InkSmith Releases micro:bit Climate Action Kits to Empower Youth through STEM Education
KITCHENER - September 20, 2019 - InkSmith, an Education Technology company dedicated to creating solutions for improving education for children around the world, announced today the launch of their new Climate Action Kits. This series of project-based learning Kits will empower students to tackle Climate Change issues through the lens of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals.
With the Climate Action Kit, students will work through a variety of experiential learning challenges to design and prototype a solution using the BBC micro:bit. Through this process, students will develop important coding and Design Thinking skills which are increasingly in high demand in today’s digital economy.
The younger generations of today are in the midst of a rapidly changing climate as well as a digital revolution that will change the jobs they have in the future and the skills they need to succeed. These students need to be provided with the proper tools to thrive in the face of these challenges. There needs to be a fundamental shift towards emphasizing the importance of building creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills that will allow kids to use technology to their advantage.
The first kit in the Climate Action series, Land, introduces students to a variety of climate issues pertaining to life on land. The Land Kit allows students to explore topics such as deforestation and soil erosion while challenging them to design their own solutions like automated tree planters or vegetable farms. Each climate issue has been strategically framed in the context of their solution, encouraging the idea that hope is the basis of action.
Each Climate Action Kit retails for $44.99 CAD and includes all of the motors, sensors, and accessories required to tackle the five different Climate Action projects. In addition to the robotic parts and accessories, each kit includes comprehensive curriculum for educators. Through work with Canadian teachers, each of the curriculum lesson plans have been constructed to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
As the driving force behind the Climate Action Kits, InkSmith Founder and President Jeremy Hedges has developed a lifelong passion for Climate Activism. It is through this passion that the InkSmith team set out to develop a product that would empower and inspire students to make a difference.
“Our younger generations deserve hope for the future - we all do. The truth is that we should have hope, we just need to reframe the narrative,” says Hedges. “Let’s not talk about Climate Change, let’s talk about Climate Action. What can you and I do? What can our youth do?”
“For me, being a part of writing and curating this curriculum was a huge relief. During university, I studied climate change issues and I’ve been following the topic closely in the years since. It was easy to feel frustrated and afraid of what the future holds,” Hedges explains. “What I discovered in researching and writing the curriculum was not just hope for solving climate change but the opportunity to unlock a future of abundance for us all.”
“To me, there isn’t a question anymore of ‘if’ we’re going to solve climate change - it’s more of a when and how,” he adds. “It’s achievable, it’s happening and there are many viable solutions. Climate Change can be fixed and we need to be resolved in our commitment to making that happen!”
InkSmith is launching the Climate Action Kits alongside the worldwide #FridaysforFuture and #WeekForFuture Youth Climate Strikes to show support and solidarity with the movement. These Climate Strikes will see millions of students around the world taking a stand for our collective future. The InkSmith Climate Action Kits will provide these students with the tools and educational foundation for what may inspire a lifelong passion.
To celebrate their launch, InkSmith will be donating a portion of all Climate Action Kit sales to the Trees For The Future organization. Through this donation, 10 trees will be planted for every kit sold during the Week for Future Climate Strikes.
“We believe kids need hope, not fear; an opportunity, not a sentence. This means building creative learning opportunities where students drive their own learning and use digital tools to solve real-world problems” Hedges concluded.
InkSmith hopes that through the Climate Action kit series, they can encourage and inspire the leaders and activists of tomorrow. Later this year, InkSmith will be releasing two additional kits focused on Oceans and Sustainable Energy.
We all deserve hope for the future, our younger generations most of all.
Help inspire a better tomorrow.
About InkSmith:
InkSmith is an Education Technology company focused on building accessible and inclusive education tools. We believe that every kid should have a shot at learning and doing the things they might be amazing at! Our team is dedicated to creating solutions that improve education for kids around the world.
Media Contact:
Jessica Braun
Digital Marketing Specialist
1-844-465-7684
jess@inksmith.ca