STEM Video: Make a Lunar Crater Lab (NASA)
If you plan to use this hands-on lunar activity in your STEM Discovery classroom and you have video access, NASA’s demonstration is a perfect addition to get the exploration started.
Thanks to NASA JPL for their continued support for teachers and curious future scientists in the classroom!
Sunrise STEM Club: Reaching Minorities, Reaching The Stars
It’s the real video testimony from PBS featured Nanoscientist who recharge my excitement about the premier of our STEM club, kicking off in January. The sunrise schedule idea came about via a curious student and a conversation with a teacher who saw a dwindling crowd for the afternoon Physics club on campus. The after school crowd has football, basketball, or needs to be home to care for elementary age siblings.
Educators: You Need To Pour Yourself a Big Cup of Calm Down
Until they figure out what they need, we need to pour ourselves a big cup of calm down and do what educators do: share knowledge, empower creativity, generate a spark of hidden genius, promote self responsibility, celebrate self and community, and be patient. No one has all the answers. Choose not to be a victim. Do what you can. Let the rest go.
As an educator, tough days remind me that I can only do my best. So I pour myself big cup of CALM DOWN and reflect.
Are You Still In The Pursuit of Science?
Did your science or math professor scare the curiosity right out of you? Girls and boys alike are curious by nature. Changing the social norm of hands-on for boys and dress up for girls means equal opportunities for all students to explore the world around us.
A colleague and I are building a new STEM club at our math, science, technology middle school magnet in Central Florida. We have looked at club successes from the past and we have analyzed the decline of some clubs, as well. Bringing together what works and weeding out a long term commitment, we hope will build the science muscles of these targeted learners.
I think “science in small doses” is a good place to begin.
Mapping out a series of units based on key science learning needs for our students on campus is complete. Now we begin our pursuit of the under resourced students mentioned in the NPR interview included in this post.~KayBorglum.com
Cell Phones for STEM: Technology as a Learning Tool in a Tight Economy
The Reality of Technology in Our Classrooms
Our students were born in a world with satellites and cell phone towers. But the policy in the school yard has that technology tool held hostage in their backpack or back pocket. I bet if I took a survey tomorrow morning, more of my students would have their cell phones in their backpack and less would have a pencil or pen. From the vista of my discovery lab classroom, I see cell phones as an immediate solution to a contagious interest in science and engineering for our students.~Kay Borglum (2011)
Problem-Solving Practice, Analysis of Real World Issues Boost Performance
I see the most meaningful learning happen when the unit of discovery is structured enough to guide them towards a target topic, but flexible in that their own questions energize two things: personal interest and higher quality reflective lab reports.~Kay Borglum, MS
