#BackToSTEM Chat Archive

Thank you to members of the science after school community who joined us today on our terrific #BackToSTEM chat!  There were so many excellent ideas, resources and comments that came out of this chat, so we archived it here for easy reference.

Thanks again to our phenomenal cohosts: The National Girls Collaborative Project (@NGCProject), The Afterschool Alliance (@Afterschool4All) and the New York Academy of Sciences (@NYASK12).  Thanks also to our featured Tweeters, the Partnership for Youth Development (@NOLAYouthDev) and the Coalition's Director, Carol Tang (@CarolTang1).

If you missed today's chat, don't worry!  The community is still using #BackToSTEM on Twitter to share ideas, comments and resources.  Go ahead and post your answers to our chat questions:

• Q1- We're about to start a new school year.  What's your favorite way to get kids excited about science and STEM learning?  
• Q2- Do you plan to incorporate science into other after school activities?  Which ones and how? 
• Q3- Why is it important talk to kids about careers in science? How do you start that conversation?
• Q4- Do you have plans to incorporate a real scientist this year into your activities? How? 
• Q5- What resources would help you feel better prepared to incorporate STEM into your program?
• Q6- Thinking about all of the kids in your after school program, what percentage participates in STEM?
• Q7- What lessons learned from the summer/last year will you use to make sure ALL kids can participate in STEM this year?
• Q8- What's your favorite STEM moment from this summer that you can take into the new year?

Not on Twitter? Post your #BackToSTEM thoughts on our Facebook page.  This week we're also having a deeper conversation about Project Based Learning on our LinkedIn group page.

We're always looking for new ways to connect with our community.  Have a great idea for the next Twitter chat?  A photo of your favorite STEM moment this summer?  Or maybe you'd like to contribute to this blog as a guest blogger?  Let us know!

Thanks again for a great conversation today!

#BackToSTEM Twitter chat August 15!

Are you ready to start fresh this fall with great STEM activities in your after school program?

The Coalition for Science After School will host a Twitter chat Wednesday August 15 at 12PDT/3EDT about getting ready to start a new school year - and a new year of after school -  full of programs rich in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).  

During this conversation, you will have the opportunity to share your tips for getting kids excited about science, discuss strategies for incorporating science into other after school activities, and learn about STEM resources and best practices in after school science education.

The chat will be co-hosted by The Coalition for Science After School (@sciafterschool), The National Girls Collaborative Project (@NGCProject), The New York Academy of Sciences (@NYASK12), and The Afterschool Alliance (@Afterschool4All).  

Featured Tweeters joining us will be other special guests from community organizations who are bringing STEM into learning experiences, including the Partnership for Youth Development (@NOLAYouthDev), the Executive Director of the National Afterschool Association Gina Warner (@NatAfterSchool), and the Director of the Coalition for Science After School Carol Tang (@CarolTang1).

To join the chat and see what others are saying:

1. Go to tweetchat.com and search for the hashtag #BackToSTEM.
2. You do not need a Twitter account to follow the chat, but you do need one to comment or ask questions. If you need to set up a twitter account, you can sign up at http://www.twitter.com. It’s free to join and only takes a minute.
3. To join the discussion, sign into TweetChat using your Twitter account and enter your tweets in the box at the top of the page. TweetChat automatically includes the hashtag for you.
4. Each tweet is limited to 140 characters (including the hashtag #BacktoSTEM) but feel free to multiple tweets to pose a question or respond to a comment.

The Coalition's Twitter handle is @sciafterschool.  Feel free to submit questions in advance, either by sending us a message on Twitter or emailing them to sarah.elovich@berkeley.edu. 

Looking forward to seeing you on the chat!