Today’s focus for #ocsbSTEAM week is the technology and the trades. The highlight of the day – Skills Ontario will be presenting to all grades about STEAM careers in the skilled trades!
Follow along on our STEAM Week journey on Twitter using #ocsbSTEAM and #ocsbTechEdge.
Ideas to support your child’s exploration of technology & the trades
If your child is in Kindergarten to grade 6
- Show, your child how to change a lightbulb (make sure to turn off the power).
- Have simple discussions about the technological innovations around us that have made our lives better (e.g., pencils, chairs, umbrellas, indoor plumbing, cell phones, cameras etc.)
- Bring awareness and appreciation of how coding (programming) is a technology that has become part of our modern world (e.g., cars, laundry machines, vacuum cleaners, thermostats, traffic lights etc.)
If your child is in grades 7 to 12
- Work together to give old furniture a fresh look by sanding and painting it.
- Look for ways to innovate through code and/or digital design (ex. Cars, Smart technology, eSports/Gaming).
- Explore how something works by taking it apart and putting it back together (ex. E-waste or used mechanical objects).
- Watch Youtube videos on hairstyling techniques, cooking, and simple home repairs.
- Register for tonight’s Skills Ontario Virtual Presentation for Parents/Guardians on Skilled Trades – at 7:00 pm
How we support your child’s learning at the OCSB
- We have 3D printers at every school to learn how to design 3D objects using TinkerCad and Launchpad 3D.
- We provide students with the opportunity to create and invent objects for their communities through the design thinking process and initiatives like the OCSB Social Entrepreneur Program (SEP).
- Through our Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs, your child can receive specialized online training and certifications in a future career sector.
- We provide your child with additional learning opportunities through community partners like Go Code Girl (Carleton University), Skills Ontario, Ottawa Network for Education, and local businesses.
- Our board participated in the global Computer Science Education Week initiative, providing opportunities to explore coding and careers in the tech industry.