Welcome to Vivify’s Blog!
2020 Hour of Code Resources + Unplugged Coding Activity
Schools across the world will participate in an Hour of Code on December 7-13th as part of Computer Science Education Week. Check out our must-watch inspirational coding videos plus low-prep activities perfect for social distancing or distance learning.
10 Must Have STEM Tools
Are you a new STEM teacher? Looking for a STEM activity in music or art? Are you introducing 3D printing? Our list of 10 must have STEM tools covers everything from robotics to unplugged learning, free resources, and some brand new products that just hit the market! We hope you enjoy this list of back to school STEM tools!
10 Easy STEM Career Classroom Activities
Do you talk about STEM careers in your classroom? Perhaps you don’t have a STEM background and feel intimidated. Or maybe you know about certain careers, but you are looking to expand your knowledge of the diverse field. We can help! Read on for strategies to bring STEM careers to life in your classroom! Through activities that connect STEM to student interests, we will show you how to easily engage kids with the exciting possibilities of real-world STEM.
10 Amazing STEM Family Night Activities
Planning a STEM or STEAM Family Night? Read on for 10 amazing activities that will engage the whole family! From painting with robots to creating a paper circuit, these activities will take your STEM Family Night to the next level!
Get Your Elf Off That Shelf with STEM
Do you participate in the Elf on the Shelf tradition? Take the Elf antics up a notch by adding some STEM flair. We have compiled a list of our favorite ways to both entertain and educate using Santa’s little helper.
Hour of Code Resources + Unplugged Coding Activity
Schools across the world will participate in an Hour of Code on December 3 - 9th as part of Computer Science Education Week. Interested in participating or enhancing your lesson plans? Check out our must-watch inspirational coding videos plus helpful blogs and websites on teaching coding. No computer? No problem - try out our favorite unplugged coding activity!
Ultimate STEM Gift List
Tis the season for shopping for STEM gifts! Looking to score something fun and educational for your kids or great deals for your classroom? Read on for our favorite STEM toys and learning tools to add to your holiday wish list. Everything is sorted by age including some holiday treats for yourself!
Bolt: Is Sphero's Latest Robot Worth the Hype?
With the release of BOLT, Sphero has added some cool new features to their traditional robot design, including an animation matrix, light sensor, and BOLT to BOLT robot communication. They have also updated the Sphero Edu app, so robots can also connect to Chrome, Mac and Windows computers. But at $149.99, are these features worth the extra $20 over the popular SPRK+? Read on for an in-depth look at 6 new BOLT features plus 3 awesome STEM activities for your classroom set!
Must Haves for a STEM Lab
It’s a new year and you likely have new goals, grant money to spend, or maybe just a renewed enthusiasm for inspiring and instructing young minds! Whatever the case, there has never been a better time to gear up your classroom or home with the latest and greatest STEM gadgets and tools. We are have compiled a list of “must haves” to enhance your STEM space!
5 Tips for STEM Learning with Sphero Robotics
All my middle school students came back to school this year bragging about their newest Christmas gift - a Sphero robot! Since we have spent the last couple months programming SPRK+ robots in our afterschool Space Club program, I will take this as a positive sign of success! Students love how quickly they can learn to program, never get bored with the endless games and challenges, and have fun showing off their dancing, flashing, spinning robot. Read on for more tips and tricks on teaching with Sphero robots in your classroom or program.
STEM Family Night Planning Guide
STEM Family Nights are awesome! They generate excitement for STEM in your school and community by allowing students, teachers, and families to explore STEM together in a fun way! I planned my first STEM Night this past November, and after a big success, we planned three more! We worked with each middle school campus to create a family night that best fit the school culture, and we were excited to have over 400 participants engaged in activities each night. We got the whole school involved from administrators, teachers, coaches, student organizations, and parents to put on a meaningful night of STEM exploration. Want to plan your own night? Read on to learn how!
STEMpressive Find Friday - Programming Products and Coding
In continuation of our series exploring and reviewing products relating to science, technology, engineering, and math, today we will make a quick dive into the world of computer programming and learning to code!