Community members share how their knowledge and projects relate to the party theme. There are career connections. There are opportunities to meet scientists, engineers, and artists. There’s even sometimes dancing that explores the party’s theme!
Learning Parties are open, science fair-style events where anyone can drop in and learn from local experts, makers, artists, and geeks in their community. Party-goers visit 4 to 8 stations that explore the party’s theme through hands-on activities. And it’s a party, so obviously there’s tons of snacks and good music!
<aside> 🍰 All-Time Favorite Party Themes: 🎶 Music and Sound 🤖 Robots Rule the World 💡Circuits and Contraptions 🚀 Outer Space 🕷️ Creepy Science 🌈 Rainbows 🤢 Grossology 🥑 Fun with Food
</aside>
Everyone loves to party—social gathering is a universal human tendency. At parties, we meet our neighbors, share knowledge, and have FUN! When we make learning a party, everyone can get excited about it. Learning Parties are Assemble’s way of making things like biology and electronic circuitry accessible, inspiring, and fun for anyone and everyone.
Monthly, for 2 hours
12-75 party-goers over the 2 hours, no more than 20 visitors at a time
Kids of all ages: drop-offs, walk-ins, and families partying together, and groups of kids from other organizations are all welcome!
Scientists, artists, academics, technologists, and hobbyists who want to share what they’re doing with the community
Drop in, show up! Free to all partygoers
<aside> 🕑 Run of show for one learning party: Learning Parties at Assemble take place on the third Friday of each month, from 4pm to 6pm
30 minutes Guests experts and makers arrive and set up their activities at tables; Party coordinator sets up food
2 hours Party time! Each station should have an activity that takes 5-10 minutes to complete, party-goers come and go at their leisure
30 minutes Clean-up
</aside>
Pedagogy ?
Learning Parties are a physical manifestation of STEAM—every party brings science, technology, engineering, art, and math into the same room, and often into the same activities. And Learning Parties are interdisciplinary in topic and learning style. At a Learning Party, you might do a dance about light, or hear a cardiologist tell a story about blood, or write a poem about planets, or do a science experiment about words, or paint a picture of gravity.
Learning Parties put hands-on learning and 21st century skills into cultural and community context. They’re a place for scientists to take their work out of the lab and into the neighborhood. They’re a space for artists to share their craft with others. They’re an opportunity for organizations to engage with the community and spread the word about what they do.
People ?
Learning Parties are a team effort. Start with one of your Coordinators who can dedicate significant time in the weeks (or months) before the party putting all of the pieces together. This person should be a social butterfly who gets energy from being around others—the kind of person who is good at getting people to do things for free.
The coordinator needs a deep network of local makers, hackers, artists, and scientists, because you’ll need to find 4-8 Guest Experts to host stations that interpret the party theme through their professional and/or creative perspective. Invite artists and hobbyists to share their passion with their neighbors. Reach out to local companies and universities to see if they want to engage with their community. Guest experts don’t have to be deeply knowledgeable about the party theme—they simply need to be willing to create an activity that relates their perspective on the topic!
<aside> ⚗️ Try This: To help keep track of all the different guest experts invited to our parties, we put together this Learning Party Coordinating Spreadsheet.
</aside>
Learning Parties are always better when there are Volunteers and Interns who can help the guest experts teach activities at their stations.
On the day of the party, the host (this could be the same person as the coordinator) helps everyone set up, welcomes partygoers, addresses problems as they arise, and probably dances at least a little bit.
Place ?
Learning Parties require a big open space where 4 to 8 tables can be set up in a U shape, with plenty of space around them for guest experts, volunteers, and learners to be doing activities. Sometimes, guest experts share tables. And keep in mind that some guest experts need extra open space, for things like for movement and dance activities. If the weather’s nice and you have the space, you can expand the party outside!