Site Coordinator Session Guides

The Snap the Gap curriculum is divided into four sections:

Intro Sessions
Guided Inventions
Open Challenges
Showcase Challenge

Calling all Site Coordinators:

Choose from the activity options below to craft your implementation. Sample schedules for 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 sessions can be found here, but feel free to customize the pacing to meet the needs of your program. All sessions are designed to be 2 hours long.

In addition, as you review the session guides you can see that roles are split into mentor and site coordinator prompts, however, if you are a site coordinator implementing the program without external mentors, please utilize both the mentor and site coordinator prompts. Therefore, the site coordinator still takes on the mentor mindset while facilitating the program.

Intro Sessions

Learn the basics

👉Introductory sessions familiarize students with the DCI STEM Program and the littleBits Invention Cycle. These sessions provide the foundation for inventing with littleBits. Make sure not to skip these!

SESSION 1

Introduction to DCI STEM and littleBits: Kickoff your DCI STEM program! Students meet mentors and explore STEM invention tools.

SESSION 2

Introduction to the littleBits Invention Cycle: A framework that can help guide the invention and engineering design process. Students will build a series of small moving inventions with littleBits.

Guided Inventions

Hone invention skills & start customizing

👉Guided Inventions include step-by-step instructions for building a specific invention, plus ideas for remixes. Guided invention sessions are designed to be completed in 2 hrs. At a minimum, make sure to complete at least two of these sessions.

SESSION 3

The Navigator: Build a handheld device that allows you to navigate in the dark and learn about sensors.

SESSION 4

Trash Chomper: Build a garbage eating monster and learn about designing smart objects.

SESSION 5

Robo Arm: Create a gripper device that helps you grab stuff and learn about inventing helpful machines.

Open Challenges

Create unique inventions from challenge prompts

👉Open challenges provide an invention prompt that students can address in a variety of ways using littleBits and other materials. Iteration and design are key elements in these activities. Open challenges are designed to be completed in 4 hours and are broken up into 2 sessions. Depending on the number of sessions you have, choose which challenges work best for your site. If you have 12 sessions, do both!

OPTION 1:

ChangeMaker Challenge

OPTION 2:

Change Reaction Challenge

SESSION 6

Part 1 Learn about empathy in design and solve a problem for someone you know through invention. In this session, students will brainstorm, explore, and create a prototype.

Part 1 Learn about simple machines and invent a wacky multi-step machine to complete a simple task. In this session, students will brainstorm, explore, and create a prototype.

SESSION 7

Part 2 Learn about empathy in design and solve a problem for someone you know through invention (continued). In this session, students will test, remix, and share their unique inventions.

Part 2 Learn about simple machines and invent a wacky multi-step machine to complete a simple task (continued). In this session, students will test, remix and share their unique inventions.

Showcase Challenge

Final challenge & celebration

👉This is the final challenge in the DCI STEM program. The challenge culminates with a celebratory event where students share their unique inventions.

STEM Strategies