The Gift Of A STREM HQ Education!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE STREM HQ TEAM!

This season the best gift you can give your children is the gift of education and a bright future.  At STREM HQ we are offering both as a last minute gift during this holiday season.

 

Gift certificates are available in any amount you choose to purchase at:

www.STREMHQ.com

"Resourcefulness is the new smart. With technology and the power of the crowd and the cloud, the game has changed. Survival has always depended on problem-solving, especially social-problem solving. These days problem solving is faster and more complex, and our brains need to keep up."

Rick Ackerly- Educator and Author

STREM HQ Solutions For The Screen Time Dilemma, Just In Time For The Holidays!

As the holidays approach quickly, kids get excited about the long winter break and parents are faced with a whole lot of free time on their kids' agendas.  The question is whether "screen time" can be quality time for kids between all of the celebrations?  "Screen time" in our house qualifies as TV, video games, Kindle/iPad, and computer time.  I'll venture that for most of you these are what define your "screen time" too.  With that said, you probably limit the time they spend on electronics and I do too.  I'm not really going to give you advice about when, where, or how much time they need on electronics.  As an advocate of technology, I'm much more interested in what kind of time they spend on electronics, the quality and value they get from them.  "Screen time" can be good for kids and here are some of the reasons why:


1. Designing and Playing Video Games Can Benefit The Brain

• Kids who design and/or play video games prove to have higher levels of creativity. Video game design encourages and enhances our use of logic, principles of physics, and our understanding of the English language. According to a pair of researchers at the University of Rochester in New York, people who play video games are better able to process visual information and are better attuned to their surroundings while performing certain tasks, like driving.  STREM HQ focuses on the very principle of making "screen time" educational with programs like Kodu and Minecraft EDU that teach game design. The 2D and 3D animation programs and Lego Mechanics with Stop Motion we use teach kids to get creative, use logic, time management, and the principles of physics.

2. Screen Time Can Be An Education

• Educational TV programs are everywhere, if you look for them.  Cosmos with Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson,  Discovery Channel and Discovery Kids programs, and Animal Planet offer all kinds of educational programming.  You can increase their value by watching with your child and providing educational insights and explanations to enhance your child's viewing experience.  We find that TED Talks for adults and kids offer an amazing array of educational experiences from some of the leading experts in every field in the world, and they're always free!

 
 3.  Screen Time Can Be Family Bonding Time

• Nothing beats a family video game throwdown of Let's Dance or Mario Kart/Party for getting the family party started.  Madden brings out the competition in every family.  On a rainy day, there are number of video game consoles with video games that let kids exercise the silly and bored out of their system!  STREM HQ teaches kids to bond with their families using movie making software that creates memories for the whole family! 

 

Technology is ACTUALLY Improving Your Child's Writing

Bill Gates

Chairman, Microsoft

Learning to write programs stretches your mind, and helps you think better, creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains. 

There's a low hum out there in the real world, the talk of an older generation that feels technology is making kids lazier and less intelligent, but that couldn't be further from the truth.  In the day of the text, kids are constantly writing to each other, to parents, and to their teachers.  Not only are they writing more, but they are learning early on how to write for each audience.  The audience forum extends as well to blogs that kids create to express themselves.  The ability to write for an audience used to be exclusive to the published authors of this world.  Now everyone has access to a forum for their creativity.  You could argue that texts encourage sloppy, abbreviated writing skills, but you'd be wrong.  There's plenty of new research that supports that today's kids have a unique ability to change their style across all forums for writing.  This is in direct corrolation to the early experience they are getting by using technology.

Stanford University's Professor Lunsford states, "The fact that students today almost always write for an audience (something virtually no one in my generation did) gives them a different sense of what constitutes good writing. In interviews, they defined good prose as something that had an effect on the world. For them, writing is about persuading and organizing and debating, even if it's over something as quotidian as what movie to go see. The Stanford students were almost always less enthusiastic about their in-class writing because it had no audience but the professor: It didn't serve any purpose other than to get them a grade." 

Richard Branson

Founder, Virgin Group

Whether we're fighting climate change or going to space, everything is moved forward by computers, and we don't have enough people who can code. Teaching young people to code early on can help build skills and confidence and energize the classroom with learning-by-doing opportunities. I learned how to fly a hot air balloon when I was 30,000 feet up and my life was in the balance: you can learn skills at any age but why wait when we can teach everyone to code now!

Learning code is becoming a force in writing as well.  Writing code is essential to being able to "read" technology.  A real understanding of one cannot happen without the other. Coding is based on "if, then, and when" statements that allow kids to understand some basic concepts of literature and strengthen the foundations of writing.  Mitch Resnick of MIT Media Labs and the kids coding program Scratch points out that coding games work to their highest potential when kids see them as a motivator and a meaningful tool to learn. When kids learn in schools about variables they don’t really understand why they’re doing it, which is why they aren’t learning it as deep or as good as in the games. But he expresses that variables are just the beginning, kids are now learning about design, collaborating with other people, finding and fixing bugs, perseverance. All really important skills for the everyday workforce. The kids who learn this information are going to have a competitive edge when they grow up, there’s no doubt about it.

Maker Faire Atlanta 2015

Join STREM HQ at the Maker Faire Atlanta!  Maker Faire Atlanta bills itself as, "The Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth!"  The Maker Movement is all about imagination, innovation, and invention.  Makers include tech enthusiasts, crafters, homesteaders, scientists, and garage tinkers.  Maker Faire is sponsored by Make: Magazine and Maker Media.  The Maker Faire Atlanta will be held on October 3rd and 4th in downtown Decatur.  

Some of the makers that will be exhibiting their creativity are A Wearable Solar System, ATLvr, ATL World Kite Expo, Auburn IDSA, Auotmata, Be Craft Happy, Blacksmithing, Bytes2Grow, FPV Drone Racing, G3 Robotics, Georgia Tech IEEE, Georgia Tech Honeybee Project, HiglyPigly, Janke Glass, Kids Go Wild, King of Pops, and so, so many more!  

Maker Faire's happen all over the world in Atlanta, Milwaukee, Orlando, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Silver Spring, Ottawa, Lisbon, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Newcastle, Hannover, Oslo, Trondheim, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Shenzhen.

Come join the fun and spark your imagination at the Maker Faire Atlanta!  STREM HQ will be there to experience the innovation and energy of the event. We look forward to seeing you!

STREM HQ - After school clubs - East Side Elementary

Aug 27/ 28
Week overview: Here we will post on weekly happenings at East Side STREM clubs

Our After School clubs started with a bang!

Our Stremtists learned about principles of brain storming , principles of engineering and what it takes to become an engineer.
Tech club students learnt building terrains for their games. While engineering student got a glimpse into the world of machines starting with simple machines ...
Students had a glint of excitement in their eyes and smiles on their faces.. we are happy to hear little things like " that was so cool!! " from them ..:)

Sep 3/4
Week Overview:

Our Stremtists couldn't wait to be back in the clubs ..This week in tech club, we learnt about creating and animating objects and characters. We dipped our feet into basic programming starting with if and when statements.
Engineering students learnt all about gear ratios and how different gear ratios affect the models , they made their own tractor (slower) and race car (faster) gear ratios.

Sep 10/11
Week Overview:
In tech club this week we learnt about paths and movements and in engineering We jumped into circuits today and learnt to make morse code machines and decoded messages .. kids were excited to be spy's
A Huge shout out to Jackson kelly for his efforts and representation of the detailed police station model.

Sep 17/18
Week Overview:
We are diving into programming, while learning further about coding and details on how to manipulate code with paths and change various variables in the environment of the games.
We learnt about structures and competed for strongest and tallest structures.
Have an awesome fall break!

Oct 1/2
Week Overview:
Hope you all had a great fall break. Our Stremtists were excited to be back and resume working on their projects. This week they learnt communication and expressions in games.
While in engineering they worked on Star Gazers and were excited to see constellations made of their own circuits!!
Have a great weekend..


Oct 8/9
Week Overview:
What are games without scores? This week we learned how to score and provide results.
Our Stremgineers worked on Satellite dishes making receptors with sensors.. and oh boy did they have fun! :)
Have a great weekend!

Oct/Nov
Weeks Overview:
Our Stremtists have been really busy since the last time we posted!  Tech classes started with building KODU games where they learned to utilize camouflaging and grabbing objects to create eerie twists and turns to their video games.  Last week, the techies learned the elements of game design in preparation for their final projects, which we have been working on this week and the week following Thanksgiving.  The Stremtist techs will be using all of the skills they have gained over this last semester and are creating their own amazing video game! Our Stremtist engineers have been working really hard individually and in groups on many engineering elements.  We used connectors around Halloween to understand the manual elements of engineering.  Then, our engineers graduated to automating their creations.  We have been busy photographing and videoing some of these fun and innovative designs.  This week, we delved into a challenge to surround an object you were given, using the materials provided, to protect an object as it hit the ground.  Truly, the best part of our job today was seeing how creative and innovative the kids have become.  The materials provided were all basically the same, but the kids were able to come up with so many extraordinary ideas!
Have a fantastic break!

Jan-Feb Weeks 1/2
Weeks Overview:
STREM HQ is back and we are Minecraft strong!  In Engineering, Week 1 was about getting started and learning the basics of getting signed in and signed on to the Minecraft program.  Week 2 brought the students together to build bridges individually to test their skill level.  They built some amazing bridges and just blew us away with their skills!  Week 1 of Tech was about getting started and learning the basics of getting signed in and signed on to the Minecraft program.  Week 2 involved learning some new coding skills to mod in the game to test their skill level.  These guys know their stuff and really got involved in individualizing their mods!  Next week, we go deeper into the world of Minecraft to learn engineering principles and bigger mods with coding from projects we'll work on together.  Don't forget to look at our blog this week that is a parent education into Minecraft itself!  We'll keep you posted on our Stremtists amazing progress!

Feb Week 3
Week Overview:
This week in STREM HQ Engineering classes, we explored what a prototype is.  The three steps to engineering design- Imagine, Design, and Create!  We talked about how Minecraft EDU can be used like professional engineering software such as Autodesk and CAD.  The conclusion is that Minecraft EDU can create 3D models without the use of heavy equations.  Each child then used graphing paper to create a 2D sketch from their imagination.  Finally, each child was able to create or begin translating their 2D model into a 3D computer model using Minecraft EDU.  Your kids are amazingly creative.  Be sure to ask them about their design! 

This week in STREM HQ Technology classes,  we used Minecraft EDU to learn to create command blocks using code and then learn how to jump our blocks using code.  For some of our students, coding is new, so we went back several times to review.  For our kids who know code, they were able to pick it up quite easily and use it to modify and make into other action codes for their command blocks.  As we build on coding basics, the kids will get stronger and quicker allowing us to get into more and more complex coding as the class goes on!  It always amazes us how quickly they learn when they love what they're doing!

Feb Week 4
Week Overview:
This week in STREM HQ Engineering classes, we explored physics by understanding and creating one of the four types of bridges.  Our Stremtists learned that the four types of bridges are arch, suspension, beam, and truss.  We briefly talked about drawbridges.  We discussed the forces that act on bridges and the suitability of each bridge in a given environment.  The Stremtists were then asked to sketch their 2D model of any of the given bridges, and then have it approved by one of the instructors.  The kids then proceeded to Minecraft EDU and  made their approved bridges into 3D models.  We challenged the kids to increase the complexity and creativity of their bridge based on their experience level with Minecraft.  Our Stremtists really rose to the challenge!

This week in STREM HQ Technology classes, we focused on learning the basics of coding.  We started our Stremtists with a discussion of if/then statements.  I thought I'd provide you with some of our discussion so you can discuss it with your child:

Loop- Repetition until a condition is met.
Binary- A series of 0's and 1's computers use to transmit information.
Boolean- Binary statements such as true/false and on/off.
Psuedo Code- Using the English language as a translator to brainstorm code.

We then challenged our Stremtists to write down their own logic statements, if/then pseudo codes, that are used in coding.  We discussed how our Stremtists pseudo codes translated into Minecraft EDU and they used this as the basis for creating code for Minecraft EDU!

March Week 1
Week Overview:
This week in STREM HQ Technology classes, we explored teleportation.  Our Stremtists learned to teleport using code.  We also learned about coordinates and how they affect the location of where we are.  The Stremtists then took the code and used it in Minecraft EDU using computer coordinated and command blocks with the new codes.  They teleported all over the world.  Students with a more experienced level of Minecraft knowledge were challenged to transport objects, which is more difficult, as well.

Examples of some code we used-
1) @a yourself @e everyone
2) @r random @p nearest player

This week in STREM HQ Engineering classes, we discussed the principles of building structures.  Our Stremtists learned about skyscrapers, form and fitness for engineering a skyscraper structure.  We explored many types of skyscraper across the world and the Stremtists used graph paper to draw their own skyscraper as a 2D structure.  Each individual skyscraper sketch had to receive an instructor's signature for approval.  The Stremtists then started making them come to life in 3D on Minecraft EDU.  We will continue to work on these in the coming week.  Students were challenged to create and build at their Minecraft level from beginner to experienced.  Your Stremtist's structures are amazing!!!  

March Week 2
Week Overview:
This week in STREM HQ Technology classes, we explored the 6 elements of game design.  We discovered the STRE"A"M aspect of Art in game design. Our Stremtists used code to create texture packs.  Then, we used our mighty creativity to paint our own command blocks. We also reviewed teleportation commands.

This week in STREM HQ Engineering classes, we discussed how elements and physical forces affect skyscrapers.  What our Stremitists will need to watch for when creating their own amazing cities.  We discussed emergency procedures in skyscrapers and tall buildings.  We looked at more skyscrapers around the world.  We continued building our skyscraper cities in 3D mode and added escape provisions for our buildings.  The advanced challenge was to build aerial routes between buildings!

Welcome to STREM HQ

A new wave of the future is happening in children's education, STREM HQ. STREM HQ is a local, family owned Cobb County business that teaches children engineering, coding, technology applications, game design, mechatronics, and robotics by using programs such as Scratch 2.0, Kodu, Minecraft EDU, littleBits, Blender, Lego WeDo, Java, Python, LEGO Robotics and many more.

STREM HQ is a group of future focused IT industry professionals, inventors, and teachers with experience in hardware and software engineering, product design, and management.  We realize that there is a big gap in the demand for technology related careers, and a very small number of children have access to the resources that can get them there. STREM HQ aims to bridge that gap through an array of fun and exciting after school programs, clubs, workshops, and camps for ages 5-18.

Barkha Suri brings a wealth of technology knowledge through her own personal education and experience.  She holds an MBA in Global Information Technology, and worked at Baxter Bioscience (California Division) in the Regulatory Compliance Information Technology department.  She has taught and mentored children of all ages in the technology and education field for the last 7 years.  All of these experiences, have combined to form one passion, STREM HQ, to educate children in technology to prepare for the future. Barkha is passionate about showing children how to transform imaginations into real inventions that they can take pride in.  Barkha volunteers most of her time to encourage kids to be a part of the STEM initiative. The STREM HQ motto is, "The future will be made by creators, not consumers!"

STREM HQ facilitates science, technology, robotics, engineering and math - ST(R)EM education to students with fun and analytical challenges through critical thinking and problem solving with a vision to "reestablish education as the nations #1 priority." 

We nurture technical education in young inquisitive minds by teaching them the latest technologies and engineering concepts through hands-on learning that kids will carry with them through their lifetime!

Each month, we will be bringing you new information and education in our blog and newsletter to inform you about all of the fun and exciting products we are using. We'll also update you on the kids imagination, innovation, and invention that are the heart of the STEM classes we provide.