IF/THEN Coalition Member Education Resources

As we all know, these are unprecedented times.  While Lyda Hill Philanthropies has been working for years to ensure  that everyone “has a seat at the table”, the current crisis further emphasizes the importance of making sure we have every possible resource contributing to the development of viable solutions to the challenges our world is currently facing due to COVID-19.

We continue to invest in science and are working closely with groups across the country to think about how we can best facilitate these solutions.

At the same time, we are acutely aware that many Americans are faced with wearing multiple hats: teacher, parent, employee, community volunteer, etc.   With kids home from school and attending classes online, both parents and teachers may be looking for extra resources and activities to keep kids learning (and entertained while we’re trying to take conference calls!).

We thought it might be helpful to share with you some of the amazing content being produced by our IF/THEN Coalition members. The below resources are all currently being offered for FREE, so we encourage everyone to take advantage of such engaging content!

We will continue to update this page as we learn about other great educational resources to share.

 

Nepris

Nepris is giving every parent, student, and educator unlimited access to their live Industry Chats and Video Library so students can continue learning from home.  This web-based software platform enables individuals, organizations and classrooms to virtually connect with industry experts. IF/THEN® is collaborating with Nepris on this “white-label” version of its platform to bring real women STEM role models into classrooms, homes and nonprofit programs. The platform has a variety of playlists to allow parents, kids and educators to select the industry/field of interest to them.

DonorsChoose

If you are a teacher—or know a teacher—in need of resources for your class, visit DonorsChoose.org, which fulfills over 1.3 million classroom requests ranging from Green Alternative Energy Kits to headphones to printing ink to robotics kits

Mission Unstoppable

Want to learn about some of the leading female STEM stars?  Watch the new CBS show hosted by Miranda Cosgrove, Mission Unstoppable. Episodes feature women in STEM in a variety of fields from robots to sharks and astronauts to ice cream. The show airs nationally every Saturday morning on CBS (check your local listings for time) or you can stream for free online at CBS.com. Be sure to visit the Mission Unstoppable YouTube channel to find more short features on women in STEM and DIY experiments.

GoldieBlox

Watch Goldie Blox’s Fast Forward Girls series on YouTube. Each episode features an aspiring young female meeting two professional women working in STEM who show just how transformative a STEM career can be, and then choosing one of the women to be her mentor for life. Some of the amazing mentors featured in the show include an ice cream architect, a slime scientist, a conservationist using drones to stop poachers, an instrument designer and other STEM superstars.

NBC News Learn

The Olympics may have been postponed, but you can still watch what it takes to be an Olympic and Paralympic athlete in NBC Learn’s 10-part video series “Changing the Games”, produced in collaboration with the IF/THEN® initiative!  Athletes such as Katie Ledecky and Haley Anderson discuss how they achieve success, as well as the factors–and people–that play a role in their accomplishments.

SheIS

Learn how STEM intersects with sports in the entertaining miniseries "STEM Meets Sports", produced by SheIS. This series tells the stories of women in a variety of professions who are all involved in sports at varying levels. Check out the series on the SheIS website and on the STEM Meets Sport YouTube channel.

Ad Council

The Ad Council's She Can STEM campaign provides many resources featuring women paving the way in STEM. Check out their YouTube channel for videos of DIY projects, young girls interviewing pioneers in STEM, and more!

National Geographic

Don’t let being home stop your adventurous spirit! Go to the National Geographic Educational Resource Library to explore and learn about the world. They are offering online resources and curriculum for all age ranges, from pre-K through 12th grade, along with free online classes for educators. Families can also sign up for the Explorer Classroom Daily Broadcasts every weekday at 2PM EST.

Additionally, for the first time, National Geographic has developed a virtual tour of the ”Becoming  Jane Exhibition” in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute.  Learn about the incredible life and findings of Jane Goodall through a virtual experience transporting you into Gombe National Park with Jane and the chimpanzees.

Girl Scouts

Have no fear, Girl Scouts can still earn patches at home through the Digital Do Gooder Patch Program! The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas are this and many other resources for all children, including a virtual field trip at The STEM Center of Excellence, at-home STEM activities through Camp Invention, the opportunity to learn about a variety career experiences through Nepris, and Facebook events.

Additional resources and tools include the following:  (1) Mask-ER-Aid Patch Program, in which girls can sew protective masks for hospital partners; (2) Disease Detective Patch Program, to help girls better understand COVID-19 and be empowered to take action to help fight the spread; (3) Okay to Say Patch Program, which promotes mental wellness for girls K - 12 in an age-appropriate way, and (4) several Raising Awesome Girls articles, including  Talking to Your Girl About Coronavirus, Beyond Virtual Field Trips: Distance Learning During Coronavirus School Closures, Help Kids Cope With Disappointment In the Face of COVID-19 and even Got Upset and Yelled at the Kids? Here are Three Ways to Make Peace

 

Association of Science-Technology Centers

Calling all middle school students! The Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) created a digital interactive comic book, “Transmissions Gone Viral,” to help students understand how diseases can spread from humans to animals and to other animals in an entertaining and informative format. They also provide a resource guide for parents and educators to use as curriculum.

Teach For America

Need help talking to students about coronavirus or learning how to be a great virtual teacher?  Teach For America has created a document to help support the nation’s communities and teachers during this time, and has compiled a comprehensive list and wide variety of helpful resources.

National Children's Museum

The National Children’s Museum has collected an extensive list of various activities kids can do while at home, along with a list of free resources for parents and educators, including as how to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 with children.

Girls Who Code

Closing the gap of gender in technology and changing the image of what a programmer looks like can begin at home with Girls Who Code online computer science educational activities. Each week, activities of varying difficulty levels will be released and can be downloaded freely.

U.S. Soccer Federation

Not only are the U.S. Women’s Soccer players worth watching, but so are the people behind the curtain making sure the team stays healthy. Check out U.S. Soccer Women in STEM to see profiles and videos of some of the remarkable women in STEM supporting U.S. Soccer, from a Sport Scientist to the Senior Manager of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trainers.

World Wildlife Fund

World Wildlife Fund is connecting educators and parents with the resources and tools to helps kids continue exploration of the natural world through their educational guides and activities. Some of the exciting toolkit topics include Sea Turtle Conservation, Food Waste Warrior, Elephants, and Biodiversity.

Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media

Being an organization whose main goal is to improve gender representation in film, TV and streaming services, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (GDIGM) has created an educational children’s program in collaboration with PBS titled “Guess Who?”. Videos can be found on YouTube or the GDIGM website with parent and teacher resources to spark discussions with kids!

Skype A Scientist

Calling all group leaders, teachers and families - Have you ever wanted to Skype a Scientist? Well, now you can! Just complete the form on their website, and they’ll match you with a scientist who will suggest a good time to connect. You will then be able to have a one-on-one Q&A session with your scientist. There are also classroom lesson plans and resources for teachers to help guide their class.

STEMConnector

Check out STEMConnector's "What's Working?" webinar series.  The second webinar, which will take place Wednesday, April 8th at 2 pm ET will highlight currently available virtual resources that the Actuarial Foundation, Tata Consultancy Services, Imagine Learning and the TGR Foundation have available to prepare students for STEM careers and increase student retention in STEM education pathways. To register, please click here

Ambassadors

AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador Anamita Guha and the QiSkit Community team have created an engaging and fun Quantum Activity Pack for kids to learn about quantum computing at home.

Many other Ambassadors are producing educational content and we will be posting additional links on our website.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Just because a museum is closed doesn't mean you can't explore!  Experience the Perot Museum's Origins: Fossils from the Cradle of Humankind exhibition like never before through their virtual Google tour that lets you up close to the two ancient species that National Geographic and the Smithsonian named among the most important discoveries of the past decade.

Wildlife Conservation Society

When you can't go to the zoo, Wildlife Conservation Society will bring the best of it right to you!  Be sure to visit the Virtual Bronx Zoo, along with a variety of other digital resources, including Stay At Home Science, Watch at Home Science, and Field Site.