Monday, July 07, 2014

Free BioScience Classes for Kids at Rosedale Library

Vintage - Scientist
A photo on Flickr from user Florida Fish and Wildlife. Creative Commons license.

Here's a cool bit of news, kids in grades 2-6 can sign up for a free BioScience class at a local library.

The DC Public Library Summer Reading Program theme for 2014 is "STEAM" which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. As part of the programming, Rosedale Library is hosting free Bioscience classes for children next week, July 14 through 17th.  Pre-Registration is required.


The kids will build models of plant and animal cells and learn why cells are important to life.  They'll use magnifying glasses and microscopes to examine everyday items in extreme close-up.  And they'll learn about bacteria - how some are beneficial and some can be harmful.

Classes start Monday, July 14th and run through Thursday, July 17th at the Library.  There are two sessions for different ages:

Level 1 - Grades 2 and 3 - 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Level 2 - Grades 4, 5 and 6 - 3:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.

To sign up, visit the Library at 1701 Gales Street.  For more information, call Ms. AnnClaire or Ms. Tammaric at 202-727-5013.

The programs are sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline in partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science and DCPL.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

WTF is wih adding "A" to STEM?

Which of the following doesnt belong:

A) Science
B) Technology
C) Engineering
D) Arts
E) Math

Its like at a meeting someone said they should have a STEM program, a very popular buzzy acronym that does actually have specific meaning and seeks to define a perceived deficiency in US education. Then some a--wipe, was like "Hey, what about arts".

And the proposer of the STEM program was like, "Yeah, but that defeats the purpose of STEM"

"But we can't forget about the arts"

"Yeah I know, but they kinda get plenty of that elsewhere"

"But we can't forget about the arts. WE CAN CALL IT STEAM!!"

Someone else "I like it"

Original STEM proposer "OK fine, but why dont we just call it AFSJYLIS, All the F------ Subject You Learn in School and stop trying address something specific?"

Anonymous said...

actually the specific subject of these subjects is Engineering. Engineering is a very specific study that includes the S, T, and M that leads to the very specific skill of engineering. All the other subjects are general skills that can be applied not only in engineering, but also physics, computer science, musical composition, bio chemistry, etc.

the arts introduces the general skill of creativity. an essential skill if one is to make NEW scientific breakthroughs, NEW software breakthroughs, NEW creations of materials, NEW mathematical discoveries.

curmudgeon said...

Anon 3:23 -- After decades in physics, about the only hint of congruence between scientific and artistic creativity I've ever seen is that an awful lot of scientists play an instrument. The type of intellectual creativity one uses in math, the sciences, and engineering is typically pretty different from the type of creativity one uses in the arts.

That said, one could argue that giving kids the opportunity to be creative in any field, including the arts, helps them develop the courage to be creative at all -- which I agree is crucial. To get anywhere, you have to be willing to fail.


Anonymous said...

This is way cool, which I were a kid.


-Robby AKA Uncle T

Anonymous said...

My taxes are paying for them, so I would hardly call them free.

heyktb said...

As a science teacher for 26 years, I can tell you that there is not a "perceived" lack of science literacy in our population (2:16) but a profound lack of basic science and computational skills. This impacts all of us, for those that do not understand basic science tend to not support scientific research either through funding proposals or by voting for people who actually accept science fact over science fiction. Just look at the number of political candidates and their vocal pundits who dismiss hard data as negotiable. We ALL need to be aware that there is a very real possibility our government and our courts can be lead by those who believe that evolution is a scam or that global climate change is a left wing, tree hugging conspiracy. Do you remember the last Republican debate when all but Huntsman said they did not "believe" in evolution? No one is asked to "believe" in evolution. They are asked to evaluate the data that supports evolution. Belief is to accept without proof. This is the crux of the problem. Please hold the snarky comments (I can hear them welling up in your throats)
for this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. It will cost us ALOT more down the road if a kid can't think critically and understand how to evaluate a simple data chart...and not mindlessly accept as truth the endless diatribes of pundits championing anti-science agendas.