I’m quite excited about the new Digital Civics Toolkit, a suite of educational resources to “support youth to explore, recognize, and take seriously the civic potentials of digital life.” A project that grew out of the MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics, the Digital Civics Toolkit is organized into five sections: Participate Investigate Dialogue Voice and Action …
Designed for grades 5-8, Science Action Club makes it easy and fun to lead hands-on STEM in afterschool and summer camp—no experience necessary! Through games, projects, and exciting investigations, youth in Science Action Club explore nature, contribute to authentic science research, and design creative strategies to protect the planet. Each kit includes: Twelve fun activity plans for …
I’ve been binge-watching the reality show “The Great British Bake Off” for the past couple of months. For those that haven’t watched it, “The Great British Bake Off” is a baking competition in the UK where amateur bakers compete in a weekly series of cooking challenges, set by two expert culinary judges. If you are …
After more than six wonderful, exciting years at the California Academy of Sciences, I’m now looking for new professional opportunities. I’ve had an incredible run at the Academy, grown a lot, met some wonderful colleagues, and worked on a number of fun and exciting projects. Now feels like the right time to move on and …
I’m excited to share the news about KQED Learn, a free, safe online space for students to engage in thoughtful discussions about timely societal topics, using fact-based arguments and social media that they share. As the next generation of KQED’s awesome “Do Now” series, this looks like a great tool for teachers to facilitate thoughtful debates …
Okay, this is not quite as cool as an actual Wakandan embassy coming to Oakland, but pretty damn close. Inspired by the success of their movie "Black Panther," Disney is giving $1 million to Boys and Girls Club to fund STEM learning programs around the country, including funding of a "STEM Center of Innovation" in …
Check out this editorial in Ed Source by the Elizabeth Babcock of the California Academy of Sciences on the importance of after-school programs. Elizabeth notes that the Trump administration has been consistently trying to cut Federal funding for after-school initiatives, including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers in the 2019 budget. She notes: A reduction in …
On Saturday, two groups of teens from the California Academy of Sciences and Nature Bridge gathered at Pillar Point marine sanctuary in Half Moon Bay. This wasn’t a casual beach-day hangout. The goal was to support marine education for our local communities. Nature Bridge is a nonprofit that leads hands-on environmental science experiences for young …
I already mentioned the sessions that I was a part of at ASTC 2017. I'm really excited to talk about my work and projects. But I'm even more excited by the many other sessions that my youth programs team at the California Academy of Sciences are going to be leading at ASTC. The Expanded Learning …
Teen Science Night is the world's largest teens-only museum event. Our fifth Teen Science Night on August 11 blew out all of our previous attendance records with over 2,100 teens from across Northern California descending on the California Academy Sciences. During Teen Science Night, young people have free rein to explore the museum, engage in …