Sandy Roberts – K12LEADERS

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Publications and Projects

Publication	Science Friday Sun Camp Science Friday’s virtual Sun Camp is a great way for families and educators to explore STEM this fall with children ages 5-9. Five weeks of great conversations with Sun scientists and hands-on STEAM activities. Projects include: Make A Swirling Shaving Cream Sun Model Gravity And Centripetal Force In Our Solar System The Awesome Energy Of The Sun The Science Of Sunlight And Shadows Use Magnetic Fields To Understand Space Weather Use Engineering To Design A Solar Space Probe

Publication	The Big Book of Maker Camp Projects This entertaining guide contains dozens of start-to-finish projects that enable you to host an engaging maker camp―the kids won’t even know they’re learning! Written by an experienced teacher and dedicated hobbyist, The Big Book of Maker Camp Projects clearly explains the awesome activities that will make your camp epic. Wearables, electronics, arts and crafts, cosplay, and other favorite topics are fully covered. With expert advice on how to create your own unique program, you will discover how to host the coolest camp on the block and inspire young hobbyists to hone their skills and gain confidence. Whether working with an established makerspace or taking your Maker Camp on to a local library, community center, school, museum, or private home, this book has you covered! Learn more: https://www.kaleidoscopeenrichment.com/home/the-big-book-of-maker-camp-projects/

Publication	Maker Education – How to Do Better Make Education Forum Nobody’s perfect. And after the last few challenging years, it can be harder than ever to create amazing maker education experiences for our young learners. In this session, we’ll identify some of the most common ways many maker programs struggle — “keychain syndrome,” program pacing problems, making space for all learners, failing forward in meaningful ways, and developing authentic assessments. Then we’ll discuss best practices, current research, and pedagogical approaches, as we share ideas to overcome these and other challenges in both formal and informal makerspace classrooms. Download the presentation.

Publication	Why Wonder Matters: Authentic Connections with Maker Education New Jersey Educational Computing Cooperative Conference 2022 With this presentation, discover ways to use Maker Education to inspire kids, to build a creative culture, and, most importantly, invoke their sense of wonder by giving them the context and encouragement they need to explore fearlessly. By using age-old techniques of storytelling, asking questions, crafting analogies, and even sharing humor you can inspire any learner. Download the presentation.

Areas of Expertise and Interest

Experience	Curriculum and Instruction, Education Technology, Teacher Education
Areas of Interest and Development	Education Policy, Equity and Inclusion
What would you like to offer this community?	Co-Authoring- Helping someone finish their book or paper, Collaboration on a Project, Key note or Public Speaking, Leadership Development/Mentoring
What could we all do for you?	Paid Consulting, Key note or Public Speaking
About Me	Sandy Roberts is the Education Program Manager at Science Friday, where she creates learning resources, content, and experiences to advance STEM equity in all learning environments. Sandy earned her degree in chemical biology from Stevens Institute of Technology with a minor in literature and certificates in chemical engineering and computer science. After working in both pharmaceutical research and publishing, she transitioned her career to education when she started a family. Since then, Sandy has taught both formally as a middle school STEM teacher and informally at local libraries, homeschool co-ops, museums, and camps through her business Kaleidoscope Enrichment LLC. She’s also offered Professional Development for educators through Rutgers University, where she is pursuing a graduate degree in STEM and Maker Education. Sandy has participated in and presented at Maker Faires along the East Coast since 2012 where she has won numerous ribbons for her educational activities. Channeling the Maker Movement into education, she has overseen the development of three makerspaces, written The Big Book of Maker Camp Projects (McGraw-Hill 2019), and served as Maker Camp Community Manager for Make: Magazine. Sandy has also spoken at conferences such as the Make: Education Forum, National Science Teachers Association STEM Conference, and the New Jersey Educational Technology Conference. When not teaching or writing, Sandy can be found tinkering at home, exploring the outdoors, or spending time with her family—sometimes all three at once. Lately, she’s been playing with origami circuits, relearning micro-python, and trying to perfect a gluten-free sourdough recipe.