Posts in category: Blog

The world can feel a bit gloomy at the moment, so we would like to spread some positivity with some feel-good stories from around the world. Let’s jump right in…

Less pollution

With most of the world in lockdown, travel has reduced drastically and many factories have shut, and this has had a positive impact on air pollution! China, the US, the UK, and many other countries are reporting pollution levels that are significantly lower than normal, and experts think that this could actually save thousands of lives, as people aren’t as exposed to air pollution. (1) 

Penguins on a field trip

Many zoos and aquariums around the world are now empty of guests. In Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the penguins have been enjoying the empty zoo by going on field trips, visiting other animals in the Aquarium, such as beluga whales and tropical fishes. (2) To find out more about this story, make sure to check out this week’s Twig Science Reporter episode! And follow @shedd_aquarium on Instagram to see where the penguins go next…

Animal live streams

Speaking of animals… some zoos and aquariums around the world are hosting live streams so that you can discover giant pandas, penguins, giraffes, and much more—all from the comfort of your home! Check out Georgia Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Houston Zoo, and Melbourne Zoo. 

Online museums and art galleries

It’s not only zoos that are going online. 2,500 museums and galleries worldwide have partnered with Google Arts and Culture to make their collections available online, through virtual tours and displays! Why not wander through Musée D’Orsay in Paris or The Museum of Modern Art in New York, from your sofa? 

Neighborhood dino parade

Even if you’re stuck at home for most of the day and have to keep six feet away from people when outside, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Last week, in a neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, people put on inflatable T-Rex costumes to host a dinosaur parade—with the aim to raise peoples’ spirits. Watch the video here. 

Socialising from balconies

Both Spain and Italy are currently on lockdown, but despite having to stay indoors, people have found ways to connect with their neighbors! In Seville, Spain, a fitness instructor recently hosted a workout from a rooftop, and in many towns in Italy, people have been singing and playing music from their balconies. 

Window rainbows

Around the world, children have been drawing rainbows and putting them in their windows as a way of connecting with each other. While out on walks or trips to the grocery store, children can go “rainbow spotting” to see how many rainbows they can spot! (3)

Wild goats on the loose

In a town in Wales, in the United Kingdom, over a dozen mountain goats were seen roaming the empty streets on March 31. With most of the 15,000 people who live in Llandudno staying inside due to the coronavirus lockdown, the goats had the town mostly to themselves. They were seen sunbathing, munching on hedges, and visiting peoples’ gardens! (4)

We hope these stories have put a smile on your face and made you feel a bit more positive! 

And don’t forget—we are currently offering thousands of learning resources for free, including grade-specific packets for independent study. Find out more here!

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2020/03/11/coronavirus-lockdown-may-save-more-lives-from-pollution-and-climate-than-from-virus/#4187c6b55764
2. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zx-xDD9DL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51953553
4. https://www.insider.com/shaggy-mountain-goats-welsh-town-lockdown-2020-4

There’s a common misconception that girls aren’t as interested (or as talented) in science and math as boys are—and sadly, this misconception affects the number of women working in STEM careers. Only 28% of workers in science and engineering in the US are women. This difference is even larger in the sciences that require a lot of math: in physical sciences, computer science and engineering, only 25–30% of junior workers and 7–15% of senior workers are female. 

This all starts in school. While girls perform just as well as boys, and often better, in mathematics and science in K–12 (with the exception of computer science and engineering), they are less likely to study science at college. 

The only science field where women receive half of the degrees is biological sciences. Women are underrepresented in computer sciences (18%), engineering (20%), physical sciences (39%), and mathematics (43%). The problem is even greater among minority women, who make up only 12.6% of those who have degrees in science and engineering.

Why is this important?

STEM careers, and especially those in engineering, math, and technology, are high-value jobs that are becoming more and more sought-after. Not only should women have the same opportunities to work in well-paid jobs, but the world also needs as many people as possible interested in these subjects in order to meet employment demands. 

Many women have done outstanding things in STEM throughout history. For example, Nettie Stevens (1861–1912) discovered the X and Y chromosomes,  Lisa Meitner (1878–1968) helped discover nuclear fission (the basis of nuclear power) together with Otto Hahn, and Katherine Johnson (1918–present) was responsible for calculations that were crucial to sending the first American (Alan Shepard) into space. And that’s just to mention a few! 

So how do you encourage girls to keep studying STEM subjects?

It all starts in the classroom. A recent study of young European women found that more than half (57%) said they would’ve been more likely to pursue a STEM career if their teacher had encouraged them. So here are three simple things you can do to encourage your students…

1. Make an effort to involve girls in the classroom

Demonstrate that you believe in your students by making an extra effort to address the girls in your class when asking questions, or by inviting them to extra-curricular activities that are STEM-related. The belief that girls aren’t as good as boys at STEM subjects still exists, even though it’s just not true. 

By involving girls in the classroom, you show them that they are just as talented as the boys and that you believe in them. This will give your students the confidence to consider all sorts of careers—rather than questioning whether they are clever enough! 

2. Make science class more creative

Many girls decide to go into arts and humanities because they see those careers as more creative. However, research indicates that young people in STEM careers are actually more likely to find their jobs creative than those in arts and humanities!

STEM jobs can be really creative, so it’s important to show that in the classroom. Take the opportunity to combine arts and science by involving your class in creative projects, such as designing their own playgrounds, creating shadow puppets, or producing their own guidebook to the night sky! 

3. Expose girls to STEM careers 

An important part of making a decision on what to study or what career to pursue is simply knowing what careers are actually available. So start by showing your students just how many different careers there are out there—as we wrote in a recent blog post, there are new STEM opportunities being created all the time.

It’s also important to expose girls to women who work in STEM—that way, they are more likely to be able to see themselves in the same role. This was something we took very seriously when developing Twig Science. We made sure that students were exposed to a wide range of different STEM careers, such as conservationists, earthquake engineers, and hydrologists—some of these are roles that students get to try out during investigations, and others are roles they learn about through interviews and case studies with real STEM workers. 

So there you go—three easy steps toward encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers. Never underestimate the difference an encouraging teacher and a fun science class can make!

Twig Education is announcing an exclusive partnership with Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE), part of the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, to provide professional learning for Next Generation Science Standards teachers. 

Together, they’ve created a series of Professional Learning Masterclasses that will help elementary teachers become accomplished science instructors fluent in the instructional shifts demanded by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Catherine Cahn, CEO of Twig Education, says: “I was terrible at science at school, so I completely understand how many non-science-specific elementary school teachers are daunted by implementing the NGSS. We’ve worked with Stanford to address this with an engaging and supportive program that makes teaching science fun.” 

The Masterclasses series was developed by Cathy Zozakiewicz and Lauren Stoll from SCALE. It covers topics including: 

• Introduction to NGSS—Three-hour workshop using grade-specific materials, run by experts in three-dimensional learning and assessment, including comprehensive guidance on making the instructional shifts required by the NGSS, putting 3-D learning into action through hands-on lessons, and maximizing the implementation of Twig Science Next Gen lessons and resources in your context.
• 3-D Performance Assessment—Exploring how to work the NGSS’s instructional shifts into new forms of assessment, including taking a closer look at what Twig Science Next Gen performance assessments provide as evidence, how they should be used, and how they integrate with instruction.
• Science Language and Literacy in the NGSS Classroom—Examining and practicing strategies for supporting language development in the NGSS classroom, focusing on Twig Language Routines. This includes capturing student use of language to reflect upon and improve NGSS classroom instructional and assessment practices.
• Equitable Instruction in the NGSS—Introducing innovative approaches toward equitable pathways into STEM learning and careers, providing access to youth from historically under-represented backgrounds.

Cathy Zozakiewicz says: “This set of professional development workshops was created to help science teachers and leaders maximize the use of the Twig Science Next Gen curriculum, assessment, and resources.” 

Teachers who complete the Masterclass program with final reflection questions will be awarded a certificate of completion from SCALE.

Twig Education is a market leader in NGSS science programs with Twig Science Next Gen for elementary and middle schools—developed with SCALE and Imperial College London. The collaboration with SCALE, the leader in PreK–8 NGSS professional learning, will help elementary teachers fulfil the potential of this revolutionary new curriculum, reflecting the inspiring, inclusive nature of the Twig Science Next Gen program. 

Masterclasses can be delivered district wide or as part of a special NGSS weekend during the summer on the Stanford campus in Palo Alto.

Find out more about Twig Science Next Gen.