When I Grow Up, I Want to Be …
It’s never too early to explore future career possibilities! In ROI’s Job Exploration Video Series, see how four kids in the Indiana Uplands are exploring STEM activities and making connections to jobs in our region.
ROI’s Careers in the Uplands Video Series
Next door to next level, people in the Indiana Uplands are doing amazing work in STEM careers. The Uplands boasts specialization in the advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and national security industries. Check out ROI’s Careers in the Uplands Video Series to learn more about people working in the Uplands, including engineers, scientists, cybersecurity technicians, machinists and more.
The NSTA Daily Do
The Daily Do includes activities and lesson plans for hands-on STEM for elementary, middle, and high school students, teachers, and families. The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. Activities are organized by grade band and are also searchable by topic.
Indiana Continuous Learning Challenges
The skill sets of the Continuous Learning Challenge are connected to Michael Fullan’s Deep Learning Competencies. These are great activities to ask your child to try on their own or with a little help. Challenges are appropriate for all grades K-12.
South Bend Code School Summer Portal
South Bend Code School has a FREE Coding Portal for kids (ages 7-18).
- 8-weeks of FREE online coding tutorials (Minecraft, augmented reality, machine learning, and more)
- Video tutorials
- Step-by-step instruction from instructors
- No prior experience needed!
Science Snacks by Exploratorium
Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested, science activities using cheap, available materials with things around the house. Science Snacks are made possible by the Exploratorium, a San Francisco public learning laboratory exploring the world through science, art, and human perception.
TED-Ed Lessons
TED-Ed lessons feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Each video is less than 6 minutes long. Explore the genius of Marie Curie, learn how tsunamis work, and why sloths are slow. Students can also dig deeper on subjects with quizzes, discussions and additional resource materials.
Scratch Online Coding
Scratch, an online coding program created at MIT, enables students to create their own interactive stories, games and animations online using block-based coding language. Take the learning one step further by joining the online community to share projects and see what others have created. Have younger students at home? ScratchJr is a free app that makes coding more accessible for students ages 5-7.
PencilCode
Pencil Code is a collaborative programming site for drawing art, playing music, and creating games based on MIT’s Scratch. It is also a place to experiment with mathematical functions, geometry, graphing, webpages, simulations, and algorithms. Programs are open for all to see and copy and there are pre-generated codes to tinker with. Ages 7 and up.
California Academy of Sciences
The California Academy of Sciences has an eclectic array of science-centric games, videos, and DIY projects to help you stay learning and engaged, wherever you are. This museum site has also a variety of video collections for ages K-12 on topics ranging from Penguins to Asteroids to Creatures of the Sea!
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Free hands-on activities, videos, and games for students and home learners from the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
STEM at Home Bingo Board
Erik Murray, a middle school STEM teacher and a graduate of Tufts University Teacher Engineering Education Program, has created the STEM at Home Bingo Board that encourages upper elementary and middle school students to engineer, think, and continue to challenge themselves while learning at home. This resource provides engaging design challenges that can be done with whatever materials you have at home!
Hello Ruby
Hello Ruby is a whimsical way to learn about computers, technology and programming. It started with a book, and now Ruby continues her adventures in exercises, activities and videos. Hello Ruby is suited for kids age 5 years and older (but even adults might learn something new). For teachers and parents, check out author Linda Liukas’ 6-minute TED talk on Crawling into a Computer.
Tinkergarten At Home
Tinkergarten is providing free DIY activities and play-based ideas to get young children outdoors and exploring the world around them. Activities are designed for children ages 0-8. Take a Listening Walk to immerse kids in the sounds all around us in nature. Repurpose an orange to use as a bird feeder. Collect nature treasures to design a nature display with objects like sticks, see pods, flowers and fungi.
PBS Design Squad
Students explore the world of science and engineering with this collection from PBS Kids Design Squad, targeted to middle-school aged students. Kids can share their engineering ideas and sketches with other kids, play games, and take on global challenges, such as inventing a way to use less water. Fun videos feature kid engineers and hosts/role models Deysi Melgar (“future aerospace engineer and professional salsa dancer”) and Nate Ball (“engineer, pole vaulter, and beat boxer”), who draw on their experiences to dispel stereotypes and inspire kids to explore engineering.
NASA STEM at Home
Imagine you’re an astronaut, launch rockets, build a Moon Habitat, solve spacey puzzles and more! NASA STEM has materials and activities for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, grades 5-8, and grades 9-12.
Story Time From Space
While in space, astronauts read books to the children of Earth! Story Time From Space is a project of the Global Space Education Foundation and features many children’s books that feature planets, space, engineering and science.
PBS LearningMedia
PBS LearningMedia has thousands of free teaching resources, videos, lessons plans, and games aligned to state and national standards. Educators can search by topic, grade or standard. Students have customized views to find videos and activities that support learning at home. You can also create free accounts to save and organize content! Be sure to check out the curated science collections.
Code.org Code Break
Code.org has launched Code Break, a global, live-interactive classroom, for students of all ages, with and without computers. Code Break offers a weekly dose of education, community, and computer science with special guests like Mark Cuban, Ashton Kutcher and Bill Gates. Check out all of the Code.org resources for students at home.
Chrome Music Lab
Chrome Music Lab is a website that makes learning music more accessible through fun, hands-on experiments. Kids of all ages can make songs or explore rhythm, chords, sound waves, melodies, harmonics, and much more.
Your Local Library
Take advantage of free WiFi hotspots, new e-book & audiobook programs, larger streaming media collections, new magazines and newspaper access, virtual story times, and much more!
Don’t have a library card yet? See if you can get one online. Many libraries grant digital library cards. Locate your local libraries: https://www.in.gov/library/pldirectory.htm