Cary Sneider

Latest Updates

Cary Sneider, Portland State University, shared an update

PostedMonday, August 29, 2016 at 1:22 AM

Cary Sneider has added a question: "Hi, Erin, I just want to congratulate you on a terrific blog about STEM in afterschool programs. -- Cary Sneider"

Cary Sneider has added a question: "Hi, Erin, I just want to congratulate you on a terrific blog about STEM in afterschool programs. -- Cary Sneider"
Cary Sneider, Portland State University, shared an update

PostedThursday, June 9, 2016 at 7:22 PM

Cary Sneider has added a question: "Hi, TC, Thanks so much for your fabulous blog! "

Cary Sneider has added a question: "Hi, TC, Thanks so much for your fabulous blog! "
Cary Sneider, Portland State University, shared an update

PostedMonday, November 30, 2015 at 11:24 AM

Cary Sneider has added a new Book report "Dream, Invent, Create: Engineer the World".

Cary Sneider has added a new Book report "Dream, Invent, Create: Engineer the World".

Biography

Cary Sneider is a Visiting Scholar at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, with a focus on research, curriculum development and teacher education in engineering education. Dr. Sneider served as Technology and Engineering Lead for A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (NRC 2012), and as lead for engineering on the writing team for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013). He is currently a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for NAEP (also known as "The Nation's Report Card") in all subject areas. From 1997 to 2007 Dr. Sneider was Vice President for Programs at the Museum of Science in Boston, where he led development of a high school engineering curriculum, which is now published by It’s About Time. Dr. Sneider’s research interests have focused on helping students unravel their misconceptions in science and on new ways to link science centers and schools to promote student inquiry. He has taught science at the middle and high schools in Maine, California, Costa Rica, and Micronesia. Dr. Sneider earned a B.A. degree in Astronomy cum laude from Harvard College and a California Secondary Teaching Credential, MA, and PhD degrees from the University of California at Berkeley.

Latest Questions

Bevan Suits, Aquaplanet LLC asked Cary Sneider, Portland State University

Posted Monday, September 18, 2017 at 4:45 PM

Conference Interest?
1 Answers
Cary Sneider, Portland State University asked Erin Murphy, Afterschool Alliance

Posted Monday, August 29, 2016 at 1:22 AM

Hi, Erin, I just want to congratulate you on a terrific blog about STEM in afterschool programs. -- Cary Sneider
0 Answers

Cary Sneider , Portland State University submitted an answer on "How could you use Tony Stark (Ironman) or Thomas Edison to stimulate classroom discussions about engineering?"

Posted Friday, July 15, 2016 at 12:16 PM

Both of these men are portrayed as lone inventors.  Tony Stark is fictional, Edison is not.  So we can examine Edison's life to draw some tentative conclusions about how realistic the "lone inventor" vision really is.  In fact, Edison lead a large team of inventors at Meno Park, New Jersey.  One of those was Louis Latimer, a black engineer who made important contributions to the light bulb, and whose...

Both of these men are portrayed as lone inventors.  Tony Stark is fictional, Edison is not.  So we can examine Edison's life to draw some tentative conclusions about how realistic the "lone inventor" vision really is.  In fact, Edison lead a large team of inventors at Meno Park, New Jersey.  One of those was Louis Latimer, a black engineer who made important contributions to the light bulb, and whose life is documented on the Internet.  This is  a rich opportunity for student research and discussion.

Latest Experiences

Experience

Cary Sneider, Portland State University shared an experience on "Get Your Motor Running (for Informal Learning)"

Added Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 4:49 PM

Get Your Motor Running: Just the Right Level of Difficulty

I've had several classes of middle school and high school students make electric motors like those described in Get Your Motors Running from TeachEngineering. This activity provides just about the perfect level of difficulty for the great majority of students. Activities that are too difficult can ... Read More

0 Comments
Experience

Cary Sneider, Portland State University shared an experience on "Weather Forecasting"

Added Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 4:35 PM

History of Engineering and Weather Forecasting

The entire weather series of activities from TeachEngineering.org is excellent, but the activity I found especially interesting is "Weather Forecasting," since it helps to illuminate the role of engineering in predicting the weather. What comes to mind first, of course, are modern weather ... Read More

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Experience

Cary Sneider, Portland State University shared an experience on "Spectroscopy"

Added Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 2:39 PM

Spectroscopy as a fifth grade resource

For fifth grade teachers in NGSS states, or who are teaching units that include the big idea that our Sun is a star (and the stars are all Suns), this series of activities about spectroscopy—and especially the activity in which students build and use a "fancy" spectroscope—helps students understand ... Read More

1 Comment

Latest Comments

Comment

Cary Sneider , Portland State University commented on a "Is It Cool, or Uncool, To Be a Nerd?"

Posted Friday, September 15, 2017 at 3:00 PM

Comment by Cary Sneider

Hi, Laura, Thanks so much for your fabulous blog. I had never thought of the problems involved in labeling ourselves as "geeks" or "nerds," at least not in any conscious way, before reading your blog. Your comment that we have no trouble celebrating athletic qualities or physical beauty reminds me how much time and effort we spend in high schools on football rallies ...
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Hi, Laura, Thanks so much for your fabulous blog. I had never thought of the problems involved in labeling ourselves as "geeks" or "nerds," at least not in any conscious way, before reading your blog. Your comment that we have no trouble celebrating athletic qualities or physical beauty reminds me how much time and effort we spend in high schools on football rallies and electing homecoming kings and queens. Perhaps the time has come to honor intellectual brilliance by spending equal time holding rallies for our school’s chess and debate teams, and awarding varsity letter sweaters to our science fair winners.
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Comment

Cary Sneider , Portland State University commented on a "Engineering 10,000 Miles from Home"

Posted Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 6:31 PM

Comment by Cary Sneider

Hi, TC. Thanks so much for your very inspiring message! It is clear the engineering is not for the faint-hearted; but it IS for people who care about the well-being of others, and who are willing to learn and trust in their own capabilities. I would like all of my students to read your story.
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Hi, TC. Thanks so much for your very inspiring message! It is clear the engineering is not for the faint-hearted; but it IS for people who care about the well-being of others, and who are willing to learn and trust in their own capabilities. I would like all of my students to read your story.
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Comment

Cary Sneider , Portland State University commented on a "Engineering is Local"

Posted Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 5:22 PM

Comment by Cary Sneider

I've found that using an emergency scenario as the context for a design challenge makes a big difference for some students. One of the important attitudes that we'd like students to acquire is that STEM is useful, not just for society in general, but for them in particular. I've had students say "Hey, this is really great. I know how to purify water using just what I can find ...
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I've found that using an emergency scenario as the context for a design challenge makes a big difference for some students. One of the important attitudes that we'd like students to acquire is that STEM is useful, not just for society in general, but for them in particular. I've had students say "Hey, this is really great. I know how to purify water using just what I can find around the house in case there's an earthquake and water is no longer coming out of the tap." You've listed some great resources, Beth!
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