VSTE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you carefully curated resources designed for K-12 educators. Grants, competitions, web-based and mobile resources and more. We select our favorites from each newsletter but be sure to scroll down and view the whole newsletter. And, since not all the Big Deal Book resources are time sensitive, we provide an archive for you to browse.
This newsletter will help you with Closing the Gender Gap, Designing Video Games, Finding Grants & More...
Tool for Designing Video Games
GameMaker is a free tool that allows educators and their students to create video games and share them across platforms. Educators can use the tool to address the standards of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) and encourage student engagement and creativity.
Events and Activities for Media Literacy Week (October 23–27, 2023)
Inspired by Canada’s Media Literacy Week, the annual US Media Literacy Week is hosted by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE). The mission is to highlight the power of media literacy education and its essential role in education all across the country.
Girls Club Aiming to Close the Gender and Diversity Gap in Technology
Brown Girls Code (BGC) founder and CEO Ebony Brown says her love of STEM and the experience of being the only female or Black female in local tech meet-ups inspired her to create a nonprofit to support girls and their interests in STEM. The BGC program hosts educational events in 26 states on STEM topics, including AI, robotics, and emerging sciences, as well as skills such as leadership and entrepreneurship.
Lessons That Situate Math in Relevant Contexts
At a Title I school on the South Side of San Antonio, an AP Stats teacher abandoned his curriculum and made lessons on topics his students actually cared about: Is college worth the cost? Are electric cars actually greener? Can you make a living as an influencer? Who’s the best basketball player of all time?
