family resource broch 8

7/31/2019 Family Resource Broch 8

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A Guide for Parents Science: Its a Family AffairScience:Its a Family Affair

A Guide for Parents

San Francisco Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area


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This guide is made possible by the Gordonand Betty Moore Foundation. OtherTechbridge unders include Stephen BechtelFund, Noyce Foundation, Chevron, AmgenFoundation, Yahoo! Employee Foundation,Cisco Foundation, PG&E, Google, Autodesk,

and Stellar Solutions.Written by: Maria Anaya, Linda Kekelis,and Jennier Wei

Photography: Marilyn Hulbert, Amy Snyder,Tim Grith, the Tech Museum o Innovation,

and Techbridge sta

Design and Layout: Edmonds Design

Print Production:Solstice Press

Special thanks to theCaliornia Academyo Sciences, theExploratorium,Lawrence Hall

o Science,and the TechMuseum oInnovation,or theircontributionsto this guide.

We would alsolike to thank the

Techbridge amiliesor their input.

For additional copies o this guideor Spanish or Chinese versions,please contact:

Techbridge7700 Edgewater Drive, Suite 519Oakland, CA 94621

510.777.9170www.techbridgegirls.org


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It is never too early to begin to helpchildren think about and plan or theiruture. Its okay i they dont knowwhat they want to be or i they changetheir mind along the way. What isimportant is to start the conversation

now about their utures andexpose them to a wide range

o careers.

In this guide, we shareideas and scienceprojects or you totry at home. Wealso prole science

and technologymuseums in theSan Francisco Bay

Area and provideactivities or you to

do during your visitsto these museums as

well as ideas or ollow upat home.

C

hildren start out curious and eagerto make sense o their world. They

make observations and come to you orthe answers. This guide is meant to helpsupport your childs sense o wonderand to encourage your amily to explorescience together.

You dont have to be anexpert in science toprovide your childwith condence to besuccessul at science.Making time tosupport your

childs interests andproviding a varietyo opportunitiesto explore sciencecan set your child onthe path to nding alielong passion in marinebiology, biotechnology, orchemical engineering.

Why is the sky blue?How do birds fly?

What makes leaves change colors in the fall?

Introduction


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4

{{Approach theworld with curiosity

and you will helpspark an interest in

science.||

Even i you dont have a scienceor engineering background,

you can play an important role inyour childs learning. Approachthe world with curiosity and

you will help spark an interestin science.

Research shows that intelligencecan be developed with eort. As

Parents Make a Differenceparents, you can teach your childthat the brain is like a muscle thatgets stronger and works better themore it is exercised. In the aceo challenges, children with this

type o mindset are more likelyto be persistent and successulin math and science. Make sureto highlight the importance olearning rom mistakes.


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www.techbridgegir ls.org 5

Here are some everyday tips and resourcesto encourage learning and amily un withscience and engineering.

lEncourage your child to share herdiscoveries. Ask your child to share oneidea or lesson that she learned in school.

lScience is all aroundand in the media.Movies, television specials, magazines,newspapers, books, and computerprograms requently present science-

related topics. Talk with your childabout the science she encounters. Whatinterested her? What did she learn?

lTake advantage o the learningopportunities in everyday activities.Take an extra ve minutes to study howthe gears on a bike work and involve

your child in repair projects that require

measuring and mathematics.

lTry setting a dinner-time traditionoasking each amily member to share aquestion she asked hersel that day, orsomething she wondered.

lKeep a amily science journalorscrapbook o experiments and other

activities, including pictures.lTurn o the TV and spend a day

playing board games and puzzles.Look or games that promote problem-solving and spatial skills such as jigsawpuzzles, checkers, chess, and tanagrams.Print or create a puzzle or your child atwww.puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.net.

lCollect specimens and scientifcdata like a real scientist! CitizenScience projects rely on the eld

work o people like you and yourchild. Find a project near you atwww.scienceorcitizens.net.

lConduct your own science airproject. Visit www.sciencebuddies.orgor over 1,000 science air projectideas, answers, and tools or you and

your child.

lGive the most important git oallyour time. Make time to talk

with your child about her interests anddreams or the uture.

{{It is one thing

to talk about

engineering or

technology, it is

quite another to

meet engineers and

learn more about

what they do. I wish

there was more o

this available.||


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Try it Out: Science at HomeDid you know that many scientists and engineers knew by eighthgrade what they wanted to be? They recall activities they did at homeor lessons rom school that sparked an interest. Even i your child isntinterested in a career in science or technology, you can support a buddingengineer or biologist by encouraging tinkering and creativity. Try out ahands-on activity together at home and you may inspire Americas next top

inventor or scientist!

The ChallengeImagine you are an engineerand must nd a way to deliver

water to a rural village in SouthAmerica. Design and build adevice to saely drop a cup owater rom a height o at least 7eet. The goal is to build a cupthat can hold as much wateras possible during the drop,without covering the top othe cup.

Materialsl paper and pencil or

sketching designs

l one paper cup

l paper

l tape

l paper clips

l rubber bands

l plastic bagl straws

l string

Try it Out: Drip Drop

Here are some ideasto keep in mindwhen working withyour child:

lLet your childtake the lead inhandling materialsand giving

directions.lWork as a team.

Dont be araid tohave un. Whenyou get excitedabout learningsomething new,your child will too.

lGive your childtime to think andexplore. Silenceoten meansthat your child isthinking aboutwhat is going on.

Directions1. Gather as many o the

materials as you can nd

around the house.

2. Brainstormwith yourchild possible designs orthe device using availablematerials.

3. Have your child sketch outthe designon a sheet opaper. Talk to your child

about ideas on how to makesomething all slower, staybalanced, and land upright.Make connections to thingsyour child may already knowabout like parachutes.

4. Work together to createthe device. As your child isbuilding, ask open-ended

questions about the design.

5. Encourage your child topredictwhat will happen tothe device and the water.

6. Ater the device is ready,nd a high place that youcan drop the cup rom, suchas a ladder, deck, or a chair.

Test the device with yourchild and see how muchwater stays inside the cup.Note: I doing this indoors,you may want to place a

cover on the foor to absorbany spilled water.

7. Follow up the activity with adiscussion using the guidingquestions.

8. Go back and makeadjustments to the deviceand retestuntil your child is

satised with the results.


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{{I learn bestdoing hands-on.

||

ScienceConnections

What happened in thisactivity? What orcesacted on the cup as it ellthrough the air? Here aresome simple explanationso the science involved inDrip Drop.

As the cup is released, the

potential energy(energystored in an object) is convertedinto kinetic energy(energy inmotion). Gravitycauses the cup toaccelerate (speed up) as it alls thoughthe air and at the same time drag (orceexerted by the air) causes the cup toslow down. When the cup hits the foor,the kinetic energy changes back intopotential energy.

How does your design work?

Is there another way to think aboutthis?

What things do you think will aecthow your device works?

Why do you think that happened?

What does this activity remind you o?

What orces aected your cup as it ell?

Could you change something in yourdesign to make it hold more water?

What else would you like to try?

Guiding Questions


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I you liked this activity, we suggest theseprojects that you can work on at home:

lZoom into Engineering has lots ointeresting activities with water to try athome. In its Water: Go with the Flowunit, you can make a soap-powered car

with simple household materials. For

more ideas check out www.pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci.

lSnap Circuits makes learningelectronics un and easy. This kitincludes everything you need to make

AM radios, burglar alarms, and doorbellsincluding speakers, snap wires, LEDs,lamp sockets, and motors. Snap Circuit

kits are available rom www.elenco.com.lDesign a model green house. All you

need is a shoebox, recycled materials,and the desire to learn how

you can make homes moreenvironmentally riendly.Along the way youll

learn about energy

conservation andmaterial reuse.

Want More Activities?

{{I had suchun designing and

constructing the

dollhouse! In the

process I learned

about green

construction and

how to solder.||

lReverse engineering (also known astaking stu apart) is a hit with kids.

You can get hairdryers or householdappliances at garage sales or thrit stores.Invite your child to spend an aternoon

with you taking apart the appliance. Visitwww.howstuworks.comto learn howthe appliance works.

lMake a marble roller coaster. Usesupplies ound around your house likecardboard, toilet paper rolls, paper, ducttape, and anything else that can helpcreate a roller coaster ride or a marble.

lDesign and animate with Scratch.Developed by the MIT Media Lab,

Scratch is an easy-to-use programminglanguage that allows kids to create theirown stories, animations, music, and art.Scratch sotware is available or reeonline at www.scratch.mit.edu.

lChallenge your child to buildtoys,games, art, and other un stu. VisitDesign Squad at www.pbskids.org/

designsquad/parentseducators/activities.htmlto download projects like a hiddenalarm or a conetti launcher.

Visit our website at www.techbridgegirls.orgor details on these projects and more ideas.


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When I grow up

Exploring Careers in Science,Technology, and Engineering

{{The role modelsmade me see where

science can take

youother than

a job and white

lab coat. A job

can be creative,

un, and ull o

teamwork.

||

W

ho is working on a uel

cell powered car? Who isdesigning a laptop that kids invillages around the world canuse? As a mechanical engineer ora computer scientist your childcould work on these innovativeprojects.

Scientists and engineers dream

up creative solutions orproblems in peoples lives andcommunities. They ask questionsto better understand the worldand search or answers to makethe world a better place. Asa scientist, your child coulddevelop products and systemsthat save lives, reduce poverty,and prevent diseases. As anengineer, your childcould develop ideaslike solar powered

health clinicsin developingcountries thatprovide care orpeople who cannot

walk to a hospital.


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Not every student willbecome a scientist

or engineer, butchildren should beexposed to theseopportunitiesas well asunderstand

what they needto do in theseelds to ollow

their dreams.I they have thechance to work on

a hands-on projector visit a science

center they will be betterprepared to make inormed

choices. They just might want toollow up and take advanced math and

science classes and explore new interestsin summer programs, which could help setthem on the path to a rewarding career inscience, technology, or engineering.

Parents, you are the most importantand infuential persons in shaping yourchilds uture. As a parent, you can spark,sustain, and renew your childs sense

o discovery in science andengineering. Here are someideas to help your childexplore the possibilitiesor the uture.

lMake summer a time to explore newinterests and careers. Find summerscience and engineering programsin your community or your child toparticipate in. Job shadows and ocetours give children a chance to test the

waters and discover new careers.

lRole models matter! Find someonewhom your child can talk with to learnmore about colleges and careers. Speak

with a teacher or school counselor iyou need help nding one. Check outthe Sally Ride Science series o coolcareers in science and engineering atwww.sallyridescience.com.

lFind out about science enrichmentprograms and events in yourcommunity. Look or those thatincorporate career exploration and besure to ollow up with conversations

with your child. Check out ater-schoolprograms or weekend events.{{I met a lot o

people and all o

them inspired me

to think about my

uture. This made

me thinkthat I

can do anything

i I put my mind

to it.||


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l The demand or scientists and engineers is expected to growby 44% in 10 years. (U.S. Bureau o Statistics)

l As a group, engineers earn some o the highest salaries. Forexample, the starting salary or those holding a bachelorsdegree in chemical engineering is $66,000. (NationalAssociation of Colleges and Employers, 2009)

l Inormation technology jobs will be among the astestgrowing and highest paying over the next decade. (U.S.Department o Labor)

l A study showed that 43% o kids said that role models wouldincrease their interest in learning about science, technology,and engineering. (2010 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index)

Did You Know?

lDuring vacations, include visitsto college campuses in yourtravel plans. College tours can help

your child begin to think about theuture. Many Bay Area colleges havecommunity outreach days oeringtours and workshops or amilies.

l

Introduce your child to stimulatingenvironments. Visiting beaches,wetlands, parks, and airports;designing a garden; or planning ahousehold repair oer opportunitiesor discussing science careers.

lBroaden your selection o amilyoutings. The San Francisco Bay

Area is lled with science museums.Include discussions about careers onthese outings.

For more inormation on careers inscience, engineering, and technology

visitTryScience at www.tryscience.org/parents/se_6.html.


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Discover the Science Near You!T

he San Francisco Bay Areaabounds with science

museums. With their hands-onactivities and expert sta, scienceand technology centers are agreat resource or amily un.

Science centers make discoveryun and can lead to a lielonginterest. An aternoon at ascience center may set your childon the path to becoming a rocket

scientist or electrical engineer.Interactive science exhibitsprovide environments where

children can explore anddiscover.

{{With theirhands-on activities

and expert

sta, science

and technology

centers are a

great resource or

amily un.||

A visit to a science museum canalso make or quality time or aamily. Without the distraction ocomputers and TV, you can ocuson one another and create sharedexperiences and memories.

Looking or a git idea thatyou can use all year long? Buya amily membership to youravorite museum. In just a ew

visits, the membership will pay

or itsel.


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Tips for Visits to Science Museums

Have you ever visited a museum and elt thateveryone was running in dierent directions?Here are some tips to make your amilys visitun and meaningul rom start to fnish.

l Try a scavenger hunt. To aid in your visit,we have developed scavenger hunts or themuseums listed in this guide to provide a un,

interactive way or your amily to experiencethe exhibits. Visit our website to print up ascavenger hunt or your next visit.

l Plan ahead. Let each amily member takethe lead in planning the visit to his avoritemuseum. In advance, fnd activities that arelikely to interest your kids and make themwant to visitinteractive exhibits, take-

home projects, or movies in the large-domedtheater.

l Find unique opportunities. When you arrive,fnd out i there are special events or shows byvisiting the museums inormation desk.

l Spend time investigating. Encourage yourchild to spend time at the exhibits and readthe inormation provided on the signs o hisavorite exhibits. Ask open-ended questionslike Why do you think this is happening? orWhat would happen i? to help slow himdown and encourage an exchange.

l Talk it over. Relate what youre seeing withyour childs interests or experiences inhis lie.

l Set an example and ask questions. Ask yourchild, What could we do to fnd out? Askingquestions and seeking answers is a powerulway to model how new discoveries are made.By looking online or enlisting help rom arelative, teacher, or museum sta, try and fndthe answer as a amily.

l Make the connection. Is your child studyingearth science, physical science, or lie sciencein school? Let your child be the expert andexplain to you the most ascinating concepthe learned in class and how it relates tothe exhibit.

l Follow up on interests. Ater a un day at amuseum, explore some o the topics that your

child enjoyed the most.l Look for books about a topic that caught your

childs interest and have science experimentsto do at home.

l Get out the popcorn and watch a movieor TV show related to science. Be sure tocheck out QUEST, a KQED series that exploresNorthern Caliornia science, environment, andnature. The PBS series, DragonFly, oers unexperiments and games to play. Learn more atwww.pbskids.org/dragonfytv.


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Chabot Space & Science Center

Stay Close and Go Far! Spark your childsimagination by experiencing what it eelslike to be an astronaut in outer space witha visit to Chabot Space & Science Center.From hands-on interactive exhibitions toimmersive digital ull-dome planetariumand large screen theater shows, this centeris ull o experiences that amilies will

remember long past the weekend. Dontmiss your opportunity to see the night skiesup close with the centers giant historictelescopes, open to the public or ree

viewings on Friday and Saturday evenings(weather permitting).

www.chabotspace.org510.336.7373

California Academy of SciencesCount the number o teeth on the albinoalligator, soar through the galaxy, take a

walk on the living roo deck and identiythe native plants and fowers, explore

the 4-story rainorest enclosed in a glassdome, or take a stroll beneath the suraceo the fooded Amazon basin. Home toan aquarium, planetarium and naturalhistory museum, the Caliornia Academyo Sciences oers endless opportunities toexplore with your child. Make sure to stopby the Naturalist Centerbeore leavingto nd resources to continue learning

at home.

www.calacademy.org415.379.8000

{{I love beingcurious and

fnding out how

things work.||


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Lawrence Hall of Science

At Lawrence Hall o Science youcan do science activities, exploreexhibits, ask questions and learnnew things while having un!UC Berkeley sta and students

will help engage you in uniqueexperiences that show how

wondrous the world o science

can be. View the Earth rom spacewithout leaving the ground atScience On a Sphereand explorespace in the planetarium. Get aneye opening panoramic view othe Bay Area rom the outdoorexhibit, Forces that Shape the Bay,hold and touch riendly animals inthe Animal Discovery Room, and

design, build and test your owncreations at Ingenuity in Action.

www.lawrencehalloscience.org510.642.5132

The Tech MuseumMany kids express interest incareers that make the world abetter place but may not realizehow technology is compatible with

such an interest. Help your childsee the connection by visiting TheTech Awards Gallery: TechnologyBenefting Humanityexhibitionand be inspired by the incrediblepeople who are committed to usingscience and technology to benethumanity all over the globe. Learnhow you and your child can take

action in your community to makea dierence. The Tech Museumoers visitors o all ages the Silicon

Valley experience with hands-on,interactive experiences in genetics,earth sciences, alternative energy,

virtual design, microchips andlots more.

www.thetech.org408.294.8324

The Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is anexperimental, hands-on museumdesigned to spark curiosityregardless o age or amiliarity

with science. It attracts the old,the young, the artist, the scientist,the amily, and everyone in-between. Its like a mad scientists

penny arcade, a scienticunhouse, an art studio, and anexperimental laboratory all rolledinto one. You can touch, play, andtinker with hundreds o exhibits.Listen with a deers ears, viewglowing roundworms that havephosphorescence genes, harvest

your own cheek cells, and take a

sensory journey in total darknessin the Tactile Dome.

www.exploratorium.edu415.561.0360


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Girls Can!T

odays challenges in theenvironment are calling or

creative solutions and diverseperspectives. Unortunately,

women are underrepresented inengineering and technology elds.

Its not that girls cant do scienceor dont like math, but startingin middle school some may lackthe condence and interest tostudy these elds or consider acareer in them. While we arentintentionally trying to limitgirls options, we may by theexperiences we provide them.

{{These arethe experiences

that build interest

and give our girls

the confdence to

pursue careers in

engineering in the

uture.||


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l Only 11% oengineers arewomen.

l 19% o APcomputer sciencetest-takers in2009 were emale.

l 28% o computerscientists in 2008were emale.

l 25% oproessionalastronomers areemale.

As a parent, you can make a dierencein a girls uture. Here are some ideasthat may help spark a girls interest in

science and engineering.

lMake sure girls get enough timetinkering. Some girls may not havethe same opportunities as boys to play

with games and toys that developspatial skills. Research shows that

young women arrive at college withless hands-on experience than males,

which may make advanced math andscience classes more challenging.

l Some girls respond better tocollaborative projects rather than tocompetitive games. Be alert to boysdominating in group situations. Youknow your daughter best to helpcreate a learning environment that

suits her needs and interests.

l Studies have shown that parents aremore likely to explain to boys than togirls during inormal science activities.Make it a point to explain yournext gardening project or carrepair to your daughter.

l Research has demonstrated thatparental belies and attitudes infuencechildrens development and interests.

Ask your daughter about herdaily science and math lessonsto show your interest in her sciencelearning and your condence in hermath ability.

l Girls oten express interest in howtechnology will be used and how itcan make the world a better place.

Remember to relate technologyproducts to how people use them.

l Girl Scouts, YWCA and Girls Inc.have experience and resources tosupport girls. Check out the scienceprograms they oer in yourcommunity.

lSciGirls is a PBS TV series thateatures real girls ages 11-14 asscientists and engineers. You can ndout more at www.pbskids.org/scigirls.

lExplore careers with yourdaughterat www.engineergirl.orgorwww.engineeryourlie.org.

For more ideas to support girls interestin science, visit our website atwww.techbridgegirls.org.

Did You Know?


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Carmen and Luis Gutierrez are proo that parents cansucceed in helping their children nd a passion orscience and succeed in school even without collegeexperience. Neither parent made it beyond highschool. While helping their children with homeworkcan be dicult at times, they know that what ismost important is being a source o encouragementand motivation.

Carmen recalls that as her children grew, she did notlet anything get in her way o being involved in theireducation. This has helped to ensure that Milagrosand Luis Jr. succeed at science and stay on the pathto college. Carmen recounts their many days at thelibrary, science museums, and zoo. Its a un learningprocess or parents too, says Carmen as she describedhow much she learned rom the hands-on experiencesat science museums.

Both Milagros and Luis Jr. have taken advantage oscience ater-school and summer programs oeredin their communities. Milagros has participated inTechbridge, a program o Chabot Space and ScienceCenter, and Eureka, a program o Girls Inc. Luis Jr.

Meet theGutierrez Family

Meet Carmen and Luis Gutierrez, parents o 18 yearold Luis Jr. and 15 year old Milagros. This amilyimmigrated to the United States rom Michoacn,Mexico in search o a better lie and uture or

their children.

participated in a summer research program at StanordUniversity and volunteered at a local hospital. Theseopportunities have helped Milagros and Luis Jr.succeed in math and science and introduced them to a

wide range o careers.

All parents can nd a way to help their childrensucceed. Carmens advice to parents is to:

lAsk. There are people eager to assistat school,at your church, or in your communitywho cananswer your questions or direct you to the rightplace or resources.

lListen. Open communication is what has kept the

Gutierrez amily strong. Be open with your childrenand listen to what they want to explore to ollowtheir career dreams.

lEncourage. Challenges will come and go but as aparent its important that you motivate your childrento persevere and work through whatever comestheir way. Support them in all they do and helpthem nd resources to succeed.


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19www.techbridgegir ls.org

Launched by Chabot Space & Science Center in 2000,Techbridge is helping address the shortage o womenand underrepresented minority groups in science,technology, and engineering. Techbridge serves girlsin Caliornia and nationwide each year throughprograms that oer hands-on projects and careerexploration to expand girls options. Techbridge oersater-school and summer programs to girls in grades5-12 in the San Francisco Bay Area, and reachesthousands more girls across the U.S. through programs

Go Experience and Explore!W

e hope you have been inspired to explore the science all aroundat home, in thecommunity, and at school. Share the excitement o wonder and discovery with your

children and youll be amazed at the dierence you can make.

We would like to hear about your experiences using this resourceguide and welcome your comments and questions. Please

contact us at www.techbridgegirls.orgor call 510.777.9170.

with Girl Scout councils and other partners. Recognizingthe importance o building a strong network o adultsupport or girls, Techbridge provides trainings toteachers, parents, and role models.

Seeing the exciting results o Techbridge we hope thatmany more amilies can beneft rom the lessons welearned. While the mission o Techbridge ocuses ongirls, the ideas and resources in this guide have beenused by our partners in their programs or girls and boys.

About Techbridge

About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Established in September 2000, the Gordon and BettyMoore Foundation seeks to improve the quality olie or uture generations. The Foundation operatesproactively in three areas o ocusenvironmentalconservation, science, and the San Francisco Bay

Areawhere a signicant and measurable impact canbe achieved. The San Francisco Bay Area Programsupports a number o Bay Area science-rich educationinstitutions to increase scientic awareness andcritical inquiry.


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7700 Edgewater Drive, Suite 519Oakland, CA 94621

510.777.9170

www.techbridgegirls.org

2010 Techbridge. All Rights Reserved. Techbridge is a program o Chabot Space & Science Center, a non-prot 501(c)(3) organization based in Oakland, Caliornia.

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