Here’s a cool tool you can use to help you find inspiration and enjoyment: The Schoolyard Podcast is a new show from School Specialty and teacher Nancy Chung. Twice each month, host Chung, also known as @FancyNancyin5th on Instagram and TikTok, will be joined by industry experts, fellow educators, and subject matter experts from School Specialty to dive into educational trends, seasonally relevant topics, and emerging and proven solutions to create an entertaining and educational listening experience.

Chung is a fun-loving 5th-grade teacher, former robotics coach, and content creator from Orange County, California, in her 26th year of teaching. She is passionate about sharing her ideas on creative projects, designing intentional learning spaces, teaching highly engaging lessons, building meaningful relationships, and cultivating a community that sparks discovery and inclusion.

Each episode will begin with a thought-provoking introduction by Chung, followed by a conversation between Chung and the episode’s guest. In the final segment, launching in episode 5 and dubbed “Tag, You’re It!,” Chung and the featured guest will answer a question submitted by a listener by tagging @SchoolSpecialty with #schoolyardtagyoureit and their question on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter. Listeners who have their question answered on the air will receive a free Schoolyard Podcast t-shirt. 

The first five episodes explore:

1. “How to Make Space for Wellness and Social-emotional Learning” with Sue Ann Highland, PhD, national education strategist with School Specialty;
2. “Esports is Like a Magnet!” with Claire LaBeaux from the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF);
3. “Extended Learning for Every Student” with Nicole Hill, a former educator, principal, and current subject matter expert with School Specialty;
4. “Setting the tone for Back to School” with Instagram influencers Stephanie Osmundson and Loreal Hemenway, collectively known as @happilyeverelementary; and
5. “Surprising Benefits of Robotics in Schools & Where to Start” with Naomi Hartl, science and STEM subject matter expert with School Specialty.

The first five episodes are available now on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Samsung Podcasts, Podcast Index, and Listen Notes. Learn more.

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What works best in early childhood—hands-on experience with physical manipulatives and playful opportunities for self-directed knowledge construction—also works best for teaching AI. KIBO provides a research-proven method to explore computer science, engineering, and now AI concepts in early childhood STEM education. With KIBO, advanced and abstract concept like AI become accessible to young kids.

This new (and free!) AI curriculum, Thinking with KIBO: Introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Early Grades, is designed to help students in grades 1–3 understand how artificial intelligence works, what its limitations are and how to think critically about how these tools can improve lives in their communities.

Featuring five lessons, students explore fundamental ideas about AI through activities with the hands-on and screen-free KIBO robot. Thinking with KIBO engages with computer science concepts in K–5, alongside evolving content standards in artificial intelligence. The curriculum is ideal for a 5–6 week unit in computer science or technology/media classes, as well as afterschool programs, enrichment centers, libraries, makerspaces, and more.

The curriculum’s core learning objectives include:

• AI is a tool made by people.
• AI systems (and robots!) make decisions based on input and rules.
• AI doesn’t think like people do, and it’s not alive.
• AI can help people solve difficult problems.

Based on 20+ years of early child development research by co-founder, Dr. Marina Bers, KIBO engages young students to learn STEAM concepts through play and creative self-expression. KIBO provides developmentally appropriate robotics and coding to young learners: teaching computer science, engineering, and computational thinking.

For these reasons and more, KIBO Robots is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Robotics (for Learning, Education) Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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