Stage Site

Tag: STEM online learning

  • Taking the ACT? Get Your Best Score Ever with These Top ACT resources!

    Taking the ACT? Get Your Best Score Ever with These Top ACT resources!

     

    Image courtesy of Unsplash

    Preparing for college takes time and effort. You have to think about where you want to go and what you want to get out of it, and on top of all that, you have to worry about finishing high school! So, it would be no surprise if you weren’t too focused on the ACT. Like the SAT, the ACT is a standardized test that gives colleges a general idea of their applicant’s abilities. While some schools emphasize these tests’ importance less, taking the ACT might still be worthwhile. If you receive a good score, it could make you stand out among other college applicants. Many different programs and resources over the years have sprung up to help students get the best score they can on the ACT. Here are 3 top ACT resources.

    This may be the most apparent resource on the list, but you should take advantage of it. Coming straight from the makers of the ACT, this website has practice tests and writing prompts reminiscent of what you will see on actual ACT exams. They come with detailed feedback to tell you precisely what you did wrong and how to improve. You can retake the practice test as often as you want and buy the official ACT Test Prep and Subject books directly on this website. These books greatly benefit an already rigorous practice program, with a choice to get the entire set of individual books on each subject (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science). Everything on the site is entirely free. 

    Founded in 1981, The Princeton Review has a long history of providing students with valuable help in college admissions, test-taking, and education. Their website has many free online practice courses and a full-length practice test. After taking it, you’ll receive highly detailed feedback on your score. 

    If you’re unsure about the ACT, the site hosts webinars on the differences between the ACT and the SAT, so you can decide which one to take (or neither, or both!) There’s also an experimental AI essay-feedback program, supposedly helpful in improving the exam’s writing section. The Princeton Review’s website is far too expansive to cover in one area of one article. It’s extensive; chances are, if you’re looking for something, it’s there.

    While the website might look like little, Erik the Red is a highly comprehensive and enlightening guide on mastering the math section of the ACT. This is an area that many students struggle in, so it’s essential to get the best score you can here. Erik the Red includes lessons and quizzes to help you learn the material and guides on various topics to “game the system” on the ACT and SAT. No, this isn’t cheating, but rather noticing commonalities on the tests and deploying effective strategies to counter them.

    The entire site is run by one man, a teacher and math tutor in New Jersey named Erik Jacobsen. Jacobsen specializes in ACT preparation in physics, precalculus, and math.

     

    These topics fit in at the National STEM Honor Society, an organization dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of science, technology, engineering, and math in students of all ages. Through NSTEM, you can discover even more mentorship programs and opportunities that will help you in your educational journey. Consider joining or starting an NSTEM chapter at your school if one doesn’t already exist.

    By Caleb Taran

     

    Do you want more resources on the topic of top ACT resources? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of searchable STEM resources by category, school level, and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships, and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.

    Project-based learning enrichment provides high school students with college and career readiness. It gives them real-world relevance, transforming students into collaborators and imaginative problem solvers. They will gain the upper hand from enhanced confidence and grit in a global landscape. NSTEM provides these young STEM enthusiasts with a close community of like-minded fellow students and educators.  To start your 9-12 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.

  • 3 Exciting Learning Experiences for Kindergarten Students

    3 Exciting Learning Experiences for Kindergarten Students

     

     

    Photo courtesy of Pixabay

     

    Have you ever wanted to introduce new learning experiences to your kindergarten students? Introducing new learning experiences to your students will help them gain a broader perspective of the world around them. Here are three exciting learning experiences for your kindergarten students. 

       1. Visit your Local National Park

    Taking a trip to a national park is a great way to teach your students how to appreciate nature. Your students will enjoy walking through a lush forest with plenty of wildlife all around them. Walking through a national park is also a useful way to refresh your students if they want to take a break from learning in the classroom. Students will learn how to make observations about the environment around them as well as the characteristics of the animals living there. A fun way for your students to record their observations is to give them small notepads. Ask your students to write down any fun observations they made or their favorite parts of the trip. You can even have your students share their observations with each other. 

       2. Use Online Learning Programs

    Teaching your students how to operate a computer is incredibly beneficial during this time and age. Everyday we interact with technology in order to gain more information or to learn new skills. Introducing technology to your students will help them learn this useful habit. One of the best learning programs for young students is Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a free website available for students. Students can learn basic arithmetic such as counting, addition, and geometry.. Khan Academy Kids is another engaging tool to encourage learning within your students. It is a free app developed by Khan Academy to teach math and literacy skills to young children. Teaching your students how to use Khan Academy will help them get ahead during their STEM studies

       3. Perform Science Experiments

    An interactive method to help your students become interested in STEM is to perform science experiments with them. There are a variety of experiments that can help teach your students scientific concepts such as gravity, density, or energy. One of the most important things a student can learn from science experiments is trial and error. Having your student learn about trial and error will encourage them to have a growth mindset. Making mistakes and learning how to improve while performing an experiment will help them for the future. A simple experiment you can introduce to your students is an observation experiment. Give your students different items and ask them to write down observations about them. You can ask them questions or make comments to help stimulate your students’ thought processes. Experiments are a fun way to teach your students something new.   

    by Nathan Li

    If you would like to see some more science experiment ideas, check out this NSTEM resource. 

    Do you want more resources on the topic of  learning experiences? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable by category, school level and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list. 

    K-2 is where it all starts with STEM education. The National STEM Honor Society focuses on “From K to Career, NSTEM from the Start!” To start your K-2 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.

  • 3 Top Secrets to Crushing the Math SAT

    3 Top Secrets to Crushing the Math SAT

     

    Calculator on a math review book
    Photo courtesy of Pexels

    Are you ready to take on the Math SAT? Being prepared for the Math SAT will make your SAT experience much easier. There are strategies, resources, and tricks that will help you earn a high score on the exam. Here are the three top secrets you need to know to crush the Math SAT. 

       1.Research the Math SAT

    Getting information about the Math SAT will help you prepare yourself for the exam. Having information about the exam material, conditions of the exam, and the resources available to you will increase your chances of getting the score you want. The official SAT website contains information that details what you need to know for the test. The three primary types of math tested in the exam include the Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis as well as some additional topics in math. There is 25 minutes available to complete the no-calculator section, while there is 55 minutes available for the calculator portion. With this information, you can familiarize yourself with the exam to feel less nervous while taking the test. Knowledge is power and having the right information will help you find success.

       2. Practice, Practice, Practice

    In order to achieve the score you want, you need to practice what you learned since knowing is only half the battle. It is important to practice taking the exam with the same conditions as the real test. Remember to use a timer to give you the same time limits as the exam. Make sure to have a calculator and reference sheet ready for your practice tests. Getting used to taking the SAT will help you feel less nervous while testing as well as help prevent mistakes from happening. Another benefit from practice tests is how they allow you to know your strengths and weaknesses based on the answers you got correct or wrong. Most practice tests have an answer key that helps with grading your own test. After taking a practice test, make sure to review the questions you got wrong. You can find official downloadable practice tests at CollegeBoard’s website.     

       3. Use Khan Academy’s Resources

    Khan Academy is one of the best available free resources to prepare for the SAT. Students can watch videos, practice math questions, and read strategies on the website. Khan Academy has custom study plans based on your strengths and weaknesses in different math topics. If you are struggling with a specific question, you can find videos that break down how to solve the question. You can even find other questions that are similar to the one you struggle with for extra practice. The best part is that Khan Academy uses official SAT practice materials to help drastically improve your scores. The website’s design allows you to stay engaged with studying for the SAT since it allows you to create your own study schedule. You can choose to break up your studying between each day or focus on studying for longer sessions for fewer days. The amount of flexibility and ease of use found within Khan Academy allows for more customizable study plans. Visit Khan Academy’s website if you want to start improving right away. 

    by Nathan Li 

     

    Do you want more resources on the topic of  SAT preparation? NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable by category, school level and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.

    Project-based learning enrichment provides high school students with college and career readiness. It gives them real world relevance, transforming students into collaborators and imaginative problem solvers. They will gain the upper hand in a global landscape, stemming from enhanced confidence and grit. NSTEM provides these young STEM enthusiasts with a close community of like-minded fellow students and educators.  To start your 9-12 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.

  • The Top 3 Technology Educators You Should Know as a High School Student

    The Top 3 Technology Educators You Should Know as a High School Student

     Are you looking for resources to help students be inspired by technology? Here are 3 podcasts, with 4 guests in total who have insight about tech in high schools! 

    Student looking at a laptop in a computer lab
    Photo courtesy of Do

     1. The EdSurge Podcast

    This is run by Jeffrey Young, an editor and reporter for EdSurge.com, which is a newsroom that focuses on teaching and learning (Jeffrey R. Young, nd; EdSurge, n.d). On the podcast episode “How High School Should Change for an Era of AI and Robots,” Young interviewed Jim Tracy, a former college president and former employee at K-12 schools, and Greg Toppo, who’s an education journalist (Young, 2022). Tracy and Toppo speak about the fictional book they’ve authored, called Running with Robots. Some of it discusses highschool students collecting literary great Ernest Hemmingway’s writings and making a holograph-like version of him comprised of those writings; and they interact with the holograph. The authors believe that in reality, humans and tech advancements could transform classrooms in innovative ways, and even students themselves could make these tech advancements. (Young, 2022).

    2. Easy EdTech Podcast 

    This is run by Dr. Monica Burns, who is a “curriculum and edtech consultant, author, and founder of ClassTechTips.com.” (Monica Burns, n.d). On episode 168 of the Easy EdTech Podcast, she talks with sociology professor and author of Redefining Geek, Dr. Cassidy Puckett about how to help teens be tech savvy (Burns, 2022). Puckett stated five tips, some of which included keeping frustration and boredom controlled, and determining if the technology a student learns is applicable to what they want to gain from it (Burns, 2022). 

    3. The Love of EdTech

    This podcast is hosted by Kara Hutchinson, an elementary school teacher with tech experience, and Caryn Kelley, a former middle school teacher, with tech experience. Both have gained tech knowledge through working in school libraries (About the Podcast, n.d). They interviewed Jennifer Moorman, a highschool art teacher who spoke about how she instructs her students to use google maps to create a presentation about an artist’s life, using geography. This project helped her realize that students are more invested in class with this project. Students can even see a depiction of a particular place from decades ago. According to her students, she’s learned that they enjoy looking at aspects of the world geographically through this project. (Kelley and Hutchinson, 2022)

     

    These podcasts each contained good insight! Listening to them in full could provide high school students and educators with interesting perspectives on tech!

    by Destini Watson

     

    Do you want more resources on the topic of technology for High Schoolers?  NSTEM’s vast resources database provides thousands of STEM resources that are searchable by category, school level and state. This comprehensive library includes info on enrichment activities, curricula, internships, scholarships and more. Check out a free sampling here. Or get an NSTEM membership today to unlock the complete list.

    Project-based learning enrichment provides high school students with college and career readiness. It gives them real world relevance, transforming students into collaborators and imaginative problem solvers. They will gain the upper hand in a global landscape, stemming from enhanced confidence and grit. NSTEM provides these young STEM enthusiasts with a close community of like-minded fellow students and educators.  To start your 9-12 Chapter of the National STEM Honor Society, click here.

    These resources are from the National STEM Honor Society Resources section of our website for members.  

    View the High School National STEM Honor Society experience here: https://nstem.org/staging/high-school/. 

     

  • STEM education: the Latest and Greatest Resources

    STEM education: the Latest and Greatest Resources

    Getting Started with STEM 

    Image credits

    NSTEM

    NSTEM is an amazing STEM resource for parents, students, and educators. These school- based chapters provide an extensive library of STEM resources; including curriculum, scholarships, grants, events and much more. NSTEM wants to create a lifelong passion for STEM with project- based learning.  Some benefits of joining NSTEM include building a community and culture focused on STEM, an easy to use web- based collection of tools, and motivating students to do their best in STEM subjects and awards and scholarships. 

    STEM rising

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s STEM rising resource inspires, educates, and sparks success in STEM. Resources and events from the National Labs, National Nuclear Security Administration, and program offices, promoting STEM at a governmental level. There are resources for everyone from k-12 students, university and continued learning individuals, teachers, and those in the STEM workforce. The U.S. Department of energy has an array of other STEM resources that are useful in STEM education. 

    Virtual Learning 

    Greenbank Observatory

    This website is a great science resource and can easily be used at home for students. With a wide variety of “try it at home” activities for a wide range from Easy-for-all to challenging. The Greenbank Observatory also provides downloadable family science labs that include printable materials and instructions. In response to Covid-19 they offer virtual tours of the Radio Astronomy and Greenbank Telescopes, and at a variety of time lengths. 

    Code.org

    Take a code break! This site has dozens of episodes lead by Founder Hadi Partovi, with guests such as Mark Cuban and Ashton Kutcher, mini- lessons on computer science concepts, and weekly challenges that cater to everyone. To keep the fun going with online learning, they provide projects and activities that can be done at home. Full courses for students from k-12 as well as beyond teaches computer science at home. Hour of Code is hour long tutorials designed for all ages if full courses are too long. 

    Encouraging Girls in STEM

    Image credits

    Carnegie STEM Girls

    This website is a great resource encouraging girls to pursue STEM. There are many resources showcasing women who have careers in STEM and more STEM careers. They provide a program called “Tour Your Future”, which provides opportunities for middle and high school girls to explore STEM careers with immersive , hands-on experience and site tours with female STEM professionals. There is so much more to explore on this site.

    SciGirls

    This resource has the goal of changing how girls look at STEM. Included in this website is a collection of videos and other documents, also included are resources in Spanish. The videos show the process of middle school girls who design their own investigations on a variety of topics. SciGirls created a set of strategies to engage girls in STEM and all the activities on the site incorporate these strategies. 

    Written by Olivia Kirven

    March 22, 2021

    Your NSTEM Journey Begins Here!