group of students receives a brown bag
containing the following materials:







1 craft stick
2 pipe cleaners
1 cork
1 straw
4 paper clips
1 rubber band
2—3x5 note cards
Please check you bags to make sure you have all materials
Procedure
 Students are given 40 minutes
 Design a bird with aerodynamic lifting
surfaces (wings) and a streamlined
body that will actually fly.
 Students may use scissors
Time permitting
 Students test their bird then
go back to their work area to
make improvements to
increase their score.
 This rebuild encourages
students to keep trying and
refine their thinking.
Scoring the bird’s flight
 Points are given for:


Looks like a bird = 1-10 points
Flying distance:
•
•
•
•
•
0-5 ft. = 2 points
6-10 ft. = 4 points
11-15 ft. = 6 points
16-20 ft. = 8 points
Over 20 ft. = 10 points
When/how to use Brown Bag
Projects?
 Brown bag projects are often used after a unit test or even
before a holiday break when everyone is ready for a break
.
 At this time new groups can be formed for the next unit’s
work
 Students enjoy a break from the math or science lessons
 Students enjoy the competition
 Students form closer bonds with each other creating
a community of learners
There is a web address to access more projects
BROWN BAG TOWERS
Slide 11
Brown bag bridges
BRIDGES
Beyond the Brown Bag
File folder cars
Large one passanger
cardboard cars
CARDBOARD CARS
BRIDGES
HOW DO I GET THE MATERIALS?
I don’t have a budget.
 Write a letter to parents asking for
“junk” (pizza tables)
 Put an announcement on the district
newsletter.
 Contact the local newspaper and ask for a
spot to ask the community for help.
 Contact local businesses.
Brown Bag Innovations
by Judy Hughes
Rio Salado Community College
A Hands on Approach to Building
Excitement and Igniting the Drive for
Excellence
SMILE Program DUE-1136435
Judith.hughes@riosalado.edu