Goldie at Home: Innovative Iowans

    Goldie at Home: Innovative Iowans

    New Innovative Iowans activities will return in the fall of 2021. But don't worry, there are many other Goldie's Kids Club offerings to keep young historians busy throughout the summer!

    On the first Saturday of the month, Goldie's Kids Club releases a digital Innovative Iowans activity for children and adults to do together at home. These programs involve interactive activities that connect history with STEAM education – science, technology, engineering, art and math. The easy-to-follow instructions require few materials and can provide children with a fun, hands-on approach to Iowa history.

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    Innovative Iowans Activity Release Date
    Eggshell Geodes (Iowa 175 Activity) January demonstration video
    Genealogy Oak Tree (Iowa 175 Activity) February demonstration video
    Become an Iowa Birder (Iowa 175 Activity) March demonstration video
    Comparing State Flags (Iowa 175 Activity) April demonstration video
    Grow a Miniature Garden (Iowa 175 Activity) May demonstration video

    Create & Inquire with Past Innovative Iowans Activities

    Jump into these interactive activities from past Innovative Iowans programs to learn more about Iowa history while flexing your creativity with STEAM-based fun. 

    Innovative Iowans Activity
    Experimenting with the Red Delicious Apple
    Let It Snow
    Nature Self-Portrait Inspired by Artist Ana Mendieta
    Oral History Interviews

    Explore More Goldie at Home Activities

    Decipher secret codes like General Grenville Dodge of Council Bluffs. Create a storyboard like Disney animator Don Hall of Glenwood. Explore the impact of space like Iowan and astronaut Peggy Whitson. Check out past Goldie at Home activities below for interactive fun that introduces young historians to Iowa history. 

    Animated History: Did you know that animated movies were created and shown to audiences over 100 years ago? This Goldie at Home activity is all about the movies, where a young historian becomes the animator and tells a story about Iowa history using a storyboard. 
    Celebrating Ramadan: To recognize the end of Ramadan, this Goldie at Home activity teaches about Iowa’s unique Islamic history through primary sources. The activity also includes making a Good Deed Tree, which incorporates the concepts of kindness, generosity and discipline that are encouraged during Ramadan. 
    Civil War Spies: Ready to crack Goldie's secret codes? Find the hidden message by deciphering the secret questions on the Civil War spies worksheet. 
    Dutch Windmills: Iowa is home to many people from different places around the world. This Goldie at Home activity focuses on a particular group, the Dutch, and the iconic windmills that can be found around Iowa and in the Netherlands.
       • Download Dutch Coloring Sheets
    Flower Power: As colorful springtime blooms are popping up, this Goldie at Home activity focuses on the act of preserving and drying flowers. The craft was popular with Victorians, people who lived during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, who loved to bring nature into their home and decorate with items that could be found outside. 
    Iowans Take Flight: Prepare for takeoff as you dive into Iowa’s high-flying history. Learn about famous aviators with Iowa connections and a brief history of Iowans taking to the sky, as well as create a paper airplane. 
    Neighborhood Maps: Ever wondered what your neighborhood looked like 100 years ago? With this Goldie at Home activity, young historians can examine and explore the evolution of a Des Moines neighborhood between 1884 and 1920 using Sanborn Insurance Maps.
    Pack Your Wagon: This activity explores the Conestoga wagon, one of Iowa’s earliest modes of transportation. Early Iowa settlers needed to pack everything they would need for long trips within these wagons. What would you bring on your journey to Iowa?
    Snapshots of Montauk: Photographs are a great way to see a snapshot of the past. This activity addresses how to look beyond the surface of an image and become detectives searching for clues to better understand a historic photo.
    Space! The Final Frontier: Turn your eyes to the sky to explore the secrets of space with Goldie! Although many Iowans have studied astronomy (stars, planets, comets and galaxies) in the past, very few have actually spent time rocketing into space. This Goldie at Home activity looks at the impact exploring space can have on the human body.
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