February 2021 E-Newsletter
✓Spark and deepen young peoples' curiosity for and
competency in STEM and computer science.
✓Build organizational capacity to sustain STEM and
February: Engineers Week
Engineers: Inspiring Wonder February 21-27, 2021
Founded by NSPE in 1951, Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.
Engineers Week is a time to:

  • Celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world
  • Increase public dialogue about the need for engineers
  • Bring engineering to life for kids, educators, and parents
UC 4-H Celebrates Engineers!
Motor Boat Challenge: Design and Build a Boat 
We challenge youth to design, build, and test a motor boat! Create your own motor boat during Engineering Week (Feb 21-27), and showcase it at our event on February 27th! Registration closed for kit orders. But you can purchase your own at https://kelvin.com/kelvin-motor-boat-kit/. Contact Evelyn for the Zoom meeting link.
Educator Resources
Online Click2Science
Click2SciencePD provides online STEM professional development resources for out-of-school time trainers and coaches supporting frontline staff or volunteers working directly with youth.
4-H Science Resources
Outstanding science programs start with a strong understanding of the infrastructure needed for success. Learn more about the logic model, checklist, competencies and inquiry-based learning. https://4-h.org/professionals/professional-development/science/
Youth Science Education Resource Hub
The purpose of this hub is to provide professionals a curated collection of informal science education resources to advance science and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education efforts. https://ucanr.edu/sites/STEM/
Youth: Save-the-Date
Save-the-Dates
Virtual STEM-at-Home
May 8-22, 2021
Closing virtual assembly May 23 @ 6pm

The State 4-H STEM Education Committee is preparing STEM activities for this statewide event! We will release a special STEM newsletter and post details on the webpage once details are finalized.
Online Learning Fact Sheets
Spotlights
Please email spotlights of 4-H youth members doing STEM to Evelyn Rumsby.
CS Community of Practice
Recent Research
Thomas J. Dormody, Peter Skelton, Gabrielle Rodriguez, David W. Dubois, Dawn VanLeeuwen

A new weather and climate curriculum was developed containing lessons on the water cycle, the greenhouse effect, measuring and analyzing precipitation and temperature data, and mitigating and adapting to weather and climate extremes in agriculture and natural resources.
Rachel Bayer, Ashley Travis, Chenzi Wang

Kids Growing with Grains is a school-based agricultural education program that improves youths’ conceptual understanding of how agriculture is linked to nutrition, the environment, and human health. Evaluation results indicate the program is achieving its learning objectives. The program is designed to be easily replicated.
California 4-H STEM Network
Strengthening California
4-H STEM programming, by growing the agency and solidarity of the 4-H STEM community.
Advancing applied research and evaluation around out-of-school time science education.
Strengthening computer science education while reaching more youth with computational thinking programs.
Newsletters published every other month in August, October, December, February, April, and June. Please email potential articles to Steven Worker or Evelyn Rumsby.