Girls will find out how they can turn what they're interested in and what they care about into a future career. They explore different jobs in STEM, focusing on ones that make a difference for people, animals, and the environment. Then, they create a plan with next steps for how they'll change the world!
1. Explore your interests
2. Discover the possibilities
3. Learn about the day-to-day
4. Brainstorm your next steps
5. Share your goals
General Information
This badge divides STEM careers into six categories:
- Computer Science
- Creative Technology and Design
- Engineering
- Food & Agriculture
- Health & Wellness
- Nature and the Environment
Resources provided include links to a website called "If/Then" which has a collection of short (under 5 minutes) videos from women in STEM who talk about their careers.
So, how do Juniors earn this badge?
Meeting 1 Opening
The opening activity for this meeting, per VTK, is a game of "Mash". Girls write the categories "job", "location", "pet" and "hobby" on a paper. They list four options for each. Then, a partner gives them a number between 1 and 4 and they count that many in each category and eliminate a choice until they have one left in each category. In the opening circle the leader points out that we have a lot of options in our future. She states that today they are going to look at what the girls are interested in and connect those interests with careers.
Explore Your Interests
The VTK materials include a "Bingo" card that has 25 squares with activities and interests in them. Girls are go talk to other troop members and get girls to sign the squares indicating things they like. The first one to get a row, column or diagonal wins. If there is time, you can move to "blackout".
I don't know if the badge insert offers any other choices, but VTK does not.
I don't know if the badge insert offers any other choices, but VTK does not.
Discover the Possibilities
VTK offers two choices for this requirement; one live and one virtual.
Live:
There are a lot of prompts for the leader to use, but basically the first step for this requirement is for the girls to brainstorm careers in STEM. Next, using the script provided to the leader, there is a "game" where the leader says would you rather ___ or ____ and the girls who want the first choice move to one side of the room; those who want the other, to the other. One choice is would you rather save coral reefs or design web pages. Then the leader points out careers involved in each. Then she shows the girls a short video about a woman in a STEM career like those in the choices.
Virtual:
The virtual option is to watch six videos from women in six different STEM fields (If/Then videos) and then do a project related to one field. Projects include writing your name in Morse Code, designing a stained glass window outlined in lights and computing how much wire you would need, creating a prototype of a bridge between to chairs using household materials, identify one food in your house from each flavor category, taking our own pulse, or creating a field map of your house or room.
Meeting 1 Wrap Up
At the end of meeting one, the girls are supposed to select their activities for the second meeting. One of those activities can be guest speaker--a woman who works in a STEM field. If that one is chosen, brainstorm questions for her. The leader talking points for the closing deal with reviewing the different STEM fields and types of associated careers.
Meeting 2 Opening
The opening activity for the second meeting is called "Tools of the Trade" and basically the leader gathers a bunch of items that people with STEM careers use on the job (a list is given) and girls sort them into one of the six categories of STEM careers.
Learn About the Day to Day
Two options are given for this step. The first option is a guest speaker talking about her job in STEM. The second option is to set up stations for each of the six areas of STEM careers and for the girls to rotate through them and do the activities listed in the virtual options for Discover the Possibilities.
Brainstorm Your Next Steps
VTK only offers one option for this step. The meeting resources contain a worksheet on which the girls are asked to come up with a goal for the future (a STEM career of course), and some steps to reach that goal. Leader talking points include encouraging the girls to do STEM badges or Journeys, read books, or do internet research. The girls share their ideas with each other.
Share Your Goals
The only choice VTK offers for this step is creating a vision board.
My Comments
The plans state that this badge was designed to be done in two 90 minute sessions. I think it would make a terrific workshop on a weekend or even a theme for an overnight. It really seems like a lot to do in two meetings--but our meetings are an hour.
If I was planning a workshop, I'd start with the "Bingo" game. I'd then rotate the girls through stations where they would watch the videos and do the activity related to that area. I'd try to get a guest speaker or more (depending on the allotted time) and then brainstorm the next steps and do a vision board.
Do you have the badge insert? Does it offer other activities?
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