San Diego STEM Ecosystem

03/03/2021

Sorting is a foundational element of math. Ask your child to gather their favorite toys in a pile 🧸 Then ask them to sort them in different ways: by color, size, shape... anything you can think of! Sorting helps children to make connections and classifications and is an important tool in helping to develop critical thinking skills. #math #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

02/18/2021

At yesterday’s STEM Educator Meetup, our Ecosystem partner ElevatEd Classrooms gave us some tips on how to avoid Zoom fatigue and incorporate social emotional learning in STEM classrooms. Check them out for more great SEL content or to present to your educators! And mark your calendar for our next Meetup: March 17 at 4:00 ☘️

02/10/2021

Use a tissue box or cereal box to create a bird house 🏠 Research what birds are in your neighborhood. What do they need to be comfortable? 🕊 #Engineering #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

02/03/2021

The National City STEAM Collaborative has kicked off the first ever 16 Weeks of STEAM this week! Lots of fun family activities and badges for students to earn. Learn more at https://nc16weeksofsteam.org #NC16WeeksofSTEAM #NationalCity

02/03/2021

Can you make wind by blowing your breath? What things can you make move? What things can’t you move with your breath? Why not? 🌬 #science #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

01/26/2021

Use a plastic hanger, yarn, and two cups. 🧶 Tie the cups to hang, one from each side. Put snacks in each cup and hang the hanger to weigh them: watch how the hanger tilts! Compare heavy vs. light vs. equal. ⚖️ #math #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

01/19/2021

Make your own calming lava tube by filling a water bottle with 3/4 oil and 1/4 water. What happens? Add food coloring or glitter for fun! Shake and watch all your worries float away. #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

01/12/2021

Can’t make it to the snow? Build a shed to pull a toy across your own floor! 🛷Test different materials, such as cardboard, newspaper, or pillow cases to see which helps the sled move the fastest. #engineering #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

01/06/2021

Did you know every snowflake is unique? ❄️ Make your own and compare the differences! https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-snowflake.html #math #science #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

12/15/2020

Technology is everywhere! Have your child help wrap a few holiday presents to practice using scissors to cut, tape to hold, and maybe even a pen to write their name or draw a picture 🎁 #technology #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

12/02/2020

Create a maze out of blocks, legos, or chalk. 🌀 Then use your body (if your maze is big enough) or a toy to try to complete the maze... using code! Codes are just patterns that tell you what to do. 🤖 Use the following codes: Straight, Turn, Walk. Use those codes to help you out your toy escape the maze! #technology #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

11/25/2020

What can you blow with a straw? 🧃 Is it easier to blow objects with the straw or with your breath? 🌬 Why? Which objects are easiest to move? Are they small or large? Heavy or light? #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

11/18/2020

See you today at 4! Register for the Zoom link.

💻📚🔬✌🏼Connect & collab, share & care, or just stop by San Diego STEM Ecosystem's educator meetup! When? Tomorrow, WED, NOV 18th, 4-5PM. Register here: https://bit.ly/3pCoD70

11/17/2020

Keep the beat to a favorite song 🎵 How many times did you clap in the chorus? What about the refrain? 👏🏻 #math #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

11/10/2020

Design and make different paper airplanes ✈️ Make predictions and test which design will fly the furthest. What if you engineer with a different kind of paper? 📄 #engineering #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlyChildhoodSTEM

11/09/2020

Every day is STEM Day to us!

What is STEAM?
#STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. It is a form of learning that mimics the real -world best, by incorporating multiple disciplines just as they overlap in the our everyday activities.
STEAM uses both sides of the brain supporting an #experiential format of #learning that allows children to explore, discover, absorb and become critical thinkers.

Happy National #STEM day!

#steamactivitiesforkids #aqeconnect #ChallengeIsland #challengeislandsdcoastal. #STEAMingfun #Montessori #elementaryclassroom #designthinkingprocess #growthmidset #stemcareers #STEAMLearning #playbasedlearning #playmatters #kidsconnect #realworldtraining #scoutsstem #GirlsInSTEAM

National STEM Honor Society STEM.org The STEAM Collaborative Center for Integrated STEM Education, Inc. San Diego STEM Ecosystem Fleet Science Center STEMUp Educational Foundation

11/06/2020

SciMet 2020: Adelina Ramirez (Honorable Mention)

Ecosystem collaboration ftw: CREATE at UC San Diego shared info on Scripps Research #SciMet challenge in an Ecosystem meeting that BE WISE attended and then shared in a newsletter and lo and behold, #BEWiSE member Adelina won an honorable mention! The power of networking! Watch Adelina's submission and join us in saying ""congratulations!" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2oqfA_BaByI

10/27/2020

Take a walk and see if you can see the wind blowing different things 🌬 Do you see the wind blowing rocks? Why not? Can you feel the wind in your body? #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

10/21/2020

Our Central Project Office had a great time at the STEM Learning Ecosystems virtual Community of Practice this week! Lots of new learnings, including how to make our avatars do backflips 🤸‍♀️ #stemecosystems #SLECoP

10/20/2020

Find leaves, sticks, rocks, stems, and berries outside. 🍂Create a face collage using those materials. Which shapes work best for eyes? 👀How big is a nose compared to an eye? 👃🏻 Can you make details like eyebrows or the black iris in the center of your eye?👁 #math #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

10/13/2020

Cut and tape paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls to the wall and explore chutes and mazes with toy cars, balls, or any small object. Make predictions, and observe gravity and the effects of force. Don’t forget to time the speed of each object and make it a race! 🚗 #engineering #science #math #DailyDoseofSTEM #EarlychildhoodSTEM

09/29/2020

Experiment with the science of light by making fun shadow puppets out of different materials 🦋 Is the light transparent (clear), translucent (fuzzy), or opaque (no light)? https://scienceinprek.si.edu/science-light-and-shadows #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

09/22/2020

Use different sized cups and containers to play with water 🛁 Which cup holds more? Which cup holds less? Count how many small cups of water you need to fill a larger cup. #math #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

09/15/2020

Ask your child to describe the house they would build if they could 🏠 What features would it have? Why? Take it a step further and draw a blueprint ✏️ Planning is one of the first stages of the Engineering Design Process and an important critical thinking skill. #engineering #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

09/09/2020

Draw a line on a piece of paper and have your child trace it with a crayon or marker 🖍 Practice with straight or curvy lines as you build up fine motor skills and tool use. Have your child draw a line and challenge you to trace it too! #technology #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

09/01/2020

Your kiddos can practice math and science as your kitchen helper: measure, observe, use different tools, and more! 🧂🥣🧁 #math #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

08/25/2020

As you walk outside to your car or mailbox, ask your child to make observations: what do the clouds look like? Are they the same as yesterday? Are they high or low? Fluffy or thin? ☁️ #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

08/18/2020

‪ Sometimes we forget that the T in STEM can be as simple as using a spoon! Pour some dry cereal into a bowl and have your child practice scooping the cereal into another bowl or cup 🥣 Make it a game by placing a small toy at the bottom for them to reveal as they build their hand-eye coordination. #technology #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

08/11/2020

Compete as an engineer to build the highest tower 🌆 Plan, build, and make it better! #engineering #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

08/05/2020

Look for shapes in nature, on your walks, in the grocery store, or even a doctor's office! 🟢🟨🔷⭕️ #math #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM

07/29/2020

It's time!

Yikes! August starts this weekend! Have you added your August opportunities to https://www.sdstemecosystem.org/ yet? Upload this week for a chance to be featured in our newsletter!

07/28/2020

Build your math skills by counting your snacks 🍇How many grapes are on your plate? How many pretzels fit in your hand? #math #dailydoseofstem #earlychildhoodSTEM

07/21/2020

Practice your engineering skills making a fun fort in the living room 🏰 Evaluate your resources, test your designs, make it better! #engineering #dailydoseofstem #earlychildhoodSTEM

07/15/2020

SDPL Stay-In Summer Reading Club needs your help! Join the Summer Reading Program and read at least 10 books or hours this summer to help the Library reach its goal of 200,000 books! 📚📚📚

07/14/2020

Learn about the science of light and shadows ☀️ Play shadow tag to show how your body can block and change light. #science #dailydoseofSTEM #earlychildhoodSTEM
https://www.pre-kpages.com/science-for-kids-body-shadows/