Teaching STEM at Home

California schools have closed in response to COVID-19, leaving parents and caregivers scrambling to find daily activities for their children that are educational and entertaining. Cal State East Bay’s Institute for STEM Education has some recommendations. 

Education Development Center, an educational nonprofit, has been doing research for many years about the best ways to use digital media to connect young children to learning. A brief resource guide is available for parents in English and Spanish.

Tandem Partners in Early Learning, an Oakland-based nonprofit organization, has been posting a weekly storytime on YouTube. After watching a story with a young person, an adult can learn the most impactful, research-based ideas for reading books aloud.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito has published instructions for interactive, fun activities for adults and children to do together. The activities are well designed and emphasize creativity. 

The Exploratorium has lots of activities on its website mostly appropriate for upper elementary through high school students. Currently, they have a very timely series of activities posted to learn about viruses and how they work.

-- Kimberly Hawkins