Nebraska is an amazingly diverse state!!! Located within the central flyway of North American and containing several unique ecoregions, The Beef State is both home and migration “truck stop” to hundreds of diverse bird species. Some birds such as the Northern Cardinal and Horned Lark endure the rough weather conditions Nebraska’s climate dishes out year-round while others such as the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and Yellow-Headed Blackbird migrate across Nebraska as they make their semi-annual flights from Panama and Argentina all the way to Canada. Birds have many super-powers and both science and engineering have much to gain from studying their clever behaviors and diverse adaptations. Many birds are bioindicators. By monitoring changes in their populations scientists are often able to identify both environmental and human health threats influencing both medicine as well as business and industry. Lastly, birdwatching is a fun, low cost, health-promoting activity that can be enjoyed in both urban and rural settings by individuals, families, classrooms, and social groups.

"The science is clear, early adversity dramatically affects health across a lifetime" (Harris, 2014). Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years) according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and fall under the categories of Abuse, Neglect, and Household Dysfunction. Sixty-one percent of adults surveyed across 25 states reported having at least one type of ACE whereas one in six adults reported having four or more. As we consider the staggering statistics and growing research showing the negative effects of ACEs on both health and education, we must rise to the challenge of developing effective and caring multi-tiered systems of support in which individuals and families can experience help and healing while educators are provided with the required support, resources, and training to be part of a team seeking to help in meeting the needs of those students who are at risk of suffering a lifetime of adverse effects due to ACEs.

Science comes alive to students when they are emerged in scientific and engineering practices. Connect these practices to a science inquiry or engineering project, which is meaningful and chosen by the student, and you have a powerful combination where cross cutting concepts and disciplinary core ideas are reinforced and further built; driving them to the highest levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. A coach would never train athletes to build skills and develop knowledge day after day within a sport without putting them into the game. Yet, too often in science education we do just that. Students are more motivated in developing understanding of disciplinary core ideas and organizing that understanding through cross cutting concepts when learning is paralleled with a series of personalized science and engineering projects throughout their science education, developing a portfolio of work by the end of their high school career.

One in three bites of food humans eat is directly or indirectly related to honey bee pollination. Honey bees represent only a portion of the total pollinators existing on the planet. From butterflies to bats, flies to mice; the pollination services provided by these small and mighty workers greatly influence the foods, activities, and environments which we depend upon and enjoy. However, some populations of pollinators have seen sharp declines in their numbers and while others have disappeared altogether. Therefore, continuing to collect data and monitoring trends in pollinator populations can further help us understand causes for such changes and the possible challenges faced in mitigating them so as to ensure both species diversity and ensuring the food and ecosystems upon which we depend. You can play a part in discovering and detecting such causes by participating in Community Science Projects related to Pollinators. There are several Nebraska-based projects as well as national projects in which to invest oneself. Find your pollinator fascination while participating in community science projects as you explore the outdoors with family and friends.