Category: Uncategorized

WE *heart* STEM! (See what we did here?)

February 11th is International Day of Women and Girls in Science! These photos — created by women artists — can be printed and shared with our school community to inspire the next generation of girls in STEM.

From the site: In honor of Black History Month, we highlight 35 African American scientists and engineers who made important contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). There are many, many scientists who could be included on this list! The list below is just a sampling of noted scientists through history.

To encourage students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related science projects and careers for scientists they find inspiring, for each scientist, we have included a short biographical highlight, links to hands-on science projects related to the scientist’s area of study, links to relevant science career profiles, and a link to a biography for further reading.

Read the article here.

To celebrate National Read A Book Day, here are some books to read with your child! May you be inspired to read — and make! — something together today!

We will not be returning to school for the rest of the year. Even though we will not be seeing each other on campus, we could still do a lot of educational stuff — specifically STEM stuff — at home to share with everyone from school. Here is a list of STEM activities that you can do at home courtesy of makerspaces.com. Please take photos or videos to share with us. Be safe out there! And happy making!

It’s National Battery Day! Let’s recycle our batteries properly and have a “positive” impact on our environment (see what we did there?)

Our school is having its annual Monster Mash event on Saturday, October 26 from 11am-3pm and we are having an informational booth to spread the word even more and connect with the school community on a more personal level.

From 10:30am to 1:30pm (this includes set up and tear down), we will have tables with LEGO, Snap Circuits, and DIY paper circuits. During this time, student volunteers will help with the making process and ensure that the kids (and their parents!) engage in “learning through unstructured play”.

As a thank you, student volunteers will receive free lunch and a volunteer certificate.

So if you are — or you know someone who is — a perfect match for this super cool volunteer opportunity, email us at scemakerspace@gmail.com!

Let’s be STEM superheroes together —
and save the world one STEM project at a time!

This blog by John Spencer is on point. He says…

When kids embrace a maker mindset, they learn to think divergently and solve problems by connecting seemingly disconnected ideas. They learn to take creative risks and try new things. They learn to embrace iterative thinking as they move through the creative process. In the process, they experience failure and develop a growth mindset. They become systems thinkers who can navigate complexity but they also become hackers and rebels who change the world.

In other words, they become innovators.

-John Spencer

Ready to raise innovators? WE ARE! With our school makerspace, our goal is to do just that.

Read John Spencer’s full blog here.

One of the primary goals of our school makerspace is for students to develop a growth mindset. You might be thinking, “What exactly is a growth mindset? Well, we’re glad you asked!

Coined by Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University, growth mindset, as its name suggests, is the belief that skills and intelligence can be learned and developed. It’s the belief that challenges, failures, and criticisms aren’t your enemies but rather your friends that can help you succeed. People with a growth mindset believe that if they fail in attempting to do something the first (or second, or third…) time, that they can try again to be better. This type of mindset produces statements such as ‘Oops, I made a mistake. Can I try again?’ or ‘I am not good at coding…yet’. It is no surprise that this mindset has been linked to motivation and success in different areas such as academics, careers, and even social or interpersonal relationships.

On the other end of the mindset spectrum is the fixed mindset. It is the more harmful of the two types so it’s important that we discuss and acknowledge it so we can notice it when it happens and do something about it. Fixed mindset, as its name suggests, is where one believes that skills and intelligence are fixed. It’s the belief that you’re either born with these skills or not. People with a fixed mindset believe that abilities cannot be learned or developed so they don’t even try. This type of mindset produces statements such as ‘Math is just not my thing’,“I can’t make this any better’, or “I can never be smart like him’.

Watch this short video for further definition and comparison between the two types.

What type of mindset do YOU have? How about your kid(s)? If you’re not sure, take this assessment to find out!

In our makerspace program, we will integrate and encourage students — and adults alike! — to develop a growth mindset.