After School Programs  
                                                                                                    

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Robotic Musicians from Tufts University on Vimeo.
Societal Problem Solving:

·         Feed the World

·         Heal the World

·         Clean the World

·         Power the World

·         Respect the World

·         Connect the World

·         Entertain the World

·         Sports of the World

·         Music of the World

·         History of the World

·         Educate the World

 

from WPI/Nobel Skills

 
 

 

Major Goals for Students

  • Place for Fun and Learning using tinkering and design
  • Improve "Life Skills" when dealing with peers and societal issues.
  • See technology as pieces of items to make the world better versus a "Black Box" of unknown items.
  • Look at the world with a view of making things better by innovation and design.
  • Learning in a multi- Discipline environment of Science, Language Arts, Math., Social Studies and Engineering.
  • Tie historical development of the learning item.

 

Possible Course Topics

 

  • Connecting Stories with Design
  • Solving the BUG in your life
  • Work to solve a Societal Problem as listed above
  • Puppets and Robots
  • Film making … Stop Action
  • Create a Super Light show
  • Make a Music box and Program a Tune Electronically
  • Program a weather Forecaster.
  • Light and Optics

 

 The course will be designed with the following characteristics:

  1. Multiple activities around the core theme so students have a choice of projects.
  2. Use of High School/College students as support staff in the learning activity. They can relate to the younger students and provide physical and technical support. It also provides a learning opportunity for them.
  3. Blend history of the science and the people who created the devices.

 

Major Focus

Deliverables

Introduction, ground rules, Habits-of-Mind, Character (Life Skills)
  • Operating principles
  • Role Play

What is Brain Plasticity?

How does this work?

What does it mean for me?

Society?

What problem do I want to work on?

Course Topics above

What do I need to know?

6-hats, Engineering is all around us

 

How do I solve this problem?
  • Design process

Define a solution

  • Working design

Create visuals

  • Drawing, Songs, Dance

Share solutions with others

Learn from others, build on others work!

 

 

 

 

Reference Documents:

Out-of-School Time STEM  (PDF )

Building Experience, Building Bridges Trends, Questions, and Findings from the Field June 2010

 

This report reviews patterns, challenges, and questions developing in the field of out-of school-

time (OST) science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs by drawing on the efforts of some two dozen federally funded programs that participated and presented their work at a conference held in Washington, DC in October of 2009. Reflecting the questions and concerns of both practitioners and researchers in the OST STEM field, the report is intended to inform the work of OST educators, researchers, and funders.

 
Learning Science in Informal Environments

 

The Committee on Learning Science in Informal Environments was established to examine the potential of nonschool settings for science learning.

 

 

 

Proposed Plans

Plan Description
Syllabus for PreK to 2nd grade Overview of a proposed after school program based on Reggio Emilia learning approach
Plan_2 Overview of both the finding Bugs and using stories.
Entrepreneurship What is it?
Design Thinking for teachers Flow map of Design Thinking Process.
Course Design The elements of developing the course
Basic concept of an after-school program that focuses on life Skills learning

 

 

Examples of After School Programs

 

Worcester Think Tank, Worcester MA The innovation Institute, Newtonville, MA
Einstein's Workshop, Burlington, MA Curiosity Hacked, Locations in MA