ART vs. NATURE: The ultimate showdown! So what side are you on? Ecosystems, dichotomous keys and dissection NATURE? Or touchy-feely, rainbows and pretty pictures ART? Hold up there, buckaroo – the line between Art and Nature is not as clear as it may seem. Throughout history, artists have been inspired by the colors and textures …
Author Archives: Elizabeth Zinck
STEM@Home: Be a Tree Detective!
Hello STEM@Homers! Fall is here and back-to-school is in full swing. Whether you’re homeschooling, virtual schooling, or at-school-schooling, now is always the best time to add a little more STEM to your week, and ExploreHope is here to hook you up! Got a crick in your neck? Don’t worry, you’re not alone – October in …
STEM@Home: NASA SpacePlace
Hi all! Welcome back to the STEM@Home blog. My name is Kate, and I’m one of your virtual camp counselors! I will be a junior at Hope College this fall, studying elementary education. I am spending this summer happily in Holland with my family, taking a class online, and working for ExploreHope from home. Is …
STEM@Home: Exploration Boxes
Ah, the start of summer in Michigan. Strawberry-rhubarb pie! Crisp, sunny days! Shockingly cold water temperatures at the Lake! But nothing says early June in West Michigan more than…. the annual kick-off for the Hope Summer Science Camps! This year, of course, things look a little different for us. But nothing can keep us back …
STEM@Home: Citizen Science
Pardon me, are you Citizen Science? No, that’s not a hip new prefix for your name – it’s a description of your new summer hobby! Citizen science is science where everyone participates – including PhDs, amateurs, students, volunteers. Then, professional researchers use the collected data to come to real-world conclusions. Why citizen science? Well, we …
STEM@Home: For the Birds
“Bird Song Hero” and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Academy Ah, the sweet sounds of a Michigan spring day. The whisper of a breeze, rustling through branches just burst into leaf. The burble of a creek, swollen with snowmelt and April showers. The vibrant trills of songbirds, swooping and nesting overhead. Wouldn’t it be …
STEM@Home: Kid-ventions
The United States Patent and Trademark Office for Kids Calling all kid-ventors! Are you itching for an at-home kid-venture? Maybe you’ve got dreams of making money with a new product as a kid-vendor? Don’t just whine about it, like a kid-venter – STEM@Home is here to help you become a kid-inventor! The U.S. Patent and …
STEM@Home: Let’s Spark! At Home
The Smithsonian Institution’s Spark!Lab at the Holland Museum Sure, ExploreHope and the Hope Summer Science Camps are your go-to for hands-on summer science experiences. But did you know there’s a nationally-recognized, year-round STEAM lab for kids just down the street from us? The Holland Museum has been a longtime partner for our camps, but especially …
STEM@Home: LEGO Lesson Love
Explore the world of simple machines with LEGO challenges from Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls! Sure, your LEGO blocks have been VIP of the toy room for years now. Your minifigs could populate a small city. You’re got LEGO Hogwarts, the LEGO Death Star, and the Eiffel Tower (in LEGO) in places of honor …
STEM@Home: Earth Day, Your Way
Did you get your party hats? Crepe paper streamers? Make sure to blow a noisemaker or two, because April 22, 2020 is a special day for Planet Earth – it’s the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! Sure, 50th anniversaries are technically known as “golden” anniversaries – but don’t worry, Earth isn’t expecting anything flashy from …