Brownies
STEM
Brownie STEM Career Exploration Activities for Kids
Explore the Future
Now complete a challenge and find out how STEM can help you change the world.
(Leverage the video above to help your planning.)
Activity Details
Time needed: 60 minutes
Materials Needed:
- For the Computer Science Challenge: Paper, pencil, and the STEM Field Sheet: Computer Science handout
- For the Creative Technology & Design Challenge: Beads in a variety of colors and shapes
- For the Engineering Station Challenge: Blocks or other building materials like boxes, etc.
- For the Food & Agriculture Challenge: Assorted snack or food items, like fruit, pretzels, M&Ms, etc. Any food or snacks you have will do!
Important Note: Snacks and food should be prepared with consideration for food allergies such as nuts and gluten.
- For the Health & Wellness Challenge: Paper, pencil, and timer
- For the Nature & Environment Challenge: Paper and pencil
- Computer or internet-connected device to look at profiles of women working in STEM and stream videos in the list below.
Video List :
- Computer Science: Mary Beth Westmoreland, Chief Technology Officer at BlackbaudCatie Cuan, PhD Student, and Artist
- Creative Technology & Design: Catie Cuan, PhD Student, and Artist
- Engineering: Debbie Sterling, Founder and CEO of GoldieBlox
- Food & Agriculture: Chavonda Jacobs-Young, ARS Administrator and Acting USDA Chief Scientist
- Health & Wellness: Monica Rho, Director of Women's Sports Medicine
- Nature & Environment: Rae Wynn-Grant, National Geographic Society Fellow
For a longer list of videos for each field, check out the list at the bottom of each section in the activity.
Setup:
STEM has helped us discover everything from things smaller than our eyes can see to bones of dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago and things as big as a new planet. People have discovered new animal and plant species here on Earth and in entire galaxies far away from our own.
You can use also use STEM to invent and build new things that make life easier and more fun, like bicycles, airplanes, and board games.
Activity:
Explore careers in STEM by learning about six different STEM fields, watching a video from a STEM professional, and completing a challenge for each field.
Field 1: Computer Science
The field of computer science focuses on the study of computers, the internet, and how they’re used. There are programmers, whose job it is to write code that can build websites, animate movies, design apps, program video games, and so much more. There are also cybersecurity professionals whose job it is to keep computer networks, systems, and information safe.
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in computer science:
- Build devices: Computer hardware engineers design, develop, and test computer parts, such as keyboards and memory chips. They stay on top of what’s new and innovative in tech to make sure the new device, like a phone, tablet, or computer, can run the latest apps and other programs.
- Design robots: Roboticists build robots that can do jobs that are too hard, dangerous, or boring for humans.
- Solve cybercrimes: Digital forensics experts search for digital clues to keep us, our computers, and all of our data safe.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in computer science:
Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Mary Beth Westmoreland, Chief Technology Officer at Blackbaud
Take a look at the STEM Field Sheet: Computer Science handout and write your name in Morse code.
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Gracie Ermi, Research Software Engineer II at Vulcan, Inc.
- Bea Mendez Gandica, Program Manager at Microsoft and Founder of Nuevo Foundation
- Kim Swennen, Senior Software Engineer at YouTube
Field 2: Creative Technology & Design
The field of creative technology and design combines art, design, and computer science to create things that are both useful and fun, from apps to sound effects. For example, people working in the field might build clothing that lights up or that responds when the weather is hot or cold. They might design buildings or new products, from sneakers to lighting systems, using computer software. They might even build their ideas with technology like a 3D printer.
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in creative technology and design:
- Code apps, websites, or video games: Programmers write code to design things that are both useful and fun, from creating an app, website, or video game to animating a movie or TV show.
- Create digital designs: Tons of jobs use technology to bring an idea to life! Architects use computer software to sketch building plans. Entertainment engineers create museum exhibits that light up and respond to the viewer.
- Design clothing and products: Industrial designers might use a 3D printer to build a new pair of sneakers. Fashion designers might use sensors to create clothing styles that react to changes in weather and body temperature.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in creative technology and design:
Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Catie Cuan, PhD Student, and Artist.
Pretend you’re designing a speaker that lights up with the music you’re playing! Use the materials at the station to create a symmetrical mosaic design for the front of the speaker. Symmetrical means that if you draw a line across the speaker, one side of the design is the same as the other
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Heather Chandler, Game Development Consultant
- Karina Popovich, CEO and Founder of Alpha Brand
- Samantha Porter, Digital Preservation Specialist at the University of Minnesota
Field 3: Engineering
The field of engineering focuses on building things like bridges, cars, and other products. Engineers look for ways to improve and create new products that make life easier and more efficient. They may work in many different areas, with careers designing things like prosthetics for the medical field, agricultural systems to grow more food, or clean energy systems that aren’t harmful to the environment.
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in engineering:
- Understand our world: Chemical engineers work in chemistry, physics, and biology to design new foods, medicines, and materials.
- Build our world: Civil engineers design infrastructure like bridges, water systems, and roads.
- Power our world: Electrical engineers build electronics like motors and sensors.
- Invent our world: Mechanical engineers create all types of machines, from batteries to refrigerators.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in engineering:
- Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Debbie Sterling, Founder and CEO of GoldieBlox.
- Use materials from around your house to build a structure as tall as a table.
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Aisha Lawrey, Senior Director, Programs and Scholarships at the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME)
- Nikki Sereika, Aircraft Maintenance Technician at Southwest Airlines
- Arlyne Simon, Biomedical Engineer & Author
Field 4: Food & Agriculture
The field of food and agriculture focuses on growing, cooking, and consuming food. While you may think of a chef, baker, or farmer, there are tons of careers that help to feed the world!
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in food and agriculture:
- Cook and bake: Chefs and bakers have the important job of making food that’s delicious! A baker makes tasty food using algorithms (recipes!) and the science of mixing different ingredients together. Research chefs create and test new recipes and menus for places like restaurants and hotels.
- Farm in a city: Urban farmers create green space in vacant lots, backyards, and even rooftops to create gardens and farms in city settings.
- Design new recipes: Food scientists come up with new flavors and food combinations to create a new dish or product to be made in a factory.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in food and agriculture:
- Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Chavonda Jacobs-Young, ARS Administrator and Acting USDA Chief Scientist.
- Use ingredients from your house to create a yummy snack.
- Write down your recipe so you can share how to make it with others.
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Magan Lewis, Integrated Field Sciences Global Innovation Lead at Corteva Agriscience
- Helen Tran, Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University (she uses tech to help agriculture!)
Field 5: Health & Wellness
The field of health and wellness focuses on helping people. Medical professionals specialize in all different things, like treating patients (children, adults, or the elderly); studying a disease, such as cancer or diabetes; or becoming an expert on a part of the body, like the heart (cardiology) or brain (neurology).
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in health and wellness:
- Help others to be healthy: You might first think of being a doctor or nurse, but there are tons of jobs in medicine! For example, a sports conditioning specialist trains athletes to be game-ready and stay safe on and off the field.
- Practice a specialty: Pediatricians are doctors who treat children, and neurosurgeons are surgeons who work with the brain.
- Cure diseases: Medical scientists conduct research to investigate how to treat and prevent people from getting sick.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in health and wellness:
- Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Monica Rho, Director of Women's Sports Medicine.
- Time yourself to see how long it takes you to do 10 jumping jacks.
- Time yourself to see how long it takes you to do 10 sit-ups.
- Time yourself to see how long it takes you to do 10 toe touches.
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Cori Lathan, Co-Founder and CEO of AnthroTronix, Inc. (she’s created robots for kids with disabilities and wearable sensors to train surgeons and soldiers!)
- Sarah Wilson, Research Engineer at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute (she studies sports medicine and analyzes human movement!)
- Julie Mirpuri, Assistant Professor (she’s a pediatrician who specializes in taking care of babies!)
Field 6: Nature & the Environment
The field of nature and the environment focuses on science, nature, space, and the outdoors. People in this field might look at rocks and fossils, study plants or animals, go to space, or explore the ocean. There are also people whose job it is to take care of all different types of animals.
Here are some ways you can make a difference with a career in nature and the environment:
- Care for animals: Some people have jobs that focus on helping animals—a veterinarian treats household animals like cats and dogs, a zoologist studies bigger animals like elephants, and a marine biologist looks at aquatic animals.
- Study Earth and climate: Meteorologists predict weather and learn about how it affects the earth and people. Environmental scientists study how problems like pollution affect nature and human health.
- Explore the universe: Aerospace engineers are experts on flight and help astronauts travel to space. They develop, design, test, and produce aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, missiles, and defense systems.
To explore what it’s like to have a career in nature and the environment:
- Check out the IF/THEN Ambassador profile and watch the video for Rae Wynn-Grant, National Geographic Society Fellow.
- Scientists use observation to understand nature. Observation is not just looking at, but thinking about, what you’re seeing. For the challenge, write down four observations you have about the room you’re currently in.
If you want to learn more about the field, check out these other profiles and videos from IF/THEN Ambassadors:
- Katy Croff Bell, Founding Director of the Open Ocean Initiative at the MIT Media Lab and a Fellow at the National Geographic Society
- Adele Luta, Scientist and Innovator (she’s an astrophysicist!)
- Earyn McGee, Graduate Researcher (she studies lizards!)
And that’s it! You've explored how STEM can make a difference, and now you know more about careers in STEM. Even more, you’ve watched videos to hear directly from STEM professionals and completed challenges related to six different fields of STEM.
If you had fun doing this, you might want to continue exploring your interests and how you can make the world a better place with the Brownie STEM Career Exploration badge.
If you want to continue learning more about STEM, search for STEM Journeys and Badges for Brownies on the Girl Scout Award and Badge Explorer.
Troop Leaders: The instructions for all badge steps are available free of charge in the Girl Scout Volunteer Toolkit.
Girl Scout Activity Zone activities have been adapted from existing Girl Scout programming.
Adapted from Steps 2 and 3 of the Brownie STEM Career Exploration badge. Contact your troop leader or your local Girl Scout council to become a Girl Scout member and learn all the requirements needed to earn the badge.
Made possible by a generous grant from Lyda Hill Philanthropies.
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