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Upper grades, 6th+

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The Colors of Nature project has developed a series of kits that explore the art and science of nature's colors. The kits will be distributed to school curriculum libraries, museums, science centers, and public libraries for use in programs. We will be offering associated professional development to educators in institutions that adopt the kits. While we can only provide fully equipped kits to project partners, our lesson plans are freely available at the links below.

Science and Art Core Practices
How do art and science help us understand the world around us? This kit is designed to help students explore the core question: how do art and science help us understand the world around us? Through a series of investigations, students will become familiar with the core practices of art and science, and develop scientific and artistic habits of mind that empower them to engage in self-directed inquiry through the generation and evaluation of ideas.
Investigation 1 Suminagashi

Investigation 2 Observational Drawing

Investigation 3 Drawing with Tools

Click here to download the PDF of Kit 1 (1MB, 24 pages)
Kit 1 Resources How does the chemistry of color help us understand the material world around us? This kit is designed to help students explore the core question: how does the chemistry of color help us understand the material world around us? In this series of STEAM investigations, students separate pigments from natural and manufactured sources using chromatography, develop paintings by changing pigment colors with acid base reactions, and create images using photochemical reactions.
Investigation 1 Chromatography

Investigation 2 Cabbage Chemistry

Investigation 3 Cyanotypes

Click here to download the PDF of Kit 2 (3MB, 31 pages)
Kit 2 Resources How does color help us understand the living world around us? This kit is designed to help students explore the core question: how does color help us understand the living world around us? In this series of STEAM investigations, students investigate adaptive coloration strategies, apply their findings to design camouflage patterns for specific habitats, explore signals beyond the visible spectrum, and create stop-motion animations to communicate about UV signals that we cannot see ourselves.
Investigation 1 Adaptive Coloration: Camouflage

Investigation 2 Adaptive Coloration: UV Signals

Investigation 3 Communicating the Invisible: Stop Motion Animation

Click here to download the PDF of Kit 3 (5MB, 20 pages)
Kit 3 Resources
How does light help us understand the colors of the world around us?
This kit is designed to help students explore the core question: how does light help us understand the colors of the world around us? Through a series of STEAM investigations, students learn about the colors of the visible spectrum that make up white light, explore selective absorption and reflection, and experiment with structural color.
Investigation 1 White Light

Investigation 2 Reflection and Absorption

Investigation 3 Structural Color

Click here to download the PDF of Kit 4(5MB, 30 pages)
Kit 4 Resources

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Educator Resources – Colors of Nature 2025

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The Colors of Nature project has developed a series of kits that explore the art and science of nature’s colors. The kits will be distributed to school curriculum libraries, museums, science centers, and public libraries for use in programs. We will be offering associated professional development to educators in institutions that adopt the kits. While we can only provide fully equipped kits to project partners, our lesson plans are freely available at the links below.

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17 global goals for a better world, created by 193 world leaders and the United Nations. Connect to STEAM and project-based learning through real-world issues.

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Overcoming the World's Challenges - The Global Goals

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The climate crisis. Ensuring no one goes hungry. Human rights abuses. Extreme poverty. Problems of this scale can be overwhelming, but the Global Goals(also known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs) are the solution to tackling them.

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Set up your AI assistant with pre-scripted guidelines to get the responses you need, for a variety of scenarios.

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We have a variety of prompts to help you lesson plan and do administrative tasks with GenAI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, and Perplexity.

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Small moves to reduce anxiety around math

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Teachers can help ease the anxiety that many students feel with these strategies for creating joyful learning experiences.

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FDIC Money Smart for Young People features four free age-appropriate curricula that promote financial understanding and are specifically designed for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educators

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Coloring/ Activity Book

Money Smart for Elementary School Students introduces key personal finance concepts to children ages 5-8. This resource features a coloring/activity book for the students accompanied by a companion manual for use by anyone leading a discussion with a group of youngsters.

The Student Activity Book and Instructor Guide are available for immediate download (catalog.fdic.gov).
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is prohibited from endorsing any specific organizations. Money Smart users must ensure that their publicity, advertisements, and public statements do not use the FDIC name or logo to imply that FDIC endorses their organization or its products or services.

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Money Smart for Elementary School Students introduces key personal finance concepts to children ages 5-8. This resource features a coloring/activity book for the students accompanied by a companion manual for use by anyone leading a discussion with a group of youngsters. The Student Activity Book and Instructor Guide are available for immediate download (catalog.fdic.gov).

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Mini activities to spur discussion around environmental issues; free resource

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This toolkit has been designed to help your students find their voices as advocates for the Earth. By exploring three distinct mediums: film, poetry, and collage art, students will learn how to translate environmental awareness into compelling narratives that inspire action.

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April 27-30, 2027

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We invite you and your team to experience the most invigorating blend of:

Networking and team-building opportunities - more than 3,000 global in and out-of-school time professionals

More than 200 exceptional workshops to help you learn and grow

The latest trends and research in innovative and quality in and out-of-school time programming

In-depth learning sessions through our 1-day Pre-Conference Academies

Opportunities for targeted conversations and learning through Inspiration Station, Camp Inspire, and Exhibitor Showcase Workshops

Master Classes taught by world-class experts of a discipline

BOOST Nation: Town Hall - public meetings with national leaders and public figures

Connections with over 125 Exhibitors sharing the newest resources, products, and services to enhance your programs

BOOST Film Festival featuring films highlighting relevant topics in the education field including issues relating to today's youth

BOOST Live Podcast Lounge - interviews with thought leaders, Q&A sessions, and expert panels all in front of a live audience

Option to earn transferable college credits through the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Continuing Education

Opportunity to earn CEUs credit in Partnership with California Association of School Psychologists (CASP)

Opportunities to experience guest speakers, authors, special events, and entertainment that will inspire you to create change

Healthy meals and plenty of sunshine in beautiful Palm Springs, California

Download 50 REASONS TO ATTEND BOOST by clicking HERE or the image above!

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Join the largest, most recognized and comprehensive global convening for after school, expanded learning, and in and out-of-school time professionals.

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This is a great exploration tool for students thinking about the future. It lists job descriptions, math level required, and average salaries. Some of the careers feature videos from people working their fields for even more information.

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Computer Scientist

Computer scientists work as theorists, researchers, or inventors. They use innovation to solve complex problems and create or apply new technology. The areas of computer science research range from complex theory to hardware design to programming-language design. Some researchers work on projects such as developing and advancing uses of virtual reality, extending human-computer interaction, or [...]

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Computer scientists work as theorists, researchers, or inventors. They use innovation to solve complex problems and create or apply new technology. The areas of computer science research range from complex theory to hardware design to programming-language design. Some researchers work on projects such as developing and advancing uses of virtual reality, extending human-computer interaction, or [...]

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Lean In Girls | Girls Leadership Program

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Lean In Girls is a leadership program that empowers teen girls to be self-assured, resilient, & inclusive leaders. Learn more now!

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Here's another Padlet with a variety of quick online ideas.

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Virtual field trips allow us to take our students on adventures we never thought possible. We can take our students under the ocean, across the globe and

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Download and share a holiday hyperdoc with your students for independent research activities.

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December Holidays Around the World | VirtualEscapeRooms

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This interactive board for teachers provides a collection of videos, articles, and activities to explore December celebrations around the world.

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STEM Next is excited to introduce three new resources designed to help families support career-connected learning at home.

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Five Ways to Connect Your Child to Careers: New Family Guides for All Grade Levels

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New tools for how families can engage their children in career-connected learning at home at age-appropriate levels.

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Educational video library with NO commercials!

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TEACHFLIX - A curated collection of videos for the classroom.

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Free Video Activities for Class TODAY Save yourself some time and frustration. Get 14 activities you can copy and assign to your students right away in our Teaching with TEACHFLIX ebook ! BONUS: You'll get FREE teaching ideas in your inbox every week.

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K-6 lessons that progress through different techniques and art materials

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Great for circle time or any transitions

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Bedtime Math - We inspire kids to love math so they embrace and excel at it.

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When you bite into chocolate cake, it's hard to believe it was made from boring white flour and goopy eggs. Somehow when we add sugar, butter, and vanilla or chocolate, the hot oven turns them into cake. So if you had only 1 tablespoon of flour, how small a cake would you get?

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Need an assist with supporting students with math? Here are a variety of strategies to approach math concepts that help build fluency and automaticity.

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Inside Mathematics is a professional resource for K-12 teachers, coaches, and administrators.

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STEM Lyceums is a virtual club with the purpose of building high school STEM communities, and engaging students in discussions and explorations of STEM concepts and STEM career pathways.

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Center for Excellence in Education, 7918 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 700, McLean, VA 22102; (703) 448-9062

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50 AI tools for teachers, educators and classrooms (free and paid)

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Artificial intelligence is growing by leaps and bounds. It’s no longer science fiction anymore! Lots of AI tools can serve as our own personal

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15 Uses of Mathematics in Our Daily Life: Unlocking the Magic of Numbers

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Explore the 15 uses of mathematics in our daily life, where numbers prove their significance. Discover how math influences various aspects of our routines and

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Find 1,200+ projects, 179 career-connected activities, videos, and science news to inspire youth.

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By Amy Cowen on July 21, 2021 10:00 AM
Kids can learn more about science and engineering careers and "test-drive" their interest in certain careers by trying one of these science experiments related to popular STEM career paths.
Test-drive These Exciting STEM Careers

Many kids are interested in popular science and engineering careers they hear about, but do they know what it's really like to go to work in that career? What kinds of tasks, projects, and experiments does someone in that job really do? Trying out projects, experiments, and activities related to specific career paths is a great way to help students more clearly understand different science and engineering fields. This kind of exploration also helps students see that within the umbrella terms "scientist" and "engineer," there are lots of interesting and exciting career paths and opportunities!

We've paired 10 popular STEM careers below with exciting hands-on activities that make it fun for kids to test-drive careers of interest. Which ones will they enjoy most?

Doing one of these activities with students or kids at home might get them started on a future career path!

Robots are popular in movies and books, and many students are intrigued by the idea of building, designing, or programming robots. Robotics engineers work with robots of all sizes, including very small robotic "bugs" and large robots, robotic equipment, search-and-rescue robots, and even robots designed to function in space.

Students who think designing and building robots sounds like fun may enjoy the work of a robotics engineer. They can test-drive this career, by building junkbot robots from recycled materials. For a non-electronic test-drive, students can explore the engineering design of specific robot functionality by building a robot hand from craft and recycled materials. ( Note: The Teach About Robotics with Free STEM Lessons & Activities collection contains free resources for educators exploring robotics with students.)

Related career! Learn about the Robotics Technician career.

Want to be a true rocket scientist? Being an Aerospace Engineer involves applying engineering skills to projects related to flight and space. Aerospace engineers might work on the design of planes, satellites, spacecraft and rockets, or other equipment used in space.

Do you enjoy the science and engineering related to aerospace engineering? Test-drive this career by exploring the science behind designing helicopters that might work on Mars. In this activity, students explore how the spinning of a helicopter's blades creates lift and investigate the role lift and gravity play in how a helicopter flies. These are important issues aerospace engineers have to consider when designing aircraft that might work with the atmosphere on Mars.

Related career! Learn about the Aerospace Engineering & Operations Technician career.

Do you enjoy looking at the stars or trying to catch a glimpse of a Venus transit, the Perseid meteor showers, or an eclipse? Do you wonder about black holes, exoplanets, different galaxies, and the composition of stars?

Be inspired! Learn more about Annie Jump Cannon and her work classifying stars.

Do you enjoy studying marine life and marine habitats, learning about organisms that live in the water, and thinking about how to protect and preserve these spaces?

Related career! For a career working with organisms that live in freshwater (instead of saltwater), learn more about the Aquarist career path.

Are you curious about chemical reactions that happen when you combine ingredients, the properties of synthetic materials, how products we use every day (like shampoos, soaps, and lotions) are created, or even the process of making medicines? Chemicals are involved in everything we use, and chemists study chemicals, their properties, and how different chemicals can be used together.

Related career! Learn more about the Chemical Technician career path.

Kids who are interested in animals sometimes think that being a veterinarian is the only way to work with animals, but there are many other careers that focus on animal health, safety, tracking, and conservation.

Be inspired! See how this family experimented with homemade water striders and tried making both big and small ones!

Are you interested in the design of products and objects and how machines and devices work? Have you ever used a product and thought there were things that could be made better or awesome features that could be added? Or do you have ideas for inventions that you would like to make?

Related career! Learn more about the Mechanical Engineering Technician career path.

Are you concerned about the environment, interested in conservation, and also enjoy animals of all sizes? Park rangers are government officials who help protect and preserve natural spaces and the animals that live there. They also work to educate the public about park and animal conservation.

Kids who like animals and also enjoy outdoor adventures and hiking may be interested in the kind of work a park ranger does! Test-drive this career by building a bug vacuum to find out how many different kinds of bugs and other small invertebrates are in a local habit. By estimating how many species live in a certain area, scientists are able to evaluate the biodiversity and health of an environment. ( Note: The Teach About Biodiversity with Free STEM Lessons & Activities collection contains free resources for educators exploring biodiversity with students.)

Do more! For other Earth science and conservation-focused experiments, see the Earth Day Science Activities collection.

Are you fascinated by changing weather patterns and curious about the tools used to forecast and monitor weather events, from everyday temperature and precipitation to hurricanes and tornadoes?

Kids who are intrigued by weather science (and potentially interested in changing climate patterns) may enjoy the work of a meteorologist! Test-drive this career by building a homemade thermometer and using it to investigate temperature. ( Tip: Students can assemble their own Weather Station by building additional weather monitoring tools, like an anemometer, hygrometer, and barometer. ( Note: The Teach Weather Science with Free STEM Lessons & Activities collection contains resources for educators exploring weather science with students.)

Related career! Learn more about the Climate Change Analyst career path.

Are you inspired by bridges and marvel at networks of highways and roads that run throughout cities? Do you think about ways that cities ensure safe drinking water for residents and how community structures are built to withstand earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters?

Related career! Learn more about the Civil Engineering Technician career path.

Explore Other STEM Careers

To learn about lots of other science and engineering careers, browse the Careers in Science resource.

You Might Also Enjoy These Related Posts:

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Test-Drive a STEM Career with Fun Science Experiments | Science Buddies Blog

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By Amy Cowen on July 21, 2021 10:00 AM Kids can learn more about science and engineering careers and "test-drive" their interest in certain careers by trying one of these science experiments related to popular STEM career paths.

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Lessons grades 3-8

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By Blue Origin; check out the "postcards to space" section for a cool oppportunity!

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Does Mass Matter?

In this lesson, students will answer the question, Does the mass of a model rocket affect the altitude, velocity and duration of the rocket's flight? Your students are part of a group of engineers working for Rockets R US which has been contracted to build rockets that will carry the PocketLab Data Analyzer to astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

Partner: Estes Education

Grade Levels: 6-8 / Age: 11-13

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In this lesson, students will answer the question, Does the mass of a model rocket affect the altitude, velocity and duration of the rocket's flight? Your students are part of a group of engineers working for Rockets R US which has been contracted to build rockets that will carry the PocketLab Data Analyzer to astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

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Resources for Educators: "We are building the next generation of space leaders and improving the overall quality of education through teacher, student and community programs that use space themes to improve students' interest and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Educators will find resources and tools to inspire, enable and propel students and teachers alike."

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STEM Next Toolkit

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A deeper dive, with lesson for grades 6-12

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How AI Works | Free Video Series | Code.org

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Explore how artificial intelligence works with this free video series for students and teachers. Learn key AI concepts with engaging, classroom-friendly content.

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Teaching tools and lessons

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Labs.Google is Google’s home for the latest AI tools, technology and discourse.

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"The STEM Careers Coalition is an alliance of leading industry and nonprofit organizations strategically aligned to support career and workforce readiness for students, educators, and communities with access to high-quality resources and career exploration tools."

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A ton of topics provided here with videos and other information, including career exploration and scholarships/grants

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Lab Bench | Center for Excellence in Education

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CEE’s Lab Bench contains a wealth of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) information for both students and teachers including: Resources and ideas for conducting real STEM labs and experiments Educational materials on a wide range of STEM subjects Explorations of STEM careers and guidance for how to pursue them To use Lab Bench, select a category (top tabs) and subject (bottom tabs). The vertical scroll bar inside

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Free lessons with registration

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Dig deeper into an artwork with these open-ended questions

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Inside: Why classroom art discussion is a vital part of art education and 82 questions about art you can use in your classroom.
If you are stumped about how to lead a discussion about a work of art, use this list of art questions to give you some ideas!

As art teachers, we know the importance of creativity and the joy of making something with your own hands, but we also know the power of looking at the artworks of others.

Looking at art is an emotional, independent experience. Each person looking at a work of art will view it through the lens of their life and draw different meanings based on what they see. Talking about art allows us to break free of our solitary interpretations and uncover new insights.

Classroom art discussions are a launching pad for creativity, collaboration, and cognition. By exposing our students to works of art, giving them the space to examine their reactions, and opening a dialogue to share their thoughts, we help them develop empathy, connect with history, flex their critical thinking and observation skills, and consider the human spirit.

If you haven't done it before, starting a classroom art discussion can be intimidating, but the benefits are worth overcoming the nerves. Below you'll find 82 questions you can use to start and extend conversations about works of art with your classes. If you'd like more guidance, check out my five tips for leading a meaningful classroom art discussion.

Grab this art questions list and an artwork from 10 Artworks Perfect for an Art Criticism Lesson for older students or 20 Great Artworks to Look at with Young Kids for younger children, and start talking about art with your students!

Pair these questions with art cards for a variety of engaging art appreciation activities! Learn how to make a DIY art collection and start a weekly masterpiece presentation in your classroom in this post.

Want all of these art questions plus printable question cards in a free PDF download?

Free Resource!

Questions About Art

1. What's going on in this artwork?

2. What was your first reaction to this artwork? Why do you think you had the reaction?

3. Does your opinion about the artwork change the longer you look at it? Why?

4. Describe the lines in this artwork

5. Describe the colors in the artwork

6. Which area of the artwork is emphasized by the artist? Why?

7. Which area of the artwork is most important? Why?

8. How did this artist use space? (Space in Art Examples)

9. How did the artist use balance? (Artworks that Use Balance)

10. How did the artist use proportion? (Examples of Proportion in Art)

11. How does your eye move through the artwork? What choices did the artist make to make that happen?

12. Close your eyes and describe the artwork from memory. Why did you remember what you remembered? Why did you forget what you forgot?

13. How would you describe this artwork to someone who has never seen it?

14. What elements of this painting seem real?

15. What adjectives would you use to describe this artwork?

16. What verbs would you use to describe this artwork?

17. What elements seem dreamlike or imaginary?

18. What is strange about this painting?

19. What is mysterious about this artwork?

20. What is normal about this artwork?

21. What is boring about this artwork?

22. Why is this artwork not boring to look at?

23. What is exciting about this artwork?

24. If this painting had sound effects, what would they sound like? (More activities about art senses)

25. If this artwork was a brand, what would be its slogan?

26. What is missing from this artwork?

27. If this artwork were music, what would it sound like?

28. If this artwork could dance, what song would it dance to?

29. What do we know about the artist after viewing this artwork?

30. If you could ask the artist a question, what would you ask him/her?

31. Who do you think was this artwork created for? Why do you say that?

32. How do you think the artist feels about the final product?

33. How do you think this artwork was made?

34. Why do you think this artist created this work?

35. What do you think this artist is trying to say in this artwork? What is the meaning or message?

36. What's the story being told, if any?

37. What do you think happened before this scene?

38. What do you think happened next?

39. What emotions do you notice in the artwork?

40. What emotions do you feel when looking at this?

41. How do you think the artist was feeling when he created this artwork?

42. How did the artist use line, shape, and color to contribute to the mood or meaning?

43. What is the title? How does the title contribute to your understanding of the meaning?

44. What title would you give this artwork?

45. What symbols do you notice in the artwork?

46. What juxtapositions do you notice?

47. Put your body into the pose of some element of this artwork. How does it feel to be in that position?

48. What would it feel like to be in this artwork?

49. What does this artwork remind you of? Why?

50. How do you personally relate to/connect with this picture?

51. How can you connect this artwork to your own life?

52. How might you feel differently about the world after looking at this artwork?

53. Why do you think you should be learning about/looking at this artwork?

54. Do you want to see this artwork again? Why?

55. What do you want to remember about this artwork?

56. What do you want to forget about this artwork?

57. Who do you know that would really like this artwork? Why would they like it?

58. Who do you know that would really hate this artwork? Why would they hate it?

59. What do you like about this artwork?

60. What do you dislike about this artwork?

61. What is beautiful about this artwork?

62. Why would someone want to steal this artwork?

63. If you could change this artwork, how would you change it? Why?

64. What does this artwork say about the culture in which is was produced?

65. How do you think this artwork was used by the people who made it? What was its function?

66. Was this intended to be a work of art or not? Why do you think that? How does that impact your understanding of the artwork?

67. What does this painting say about the world in which we live?

68. What does this artwork teach us about the past?

69. How does this artwork teach us about the future?

70. What was happening in history when this artwork was made? How does that change your understanding of the artwork?

71. What are the values and beliefs of the culture in which this artwork was made?

72. How might your interpretation of this artwork be different from someone in another culture?

73. If you could ask this artwork a question, what would you ask it?

74. If this artwork had eyes, what would it see?

75. If this artwork were a person, what would they want to eat for lunch?

76. If this artwork were a person, what would they look like?

77. If this artwork were a person, what would their personality be?

78. If the art could talk, what would it say?

79. What would this artwork want to do when it grows up?

80. If this artwork could travel anywhere in the world, where would it go? Why?

81. If this painting were a person, what job/career would it want to have?

82. What is this artwork afraid of?

Questions about Art PDF Contents:

82 Questions About Art (List)

82 Questions About Art (Printable Index Cards)

Links to Artwork Suggestions

Printing Instructions:
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Download the Printables

This list is available to download in two formats. The first is the list formatted to print in a pdf (2 pages). The second is the questions formatted to print on cardstock to cut out and laminate. (They are designed with this Avery (8577 using Template 8387) Postcard template, so you could also buy the Avery cards and print on them to make it easier).

If you are a member of The Curated Connections Library, you can get this lesson and all of my other resources for one monthly fee. Find out more information at this link.
This article was originally posted on August 31, 2015.

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Inside: Why classroom art discussion is a vital part of art education and 82 questions about art you can use in your classroom. If you are stumped about how to lead a discussion about a work of art, use this list of art questions to give you some ideas!

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Math and language arts worksheets, with answer keys and explanations

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Free Printable K-12 Educator Worksheet Bundles

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Create a free account to access a ton of great programming in the Explorer Lesson Library

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This is your gateway to STEM learning resources!

We've upgraded our membership platform to provide a seamless and user-friendly experience. Log in to access:

STEM Space Explorer Library: Free resources, including classroom posters, seasonal lessons, and instructional videos.

Exclusive Membership Area: Unlock premium content for the entire Vivify library of 200+ STEM lessons for grades K - 8.

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This is your gateway to STEM learning resources! We've upgraded our membership platform to provide a seamless and user-friendly experience. Log in to access: STEM Space Explorer Library: Free resources, including classroom posters, seasonal lessons, and instructional videos. Exclusive Membership Area: Unlock premium content for the entire Vivify library of 200+ STEM lessons for grades K - 8.

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Open source curriculum that complements and enriches both school and afterschool settings 1) expanding career awareness through authentic experiential learning opportunities; 2) encouraging students to explore their diverse interests, talents, and options; 3) enlivening STEM subjects by bringing in real-world and career contexts; 4) empowering students to develop vital employability skills; and 5) engaging students in making informed choices.

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Possible Futures Helps K-12 and Afterschool Leaders

Make Career Exploration Accessible, Equitable, and Engaging

Traditional career exploration is not universally accessible and often occurs too late. While youth from an affluent background may learn about high-wage careers through their families' networks, youth from families with fewer material resources often don't get these same opportunities.

Possible Futures extends career exploration and preparation to all young people during their middle school years and beyond. This ensures that every young person can learn about careers in high-wage, high-demand industries and access key information for the future, rather than leaving it to chance within an inequitable society.

Possible Futures intentionally opens many possibilities to young learners and supports building a strong foundation for systems of career-connected learning. It pairs a comprehensive exploration of career options with skill-building and a basic introduction to the world of work so that youth can make informed decisions at key stages in their education and career paths.

Build a System for Career Exploration

While any educator can use the JFF Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum with learners, the program is most effective when it's part of a broader system of career exploration, navigation, and pathways. It builds the foundation for young people to successfully take on progressively more demanding work-based learning opportunities and engage in college and career pathways at various stages of their education.

Before they even enter high school, learners have already explored potential career opportunities, developed a strong sense of their own identities and strengths, and developed age-appropriate employability skills.

In high school, learners can understand and apply key concepts that will help them make choices to launch productive, meaningful careers that align with their interests and goals. They are also prepared to engage in more intensive work-based learning activities like job shadows, internships, and work-based courses.

After high school, they are prepared to earn the postsecondary credentials they need to launch successful careers in high-wage, high-demand fields that provide opportunities for advancement.

Move Beyond Compliance to Make an Impact

Possible Futures goes beyond traditional career and technical education to make career exploration a common, compelling piece of learners' educational experience. This helps states, districts, schools, and your partners move beyond compliance to meaningful action so you can better support your learners to achieve future success.

It can help you meet mandates and requirements, such as Education and Career Action Plans and career literacy standards. You can also leverage Perkins Reserve Funding to build the beginning of stronger talent pipelines through Possible Futures.

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Make Career Exploration Accessible, Equitable, and Engaging Traditional career exploration is not universally accessible and often occurs too late. While youth from an affluent background may learn about high-wage careers through their families' networks, youth from families with fewer material resources often don't get these same opportunities.

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The journey to discovering a fulfilling career can start early! From elementary to high school, career exploration activities help students uncover their interests, develop real-world skills, and set meaningful goals for the future.

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Career Exploration Activities for Kids & Teens - JKCP.com

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Finding the right direction in one’s career is a crucial step, which is why early career exploration activities are so important for kids. These activities

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These resources from DoSeum encourage young minds to explore the joy of learning through connections to STEM, the arts, and literacy, but curiosity and exploration don't have to end when you leave! Explore their DIY Activities, storytimes, and other family resources that were created for you to DO at home and stay connected with your family.

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Explore our DIY Activities, Storytimes, and Questions from Kids that were created for you to do at home and stay connected with your family.

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Vivify STEM offers 10 engaging activities designed to connect real-world careers with youth interests. Perfect for afterschool and summer learning, each activity helps young people explore how STEM is part of the jobs they care about — making the connection between curiosity and future opportunity

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Let's talk careers. STEM careers are the fastest growing of any other field out there. Did you know there are more openings for STEM jobs than we have qualified workers to fill them? Plus 93% of STEM jobs earn wages that are nearly double the national average ( source). Do your students know about these opportunities? The high wages and abundant opportunities are exactly why the STEM education movement exists!

Do you talk about STEM careers in your classroom? This is definitely an overlooked topic as careers aren't on a standardized test. But the real world is beyond the test. We need to prepare our students for the demands and required skills of the 21st century workplace.

How do I start? Many educators have limited knowledge of STEM careers or real-world topics. They feel intimidated or overwhelmed. Or maybe they know about certain careers, but they are looking to expand their knowledge of the diverse field.

We can help! Read on for strategies to bring STEM careers to life in your classroom! Through activities that connect STEM to student interests, we will show you how to engage kids with the exciting possibilities of real-world STEM.

You can go on and on about engineering, but how do you get students to actually listen? They will only take notice if you find a way to connect STEM to their personal interests. By taking a students' passion and connecting it to a STEM career, it can help redefine what that career means to them.

The best approach we found was through the use of sparks. A spark is what a student is passionate about, what lights them up and gives them well......that "spark". Sparks were developed by the Search Institute, who explains them as follows:

"Sparks are the activities and interests that truly engage kids to be their best. Research shows that kids who know and develop their sparks-and who have adults in their lives to help-have higher grades, better school attendance, and a sense of purpose."

- Search Institute

Some examples of sparks include basketball, cooking, astronomy, origami, reading, helping others, video games...the list is endless! We have successfully used student sparks throughout our STEM programs to cultivate a relationship with our students. We feel that students are more eager to share and connect with instructors as well as the other students. They are also the perfect tool for connecting to STEM careers!

I work with middle school students, and this step is probably the most difficult part of the process. At the beginning of the school year, when I ask my students about their hobbies, I generally only hear sports, video games, and music. Or silly answers like sleeping or burping.

While some of these are valid sparks, I really want my students to think deeply and reflect on what is their personal passion. Instead of cramming this reflection period into one class, I like to allow students a week or more to reflect and think about what defines a spark for them.

I tie this reflection period into several icebreakers:

Move Forward: Have students line up. As you make statements such as "I like basketball", students will move forward to indicate they have this interest.

Find Your Spark: This handout is a great self-reflection tool to think about their personal interests. You can find it for free in The STEM Space library.

Spark BINGO Game: Similar to the classic icebreaker, students go around the classroom and collect initials for sparks.

Share My Spark: I always share my own spark to give an example and share my own personal interests. This is a great way to connect with students beyond being a teacher.

Example Sparks: I try to give students a wide variety of ideas to jump start their own reflection. I also try to find actors or other popular personalities who have unique sparks such as rock climbing, astronomy, or origami.

Now the real challenge is connecting these interests to an actual STEM career. No one is an expert on all things STEM, but many resources exist to help expose your students to a wide range of fields. This helps combat common stereotypes about STEM that might be preventing kids from having an interest in science or engineering fields. For example. not all engineers design cars or robots. A student that loves animals might be fascinated about a biomedical engineer who designs a prosthetic leg for a horse. Or a football player might be interested in a mechanical engineer who designs a safer football helmet. To help you get started, here are a few strategies we use in our classroom:

Videos: Show videos of STEM professionals such as this one about a civil engineer. Point out related sparks such as building, creativity, helping people, and more.

Guest Speakers: Bring in local STEM professionals to share their journey in STEM. Ask them to talk about their hobbies and interests and how these are used in their STEM profession. Check out Nepris that brings industry through virtual web chats!

STEM Careers BINGO Game: Don't know every career in STEM? We got you covered! Vivify has created a BINGO game that covers 48 STEM careers. To bring each career to life, this also includes a presentation with examples and images of each career along with relevant sparks listed. In our classroom, we show the career definition and allow students a few minutes to guess the career. Students also write down any career that connects to their spark. Find the middle and high school version of the game here. And an elementary version (grades K-5) is now available in the links below!

Address Misconceptions: While discussing STEM, we recommend addressing any misconceptions head-on. Let's take engineering for example. Try doing a Google Image search of "engineer". What do you notice? I complete this activity in class, and my students point out that most pictures are of white males standing outside wearing a hard hat. Where are the minorities? Do you think engineering is just about managing a construction sites? Help students find other role models and example of engineers that are more relatable.

Online Resources: Tons of STEM career resources exist to help expose your kids to a wide range of fields. Some of our favorites include the Start Engineering magazine, STEM Jobs career quiz, or the Science Buddies careers list.

Once students are exposed to various STEM careers that connect with their sparks, ask them to pick a spark and STEM career for the year (or semester). These can be the foundation for many extension projects and activities.

At a minimum, we recommend having students make a visual representation of their spark and career.

Some ideas:

Personal Mission Patch: Just like a NASA mission patch, students create their own personal logo to symbolize their spark.

Spark Name Tag: Our students have their spark on their lanyard year-round. This helps us engage with students, especially since we have over 350 students every year.

3D Spark Model: We ask students to develop a 3D interactive model representing their spark using common materials such as tissue paper, art supplies, craft sticks, or recycled materials. This is perfect for a student showcase or family event.

Step 4: Continue the Discussion

STEM careers are not for one day. They need to be woven throughout the year through every activity or project. A few ideas to keep the conversation going:

Engineering Design Challenges: Connect every STEM challenge to a STEM career. If you use Vivify lessons, you will find a handout with a related STEM career. For example, our students become civil engineers to design catapults, aerospace engineers to design rockets, or mechanical engineers to create roller coasters. As you discuss the career, help students find the related sparks.

Mars Colony Competition: In our spring semester project, students work in teams to design a colony on Mars. You can find the complete project overview here. In this colony, students incorporate their sparks and STEM careers in their designs. For example, students may add a music room, basketball court, video game console, or library to represent their sparks. Plus, each of these spaces has to be adapted to the environment of living on Mars. Students also define their role in the colony based on their STEM career. For example, a civil engineer may support the overall design of the colony or a mechanical engineer creates robots to help with farming. Finally, students add their sparks and STEM careers to a team mission patch or logo that builds team unity.

How do you connect STEM careers in your classroom? Add a comment with your ideas!

Bonus: Break down Stereotypes!
Who is a STEM professional? Who is a scientist? Who is an engineer?
Everyone knows that engineers are nerdy guys with glasses and scientists always have crazy hair! Help students break down the stereotypes around STEM careers by showing them that anyone, including them, can be an engineer or scientist!

We have created an activity to uncover your students' misconceptions and highlight real living scientists and engineers that might not fit their stereotypes. Printed and digital versions provided!

This post was written in collaboration with Aspen Meineke. Aspen is a mechanical engineer and ran an after school STEM program while working with in San Antonio, Texas.

Let's talk careers. STEM careers are the fastest growing of any other field out there. Did you know there are more openings for STEM jobs than we have qualified workers to fill them? Plus 93% of STEM jobs earn wages that are nearly double the national average ( source). Do your students know about these opportunities? The high wages and abundant opportunities are exactly why the STEM education movement exists!

Do you talk about STEM careers in your classroom? This is definitely an overlooked topic as careers aren't on a standardized test. But the real world is beyond the test. We need to prepare our students for the demands and required skills of the 21st century workplace.

How do I start? Many educators have limited knowledge of STEM careers or real-world topics. They feel intimidated or overwhelmed. Or maybe they know about certain careers, but they are looking to expand their knowledge of the diverse field.

We can help! Read on for strategies to bring STEM careers to life in your classroom! Through activities that connect STEM to student interests, we will show you how to engage kids with the exciting possibilities of real-world STEM.

You can go on and on about engineering, but how do you get students to actually listen? They will only take notice if you find a way to connect STEM to their personal interests. By taking a students' passion and connecting it to a STEM career, it can help redefine what that career means to them.

The best approach we found was through the use of sparks. A spark is what a student is passionate about, what lights them up and gives them well......that "spark". Sparks were developed by the Search Institute, who explains them as follows:

"Sparks are the activities and interests that truly engage kids to be their best. Research shows that kids who know and develop their sparks-and who have adults in their lives to help-have higher grades, better school attendance, and a sense of purpose."

- Search Institute

Some examples of sparks include basketball, cooking, astronomy, origami, reading, helping others, video games...the list is endless! We have successfully used student sparks throughout our STEM programs to cultivate a relationship with our students. We feel that students are more eager to share and connect with instructors as well as the other students. They are also the perfect tool for connecting to STEM careers!

I work with middle school students, and this step is probably the most difficult part of the process. At the beginning of the school year, when I ask my students about their hobbies, I generally only hear sports, video games, and music. Or silly answers like sleeping or burping.

While some of these are valid sparks, I really want my students to think deeply and reflect on what is their personal passion. Instead of cramming this reflection period into one class, I like to allow students a week or more to reflect and think about what defines a spark for them.

I tie this reflection period into several icebreakers:

Move Forward: Have students line up. As you make statements such as "I like basketball", students will move forward to indicate they have this interest.

Find Your Spark: This handout is a great self-reflection tool to think about their personal interests. You can find it for free in The STEM Space library.

Spark BINGO Game: Similar to the classic icebreaker, students go around the classroom and collect initials for sparks.

Share My Spark: I always share my own spark to give an example and share my own personal interests. This is a great way to connect with students beyond being a teacher.

Example Sparks: I try to give students a wide variety of ideas to jump start their own reflection. I also try to find actors or other popular personalities who have unique sparks such as rock climbing, astronomy, or origami.

Now the real challenge is connecting these interests to an actual STEM career. No one is an expert on all things STEM, but many resources exist to help expose your students to a wide range of fields. This helps combat common stereotypes about STEM that might be preventing kids from having an interest in science or engineering fields. For example. not all engineers design cars or robots. A student that loves animals might be fascinated about a biomedical engineer who designs a prosthetic leg for a horse. Or a football player might be interested in a mechanical engineer who designs a safer football helmet. To help you get started, here are a few strategies we use in our classroom:

Videos: Show videos of STEM professionals such as this one about a civil engineer. Point out related sparks such as building, creativity, helping people, and more.

Guest Speakers: Bring in local STEM professionals to share their journey in STEM. Ask them to talk about their hobbies and interests and how these are used in their STEM profession. Check out Nepris that brings industry through virtual web chats!

STEM Careers BINGO Game: Don't know every career in STEM? We got you covered! Vivify has created a BINGO game that covers 48 STEM careers. To bring each career to life, this also includes a presentation with examples and images of each career along with relevant sparks listed. In our classroom, we show the career definition and allow students a few minutes to guess the career. Students also write down any career that connects to their spark. Find the middle and high school version of the game here. And an elementary version (grades K-5) is now available in the links below!

Address Misconceptions: While discussing STEM, we recommend addressing any misconceptions head-on. Let's take engineering for example. Try doing a Google Image search of "engineer". What do you notice? I complete this activity in class, and my students point out that most pictures are of white males standing outside wearing a hard hat. Where are the minorities? Do you think engineering is just about managing a construction sites? Help students find other role models and example of engineers that are more relatable.

Online Resources: Tons of STEM career resources exist to help expose your kids to a wide range of fields. Some of our favorites include the Start Engineering magazine, STEM Jobs career quiz, or the Science Buddies careers list.

Once students are exposed to various STEM careers that connect with their sparks, ask them to pick a spark and STEM career for the year (or semester). These can be the foundation for many extension projects and activities.

At a minimum, we recommend having students make a visual representation of their spark and career.

Some ideas:

Personal Mission Patch: Just like a NASA mission patch, students create their own personal logo to symbolize their spark.

Spark Name Tag: Our students have their spark on their lanyard year-round. This helps us engage with students, especially since we have over 350 students every year.

3D Spark Model: We ask students to develop a 3D interactive model representing their spark using common materials such as tissue paper, art supplies, craft sticks, or recycled materials. This is perfect for a student showcase or family event.

Step 4: Continue the Discussion

STEM careers are not for one day. They need to be woven throughout the year through every activity or project. A few ideas to keep the conversation going:

Engineering Design Challenges: Connect every STEM challenge to a STEM career. If you use Vivify lessons, you will find a handout with a related STEM career. For example, our students become civil engineers to design catapults, aerospace engineers to design rockets, or mechanical engineers to create roller coasters. As you discuss the career, help students find the related sparks.

Mars Colony Competition: In our spring semester project, students work in teams to design a colony on Mars. You can find the complete project overview here. In this colony, students incorporate their sparks and STEM careers in their designs. For example, students may add a music room, basketball court, video game console, or library to represent their sparks. Plus, each of these spaces has to be adapted to the environment of living on Mars. Students also define their role in the colony based on their STEM career. For example, a civil engineer may support the overall design of the colony or a mechanical engineer creates robots to help with farming. Finally, students add their sparks and STEM careers to a team mission patch or logo that builds team unity.

How do you connect STEM careers in your classroom? Add a comment with your ideas!

Bonus: Break down Stereotypes!
Who is a STEM professional? Who is a scientist? Who is an engineer?
Everyone knows that engineers are nerdy guys with glasses and scientists always have crazy hair! Help students break down the stereotypes around STEM careers by showing them that anyone, including them, can be an engineer or scientist!

We have created an activity to uncover your students' misconceptions and highlight real living scientists and engineers that might not fit their stereotypes. Printed and digital versions provided!

This post was written in collaboration with Aspen Meineke. Aspen is a mechanical engineer and ran an after school STEM program while working with in San Antonio, Texas.

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10 Easy STEM Career Classroom Activities - Vivify STEM

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Do you talk about STEM careers in your classroom? Perhaps you don't have a STEM background and feel intimidated. Or maybe you know about certain careers, but you are looking to expand your knowledge of the diverse field. We can help!

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Click2Science offers free video modules to help afterschool educators connect STEM learning to real careers. It’s a simple way to show youth how their curiosity today links to opportunities tomorrow.

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Connecting Learning Activities to STEM Careers - Click2Science

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Participants will brainstorm STEM careers and connect them to common out-of-school time activities.

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Fuel your classroom with hands-on rocket science. This free educator guide blends history, engineering, and real-world math and science to bring rocketry to life for students of all ages.

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Few classroom topics generate as much excitement as rockets. The scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical foundations of rocketry provide exciting classroom opportunities for authentic hands-on, minds-on experimentation. The activities and lesson plans contained in this educator guide emphasize hands-on science, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. The guide also contains background information about the history of rockets and basic rocket science. The rocket activities in this guide support national curriculum standards for science, mathematics and technology.

The guide contains new and updated lessons and activities from the original Rockets Educator Guide.

NASA RECOMMENDS DISCONTINUATION OF STUDENT ROCKET ACTIVITY
In 2012 an air pressurized paper rocket launcher being used by an educator failed. This launcher is described in NASA's Rockets Educator Guide, publications EG-2011-11-223-KSC, pp. 86-90 and EG-2008-05-060-KSC, pp. 86-90. NASA completed an engineering investigation into the failure and determined that the launcher, or design equivalents, should not be used. NASA has removed the launcher design from its website and its education curriculum. Individuals and organizations should immediately discontinue use of the launcher published in the referenced NASA publications. The point of contact for additional information is Diane DeTroye, NASA Office of Education, at nasaedpartners@nasa.gov. We request that your organization assist NASA in disseminating this information as widely as possible throughout the education community.

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The Rockets Educator Guide has information about NASA's newest rockets. The guide contains new and updated lessons and activities to teach hands-on science and mathematics with practical applications.

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NASA’s Sustainable Aviation STEM Toolkit offers free K–12 resources that explore the future of flight. Includes classroom-ready content and a Spanish-language section.

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The Sustainable Aviation STEM Toolkit provides educators and students with cross-curricular content related to NASA's goal to create sustainable aviation for students pre-K through 12. A Spanish-language section is also included.

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Museums, animals, and historic locations

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Virtual field trips allow us to take our students on adventures we never thought possible. We can take our students under the ocean, across the globe and

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Resources from the Afterschool Alliance

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Time spent learning and playing in nature benefits the whole child and can help children reach their full potential. Access to safe, natural areas can enhance children's physical and mental health, from improving cardiovascular vitality and weight management to reducing stress and ADHD symptoms. In addition, regular access to high quality green space inspires strong connections to the natural world.

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Learning Outside | Children and Nature Network

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Time spent learning and playing in nature benefits the whole child and can help children reach their full potential. Access to safe, natural areas can enhance children's physical and mental health, from improving cardiovascular vitality and weight management to reducing stress and ADHD symptoms. In addition, regular access to high quality green space inspires strong connections to the natural world.

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Seeds to Solutions™ has everything you need to teach a unit that engages and empowers. Each Seeds to Solutions unit explores a developmentally appropriate environmental issue in California. These are really great and provide lots of background info and graphics.

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Stay informed on lesson updates and professional learning opportunities

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Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions.

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Project Drawdown's mission is to help the world stop climate change-as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.

We do this by advancing effective, science-based climate solutions and strategies; fostering bold, new climate leadership; and promoting new climate narratives and new voices.

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Project Drawdown's mission is to help the world stop climate change-as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible. We do this by advancing effective, science-based climate solutions and strategies; fostering bold, new climate leadership; and promoting new climate narratives and new voices.

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PreK-2nd grades

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Held on January 26, 2024, the Girls Who Code Hiring Summit: Early Career Edition is a one-day event designed to connect the Girls Who Code and wider communities with full-time job opportunities in the technical workforce and to connect hiring managers looking to meet a diverse slate of candidates for jobs. This event welcomes recent college and bootcamp graduates and young professionals to network with companies looking to connect with a talented, ambitious, diverse group of computer science students and professionals.

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coding for girls coding club summer coding girls code reshma saujani coding nonprofit brave not perfect

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Learn to code! Free summer programs and after-school clubs for teen girls. Explore coding in a fun and friendly environment. Find a program near you!

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Math discussions where students choose and defend their choices

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Skip the Worksheets: Try This Fun "Would You Rather" Math Game

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Math doesn't have to be all about worksheets, workbooks, and flashcards! One of our favorite ways to spark mathematical curiosity at home or in the classroom is through a simple yet powerful activity you might already know from the non-math world: "Would You Rather?"In this game, you present two scenarios, and your child chooses which one they'd rather have and explains why.

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Now open for Middle (6-8th) and High School applications.

Future City starts with a question: How can we make the world a better place?

To answer it, students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue.

They do what real engineers do!

This year's challenge is "Fire Resilient Future."

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Future City is a program of DiscoverE. DiscoverE is a nonprofit dedicated to providing global resources, programs, and connections between K-12 students and engineers and STEM professionals. We have a special focus on reaching girls, and under-represented and under-served students. DiscoverE is the backbone organization behind some of the earliest and most broadly adopted STEM and engineering programs available.

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Esti-mysteries and the Splat! game are great conversations starters for all ages

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Steve Wyborney's Blog: I'm on a Learning Mission.

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Splat! Archives - Steve Wyborney's Blog: I'm on a Learning Mission.

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Welcome to Splat! You are only moments away from a VERY POWERFUL, highly interactive number sense strategy that can be used at any grade level! This post includes 50 (fifty!) free, downloadable PowerPoint math lessons! Watch the video, download some (or all) of the lessons, and experience what happens when you unleash this resource in...

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Visual prompts that promote inquiry and numeracy

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Bright Ideas in Action: STEM Challenges - Book Creator app

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Inspire creativity and problem-solving with hands-on STEM challenges for grades K–8. Explore the engineering design process using everyday materials, aligned with NGSS, and document student learning with Book Creator. Perfect for summer programs, classrooms, and home learning.

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Genomics Learning Journeys Powered by Illumina and STEM Next Overview Spark wonder in your youth with Genomics Learning Journeys—three curated bundles of hands-on, interactive STEM lessons that illuminate the fascinating world of DNA science. In partnership with global genomics leader Illumina, STEM Next provides these lessons for afterschool and summer programs, helping young people see […]

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Young Mathematicians has provided our teachers with new ways to present math concepts. More importantly, it has given us new ways to think about math. This mindset helps our students feel capable and confident, as they undertake new challenges.

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Welcome to Ask A Biologist. This site has a large collection of biology learning materials that includes stories, games, activities, videos, and a podcast.

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When you are ready to move beyond LEGO; Camp Curricula, Competitions, CTE, etc.

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VEX Camps are a great way to blend summer fun with STEM learning! Whether going on a Mission to Mars or coding a virtual Ocean Cleaning Robot, students will participate in activities that invite creative problem solving, collaboration, and celebration, as they explore STEM and Computer Science concepts in fun and exciting ways.

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STEAM and Early Learners Webinar Opportunity 6/9/25

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STEAM and Early Learners Webinar Opportunity 6/9/25

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"Join us for this webinar to learn how early childhood educators and caregivers can utilize playful, low-cost, and screen-free approaches to introducing high-tech STEAM concepts and skills." Click to learn more and register!

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National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP)

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Supporting Early Childhood STEAM Experiences through Play

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Get ready to play! Join NGCP for this fun and interactive webinar to learn how to leverage an interdisciplinary STEAM approach to foster young children’s curiosity through authentic play-based learning. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87089957793?pwd=T1J02UJ9e7DgMNapUOPc62joZfif8G.1

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STEM Next powers lasting change through research, public policy & thought leadership.

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Our planet is at a crossroads. The challenges we face are monumental, but they also present an incredible opportunity for positive change.

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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How's your comfort level with math? Check yourself of this continuum of practice! Also, more resources and math-based tasks to try with students.

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Mathematical Mindset Teaching Guide, Teaching Video and Additional Resources - YouCubed

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We have designed a Mathematical Mindset Guide to help teachers create or strengthen a growth mindset culture. This guide contains five Mathematical Mindset Practices along with links to teaching videos. […]

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"Search over 4,000 of the very best STEM activities on the web. Find handpicked activities from your favorite science museums, public television stations, universities, and other educational organizations. All activities are available to anyone, free of charge. Start searching now and filter by age, material costs, and learning time to find exactly what you need for your educational program, class, or family."

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Welcome to howtosmile

Search over 4,000 of the very best STEM activities on the web. Find handpicked activities from your favorite science museums, public television stations, universities, and other educational organizations. All activities are available to anyone, free of charge. Start searching now and filter by age, material costs, and learning time to find exactly what you need for your educational program, class, or family.

After launching in 2010, and serving millions of web visitors, howtosmile has become the largest and longest running online collection of STEM activities for educators and learners from all over the world. Let us know what you think and send any suggestions for new resources by emailing us at questions@howtosmile.org.

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Search over 4,000 of the very best STEM activities on the web. Find handpicked activities from your favorite science museums, public television stations, universities, and other educational organizations. All activities are available to anyone, free of charge. Start searching now and filter by age, material costs, and learning time to find exactly what you need for your educational program, class, or family.

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Automatic Bubble Blower

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Learn how to make and control a LEGO-based Bubble Machine.

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As the instructor reads a story about the history of the world's oceans, students act as characters adding and removing...

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As the instructor reads a story about the history of the world's oceans, students act as characters adding and removing... Go To Resource Population Education uses cookies to improve your experience on our site and help us understand how our site is being used.

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Many lessons are available to purchase, but there are also a lot of great free ideas and insights here as well. Worth a read for the inspiration and info!

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10 nature art projects to try in your classroom

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Try these 10 nature art projects and crafts for kids! Great for art camp, nature camp, art class, or homeschool.

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Ideas for a fun station rotation activity

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You've likely heard of a bird beaks lab before. But if not, the basic idea is this: students use different "beaks" (e.g., chopsticks, tweezers, slotted spoon), to pick up different "food sources" (pasta, seeds, peas). They can see which beak is the best for "catching" each food.

This is a hilarious and hands-on way to experience competition between species and learn about natural selection and animal adaptations. Students will explore how birds are adapted to the foods they eat and experience first-hand how specialized beaks can help birds quickly gather the most food and outcompete other types of birds.

In this post, you will learn how to set up your own bird beaks lab to try out in your classroom! You can also get printable versions of these directions plus worksheets, handouts, and classroom posters to go along with this lab in my Bird Beak Adaptations Lab Mini Study!

Gather Your Materials

Gather the following materials for the bird beaks lab:

Beaks:

Binder clip or chip clip

Tweezers

Fork

Slotted spoon or small strainer (holes should be smaller than a pea)

Chopsticks

Eyedropper

Food Sources:

Gummy candies (20+)

Sunflower seeds or grains of uncooked rice (20+)

Marshmallows (20+)

Peas (20+)

Cooked pasta such as bowties or spirals (20+ pieces)

Skinny container filled with water and food coloring (for use with eyedropper)

Other Materials:

Liquid measuring cup

2 large bowls filled with water

6 Paper cups or other containers

Paper plates

Food coloring

Permanent marker

Timer/watch

Towel for cleaning up spills

Lab worksheets (1 set per student)

Set Up

1. Start by setting up six "food source" stations:

Place 20 gummy candies on a plate. Label the plate "insects".

Place 20 grains of rice or seeds on a plate. Label the plate "seeds".

Place 20 marshmallows on a plate. Label the plate "rodents".

Place ~20 tsp (~100 mL)of food-colored water in a skinny container. Label the container "flower nectar". Place a liquid measuring cup next to the container for students to deposit the water into.

Place 20 peas in a large bowl of water. Label the bowl "aquatic plants".

Place 20 pieces of pasta in another large bowl of water. Label the bowl "fish".

2. Write "stomach" on each paper cup.

3. Give each student a "stomach" and one of the 6 "beaks". You can have each student use just one beak, then share answers with students who used other beaks afterwards. Or, if you have a small group (and lots of time), you may wish to have each student try out each beak.

Lab Activity

1. Have students rotate through the food source stations with their beaks.

2. Instruct students to use their beaks to pick up as much food as they can in 20-60 seconds, placing food into the "stomach" containers. Start the timer and say "go!" (Longer time periods may be necessary for very young groups).

3. After 20-60 seconds, say "stop!". Students should use the lab datasheets to record the number of pieces of food they picked up (or volume of liquid at the flower nectar station).

4. Instruct students to empty their "stomach" cups and put the station back the way it was before moving to the next station.

5. Once finished with all stations, ask each student to share their beak's results with the class. Determine which beak(s) worked best for each food source.

6. Ask students to complete the graphing activity. Students will make a graph for each food source comparing the amount caught by each of the 6 beaks.

7. Have students work through the reflection questions in groups or individually.

Other Suggestions

For groups larger than 6 students, create multiple copies of each station. Or, have groups of 6 take turns rotating through the stations for this lab while the rest of the class completes other work.

After or during this lab, discuss adaptations and natural selection. Explain how in nature, animals compete for the same food sources. Birds that can quickly and easily gather lots of food have the best chances of surviving and raising offspring. Ask students to consider what happens when two birds with different beaks compete for the same food source. Discuss how the availability of different food sources may affect the shape of birds' beaks over time.

Reflection Questions

1. Which beak(s) worked best for each food source?

2. Imagine a habitat where two groups of waterbirds are competing for aquatic plants to eat. One group of birds has a filtering beak (like the slotted spoon), and one group of birds has a short, grasping beak (like the clip). What do you think would happen to each group of birds over time?

3. Imagine a bird species with a large, pointy beak (like the chopsticks) that eats seeds. Imagine that one year a few birds are born with shorter, more precise beaks (like the tweezers). Do you think the birds with the new beak type will thrive? What could happen to this bird species over time?

This activity comes from my Waterfowl & Waterbirds Unit!

Your students will love the illustrated learning materials, plus you'll support Wild Earth Lab with your curriculum purchase!

Explore more curriculum from Wild Earth Lab:

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love using my environmental science materials in your classroom!

Are you interested in reading more posts like this? or follow Wild Earth Lab using the links below!

Sharing options and discussion for this post:

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Bird Beaks Lab: competition and adaptation classroom activity

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Set up your own bird beaks lab in your classroom! This is a hilarious and hands-on way to experience animal competition and adaptation.

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Art Exploration Lessons, History, Galleries, and more

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Art Exploration Lessons, History, Galleries, and more

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From the CA Dept of Education: Information regarding the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in California K12 education.

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Learning With AI, Learning About AI - Professional Learning (CA Dept of Education)

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The Moonshot believes that one of the primary goals of engineering education is to promote development of an engineering mindset. An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering - using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams.

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The Million Girls Moonshot believes that one of the primary goals of engineering education is to promote development of an engineering mindset. An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering - using a systematic engineering design process, considering

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Quick Look

Grade Level: 7 (6-8)

(can be split into two 60-minute sessions)

Expendable Cost/Group: US $1.00

This is the cost for dry spaghetti noodles; all other materials are readily avaliable in most classrooms or households.

Group Size: 3

Activity Dependency: None

Associated Informal Learning Activity: Spaghetti Bridges

Subject Areas: Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Summary Civil engineers design structures such as buildings, dams, highways and bridges. Student teams explore the field of engineering by making bridges using spaghetti as their primary building material. Then they test their bridges to see how much weight they can carry before breaking.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Many people in different branches of engineering work to build bridges. Civil engineers are responsible for design and construction of such structures, however they also work with mechanical engineers and material engineers to design the most stable structures. These engineers must consider many variables when creating plans, such as the distance to be spanned, where the bridge is being built, the expected type of traffic it will have to withstand, materials available, budget and what the bridge will look like.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Create a design method.

Conduct group work and discussion.

Build techniques that civil engineers use.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Develop a model to generate data to test ideas about designed systems, including those representing inputs and outputs.

Models of all kinds are important for testing solutions. The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

1 pound dry spaghetti

glue gun

glue sticks, 1 package

various weights from 5 to 50 pounds

large tub (or newspapers to spread out), to make clean-up easier

2 tables (place 1 foot apart)

metal strip (to serve as the road)

chain (to hold the weights)

Introduction/Motivation

Who do you think creates the human-made structures in our town? Who makes sure they are safe for us to use? (Listen to student ideas.) It is civil engineers who design and create structures such as buildings, dams, highways, skyscrapers and bridges. Engineering use the engineering design process to design successful bridges.

We can explore the field of engineering and follow some of the engineering design process steps by making bridges. Your engineering design challenge is to design a bridge that can hold the most weight before breaking. Like engineers, you will be given constraints- in this case, you can only use spaghetti and glue to construct your bridges in the time allotted. We can then test them by applying weights to see when they break. Let's get started!

Procedure

1. Show students the available "building materials," including the metal strip "road," chain and weights that will be used for testing.

2. Divide the class into teams of students.

3. Have teams draw their bridge designs on paper to scale. Ensure students draw trusses constructed of individual triangles and identify angles and side lengths of triangles. Make sure that bridges are long enough to span a specified distance between two tables.

4. Create the bridge using hot glue to hold it together.

5. When the bridges are complete, test their strength. Place a bridge so it spans across the gap between two tables. Place a tub or spread-out newspapers under the bridge to catch falling debris and make clean-up easier.

6. Put the strip of metal on the bridge (as the road). Then apply weights on the chain, starting with 5 pounds and working up to 50 pounds, or until the bridge breaks.

7. Allow students time to re-design and re-test.

8. Conclude with a class discussion to compare results and draw conclusions. Use the Investigating Questions as a concluding assessment.

Assessment

Questions: Assign the Investigation Questions as a test, quiz or homework. Review students' answers to gauge their comprehension.

Graphing: Have students record how much weight their bridges withstood before they failed. Discuss which design was able to carry the most weight and why (materials, geometry, use of glue, etc.). Then, as a class, create a histogram showing how much weight each bridge held. Also, have students plot the weight of each bridge (independent variable) vs. its corresponding maximum load (dependent variable). Students can then sketch a line of best fit and interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept.

Investigating Questions

What happened when you added more weights? What does the bridge look like?

Does adding more height to the bridge make it stronger?

What are some ways to further improve your design?

Safety Issues

Be careful not to get burned from the hot glue and hot glue guns.

Wear safety glasses.

Beware of falling weights.

Activity Scaling

For higher grades, add the additional requirement to incorporate into the design a truss system to strengthen the bridge structure. Incorporating a construction/assembly pattern makes the bridge sides and bottoms stronger. To help generate ideas, show students the example truss bridge designs in Figure 1. Point out how the designs are made from short straight pieces put together in patterns that often include triangles.

Figure 1. Example truss bridge designs.

Copyright © 2013 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2005 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Supporting Program K-12 Outreach Office, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Last modified: January 28, 2020

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Civil engineers design structures such as buildings, dams, highways and bridges. Student teams explore the field of engineering by making bridges using spaghetti as their primary building material. Then they test their bridges to see how much weight they can carry before breaking.

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Irrigation Ideas - TryEngineering.org Powered by IEEE

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K-8 curricula available for free download

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Special Thanks

The New York Philharmonic thanks our generous funders who support our education programming: The Eagan Family; Sally E. Cummins; Theresa S. Thompson; The Edward John Noble Endowment Fund; The Donald A. Pels Education Fund; Ed and Kathy Ludwig; Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A), Inc., the Herbert M. Citrin Charitable Foundation; Irene Rosner David, in memory of Dr. Raphael David; The Frehse Family; and an anonymous donor, in honor of Kay and Jackson Tai.

Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

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Topics on this page:

*To access curriculum content, you have two options. You can view the Project S.O.W. curriculum on these webpages on your preferred device (desktop, tablet, or phone). In addition, Project S.O.W. is available in its entirety in print friendly pdf form. Download S.O.W. Curriculum Print Friendly PDF here

Introduction

Welcome to Project S.O.W. (Seeds of Wonder): Food Gardening with Justice in Mind, a food gardening curriculum for educators who work with young people ages 13-19, centering personal growth, community connection, and equity.

In Project S.O.W., youth work together to investigate how to grow food, explore their relationship with the land and food system, and practice leadership in their communities. Youth discover the power of food gardening to provide their families and communities with fresh and affordable food, and experience firsthand the resilience, confidence, and connection that this time-honored practice brings.

Many people agree that our current food system is not sustainable with respect to how it currently functions. Research shows that people involved in our food system are struggling and these struggles are disproportionately felt by people of color and people with low incomes. Many people are hungry, and many are suffering from diet-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Food and farm workers are more likely to encounter unsafe working conditions, lack employee benefits such as health insurance, and tend to be underpaid compared to workers in other industries. Grappling with low prices for their crops and competition from large-scale agribusiness corporations, family and small-scale farmers struggle to maintain viable livelihoods. All these challenges are only intensified by our changing climate. These challenges in our society are not unnoticed, youth are becoming increasingly aware of food insecurity, climate change, and racism impacts.

It is common for young people to feel anxious and overwhelmed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been estimated that more than half of our youth experienced these feelings. We do not want to contribute to feelings of anxiety with all that there needs to be done, and there is a lot that needs to be done. Rather, it is our hope and intention that youth come away from Project S.O.W. with the understanding that we do not have to "do it all" to make a difference. When we do engage in activity, it is often so much more enjoyable when it is inspired by our strengths, gifts, and interests - and we're more likely to follow through with it, too. In Project S.O.W., our aim is to center youth voice, encourage youth belonging, and uplift joy and stories of the good being done in our communities to meet the challenges of our world today. We know that connecting with this meaning and purpose fosters positive youth development.

Project S.O.W. complements and integrates well with Cornell Garden-Based Learning's Seed to Supper program, a program for adult gardeners. Seed to Supper is an accessible gardening course that gives beginner gardeners the tools they need to connect with others in community, grow in confidence, and successfully grow a portion of their food on a limited budget. Many educators in New York State requested a similar curriculum for youth, which is how this curriculum came to be.

Curriculum Overview

The curriculum has four units, each having three types of group activities: Introductory (shorter length activities that focus on trust, community building, and seeing what the group already knows on a particular topic), Digging In (lengthier activities that explore a topic more deeply and add new information), and Gardening (activities that focus on growing food and garden care). In each unit, we connect activities to New York State Learning Standards and 4-H Life Skills. This curriculum has been created for groups of 6 to 20 participants, yet is adaptable to smaller and larger groups, and can be used in a wide variety of school, afterschool, and community settings. All youth engaged in Project S.O.W. are encouraged to have a food gardening experience. The curriculum has been designed with flexibility to support youth having diverse growing experiences- indoors or outdoors; in containers or the ground. We define a garden as any space that you intentionally cultivate plants.

Curriculum Units:

Unit Components (in addition to group activities):

Voices in Food Justice - spotlighting stories of people championing food sovereignty in their communities with a particular emphasis on voices of Indigenous, Black, and other People of Color. Each story contains a video and discussion questions.

Food for Thought - youth guide with activity and reflection prompts for youth to do on their own to revisit ideas discussed in the unit.

Project SOW Learning Standards - activity connections to New York State Learning Standards.

Youth Action Project - opportunity for youth to practice leadership and further explore their interests on a particular food gardening topic.

Project S.O.W. Youth Handouts and Facilitator Templates PDF: this is a print friendly PDF of compiled youth handouts and facilitator template tools you will find in the curriculum activities. Individual print friendly PDFS of youth handouts and facilitator templates can also be found in the activity webpages.

Guidelines for Belonging

It is our hope for facilitators to bring curiosity, empathy, patience, and humility to the program. Recognizing our identities and unique experiences shape how each of us views the world and this view impacts our individual perspective, practicing cultural mindfulness, make caring visible, practice both/and thinking, and acting as a leader and a learner are important strategies for a facilitator connecting with their group. Serving as a vulnerable facilitator willing to "not know" and learn alongside young people is preferable to the need to be an expert on the topic of food justice. It's a complex subject with many doorways in, and we hope you enjoy the learning as much as the youth.

Acknowledging our History

As Project S.O.W. strives to champion justice, we must acknowledge our history. Cooperative Extension, 4-H, and land-grant universities historically have contributed to systemic barriers making it more difficult for people of color, indigenous people, women, immigrants, and people of low income to access land, to define their own food and agricultural systems, and to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food.

As a facilitator of this curriculum, we invite you to learn more about these histories and center a culture of belonging. Below are some resources for learning:

Food Gardening Resources

The curriculum incorporates activities to explore food gardening basics. To support your gardens and content not directly covered such as pest management and caring for pollinators, the New York State (NYS) Seed to Supper handbook is available for NYS educators to use. Please contact Ashley Helmholdt alm443@cornell.edu if you are interested in receiving a copy of the handbook.

We also encourage contacting your local Cooperative Extension office for garden and plant-related questions: Cornell Cooperative Extension Offices (NY State) and USDA Land-Grant University Website Directory.

In addition to the above, below are excellent gardening resources and curricula:

Nutrition in the Garden

Project S.O.W. does not directly focus on nutrition in the garden. There are many wonderful opportunities to bring in nutrition and cooking with your harvest into your garden space, we encourage you to collaborate with nutrition educators in your programs. Here are some resources supporting incorporating nutrition into the garden:

Book Resources

Curriculum activities contain additional resources for learning. In addition to resources provided, below are a list of books that have provided tremendous inspiration and guidance for the creators of this curriculum.

Connections to 4-H Thriving Model

Project S.O.W. is grounded in positive youth development and incorporates processes to nurture positive youth development as outlined in the 4-H Thriving Model. Activities are designed to promote youth engagement and are aligned with the seven indicators of thriving. Throughout the curriculum, activities promote the importance of maintaining a growth mindset and an openness to challenge and discovery. Youth are challenged in supportive ways, encouraged to take positive risks, and learn new skills. Uplifting youth voice and interests, centering identity formation, and encouraging goal setting contribute to youth developing a sense of hopeful purpose.

Helping youth develop prosocial orientation and positive emotionality, curriculum activities center collaborative learning in groups, offer expectations for group interactions, promote supporting each other and the local community, and present experiences to practice taking perspective of others. Activities encourage processing experiences with reflection, and support expressing and managing emotions affirming youth they matter and that their feelings are valid. Developing transcendent awareness, activities encourage youth to slow down and offer opportunities to connect with the natural world and practice mindful attention. The group practices learning to see others and the land through a new lens encouraging gratitude and generosity. Promoting goal setting and management, planning and caring for a garden offer youth the opportunity to make choices and act with a goal in mind.

In addition to above, we encourage any group taking part in Project S.O.W. to create and sustain a nurturing developmental context incorporating youth program quality principles, encouraging belonging, and cultivating developmental relationships. Learn more about the Thriving Model:

Project Acknowledgements

The creation of Project S.O.W. has been a collaborative effort. We are deeply grateful for the support and expertise of many individuals and organizations.

Lori Koenick: Author, Editor, Website
Marcia Eames-Sheavly: Advisor, Editor
Susan Ndiaye: Martha Williams: Q. Cassetti: Logo Design

Campus Support
Craig Cramer
Ashley Helmholdt
Alexa Maille
Mingla Charoenmuang
Jamila Walida Simon
Eduardo González, Jr.

Pilot 2021 CCE Educators and Counties
Sara Jablonski
Sharon Bachman
Jesse Meeder
Carrie Busekist
Cindy Albro
Jingjing Yin
Elaine Noble
Helanna Bratman
Anna Harrod-McGrew
Counties: CCE Erie, CCE Onondaga, CCE Dutchess, CCE Rensselaer, CCE Chemung, CCE Cattaraugus, CCE Columbia and Greene, CCE Monroe, CCE Nassau
Rematriation Magazine & Media Smith - Lever funding support Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal for the Mobius Strip video inspiration
Photo Acknowledgements
We share deep gratitude for the photos throughout the curriculum that help bring it to life. Unless otherwise noted, any youth in action photos were taken during our 2021 pilot season. Photos provided by Lori Koenick, Helanna Bratman, Sara Jablonski, Sharon Bachman, Jesse Meeder, Carrie Busekist, Cindy Albro, Jingjing Yin, and Anna Harrod-McGrew.

Other photos have been sourced from the Cornell Photos Image Library, Unsplash, Pixabay, and Wikimedia Commons.

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Project S.O.W: Food Gardening with Justice in Mind

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Topics on this page: *To access curriculum content, you have two options. You can view the Project S.O.W. curriculum on these webpages on your preferred device (desktop, tablet, or phone). In addition, Project S.O.W. is available in its entirety in print friendly pdf form. Download S.O.W.

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Empowering students with project-based learning.

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Hands-on learning through real-world projects empowers students to build skills for college and beyond.