Innovation After School eNewsletter

Dear After School Provider,

Last month The Tech Museum of Innovation announced discounted Educator Memberships for after school providers who work directly with youth. Because The Tech recognizes the powerful impact of after school educators on our youth, this month we are proud to announce a new policy for after school groups at The Tech. Starting in April, after school field trip groups will receive complimentary entrance to the museum during the school year. Also during the school year, ASES/21st Century-funded programs can enjoy IMAX educational films at a discounted rate of $3.50/person. Visit What's New and Upcoming Events and plan your next field trip in connection with events at The Tech.

You can also plan for Maker May events! This month we are featuring Maker resources and opportunities throughout this newsletter. Mark your calendars now and don't miss out on these amazing events!

Makerspace at The Tech

Photo Credit: Bridget Rigby

If you have questions, suggestions, testimonials, or requests for future editions, please contact me at the email address below.

Stephanie Michele Barroso
Coordinator, School & After School Partnerships
sbarroso@thetech.org

Visit: thetech.org
Like: facebook.com/TheTechMuseum
Follow: twitter.com/TheTechMuseum

Curricular Resources

The Tech’s Maker Cookbook is now available! Download the Maker Cookbook here to learn more about these fun hands-on programs. Most programs are designed for all ages, and leverage everything from new Maker technologies to low-cost recyclable materials. Check out the program recipes inside and then season to your taste!

The Salvadori Center provides professional development for teachers and project-based learning experiences for after-school programs, demonstrations, and site-specific events. Science, social studies, language arts, art, and math design-based lesson plans for grades K - 8 are available for download as PDFs. Each document includes a full lesson plan, sample activities, diagrams, interdisciplinary connections, and a list of online resources relevant to that topic. Cost is $5 each.

Connect A Million Minds by searching The Connectory for activities and resources in your community that inspire young people to develop the important science, technology, engineering and math skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Simply enter your zip code and/or keywords to search the numerous resources near you. If you would like to contribute your own programs and organizations, join The Connectory!

 

Professional Development

Dive into Design with The Tech Museum of Innovation. Looking for a fun, easy way to engage youth in the engineering design process? Join our Engineering Design Webinar on Thursday, May 1, 2014, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. This hands-on, collaborative webinar is most appropriate for after school providers who work with grades 3 and up. Click here for more information or to register.

Making Possibilities Workshop will expand your knowledge of making and education. This professional development for formal and informal educators takes place on Thursday, May 15 from  4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the San Mateo Event Center. Meet the Makers, enjoy demonstrations, learn new skills, network, and more. Join Make's 

Professional Development

Photo Credit: Bridget Rigby

educator community to receive up-to-date information and other resources/opportunities during Maker Faire and throughout the year.

National Girls Collaborative Project offers FREE one hour pre-recorded webinars to watch at your convenience. Practitioners and researchers from across the country share effective strategies for working with girls in STEM. Like. Follow. Repin. Tweet. Grab the attention of girls (or their influencers) and excite them about STEM with videos, Instagram, role models, and increase equity and diversity in the STEM workforce.

The After School Training Toolkit includes 25 video clips (3 - 10 minutes each) for FREE and       K - 12 lessons in literacy, math, science, arts, technology, and homework. Instructor guides to support academic enrichment in mathematics, science, literacy, arts, and technology model research-based practices in actual after school settings.

Events 

Empowering the Underserved is a workshop for youth in grades 7 - 9. On April 27, from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., participants will learn how mobile phones can benefit society through building applications that help homeless people in our own community pursue jobs, healthcare, sustainable housing, obtain access to community services, and stay connected with friends and family. This workshop is limited to 30 participants. Application deadline is April 22, 2014.

Open Make Flow @ The Tech will be a gathering of Makers working with electrical flow in innovative ways. On Saturday, April 26, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Makers will share their passion-driven innovation, and focus on the creative flow that is

Calendar of Events

Photo Credit: Emily Ann Ramos

part of the making process! They'll showcase how some of the best sparks for innovations come when you are playing so deeply in your passions that you lose track of space and time. Free with museum admission.

The Tech’s Hands On Science Workshop MIDI MusicBox is what you get when you combine conductive materials, a gramophone, a Makey Makey, and your imagination. Come take your drawings for a spin and find out what music your name makes at our new Hands-On Science Workshop inspired by the Reboot: Music exhibition! Weekdays: 10:00 - 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 - 2:15 p.m. and Weekends & Holidays: 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. and 2:30 - 4:45 p.m. Free with museum admission.

Curiosity Camp in the Woods, by Iridescent, is for little engineers ages 3 – 8 who are natural explorers, builders, and inventors. Your child can attend one or all four weeks of camp July 2, 2014 – August 1, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in Huddart Park, Woodside, CA. Cost is $350, but scholarships are available. Register here or call 1-310-309-0766 for more information.

Funding

Zero Robotics: California Afterschool Network (CAN) is seeking seven individual middle school program sites with 15 – 20 youth for a five-week program. Youth will learn how to code an actual NASA robot-satellite in a virtual zero gravity environment, visit NASA Ames, and compete for a chance to race their code on the international space station broadcast live via video feed from the space station. There is a $2,000 stipend for this program and free trainings on April 30, May 14, and May 28. Application deadline is April 18. For questions or additional information, please contact Jeff Davis at jefdavis@ucdavis.edu with the subject line Zero Robotics.

Youth Opportunity Scholarships: This program offers low income 6 – 8th grade students up to $500 to participate in extracurricular activities of their 

Field Trips

Photo Credit: Bridget Rigby

choosing. Our goal is to enable youth to pursue a passion that they would be unable to do otherwise. Past activities include music, athletics, art, theater, cooking, robotics, and welding! With summer right around the corner, we are looking for partners to help us reach more students. If your organization serves a large number of low income, middle school-aged youth in San Francisco or the East Bay, please get in touch. To date, we have awarded 400+ scholarships totaling $200K!

American Honda Foundation STEM Grants  Non-profit organizations and schools are eligible to apply for up to $75,000 funding to support the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, environmental projects, job training, and literacy programs.  There are four submission deadlines throughout the year. The next one is May 1.

STEM Resources