This fall Mad Science of North Boston will offer virtual programs for students in Grades K-5 on a drop-in or subscription basis. There will be 8 weekly classes, 45 minutes each, on Tuesdays (September 29-November 17) at 5PM, Wednesdays (September 30-November 18) at 4PM, or Thursdays (September 17-November 5) at 3:30PM. The cost is $20 for one class, $60 for four classes, or $100 for eight classes.

The Innovation Institute has moved its low-stress, high-quality learning-lab model to both online and hybrid formats for ages 5-17. Students meet virtually and create learning labs at home under the guidance of TI2’s staff of post-doctoral research scientists and engineers teaching on-site. Enroll by September 14. Courses include neuro-engineering, chemistry, genomics, and an integrative K–4 STEM program. For example, Dr. Arkhat Abzhanov will teach these two 33-week classes, with 8 students each:

• Evolutionary Bio from Darwin to Genomics, Grades 5-7
• Building an Organism: Intro to Developmental Biology, Grades 6-8, 9-12

This fall, Science Club for Girls will continue its successful free, online science clubs, each meeting for eight sessions over Zoom starting the week of October 5 for Tuesday and Thursday clubs (3:30-4:30PM) and on October 17 for Saturday clubs (10:30-11:30AM). See this video of one of SCFG’s summer clubs. Clubs are open to girls, and those who identify with girlhood, in Grades K-8. Participants must have access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone and an Internet connection. SCFG will provide any other materials needed. Applications are open until September 30, and priority placement will be given to girls of color or economic need, per SCFG’s mission. Applications will be accepted after September 30 if space is available. Adult STEM professionals may apply to be mentors, and students in Grades 8-12 who love STEM can apply to be junior mentors in SCFG’s leadership program.

The TYE Entrepreneurship Academy is a rigorous, six-month extracurricular program (October-May) for Boston-area students in Grades 9-12 to foster skills in building a startup. It uses a proven curriculum in entrepreneurship and business acceleration, taught by experts in the field, to help students tackle real-world problems. Along the way, it helps students identify and develop pathways to reach personal and professional goals. This year, TYE will offer a fully immersive, virtual program. Space is limited, and the application deadline has been extended to September 18. Register to attend a virtual info session on September 15.

Two Brookline HS seniors, Yuen Ler Chow and Elena Su, have created Brookline Codes to offer free online courses in math (four levels) and introductory computer science (in Scratch, Python, and Java) for greater Boston students in Grades 2-8 (and sometimes Grades K-1). Each course will engage students in two weekly sessions of 45-60 minutes each, plus off-line study. Register by September 11 for fall courses running September 14 to December 13. High school and college students may apply to teach with Brookline Codes. For more information, email brooklinecodes@gmail.com.

Four Newton South HS seniors — Phillip Amitan, Sonakshi Das, Emma Wang, and Tanya Zafira — have created Science4Kids to offer elementary students (ages 7-11) free online classes with science experiments about climate change. Their mission is to:

• “Make complex topics related to environmentalism more accessible and digestible to young people interested in educating themselves about the challenges our planet is facing” and
• “Create a platform for young minds to learn and to discuss ways that we can combat climate change and live more sustainably.”

Science4Kids offered its first sessions this summer. This fall, sessions will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5PM-6PM, starting with these:

• September 8 & 10: Recycling
• September 15 & 17: Renewable Energy
• September 2 & 24: Global Warming

There are 30 spaces available for the fall, organized into groups of 10. Space will be filled first-come/first-served. Register between August 31 and September 6. For more information, email 123science4kids@gmail.com.