LEAP INTO SCIENCE

Empowering Educators to Offer Programs in Community Settings

Leap into Science is a national program with a mission to integrate open-ended science activities with children’s books and literacy efforts in libraries, museums, and out-of-school time programs. LiS was developed by The Franklin Institute Science Museum with the National Girls Collaborative Project. Learn more at leap.fi.edu.

Download the Leap into Science Guides for Light & Shadow and Wind!

About Light & Shadow: Our sense of sight relies on the presence of light. However, since light is not visible as it travels through air, it is not always obvious how important light is in creating the world we see. Light bouncing off objects gives them their color and creates reflections in shiny surfaces. Objects that block light create shadows that move and change as the object moves. The Leap into Science light and shadow workshops invite children and families to experiment with light and explore the ways that light interacts with objects to create shadows, reflections, and more. Download the Guide

About Wind: Air is everywhere—but how do we know it exists if we can’t see it? Air is most noticeable when we feel it in the form of wind. Wind can be a light breeze that blows our hair on a spring day, or a strong gust that knocks down trees during a powerful storm. We can also see air when it fills up space inside a bubble or a balloon. The Leap into Science wind workshops invite children and families to experiment with air and explore the ways that an invisible substance can produce visible effects. Download the Guide

Leap into Science Leadership Bios 

Paige Bredenkamp: Paige is the School Library Consultant with the Wyoming State Library. She has worked in Nebraska and Wyoming as a classroom teacher, as a school librarian, and as a Title I tutor. She has a B.A. in English literature from Humboldt State University, a B.S. in education from Chadron State College, an MLIS from San Jose State University, and holds a school library media endorsement. Paige lives in Cheyenne.  

Susan McGuire: Susan is the Executive Director of the Wyoming Alliance for Environmental Education (WyAEE). She has been involved in environmental education for over 30 years. She taught biology courses at Central College in Iowa, worked at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, served as the director of education at the Teton Science Schools, and mentors graduate students in environmental education at Prescott College in Arizona. Susan lives in Jackson.  

Emily Vercoe: Emily is the Special Programs Associate with the Wyoming Afterschool Alliance. She has diverse experience in formal and informal education and is passionate about cultivating curiosity among learners of all ages. Emily has a bachelor’s degree from the University of the South where she studied Art History and American Studies and a pair of master’s degrees in Nonprofit Management and Science Education. Emily lives in Laramie. 

Learn About Building the STEAM Mindset in Wyoming

Creating a STEAM mindset in young children may seem daunting, especially if there’s an end goal in mind. But instead, focus on the experience rather than the outcome, working together to ask questions about the world around us, learning together through observation and experimentation. Read the full story!