Author Archives: steam4ed

I’ve heard a lot of people say this school year is a “lost year”.  I get it, we are not doing what we typically do, so we will not see the typical results.  But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  This is a unique opportunity.  Think about it, we have been forced toContinue reading “Activity Idea: Taking Advantage of a Unique Opportunity”

Recently, I was asked to provide a video interview as part of a Girl Scouts Gold Award.  How cool is that!  The project is focusing on female aerospace engineers.  Although, I’m not an aerospace engineer, I am a female scientist.  While these are two very different fields, many females in science have had similar experiences,Continue reading “Activity Idea: An Exercise in Brainstorming”

Okay, so it’s not a real word.  But it gets the point across, right?  We can use candy, rock candy to be specific, to study how crystals form (crystallography).  How to Start: A little background: a crystal is a solid made from molecules that form a repeating pattern.  What’s really cool is that as theContinue reading “Activity Idea: Confectionography: The study of crystals using candy”

It’s summer time and, if you’re like me, you usually have a family vaca planned.  Except this year plans had to be cancelled, or at least postponed, until things are safer.  So, what do you do now?  Why not draw a picture of where you would like to be?  It can anywhere.  Make a windowContinue reading “Activity Idea: Window Drawings”

Okay, I know. It’s a dad joke and I’m not a dad.  But I just couldn’t resist.  I mean seriously, low hanging fruit anyone?  If your kids are like mine, they need a whole new level of entertaining during this Covid, global pandemic, plague thing.  The same ol’ same ol’ toys and games just aren’tContinue reading “Activity Idea: Make a bored game”

My kiddos have been talking in their own “language” for a while now.  It’s not really a formal language, just jibber jabber that they say they understand and will periodically translate for us.  Which at times can be hysterical.  But why not have them formalize it?  How to Start: Talk with your kiddos about language. Continue reading “Activity Idea: Design A New Language… and then some”

Well, it’s been a while. The transition from “Mommy school” to “Mommy camp” has been… a learning experience.  At the end of the school year I thought I had a solid plan.  To be honest, I still think I had a solid plan.  I just chose not to follow it.  See, I found that VarsityContinue reading “Activity Idea: Summer “Camp””

Okay, so we did it.  For some of us the school year is over and for the rest of us, we’re are just about there. So, now what?  Whether your state is easing restrictions or not, you and the kiddos are still going to be spending a lot of time together.  Now that we don’tContinue reading “Activity Idea: What tastes good?”

Have you noticed that there are a lot more animals out-and-about since we humans have been less out-and-about?  I’ve seen videos of penguins walking down the street in South Africa, wild turkeys on an elementary school playground in California and even whales swimming off the coast of Marseille.  While these videos are direct evidence thatContinue reading “Activity Idea: What Animal Is It?”

Many of the parents I’ve spoken with recently have talked about getting into a rhythm with their work and their kiddo’s school.  We’ve all settled into our routines, but I have heard an overwhelming concern that kids just aren’t getting enough.  Most families are only able to do the bare minimum.  So, how can weContinue reading “Don’t Do It All Yourself!”