Making Connections to the Real World - STEM Health Technology Workshop

One of the things which I feel Dumpling benefited a lot on from our early years homeschooling is that she was supported in her interest in the world around her. We made the decision to homeschool her because of her inquisitiveness and this was evident in the way she used to (and still does) question about things around us and how things work.

With the formal education system, to be honest, I feel that there's only so much that the school and teachers can do in extending on the topic of inquiry due to limitations on time and resources. At the start of last year, I organised a private STEM workshop where the children learnt about Aviation. Through the hands on team project, the kiddo understood about "thrust" and "drag" but in a really engaging manner.

In December last year, I helped coordinate another STEM workshop which is on Health Technology. The session was conducted by Yen Siow from Discovering without Borders where she is also the founder of the organisation. The objective of the workshop was to educate the children about the functions of our hearts, the biology behind it and the health technology that supports doctors. 

Yen started off with the introduction and leading the discussion with the children on the functions of the heart.

Yen, during her introduction 

A close look at the chambers of the heart. Can you spot the holes along the walls? 

 One of the workshop participants holding an occluder
(this wire mesh helps to close up holes in heart)

 Dumpling, together with her cousins, listening intently to Yen

Besides discussing closing holes in the heart, the children also learnt about heart rate, the clogging of arteries, diet, etc. Having 3 boys of her own, Yen is no stranger to engaging young children. In the workshop, Yen got the children to do a series of exercises to measure and chart their heart rate, something which they thoroughly enjoyed! 

Children holding on to "plank" for a minute to get their heart rate up

Documentation: an important part of Science. Here a participant documented her heart rate after each activity

The authenticity of the workshop shows in the sharing by Yen. Through creating their own ballooning "procedure" the concepts are made meaningful to these young participants. 

Understanding blockage in the arteries and the ballooning procedure

One thing that I learnt from Yen's workshop is that it always consists of a STEM challenge where the participants engage in a group project in building a "device" / an invention. What I personally appreciate is that Yen provides mainly recycled materials for the children to build their projects with. From a parenting perspective, I find this a good approach as I believe that children should also understand that they can have fun and build their own toys too, as opposed to parents buying them toys all the time. 

 

In the STEM design challenge that morning, the children were given a case study. From there, they are told to look into the "issues" of the person and to think up a device which will help the person.

The children broke out in teams where they then collaborated on the drawing and the planning of their devices to help the patients

Clearly someone had too much junk food!

Science, to me, is beautiful that way as it encourages children to question, think critically and to explore. So, when it comes to such workshops where there's group collaboration, projects and presentation, I usually take a backseat to listen and observe instead of stepping in.

The children were all given chances to speak up, explain and present their devices to their peers.

R demonstrating how the device works like a timer


A really cute device from another group

The device Dumpling's group came up with is a robotic dog which is able to scan and measure BP and Heart Rate, as well as dispense medication. The robotic dog (code name Alex LOL) has an inbuilt voice activated phone which the patient is able to make emergency calls too. (Seems like they watched Baymax too many times)

What I really like is that Yen's workshop goes beyond the school syllabus as the children are exposed to a larger spectrum of things and unit of inquiries. The topics are about the real world and it is about equipping our children with an understanding about the world and how they can contribute to it using STEM. I am amazed at how she was able to bring topics like Health to a level that these children not only understand but show interest in. 

The hands-on activities are of course a winner in my books. It is through the "doing" and the "tinkering" that give these children time to process and internalise, something which I find lacking in many of the instructional classes children attend these days. The STEM challenge is of course the cherry on top as it serves to tie in all the discussions they had where they now put their understanding to the "test".

The challenge encourages creativity which is clearly something Yen advocates. As she made her rounds to talk to the participants, she also probed them to think deeper with her line of questioning. She was both encouraging and enthusiastic, something which the children caught on as they happily shared and bounced their challenge ideas with her.

After attending 2 of her workshops and witnessing how the children enjoy the activities, I intend to make this a regular thing (once every 2 - 3 months) for Dumpling and her friends. If you like to join our private workshop, please drop me a line at beanienus(at)gmail.com :)

Discovering Without Borders

contact@d-w-b.org

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649652445258369/

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A fluttery affair at Science Centre Singapore!

Do you know that the butterfly:

• Has 4 wings?
• Can taste with their feet?
• Can see red, yellow and green?

Those were amongst some of the things that the kiddo and I learnt about in our recent visit to Butterflies Up-Close! Developed in partnership with Sentosa’s Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom (BIK), Butterflies Up-Close takes visitors on an immersive journey through all four stages of a butterfly’s metamorphosis – from egg to adulthood and the kiddo and I, had the chance to tour around in this latest exhibit at the Science Centre Singapore.

We are not new to the whole metamorphosis process having previously bought a kit where we witnessed the process and then setting them free. But we still found loads to marvel at, when we visited Butterflies Up-Close at the Science Centre recently.

:: The set up

One of the latest exhibits at the Science Centre Singapore, Butterflies Up-Close is segregated into 4 zones, with the last zone being the enclosure. The exhibition is simple but well thought through.

The first zone was an “introduction” from a higher level where even a World Map is placed and children can learn about some of the different butterfly species from around the world before entering the exhibition. This is where we also saw a breath-taking artwork ~ made with more than 4 thousand wings (none of the butterflies were killed for this artwork but they were specimens carefully collected by the artist over many many months). (See pic below) 

The second zone focuses on "orientation" where a key feature are big fibreglass models of a big Atlas Moth and a Jezebel butterfly so that hildren can see the main differences between the 2.

The third zone is a walk way through of the life cycle of the butterfly with fun facts where children can lift up the ladybirds to unveil the information panels and read the information.

Pic above: our guide S, getting the kiddo acquainted with the life cycle

Above pic: information panels are peppered with fun facts on these beauties

To encourage children to read up and go through the 4 zones, a small butterfly booklet is handed out where children can look for various stations at the different zones to emboss on the booklet. (See pic below)

:: The Enclosure 
The enclosure is the last part and definitely the best part of the exhibition where it is a small air-conditioned area with a dome in the centre of the room. The butterflies at the enclosure are all free range where you can observe them up close and personal.

Above pic: butterflies lapping it all up!

A glass case stands on the left side of enclosure where chrysalis and cocoons are hanging in it. I love how pretty the metalic colored chrysalis are in this case. These are all "live" chrysalis and cocoons which are slowly metamorphosing.

Here's a fun fact: do you know that the chrysalis of butterflies are different from species to species?

Look at how large the Atlas moth is!!!

Be advised that these butterflies are quite "inquisitive" and do not shy away from visitors. Over the hour that we were there, we had some that landed on our heads, shoulders, bags, and even hands. The kiddo was unfazed as frankly, they do not bite or cause any itch so she was pretty cool with them. 

The variety of butterflies there is amazing. They are specially brought into this enclosure where the temperature is specially controlled and some of them have host plants specially brought in too. 

Just check out these colorful beauties! 

(Check out the bevy of beauties)

If you are looking at an educational spiel to this, the dome houses 2 stations where one shows the magnified butterfly parts while the other allows children to interact with the exhibit to see the iridescent colors of the butterflies as they "glimmered" and "shone" at various angles. 

The enclosure is not a large one but one can easily stay there for an hour to 2 if you take the time to sit and observe. We did just that and I even managed to observe the proboscis (tongue) of a butterfly where it curled and uncurled! Here's the clip to share! :) 

Our hour there flew by so quickly that the kiddo actually asked to head back again. This will be a lovely place for an unhurried morning where you can just enjoy the cool temperature and beauty of these butterflies. 

Now, in case you are not aware, the Science Centre Singapore has waived off all entrance fees for Singapore citizens on off-peak period. Hence you only need to pay $10 for an adult / for a child and $8 for senior citizen to visit this exhibit. (Details can be found here.)

:: Location 

15 Science Centre Road

Singapore 609081

Tel: (65) 6425-2500

Fax: (65) 6565-9533

Facebook page 

Click here for a driving map / bus information

Disclaimer: We were invited to visit Butterflies Up-Close so that we can share our experience on it. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both to the kiddo and my furkid), food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Giveaway + Review: Young Scientists magazines!

The kid and I love Science, no doubt about it. That's one of the things that we really benefited from homeschooling. With Science, the beauty of it is that it is evident in our daily lives where we can often find a topic to discuss and talk about even during walks.

Some of our more interest experiments include dissecting owl pellets, making water disappear as well as learning more about Mr Seahorse. With each topic that we go into (and it is often child-led), the kiddo would ask more about the topic and it would often lead to our many trips to the library to hunt for suitable resources.

Even now that we are in formal schooling, I still try to make time for her to explore Science at the home front. It was some time last year when we chanced upon some Science magazines - Young Scientists, at Popular bookstore which the kiddo stood for a long while flipping through the sample copies.

:: What is it?
The Young Scientists is a magazine for children presented in a comic format. The magazines come in 4 levels - 1 through to 4 where 1 is for Primary 1 & 2 (introduction to Science) and level 4 covers lower Secondary Science topics.

Past issues (e.g. for the year 2015) are sold as a box set of 10 issues.

:: Contents Page
Importantly, The Young Scientists magazine is based on the latest Singapore MOE syllabus. Hence the content and concepts covered map back to the Lower / Upper blocks in the local primary school's syllabus.

Organization of information
The information presented each month are in a consistent manner where it is placed in sections such as "Main Course", "YS Detective", "Do You Know", "My Body", etc.

:: What I really like
Based on my understanding, the topics in the Lower Block are Diversity & Systems, and Cycles, Energy & Interactions. A quick look shows that in each issue, these lower block topics are covered.

The information and concept are introduced via a comics format and with this style, the expressions of the characters are often exaggerated. I have often seen the kiddo, after reading the content, flipped back to the earlier pages to look at the illustration again.

Here some things which we really like:

A) The various sections
1) "Everyday Science"

The topics are very much current issues which I feel are really useful for children to be aware of. From the building up of the awareness of guide dogs

To educating the readers on dengue being a major concern in Singapore, this section (very much like the others) is presented in a very engaging manner.

The pages also come with "interesting information" and "vocabulary" blurbs at the bottom.

2) Do You Know?

Being naturally curious, this is one of the sections which I often flip to for all the issues. There are often interesting and cool facts shared about animals (e.g. marine animals, pets, etc).

Just check out the cool Thaumoctopus Mimicus below!

It can impersonate up to 15 animals including a sea snake and a lion fish! That's a major talent! *gasp*

 
3) YS Detective Agency

Science is good for making inferences and the YS Detective Agency section does just that. In each issue, YS Detective Agency is presented with a case to solve. From food poisoning to murder to "mysterious" accident, Froggie and his team solved them all.

What I like about the stories / cases are the questions Froggie and his team asks where they can then draw hypothesis and conclusions. I feel that through the stories shared, it helps to hone the reader's critical thinking and problem solving skills.

I feel that the series is really informative and engaging and is a perfect way to introduce your children to Science concepts.

B) Practice Papers
To test understanding of concepts, 10 sets of practice papers are included in each box set. These are useful checkpoints on the child's understanding if parents wish to extend the activities / discussions as it also maps back to the same Science topics:  Diversity & Systems, and Cycles, Energy & Interactions.

For older children, I feel that they can also be left to do the papers on their own and then check against the answer key. My kid tried it out on her own interest too. 

All in all, the kiddo and I highly recommended this series as it is truly engaging and informative!  

Excited much? I am pleased to share that I have 3 box sets of 2015's The Young Scientists magazines to give away! 

1 x 2015 Level 1 Collection Set (For Pri 1&2)

1 x 2015 Level 2 Collection Set (For Pri 3&4)

1 x 2015 Level 3 Collection Set (For Pri 5&6)!

Just participate in the rafflecopter below!

:: Terms and conditions:

1) As the sponsor is based in SG, this contest is open to Singaporeans with a local address only. 

2) The prizes are not transferable and they cannot be exchanged for cash.

3) Only entries via Rafflecopter are valid. 

4) Answers to the question via rafflecopter MUST be listed in the comment box below to qualify. Please remember to leave your name and your email address. 

Please also indicate which level (1, 2 or 3) you wish to win! 

5) Closing Date of Giveaway: 22 May 2016, 2359 hrs.
6) Winners must respond to my email within 48 hours otherwise, they will be given to another winner. 

7) The giveaway is not endorsed, associated with administrated by Facebook. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored giveaway. We are not compensated for the post. All opinions expressed are entirely ours. 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Homelearning: Subscription boxes - Green Kid Craft

Even with the decision to enroll her into formal education 2 years ago, I have always been sitting on the fence when it comes to the issue of formal schooling. The questions that always lurk at the back of my mind are "Are there more things to life than just textbooks?", "Does Dumpling find her learning meaningful?" and "Do the activities and lessons propel her interest and natural sense of curiosity?"

Frankly, even now that she's in Primary 2, these questions still linger. Granted that English is taught in a more meaningful manner (Stellar) where children acquire grammar rules and vocabulary through specially selected story books, but the idea of engaging children in meaningful hands-on learning (in my opinion) seems to be somewhat lacking.

Hence I started my research on subscription boxes last year where I ordered Green Kid Craft, Little Passports and Junior Explorer. Each was specially chosen to map an area of interest that Dumpling has. These boxes were not and are not sponsored but I thought that they are pretty neat for some of you who wish to do more and do something different with your kids :)

:: History

Green Kid Crafts prides itself on being a green company that focuses and provides education activities for children with their boxes which is very much STEM based but with a little something special - all the activities are craft based.

Green Kid Crafts is a mother’s invention, created by a working mom and environmental scientist who wanted to make the most out of the limited time she had to spend with her kids. Like many other parents, she wanted to spend that time connecting with her kids, not scrambling for ideas and shopping for supplies. 

Why Green you may ask? It is because they are eco-friendly and are committed to the following:

Its boxes are 100% recycled. We use recycled labels and envelopes for shipping.

It integrate eco-awareness into our box themes as much as possible.

It minimize packaging and printing and use recycled materials.

It bundles materials using plant-based, compostable clear bags.

It avoids craft foams and plastics.

It ensures supplies can be composted, recycled and/or reused whenever possible.

It gives back. At least 1% of sales is donated to environmental organizations through its membership in 1% for the Planet.

From a parent's perspective, it is definitely a box puts my mind at ease where I know that the kid is not exposed to any toxic paints and materials.

:: How it works

Each box comes with 3 - 4 activities and you can choose a "once off" boxes or a subscription box (based on 3 months, 6 months or a 12 months plan). Besides subscription basis, Green Kid Craft also offers Discovery themed boxes that features cool themes such as Robots, Ocean Science, Kitchen Science, etc., Creativity themed boxes and STEM science kits (there are some which overlap into the Discovery themed boxes).

So you then choose the "type" you want and then add to cart.

The kiddo has tried both the subscription boxes and the themed boxes.

:: How it looks inside 

These are from 3 different kits:

Each box comes with a "intro" card (see above) which shows you the final craft item. The activities are pre-packed into each bag and most of the things you need would be in there (except the odd and end items like scissors, etc).

:: What we like: the activities

Based on the subscription boxes I have researched on, Green Kids Craft is one of those that has the best value. With 3 - 4 activities and full color printed cards / instructional sheets, I find the price (from USD19.95) reasonable.

So, how is Science being explored in these boxes?

Some activities are more fluid where it is up to you to explore the topical interest.

For us, it is a lot of conversational points. From the leaf pendent (yes, the leaf and paint were included) and the decoration of a Fabric bag, we had a chance to talk about leaves and their roles, types of leaves, global warming (based on Dr. Seuss poster below!), etc.

One of our favorite activities was a chance to build this:

This was from one of our monthly subscription boxes and yes, all the leaves and fern and even the soil, were included in the pack. Considering that the box had to travel about 3 - 4 days to Borderlinx (which is where I ship it from) and then to SG, they did remarkably well :p

As the kiddo built this, she created her own "rainforest" and with a lid over this, it was turned into a self sufficient terrarium. Over the next few days, observations were made and she saw first hand the water cycle process. 

Another interesting experiment she did was this which was on sounds:

Our conversation went like this:

(Placed salt into the balloon and I blew the balloon up)

Me: why is there sound now?

Kiddo: hmmmm...

Me: what's the difference in the balloon?

Kiddo: You blew it up! Now there's air!

Yup! Sound needs (medium) air to travel 

When I asked her which is her favorite activity to date, she selected the Lava Lamp.

As you can see, the talking points are also included and these are printed on the experiment card (see bottom of the card in the picture below)

:: The shipping

This has to be the greatest concern for most of you readers who are not based in the US. I ship my boxes via Borderlinx. Borderlinx recently started an economy option for parcels from US to SG (there are certain size and weight limitations) but via this economy route, my shipping was about SGD17.

For Economy, the delivery takes longer (which I do not really mind - about 7 to 8 days so far as compared to the regular option which takes about 3 - 4 days but at about double the cost too). It is trackable BUT I realised that it does not involve a door to door delivery. The postman merely placed it in my letter box (found out after 2 days when I was trying to trace my box!).

On the whole, Green Kid Craft has been great in occupying the kiddo where she can be left to her own devices, craft and learn at the same time. The activities are usually quite simple and I personally feel that they are great for younger children (K1 onwards) if they are able to read the instructions on their own. Having said that, this will also suit children who enjoy craft and are new to Science concepts. If you are looking at specific Science inventions and concepts for your children, this will not be for you but if you are looking for a fun experimental box which encourages hands-on learning, I personally think that this box has great value. Based on the multiple awards that it has won, I don't think I am alone in thinking so.

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review + Giveaway! JJ's Science Adventure - Magnets

Science was a very big part of our homeschool journey at home when Dumpling was a preschooler. As a young girl, I was always intrigued about how things work. It is with this same curiosity that I got Dumpling onto the same path as we would read up about life sciences, conduct experiments and where I would teach her to ask questions and discuss hypothesis.

Aurelia Tan is an ex-educator who has taught Science for more than 15 years where she has observed that children acquire information differently based on their learning styles. Hence Aurelia's Comics for Education (ACE) was 'born' where it uses stories to engage young readers to learn about science through their adventures. 

:: The Story

JJ's Science Adventure - Magnets is Aurelia's first book which she took 2 years to complete. Mapping back to the MOE syllabus, the story is set in a Science fiction fantasy where Jonathon and Joyce, a pair of siblings, are the 2 main characters.

It was Jonathon's and Joyce's birthdays and their grandfather Professor Tan, a Scientist, invited them to his laboratory where he has prepared their presents. Mr. Sinister, a villain, stole a box - World Maker before the siblings arrived who, in a twist of fate, accidentally claimed it back. They soon discovered that one of the bags which their grandfather gave, transforms into a robot while the other is a portal bag. With a ‘key’, the twins entered through a portal into a different realm and that started their adventure into ‘World of Magnet'.

:: The Learning

Dumpling read the book in one seating and she was able to discuss properties of magnets after the book. The concepts were clearly explained through the plots like how ‘like’ magnets repel and ‘unlike’ magnets attract.

What I also enjoyed was how knowledge was also infused into the story line using real examples such as how the MagLev in Japan uses magnetic repulsion to reduce friction. :)

Another example was the use of magnetic stripes in our key cards as well as some credit cards. The information is brought down to a level where children are able to understand easily.

:: The Illustration

Unlike the other stories Dumpling has read, this story is depicted in a comic form. Though there were more complex properties being explained, the illustrations were useful as they were easily understood.

There were humourous moments too which had Dumpling giggling as the expressions on Joyce’s and Jonathon’s faces. 

Some dialogue also cracked her up.

This book is a really easy read and informative if you wish to introduce Science to your children. And here's the exciting part!

I have not 1 but 3 autographed copies of JJ's Science Adventure - Magnets (with a personalised message) worth a total of more than $50 to give away!

Earn credits using Rafflecopter below: 

Do remember to leave a comment on the comment section on "What is your favorite Science topic in Primary School and why?" Please include age of your child. (See Terms and Conditions below).

You can share this post with your friends on your FB page to earn extra credits!

(For Singapore residents only) 

The more credits you earn, the higher your chances! :) 

:: Terms and Conditions:

- This giveaway is for families with Primary school students only. 
- Entries that do not fulfill the requirements stated will be disqualified without notice.
- A comment must be entered to qualify for the giveaway. 

- Winners will be notified by email, through the email address provided. 

- This giveaway is for Singapore residents only. 

About Aurelia Tan

As an educator, Aurelia has encountered students with a myriad of different learning styles. Some of them are unable to reach their maximum potential owing to a mismatch between the way they acquire and process information and the way information is delivered to them. This has often impeded the students' ability to learn, particularly those with learning difficulties. It was also observed that most of these students are not motivated to read and many of them do not find Science interesting. Thus, Aurelia has endeavoured to produce an enjoyable learning tool - JJ's Science Adventure as an alternative medium for children to learn Science.

Aurelia is trained as a primary school teacher at National Insitute of Education, Nanyang Technology University. She has more than a decade of teaching experience and has taught in local primary schools and in Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC). Aurelia pursued a psychology degree from Murdoch University (Australia) in 2008 and graduated with First Class Honours in 2011.