Are you looking for inspiration on how to get involved in IEA’s upcoming peer-to-peer STEAM-A-THON fundraiser? Look no further than Academy students! 

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math are infused in the work of Academy students, who show that learning can be both challenging and fun. Students in classes such as Math for Future Architects, Space Academy, Jurassic Life and smARTy Science turn problem-solving opportunities into innovative solutions and expressions of self. Thinking critically, trying new skills, and taking risks when collaborating with peers are lessons learned that go far beyond the classroom. What future professions do the talents seen in these projects by young bright students bring to mind? 

This fall, IEA is excited to invite Academy students and other bright minds of all ages to participate in our STEAM-A-THON fundraising event by submitting a response to one of 3 challenges designed to promote innovation, community and play. Contestants will have the opportunity to win prizes determined by a panel of uniquely qualified judges. For more information on how to participate, including details on challenges, check out our STEAM-A-THON rules page by clicking here.

What elements of STEAM would showcase YOUR interests and talents? 

If you would like to join us as a fundraiser without entering a submission for the STEAM-A-THON Challenge, please visit our Join As A Fundraiser page for how to get started.

IEA’s STEAM-A-THON 2021 is a four-week virtual event set to kick-off on Saturday, September 18 and will feature engaging opening and closing presentations, an innovator STEAM Challenge with judges panel, multiple prize opportunities, and special Keynote Speaker, Mike Brown, Professor of Planetary Astronomy at Caltech. Join us for this wonderful opportunity to inspire our young STEAM critical thinkers while raising vital funds to support IEA’s gifted programs, services and financial aid for students in need. With your help, we can reach our overall fundraising goal of $40,000!

All parents and teachers, not just those who work with gifted kids, are often concerned about how to make the best decisions for each unique child. All children need custom attention to help them grow up resilient, flexible, and compassionate. The challenge of working with gifted children is that it can feel isolating and lonely without proper support and resources. Sometimes just a little advice, validation, or encouragement, can go a long way towards working through the tough spots. Because of this IEA offers complimentary Gifted Support Group (GSG) meetings during the school year.

GSG meetings invite leading professionals to share their knowledge and experience. These meetings provide support and community in a space specifically for shared discovery and exchanging resources and ideas. Someone else is going through or has gone through the same struggles. The GSG meetings offer a community eager to share what they have learned in their journey through not only gifted education, but also gifted living.

Talking about common struggles together is a great way to brainstorm solutions. Maybe something that didn’t work for one student is the fix another family is looking for. Sharing experiences with other parents and educators who interact with gifted children has proven to be enormously helpful in supporting gifted students strive towards reaching their full potential.

Sharing what we have learned may help someone else forego the struggles the community has encountered. But the right community of like-minded people can provide more than just new information, it allows you to be yourself. You can enter the space with no fear of judgment.

Join our community as we work together for continued success.

Here are some recording and resources from last year’s GSG meetings.

Linda Powers

• Communication Tools for Difficult Conversations

Jill Stowell

• Empowering Your Exceptional Learner in the Pandemic
• Parenting in the in 21^st Century – Regine Muradian

Cynthia Molt

• There is No Wrong, There is No Right, There is Only Learning
• Gifted Resource Center

Susanna Pollack

• How Games Can Be Used for Social Good
• Games for Change Student Challenge
• Sea Hero Quest
• Behavior Training Research
• EndeavorRx

Bethany Kwan

• A Gifted Student’s Pathway to Success in Science and Research in Healthcare

Maya Sissoko

• How to Support Your Gifted Child From the Start
• Whole Child Education
• Mathpickle.com
• Beastacademy.com
• Set Game (via Brilliant.org)
• National Museum of Mathematics
• Art of Problem Solving Online
• Guided Meditations (Tara Brach)
• WISC-V Test (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)

Bonus

• One Size Does Not Fit All! Understanding the Special Needs of Gifted & 2E Kids with IEA President, Betsy Jones sits down with Jill Stowell of The Stowell Learning Center.

As educators around the world explore new ways to instill students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful innovators in an ever-evolving 21^st century, there has been a growing emphasis placed on STEAM – an educational discipline that engages students with the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.  Many educators believe STEAM (and its forerunner STEM) is a critical component of 21^st education. “Education is under pressure to respond to a changing world,” education writer Jeevan Vasagar asserts in a Financial Times article.  As repetitive tasks are eroded by technology and outsourcing, the ability to solve novel problems has become increasingly vital.”

STEAM inspires teachers to utilize project-based learning that intersects each of the five fields and cultivates an inclusive learning environment in which all students are able to connect and contribute.  Unlike traditional methods of teaching, educators use the STEAM framework to bring the disciplines together and enable students to use both sides of their brain at the same time.  STEAM not only teaches students how to think critically, solve problems and use creativity, it prepares students to work in career areas that are predicted to experience significant growth.

Why add the “A” in STEAM?  When it comes to equipping our youth with creative critical thinking skills, STEM is not enough. The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) was one of the early champions of adding the arts to the earlier STEM education framework to create STEAM which emphasizes the important “symbiosis between the arts and sciences.”  According to RISD, ”The goal is to foster the true innovation that comes with combining the mind of a scientist or technologist with that of an artist or designer.”  Former RISD President, John Maeda, an early advocate for STEAM, has emphasized the concept that design thinking and creativity are essential ingredients for innovation.

The IEA team is excited to be planning the IEA STEAM-a-thon, a peer-to-peer fundraising event set to kick off on Saturday, September 18.  This four-week virtual event will feature opening and closing presentations, STEAM challenges/experiments for competition, a judges panel, prizes and a keynote speaker.  This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire young STEAM innovators from across the country and raise vital funding for IEA’s programs and services.   IEA needs your support!  We invite you, your family or your business to become a SPONSOR of the STEAM-a-thon.  Click here for sponsorship information. In August, be on the lookout for information on the IEA website about joining the STEAM-a-thon.

Speaker: Umar Ahmed Badami, CDB Scholar

Materials Needed: Paper and pen or pencil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ_oe3m1puI&feature=youtu.be” title=”Virtual Learning Lab: Intro to Special Relativity”]

The holidays are upon us and with that comes school closures. Gifted children tend to have a strong desire and need for intellectual stimulation, and that need doesn’t go away when schools are closed. Below are three ways parents can help foster positive social and academic growth during the holiday break:

1. Cultural Excursions

Take a trip to a local museum, science center, aquarium, theatre, planetarium or garden to provide your child with a learning experience. If time and budget allow, consider planning a day trip or vacation to a historical site. Local libraries often offer free activities and events, so be sure to check your local library’s calendar. Remember to be flexible, as some children require time to process and adjust to new environments.

2. Home Improvement

Take advantage of an extra set of hands, and a curious mind, by implementing a home improvement project while your gifted child is home. Children interested in technology and science could help figure out the best ways to save energy in your household. Other project ideas include furniture assembly, closet or garage organization, cleaning, composting or yard work.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health, which are not just perks for gifted students but for everyone. There are many ways one can volunteer during the holidays, which include hosting a toy or canned food drive, serving meals at a soup kitchen, adopting a family or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

You can also research additional ideas on IEA’s Gifted Resource Center, which includes Gifted Programs and Services and Educational Opportunities for gifted learners.

Lastly, it’s the most wonderful time of the year, and for many gift giving is part of the season. Please support IEA by making Amazon purchases through IEA’s AmazonSmile. A portion of your purchase will be donated directly to IEA so we can continue providing high-quality programs and services to gifted youth nationwide.

Happy holidays!

1. Write a poem or story about science.

Get writing! Tell a story about your favorite scientist as dramatically as you can, write poetry about a cool science fact, or describe a feat of engineering using your most vivid vocabulary.

2. Teach your family about something you love.

The best way to learn something deeply is to teach it. Turn your family members into your students and tell them all about something you’ve learned recently whether it’s how to build the best paper airplane or how a chemical reaction works.

3. Create nature art.

Make a leaf rubbing, stick sculpture, or tower of balanced pebbles to integrate both sides of your brain.

4. Invent something to solve a problem.

What’s something you wish were easier? Design something to meet a need, starting with a blueprint and working toward a prototype.

5. Test your brain with riddles.

Find challenging riddles on Ted-Ed or elsewhere, then attempt to solve them with your family.

6. Head to the library.

Ask a librarian to help you find books about STEAM at your reading level. Reading is a wonderful way to find a new interest!

7. Ask questions.

STEAM is all about asking creative questions and trying to find answers. Observe the world around you and keep a list of questions you come up with throughout the day: How do stoplights work? Why do some trees lose their leaves and not others? Then work with an adult to find the answers.

8. Build something using recycled materials.

Gather items you normally would have thrown away – packaging, receipts, dried-out pen, etc. – and see what you can build out of the items!

9. Interview a scientist.

If you were a scientist, what kind of scientist would you be? Research to find someone who has your dream job, then write them a letter or email asking them about their work and how they got to be where they are.

10. See what IEA offerings are coming up!

If you’re local to the Pasadena area, check out our upcoming LABS workshops (7^th-10^th grade), check back for the Spring schedule of Academy classes (K-8^th grade) in a couple of weeks or mark your calendars for when the EXPLORE (10^th-12^th grade) externship program application goes live!

Celebrating a different way? Comment below!

Hi. My name is Gabriel. I’m 13 and I like science, technology, engineering, analyzing art and board/video games. I have been attending IEA’s Academy program for a few years and had my first summer as a Yunasa camper last year.

This year I created a science project about trying to fix one of autism’s most pernicious side effects: spacing out.

As any 2E or autistic and ADD person can tell you, “spacing out” cripples their studies and hours and hours are lost and time becomes nebulous until they are aroused by a sound or perhaps a pat on the back. This causes workloads to seemingly multiply like tribbles!

My goal was to fix this problem by using tech – namely, artificial intelligence (AI) – that already existed to fix a conundrum that had seemingly been around forever. “Therefore, spacing out could be fixed by a device to treat and prevent the problem of losing focus in class via artificial intelligence augmented shock therapy from intelligent analysis of electroencephalography,” as I stated in my research paper.

Translated, this means that it is possible to fix this problem by observing the excess static electricity from a gifted and/or autistic brain using a headset and running it through an AI, which attempts to find patterns between the live data and the examples. If it resembles the spaced out datasets, it stimulates the user via either the originally planned method of zapping them on the wrist – or, the more “science-fair-friendly” method of intense vibration on the wrist.

After spending vast quantities of time researching and contacting many other experts, I attempted to assemble the software and headset from scratch by hacking a toy I own that uses electroencephalography.

First, I attempted to bore the user with pressing the space bar when they see a symbol, but the code was too complex for a Python newbie (or noob). The headset was tricky to solder, and things just did not work out. I have attempted to use many programs, including Github to organize files, Arduino to create the hacked headset, OSCulator to connect systems, Wekinator and WekiInputHelper to run the AI, Python to program with, and many more programs I have spent 200+ hours arranging in every way I can think of to try to get my theoretical system and ambitious dream running. However, I was unable to connect my rig, so I was unable to gather data.

When I started my project, I was notified that my project would not follow school convention, so I could expect to be shamed by the judges. What happened was radically different and a completely unexpected turn of events. After receiving 3rd place at my school, I was unexpectedly entered into the county fair as the only homeschooler, yet received 1st place and entry to state. I am currently preparing to attend the state fair.

Gabe currently volunteers his time to work with youth at his church club, AWANA, and he loves to ski, boogie board, and get completely trounced by waves and ocean. He actively participates in Boy Scouts, has never met a book that he doesn’t like, loves any and all things put on by IEA, and loves making animated movies and inventions.

When Leonardo da Vinci is mentioned, either in an academic setting or in a casual conversation, one of several knee-jerk references usually comes to mind:

• His inventions
• The Mona Lisa
• The Vitruvian Man, his painstakingly accurate depiction of the human form
• His influence on the Renaissance as a whole

What is more fascinating about da Vinci than his singular achievements, however, is that his portfolio of accomplishments – both achieved and never fully realized – spans more disciplines and fields than any other inventor, scientist, artist or influencer either before or since. (They don’t call him The Renaissance Man for nothing!)

Not one to rest on his laurels, da Vinci is oft quoted as having said, “Learning never exhausts the mind.” Did you know he is widely considered to be the father of architecture, paleontology, ichnology and dabbled – with varying intensity – in invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history and cartography?

Whatever profession you most associate with da Vinci, here are some fun facts to get you excited about Genius Day X: Da Vinci and our upcoming Fall Academy classes.

Simply put, da Vinci loved water and anything associated with it. Though they never came to fruition in his lifetime, da Vinci developed plans for a SCUBA-like underwater breathing device, a life preserver, a diving bell and floating snowshoes.

This fall, Academy is running an NAGC award-winning curriculum course on sustainability, developed by Yunasa Fellow Shelagh Gallagher, called It’s Electrifying! Fueling the Future, which focuses on alternative forms of energy, including wave energy and tidal energy.

He also studied the erosion of rivers in Europe and figured out that the earth is older than previously believed, based on a scientific investigation of water and soil samples, maps and journals. Though discredited at the time, due to the cultural climate, da Vinci’s findings were eventually deemed accurate.

Is your child interested in learning about the universe’s origin, evolution and current structure? Check out IEA Academy instructor Tristan Murphy’s new class From Dust to Dawn: Constructing the History of the Universe, where students will gain a comprehensive understanding of our universe’s complex development into what it is today.

da Vinci was a creative writer – not in the style or vocabulary he chose, but in the physical act of writing he executed. He wrote most of his work from right to left – the opposite of traditional written print. The result of this writing was a mirror script, which was difficult for most people to read. Historians have postulated that he did so intentionally, in order to keep his writing secret, though it may be simply because he was left-handed, making this unusual writing style was easier.

Check out Academy’s Saturday class Page One: Creative Writing for an opportunity to delve into language, style, and genre – and possibly the chance to develop your own mirror script!

Flight was another big area of focus for da Vinci, who is credited as being the first person to study the flight of birds scientifically. He spent considerable time delving into the field of ornithology and used what he observed and analyzed as inspiration to try and replicate wings and flying apparatuses for humans using biomimicry. One of da Vinci’s designs that he never got off the ground (no pun intended) was the parachute. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that a South African skydiver finally tested da Vinci’s design by developing a prototype based on his sketches.

Is your child interested in similar types of STEAM constructs? Be sure to have them join the Tuesday afternoon course STEAM Building: Creative Constructs, where students will design and test things such as marble runs, catapults, parachutes, spaghetti bridges, and much more. Or, have your child try Inventioneers, a class based on genius inventors like da Vinci, where students will play the dual role of inventor and engineer and come up with their own genius invention!

da Vinci believed that sight was mankind’s most important sense, which is why he focused so heavily on art, architecture, biological studies, sketching and the written word. He is quoted as saying, “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt.”

Does your child have a knack for design and visuals? Do they enjoy creating appealing graphics and imagery? Be sure to sign them up for Web Design II: Form and Function on Monday evenings, where students will gain the skills needed to transform their own personally-designed website from functional to fabulous.

Though da Vinci’s list of accomplishments and endeavors may seem overwhelming, there’s no denying that his is truly a canon of inspiration and motivation. For more information on Genius Day X: Da Vinci: Restless Renaissance Rebel, visit the event webpage. This exciting day of learning is open to students in grades 4-8 and will take place at the breathtaking Getty Center on September 30th.

To view Academy course descriptions and register for fall courses, visit the Academy webpage. Apply by August 27^th!

What is your favorite work from da Vinci? Tell us in the comments!

Source: https://www.leonardodavinci.net/

By Vinjay Vale, 2013 CDB Scholar

Today’s education system has created a rift between STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and the humanities. It may seem counterintuitive, but studying the humanities actually makes you a better scientist. Scholars of literature, philosophy, art, and history develop an understanding and appreciation for what it means to be human. I believe it is vital for scientists to study these fields, especially in a modern world full of rapid technological advances.

Through my own research, I experienced firsthand how the humanities can help scientific research.

My Regeneron STS project was on Artificial Intelligence, specifically teaching computer programs to learn and interpret geometric structures in visual scenes. The current state-of-the-art has poor spatial and compositional understanding; for example, it classifies a leopard-print couch as a leopard despite the furniture’s lack of a head and tail. Understanding how objects are composed of their parts is critical for complex vision tasks like visual reasoning. My approach to the problem deviated from the modern paradigm of neural networks. Believe it or not, I was inspired by a 1987 psychology paper by American vision scientist Irving Biederman on the Recognition By Components theory for human vision. The theory is based on breaking down complex objects into simple spatial elements called geons.

As I worked on my project, I spent multiple weeks outside the lab where I exclusively read books and papers, on subjects ranging from art to artificial intelligence, some suggested by my mentor Kevin Ellis (who I met through the MIT PRIMES high-school research program). In philosophy class, meanwhile, I learned about Plato’s Theory of Forms, and realized that I was trying to recreate a similar understanding of the visual world in computers.

Making connections between these diverse fields helped me develop the necessary insights to make headway on my interdisciplinary problem: teaching a computer to learn and interpret visual scenes.

My work falls into an emerging category of AI research called explainable AI — that is, building artificial intelligence systems that can articulate their thought processes to humans. This is an important area of AI safety, which merges ethics and philosophy with the more technical side of computer science.

In general, the gray area where ethics and tech meet is ripe for exploration. The underlying digital buzz permeating all aspects of our lives makes human moral judgement all the more essential. Think about social media, big pharma, self-driving cars — scientists who understand ethics have the capacity to make a positive impact on the world. Studies have shown that engaging in arts, history, and literature bolsters morality, compassion, and empathy. As a pianist, composer, and avid reader, I’d certainly like to think I’ve benefited in this way.

My study of the humanities also has made me a better collaborator, by helping to sharpen my communication skills and compassion. I know that in the future I want to be part of interdisciplinary teams of scientists that tackle significant real-world problems. There’s no doubt that the interpersonal and collaborative skills that I learn from studying and discussing history, philosophy, and literature will be essential in the future.

Whether we’re talking about clinical trials (where every day human behavior can make or break a drug) or computer science (as in my experience drawn from art and psychology), understanding human nature is fundamental to doing science. When most people think about the future of humanity, they envision a universe where science has propelled our species towards a better tomorrow. But science alone is not enough to solve the world’s problems: that science needs to be done by people who understand what it means to be human.

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Byrdseed
“Byrdseed is all about better understanding our gifted learners. Stick around and you’ll learn how to differentiate lessons, teach across the content areas, and appreciate gifted kids’ unique social and emotional needs.”

Vi Hart
“I am Vi Hart! I am a real person, and I make videos and virtual reality and other things. Sorry about the bright yellow. It amuses me. This is my personal website, not some ‘Vi Hart brand Websperience’ created for your enjoyment or education or whatever.”

BASIC-256
“BASIC-256 is an easy to use version of BASIC designed to teach anybody (especially middle and high-school students) the basics of computer programming. It uses traditional control structures like gosub, for/next, and goto, which helps kids easily see how program flow-control works. It has a built-in graphics mode which lets them draw pictures on screen in minutes, and a set of detailed, easy-to-follow tutorials that introduce programming concepts through fun exercises.”

The Kid Should See This
“The Kid Should See This is a growing library of smart & super-cool, ‘not-made-for-kids, but perfect for them’ videos that can be watched in the classroom or together at home. Enjoy 8-12 new vids each week, and search 3,000+ videos in the archives, curated by me, Rion Nakaya, with help from my 6 & 9 year olds.”

TED-Ed
“TED-Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative. TED-Ed’s mission is to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world.”

The How the human brain works series was specifically recommended.

Atlas Obscura
“In an age where everything seems to have been explored and there is nothing new to be found, we celebrate a different way of looking at the world. If you’re searching for miniature cities, glass flowers, books bound in human skin, gigantic flaming holes in the ground, bone churches, balancing pagodas, or homes built entirely out of paper, the Atlas Obscura is where you’ll find them.”

Science Friday
“Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.”

The School of Life
“The School of Life is a place that tries to answer the great questions of life. We believe in developing emotional intelligence. We are based online and in 12 physical hubs around the world, including London, Melbourne, Istanbul and Seoul.”

Mensa for Kids
“Mensa for Kids offers a variety of online resources for exceptionally bright youth.”

Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page
“Giftedness: Everything parents, educators, administrators, counselors, psychologists, and gifted children & teens need to know, including articles and research.”

What would you add to the list?

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