On Monday, March 30th, Destination Exploration launched “At Home with Destination Exploration,” an initiative to help youth, parents and teachers stay engaged in STEM throughout our time at home. STEM, otherwise known as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, is all around us. Most people think that they’re not a “science person.” Still, Destination Exploration has always been about empowering and inspiring youth, parents and teachers to experience and learn about STEM in their lives. Just because we’re now at home, doesn’t mean that it has to change.
The blog-style webpage will be filled with resources, challenges, activities and helpful hints on how to keep up with STEM at home. Whether it’s catching up on your science unit, learning a skill, making family time away from the tv and screens or just trying something new, Destination Exploration will have you covered. They will post three times a week with fun ways to pass the time.
“Destination Exploration is excited to engage with our STEM Community (from big to small) in this new format! Our day to day lives may look different, but we do know that STEM hasn’t changed. Together we can explore new ideas, create new projects and join others in our love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,” says Valerie Archibald, the director of youth outreach for Destination Exploration. “Thank you for joining us on this new journey!”
The best part of STEM is that there is creativity in all of it. It’s not just following a procedure or working to check a box. It challenges us to think, explore and find ways to improve. Sure, we can make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar, but what if it doesn’t work like you thought it would the first time, do you just give up? No, we all want that “big explosion,” so we’ll try to change the ratio of materials and keep going until the entire sink is covered.
When you give someone a cardboard box, scissors and some tape and say make something. It is amazing what some people come up with, especially kids. They take from their lives and interest, and they’ll build a rocket ship, a new castle for Elsa, or a roller coaster for their stuffed animal. And for the older kids or adults, they usually make something that is going to help them make life a little easier like a phone stand, a “do not eat” cookie jar or a sign asking for coffee. This really is the point of STEM. To take what we have and turn it into something that helps us and others.
Steph Elder, the program coordinator for DE, will be managing this new resource. She is enthusiastic about this new initiative and says, “I am so excited to engage with everyone in this new format. My hope is that it brings families together to learn about all the neat STEM-related things that we interact with every day, but don’t notice or realize. What I’m going to miss is all of the “ah ha!” moments that people get when something clicks. I hope everyone shares what they get up to because that’s my favourite part of all this and really makes my day.”
The hope is that this new resource and their upcoming posts help the community in some way during a difficult time. “At Home With Destination Exploration” will give you something to focus on, something that will engage your little one(s) while you get some work done, something that you can take and run with.
Join Destination Exploration as they explore STEM @ HOME: uleth.ca/destination-exploration/at-home
#AtHomeWithDE #ulethfromhome
Steph Elder, Program Coordinator | steph.elder@uleth.ca
Valerie Archibald, Director, Youth Outreach | valerie.archibald@uleth.ca
