Dear friends,
School breaks, vacations, and precious time with families both near and far are coming up. We at Girlstart think there’s no better time to have some STEM fun, together!
So what we’re doing in the month of December is give you a month full of ways to enjoy STEM with your family and friends. We hope it gives you some inspiration to talk about different ideas, try new things, and ask questions you’ve never asked before. Every day, there will be an activity, something to read about, something to learn and enjoy. Because we’re not limited to 31 ways to love STEM, and neither are you, we hope this is just a way to begin the conversation about why STEM is important, how more STEM professionals can make a difference in our world, and make a better future.
I hope that as you have questions, ideas, photos of your activities, you’ll tweet them back to us, or post them on your Facebook pages. We’ll have a few giveaways throughout the month, so please follow us on Twitter and Facebook so that you will be the first to find out!
Best wishes from all of us at Girlstart, and we hope you enjoy your DeSTEMbers,
Ange, Jessica, Julie, Katelyn, Lindsey, Sharlym, and Tamara
Your DeSTEMber elves
December 31st:
3D Designs Using Google SketchUp
SketchUp is a fun way to turn your drawings into 3D! Create your own dream house, skyscraper or a new invention. Get started HERE.
December 30th:
Let's Make A Thermometer!
Thermometers tell us the temperature of our surroundings. Check out this fun activity HERE and make your own.
December 29th:
Lemon Battery
When life gives you lemons- make your own electricity! You can create your own power source with lemons and power a small light or digital clock. Check out the experiment HERE.
Tip- Be sure to use older pennies that are made from copper.
December 29th:
Lemon Battery
When life gives you lemons- make your own electricity! You can create your own power source with lemons and power a small light or digital clock. Check out the experiment HERE.
Tip- Be sure to use older pennies that are made from copper.
December 28th:
Make Your Own Fake Snow
Use everyday soap to make it snow. Watch the experiment HERE.
December 27th:
Rock Candy Experiment
Our friends at the Exploratorium show you how to make crystals you can eat! Check out the experiment HERE.
December 26th:
Green Pennies
The Statue of Liberty consists of approximately 179,000 pounds of copper. Copper is a reddish-brown metal found in pennies too. How is that possible? Turn your pennies green with this fun oxidation activity HERE.
December 25th:
Make Your Own Paper
Environmental Scientist figure out how to make the environment safe and give advice on how to clean the environment. They also help us design safe ways to get rid of trash. This is a great activity to turn used gift wrapping paper into paper you can use again. Get the activity HERE.
December 24th:
Track Santa in Google Earth!
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets. Once data is collected on December 24th, it is then pushed into the Google Maps and Google Earth so that families all over the world can also follow Santa. Check out the high tech tracker HERE.
December 23rd:
Marshmallow Catapult
Here is a fun twist to a Girlstart favorite. Engineer a catapult to launch a marshmallow across the room (make sure there isn't anything breakable in the room first). Marshmallow Catapult
Materials:
- duct tape
- 3-5 paint stirrers
- marshmallows (instead of a ping-pong ball)
- wooden spool or block
- 3 oz. paper cups
Find the Design Squad activity HERE.
December 22nd:
Secret Messages
Discover how to decode secret messages and make them yourself! Get the activity HERE.
Secret Messages
Discover how to decode secret messages and make them yourself! Get the activity HERE.
December 21st:
STEM Is Everywhere: Make Your Own Perfume
There is tons of science in creating perfumes. Today our friends at SciGirls teach you how to make your own! This is a great gift idea too!
Get the SciGirls activity HERE.
December 20th:
Cookie Conversions
Use conversions and fractions to discover the original sugar cookie recipe! Click HERE to start cooking!
December 19th:
10 Strategies to Get More Girls in STEM
Click HERE to read the 10 strategies for improving the participation of women and girls in STEM from the White House.
December 18th:
Crystal Ornaments
Become a crystallographer as you create a crazy crystal ornament. A crystallographer is a scientist who studies the forms and structures of crystals. Get the activity HERE.
December 17th:
Did You Know...
As snow falls, snowflakes connect to make even bigger snowflakes.
Join Girlstart TODAY at the Bob Bullock Te xas State History Museum for a free frosty STEM extravaganza from noon-2pm! Explore snowflake chemistry, igloo engineering, gingerbread architecture and more hands-on fun. The whole family will discover the mysteries behind this magical time of year!
December 16th:
Steve Spangler: Grow Your Own Newspaper Tree
December 15th:
Snowflake Science
Can you name the five common shapes of snow crystals (or snowflakes)?
Click here to discover how snowflakes form and make your own unique shape.
December 14th:
Google Earth Scavenger Hunt!
We have some very exciting news from Google.org to share with you today!
Visit earth.google.com for the adventure of a lifetime! We've listed a few of our favorite discoveries HERE.
December 13 th:
Exploring Wind Energy
Students convert toy cars into wind-powered cars by building and attaching turbines. Download the online module HERE.
December 12th:
Postcard from Girlstart: Circuit Messages
Participants from Gilbert Elementary School created circuits using buzzers to learn about transferring electrical energy to sound energy.
December 11th:
Postcard from Girlstart: Alumna Emma shares her story
December 10th:
Gingerbread Architecture!
Design a gingerbread house with math
Activity HERE
December 9th:
Science Friday!
Does it sink or float?
Test and compare the mass and the ability to sink and float of different
materials to determine the best material to use in building a container.
Click HERE to get Girlstart's activity on the Talking Science Blog!
December 8th:
5 Tips for Encouraging Girls in STEM
There are a lot of ways to encourage girls to think about STEM in their every day lives, AND make it fun. Click HERE for 5 tips to encourage the girl in your life in STEM.
December 7th:
December 6th:
Program Postcard: Williams Elementary School
Check out pictures of the Girlstart participants exploring the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline HERE.
December 5th:
STEM Activity: Download the
Girlstart Career Catcher!
December 4th:
Postcard from Girlstart: Alumna Bertha shares her story
December 3rd:
Pantry Science: Using cabbage juice as a pH indicator
Click HERE to make this at home this weekend!
December 2nd:
Science Friday!
You're the forensic scientist today.
Click HERE to learn how forensic scientists investigate
the solubility of various inks on the Talking Science Blog.
December 1st:
