Category Archives: Full STEAM Ahead

Hour Of Code Coming Soon!

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities

 

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www.larchmontlibrary.org

Well, since the “T” in STEAM stands for technology, it seemed only right that a post goes up about the Hour Of Code event happening worldwide next week (Dec. 7th – 13th).  Head over to Code.org to get in on the coding fun and who knows, maybe even begin your career in the computer sciences!

While you are anxiously waiting for Code.org to begin, why not dig into information on coding and all things computer?  Perhaps you find yourself wondering how the internet works?  Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of sitting down with Mark Zuckerberg to learn a few programming tips and tricks.  Now you can!  Here is a link to videos that will get your brain wrapped around those intriguing topics and more!

Leave a comment about something new you learned or something that wowed you through your Hour Of Code experience or from watching the videos.

Happy Coding!

Full STEAM Ahead #10: Forest Fire in Nebraska

Full STEAM Ahead, Learning Opportunities, Uncategorized

Forest

Image taken from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AOak-pine_forest_-_Abrams_Creek.jpg

Why would anyone want to start a forest fire on purpose?  How can you conduct a controlled burn?  What is a restoration biologist?  What components of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) are important to the controlled burn process?

Find the answers to these questions and more by doing a little research (start with the links below).  We would LOVE to take a few interested students to the forest to learn more about this process.  Your ticket?  Read on!

Research Links:

Watch a video and read about the controlled burn here: http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Restoration-by-Fire-335412371.html

Here is another news source: http://www.ketv.com/news/why-crews-will-soon-set-fontenelle-forest-on-fire/35996890

Fontenelle Forest Website:  http://www.fontenelleforest.org

Article-Reducing catastrophic wildfires through managed burns: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150918152244.htm

When you are finished researching, display your learning somehow.  Push yourself to try a new app or a new way of showing your learning.  Here are some examples:

  • Write a letter Fontenelle Forest
  • If you could interview a restoration biologist, what questions would you ask?
  • Make a picture book or an A-Z book about the topic (an A-Z book has something related to the topic for every letter in the alphabet)

Email your finished product to the EY coordinator.

Full STEAM Ahead #9: Experimentation!

Full STEAM Ahead

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Are you someone who loves to figure out why things work the way they do?  Do you like to take on the challenge of solving mysteries?  Then these science videos might just be what you are looking for to make the most of your E/I time, or anytime!  Check out the link below that will lead you into a world of experimentation.  Choose a video and try to solve the mystery of what scientific event occurred?  Try creating  your own science video with a question at the end for others to solve.  Share this video with your EY Coordinator.

Sick Science Video Collection

Happy Experimenting!

 

 

 

# 8 Full Steam Ahead

Full STEAM Ahead

Have you wanted to create your own video game?

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YES??? Well, “Floors” is the app for you

Watch this video that shows you what the app will do.

Watch this video that introduces how to start your own game and a little information about each of the buttons and what they do.

Use this Pixel Press guide to get started

Get started creating!

  1. Go to the app store and download Floors (Pixel Press) Screen Shot 2015-10-23 at 10.02.30 AM
  2.  Open app, type in your code and click “allow microphone”

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3. To get to the area where you will create click “Create”

 

4.  After spending time learning and creating, you can share your video game with your   teacher or the EY coordinator in your building. Create a post below telling us what you like about this app. Include your first name and your school with your post.

5. If you want to take this a step further and create a drawing and convert it to a video game, read this article and download this special graph paper at pixelpress.com  to get started.

This is a tutorial for how to create your drawing on paper or game using the draw in app feature https://youtu.be/y1dKpaqaVaI.

This is a link to more video tutorials

 

#7 Full STEAM Ahead: Binary Code Name

Full STEAM Ahead

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Computer coding seems to be everywhere these days.  But what exactly is computer coding?  Well, it’s a little bit like teaching a dog tricks.  You have to teach a computer what to do by speaking its “language.”  One such language, or code, is binary.  It works by using a system of 2 symbols, base 2, often made up of 0’s and 1’s.  Check out this article on binary code and take on the challenges below.

Here are a few tasks for you to take on while reading the article:

*Write your name using UTF-8 binary code

*Write something in binary code using a symbol, object, or color that exists in two forms or states (ex:  coin, shapes, up/down arrows, etc…)

*Take the “Bit Groups” challenge at the end of the article

We would love to see the binary work you have done!  Leave a comment or email your EY coordinator.  Happy coding!

#6 Full STEAM Ahead: Cardboard Challenge

Full STEAM Ahead
cardboard

Image from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Cardboard

Mrs. Spady, the EY team should bring back the Cardboard Game seminar from a couple years ago.  That was really fun! ~Tallie, 6th grader

Some of you remember the Creative Problem Solving seminar 2 years ago where students created an arcade game out of cardboard boxes.  Caine’s Arcade is where the idea first started and you can check out Caine’s story by clicking here.

For this week’s Full STEAM Ahead challenge, create your own arcade game using materials from around your house.  There’s not need to go out and buy materials.  Be creative and re-purpose things you already have.  You can watch the videos linked below for some ideas.  When you are finished, take a picture of your game and send it to the EY coordinator at your building.  Better yet, bring the game to school and have your friends play it!  Happy creating!

 

#5 Full STEAM Ahead: Paper Airplanes

Full STEAM Ahead, , ,

paper-plane Image from https://pixabay.com/en/paper-plane-origami-paper-plane-147602/

No matter what your age, an experience almost all of us share is folding paper airplanes.  My friend Dr. Lindgren shared this site with me on how to fold the world’s best paper airplane.  After browsing the Internet some more, I came across 10paperairlplanes.com which explains how to make…you guessed it…10 paper airplanes.

Here are some resources to get you thinking about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math as they relate to Paper Airplanes!

  • Watch this video on Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag & Design by Wesley Fryer.  Build one of the paper airplanes demonstrated in the video and try it out!  Have a friend help you record a video of your plane flying.  Send the video to your EY coordinator.
  • Check out this video on the Aerodynamics of Flight.  It talks about  Lift, Thrust, Weight, and Drag.  After watching the video, post a comment about something new you learned.
  • Organize a class Paper Airplane Flying Competition.  After researching and designing the perfect paper airplane, you can judge the competition in a variety of categories like longest flight time, most artistic design, farthest flight, etc.  Create a table to organize the data and summarize the results.  Take pictures/video of the top airplanes in each category and send to the EY coordinator in your building.
  • Did you come across any other resources during this Full STEAM Ahead learning opportunity?  Please share by leaving a comment below!

#4 Full STEAM Ahead: Engineering-Design It

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized
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The PBS Kids website has a TON of great ideas to get you moving and thinking Full STEAM Ahead!
  • Start by checking out the ideas here: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/#engineering
  • Read through a couple of the design challenges.  Make sure to also check out some of the results others have sent in.
  • Decide on a challenge to try yourself.  You do not need to go out and buy anything!  See if your teacher can help you out with some of the materials or check with the EY coordinator at your building.
  • Plan a time and a place to complete your challenge.  See if a couple of friends want to join you!
  • Take some pictures, record a video, and jot down your results.  Send your results to the EY coordinator at your building and we’ll post it on our Student Showcase Wiki!

#3 Full STEAM Ahead: The Physics of Playing Guitar

Full STEAM Ahead, Uncategorized

STEAM

image taken from http://theodysseyonline.com/stonehill/the-necessity-arts-education-why-you-cant-put-cap-creativity/141434

Google STEM and you’ll get over 200 MILLION results.  Google STEAM Education and you’ll get 112 MILLION results.  What’s the difference?  88 MILLION. 😉

But it’s more than that.  STEM leaves out the “A” which stands for Arts, and that’s a big omission!  As my favorite bumper sticker states…Without ART, the EARTH is just EH.

As the year goes on, we’ll study what STEAM Education means for you and your future.  For this week’s Full Steam Ahead, find out about the Physics of Playing Guitar by watching the video below.  What components of STEAM are discussed in this video?  What’s something new thing you learned?  Leave a comment below!