“Women Science Teachers ” activities in The 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign

Author: Hatice Kirmaci

Women Science Teachers (WST ) is an education group of female science teachers. The main aim of this group is to provide a platform to their members so that they have a chance to show their educational events/activities from their schools and to find appropriate partners to their projects. Everyone around the World who dedicate themselves to education would share their works or opinions in WST’s group on social media. Since 2014, WST is growing and developing day by day …

As a partner organisation, Women Science Teachers(WST) organised some events (Competitions, Activities, Meetings, Projects ) within the 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign.

Around 30 teachers + 130 students ( from 15 countries ) participated in these events.

COMPETITIONS

 WST organised 3 competitions during the 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign:

  • The Colour of the Sky
  • My Best Partner is a Teacher!
  • Crazy Scientists at Work!

The Colour of the Sky:

WST organised this contest for female/male teachers during The 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign. The aim of the competition was to draw attention to the importance of science on human beings. Participants took a photo of colours of the sky and wrote a lesson plan/scenario about their works. They combined science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology ) and artistic point of view in the sky.
From 10 countries, 15 teachers participated in this contest. The best 3 works will get 650 Euro, 450 Euro, 250 Euro monetary prizes. The winners will be announced on 19 May 2020 (TAV airports supported us in this contest).

My Best Partner is a Teacher!

Women Science Teachers (WST) organised this competition for the “International Day of Women And Girls in Science” on the 11th of February (The day recognizes the critical role that women and girls play in science and technology). Our theme was “Climate Change”. Participants (1 female teacher and 2 girls) did an experiment about climate change together. Then they sent a photo and video to us.

From 15 countries 50 teachers participated in this contest. The winners got 2 watches Coming from Romania, Maria-Genoveva Agape and her students Oana Iova and Ana Jumugă got the awards.

Crazy Scientist at Work!

Women Science Teachers organised this competition for young scientists (aged 10 – 14) during The 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign.

The aim of the competition was to increase young people’s interest in science. Because of the Covid-19 outbreak, all teenagers were at home during March and April.

The teenagers did an experiment at home and then they sent their works to us. The best 3 works got 3 watches (TAV Airport supported us).

ACTIVITIES: (CORONA couldn’t stop us! )

1. My mom is a Scientist!

Women Science Teachers (WST) organized an online event for Egitim Bilimleri Maslak Secondary School (EBMSC) during The 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign.

Egitim Bilimleri Maslak Secondary School ‘s students (10 – 14 years old) were at home because of COVID-19. But Corona couldn’t stop them. They did some experiments with their moms at their homes. ​

We wanted to prove to the students that science was not far from us, in fact, it was everywhere. So, we decided to arrange a competition and we wanted the students and their families to do some experiments at home. First, the students researched some experiments that they could do at home from various sources. In this process, teachers and WST helped the students. Then they did their experiments with their parents in their own houses and sent the videos of these works they had done to us. As WST, we gave both a gift and a certificate of participation to the students attending to the events. So, students had a good time with their parents and they also realised that science was closer to them than they had thought.

2. We celebrated our national day at home!

Because of Covid-19, we couldn’t attend our schools.We couldn’t celebrate our national days in our schools. But we celebrated these days at home!!! WST organised an online event for students. Arnavutkoy Korkmaz Yigit Anatolian High School celebrated “National Sovereignty and Children’s Day” at their homes (It is a public holiday in Turkey commemorating the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, on 23 April 1920) . It is the only holiday, which is devoted to all children of the world by Ataturk.

MEETINGS

WST organised two meetings for Arnavutkoy Korkmaz Yigit Anatolian High School’s students during the 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign.

One Day with a Role Model!!!

In this work, we met one of the best leaders in science engineering in Turkey. The students worked as a CEO, an engineer or as a business administrator for one day with their mentors.

WST collaborated two role models. One of them was Sani Şener (he is CEO of TAV airports. TAV Airports, one of the world’s leading airport operators, operates 10 airports across three continents). The other role model was Ayşen Zamanpur (she is the founder of Silk and Cashmere company.vThe company is working in 26 countries all of the world.

The students visited Sani Şener and Ayşen Zamanpur. Mentors explained their great success story to the students. The students worked with their mentors like a CEO for one day. They participated in meetings, interviews etc..

In this project, the students gained a view of business life. They learnt their dream professions from the most important experts in their professional areas in Turkey.

PROJECTS

1 ANATOLIA: The Land Where Science was Born and Flourished

In this project, we introduced Anatolian scientist who developed science regardless of religion, language, race and time in Anatolia.

Atom, Robotics, History, Geography, Astronomy, Botany, Cynicism, Microbiology, Trigonometry, Electricity, Magnetism were born in Anatolia thanks to Anatolian scientist including Thales, Democritus, Pythagoras, El-Cezeri…

During the 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign, we presented Anatolian scientist (Around 25) and their works for each day.

2 ART : The Innovative way of Reaching Science:

STEM lessons are the most difficult lessons for students. Besides the information, students also need math skills, reasoning skills and imagination skills. Thus, we made our lesson materials with 3D. At the same time, we wanted to combine science and creativity …

Thank you …

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About Hatice KIRMACI

I'm a physics teacher in Istanbul. I have been working as a physics teacher for 24 years. Around 15 years , I have involved some international and national projects about STEM. Also , I 'm the founder of " Women Science Teachers " social group . The purpose of the group is to support female teachers and girls in science

11 thoughts on ““Women Science Teachers ” activities in The 2020 STEM Discovery Campaign

  1. Congrats Mrs. KIRMACI and WST. As a member of the group, I follow your works and progress; besides as a woman, I am very proud of your works and success. I wish you continued success in your career.

  2. I’ve been following the WST group that you are involved in, and I would like to congratulate you on these very effective, benefitial and admirable organizations, projects and activities. I hope everything will continue better and easier after the Covid-19 issue is over, and both students and teachers will keep benefiting from such events.

  3. I try to follow your projects with my students. The projects like these ones are very valuable for us because science is life. We’re very proud of women like you.

  4. Great success, great projects and great work. WST is really working hard and doing good job. It aims people pay attention to science especially women’s attention and it also make projects to extend scientific studies in the society. Congratulations

  5. very nice work. we look forward to the continuation

  6. I’m a science teacher in Ankara. I have been working as a science teacher for
    8 years. ,I have involved some international and national projects about STEM since five years. Also for the Women Science Teacher group for years, I love the activities I follow

  7. Education is the most important thing for the future of a country.
    I want to celebrate you because of encouraging the students and being the best role model to them.
    Best wishes…

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