North Africa and Middle East Science Centers Network
Bringing relevant, timely STEM learning experiences into Arabic-speaking classrooms and homes.
The Exploratorium partnered with the North Africa and Middle East Science Centers Network (NAMES) to bring hands-on STEM learning to virtual audiences through the translation of our Science Snacks into Arabic. NAMES Science Snacks are hands-on, teacher-tested activities that bring explorations of natural phenomena into the classroom and home. Each activity uses inexpensive, easily available materials; offers detailed instructions and images; provides a clear explanation of what's going on; and is adaptable to a wide range of curricula, content areas, grade levels, and settings.
As a well-timed initiative, the NAMES collaboration translated fifteen of the COVID-19 related Science Snacks to Arabic and posted them in an online learning platform to be accessed by NAMES audiences. The Skin Shield exploration, for example, requires only two tomatoes, a plate, a toothpick, and a hand lens and teaches the viewer about the powerful role of human (and produce) skin in defending the body against pathogens. This resource brought relevant and timely STEM education into the classrooms and homes of Arabic speakers in this wide region of the world during the COVID pandemic, a period that required innovative and affordable virtual learning opportunities. This collaboration continues with plans to translate and make accessible additional Science Snacks.
The NAMES Science Snacks launched in 2020.
