November 2, 2024

Objectives:

• Exploring electrical circuits basics using copper tape as a conductive wire.  

• Understanding how a LED bulb, battery, and switch work within an electrical circuit. 

• Designing different electrical circuits to light up both 2D and 3D paper craft designs.

October 5, 2024

How can we use simple levers to help tell our stories? 

Objectives:

• Build one-bar, two-bar and three-bar lever devices. 

• Apply artistic design to the devices to create characters and stories.

September 7, 2024

Objectives:

• Explore vehicles that are moved by various means of propulsion.

• Build several types of vehicles.

• Tinker with designs to create vehicles which match a variety of objectives.

April 20, 2024

Come join us for "Robots and Early Coding," an interactive exploration of the world of coding and how learners can explore it from a young age. Even if you have never coded before, this session can empower you to begin your own journey of learning and help you build a foundation for successful early coders in the home and classroom. Because coding can begin at an early age, we will explore ways early educators and caregivers can enhance this skill with or without devices.

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February 10, 2024

Join us for a captivating hybrid experience that delves into the fascinating world of visual storytelling! In this Playshop inspired by Molly Bang’s book, “Picture This,” participants will embark on a hands-on exploration of the impact of picture structure on our emotional responses.

Throughout the Playshop, participants will be introduced to the nine principles of picture structure commonly employed in story illustrations. Through engaging discussions and insightful examples, we will unravel the secrets behind the visual elements that seamlessly connect a narrative with its imagery.

This interactive session goes beyond theory – participants will have the unique opportunity to apply these principles to their own visual narratives. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or simply someone who loves picture books, this Playshop is designed for everyone and requires no prior artistic expertise.

Don’t miss this chance to explore how the elements of artwork can evoke emotions and tell compelling stories. Join us in this hybrid Playshop and let your creativity flow!

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December 2, 2023

Are you ready to discover what makes a game truly enjoyable? Join us in playing some unconventional games full of excitement and engagement.

We'll play together and challenge our strategic thinking as we design and develop our own game concepts.

Participants of all ages are welcome, from seasoned gamers to curious beginners, and we'd love it if you joined with a friend. Don't miss your chance to be a part of "Generating Glorious Games.” Be ready to play and create!

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October 14, 2023

How do musical instruments work? What is the difference between a percussion and wind instrument? Come explore these questions with us as we make a variety of musical instruments out of simple materials.

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Celeste Moreno

University of Colorado Boulder

In this interactive talk, Celeste will share innovative ways to incorporate the micro:bit microcontroller into hands-on projects that explore computing, art, and science. Participants will explore ways this transdisciplinary approach broadens participation in computer science and invites learners into creative and collaborative design. There will be hands-on activities with the micro:bit microcontrollers and discussions around in-class and out-of-class implementation.

March 25, 2023

We will use several techniques and tools such as cams, cranks, levers and gears used in automata and explore how to make them with everyday materials. Exploring automata toys is a fun way to discover ideas around engineering and design as well as provide a vehicle for storytelling and problem solving.

January 21, 2022

Explore how weaving is used in different cultures and engage in several weaving activities using different materials and techniques. From simple to complex, weaving is a concept that crosses art, design, mathematics and engineering.

December 3, 2022

Join us as we explore several different techniques for making pop-up illustrations that include understanding of spatial reasoning and geometry. Then we will explore tools and materials that will make our illustrations light up using simple paper circuits.

Leslie Batty & Aileen Rizo

In this collaborative presentation, participants will hear from a mathematician and an artist who set on the journey of collaboratively teaching math in an art class at a local high school. They will share the process of looking at research, the lessons on symmetry they created together, examples of students’ work, and their passion for seeing this type of intentional collaboration grow throughout the central valley and beyond.

October 29, 2022

The making of these projects will allow participants to apply and deepen their conception of line symmetry in art while appreciating the cultures in which these types of artistic expressions originated.

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Springtime is always a wonderful time to think about seeds! Seeds have adapted a variety of ways to travel. Participants will examine different seeds and explore how they use different methods to travel from the parent plant.

We will create, fold, and test different paper helicopter designs as a model of a fly seed.

Materials Needed

• Paper

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Paper clips

Aileen Rizo

Associate Director, PK-12
AIMS Center for Math and Science Education

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Join us as we take a new, and historic, look at students using modeling clay. There are many connections to be made when learners get their hands into this material that is often ignored after primary grades. However, STEAM applications can be found across all areas at all ages.

Materials Needed

• General use clay, modeling clay, Play-Doh, or homemade modeling clay.

• Various household items: pencil, toothpick, knife, craft stick, string, etc.

Steve Pauls, Ph. D.

Associate Director, Higher Education
AIMS Center for Math and Science Education

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Techniques that incorporate folding and paper cutting can produce beautiful designs. Explore with us the ideas of symmetry and spatial reasoning in the playful artistic realm of making Mexican paper banners.

Materials Needed

• Paper

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Single Hole Punch

• Pencil or Pen

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Sewing has a rich history of creating space for making and artistry. We will explore simple ways to integrate this beautiful and creative tool in learning experiences that foster creativity and problem solving for learners of all ages

Participants will make sewing projects. They will explore fastening, creating a rounded shape and designing a simple picture.

Materials Needed

• Thick Paper (Index Card, Card Stock, Cereal Box, etc.)

• Thread (Any Thickness)

• Sewing or Embroidery Needles

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What do leaves, squares, trail mix, and computers all have in common? They can be used as a systematized code to create music and dance!

Participants will play with basic materials to create sequences, patterns, musical phrases, and dance routines. These will be related to coding, from no-tech and low-tech to high-tech.

Materials Needed

• Paper

• Pencil

• Tape

• Toothpicks

• Snacks

• Various Other "Found" Items

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Have you ever opened a pop-up book and been amazed at how the artist designed such a complicated visual scene out of a simple material like paper? Join us as we explore some engineering paper techniques that pop-up paper artists use and then apply some of the more simple techniques to make pop-up cards.

Materials Needed

• Paper

• Scissors

• Pen/Pencil, Embellishments (Stickers, Markers, Crayons, Etc.)

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Dora Medrano Ramos

Lead Maker Trainer, Maker Ed

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Food is an important part of all cultures. Learning about and honoring cultures through their food can be a way to foster relationships and a deeper appreciation for the beautifully diverse world we inhabit. Cooking together also creates many opportunities for STEAM learning! In this webinar we'll cook with author Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young and talk about her experience with food, inter-generational cooking, and culture.

Materials Needed:

See the full list of materials and ingredients HERE

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Carol Tang, Ph.D.

Executive Director
Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, CA

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Throughout history societies have been spaces for community making. Many indigenous groups used weaving as a means to solve problems whether that was weaving baskets to carry or blankets to stay warm. However, weaving is not just functional, it is a way to create art and use or reuse environmental materials. Join us as we explore weaving by making a simple circular woven ornament and think about ways that culture and STEAM are integrated.

Materials Needed

• Yarn

• Paper Plate

• Protractor

• Pen/Pencil

• Tape

Tag us on Twitter with #handsonlearning #STEAM

AIMS Center for Math and Science Education

The AIMS Leadership Team will kick-off the first session of the 2021-22 AIMS Colloquium Series titled Learning by Making: Transforming STEAM Experiences.

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Our ears receive an unbelievable amount of stimuli every second. Our brains have to make sense of the signals, filter out what we don’t need, and balance sound with other signals from sight, touch, smell, etc.

In this session, we will focus our brains back on these sound inputs, make some sense of what we hear, and playfully experiment with ways children can be made more mindful of this part of our world.

Materials Needed

• Soup Spoon

• A Drinking Glass

• Water

• String

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Children love to talk about their creations and tell stories! What would happen if those passions became teachable moments in their STEAM learning? In this webinar, we will talk about the intersection of stories and buildings with bricks.

Materials Needed

• DUPLO blocks

• LEGO blocks

• Other building materials

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Join us as we explore the wonder of paper folding and construction through this interactive experience. Participants will create various paper projects that allow for the exploration and integration of STEAM-based content.

Specific Ideas We Will Cover:

• Structures with 3x5 cards

• Pull-up polyhedra

• Prisms Buildings

• Origami and Picture books

Location
This will be fully online and a Zoom link will be provided ahead of the scheduled time together.

Dates

May 25 3:30pm - 5:30pm

Fee - Includes session materials indicated below

$30 Earlybird (Ends April 27)

$40 Regular Price (Sales end May 11)

Materials Provided:
AIMS will mail the following materials to each registered participant prior to the PLAYshop.

• Origami Paper

• Cardstock Paper

Tools Needed: (Supplied by the participant )

• Glue or glue stick

• Scissors

• Lid to trace a circle

• Yarn or string

• Single hold punch

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Do you remember simple checkerboard or basket weaving patterns from elementary school? Let’s take that up a few levels and make some really incredible designs with simple strips of paper.

Materials Needed

• Paper - different colors

• Scissors

• Ruler

• Pencil/Pen

Tag us on Twitter with #handsonlearning #STEAM