Kids love to dream of being superheroes. Even as adults, you can admit (if you love that type of film) that you wish superheroes were real or that you could have a superpower.
Can a kid’s love of superheroes translate into helping kids learn? We think so! There are so many concepts embedded in superheroes promoting science, math, engineering, and general education.
Read on to learn how.
Shuri: Math and Technology
Shuri, the technological goddess and feminist advocate from Black Panther is a heroine with superlative intelligence in mathematics and technology.
Creating medically established technology and designing suits that use vibranium power sources, Shuri has accomplished to inspire young girls and boys in STEM, especially in technology and mathematics. Whether it’s encouraging math games for kids or research showing that the probability of a girl who can relate to Shuri getting interested in STEM increases by 30%, Shuri is one of our favorites.
Educators see Shuri as a figure through whom the students can appreciate how important it is to study mathematics. For example, her work with vibranium includes estimating energy absorption, calculating material density, and designing geometric models—practically all of her work is based on mathematics.
The Shuri curriculum has been implemented in organizations like Black Girls Code to introduce programming and solve mathematical problems.
Spider-Man: Science
How could we not mention Spider-Man – he’s a science geek.
Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker, is one of the best-known superheroes who slings webs effortlessly around him.
The life of Parker started with a spider that was altered so that it could have an entirely new synthetic web fluid. His life so far has been a marvel of biology, chemistry, and physics. Through that, educators found an effective way to grab children’s attention to science.
Teachers, for example, use Spider-Man’s capabilities to demonstrate how the tensile strength of a spider’s silk is even five times stronger than that of steel.
Even science museums and programs have come up with spider-man-related activities, like designing spider webs or studying spider genetics. And, in 2018, research published in Harvard Business indicated that a 40% increase in involvement in STEM topics has helped with storytelling.
Iron Man: Engineering
For Tony Stark, the brain behind Iron Man is an ambassador of engineering and invention.
Stark’s character armor features complex robotics, programming, and mechanical design, which are major aspects of engineering. Kids who like Iron Man can appreciate how prosthetics, AI, drones, and modern machinery are designed through engineering.
Numerous camps and courses help children learn to program and build robots using Iron Man characters as inspiration. For example, they can build and program scrubbers, creating their version of the Stark suit. Engineering in Elementary indicates that students who participated in the superhero-centered engineering activities were 50% more interested in STEM careers and disciplines.
Superheroes have evolved. They are no longer solely about outlandish struggles and heroic acts. They are showing children that knowledge is the highest form of power. Children of today who grow up to become scientists, engineers, or mathematicians may someday give entire credit to their favorite superheroes for their success!
