STEAM Ambassadors

A generous grant from the Clarence Heller Foundation allowed us to bring together a team of STEAM AMbassadors under the direction of professor Lucy HG Solomon. The STEAM ambassadors are made up of CSUSM students from an array of backgrounds and bring many talents and experiences to the team. The STEAM ambassadors are passionate about Arts education, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and work hard to deliver and implement STEAM curricula for local teachers, students and parents through various modalities. To receive updates on their creative efforts and learn about upcoming STEAM-related opportunities be sure to follow them on the social media platforms below!

CSUSM STEAM Ambassador Projects

Check out the project descriptions below to learn about what our STEAM Ambassadors have been up to!

While exploring our STEAM Ambassadors' past projects, you'll find links to free downloadable STEAM materials and tutorial videos!

• STEAM + L

  We Are Water Protectors

  

  The 2021–2022 STEAM Ambassadors designed, assembled and disseminated kits for 51 local classrooms in the spring of 2022. These kits were designed to accompany We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. The kit and accompanying lesson explored the importance of watersheds and the effects of water pollution.

  Check out the downloadable instruction sheets in english and spanish

• STEAM

  STEAM Webinar

  This Webinar, delivered by the 2020–2021 STEAM Ambassadors, walks viewers through the "Eye See" activity and the Rainbow Catcher project as well as an accompanying lesson on phyics and light

  Downloadable STEAM Activities

  

  

  In 2020 the STEAM Ambassadors worked to create beautiful inserts to go along with the lesson plans being used in our first ever art kit distribution! Feel free to check out and download lesson plans and inserts that were provided in our art kits! 

  Our 2020 set of STEAM Kits include

  • Pollinator Wildflower kit (with craft activity link)
  • "Eye See" Drawing Activity
  • "How Do We See The World Around Us?" Activity Sheet
  • "Optics: How do YOU see the world?" Bookmark (with craft activity link)

   

  Sew A Simple Circuit

  

  

  The Sewing a Simple Circuit lesson was initially distributed as a free kit for local students. It was crafted and put together two of our 2020–2021 STEAM ambassadors; Amy and Leah. The simple circuit lesson kit and instructions will allow students to make their very own light up bookmark using felt, an LED light, a 3V coin battery and holder, and conductive thread. This kit was delivered to three different third grade classes in which students received hands on instruction from our STEAM Ambassador Amy as well as a virtual version for students participating in distance learning settings. 

  "After planning and assembling of the kits on our own it was so rewarding to be able to deliver them to the students have the opportunity to provide in person instruction to different groups of students." – Amy 

   

  Rainbow Catcher

  

  The Rainbow Catcher lesson was created by two of our 2020–2021 STEAM ambassadors Kodie and Realene. This lesson and accompanying materials kit was delivered through a Montessori school in which they have Nature School for a small group of children. In this lesson children learn the difference between color in the form of pigment vs light, how light combines differently from how one might expect, how it can be reflected or absorbed on various surfaces (which is what makes things have color), what the spectrum of visible light is, ultimately leading to the subject of refraction (light separation) and how it causes rainbows (as demonstrated through this lesson using prisms).

  "The initial concepts we wanted students to learn include light vs. pigment color, the light spectrum, reflection vs refraction. We knew our lessons would be taught in an outdoor setting so we wanted to take advantage of the environment nature provides for our lesson."  – Kodie

   

  Animal Adaptations

  

  

  The Animal Adaptation lesson kit was designed by our two 2020–2021 STEAM ambassadors Gia and Tarah.  This lesson was  designed to teach children about features that animals have which help them thrive in their environments. Children then had the opportunity to create their own  unique animals with features that would help them thrive in their own environment. Students were provided with all materials necessary and were free to use any items they had available at home. 

   

   It was amazing to see that each student had such a different animal. Each student used their own creativity to create an animal. No two animals were the same and I think that is the most important takeaway. - Tarah 

   

  Video Tutorials

  Check out some of the amazing art tutorials created by our Arts Ambassadors!

   

  Social Media Quarantine Creativity Effort

  To alleviate the pressures of quarantine and give people a creative outlet throughout summer 2020, the STEAM Ambassadors created bi-weekly art challenges featured on their Facebook group page, CSUSM Arts Ambassador's Quarantine Masterpieces , and @csusm_art_ambassadors Instagram. People of all ages were encouraged to send their art or tag the page using the following hashtag #csusmartambassadors to be featured on their social media.

  Check out the Challenge Winners!