Despite the closures of many summer schools, camps, and other STEM activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are countless opportunities for students, parents, and teachers to engage with educational resources online this summer. I've included some resource links below!
Additionally, in lieu of traditional summer gatherings and recreation, experiencing nature and exploring can be an excellent way to continue to facilitate STEM learning for students. Outdoor recreation while engaging with nature can contribute to students' understanding and interest in the world around them. I've included some examples below.
Online STEM Learning Resources:
- Link to watch my 2013 student iQuest documentary "Women in Science: Challenges and Rewards: From Trailblazer Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin to the Present": https://www.youtube.com/watchv=wobVT7macjo&list=PLcxLu7vyQGZPXE9cIDXhNzbpqtPu_hhnl Link to watch a video on how to do a "pond life experiment" and learn about a microscope (from my elementary school outreach visits): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lueOTPciXHM
- Author and illustrator Rachel Ignotofsky (@rachelignotofsky) has provided free download coloring pages which can be found on her website: https://www.rachelignotofskydesign.com/free-downloads. Her website also includes links to purchase her books Women in Science, Women in Art, Women in Sports, The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth, I Love Science (journal), and I Love Earth (journal), as well as Women in Science and The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth puzzles and posters!
- Tips from Afterschool Alliance (@afterschool4all): Make your home into a maker space; try an easy to use computer coding tutorial; go birding! Full list: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/Bringing-STEM-learning-home-during-social- distancing_03-19-2020.cfm
- "The Best Online STEM Resources, According to a Veteran Teacher: Some tools and games for keeping kids on top of their math and science education at home" https://www.engadget.com/2020-03-25-the-best-online-stem-resources-veteran-teacher-homeschool-quarantine-coronavirus.html
- "60 Free Educational Websites Parents Can Access While Schools Are Closed" https://www.popsugar.com/family/free-online-educational-resources-for-kids-47311368
- "7 of the Best Virtual Science Field Trips" https://interestingengineering.com/7-of-the-best-virtual-science-field-trips
Opportunities to Engage with Nature (and STEM) Outdoors:
- Birding/birdwatching
- Visiting trails (ex: New River Trail in Virginia) for walking/hiking and biking
- Identifying trees
- Exploring rivers and lakes (and the wildlife)
- Going for a walk in the neighborhood; visiting parks
- Planting a garden