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21st Century Community Learning Centers
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Training Starters

Training Starters help you plan trainings on key topics related to the subject matter. Click the different training starters for tips on creating trainings that address your program needs and next steps.

Activity Centers

Create STEM based activity centers to encourange independent exploration and practice, especially for elementary grades.

Portfolios

Set up portfolios to support and deepen learning from the start and record achievement to show to others

STEM Vocabulary P's and Q's

Work STEM processes (P's), questions (Q's) and vocabulary into the day, every day, across the program.

My Notebook

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

The Notebook is a useful way to jot down notes as you go through the various topics available on the You For Youth website. If you'd like to use the notebook, please sign in if you already have an account or register now to join the Y4Y community!

Glossary

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Skills that are essential for students to be successful and competitive in the real world, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity/innovation

A term often used to describe programs that offer student instruction and enrichment activities during nonschool hours (see also:  out-of-school time, increased learning time)

Practical process for locating resources, knowledge and expertise in a community

Scientific research that is conducted through crowd sourcing

When everyday citizens help scientists collect and analyze data for their research projects.

Out-of-school learning activities that focus more on exploration and inspiring curiosity rather than on mastery or review of specific academic content; such activities complement formal learning by building students' background knowledge, introducing new ideas and sparking curiosity

Academic learning goals that define what students should know and be able to do at different grade levels; typically organized around “big ideas” or overarching concepts that students encounter in school

Ways of thinking; habits of mind associated with STEM include curiosity, openness to new ideas and critical thinking, along with mathematical and logical skills related to computation and estimation

Learning through active exploration, problem solving and manipulation of materials rather than through the more traditional methods of content delivery, such as lectures and textbooks

A set of cognitive skills that extend beyond the basic memorization of facts and instead utilizes critical and creative thinking, decision making, problem solving and reasoning

A guided instructional approach in which learners ask questions, conduct investigations, make discoveries and apply their new understandings

A guided instructional approach in which learners ask questions, conduct investigations, make discoveries and apply their new understandings

Hours outside of the regular school day, and they are often used for student enrichment activities that augment regular school-time instruction. Out-of-school time can occur before or after school, or in the summer.

Ability to suggest or design solutions to problems for which there may be no one right answer

The ability to understand and apply concepts from science, technology, engineering and mathematics, including computer science and interdisciplinary strategies, in order to make informed decisions, create new products and processes, and solve problems

Students are invited to express opinions and make choices about planning and implementing their own learning experiences

Out-of-school activities that support academic learning by deliberately aligning with school content and academic standards in a way that's engaging and appropriate to informal learning