STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Out-of-School Time programs are ideal for hands-on and engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities; use these resources to help get you started.  If you need additional support or have questions - fill out our Request Technical Assistance form in Quick Links and check out our STEM playlist on YouTube.


Looking for activities you can implement in your afterschool program today? Say goodbye to googling or searching on Pinterest. Use this activity resource to support youth in building an engineering mindset. 

STEM activity 

 

 

  


Family Engagement through STEM Activities

Families play an essential role in their children’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and children are more likely to engage in STEM learning and see the value of STEM when their caregivers have positive attitudes toward STEM. One way to foster these positive attitudes is through STEM focused family events. View the adapted Family Engagement Toolkit for OST STEAM based on the CARE Framework (image below), view the recorded webinar on this topic housed on our YouTube channel and use the Family Engagement Worksheet to help you in your STEM focused family event planning.

CARE tool


STEM Resources with Wisconsin DNR: View these resources and watch the webinar.

DNR logo


Youth Media Production for Beginners with PBS: View these resources and visit StoryMaker for more media production content. Watch the webinar.

Media Production

 

 

 

 

 


Visit PBS to access PBS Design Squad Nation

Design Squad Nation is a TV show produced by PBS that is accompanied by games, activities, and other resources for educators. The website includes games and videos that explore different design projects, individual activities and lesson plans. It is designed for elementary and middle school youth - targeting engineering and project design.

Design Squad Nation

 

 

 

 

 


Visit PBS to access Design Squad Global Club 

PBS Design Squad supports students in out of school Design Squad Clubs where they explore engineering through fun-packed, high-energy, hands-on activities-and partner with a DSG club from a different country. By working on real-world engineering projects that are meaningful and socially relevant to communities around the world, kids begin to see themselves as young engineers with the power to make a difference.

 Design Squad Global


Visit Technovation for free Design Challenges to explore STEM through hands-on activities. 

Curiosity Machine is an online platform for families, teachers, and youth program leaders that provides everything needed to set up hands on engineering projects with simple everyday materials. This resource includes a series of web-based engineering challenges co-developed by scientists and engineers. In each challenge, youth participants are guided through by an engineering mentor. The challenges can be completed with low- or no-cost materials, and are designed such that they can be added to by the online community. They emphasize the creative process of science and engineering. Families, educators, and mentors are all part of the community along with youth participants.

 Design Challenges


Visit the Exploratorium to access Tools for Teaching and Learning

The Exploratorium was designed to make science visible, touchable, and accessible to a wide variety of people—at the museum, online, and in the classroom. They adopt an "explore-for-yourself way of learning" and have developed professional development programs to provide educators with the skills, tools, and support they need to apply inquiry-based learning and teaching in their classes. They also have programs that make connections between the traditionally separate worlds of formal (school) and informal (museum) education and understanding.

 Exploratorium


Do you know any young women hoping to further their STEM education? If so - there are many scholarships available to Women in STEM. Check out this resource article by Madison Trust Company with a listing of scholarship opportunities.