If you are new to my roundup article, I always share a few STEM opportunities at the top of the post and then include a list of upcoming STEM activities around the Boston area.
WPI Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs– For Educators
Middle School STEM Experience offers schools and organizations the opportunity to bring students in grades 5-8 to explore a college campus in a setting designed for them. The visit includes a brief tour of campus, a presentation on early college readiness, and a presentation on a topic in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) fields, followed by a hands-on-activity to reinforce the concepts of the STEM presentation. All of our presentations are given by current WPI students, including our Engineering Ambassadors. If you are interested in bringing your students to this program, please complete the form below. We ask groups to maximize our capacity of 50 students per visit to allow us to service more groups throughout the year. The Middle School STEM Experience runs from September through April and takes place in the mornings from 9:30-11:30am. Once you have submitted a request you should expect a response in 3-4 business days. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Pre-collegiate Outreach Programs by email at [email protected] or by phone at 508-831-4900. Register here: https://www.wpi.edu/academics/pre-collegiate/school-year-academic/middle-school/tours
Red Sox Introduce Free Math Program– For Students + Educators
Wally’s Math Academy engages young students by combining their passion for the Red Sox with the math skills they’re learning in school. Initially serving students from 2nd to 4th grade, Wally’s Math Academy makes it easy for teachers and students to generate math exercises that use statistics from actual Red Sox games. In addition to compelling word problems, each worksheet includes a short video recap of the Red Sox game as well as pictures of the players. View a sample worksheet. (Please Note: The “Single Digit Multiplication” worksheet is provided solely as an example of the “Wally’s Math Academy” program and is to be used by educators with students within the 2nd to 4th grade phase.) If you are a teacher and interested in this program, fill out this form to request an account.
FIRST LEGO Robotics– Friday, November 2 at the Discovery Museum (Acton)
Join FIRST Robotics Team 6328 – Mechanical Advantage from Littleton, MA for a STEM filled night! The team will be demoing their 2017 competition robot, and attendees will have the opportunity to drive and operate the robot. The team will also have hands-on activities for visitors to try. Free admission to the Museum from 4:30pm-8pm.
Ara Star Engineer– A new picture book for kids
Ara the Star Engineer is a delightful new picture book for young kids written by Komal Singh, a Program Manager in Engineering at Google and a mother of two. Komal wrote this book with assistance from fellow female Google engineers to inspire girls and children of color to explore STEM. I loved the book and the fact that women engineers were profiled and celebrated for their work. All profits from the book sales will be donated to charities encouraging girls’ and underrepresented groups’ participation in STEM fields.
Here is a list of free or low-cost STEM activities for your kids to consider this month. Enjoy!
November 2: Free Friday night admission to The Discovery Museum in Acton.
November 3: Register for Amherst’s Splash program for 6th-12-grade students. Take a bunch of short classes on a variety of cool topics at Amherst. Cost: $10
November 3: It’s Girls Day at the MIT Museum and the theme is neuroscience. All hands-on activities, informal talks and demonstrations are included with admission. (Recommended ages 10+)
November 3, 10: Register now for Northeastern’s NEPTUN Waterfall program for high school students. Take a bunch of short classes on a variety of cool topics at Northeastern. Free
November 4: Register now for Clark’s Splash program for 5th-12-grade students. Take a bunch of short classes on a variety of cool topics at Clark. Free event
November 4: Register now for Boston College’s Splash weekend for 7th-12th-grade students. Take a bunch of short classes on a variety of cool topics at Boston College. Cost: $5.25
November 8:Â The Boston Chapter of Black Girls CODE is hosting Women of Color in STEM, an educational experience for girls, between the ages of 7 and 17, and their parents/guardians. They will hear from a panel of women working in the fields of STEM. Â Free event in Boston + registration is required.
November 10-11: Participate in CodeDay, a nationwide event where student programmers, artists, musicians, actors, and everyone else can get together and build apps & games for 24 hours. Students of all skill levels are welcome. Held in Boston and the cost is $10/ticket.
November 11: The Studio of Engaging Math in Brighton is hosting a math festival and open house. Play games, do STEM activities, solve puzzles, and win prizes.
November 14: The annual Massachusetts STEM Summit will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester. This is a great opportunity for educators, librarians and after-school teachers to learn about STEM initiatives underway in our state. Cost: $50-$60
November 17: The LigerBots will be hosting a maker fair for families during the FIRST LEGO League competition at Newton North High School. This is a free event and features hands-on activities for kids in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
November 17-18: Attend MIT’s Splash weekend for high school students and take a bunch of short classes on a huge variety of cool topics at MIT. Cost: $40
November 17 + 12 other dates: Register now for Franklin Park Zoo’s Boston BioBlitz Initiative for Girls (BBIG). Attendees will go on outdoor walks, have behind-the-scenes experiences with animals and zookeepers at the zoo, and take field trips to different STEM institutions in Boston. Registration is required by Tuesday, November 13. Cost: $20 (Girls, ages 12-15)
November 23: Get your tickets for MIT’s Friday After Thanksgiving (F.A.T.) Chain Reaction at the Rockwell Cage Gymnasium. Cost: $12.50 Adult, $5 Student
December 1-2: Registration is now open for MAHacks, New England’s bi-annual hackathon for high school students on Dec 1-2 in Boston. This is a free event and no experience is required.
December 8: Register now for Science & Us, an event where high school students will get the opportunity to create their own science communication project. This is a free event being held at MIT.
Photo credit: Boston Red Sox
