A DOZEN
— by Lisa A. Beach
Try these ideas with the kids of all
ages in your family:
1) Help build STEM language at a
young age. Even with little ones, you can
encourage them to notice their surround-
ings, ask questions, and pay attention to
details. Observation is a critical science
skill, so challenge your child to think
about what she’s doing or seeing in the
world around her.
ACTIVITIES
A
s a parent, you can help plant
“STEM seeds” early in your
kids. Unlike any generation
before, your children are literally growing
up surrounded by technology. And that’s
great news when it comes to future career
opportunities!
According to a study called STEM
Occupations: Past, Present, And Future
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
there were nearly 8.6 million STEM jobs
in May 2015, with seven out of the ten
largest STEM occupations were computer
related.
With the big push for science, tech-
nology, engineering, and math (STEM)
education in schools these days, you
might wonder what you can do at home to
boost your kids’ sense of curiosity, prob-
lem-solving, and STEM skills — plenty,
even with younger kids! The good news?
You don’t need to be a math whiz or sci-
ence buff to explore STEM topics with
your kids.
2) Watch fun science videos togeth-
er on YouTube. Some standouts include
NatGeo Kids Cool Science Experiments
and Bayer’s Making Science Make Sense
videos. In Bayer’s kid-friendly films, for
instance, kids get the low-down on in-
triguing topics such as What Makes a
Curveball Curve?, Why Do Ice Cubes
Float?, When Do Fish Sleep?, What Is a
Shooting Star?, and How Does a Micro-
wave Work?
3) Encourage participation in
STEM clubs. In younger grades, you
might find Lego Builder’s Club at school
or in the community. In some middle
schools and many high schools, your child
might be able to join an after-school cod-
ing, web development, engineering, or ro-
APPLY TODAY!
Now accepting K-12 applications for FALL 2019
Choos CSAT
• Extensive career prep
• Diverse K-12 student body
• No tuition or entrance exams
• High graduation rate
• Award-winning music groups
• 12 varsity sports teams
• Individualized career pathway opportunities
Charter School for Applied Technologies
www.csat-k12.org/openenrollment
(716) 710-3068
26 WNY Family December 2018