Freebie Friday: Free Max and Ruby Science App

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free app download computer black children game

Before I had my son, I never thought I would be a fan of using apps, video, or computer games as learning tools. I just thought electronic games were just passive forms of entertainment that really couldn’t teach my child the way I would. My opinion changed, however, when I started reading more about the research on video games and learning and started seeing my son learning through games on ABCMouse.com.

We all know by now that children learn best through play and if you think about it, video games are just another form of play, which according to the research, can teach kids noncognitive skills as well as S.T.E.M. Here’s the best rationale I’ve come across for  allowing kids to learn through games: Continue reading →

Wendy, please don’t cry over a snapshot of Madonna’s life

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wendy williams madonna son crying brokedownCredit: Horia Varlan

Madonna is in hot water again and this time the star is under fire for using the “n” word in a tweet to her son. Interestingly, was Madonna’s close relationship with her son Rocco, the subject of the tweet, that made talk show host, Wendy Williams break down crying on her show as tried to talk about the latest controversy.

In between sobs Wendy said, “What I discovered this weekend is that my son doesn’t like me anymore.” As a mother, my heart went out to her because I can only imagine how devastated she felt. However, I can only empathize with her so much because she is doing a disservice to her son and their relationship by comparing him to Madonna’s son, Rocco. More here……

No black girls took the AP computer science exam in two states. Cause for alarm?

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300 girls SEEK mississippi

The Mississippi chapter of the NBSE chose 300 girls to be part of SEEK, its nation-wide summer institute

(Image credit: used with permission of The Mississippi Link)

Although almost 40% of the citizens of Mississippi are black, not one black girl took the Advanced Placement (AP) computer science last year. I was dismayed when I heard the story but after doing some digging, I don’t think the statistics are as alarming as the news made it seem. Continue reading →

Freebie Friday: GlaxoSmithKline’s “Science in the Summer” program

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black girl science test tube lab coat blogCredit: Lab Science Career

I came across another science summer program, and of course, it’s free!

GlaxoSmithKline, a multinational health care and pharmaceutical company, sponsors a science summer program in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Baltimore, and North Carolina. The program, which is hosted at various organizations including the Boys and Girls club and local libraries, uses science experiments to get children interested in the sciences.

    <GlaxoSmithKline's Science in the Summer is a fun and free science education program that helps elementary school children in the Metropolitan Washington, DC/Baltimore area “grow into science.” Through classes held in local public libraries and other community-based organizations and taught by certified teachers, this program gets kids excited about learning science with hands-on experiments. GlaxoSmithKline’s Science in the Summer is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and administered by American Association for the Advancement of Science in partnership with community-based organizations.

You can find out more about each individual program by clicking here. Please pass on information about the program to anyone who would find this program helpful. Also, if you know about any free S.T.E.M. resources, please let me know in the comments or send me an email.

Black diabetic kids aren’t getting needed eye exams. Is medical racism to blame?

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black child glasses diabetes yardyspice blog mommyCredit: KzAkabueze – ONEin12

I was searching for a picture of a black child with glasses for a blog post and came across this startling article, “Black Kids With Diabetes Less Likely to Get Eye Exams“. Juvenile or Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin. The side effects of not managing the disorder includes blindness, nerve damage, and even death but a a Type 1 diagnosis does not have to be dire. It is possible to manage the disorder with medication, diet and exercise so proper medical care is a must which is why the study is alarming. The story was also dismayed that this story wasn’t picked up in the black media because it is important for black parents to realize that even though they are only children, our kids are not immune to medical racism. Continue reading →