Yearly Archives: 2020

STEAM Engines from home: the busiest physicists

2021-02-10T15:42:30-07:00

Towards the end of summer, I fell victim to one of those AMAZING PAINTING YOU WILL BE MESMERIZED type videos floating around on social media. I admit that, like a cartoon squirrel presented with a decoy nut, I am easily captivated. I am handily distracted by cookie decorating videos. TRANSFORM THIS OLD WHATCHAMACALLIT INTO SOMETHING (objectively useless but still) COOL videos regularly siphon valuable minutes off my life. But readers, there was something to this AMAZING PAINTING video. It was an art form called pendulum painting, in which an artist sets a hanging paint container with a hole in the bottom [...]

STEAM Engines from home: the busiest physicists2021-02-10T15:42:30-07:00

A Woman of Many Firsts

2021-02-10T15:43:39-07:00

(Astronaut Christina Koch working on board the ISS, image credit: NASA) NASA astronaut Christina Koch has already set numerous records in her brief career with the agency. I recently had the opportunity to interview Christina via telephone from her home in Houston, Texas. I ask how she is feeling these days after her record setting 328 day stay onboard the International Space Station (ISS)?  "I feel really good. I have my dog here curled up beside me here, and I have been enjoying my work." Christina's 328 days in space is the single longest mission for a woman, ever! Christina is [...]

A Woman of Many Firsts2021-02-10T15:43:39-07:00

STEAM Engines: Nephology

2021-02-10T15:44:16-07:00

We had a beautiful summer in Skokie, and though I really miss being in the library and getting to see all of our eager young science friends, There have been some real silver linings (cloud reference segue absolutely intended!). Always somewhat outdoorsy, this summer, the kids and I spent an unprecedented amount of time outside, taking walks, playing in the yard, and a new game - watching for shapes in the clouds. A discussion on the general merits of living in a cloud (the look so soft and fluffy, right??), led to an absolute nerd-out about what clouds actually are, and [...]

STEAM Engines: Nephology2021-02-10T15:44:16-07:00

(Resource List) Computational Thinking: Empowering Teens to be Creators of Technology

2021-02-10T15:45:24-07:00

Follow the STAR Library Network http://www.starnetlibraries.org/ https://www.facebook.com/STARLibraries/ https://www.starnetlibraries.org/register/ https://twitter.com/starnet_project Featured STAR Net Activities (Unplugged) Clearinghouse “Computational Thinking” Collection http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/131-computational-thinking Binary Bead Craft: Bracelet (or Necklace) Version http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/technology-and-computing/227-binary-bead-craft-bracelet-or-necklace-version.html?search_query=binary+bead+craft&results=2 Passion for Pixels http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/technology-and-computing/345-passion-for-pixels.html Something is Different About You http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/mathematics/276-something-is-different-about-you.html Anomaly Adventures: Through the Eyes of a Computer http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/activities/490-anomaly-adventures-through-the-eyes-of-a-computer.html Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set https://www.learningresources.com/code-gor-robot-mouse-activity-set Featured STAR Net Activities (Plugged-In) SciGames http://www.scigames.org/index.php?bypass=true Rover Coder and other free apps http://www.scigames.org/apps.php Computational Thinking “Plugged-In” Resources Computer Science Education Week https://csedweek.org/ Girls Who Code https://girlswhocode.com/ Curricula https://studio.code.org/courses?view=teacher https://prendacodeclub.com/librarians/ https://world.kano.me https://codeclub.org/en https://www.codecademy.com/ https://www.code.org/learn Audio Visual Arts through Code https://sonic-pi.net/ https://www.openprocessing.org/ Scratch https://scratch.mit.edu/ Coder Dojo with Raspberry [...]

(Resource List) Computational Thinking: Empowering Teens to be Creators of Technology2021-02-10T15:45:24-07:00

New Community Dialogue Resources to Support Equity in Your Library

2021-01-27T16:16:27-07:00

The STAR Net team has been hard at work gathering resources to support Community Dialogues (including virtual dialogues during COVID) from around the informal education world. Consider these resources a sneak peak of the new STAR Net Community Dialogue site that's coming soon. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our draft resources, and feel free to reach out to us with questions or comments! To access all the new resources, use the clickable PDF below to navigate. Follow the instructions, or head directly to the areas that are of interest to you! (Make sure you click into the image, to activate [...]

New Community Dialogue Resources to Support Equity in Your Library2021-01-27T16:16:27-07:00

World Origami Days are Here! 20 Days of Workshops and Tutorials

2021-01-27T16:29:22-07:00

Like so many conferences, festivals, and other events, World Origami Days has gone virtual this year. Beginning on October 24, the birthday of Lillian Oppenheimer (1898-1992), who founded the first origami group in the USA and was one of the founders of OrigamiUSA and the British Origami Society, this event will host workshops and tutorials daily through November 11, which is Origami Day in Japan. Everyone who registers will receive links to the videos of the daily tutorials in November, so don't worry if you miss one or a few. There is a page of templates for folding a flapping bird [...]

World Origami Days are Here! 20 Days of Workshops and Tutorials2021-01-27T16:29:22-07:00

Cornell is offering an E-STEM Education course – Register by October 28!

2021-01-27T16:33:10-07:00

Hello everyone! I browsed my way to this course being offered by Cornell University the other day, and contacted the administrators.  They have agreed to extend the registration deadline until October 28 so that I could get the word out to.  It looks like a great opportunity, so if you can, take advantage.   E-STEM Education is designed for teachers and nonformal educators who want to help youth become scientifically literate, environmental citizens. Teachers will learn how to integrate environmental education into STEM classes such as biology and earth science, and non-formal educators will learn how to make science part of [...]

Cornell is offering an E-STEM Education course – Register by October 28!2021-01-27T16:33:10-07:00

Application Deadlines for DiscoverE’s Outreach Grants Are Approaching Fast

2021-01-27T16:35:39-07:00

Application deadlines for DiscoverE's outreach grants are approaching fast! Don't miss your chance to fund your events for Engineers Week and Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. APPLY TODAY! We have $250-$1000 grants available for virtual and in-person programs: Due Oct 31: Bell Girl Day grants for girl-centered programs Due Nov 14: Engineers Week grants for underserved students Looking for more resources in engineering outreach? Check out our best practices for achieving diversity in engineering and how to be a (virtual) role model.

Application Deadlines for DiscoverE’s Outreach Grants Are Approaching Fast2021-01-27T16:35:39-07:00

Virtualizing Your Programs and Activities

2021-01-27T16:39:07-07:00

Have you felt like remote learning during COVID-19 has been hectic and stressful? You are not alone and it doesn’t have to feel that way going forward. Join MMSA's ACRES Project today and participate in highly interactive coaching sessions. The ACRES Project brings together afterschool educators in live and interactive virtual workshops. They create small communities of reflection, so you have a safe and brave space to learn new skills. They offer you contact hours, certificates of attendance, and many ready to use resources.  And they are excited to announce... stipends are still available and new cohorts are starting soon! In response to COVID19,  a [...]

Virtualizing Your Programs and Activities2021-01-27T16:39:07-07:00

A Chill in the Air and Color in the Trees

2021-01-27T16:42:42-07:00

There's been a bit of a chill in the air the last week or so, a frequent thumping on the roof of pecans falling out of the tree in the yard, and a sense of frantic feasting radiating from the hummingbirds who frequent the feeders on my porch.  Autumn is here. One of my favorite things to do as the seasons slip away from summer and toward winter is to walk through wooded areas and collect brightly colored leaves.  This is something my mother did with me as a very young child on my great grandparents' farm.  I still have the [...]

A Chill in the Air and Color in the Trees2021-01-27T16:42:42-07:00
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