March 2, 2022 – Steam to Power Your STEM Learning

Hey, Mama!

Gena Suarez, Publisher of TOS

STEM Tools Can Help You Teach

Hey, Mama, 
 
Are you trying to incorporate a bit more technology in your homeschooling? We make use of some educational apps—Chloe, Sani and Zion use the iPad or their laptops for some of their assignments. Apps are especially handy when we’re traveling or on the go. Using robotics is another fun way to teach math and science.

Check out these articles from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine with some good STEM teaching tools:

• STEM, STEAM, What Do They Mean? by Marla Szwast explains these terms and how they can help you teach your kids to be critical thinkers.
• Kendra Fletcher’s Great Apps for Little Kiddos has some ideas for introducing technology to your littles.
• And Getting Into STEM and Robotics at Home by David Cox shows some fun ways to introduce science, technology, engineering and math in your homeschool.

By the way, Mama, I heard you could use some encouragement. Did you know that while these trials are difficult at the moment, they won’t always be? And did you know that even in the midst of these excruciating tests you are enduring, you can be an encourager—even a counselor—to others? You know up close and personally what they are going through; you’ve experienced it firsthand. You’ve cried the same tears, prayed the same fervent prayers. Hoped and hoped, even though you were heartsick.

You can relate, Mama, and someday, you will lay hold to a perspective even more sharply and clearly than you do now. Know God’s word (the Bible) correctly because someday you will be a wise counselor to others. Maybe to a future daughter-in-law. Perhaps to your own grown-up granddaughter. Yes, your child’s grown-up child. Fast forward, Mama—look ahead. God has much to do with your life; it’s not winding down yet. He is preparing you even now for what is to come. He works all things for the good of those who love him. (Read Romans 8).

Bury yourself in God’s word, and grow in Godly wisdom, because deep pain which turns to joy results in a Godly COUNSELOR like no other. And someone in your future needs you. Don’t you dare wind down. Do you understand that? YOU WILL BE NEEDED.

So embrace this period with pure JOY, knowing that the King of kings has a plan for His beautiful daughter—you—even in all of this. 

And it IS a lovely plan. Get through this moment with peace and steadfastness, Mama, so you are ready when He calls you to what’s next. He is with you! He will help you! Don’t think for a minute you are going through this alone. He is holding your hand, and His hand rests on your head.

gena

Can You Speak Chemistry? Fluency in Chemistry for Kids

Did you know chemists speak to each other in symbols? Imagine a white board full of shapes and arrows, or a swirling DNA double helix or a large mass of Tinker-Toy looking connections representing a protein. In my thirty years of teaching Organic and Biochemistry at the college level, I have come to uncover that student success in chemistry relies on understanding how to interpret symbols . . . much like reading music. Research has shown that the ideal time for kids to learn how to read musical symbols and play an instrument occurs before the age of 10. My research finds the same brain plasticity applies with early, eager learners grasping chemical symbols and applying them to writing symbolic formulas and to writing balanced chemical equations.

So much of chemistry is not dependent on math. Chemists understand a world of symbols, and when they look at these symbols, they see molecules ‘dancing’ and interacting with each other, much like a musician looks at music and can simultaneously hear it.

Let’s capture early, eager learners ages 8 to 108 with chemical symbols so that they can become fluent in chemistry and have access to and success in all the wonderful and exciting STEM subjects that depend on chemistry!

Dr. Colleen Kelley is the creator and founder of Kids’ Chemical Solutions (www.kidschemicalsolutions.com), and she is pioneering the introduction of college-level chemistry concepts to kids ages 8+ through her comic-book-based curriculum. Her research shows that kids can master chemistry concepts found at the college level by independently reading her comic books. Dr. Kelley is a chemist at the University of Arizona and has two recent publications in Chemistry Education Research and Practice.

The Terrestria Chronicles: A seven-book medieval series that will challenge your family to serve the King of kings. Captivating! Life-changing! Order at: www.talesofcastles.net

Raising Real Men

Hal & Melanie Young, RaisingRealMen.com

Art is the “A” in STEAM Learning

Hal trained as an engineer – and took all the STEM classes before they were called that. Amid all the calculus, physics, chemistry, and such, he didn’t have a lot of time or patience for liberal arts. They didn’t seem serious enough, when he had labs and projects and analysis to do.

It wasn’t until much later, when we began homeschooling, that he began to appreciate the value of art.

Art is another form of communication. We often think of writing and speaking as communication skills, and they are, but the arts are another form. Whether it’s music, dance, or illustrative art, each of them can carry emotion and thoughts – sometimes more effectively than the written word!

You don’t have to be good at it to enjoy it. There are very few Mozarts or Rembrandts in history, but there are many who learn enough skill to take joy in the creativity. Giving our kids the opportunity to experiment with painting, drawing, music, or other media can introduce them to the basic skills. And in our experience, no skill ever goes completely unused.

Your children may have talents you never imagined. Neither of us are particularly artistic, but our kids are another story. By just making art materials available and encouraging them to experiment, we learned they had abilities we don’t – and we’ve been able to nurture those.

Our God is a Creator, and we are, too. When we build and create, in some way we are following our Father’s example. God empowered craftsmen and artisans to beautify His worship (read Exodus 31, 35, and 36), and when we create beautiful works to reflect God’s creation, we’re adding our voice to His praises!

A great way to introduce your older students to different arts and craft skills, even if you aren’t artistic yourself, is our Craftsman Crate subscription box – teaching real skills with real tools in complete kits – NO trips to the store! Use the coupon code THMCRATE15 for $15 off a three month or longer subscription here!

Your friends,
Hal & Melanie

Diane Heeney

Pillar of Faith
Diane Heeney – Fanning the Spark of STEM

Do you ever wonder what your lifespan would have been if you had lived in another time? Antibiotics, steroids, insulin, statins, and vaccines alone have saved countless people who would have surely been given a death sentence a few generations back. Astounding progress has been made! Where will our future scientists, doctors, and researchers come from? The pandemic has caused an accelerated awareness and interest in STEAM professions, particularly medical.

We need to be on the lookout for that spark in our kids that might indicate an interest in the fields of medicine and research. Is your child strong in math and science? Does she like watching shows like Bionic Vet, and playing virtual surgery games? Is there strength in problem solving and strategizing? Does he show a marked attention to detail? Does your child process information with ease? These are earmarks of a potential future med student.

A Christian pursuing this field will aim to model the Great Physician. So, while the child may naturally manifest the above skills/earmarks, a deepened level of fellowship and communication with Him must be cultivated so that faith, empathy, hope, humility, and servanthood are manifested as well. Fan that spark!

There is so much to learn in God’s wonderful creation. In the Exploring God’s World with Kindergarten Science course at SchoolhouseTeachers.com, you can take your little explorers on an adventure through several early science topics. Check out this course for kindergarten or try another grade in the Exploring God’s world series, available for grades K-6.