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When that final school bell rings, it's not always the end of the school day, but often the beginning of another adventure. For so many kids, afterschool programs are that special place – a cozy, safe, and super fun environment where learning keeps blossoming, friendships grow, and imaginations soar. These programs are pure gold, not just for the amazing kids who attend them, but for the countless working parents who rely on them every single day. And here's the magic part: research consistently shows that kids who dive into quality afterschool programs actually do better! They truly thrive.  The Awesome Ripple Effect of Afterschool Fun Imagine a tiny pebble dropped into a pond, creating ever-widening circles. That's exactly what happens when kids get involved in great afterschool programs – a beautiful ripple effect of positive vibes and fantastic outcomes:
Getting Creative to Keep the Good Times Rolling Here's the honest truth: even with all this undeniable goodness, many afterschool programs face a tricky puzzle – how to keep the fun and learning going strong, especially when budgets are tight. It takes a whole lot of heart, creativity, and smart solutions to make sure these vital services are there for every child who needs them. And that's where we come in!   STEM in a Box®: Igniting Afterschool Adventure (and Smart Solutions!) Imagine bringing exhilarating STEM adventures right into your afterschool program, not just for fun, but to make your program shine even brighter and possibly even help with that tricky budget! STEM in a Box® offers an incredible opportunity to do just that. Our programs are packed with engaging STEM tools and lessons that transform curiosity into real-world skills. We're talking about experiences that parents will rave about and kids will beg to come back for! Our programs are designed with a secret ingredient – they don't just teach, they spark crucial 21st-century superpowers:
By embracing smart, innovative solutions like STEM in a Box®, afterschool programs can continue to be those incredible havens where kids grow, learn, and truly blossom, setting them up for a future that's bright, bold, and full of possibility! 
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 Something cool is happening – more and more students are realizing how awesome coding is! From what they're doing in class to after-school clubs and even just messing around at home, kids are jumping into the world of computer programming. This isn't just a passing fad; it shows students understand that coding is super important for shaping the future and giving the next generation some serious power.
There are tons of reasons why coding is catching on like wildfire. For a lot of students, it’s this amazing mix of being creative and thinking logically. It's like a digital playground where they can make their ideas real – building cool interactive stories, designing fun games, and even making robots do stuff! This hands-on way of learning turns it from just listening to actually making and figuring things out. Diving Deeper with STEM in a Box: Making Coding Click For students who are really curious about coding, STEM in a Box® is a fantastic way to explore and learn. They get to play with visual coding languages like Scratch. With its drag-and-drop system, even younger kids can get the hang of the basic coding ideas without getting bogged down in complicated typing. By snapping together colorful blocks that represent different commands, they can make characters move, create animations, and design interactive projects – which really helps build their problem-solving skills. As they get more comfortable, they move on to text-based coding with Python. STEM in a Box programs often guide them through learning Python step-by-step, breaking down tricky stuff into easier chunks and getting them to apply what they learn through cool projects. But it’s not all about screens! These programs also know that learning with your hands is important. Tools like Scottie Go!, with its physical coding tiles, offer a unique and fun way to understand how coding logic works without even needing a computer. And coding robots like Qobo add another exciting and practical element. By guiding Qobo through mazes, telling it to do things, and solving challenges, students really boost their problem-solving abilities in a tangible way. Fueling Your Coding Journey: Great Resources to Explore Solo For anyone who wants to check out coding on their own, there are tons of great resources out there. Code.org is a really popular platform with loads of free coding tutorials, projects, and stuff for both students and teachers. Whether you're a total beginner or want to level up your skills, Code.org has engaging and easy-to-follow ways to learn different programming languages and ideas. And definitely check out the Hour of Code! It's a global thing with tons of one-hour coding activities designed to show everyone that computer science isn't scary and that anyone can learn the basics. These short introductions cover different coding concepts and are for all skill levels, so it’s easy for anyone to jump in and see what coding is all about. The Hour of Code is all about sparking curiosity and maybe even inspiring students to dive deeper into this awesome field. Coding in the Age of AI With AI tools that can actually write code popping up, it makes you wonder about teaching coding. While these tools are pretty cool for making development faster and automating some of the routine stuff, it’s still super important for students learning to code to really develop their critical thinking skills. Understanding the basic logic, how algorithms work, and the problem-solving behind code is still key. Students need to learn not just what the code does, but why it does it and how to build it thoughtfully. This deeper understanding helps them fix problems, adapt to new situations, and come up with their own innovative ideas instead of just relying on what AI spits out. It’s about building real coding smarts, not just being able to use code someone else wrote. The growing love for coding among students shows how powerful it is for boosting creativity, building important thinking skills, and getting them ready for the future. Whether it’s through STEM in a Box lessons or exploring on their own, getting into coding is an empowering journey that opens up a world of possibilities and gives students a crucial skill for today and tomorrow. So, why not give it a shot and unleash your inner coder? We are pleased to announce that our product STEM in a Box® has won in this year’s Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Best of 2024 within the Primary Education category.
The Tech & Learning editorial team have shared that “The awards bought a huge number of high quality entries. Our panel of industry experts judged the winning products to be those that were most impactful in helping schools improve teaching and learning throughout 2024. Every winner should be really proud of their accomplishments - a well-deserved congratulations from the entire awards team.” We’re thrilled to have won this award, if you would like to see our winning product then please click here STEM in a Box Programs. You can read more about our success on the Tech & Learning website, in the regular newsletter and other promotional channels from the publication in the coming weeks.
 It’s the perfect time to get your STEM in a Box® programs organized and ready to inspire! With so many exciting tools and activities, it's easy for things to get a bit mixed up. Use the tips below to get your STEM in a Box in tip-top shape.
1. Inventory Time! Before you dive into organizing, make sure you have everything you need. Use your packing slip as a checklist to verify that all the tools and components are accounted for. Check for any missing pieces so you can address them before your STEM adventures begin. Click here for help. 2. Sort and Conquer! Once you've confirmed your inventory, it's time to sort those STEM treasures. We recommend organizing your tools by STEM categories, our Stations of STEM® (robotics, circuitry, coding, etc.). Zip top bags are your best friend here. Use them to keep all the components for each station together, preventing those small pieces from getting lost in the STEM shuffle. Now that everything is sorted, it's time to create an organizational system that works for you. Here are a few ideas to get started: 3. Create Your STEM Command Center! Now that everything is sorted, it's time to create an organizational system that works for you. Here are a few ideas to get started:
By following these simple tips, you'll be well on your way to a well-organized and inspiring STEM learning environment. A little organization goes a long way in ensuring that your STEM in a Box programs run smoothly!  TechTerra’s Commitment to Hands-On STEM Exploration.
Author: Susan Wells TechTerra Founder, Lifelong Educator As a leader of a company focused on education, and educational technology, I believe in equitable access for all students by giving them engaging, hands-on learning experiences. It’s a commitment that grew out of what I’ve seen in my decades as an educator. And, most importantly, what I’ve seen actually work. In the 1980s, I was in a post-high-school gap year working as a bookkeeper. I dove into the four-volume instruction manual that came with the first desktop computer (the IBM 5150) and taught myself how to use it for efficient bookkeeping. In 1997, I was working at a district office and had the add-on duty of technology specialist. We were piloting the Newton-based Apple eMate — a tablet computer made a decade before the iPad. Then, in 2007, I was serving as a school principal with a large group of non-English speaking students enrolling. This was also the year the iPhone launched, which began a seismic shift in the way people communicate, create, work and entertain themselves. At our school, students needed dictionaries that we didn't have and didn't know how to get (way before one-click on Amazon). So we used the iPod Touch as a translation device. These handheld ‘computers’ made it possible for equitable access to learning content. It was amazing. And transformative. Over the next year or so, we began to see the consumption-over-creation battle escalate — a battle that's being waged in education technology to this day. Teachers found kids staring at screens. A lot. So, in 2009 we sat down, planned it out, and opened our first Innovation STEM Lab. The lab couldn’t have happened at a better time. It gave students the opportunity to be creators, coders, and explorers — not just consumers. The kids created their own apps and video games, they made movies with green-screen technology. They had space to plan, use real tools, and create. They collaborated and communicated, created, and learned critical thinking skills. (Those 4 Cs likely sound familiar. They’re widely considered to be the foundation for 21st century learning and are closely tied to the internationally recognized Next Generation Science Standards.) Our kids were doing. They were hands-on in their learning and building new understanding that extended from the classroom to the world around them. When I moved to a new school district we created our first STEM summer school — very intentionally, a departure from the traditional rinse and repeat work of endless worksheets and memorization tasks. These students were hands-on, planning, building and coding. Again, these students were hands-on, planning, building and coding. And learning core content while fully engaged in their work. They were carrying out authentic meaningful integrated work. And it directly impacted their high-stakes assessments. This notion of doing to learn is not new. My book Foundations of Makerspaces: A guide for creating hands-on STEM learning spaces, provides deep pedagogy and methodology, and compiles best-practice research. Put simply, it’s an approach that’s proven to work. Hands-On Learning Vs. Headphones-On Learning: Noise-Canceling or Knowledge-Canceling? So, here we are, well into the 2020s. This year, I've attended numerous consumer technology and educational technology conferences, from CES to Bett to ISTE. I saw the newest, most-innovative educational tools and products coming into the market. I saw an abundance — an over-abundance, actually — of digital tools. Attendees and, by extension, students were presented with a clear message: “Put your headphones on, go to your silo, stare at your screen and learn math, reading, science…just keep staring at the screen...” Sure, we were forced into a digital environment during Covid. But that was a pandemic — not a plan for long-term success. And it turns out, not an effective way to learn. Research shows the silo wasn't a great experience for young people. We know that it will take years to close the learning gaps that opened during Covid. And we know the solution isn’t more headphones and screen time. I’m not anti-technology. I’ve been immersed in it for decades and built a company with educational technology as a central component. Of course there are times when educational technology is the best way forward. Virtual simulations provide safe practice, for healthcare workers learning to handle live organs, for pilots learning to fly, for underwater welders learning to work with natural gas. Fully immersive digital environments can be a great way to learn. But for kids in schools, the digital environment alone isn’t enough. For STEM exploration, we’ve seen that the digital environment can, it turns out, be detrimental because students can quickly become disengaged. There’s no opportunity to turn to their peers and work together to solve challenging problems. To turn to their live, in-person teacher to ask for help. To connect an actual circuit, collect real specimens, look through an actual microscope, work through a math problem by writing it out on the board. To update an old aphorism: “Teach me to fish by handing me a fishing pole and taking me to a pond — don’t just show me a how-to-fish video.” Ideally, STEM learning should include the four Cs: collaborating, communicating, creating, and critical consideration of ideas. Touching on all four of these essential aspects of learning requires tools, time and space for students to be hands-on. That’s how we learn. That’s how we create. There’s so much research available that shows what makes sense and what works for learners. We should do those things. We should honor students enough to give them the chance to be engaged, to do something interesting, something where they have voice and choice. We should encourage deep exploration and passionate discourse. And we’ve seen that this happens when we give students something to physically do. It happens far less when we require them to sit still, stare at a screen, and touch a screen only when it is time. This is TechTerra’s mission: let kids actually DO something — all kids, in every school, from every background. Every child deserves the chance to be an active participant in their learning-journey. And quality STEM education is an essential part of that journey (and a good STEM (STEAM) program always includes the arts and humanities). By providing all students with hands-on tools, we ensure that they have the opportunity to explore, experiment and excel. Unleash Curiosity and Spark Passion for Science! Calling all curious minds! Get ready to explore, discover, investigate, and create with the brand new Phenomena! STEM Activity Cards!
These engaging cards are designed to ignite a passion for science and exploration in young minds. Dive deep into fascinating real-world phenomena and embark on a journey of endless learning and wonder. Here's what makes Phenomena! Activity Cards so special:
Phenomena! STEM Activity Cards are the perfect tool for:
TechTerra Education enjoyed a highly successful year in 2023. Our product, STEM in a Box® was recognized with multiple awards. These accolades highlight the company's dedication to excellence and its commitment to high levels of student engagement by merging hands-on STEM exploration with standards-aligned curriculum.
Among the notable awards received in 2023 are:
After far too long, TechTerra is headed back to ISTE. We'll have lots of giveaways, fun freebies, and of course all of the best and latest STEM tools for you to explore. Stop by Booth #3016 to meet us!  TechTerra Education is thrilled to share some news about Google’s exciting new Classroom support tool, called Practice Sets! Practice Sets, available to teachers using the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, as well as schools using Google Workspace for Education Plus, allows teachers to transform their own content into engaging Google Classroom assignments. Students are given immediate feedback, and built-in resources offer real-time hints and support if students are having trouble finding an answer—easing work for teachers while reducing learner frustration.  TechTerra has been working behind the scenes with Google, providing feedback and advice on all the ways this powerful software can be an asset for teachers and students. Now TechTerra is partnering with Google to lead Practice Set Academies across the globe to help educators make the most of this great new tool. If you are attending the ISTE Conference, there is an opportunity to see practice sets in action. You may even be able to join an on-site Practice Sets Academy to learn more about this exciting new Google Tool!
Check out our advertisement all about TechTerra's STEM in a Box™ in the latest edition of EdWeek Magazine! |
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