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This is a source that was recommended by a scientist in the Bay Area.
RAFT – Resource Area For Teaching
http://www.raftbayarea.org/educator-resources?gclid=CK_M5b269M8CFQgOaQodL58IEg
I just found this source of hands on activities on Engineering — Check it out!
I just got another link to great learning resources that focus on Earth and Planetary Sciences. These could be adapted to create a hands on activity for a teen cafe. These are from NSTA.
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The screencast recording of today’s webinar
NSTA Resources for NGSS in the Earth and Space Sciences
has now been posted on the webinar’s webpage
http://nagt.org/nagt/profdev/workshops/ngss_summit/NSTA_NGSS/index.htmlPlease watch it and share it with your colleagues.
The next webinar in this series will be on October 13, 2016 and will feature Michael Wysession (Washington University St. Louis) speaking about
Introducing Teachers to the Next Generation Science StandardsWatch the website for more details and registration information as they become available.
http://nagt.org/nagt/profdev/workshops/ngss_summit/index.htmlPatrick, do you participate in the Ocean Summit or other ocean related national events with your teens attending the cafe program?
Teachers are generally aware that not all students can participate in specific out of school activities and thus they give them many choices or they give them no extra credit. But, whether or not teachers give extra credit for attending a cafe is really not in our control. It is a teacher’s decision.
I strongly discourage it except in the case of enticing the students to check out the program once. If they like it, they will come back. If not, they won’t likely come back unless the extra credit is extremely attractive.
Extra credit in itself does not remove the element of free choice. We have some teachers who give a limited amount of extra credit to teens that participate in any STEM activity outside of school. All teens have a choice of what to participate in or to not participate at all.
An element of choice is lost when teachers require the teens to write up a summary or do something else to demonstrate they were at the program and actively participating.
There is no reason that cafés cannot be held in the summer, but given the busy schedules of teens and their work in the summer, it is a bit harder. That said, the Boulder group hold one each summer.
In my town, the teens do not want to have them in the summer. Most do a lot of traveling or work.
Excellent point Lawrence. So many teens are overbooked and struggle to keep up, much less do their best work. Having really good communication up front on the expectations for teen leaders is very important.
My piece of advice is to listen to the teens. The teen leaders are vested in making the program work for their peers. The teen participants have their own perspectives about what the experience should be. Listening is the number one skill for leading teens.
We decorated for our zombie café and that went over pretty well! And we have had themed food, such as hot dogs when learning about the domestication of dogs, doughnuts when learning about crime scene investigations, and nuts and grains when learning about the early evolution of humans.
I suppose the why not only has to do with not thinking creatively! Any topic could inspire an artistic touch for the atmosphere at a teen café.
@Ann Boes – Ann, how is your teen leadership team organized? What is the secret to their listening and good communication skills?
@Ann Boes – Is this the activity?
http://edge.rit.edu/content/P09041/public/Biomechanical%20Hand%20Activity%3AFinal%20Lesson%20Plan
Looks like fun and a great learning experience!
