Welcome to Vivify’s Blog!
Top Resources for the 2024 Solar Eclipse!
Many classrooms around the world are gearing up to view a spectacular event—the 2024 solar eclipse! To make this cosmic phenomenon an unforgettable and enriching experience for both educators and students, we are excited to share the best resources for celebrating the solar eclipse! We also share a free Solar Eclipse Explorer Kit filled with teacher slides, an editable note to families, and tons of resources to plan a solar eclipse party or celebrate in your classroom or home!
A Neuroscientist’s Top 5 STEM Activities for Kids and Families!
Do you have kids interested in life sciences? We asked Maria Garza, a graduate student in neurobiology at the University of Texas at San Antonio to share her favorite activities! Read on for some toys, apps, and games to delight your students followed by some Vivify STEM lessons!
Some background on our guest blogger: Maria works with animal models to study how molecular mechanisms in the brain impact behavior and cognition. As a scientist, wife, and mother, she hopes to encourage other women and girls interested in STEM. Maria is also the founder of Women In Neuroscience, a public platform where women share their experiences in neuroscience, in order to create an atmosphere of support.
How to Host a Virtual STEM Family Event!
We miss our packed STEM Family Nights that included students and parents working together to launch rockets, build towers, and make slime! While we wait to bring back in-person events, we have put together a guide for hosting an all-virtual STEM event that will encourage families to step away from the computer and complete a hands-on project together!
From selecting activities to marketing, read on for 5 steps to host your own virtual STEM or STEAM family event!
30 Winter STEM Activities
Snow ball fights, candy canes, and reindeer…time for some winter STEM activities for kids! Read on for 30 science experiments, math activities, engineering design challenges, and even coding fun - all with a winter theme! All these activities use simple materials and are perfect for the classroom or at home while stuck indoors.
Thrilling STEM Activities for Kids: Roller Coaster Challenge
Let’s talk about roller coasters! Make the stimulating challenge of creating a roller coaster part of your next STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) project. By using the engineering design process, student teams are tasked with creating a thrilling ride! Students learn about the science of roller coasters, including various forms of energy, and then using common materials such as craft sticks, paper and tape, students design a track for a ping pong ball to land safely in a cup at the bottom. This activity is definitely one of my new favorite STEM activities for kids!
Summer STEM Bucket List Student Gifts
Summer is almost here! Give your students a gift that will encourage them to continue learning all summer long. With a Summer STEM Bucket List, kids will explore, create, and discover things about the world around them in a way that kids (and their teachers) love! Get your FREE printable Summer STEM Bucket List below.
May the Fourth Be With You STEM Activities
It is a time of great opportunity to challenge kids to think critically and teach them the skills required for their future careers! STEM activities are interdisciplinary and project based which makes them exceptionally easy to include in holiday festivities. May the 4th (Star Wars Day) is no exception! Whether you are a Star Wars fan or not, the following activities are an exciting way to enhance STEM concepts and tie in the movies that have traversed the generations. May the 4th be with you!
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!
The Best 3 Back to School STEM Icebreakers
Need a fun, easy team-building challenge for back to school? We have you covered with our favorite three back to school STEM icebreakers! Whether preschool or high school, read on for STEM activities and modifications to get your students moving and working together as a team!
Thanksgiving STEM
We are forever thankful for STEM education and the promising future it gives to our world. From designing a turkey nest for an egg drop challenge to sailing the Mayflower, we have compiled a list of our current favorite Thanksgiving STEM activities for you to enjoy. Don't forget to grab our FREEBIE Thankful for STEM resource!