Rhode Island Parent Magazine October 2016

Parent

October 2016

FREE

RHODE ISLAND

MAGAZINE

The

Technology issue!

Protecting kids online Ways to save on Halloween

Computer science for every child RI’s initiative makes great gains Elton Semedo Da Veiga, 16, of Providence, at the Academy for Career Exploration

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Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

Contents October 2016 / vol. 2 / no. 3

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Departments

6 A Note from the Publisher Technology rocks!

10 My Turn Why I homeschool.

12 Get Active Halloween ideas.

14 The Healthy Child Online safety.

18 Calendar Things to do in October.

This month’s giveaway is 4 tickets to the Providence Children’s Museum!

Two lucky families will win.

Visit www.RIParentMag.com to enter for a chance to win!

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Features 8 Cover Feature: CS4RI

Preparing RI kids for the digital future.

16 STEM

What is STEM and why is it important?

Looking for a new school?

See school advertising and open houses on page 15 and 18. For birthday parties and other events, see pages 21 and 22.

There's always something new at www.RIParentMag.com!

Visit our all new website! It’s a one-stop shop for parents in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Find the latest events in our calendar, read articles about many topics, and search our directory for kid-related businesses. Find the current magazine and past issues on the website, too! The digital edition is great for reading on a tablet, phone, or computer. Also online, sign up for our email newsletter and join our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Visit www.RIParentMag.com, Facebook.com/RIParentMag, and Twitter.com/@riparentmag October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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A Note from the Publisher

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received my first cordless home phone from my father for Christmas. It was bright red. I thought, “Why do I need it to be cordless?” A few years later when the first mobile phones came out, I thought, “Why would I want to carry a phone around with me all the time?”

I guess I wasn’t exactly forward-thinking back then.

Nowadays I like to think of myself as a technology “early adopter.” I was in early on the iPhone and the Kindle. I take all my notes for the magazine on an iPad with the Apple pencil and would be beyond lost without my constantly attached mobile phone. But there is still so much I don’t really understand about technology, and I’m a little jealous of kids today for whom it is second nature.

Technology will only grow more complex and harder to understand for us old fogies. But now, Rhode Island kids are starting to get the kind of digital education they need to succeed in the future with the Computer Science for RI (CS4RI) program, and increased focus on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) teaching. You can find stories about these two topics on pages 8 and 16, respectively.

Of course, with every invention, some humans will use it for bad deeds, so check out page 14 for tips to keep your kids safe online.

On a happier note, one of our regular writers, Stephanie Bernaba, offers advice for Halloween ideas that make the holiday more personal and won’t break the bank.

Some people might consider this magazine “old-fashioned” technology because it is printed. But we know that many of our readers like the physical feel of a magazine they can pick up and read anytime – even if there is no electricity.

For those who want a more modern way to get our information, check out our new website at www.RIParentMag.com. It’s gotten off to a fast start with many entries into September’s giveaway and lots of use of our comprehensive calendar. We update the site frequently and will be offering surprise giveaways you can only find online, so check back often!

Happy Halloween!

Susan Gale

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Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

57 Rolfe Square, Box 10094 Cranston, Rhode Island 02910 (401) 337-9240 Founder and Publisher Susan Gale publisher@RIParentMag.com Art Director/Graphic Designer Rob Kenney artdirector@RIParentMag.com Copy Editor Sheila Flanagan editor@RIParentMag.com Business Manager Lisa Koulibaly sales@RIParentMag.com Advertising Sales (401) 337-9240 sales@RIParentMag.com On the cover: photo by Kimberly Dobosz of Kimberly Dobosz Photography. kimberlydoboszphotography.com Publisher photo taken by Keith Jochim.

KeithJochimPhotography.com Rhode Island Parent Magazine is published monthly by Gale Force Communications. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products, or services are endorsed by the publisher.

Editorial submissions welcome.

©2016 All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Like us on Facebook and Twitter: Facebook.com/RIParentMag @RIParentMag

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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Cover Feature

By Susan Gale

Preparing RI’s children for the

digital future Technology tips for parents

Richard Culatta, the state’s Chief Innovation Officer, said that a new focus on computer science (CS) also means there are new issues for parents to consider.

Screen time: Culatta feels that parents should decide their child’s amount of screen time based on how they are using the technology – are they learning and creating or simply passively consuming media? He said his own children are afforded more screen time if they are using technology actively, but he limits screen time for passive use. “Build a video game, don’t just play a video game,” he said.

Digital citizenship: Just as parents teach their kids how to behave in the real word, they need to teach them how to behave online, Culatta said. For instance, teach children that they should speak up about bullying they see online as well as how they can keep themselves safe online. (See page 14 for more details on how kids can stay safe online.)

Use technology for good: Given the wide array

of information on the Internet, children need help to be “appropriately skeptical” of online data and learn how to discern when data and messages are being used inappropriately. They also need direction on how they can use technology to do good things in the world, Culatta said, noting how different it was when he was a child and hung up posters for events.

Learn CS with your kids: Parents may feel that their

children are surpassing them in their CS knowledge, so Culatta recommends learning along with the kids. He said he plays a game on www.lightbot.com with his young children, and there are other websites that teach children of different ages. “You can learn the skills side-by-side at home,” he said.

Photos by Kimberly Dobosz, www.kimberlydoboszphotography.com

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Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

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ast March, when Governor Gina Raimondo announced a new initiative to get computer science (CS) courses into every school by December 2017, it was a daunting task.

At the time only one percent of Rhode Island high school students were enrolled in CS courses. Only 26 students had passed the CS AP exam in 2015 – and they were largely male and white. In 2014, fewer than 350 students graduated from an RI college with a bachelor’s degree in CS, but there were 1,000 open CS jobs in the state.

There was grave concern for the future because the RI Department of Labor and Training projects that there will be more than 4,000 CS-related jobs by 2022. Without a technology-educated workforce, RI would have trouble attracting companies to provide new jobs. And with the schools not teaching CS, RI students might not have access to some of the best, high-paying jobs.

A brighter future for RI kids

Six months later, the landscape has changed dramatically. This summer, 300 teachers went through professional development boot camps to learn what they need to know to teach CS in their schools. And with the start of the school year, about half of RI schools are now teaching CS, said Richard Culatta, the state’s Chief Innovation Officer.

Culatta said that teaching the skills students will need to get good jobs is extremely important, but there’s a biggerpicture need as well.

“The challenges and problems we are hoping kids will solve in the future all have some component of technology in them,” he said. “We are giving them tools to tackle real challenges they are going to be taking on.”

Multiple CS curriculums offered

Under the governor’s initiative, Computer Science for Rhode Island (CS4RI), schools are offered multiple curriculums to choose from, which they can shape to fit their school. Some of the curriculums are designed to fit into existing math or science classes, while others are new classes. They might be one or two semesters and stretch from kindergarten to high school.

“These are not online courses,” said Culatta. “They all have a teacher at the center. We’re trying to build bench strength for the schools.”

ACE student Esther Duran, 16, of Providence

Jarrchell Berton, 16, of Providence, with ACE teacher Alex Dornback

Each curriculum comes from a CS4RI partner such as Code.org, Project Lead the Way, Bootstrap, URI, or Microsoft.

Some of the curriculums feature professionals from the partner program who help out in the schools; some offer students college credit.

Several RI businesses have also loaned their CS experts to help mentor teachers and teach in the schools. These anchor companies, including Amica, FM Global, Lifespan, and Citizens Bank, adopt the CS4RI schools in their region, providing funding and/or CS experts.

The state is heavily relying on industry partners to help pay for the programs since only $260,000 was put in the state’s 2017 budget for the new program. Most of the curriculums offer professional development to at least one teacher from each school at no cost.

A new way of teaching

One school that has been working on a CS curriculum for several years is the Academy for Career Exploration (ACE), a college prep charter school in Providence which is largely attended by students of color. Officials at the school say that CS requires new ways of teaching – less lecturing and more hands-on learning.

“Teachers are not the sage on the stage but have to be facilitators to coach kids. They teach self-learning and problem solving,” said Mario Cirillo, ACE head of school, who added that the U.S. is “woefully behind” other countries when it comes to CS. “Teaching higher order thinking skills – it’s hard work but it’s the right work.”

“We are helping kids to learn how to learn, how to ask the right questions,” said Luke Driver, ACE Director of Curriculum. For instance, when students are given a computer to take apart, they “hand them a screwdriver and say see you in 20 minutes.” Teachers then come back and help direct the student to find their own answers for completing the task.

ACE student Joana Rogue Vàsquez, 17, of Providence

ACE offers three pathways of computer technology education (CTE) to students: CISCO networking and cyber security; programming and web development; and product development and business marketing. Students take introduction CS courses in 9th grade and choose a pathway in 10th grade while also taking all of the normal school classes.

The future of CS4RI

Culatta acknowledges that family incomes can be a barrier to every child having their own computer to work on at home.

He noted that the West Warwick school district gives every child a computer. “I would love it if every school could do what West Warwick is doing,” he said, adding that today’s computers are like textbooks. “We don’t want to use old textbooks or have kids look on with their neighbor; it should be the same with technology.”

Culatta said getting the rest of RI’s schools into teaching CS by next year will involve using lessons learned from the 2016-2017 school year to improve the curriculums and support offered. Going forward, more mentors will be needed to work alongside teachers, especially next school year (2017), when the rest of RI schools are expected to join CS4RI. He also sees CS internships for students in the CS4RI program’s future. “So they can see what it looks like on the ground, in practice,” he said.

If you want to see if your school is teaching CS education, visit www.cs4ri.org for an interactive map and other details.  Susan Gale is founder and publisher of Rhode Island Parent Magazine.

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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My Turn

By Dawn Anderson

Why I chose to

homeschool

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s a youth moving from town to town, I felt as if I fell through the cracks of every public school system in which I was enrolled. When I finally had my own child at age 32, I began perusing the Internet in search of a private school so I could put her name on a waiting list.

This is where I discovered homeschooling. My curiosity was piqued to the point that I called and emailed people around the country, asking them a barrage of questions as well as reading countless books on the subject.

Excited as I was, I had several years to learn and develop my own educational philosophy. As this was happening, I realized I wasn’t against the public school system, I just wanted something different. I knew I wouldn’t be a good school teacher, but I thought I’d make a good homeschool mom.

By the time my daughter was five, we decided to start homeschool kindergarten. She was already reading, counting, adding, and subtracting. This was all done very informally, mostly through play.

Since kindergarten was successful, we chose to continue homeschooling but agreed we would decide at the end of every year whether or not to continue. The years went by quicker than I’d ever imagined and we ended up continuing until our daughter started CCRI at age 16. She is now 18 and a Biology major at RIC. Homeschooling is a tremendous responsibility, and I’m thankful I had the opportunity to do it. Like anything else in life, it had its joys and frustrations, but going through them together made us stronger as a family.

If you are interested in homeschooling, there are several things to keep in mind:

Follow guidelines. Different Rhode Island communities have different guidelines you must follow in order to homeschool. Be sure to talk to others in your town to see what those guidelines are. Personally, I had no difficulty in Cranston and felt like I could ask for guidance if I needed to.

Discuss homeschooling as a family. This includes getting input from your children (if age appropriate). Over the years, we changed several things based on suggestions from our daughter: we added a ‘free period,’ rearranged how we did subjects so it wasn’t the same every day, did away with most writing assignments and gave her freedom to write what she wanted, etc. Obviously, when she suggested we shouldn’t do math anymore, she was vetoed.

You know what’s right for your family. Realize you have to do what you think is best for you and your family, no matter what others say. Over the years, you will both agree and disagree with another’s point of view. Don’t lose sight of your own individuality.

If you would like more information on homeschooling, here are two local resources that offer a variety of information:

Rhode Island Guild of Home Teachers: A Christianbased homeschool group. www.rihomeschool.com

Learn about homeschooling. Read books and articles.

Talk to homeschoolers, talk to their kids. There are many ways to homeschool – don’t be afraid of variety.

Enrich RI: A secular homeschool group. www.enrichri.org 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Curious about how they learn? Socialization? Pros and cons? Where to start?

Where to buy books and supplies? There are people more than willing to talk about their experiences. It’s good to ask different people the same questions and get different ideas.

Dawn Anderson lives in Cranston.

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Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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Get Active

By Stephanie Bernaba

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Get creative (and save cash) this

Halloween

olidays can be expensive. Right at the turn of the summer, we’re dreading back-to-school shopping, bringing the kids out for Halloween, and then the grand-scale productions of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Every year at this time, we find ourselves with $12 bags of ever-shrinking fun-sized candy, $40 costumes, and decorations that are cute, but just don’t hold up over time.

Last year, my family experimented with a little more of a ‘home-grown’ Halloween, and tickled trick-or-treaters with delight. If you’d like to shake things up this year, kick your creativity into gear, and maybe even save a little money, check out these tips.

Candy

Instead of bagged candy, try something that warms the cockles of your little monsters’ hearts. Hot apple cider served from a Crock-Pot® in disposable cups was a hit for us. We had trick-ortreaters return for seconds! To add a little spice, throw in two cinnamon sticks and three teaspoons of nutmeg, and allow the cider to simmer for 30 minutes before serving. The aroma is to die for. Instead of candy, whip up some microwave, air-popped, or kettle corn, or make some Halloween snack mix with cereal, pretzels, and festive candies.

Decorations

We’ve all seen the amazing novelty items available at Halloween – the inflatable ghosts and witches, the spiders that ascend and descend at your door, the candy bowl that reaches out and grabs you – but the truth is, those items are rarely inexpensive, and they sit for up to 364 days unused.

Instead of store-bought decorations, let your children decorate your front door. Carve and decorate pumpkins and sit them on your stoop. Have them make bats out of felt, spiders out of pipe cleaners, and ghosts out of construction paper, and display them around the door. You’ll save money, and your family members will be proud to show off their artwork.

If you’re a Halloween enthusiast like me and must have a few store-bought items, hit up yard and moving sales to snag decorations others no longer use.

Spooky Sounds

We’ve all seen the witch that cackles, the motion-sensor gravestone, the life-size crypt keeper who sits in a chair and greets guests – save your money and bring up Family Halloween 12

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

Radio on Pandora® on a laptop or tablet. Tuck it out of sight by your door and enjoy family-friendly tunes all night long. The novelty of those noisy decorations wears off quickly, anyway.

Costumes

We very rarely get away with ‘cheap’ Halloween costumes, and when you’re buying for a family of four or larger, the price can become downright prohibitive. Before you bring the whole family to the pop-up costume shop, which can sometimes run you up to $100 a person (and scare your kids!), try discount chains like Savers, where you may be able to find accessories as well.

Other off-the-beaten path places for costumes include Ocean State Job Lot, Benny’s, kids’ consignment stores (which carry both costume and dress-up clothes), and comic and collectible shops like The Time Capsule (537 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston).

We scored two costumes per kid this year, for less than we would have paid for one at retail. Multiple Halloween soirée problems solved! And, if you must hit the party store or the costume shop, definitely check the clearance bin first.

Comprised of mostly returns, you might just find what you’re looking for without draining your funds.

Accessories

And last but not least, the accessories – we’re talking treat buckets and lighted items to keep your kids safe. We love the cute treat baskets, sometimes custom-made, that can run you up to twenty dollars each. But try something we love in this house instead – reusable shopping bags. They’re roomy and comfortable to carry, and the handles won’t break like on those time-honored plastic pumpkins.

Try dollar stores for glow necklaces and bracelets, or blinking pins. The glow items usually come in a multipack, so you can cover your whole family. Also, don’t forget to check around your house for that errant lightsaber or another portable lighted toy. Souvenirs from Disney World lit our way last year.

Have a spooky time, and remember to share the peanut butter cups!  Stephanie Bernaba, of Richmond, is a freelance writer and blogger specializing in parenting, raising families in the digital age, and entertainment. She writes at SheKnows.com, Redbook Magazine, BlogHer, and White Orchid Media. www.whiteorchidmedia.com.

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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The Healthy Child

By Brendalee Smith

12 ways to protect your children from

online predators

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ight now, many students as young as 8 years old are traveling to school with iPhones. As parents, we hope that having a mobile phone will help protect our children from strangers. We are putting a lot of trust in an object that fits in the palm of their hands.

But what about that phone? It has its own issues. A phone can distract children and manipulate them. A digital device gives them unlimited access to information and people.

Growing technology trends are fast-paced, and will continue to speed up. How can parents keep up?

As parents, our highest and most important goal is to keep our children safe. We can teach our students to confidently exercise the right response for in-person and online interactions with people they know, hardly know, and do not know at all.

How online predators work

Online predators find kids through social networking, blogs, chat rooms – even monitored ones – instant messaging, e-mail, and other web sites, often using information in their targets’ personal profiles. They seduce their targets through attention, flattery, affection, kindness, and even gifts. These types of manipulation will cause kids to lose their sense of awareness, and help the predators to get from bad intentions to sexual exploitation. This is called “grooming” and may continue over extended time periods.

Online predators are familiar with the latest music, hobbies, fashion, and other topics that are likely to interest kids. They look for children who are emotionally vulnerable due to problems at school or home. They listen to and sympathize with kids' problems while building a fake friendship, taking the kids’ side vis-à-vis their parents or teachers. These individuals gradually introduce sexual content into conversations or show sexually explicit material that may even involve children engaging in sexual activity – in order to convince kids that this type of behavior is acceptable.

If the victim tries to cut off communication, predators scare the victim into continuing the relationship by convincing them that they will tell their parents what they have been doing online, including viewing pornographic pictures, etc.

Many impersonate other youths in order to convince minors to meet with them.

Many parents are unaware of who their children are talking to online and believe their child “knows better.” This concept in many instances is invalid. Our students will not 14

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

“know better” because of parental discipline tactics or false assumptions. Without specific education, students base decisions on a false sense of security, affecting their self-worth and overall well-being.

But you can fight back against manipulation by online predators with these important rules.

12 ways to keep your children safe online Teach your children to: 1. Never download images from an unknown source.

2. Understand that what they are told online may or may not be true.

3. Not put anything in their profile or status that they wouldn’t want a stranger to know.

4. Never upload sexually suggestive images of themselves to the Internet.

5. Tell an adult they trust (parent, teacher, etc.) immediately if anything that happened online makes them feel uncomfortable or frightened.

6. Choose a gender-neutral screen name. Make sure the name they choose does not contain sexually suggestive words or reveal personal information.

7. Avoid screen names that have words like girl, boy, princess, prince, Barbie, flower, or numbers that may indicate age, zip code, or area code.

8. Avoid screen names that have school mascots or logos in it.

9. Never reveal personal information about themselves (including age and gender) or about the family to anyone online.

10. Not fill out online personal profiles.

11. Stop any email communication, instant messaging conversations, or chats if anyone starts to ask questions that are too personal or sexually suggestive.

12. Never agree to meet someone in person that you’ve met online.  Brendalee Smith is Founder and CEO of Stop Abduction, a non-profit which provides a preventative curriculum program that teaches students in kindergarten through college to live wellinformed without living in fear through interactive materials, videos, and practice scenarios. Stop Abduction is available to visit schools and neighborhood/community groups. For more information, visit stopabduction.org or call 885-882-7070.

BACK TO SCHOOL

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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Feature Story

WHAT IS

By “Atomic Allen” Converse

From the mad scientist:

T

E ST M ?

he 21st century has brought us amazing advances in science and technology. Who could have ever imagined we would have a high resolution camera, a music player, a video player, a sophisticated computer, and a telephone all in one device that fits in the palm of our hand?

To continue this level of technological development requires strong math and science education, but students in the United States are falling behind other countries. To try and fix this, state and national standards have been set to define what students should know by the end of each grade level.

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP), Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and Common Core all set performance levels in specific topic areas in each individual field.

But to continue to make progress, students must understand how different disciplines fit together, how they interact, and how to apply them together. Enter STEM. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, but it is not a study of these four areas individually. What makes STEM education different is the blending of the four disciples together and applying them to problem solving in real-world applications.

Why STEM is important for the future

STEM education is hands-on, project-based learning, and it has been shown over and over that children learn best by doing. A study at the University of Chicago in 2015 found that “students who physically experience scientific concepts understand them more deeply and score better on science tests.” In addition to being hands-on, STEM projects typically include multiple trials so that students can learn from what appears to be failure. But they aren’t failing – they’re learning.

They see firsthand what works and what doesn’t.

STEMConnector.org predicts that 70% of jobs will require core STEM skills, but, according to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16% of high school students are interested in STEM. To counteract this trend, in 2009 the Obama Administration announced the “Educate to Innovate” campaign intended to inspire students to pursue STEM learning. To date, this nation-wide “all hands on deck” 16

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

program has brought in more than $700 million in publicprivate partnerships to prepare new and effective STEM teachers, take advantage of corporate resources, and broaden participation in STEM. (Rhode Island has instituted its own similar program called CS4RI. To learn about this, see page 8.)

STEM project types

STEM projects don’t need to be complicated; what is important is that the project be hands-on, multi-disciplinary, and preferably a team activity. They can also be fun! The same general project can be used age appropriately at different grade levels.

One of the most common STEM projects is to build a bridge, with the complexity of the specifications changing with educational levels. There are even several national and international contests to design an efficient bridge.

High school: At the high school level, a bridge-building project may be quite complex. In addition to having a more in-depth knowledge of science and math, high school students may have access to Computer Aided Design (CAD) software for modeling and simulating their designs, as well as a Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machine and/or a 3-D printer for making parts or even a complete bridge.

Many aspects may be included in the specifications for the project as well – areas such as cost of the models and final bridge materials, and the length, width, and weight of the bridge. The design goal may specify the amount of weight, or load, the bridge must be able to handle. The efficiency of the bridge may be determined in terms of cost or in terms of load versus weight, or some combination of the two. In many cases, the bridge design may be based on an actual existing or proposed bridge.

Middle school: At the middle school level, there may still be specifications for the width and load of the bridge, but the design requirements may not be as complex. Although middle schoolers may not have access to sophisticated CAD software, there are several public domain software programs specific to bridge building.

Probably the most popular of these is the “West Point Bridge Designer.” This software, which is updated annually, was originally part of a contest sponsored by West Point to design an efficient bridge within specific cost constraints. One of the features of this software is the visualization of which beams are in compression or tension when the bridge is loaded with a moving vehicle.

Middle schools (and even some high schools and elementary schools) around the nation use this software for their own bridge-building contests. The software can also be used as a learning tool to evaluate different designs that students actually build. They may use the software to test designs and then build an actual model using balsa wood or similar inexpensive materials.

Elementary school: At the elementary school level, a bridge-building project may be stated very simply. For example, groups of students may be given a set of materials to be used (sheets of paper, tape, straws, string, etc.), a distance to be spanned (e.g. 6”– 8”), and a set of weights (coins, blocks, books, etc.) to load the bridge. The teams of students are expected to test different designs with the goal being to see what design can hold the most weight.

Preschoolers: Even preschoolers can get in on the fun! Using interlocking building materials like Duplo™ blocks or Kinex™ or Zoobs™, preschoolers can also build a bridge. Even if all they do is build a bridge that supports itself across a span, it sparks the Design-Build-Test cycle that is the root of STEM projects.

Art is important, too

Bridge and building designers need STEM to be sure that their projects are structurally sound, but the results also need to be pleasant to look at. A very big part of design is art, and STEM + art = STEAM! The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has been a world-renowned advocate for the introduction of art to make STEAM.

Problem-solving competitions

In addition to school-based programs, there are also international problem-solving competitions where students of all ages work in teams to solve a specific problem. The two most popular of these are Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination. In these programs, there are STEAM-type technical problems relating to building a vehicle, a balsa wood structure, or some other technical challenge.

Teams of seven students work together and do all of the work themselves; no outside help is permitted.

They compete at regional competitions in divisions for preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school.

The winning teams go on to compete at state competitions; the winners in each division then compete at the international level. Although the majority of the teams at the international

contest are from the United States, there are also teams representing other countries as far away as China and Australia.

There are chapters of both of these programs in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. See below for more information.

Practice this at home

Needless to say, there are many opportunities to introduce students to STEM starting in preschool, with more and more complex projects through high school. You can even use projects at home to stimulate STEM thinking. When your student asks how to do something or how something works, sometimes the right answer is “Why don’t you try and figure it out?”  “Atomic Allen” Converse is the Chief Mad Scientist with Mad Science of Southern MA & RI, which offers STEM birthday parties, science shows, and hands-on workshops. www.southernmass.madscience.org

Learn more about STEM The Educate to Innovate Initiative: www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/k-12/ educate-innovate University of Chicago Study: news.uchicago.edu/article/2015/04/29/ learning-doing-helps-students-perform-better-science High School International Bridge Contest: bridgecontest.phys.iit.edu/public/international/index West Point Bridge Designer Software: bridgecontest.org/resources/download STEM resources: concord.org/stem-resources STEAM resources: stemtosteam.org Destination Imagination National: www.destinationimagination.org RI: di-ri.org MA: www.madikids.org Odyssey of the Mind National: www.odysseyofthemind.com RI: www.riodyssey.org MA: maodyssey.org

October 2016  Rhode Island Parent Magazine

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October 2016 Always check with event sponsors for updated information. Visit the calendar at www.RIParentMag.com for the latest information and the best way to submit calendar items. Or email to editor@RIParentMag.com.

FEST headliner from 2016 – as well as dancers, storytellers, and more!

Burnside Park will be activated with music, dance, food, storytelling, and activities for all ages. 1–5 pm.

Burnside Park, 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. Free.

October 1, 2: 42nd Annual Harvest

School Open House and Fair Calendar October 23: Rhode Island

College Fair. Representatives from many colleges will be in attendance.

Students can meet one-on-one with admission counselors at their booths to discuss entrance requirements, campus life, application deadlines, and majors. Pick up brochures, catalogs and other literature. 1–3 pm.

Rhode Island College Recreation Center, Field House, 600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Providence. Free.

October 30: The Wolf School

Open House. A school with an educational model to meet the academic, social, and therapeutic needs of complex learners.

1–3 pm. 215 Ferris Avenue, East Providence. Free.

Special events October 1: 8th Annual Afrika

Nyaga Drum & Dance Festival.

Co-produced by Sidy Maiga and the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, this event showcases the music and dance of Africa and the diaspora. Performances by Afriamanding & Sidy Maiga – a PVD

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Fair. An autumn ritual for generations of families, this beloved old-fashioned fair offers something for everyone. The “Mabel Express” Barrel Train, Monkey Bridge, Mud Pit, midway games, and children’s crafts tent invite kids of all ages to join in the fun. Crafters and artisans, musicians, and local food and beer vendors. 10 am–5 pm. Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 3rd Beach Road, Middletown. $6/adults; $3/children 3-12; Free/children under 3.

Throughout October: JackO-Lantern Spectacular. The 2016 presentation, titled “American Treasures,” celebrates our nation’s history and culture though the rich lens of commemorative postage stamps. 5:30–10:30 pm. Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. $15/adults; $12 children 2–12, Monday to Thursday. $18/adults, $15/children 2–12, Friday to Sunday. Weekend tickets are only sold online and use a timed entry system.

Thundermist Health Center’s Annual Duck Race and Family Fun Day. Vendors, face painters,

balloon art, paint-a-pumpkin, and more. Duck race begins at 1:30 pm, with prizes awarded to the first twentyfive ducks to cross the finish line!

11 am–2 pm. Royal Mills Riverpoint, 125 Providence Street, West Warwick.

Free to attend. Purchase ducks at www.thundermisthealth.org.

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

October 18, 25: Spooky Studio.

Dress up, create spooky creatures, and have other frightful fun in Discovery Studio, a hands-on art and science exploration space. 10 am–3 pm.

Providence Children’s Museum.

100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/ children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org

October 29: Creepy Critters.

Lizards and snakes and frogs, oh my!

Kids come in costume and meet some captivating critters – prickly, hairy, but not too scary! Have close encounters with furry friends, slithering snakes, and other incredible creatures while learning fascinating facts about them from animal expert Dave Marchetti of Animal Experiences. Noon–2 pm.

Providence Children’s Museum.

100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org

Fridays October 21: Shanty Night at

Coggeshall Farm. Pack a picnic dinner and gather up family and friends. All ages are welcome! Singing and instruments around the campfire for an evening of sea songs and shanties. This is an open sing, which means everyone is invited to lead the gathering in their favorite sea song or shanty. Instruments encouraged!

No RSVP necessary. 6:30–8 pm.

Coggeshall Farm Museum, 1 Colt Drive, Bristol. $5/person; Free/ Coggeshall Farm Museum members and children under 3. www.coggeshallfarm.org

Every Friday: Bring Your Own Improv. Family–friendly comedy show.

7–8:30 pm. Warwick Museum of Art, 3259 Post Road. $8/adults; $4/children under 12 and seniors. www.bringyourownimprov.com Every Friday: Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theater. Public stargazing. 6:30–11:30 pm. 61 Park Lane, Charlestown. $1/person suggested donation. www.frostydrew.org

Weekends October 1/Saturday RI Kids Consignment Sale. Large consignment sale. New items added for Sunday. 10 am-4pm. Wide World of Indoor Sports South, 1610 Davisville Road, North Kingstown.

Free. www.rikidsconsignment.com Common Burying Ground Tour.

Explore the Common Burying Ground. Learn about the stone carvers, their art, and the diverse people buried there. Walking tours last approximately 75 minutes and depart weather permitting. Reservations recommended. 11 am–12:15 pm.

Brick Market Museum & Shop, 127 Thames Street, Newport. $15/ person; $10/Newport Historical Society Members, active duty and retired military with ID; $5/children ages 5-12.

Waterfire. A multisensory art installation featuring a series of bonfires that seem to float along the rivers of Providence. 7:15 pm.

Waterplace Park, Providence. Free Engineer It! Materials Challenge.

Kids complete different engineering challenges using simple household items. 11 am–2 pm. Continues through Tuesday, October 4.

Providence Children’s Museum.

100 South Street, Providence. $9/ person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org

October 2/Sunday Linden Place Museum Scavenger Hunt. Make your way through 200year old mansion rooms and discover dozens of artifacts, big and small, while you learn about Linden Place’s rich architectural and family history. Fun and educational for all ages! 10 am– 4 pm. 500 Hope Street, Bristol. $8/adults; $5/children 6-12; $6/seniors and students; Free/children under 6.

RI Kids Consignment Sale.

See October 1.

Engineer It! Materials Challenge.

See October 1.

October 8/Saturday Museum of Natural History Fossil Frenzy Weekend and Planetarium Show. Cosmic Collisions Planetarium Show. Take a thrilling trip through space and time, well beyond the calm face of the night sky, to explore cosmic collisions, hypersonic impacts that drive the dynamic and continuing evolution of the universe.

Show produced by the American Museum of Natural History. Children under age 4 are not permitted in the planetarium. 2–2:30 pm. Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. $3/person, includes museum admission.

Pumpkin Weigh-off at Frerichs Farm. Since 2000, Frerichs Farm has hosted the Southern New England Giant Pumpkin Grower’s Annual Weigh-off on Columbus Day Weekend. All day. Frerichs Farm, 43 Kinnicutt Avenue, Warren. Free.

Super Structures. Explore an intriguing assortment of 3D design and construction challenges big and small! Build big stick structures from wooden dowels, rubber bands, fabric, (continued on next page)

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October 2016 and other intriguing “loose parts.”

Also create Confection Constructions by connecting marshmallows and toothpicks, and join together spools and sticks to tackle clever Tinker Toy creations. 10 am–3 pm. Providence Children’s Museum. 100 South Street, Providence. $9/person; free/ children under 12 months. www. childrenmuseum.org

October 9/Sunday

100 South Street, Providence. $9/ person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org

October 16/Sunday Imagination Playground.

See October 15.

October 22/Saturday Lippitt Labs at the Lippitt House Museum. See October 15.

Meditation for Kids and Families.

A place for families to come together, have fun, and learn special ways of thinking and being that help to create a meaningful life and a happy family. The family class offers a simple introduction to Buddha’s teachings, emphasizing loving-kindness, respect for others, and keeping a happy heart and positive attitude. For ages 5–12.

9:30–10:30 am. Serlingpa Meditation Center, 339 Ives Street, Providence. $4.

Carousel Village UnBOOlievable Festival. Calling monsters of all ages!

The whimsical Carousel Village is celebrating its spooky side with the return of the UnBOOlievable Festival.

Visit the frightfully fun celebration in costume to enjoy the carousel. Kids ages 12 and under can trick or treat at the food trucks from 1–2 pm, while supplies last. 11 am–2 pm. Roger Williams Park Carousel Village, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. Free.

October 15/Saturday

October 23/Sunday

Lippitt Labs at the Lippitt House Museum. Interactive activities for the whole family with a new theme each month as the Lippitt House Museum, a National Historic Landmark, is transformed into a laboratory for exploring the Victorian era. Not wheelchair accessible.

2–4 pm. Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum, 199 Hope Street, Providence. $10/adults; $5/students; free/children under 12; Free/active duty military; $8/person for groups with advanced registration.

The Kids Expo. Everything for kids from babies to college age, including a Halloween costume contest for kids of all ages, prizes, and fun for all!

10 am–2 pm. West Warwick Civic Center, 100 Factory Street, West Warwick. $3/age 14 and up early bird admission; $5/age 14 and up regular admission; Free/children 13 and under.

Imagination Playground. Kids invent their own ways to play as they stack and build with huge blue foam blocks, wheels, spools, tubes, and a variety of loose parts. 11 am–2 pm.

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October 29/Saturday Spooky Zoo. Daytime Halloween activities for the whole family. Trickor-treat at the Zoo, and enjoy a packed schedule of other seasonal activities, including music, costumed characters, games, creepy crawly animal encounters, pumpkin treats for the animals, and more. 10 am–3 pm. Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence. Free with Zoo

Rhode Island Parent Magazine  October 2016

admission. Children 12 and under dressed in costume get in for half price.

A-Mazing Halloween Party. An oldfashioned Halloween costume party for the entire family! Fun and games.

Come in costume and receive $1 off admission. Includes a corn maze.

Rain date, October 30. 11 am–4 pm.

Escobar's Highland Farm, 255 Middle Road, Portsmouth. Admission fee.

Cirque Mechanics – FirstWorks Artistic Icons Series at the Vets.

Cirque Mechanics returns to wow FirstWorks audiences with Pedal Punk, a dazzling whirl of acrobats, cyclists, and one-of-a-kind machines.

7:30–9:30 pm. The Vets – Veterans Memorial Auditorium, One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. $18-$78/ticket. www.first-works.org Craft Bash. Different crafts each month. 11 am–2 pm. Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston.

Free. www.artists-exchange.org

October 30/Sunday Boo Bash. Play bewitching games galore, have hands-on fun with imaginative arts and “witch crafts,” explore an eerie environment, mix it up in the mad scientist’s laboratory, and much more. Come in costume and have a blast during Providence Children's Museum's annual hands-on Halloween bash! 11 am–2 pm.

100 South Street, Providence. $9/ person; free/children under 12 months. www.childrenmuseum.org Spooky Zoo. See October 29.

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