Simply STEM Wiki

SimplySTEM (http://simplystem.wikispaces.com/Welcome+to+Simply+S.T.E.M.) Take a look at the great ideas here--and the activities under 'All Ages & Family Programs"! About All Ages & Family Programs Links Preschool Programs Print Resources School Age Programs Welcome to Simply S.T.E.M. Simple Ideas for S.T.E.M. Programming in Libraries Welcome to Simply S.T.E.M. There is a growing movement to include more S.T.E.M. content in library programming. But ideas that work in a classroom don't always work in a library. A librarian could spend hours searching websites and Pinterest for activities and still have to pull it all together in a program plan. This wiki is a place where librarians can share and find complete plans as well as more general ideas. Please add your ideas and favorite resources! Also, be sure to let us know what works for you if you use ideas you find here. What is S.T.E.M.? S.T.E.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. But S.T.E.M. programming is more than just helping kids discover new facts about the world around them. It is about promoting a deeper understanding of concepts and scientific practices. Why S.T.E.M. is important: The National Math and Science Initiative provides a great summary in their publication, Why STEM Education Matters. Some of the highlights are: That's where the jobs are, and they are higher paying jobs. The U.S. is failing to produce enough STEM workers. American students are not keeping up with their peers around the world. The authors of STEM Lesson Essentials: Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics describe the goal of S.T.E.M. education slightly differently: "The main goal of STEM education is not for students to become mathematicians, scientists, technicians, or engineers; although it would be great if more of our youth had such aspirations. The goal is for all students to be able to function and thrive in our highly technological world--that is, to be STEM literate." (p. 9) Why should libraries be involved? Because libraries already are providing quality educational programs for children and families. Libraries are dedicated to matching people with information. Our nonfiction collections already have some fabulous S.T.E.M. titles. Why should we exclude those from our programming in favor of only fiction or picture books? What about literature and the arts? S.T.E.M. and the arts are not mutually exclusive. In fact, for S.T.E.M. programs to really be successful, they should integrate concepts across the disciplines. The best S.T.E.M. programs are cross-disciplinary. And who says you can't include reading a good book as part of your program? SimplySTEM (http://simplystem.wikispaces.com/All+Ages+%26+Family+Programs) All Ages & Family Programs Events Bubbly, Squishy, Stringy Colors by Erin Warzala Car Crazy by Celeste Giles Family MESS (Math, Engineering, and Science Sundays) by Leah Kloc Family Science Fun by Vivienne Khan Food Science by Debbie Graham - For grades 2 to 5 with parents) Geodesic Dome Engineering by Kim Englert Happy Pi Day by Kary Henry Huff and Puff (Building) by Sandra Wilkerson Optical Illusions by Tina Ladika Color Word Illusion Print Out The Science of Color by Linda Garfinkel (Ages 5 - 8 with caregiver) Solar Energy by Sue Zeigler Super Hero Science by Tracie Williams National Hero Registration Form - What type of super hero would you be? Surrounded by Sound by Elizabeth Esposito Tessellations and Other Shape Games by Lauren Antolino Weather in a Bottle by Regan Vitti Passive Programming Animal Adaptationsby Angela Critics Three activities including Spot the Hidden Animal (Animal Camoflauge images), What's My Adaptation visual game, and Create Your Own Animal activity. Bulletin board displays with S.T.E.M. themes can be paired with activity sheets or crafts for children and parents to do together. For example: Animal Identification. Butterflies by Nicole Wilson An example of butterfly garden kit: Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden Carrot tops - experiment of the week. Carrot tops in water on shelves near the desk so can watch them sprout Crystal Garden - children stop by to check the progress: Using Salt Crystals Using Borax Alum crystals - easy to grow. Non-toxic. Supposed to be quick and reliable. Dice Games by Sandra Wilkerson Guess the Plants by Vivienne Khan Magnetic Sea Life Sand Table - Children love making the animals "swim" through the blue sand using the magnets, and of course they learn to identify all of the animals. It's a great early introduction to magnetism and ocean life. Puzzles! Restroom Display by Judy Nelson Summer Science Adventure - Adapt your Summer Reading Program to include Science components. Click on the link for Ideas and downloadable, adaptable materials. Women in Science by Susan Anderson-Newham