Boxlight Releases New Big STEM Guide Volume 3 (free)

Boxlight Releases New Big STEM Guide Volume 3

Lawrenceville, GA, July 28, 2021 – Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL), a leading provider of interactive technology, digital signage, and software solutions, today announced the release of The Big STEM Guide Volume 3.

As Boxlight continues to increase its STEM solutions portfolio, The Big STEM Guide Volume 3 provides educators with content and resource information to broaden their STEM instructional plans. The Big STEM Guide also gives teachers information on turnkey STEM solutions such as those included in the Boxlight MimioSTEM products portfolio.

District and school administrators are being tasked with identifying materials that will help meet student learning needs, including overcoming challenges such as those described in federal relief funding criteria (i.e. Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth; Addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care, of the local educational agency, etc.). The Big STEM Guide is an excellent tool to assist administrators identify Boxlight MimioSTEM solutions that will accommodate their instructional needs, including standards-aligned curriculum and teacher training and professional development.

For more information on The Big STEM Guide, please visit Boxlight.

About Boxlight Corporation

Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL) (“Boxlight”) is a leading provider of interactive technology solutions under its award-winning brands Clevertouch® and Mimio®. The company aims to improve engagement and communication in diverse business and education environments. Boxlight develops, sells, and services its integrated solution suite including interactive displays, collaboration software, supporting accessories and professional services. For more information about the Boxlight story, visit http://www.boxlight.com and Clevertouch, https://www.clevertouch.com/.

Here's more STEM Resources (updated often with new resources)

STEM Resources Page 

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Free guide to STEM resources on the web

STEM careers are highly lucrative and in-demand - yet females and minority students are drastically underrepresented in the historically male-dominated field of STEM.

To support this underrepresented group, Gosciencegirls.com are providing access to supplemental resources.

Gosciencegirls.com have recently published an “Ultimate STEM guide” – that covers almost all the resources available on the web for STEM education. Here is the link: https://gosciencegirls.com/ultimate-stem-resources-bank-for-k12-students/

These resources will help lay a strong knowledge foundation for young learners and prepare them for yet to come academic accomplishments.

Begin exploring various informative websites and resource links that motivate young learners towards a successful adult life with a better future.



More STEM Resources here
http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/p/stem-science-tech-engineering-math.html

Lots of free STEM Resources for Educators

 

STEM is a great way to teach students math, science, technology and engineering, but also teach them other skills like creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork. 

I have collected a lot of STEM Resources on this page: 

http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/p/stem-science-tech-engineering-math.html

Here is another one I found out about recently: Engineers Tribune. https://www.engineerstribune.com/ 

The Engineers Tribune is a collection bleeding-edge technology commentary, electronics community research, and interviews with the engineers who are designing the future. This is a great resource to use with your students. 

And you can go to https://www.peigenesis.com/ , a leading distributor of electronic connectors and cable solutions, to get equipment for your projects. 

STEM Resources for Educators  

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“I AM A SCIENTIST” INITIATIVE SEEKS TO CONNECT STUDENTS WITH REAL-LIFE SCIENTIST STORIES TO PROMOTE STEM DIVERSITY

This new classroom program, founded by two women who have overcome their own relevant hurdles, introduces students, particularly those in junior high/high school, to real-life stories of today’s scientists who are on the frontline of modern innovation—on a mission to inspire STEM careers while shattering outdated industry stereotypes.

Key Takeaways

• “I Am A Scientist” helps students connect to stories of real-life scientists on the frontline of modern innovation to inspire STEM careers & shatter industry stereotypes
• The program’s collection of classroom toolkits provide real-life stories of modern scientists, classroom resources, posters , career resources, and more.
• Designed to encourage the next generation of leaders to consider STEM careers while promoting diversity and inclusion.

Science has been the driving force in the modernization of the world as we know it, yet science as an industry has failed to adequately diversify with the times. While the new digital age offers opportunities to expand interest in and appeal of STEM careers, many barriers still hinder equitable access for all students. Conversations of famous scientists often draw answers such as “Albert Einstein” and “Bill Nye the Science Guy”. While accurate references of scientific leaders, the lack of diversity in the public image of scientists can contribute to the lack of diversity in STEM fields.


Introducing the “I Am A Scientist” initiative, which provides opportunities for students, specifically those in Junior High School and High School, to interact with the science and stories of today’s scientists—breaking down barriers like race, gender, and personal interests.


The program’s collection of classroom toolkits provide real-life stories of modern scientists, classroom resources, posters , career resources, and more. The initiative aims to help students engage with scientists that may look, act, or think like them, and are making great strides in remarkable fields that are often left out of career planning discussions. With featured scientists that range from multidimensional graduate students to globally recognized innovators at the top of their field, “I Am A Scientist” tunes into the power that comes from discovering a wide range of role models.

“I Am A Scientist” is designed to encourage the next generation of leaders with various interests and backgrounds to consider and explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) careers. The goal is to ensure that every student feels inspired by seeing the relatable individuals behind groundbreaking scientific innovation while enabling teachers to change the narrative about what science is and who can do it.

There are resources and guides for educators, parents, students and the community. 

The idea is simple: to ensure that every student has the opportunity to see themselves in science, and ultimately learns how to pursue a journey of their own.

To learn more visit: https://www.iamascientist.info.

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Two Bit Circus Foundation Announces First Virtual Cardboard Challenge

Community Online Event Uses Cardboard to Bring People Together While Apart


Two Bit Circus Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization, today announced plans for the first virtual Cardboard Challenge, an online version of the original event started by Imagination.org, designed to encourage the worldwide STEAM community to come together in these uncertain times to embrace creativity and inspire the next generation of inventors. 

The event will be hosted on the Foundation’s Twitch channel and welcomes anyone and everyone who would like to join. Continuing its mission of promoting STEAM learning during this time of social distancing, the virtual Cardboard Challenge will allow kids, families, teachers, and more to discover new ways to connect through creative play and engage in fun, educational activities using common household items, like cardboard. 

The event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. PST on Thursday, May 7, 2020, and continues throughout the day with various guest builders including Caine Monroy, who created Caine’s Arcade and in doing so, spurred the very first Cardboard Challenge. Participants at home are encouraged to submit their projects (photo and/or video) by posting creations on Instagram before 2 pm PST with the hashtags #CardboardChallenge and #CardboardChallengeAtHome, for the chance to be featured on the Foundation’s Twitch stream, with Caine, for a one-on-one virtual creative build session at a later date.

Those interested in participating can use this link to sign up and tune in to the Two Bit Circus Foundation Twitch channel on May 7 to connect, share, and have fun — all while advancing their education.

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Vernier Software & Technology Offers Free Remote Learning Resources for STEM

To keep students engaged in STEM learning during school closures, Vernier Software & Technology is offering a robust collection of free remote learning solutions for teachers and students. The resources, which support students at both the K–12 and college levels, cover a wide range of scientific disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, and physical science.


Teachers can access a wide range of experiments, software, coding activities, courses, learning platforms, and more to engage K–12 and college-level students in STEM learning



“This is an unprecedented—and extremely difficult—time for teachers and students alike with extended school closures caused by COVID-19,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Software & Technology. “Our robust collection of free resources will help keep students engaged in STEM learning during this time, while supporting educators as they facilitate remote teaching. With these solutions, teachers can help students continue to form a deep understanding of key scientific concepts while outside the classroom and laboratory.”



The free resources from Vernier include the following:

• Experiment and Sample Data Library: Teachers can access more than 250 free experiments covering many subjects to distribute to students at home. Students can perform their own analysis of the sample data and answer questions based on their results.
• Vernier Video Analysis™: An extended free trial of this physics app is available through the end of June 2020. With the app, students can use their mobile devices to insert their own videos with recorded motion, mark points to track the object in motion, and set the scale of the video. This application is recommended for high school and college students.
• Pivot Interactives: A 30-day trial and reduced subscription pricing, which runs through the end of June 2020, is available for this video-based science learning environment. With 200-plus interactive activities, the high-quality Pivot Interactives videos give students the opportunity to observe and study hard-to-replicate experiments and phenomena. Pivot Interactives is recommended for high school and college students.
• Physics with Video Analysis Lab Book: Teachers can download this e-book for free through June 2020. It features experiments covering a wide selection of video analysis activities for introductory physics at the high school or college level. All experiments are designed exclusively for Logger Pro, a software program that teachers and students can also access via an extended free demo. This lab book is recommended for high school and college students.
• Scratch Coding Activities: This collection of free Scratch-based coding activities with varying levels of difficulty can all be completed by students at home. Each activity includes step-by-step instructions for students and teachers. Scratch is designed for students ages 8 to 16.

• Additional free partner resources include the following:
• Interactive Biology Course: ADInstruments and Vernier have partnered to create a free interactive biology course designed for college instructors to use in their remote learning instruction. A collection of experiments with sample data derived from three Vernier biology lab books helps educators teach scientific concepts, such as enzymes, while the intuitive Lt interface makes for a richer online experience for students and educators alike.
• Lab Builder Platform: LabArchives has made its innovative learning platform free through the end of July 2020. Teachers can access Vernier experiments through Lab Builder, the robust content library by LabArchives, then customize online experiments easily using a digital laboratory notebook and course management tools. Teachers can also access Lab Builder to customize the experiments for different virtual lab setups, equipment, and learning objectives.

To learn more about these free remote learning resources from Vernier, visit https://www.vernier.com/remote-learning/.



RESOURCES:

More resources from Vernier

More STEM Resources

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Free toolkit "How to Identify Effective STEM Activities for Children”

Baylor University recently published the toolkit "How to Identify Effective STEM Activities for Children” that helps parents and teachers know what to look for in a STEM lesson and offers 9 examples of quality online resources. You can access the full resource here: https://onlinegrad.baylor.edu/resources/identify-effective-stem-activities-children/

In it, they discuss the best ways to engage students in STEM, how to get them interested, how to introduce STEM to students, and have resources for finding STEM activities and lessons. 

Check it out. 

Related:

Lots and Lots of STEM Resources, Tips and Ideas

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Ozobot launches new learning management system

After being voted Best of Show at ISTE 2019, Ozobot Classroom (patent pending) officially launched at the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference.

Ozobot Classroom will make it easy to integrate coding and computer science with Ozobot’s robots into lessons for any subject and any grade level—with features that include an interactive educator dashboard, single-click classroom setup, interdisciplinary lessons with live lesson insights, and more. Ozobot Classroom is also the first learning management system that allows educators to get powerful real-time insights into student progress for both on-screen and off-screen activities.

Setting up your Ozobot Classroom platform is so easy with our single-click class setup, which automatically pairs your students up with bots so they can get started right away. While setting up, Ozobot Classroom will take teachers through an interactive teacher training that will step through platform setup and how to use the platform with students. Using boosted Bluetooth connectivity, teachers can seamlessly connect to up to 18 robots (patent pending). 

Tracking students’ progress is simple using the platform’s live lesson insights. Teachers can instantly view student activity in real time, even when students are working offline. Ozobot Classroom also offers a core coding curriculum that is designed to take students beyond basic computer science. The curriculum includes 9 lessons per grade level for K-5, covering five computer science concepts: Sequences, Loops, Advanced Sequences & Loops, Conditional Statements, Functions and Variables. Users can then advance to hundreds of STEAM lessons across all subjects. Core coding curriculum for middle school and high school students is coming soon. FAQs What does the Ozobot Classroom kit include? The Classroom kit comes with 12 or 18 robots, one Ozobot Classroom license and accessories.

You can get more information and pricing here: https://shop.ozobot.com/collections/for-school/products/classroom-kit?variant=29461621571626

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Today is National STEM/STEAM Day! Here are some great resources

STEM/STEAM Day falls on November 8. There’s no way around it: children are significantly better off with strong science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics skills. That’s why STEM and STEAM education programs are so important. It’s undebatable that these subjects push society forward, and these programs help to find fun and engaging ways to teach them to students, which is all worth commemorating. So, on November 8, we celebrate STEAM/STEAM Day!

STEM/STEAM help students learn skills they will need for the future. Beyond the content, they will learn critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration and more. 

Here are some great resources for teachers and students:

• STEM Resources 
• more STEM resources
• Project Based Learning Resources
• PBL Resources
• Project Based Learning Resources
• Science Resources
• Educational Technology Resources 
• Engineering Resources
• Math Resources
• Art Resources
• Resources from NASA 
• Lesson Resources

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Actively Learn - resources for middle and high school ELA, science, and social studies teachers, including interactive text and video assignments as well as PhET sims.

Actively Learn is an excellent resource for teachers and students, providing middle and high school teachers in ELA, Science and Social Studies, resources to help their students. Resources include interactive text to help reading comprehension, videos and simulations from PhET.

Here are two overview videos as well:
Teacher overview video
Student overview video



It offers a searchable catalog of thousands of free assignments with embedded media, standards-aligned questions, scaffolding notes, and Teaching Ideas to save teachers time and drive deeper learning for students. Any teacher can create a free Actively Learn account that never expires by going to www.activelylearn.com.

Let’s say a teacher is doing a unit on cells. That teacher can come to the Actively Learn Catalog and find the Cells Topic page, which includes a variety of assignments related to cells like textbook sections, high-interest articles, videos, and PhET simulations. All of these assignments have scaffolding notes in the margins to describe concepts that may be challenging to students and standards-aligned embedded questions.

A screenshot of an assignment in Actively Learn with embedded media and scaffolding notes:


With Actively Learn, teachers are in the driver’s seat. On a free plan, teachers can:

• Customize any of the instruction in Actively Learn (edit questions or notes)
• Upload any Google doc, website, video, or PDF and turn it into an interactive assignment with their own embedded questions and notes
• Deliver feedback to students as they read and get real-time data on student reading progress

Students can:

• Create annotations in the text, share their annotations with their peers, and respond to one another’s notes
• Translate text into over 30 languages, hear text read aloud, look up words as they read, and read in “dyslexic mode”

Example of a student discussion in Actively Learn:

Some of the benefits of Actively Learn:

The instruction is designed to drive deeper learning. Questions are aligned to Depth of Knowledge and Common Core or state standards. It actually helps students to engage with their content instead of asking generic, “What’s the main idea?” questions. Scaffolding notes are designed to help fill gaps in background knowledge while students read so that they can make sense of their grade-level, rigorous texts.


Actively Learn:

• is a one-stop-shop for teachers of ELA, social studies, and science. 
• has a content catalog of novels, short stories, primary sources, science simulations, textbook articles, high-interest articles, videos, and more. 
• has content organized into topic pages that give teachers a full suite of options for their core content needs.
• saves teachers time by offering pre-created instruction and automatic grading for multiple choice questions. Teachers on the paid plan have access to suggested grades for short answer questions and can see student progress by standard and assignment type.
• offers the flexibility for teachers to create their own assignments or modify any of the ones in our Catalog. 
• integrates with Google Classroom and Canvas for even easier use by teachers.

Take a look and try it out: https://www.activelylearn.com/









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Girl Power(ed): 5 STEM Activities and Lessons for Girls

Girl Power(ed): 5 STEM Activities and Lessons for Girls

By Kate Began

Empowering girls through STEM activities not only prepares them for a bright future, it’s also a fun way to keep them engaged while they learn. Little girls love tinkering with things and tackling complex topics just as much—if not more so—than the boys.

Unfortunately, some harmful stereotypes just don’t seem to die. While many teachers and parents still choose to dissuade young girls from pursuing STEM subjects, you can do your part by incorporating STEM activities for girls at home or in the classroom.

Ready to spark their interest in science and technology? Here are 5 STEM activities for girls to boost their critical thinking skills and ignite a lifelong passion for the world of STEM:

Learn Chemistry by Making Bath Bombs

Making homemade bath bombs are a relaxing way to explore chemistry and to get your girls in the habit of using scientific methods. Plus, it’s a fun activity to do with your girls on the weekend.

For this experiment, you’ll need the following ingredients:

● Spray Bottle with Water

● Silicone Baking Tray

● ½ Cup Baking Soda

● ¼ Cup Citric Acid

● ¼ Cup Corn Starch

● 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

● Essential Oil

● Food Coloring

The first step is to combine the baking soda, corn starch and citric acid into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, essential oil and a few droplets of food coloring.

Use a couple sprays of your squirt bottle on the mixture (it may fizz when you do this) and use your hands to begin molding it. Press the mixture tightly into your silicone baking tray and allow it to sit for 1-2 days.

Next, start experimenting with the bath bombs. Ask the girls what they think will happen when you drop a bath bomb in hot water versus cold water. You can also begin playing around with ingredients and make predictions on how different ingredients affect the bath bombs.





Get Them Interested in Coding

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the computer science field is growing 19 percent faster than average. If you want to give your girls a head start in coding, consider introducing them to Tynker.

Tynker provides 500 hours of curriculum and introduces kids to concepts such as augmented reality, robotics, block coding and more. It’s self-paced, which means that your girls can learn anywhere and go at their own pace.

Tynker is free to teachers, while parents can purchase the coding platform’s programming lessons for as little as $10/month for a yearly subscription. From Coding with Barbie to Goblin Quest, there are a variety of coding lessons and games that will get your kids excited about computer science.


Double-Digit Multiplication Game

Struggling to spice things up and make math engaging? Why not turn math into an exciting board game?

This printable multiplication board game (via MathGeekMama) requires no prep and is easy to explain, so it’s practically guaranteed to become a parent/teacher favorite. Here is what you’ll need:

● Printable Double-Digit Multiple Board Game

● Die

● Place markers

● Calculator

Here is how it works: Player one rolls the die and moves that number of spaces. She then must solve the problem on the space where she landed.

The second player checks her math using the calculator. If she gets it right, she gets to stay on the marker. But if she gets it wrong, she must take two steps back from her original starting point.

To make things more fun for the girls, have them choose their place marker from a bucket of small toys. Remember to provide a variety of toys—not every girl wants a stereotypical pony as a place marker!


Learn About Circuitry

It’s understandable to be nervous about introducing electrical concepts to young kids. If you’re nervous about building your own DIY electrical kits for the kids, there are plenty of affordable kits online that your girls will love.

For example, the SmartLab Smart Circuits is a super fun electronics kit that allows you to safely introduce electronics concepts to kids. From building a glowing circuit to creating a magic message wand, the kit provides a diverse range of simple and complex projects for kids to complete.

All the electrical components are housed inside a plastic enclosure for electronics so that your girls can experiment safely. There are also additional safeguards that prevent incorrect wiring and electrocution, so there is no excuse for not introducing electricity and electronics into the classroom or at home!




Explore States of Matter with Glitter Slime

Making glitter slime is a great way to get girls interested in science and learn about states of matter. This STEM activity is also perfect for when you’re stuck indoors on cold weather days.

Here is what you’ll need to make glitter slime:

● 1 Small Jar

● Glitter

● Clear Elmer’s Glue

● 1 ½ Tablespoons OPTI-FREE Contact Lens Solution

● ½ Tablespoon Baking Soda

To make the slime, pour the Elmer’s glue into a bowl, followed by the baking soda, contact solution and then the glitter. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon until the slime becomes tough to stir.

Use your hands to finish mixing the slime. If the slime is a bit sticky, add a little contact solution to it.

Let the girls play with the slime for a few minutes and then start asking them questions. What will happen to the slime when it’s left on a flat surface? How far can it stretch before it breaks?

If the girls are older, you can use this opportunity to explain polymers and non-Newtonian fluids. For girls who are younger, this is still a great activity that will introduce them to using basic scientific methods.

Final Words
With coding, robotics and real-world science becoming a common sight in today’s classrooms, it’s never been more important to get girls interested in STEM subjects at an early age. Inside each girl is a passion for science and technology that is waiting to be brought to life.

With these fun STEM activities for girls, you can foster their interest in STEM and provide them with the confidence they need to purse a male-dominated field. With any luck, they will go on to become the next Marie Curie and Edith Clarke.

Kate Began serves as the Sales and Marketing Manager for Polycase. Kate oversees the customer service representatives, assists with product development and leads the marketing efforts from the Avon, Ohio headquarters.



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Ozobot Classroom - STEAM learning management system coming this Fall

Ozobot, makers of robots that empower coding and STEAM education for grades K–12, recently unveiled its new Ozobot Classroom learning management system.



Launching this fall, Ozobot Classroom will offer teachers an even better way to bring coding into lessons on any subject and at any grade level—with features that include an educator dashboard, real-time insights into student progress, a curriculum builder, and more. It will be the first LMS of its kind, delivering powerful insights into student engagement both with and without screens.

Once teachers create an account, they will be guided through training in Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code: on-screen with OzoBlockly visual programming and screen-free with Color Codes. From there, educators can manage students and bots, access standards-aligned lesson recommendations, assign activities and digital badges, and use real-time insights into students’ online and offline activity to inform their teaching strategies.

As the only learning management system that provides insights for screen-free activities, teachers can keep up with their students' progress in real time. Once students have started interacting with their robots, Ozobot Classroom will then provide lesson recommendations and build a curriculum based on the individualized student data. 

Ozobot's Evo Educator Entry Kit and Evo Classroom Kit, which are compatible with the new Ozobot Classroom, were also selected as finalists for the 2019 SIIA CODiE Awards. The SIIA CODiE Awards recognize the top innovative products and services in the education and business technology industries. For more information on Ozobot's coding and STEAM products, and for a sneak peek at Ozobot Classroom, please visit https://ozobot.com/



Related:

STEM Resources for Education 





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The Future of STEM Education: 5 Innovative Ideas About to Break Through

The Future of STEM Education: 5 Innovative Ideas About to Break Through

by Kate Began


With our world becoming increasingly technology-driven, there is growing demand for workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. To meet this demand, there has been ongoing discussion on how to best educate our kids for a STEM-focused future.

How can we best equip our kids with the necessary skills to face future challenges? While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to teaching STEM, researchers and educators are always searching for innovative ideas to help kids develop in-demand skills.

STEM education will only become more important moving forward. To best prepare our kids for a tech-driven future, here are five innovative ideas that educators are testing out:

Highly-Specialized Elementary Teachers
As it stands now, math and science teachers are forced to cover a wide breadth of topics geared towards preparing students for the future. The main problem is that many elementary teachers are woefully unprepared to cover in-depth topics that ignite their students’ passion for STEM.

To combat this problem, some schools are choosing to employ teachers who specialize in robotics, coding and other in-demand fields. With a greater depth of knowledge on a subject, teachers can help build confidence and STEM literacy in students.

Although the idea of specialized elementary teachers is far from becoming widespread, the groundwork for these teachers is currently in the works. Already, we’re seeing universities such as Arizona State University offer specialized STEM education programs to help teachers feel confident teaching STEM subject matter.






Game-Based Learning
Educators have long been using game-based learning strategies to boost student engagement. If your classroom was ever divided into two teams and pitted against each other for a trivia game, you’ve experienced game-based learning.

Today’s game-based learning is far more sophisticated. To prepare students for a future in STEM, some educators are bringing immersive technology into the classroom and utilizing it for game-based learning.

For example, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have the power to transform STEM education. With these technologies, students can take a virtual field trip to the International Space Station, hear our heart pump blood through our cardiovascular system or observe the innerworkings of advanced electronics housed inside stainless steel enclosures.

Encouraging Infant and Toddler Math Education
Amazingly, even infants and toddlers can learn from STEM-based activities. Exploring new colors, shapes and textures with your child are technically science and math-based activities that invite your child to explore new concepts. Asking your toddler open-ended questions (as opposed to “yes” and “no” questions) is another simple way to begin preparing them for the world of STEM.

Why bother encouraging STEM skills at such an early age? Early introduction to STEM concepts has repeatedly shown to benefit children in all areas of education.

According to the National Research Council, early math knowledge can boost a child’s math comprehension later in life, as well as their reading comprehension skills. By integrating STEM learning earlier, parents can give their child a head start for their future education.





Enhancing STEM Experiences Through Inclusive Learning Spaces

A learning environment which sparks creativity and innovation in kids is critical to our future success in STEM education. The biggest question facing educators is which learning environment is best for STEM education?

While researchers have all sorts of different ideas on what makes the ultimate STEM learning environment, most will agree that the classroom must be flexible, inclusive and technology-based. A classroom which is open to discussion and which embraces failure is key to a positive STEM experience in young kids.

Today, teachers are slowly becoming educated on teaching soft skills in STEM. These skills refer to non-technical skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication and problem-solving.

Soft skills are growing ever more important in our technology-based world. No matter how sophisticated our automated systems become, humans are still valued for their creativity, flexibility and motivation.

Getting the necessary funding for these inclusive, high-tech spaces remains a significant challenge for school districts. However, a classroom which embraces hands-on learning and has connectivity is key to successful STEM education.

At-Home STEM Visits

Preparing our teachers and classrooms for STEM is only half the battle. As a child’s first teacher, parents play a critical role in facilitating a child’s learning and career opportunities in STEM.

To help parents integrate STEM learning into the home, some schools are partnering with organizations that conduct at-home visits. These visits are meant to ensure that kids have the tools and resources they need to succeed in a high-tech world.

The Puerto Rico-based Flamboyan Foundation between schools and parents. The private family foundation, which also has a facility in Washington D.C., work with the school’s principal to increase family engagement and empower students to learn STEM topics.

Although foundations such as Flamboyan aren’t uncommon, they are yet to become widespread. But with growing importance on STEM education, we will no doubt see more schools utilizing these types of services to encourage STEM learning at home.

The Future Begins Now


STEM is already a pervasive part of our lives. Each day, STEM-related skills are used to solve the complex challenges that society is currently facing.

Challenges related to climate change, health care delivery and sustainability are all issues that our kids will need to face in the future. If we are to successfully meet the demands of tomorrow, we must foster a passion for STEM-related concepts through early education.

Kate Began serves as the Sales and Marketing Manager for Polycase. Kate oversees the customer service representatives, assists with product development and leads the marketing efforts from the Avon, Ohio headquarters.

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Cyberpatriot - national youth cyber education program

​CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air Force Association to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation's future. ​At the core of the program is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, the nation's largest cyber defense competition that puts high school and middle school students in charge of securing virtual networks. Other programs include AFA CyberCamps, an elementary school cyber education initiative, a children’s literature series, and CyberGenerations –a cyber safety initiative geared toward keeping senior citizens safe online.

These are excellent, free resources and more for K-12 educators and students.

​The CyberPatriot Programs are:




THE NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER DEFENSE COMPETITION​
At the center of CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, which puts teams of high school and middle school students in ​the position of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company. Through a series of online competition ​rounds, teams are given a set of virtual operating systems and are tasked with finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services. The top teams in the nation earn all-expenses paid trips to Maryland for the National Finals Competition where they can earn national recognition and scholarship money.​​


AFA CYBERCAMPS
Held during the summer months, AFA CyberCamps emphasize fun, hands-on learning of cybersecurity principles that are relevant and applicable to everyday life. Though camps, students learn the importance of cyber safety and how to protect their personal devices and information from outside threats. Standard AFA CyberCamps teach beginner students the basics of cybersecurity, while Advanced AFA CyberCamps incorporate more complex concepts geared towards students who have previously participated in a camp or in the cyber defense competition.



ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CYBER EDUCATION INITIATIVE

The CyberPatriot Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative (ESCEI) is a set of three interactive learning modules aimed at increasing the awareness of online safety and cyber​security principles for K-6 students. The modules, which are available for download at no cost, can be presented in a classroom setting or at home. Supplemental activities are also available.




CYBER EDUCATION LITERATURE SERIES
The Cyber Education Literature series was launched in December 2017 with the publishing of its first book, Sarah the Cyber Hero. The book is a pre-K reader for younger children that pioneers the topic of cybersecurity to a early elementary youth. Digital​ and hard-copies of the book are available for purchase on Amazon and BookBaby.com.



CYBERGENERATIONS​CyberPatriot's newest program, CyberGenerations, the Senior Citizen's Cyber Safety Initiative, is designed to teach older individuals about password hygiene, malware and ransomware, marketing and fraud scam, and social media awareness. More importantly, CyberGenerations offers resources to victims of cyber scams. The program can be done as a self-paced guide, or it can be presented as a workshop in a group setting.

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Live Total Solar Eclipse Coverage from the Exploratorium on July 2

On Tuesday, July 2, 2019, from 12:23 to 2:46 p.m. PDT, the Exploratorium, in partnership with NASA, will broadcast a total solar eclipse from the NSF’s Cerro Tololo Observatory in Chile. The broadcast will be available to downlink, online, in the museum's award-winning eclipse app, and onsite at the Exploratorium. Visitors to the Exploratorium can enjoy programs in both English and Spanish, a data-driven sonification by composer Wayne Grim, lectures by Exploratorium staff educators, and other eclipse programming.

Exploratorium has a large variety of other resources for educators as well.





WHO:           The Exploratorium in partnership with NASA

WHAT:          Live coverage and explanation of the total solar eclipse

WHERE:       Downlink, online, Total Solar Eclipse 2019 App, NASA.gov, and onsite

WHEN:         Tuesday, July 2, 2019, 12:23-2:46 p.m. PDT


Staff experts are available for interview before the eclipse.

Isabel Hawkins is an astronomer and educator with a PhD in astronomy from UCLA.  She spent 20 years as a researcher and science educator at the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, before coming to the Exploratorium. Isabel has published more than 100 articles on a variety of astronomy and education topics, and in 2009 she received the Astronomical Society of the Pacific’s Klumpke-Roberts award for her work in astronomy education and public outreach. Available for interviews in Spanish.

Ron Hipschman has hosted eclipse coverage for the Exploratorium for over twenty years. He has worked as an exhibit developer, author, teacher, and webcast host since joining the Exploratorium in 1971. He currently works on the Exploratorium’s Environmental Initiatives.

Read this advisory on our website.

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