The Maker Movement has a lot to offer in STEM education. Making things, even simple ones like a rubber band gun, or jewelry, is intrinsically interesting — and it teaches important things about how things work. Through making things, kids (and those helping them) acquire, almost by accident, a deep understanding of physics, engineering, math, and materials science. Making things complements subject-specific classes while it inspires, captivates, and teaches organization/executive function skills. Here’s an overview of some of the many Maker resources — both global and very local — to help kids (and those helping them) dive in and learn. Continue reading The Maker Movement: Learning by Making
Category Archives: Resources
Goldie Blox: New Engineering Toys for Girls
Recently funded through Kickstarter, a new toy company, Goldie Blox, is receiving lots of attention and will deliver its first product in February, 2013. It’s a construction toy and book series starring Goldie, a kid inventor who loves to build. The kit combines spatial and verbal skills and is aimed for girls 5 to 9 years old. The second and third sets of the series, to be released in the spring, will introduce more engineering principles, new characters, and more construction pieces. You can pre-order sets, track the company’s production progress, and see what’s new at www.GoldieBlox.com. See videos on Goldie Blox’ Youtube channel.
Change the Equation’s iON FUTURE Online Learning Games
On Tuesday, November 20, Change the Equation will release iON Future, a suite of free online learning games to introduce middle to early high school youth to STEM-based professions. The launch event will be broadcast in a 35-minute webcast at 1PM (EST) from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. (After the launch, look for a link to the webcast at www.ChangetheEquation.org.) The webcast and game can be used in individual or group settings to inspire youth toward a wide range of STEM careers (PDF). Check out the pre-launch beta Learning Guide (PDF) and access a limited beta version of the games at ionfuture.org. At the launch, more careers will be added.
Newton Public Schools brings in BU STEM Inspiration Ambassadors
Earlier this year, Newton Public Schools announced a three-year partnership with Boston University’s School of Engineering to bring BU engineering undergraduates into Newton classrooms as Inspiration Ambassadors, to engage and mentor middle-school and high-school students. The undergraduates are professionally trained for these roles to guide hands-on design challenges and host interactive presentations. The College of Engineering will also work with Newton’s teachers in workshops and professional development opportunities. The BU Technology Inspiration Scholars Program has worked with over 2,200 students in twelve states.
RealWorldSTEM Seeks Beta Testers for Video Site
Real WorldSTEM is a video-based site that provides insider access for teens to the real world of STEM via do-at-home experiments, interviews with experts, and magazine-style interactive features. Newton’s middle schools, high schools, out-of-school-time teen programs, and homeschool groups are invited to participate in the Beta Test Program of RealWorldSTEM.com™ for a discounted rate of $3 per student for the three-month test period beginning December 10. Students will gain full access to the beta version of the site. After the beta test period, subscriptions will be $9/student/semester (Jan-Jun, Sept-Dec) or $18/student/calendar year. RealWorldSTEM asks that students and adult facilitators in the beta test provide feedback, enabling students to experience market research firsthand. Sign up by December 1 at realworldstem.com.
MassDevelopment ‘AmpItUp’ Grants for Awareness of Manufacturing Careers: Applications Due Nov. 15
MassDevelopment’s AMP it up! campaign is awarding grants to improve the awareness — by middle school, high school, and community college students as well as their advisors — of the attractiveness of career opportunities in advanced manufacturing in Massachusetts. Grant applications are due November 15. Applicants must be collaborations consisting of Massachusetts-based non-profits, educational organizations, and/or entities focused on workforce/training issues. More info at ampitupma.com/grant.html.
Summer STEM Programs
NewtonSTEM’s Family Resources page lists 21 STEM-related summer programs for kids. The newest entry is for the Museum of Science’s series of one-week courses for students entering grades 1-8. If you know of any other summer programs — or have corrections to our listings — please email info@newtonstem.org. Other resources include programs for after-school, weekends, and school breaks, as well as Newton Public Schools programs and online resources.
Grant Opportunity: Clean Energy Education & Workforce Development
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center released a Workforce Development Request for Qualifications (PDF) on December 12: “Workforce Capacity Building and Youth Pipeline Opportunities.” It seeks proposals that, in the aggregate, will: Continue reading Grant Opportunity: Clean Energy Education & Workforce Development
Eric Olson’s Recommendations for a STEMmy Holiday
Brandeis Professor Eric Olson offers these ideas for holiday activities:
Make an Electric Motor: Start with this YouTube video because it
explains (briefly) how it works, and then consider following the instructions in this video or this one, which has a much shorter parts list.
Experiment with a Mini Wind Turbine: The PicoTurbine company started with this windmill kit and branched out to numerous other renewable energy kits.
Watch NASA Videos about Curiosity: NASA has published two amazing videos about Curiosity, the rover that’s on its way to Mars — one on the launch and one on a simulation of its landing on Mars after less than 9 months traveling at 57,000 MPH.
More STEM Gifts and Activities for the Holidays
Newton teacher Sarah Nitsche recommends these websites for great STEM-related holiday gift ideas:
- GreatSchools.org has videos about their Best STEM Toys for ages 3-5, ages 6-8, and ages 9+.
- STEMfinity.com is an online store selling hands-on kits in a range of STEM fields for grades pre-K through 12.
And Worcester Polytechnic Institute maintains an online list of STEM resources for educators, parents, and K-12 students — for use during holiday breaks or anytime.