K-12 Youth Resources


Explore these resources to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math. Below you'll find games, events, camps, and other fun activities on these topics. 

Do you know of a really cool science or engineering resource that we should have up here? Let us know at wwest@sfu.ca

The Women in Science and Engineering Game

Supported by WWEST, the Phylo(mon) Project has released a fun card game that focuses on awesome women in STEM, as well as issues pertaining to the challenges around gender equity. The game can be downloaded for free at the link above!

Technovation

Technovation offers girls ages 10-18 around the world the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to become tech entrepreneurs and leaders. They will learn to identify a problem in their community and create a mobile app solution to address that problem.

STEM Career Information

What is Engineering?

Check out our other White Papers here.

 Hosted at SFU

Let's Talk Science
Let's Talk Science connects educators and youth with outstanding volunteers to deliver a wide variety of meaningful STEM learning experiences in both school and community settings, offering camps and workshops to K-12 students.

STEM Outreach Collective
The SFU STEM Outreach Collective is a collection of SFU groups that are focused on promoting outreach and engagement within STEM. Representatives from these groups meet once a semester in order to brainstorm ways to make STEM more accessible for all.

SFU Educational Summer Camps
Computer Camps in Surrey and Burnaby (kids 8-14 years) and 3D Printing Camps in Burnaby (kids 12-17 years)

Science AL!VE
Science in-school workshops, summer camps, and outreach programs at SFU.

Math Catcher
The Math Catcher Outreach program aims to promote mathematics and scholarship in general by encouraging elementary and high school students to recognize how math is used in everyday life and how it forms the basis for many of our daily decisions and life-long choices. The storytelling, pictures, models, problem solving, and hands-on activities encourage young people to enjoy math and help dispel the myth that math is boring and abstract. 

Camps & Events

Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, UBC
Offers camps throughout the year, many aimed at girls in grades K-12, with a focus on hands-on scientific inquiry.

Brilliant Labs
Brilliant Labs is a not-for-profit, hands-on technology and experiential learning platform based in Atlantic Canada. They support the integration of creativity, innovation, coding, and an entrepreneurial spirit within classrooms and educational curricula.

CMS Math Camps
Each summer, CMS Math Camps provide students with an interest in mathematics with a unique and unforgettable experience. The camps take place in universities and CEGEPs across Canada and range from day camps to week long events. Students who attend the camps leave with new friends, new ideas, and a new outlook on mathematics.

EUReKA! Science Program
Science in-school workshops and summer camps at TRU in Kamloops.

GEERing Up!
Engineering and science in-school workshops, summer camps, and outreach programs at UBC Vancouver & Okanagan.

GIRLsmarts4tech
GIRLsmarts4tech is your chance to explore and learn about computer science, with hands-on activities, cool demos, and even some extras to bring home with you at the end of the day.

Ladies Learning Code
A not-for-profit organization with the mission to be the leading resource for women and youth to become passionate builders - not just consumers - of technology by learning technical skills in a hands-on, social, and collaborative way.

Math Competitions
The CEMC develops and administers many internationally recognized contests to help to inspire the next generation of students to develop an interest in and love for mathematics and computer science. Interested students should ask their math teachers about these contests.

Science Venture
Since 1991, the University of Victoria's Science Venture program has been delivering innovative science, technology, engineering, and math programming to Vancouver Island youth, 5-18 years of age.

SHAD
A Canadian charity that provides a month-long summer program focused on STEAM to 800 students every year. 

We Count Math Society
We Count Math Society is a registered non-profit based in Whitehorse, Yukon. We Count offers Math Mania events, which are free and open to the public.

Let's Talk Science - University of Victoria
Let's Talk Science connects educators and youth with outstanding volunteers to deliver a wide variety of meaningful STEM learning experiences in both school and community settings, offering camps and workshops to K-12 students.

STEM Activities

A Digital List: Helpful Engineering Games
A list of helpful and fun engineering games.

Astronomy for Kids
This guide will explain the main areas of astronomy, including the definitions of all the things you are likely to come across, as well as what kind of equipment you will need when starting out.

Best Online Coding Classes For Kids 2021
The impact of technology and it’s ever-growing importance in shaping our surroundings means coding is a valuable skill for any child to learn. Not only does programming prepare children or teenagers alike for a future career in Computer Science, but it also improves their problem-solving skills and logical thinking abilities. Coding is a creative way for kids to express their ideas and thoughts.

Canada-Wide Science Fair
The Canada-Wide Science Fair brings science, technology, engineering and math out of the classroom - engaging youth in STEM solutions to real world issues.

Center for Computing Education and Diversity
Interactive programming activities to teach Computer Science

CS Unplugged
Games and activites that teach Computer Science

Cubetto
Hands-on coding game for kids aged 3 and up

DadsWorksheets.com
Printable math worksheets

DragonBox
Fun apps about math!

Generation Genius
Videos & lessons made in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association that engage, educate & inspire kids in science.

Goldie Blox
A multimedia company challenging gender stereotypes with storytelling and STEM.

Good Calculators

This website provides a variety of online calculators, such as math and statistics, engineering and conversion calculators.

A Guide to Engaging Girls in Early STEM Learning
It’s never too early to introduce STEM learning into your child’s life. Throughout this guide, you will find several ways to help prevent your daughter from falling into the STEM gap, including activities, toys, curriculum, and more.

How to Build a Home Observatory in Your Garden
Throughout this guide to building a home observatory, we will look at the requirements for constructing one and answer common questions – like whether you’ll need planning permission.

How to Identify Effective STEM Activities for Children
There are many high-quality STEM activities online for educators, caretakers and parents to try with kids. Search through the following resources for activities and lessons that can be taught in the classroom or home.

iGen Education Group
iGen Education is a Vancouver B.C. based education group that teaches the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), and integrates outdoor education.

Look I'm an Engineer
This playful preschool activity book will unleash your child's curiosity and creativity as they play their way through amazing STEM projects. Little ones have the opportunity to do what they do best: imagine, create, learn, problem solve, and above all, play their way to engineering discovery.

MathPickle
MathPickle.com is a free online resource of original mathematical puzzles, games and unsolved problems for K-12 teachers. It is supported by the American Institute of Mathematics.

Minecraft
A game about placing blocks to build anything you can imagine.

Remote-STEM Learning Resource Guide for K-12 Students, Parents, and Educators
By 2025, 3.5 million STEM-related jobs are predicted to be in need of qualified candidates. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education puts millions of dollars in grants toward STEM fields each year. Students, teachers, and parents are validated in their ongoing push for STEM education. 

Science Experiences Around the House
Education and experimentation doesn’t have to be limited to school. Young people can learn a whole lot about the world around them in the comfort of their own home. There are all kinds of experiments that can be performed to enhance understanding!

Scratch
Program your own interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community.

Self-Learning STEM Toolkit For High School Students
The United States is a leader in the global online education market, which is projected to reach $350 billion by 2025. The rise of online learning began well before the 2020 pandemic, but remote learning and virtual education became essential in a post-COVID world. Remote learning is becoming more mainstream, accessible, expandable at scale, and interactive. Further, it fosters high levels of communication. 

STEM Activities Guide for K-12 & Beyond
The National Research Council has shown that early exposure to STEM positively impacts the entire spectrum of children’s growth and development.  Here you will find links to great resources broken out by age, as well as by subject (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math).

Whizara
Whizara offers structured live online coding classes for kids, taught by students of top tier universities. Whizara courses build computational thinking and hone problem solving skills among kids through fun hands-on project-based learning.

Volunteer Opportunities

We For She NextGen Leaders Program
The NextGen Leaders Program provides mentoring, workshops and inspiration to rally young women in high school to be bold in their careers. In designing this initiative, We for She considered a program that can be easily implemented in schools by teachers and student leaders in partnership with local business organizations.

General Online Resources

Adventures of the Residents of Number Town: Multiply’s Multiple Friends
This video is a whimsical allegory about the impact of mathematics in our everyday life, and the heartwarming value of friendship. Join characters Multiply, Divide, Subtract and Add, and explore their world, Number Town. In doing so, you will learn the creative and fun side of mathematics through analogies and metaphors.

Engaging Girls in STEM
Publications summarizing research focused on what works to engage and support girls in STEM. These publications present new research or distill existing research and provide it in user-friendly formats to inform programming, reference in presentations, and cite when writing proposals or seeking other types of program support.

 

How Coding Provides Skills That Can Help Children Cope With Distress
Uncertain times are especially tough on young minds. Here's how children and teens can learn coping strategies through coding.

IT glossary: Tech Terms, Tools, and Resources for Kids
Technology has changed the way that people live, communicate, learn, and play. Understanding the meaning of the language and vocabulary words used to describe computers and the internet is important to developing a foundational understanding and appreciation for interacting with technology.

Pi in the Sky
Pi in the Sky magazine is primarily aimed at high-school students and teachers, with the main goal of providing a cultural context/landscape for mathematics. It has a natural extension to junior high school students and undergraduates, and articles may also put curriculum topics in a different perspective.

Career Information

A Guide for Women in STEM
Research shows that in order to increase the diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, the pipeline of guidance and inclusion needs to extend from early education all the way through professional development and career support. DDS created a guide for women in STEM to help them succeed.

A Guide for Women in STEM: Closing the Gender Gap
Women are represented far less in technical occupations than men. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), in 2015, the percentage of computing occupations held by women was three times less than that of the male representation in STEM. 

A Mighty Girl
Free "Read Question Think" posters for kids.

Bridging the Gap
Twelve videos on occupations in the electricity and renewable energy industry by Electricity Human Resources Canada.

Celebrating Exceptional Women
The Neuro has launched Neuro XXceptional - an exciting new year-long video series featuring women who tell us what drove them to become scientists and clinicians, and what they love about their work.

Couragion
Couragion provides a fun and engaging application that exposes students to STEM careers using videos, games, and self-reflection quizzes.

Discover Data Science
Information about Data Science, as well as programs and resources.

eng•cite E-Mentoring
Our partners at eng•cite and the UBC Faculty of Applied Science offer their newest outreach program E-Mentoring, an online mentoring program that connects girls in BC with women working or studying in an engineering field.

Engineering, Go For It! (eGFI)
Find out about opportunities as an engineer

Finding Ada, "What Kind of Scientist Could I Be?"
Based on research by the Science Council, this poster looks at ten different types of career that scientists can have.

High Schooler's Guide to Preparing for an Engineering College
For students interested in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), the economic forecast is quite favorable for both careers and college majors. STEM occupations are expected to grow to more than nine million by 2022. Our economy needs STEM graduates who have the entrepreneurial spirit to address challenges in a rapidly evolving global economy.

National Engineering Month
Canada’s biggest celebration of engineering. Over 500 coast-to-coast events for young Canadians to learn about the exciting, fun and rewarding world of careers in engineering.

Nerd Girls
A growing global movement which celebrates smart-girl individuality that’s revolutionizing our future.

Ordinary Women: Daring to Defy History
A video series by Feminist Frequency on women in history who challenged stereotypes and smashed the status quo.

Recruiting More Women Engineers Means Getting More Girls Involved in STEM
During more than a decade guiding thousands of girls toward science, technology, engineering, and math careers, Tamara Hudgins has seen the influence of early education on young students. Hudgins works as the executive director at Girlstart, an organization based out of Austin, Texas, that works to empower girls in STEM through after-school programs and camps. She found that those who enrolled in preparatory math and science courses in middle school were able to take on advanced STEM classes sooner, propelling their STEM education in college and opening related career paths.

Resources for Women in Mathematics
The Women in Mathematics Committee of the CMS is pleased to highlight high quality resources on the web for and about women in mathematics. They have particular interest in resources offered to or by Canadians.

Self-Learning STEM Toolkit for High School Students
The United States is a leader in the global online education market, which is projected to reach $350 billion by 2025. The rise of online learning began well before the 2020 pandemic, but remote learning and virtual education became essential in a post-COVID world. Remote learning is becoming more mainstream, accessible, expandable at scale, and interactive. Further, it fosters high levels of communication. 

SheHeroes 
Video series on incredible women role models. 

Spotlight: Women in STEM
This video series profiles six women in STEM and is part of Science Literacy Week. With the series, they hope to dispel common misconceptions about what STEM is about.

Ultimate STEM Resources Bank for K12 Students
Check out this massive collection of STEM Resources that includes websites in each of the STEM field, government resources, mobile apps, technology and career resources. Use it wisely.

Why STEM?
Geering Up has created a White Paper video funded by WWEST and eng•cite on the reasons you or your child should consider a STEM career.