MISSION
SparkShop’s mission is to inspire and mobilize the next generation of engineers, innovators, entrepreneurs & manufacturing geniuses.
SparkShop empowers students to apply their skills to engineering challenges and see their value in the STEM fields. They focus on inspiring 4th and 5th graders with a mix of visits from our staff and interdisciplinary, connected curriculum for their teachers.
They believe the US needs a larger and more diverse pool of technical talent and they’re ready to help!
How IT Works
SparkShop is a hands-on program where 4th and 5th graders explore engineering in their classrooms. Throughout the school year, teachers at partner schools receive ready-to-run, interdisciplinary lessons and materials that equip students to practice a variety of the fields within engineering, such as mechanical, environmental, biomedical, and more! This builds awareness, interest, and confidence in the STEM fields with the unique way that SparkShop presents engineering content.
Every unit contains:
Core Humanities Lessons – Interdisciplinary lessons that link technical topics to art, music, reading, writing, history, P.E., and more!
Core STEM Lessons – Hands-on lessons where students apply the design process (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test) to engineering projects.
The program is free to elementary schools in the Chicago area serving students underrepresented in the STEM fields based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status.
