Regularly our team is asked for advice on ‘STEMMING’ or ‘STEAMING’ up their classrooms or schools. So we decided to share 10 really cool resources that are not widely recognized. Unless otherwise noted, the resources listed are free. Check these out and share with us your favorites!
GrowNextGen
GrowNextGen was designed to bring agriculture science to the classroom. It joins industry and teachers by cultivating real-world educational tools to engage the next generation workforce. Backed by funding from the Ohio Soybean Council and Ohio soybean farmers, GrowNextGen focuses on modern agriculture education exposing students to different career fields in a thriving industry. This site has everything from a dropdown box that gives you ideas or resources on field trips, virtual speakers and internships to tons of lesson plans aligned to science standards to career pathways information and inventory. Great resource across all grade levels.
Be Internet Awesome
Be Internet Awesome by Google is a terrific digital citizenship learning framework for kids. Tons of resources that teachers, afterschool providers and parents can use to help young learners build strong – positive – internet skills that will last a lifetime. Lots of game based and interactive learning.
NASA Out of School Learning Network (NOSL)
Ohio’s own NASA John Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is one of three NASA sites to co-create amazing STEM resources for out of school professionals. NOSL resources include everything a teacher or afterschool professional needs to know to conduct some terrific STEM learning. While the lessons are targeted for out of school time, regular classroom teachers will love them too.
- EnvisionEdPlus and Ohio Afterschool Network are teaming up to provide training to use NOSL resources in afterschool or summer programs. The first set of trainings will be called “Rockets Rock!†For more info, including training dates- check out our New Year, New Partners blog.
MakerMinded
Our friends at Ohio STEM Learning Network are working with MakerMinded online platform, to connect Ohio’s middle and high school students to over 150 leading-edge STEM and advanced manufacturing education experiences, while galvanizing participating students and schools around a student-driven, pro-manufacturing campaign and competition. The platform’s goal is to provide students access to the right programs that will encourage and prepare them for further education and careers in advanced manufacturing. The platform includes a searchable database of both national and local student programs, including on-line and in-person experiences, from manufacturing facility tours to engineering design challenges to technical skills competitions. Examples of programs include Learning Blade, a mission-driven online STEM curriculum, robotics competitions, EduFACTOR, and eCYBERMission. As students complete activities and programs, schools receive points and compete against other schools in Ohio. The competition culminates in a recognition event and prizes for the schools and students accumulating the most points for completing the most activities. MakerMinded will host a variety of launch events across Ohio to kick off the 2017-2018 campaign. Information about launch events will be posted at http://www.osln.org/events/ as event details are finalized.
Students and schools interested in joining the MakerMinded campaign can sign up HERE.
Generation Beyond
Lockheed Martin partnered with Discovery Education to create Generation Beyond preparing the next generation of engineers and explorers. This great tool features a free, online curriculum for middle school teachers and students, including lesson plans for teachers, a virtual field trip that offers students an interactive space flight experience and activities students can bring home to share with their families.
Math Science Music
All too often people ask where the arts fit into STEM. While my answer is always EVERYWHERE, educators want concrete evidence of arts integration. Math Science Music is a free toolkit for teachers, bringing together the best resources in math, science and music. What I like best is this can be used for students, kindergarten through college!
Glenn Research Center – High School Internship Program
High school students (16+) who live within 50 miles of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland are eligible to apply for paid summer internships! Glenn High School Internship Project (GHIP) provides paid summer internship opportunities, 8 weeks in duration, to students interested in careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and professional administration at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). This educational project offers opportunities for 10th and 11th grade students who will be juniors and seniors in the upcoming school year and is sponsored by the NASA GRC Office of Education (OE).
Inventionland Innovation Coursework (purchase required)
Inventionland Institute’s innovation coursework (K-12) guides educators to facilitate student learning as they use Inventionland’s 9-Step Inventing Method to identify real world problems based on personal passions and create their own inventions to address their problems. What we love best is that the process doesn’t end with their invention. Students practice ELA communication skills as they prepare for ‘Shark Tank’ style exhibitions with experts from your own community.
NASA Wavelength
NASA Wavelength is your pathway into a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels – from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. These resources, developed through funding of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD), have undergone a peer-review process through which educators and scientists ensure the content is accurate and useful in an educational setting. Use NASA Wavelength to quickly and easily locate resources, connect them to other websites using atom feeds, and even share the resources you discover with others through social media and email.
DIY – Skills For Kids (APP)
From cardboarding to cooking, this app helps kids find the fun in DIY. DIY App – Creative Community for Kids is a virtual treasure trove of craft, activity, and practical (or sometimes impractically fun) skill-building ideas. Teachers can simply use this app to get ideas for in-class crafts related to current classroom subjects or unit studies. From art to computer science, biology to sports, there’s something about almost anything one can think of on DIY. Best for grades 3-8. (Find DIY App on iTunes.)
As you begin ‘STEMMING’ or “STEAMING†up your school, Ohio schools may want to think about applying for official STEM designation. The Ohio Department of Education, in the recent publication Ohio STEM Update, announced applications will be available in November to apply for STEM or STEAM designation (K-12). There is also a new rubric that will be in place for this year’s application. EnvisionEdPlus has had great success in supporting schools and districts through the designation process. We can provide staff training on STEM, design thinking and core values. We can connect you with great partners aligned to your school’s vision and mission. Our team can help you re-envision your grading practices, master schedule and operational systems to align with STEM expectation. We can even guide your team through the proposal development process and post award implementation.
If you are considering submitting an application this winter- start planning NOW! If you think you may need support, call or email Tricia Moore 614.357.4439 or tricia@envisionedplus.com or click HERE and we will give you a call.
~ Michele D. Timmons, President Michele@envsionedplus.com 614.893.7341
