The Solutioneers

The Solutioneers

Number of episodes: 10

Grade target: Primary and Junior (Kindergarten to grade 6)

The Solutioneers are 12-year-old besties, coders and budding inventors who plan to change the world using STEAM! How you ask? Well using Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math!

At the centre of the group is strong-willed and passionate leader, RILEY. Once a troublemaker who had her fair share of run-ins with the school principal, her life changed forever the day she was partnered with two unique and special tutors. Enter GWEN, an offbeat animal-loving robotics buff and AVA, a cosplay-clad designer. Then comes KAT, an expert coder who shows up with fresh ideas and some out-of-the-box thinking. At first, the group dynamic is shaken, but Kat soon becomes the secret ingredient for the girls’ success.

Riley, Ava and Gwen can’t believe their luck when they learn about a STEAM SPEAK online challenge to imagine what a cool invention could look like 50 years in the future. With their combined strengths, they’re a shoo-in, right? Wrong! It turns out that their fourth member, and a new best friend, is what really helps. Riley, Ava, Gwen, and Kat show just how revolutionary knowledge can be. The Solutioneers will inspire young viewers, showing them that STEAM is empowering, creative and super cool.

Maker Space (coming Summer 2020)

Number of episodes: 10

Grade target: Junior high and high school (Grades 7-12)

Hosts David Hewlett, Lilly Bartlam, and Burva Pandhya take on the STEAM “Principle of the Week” by exploring the different facets of STEAM, as they play, collaborate and experiment with robots and program them to do all sorts of cool stuff!

Future Minds

Number of episodes: 10

Grade target: Junior high and high school (Grades 7-12)

Working off the STEAM “Principle of the Week”, host David Hewlett chats with 11 amazing students about their STEAM projects, right from the science fair!

Use Solutioneer episodes to:

• Begin a science lesson or a technological problem-solving challenge
• Introduce new science and technology topics (e.g., coding, robotics, properties of materials, etc.) 
• Show how young people can use science and technology to solve practical problems

Use Maker Space episodes to:

• Introduce Design & Build and Technological problem-solving challenges
• Introduce STEM principles that are featured in the episodes
• Show children ways that people use technology to solve problems
• Spark discussion about the connections between science, technology, engineering and math

General Guiding Questions that could be used with the episodes:

• What problem or problems are presented in this episode?
• How did they solve the problem or problems?
• Have you ever faced a similar problem? If so, describe the problem and your solution.
• Was there any technology used in the episode? What kind of technology was it?
• Have you ever used the same technology as in the episode? If so, describe how you used it.
• Did they use any math in this episode? How do you know?
• Did they do any science in this episode? How do you know?

Use Maker Space episodes to:

• Introduce Design & Build and Technological problem-solving challenges
• Introduce STEM principles that are featured in the episodes
• Show children ways that people use technology to solve problems
• Spark discussion about the connections between science, technology, engineering and math

Use Future Minds episodes to:

• Highlight/demonstrate young people successfully using technology to address real-world problems
• Demonstrate applications of the technologies introduced in The Solutioneers and Maker Space episodes
• Provide science fair role models
• Showcase the nature of science and technology involved in science fair projects

General Guiding Questions that could be used with the episodes:

• What problem or problems are presented in this episode?
• How did they solve the problem or problems?
• Have you ever faced a similar problem? If so, describe the problem and your solution.
• What technologies were used in the episode? 
• Have you ever used the same technology as in the episode? If so, describe how you used it.
• What evidence is there that math was used in the episodes?
• What evidence is there that science concepts or processes were used in the episodes?

Use Future Minds episodes to:

• Highlight/demonstrate young people successfully using technology to address real-world problems
• Provide inspiration for science fair projects
• Showcase the nature of science and technology involved in science fair projects

General Guiding Questions that could be used with the episodes:

• Have you ever participated in a science fair? Why or why not?
• What were the students investigating, or what problem did the students seek to solve with their projects?
• What practical applications could come from their projects?
• How do the projects demonstrate connections between science, technology, engineering and the environment?
• Which projects did you find the most interesting? Why?