The Springfield Museums, a member of the Pioneer Valley STEM Network, are excited to join in celebrating Massachusetts STEM Week, October 19-23. The free resources included on this page are available for use in any and all learning environments. From at-home family STEM adventures to virtual classwork for an entire grade level, we hope you find these activities and challenges to be engaging, educational and fun!
Share your STEM Week experiences on social media #MassSTEMWeek #AtTheMuseums
As part of the Springfield Museum’s ongoing work to highlight innovators in science, this lecture focuses on gender equity in STEM: looking at barriers to participation, the challenges women and non-binary folks face in STEM fields, and ways to broaden our own knowledge in order to influence future generations of STEM (and STEAM!) innovators. Presented by Anne Thalheimer, PhD, Springfield Museums Science Educator.
An Introduction to the Springfield Science Museum Space Suit
The Night Sky
I Can Name 50 Trees Today
Learn why leaves are so important to trees, the job that they do, and how to identify trees around you. Make a leaf rubbings and pressed leaves. Print your leaf identification sheet and go on a hunt in your neighborhood.
There’s No Place Like Space!
Learn about constellations and make models of the ones you might see at this time of year using simple materials like marshmallows and toothpicks.
Who Hatches the Egg?
Take a close look at an edible egg, examining it up close. Learn how even the hard to see parts help the egg grow, then create a diagram.
Safari, So Good
Make a pair of toilet paper tube binoculars and go on a safari looking for local wildlife in your neighborhood.
Hark! A Shark!
Learn about shark’s unique adaptations and do a science experiment that helps us understand why sharks move so easily through the ocean.
If I Ran the Horse Show
Print out this horse diagram created by illustrator and museum educator Amanda Putnam. Horse show judges look for elements like balance, muscling, and structure. Learn the names for different parts of horses’ anatomy and then color the horse in any color or pattern you choose.
Bird Wing Inventions
As humans dreamed of flying, they looked to birds for inspiration. Early planes were designed to mimic the shapes of birds. Learn about the different wing shapes and see how they fly. How can each wing shape be used for different flying inventions?
Original activities created by the Science Museum staff and inspired by our collections. Be sure to ask your adult to assist you!
Spark!Lab is a dynamic learning space where children, families, and groups create, innovate, collaborate, problem-solve, and invent.
Through hands-on activities, they learn about the invention process, inventors and inventions in American history, and innovations that are changing our world today. Most importantly, they are empowered to create their own inventions and to solve problems in individual and unique ways.
Spark!Lab is the flagship educational initiative of the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.
