Archive Resources

 

Activities for April 2024

Video: dna activities for kids - Yahoo Search Results Video Search Results This video designed for kids is a fun/exciting way to introduce DNA to children. In this video kids will learn facts all about DNA, what it is made of, chromosomes, traits and much more. There are additional DNA teaching resources, including a free lesson plan found here: https://learnbright.org/lessons/science/dna ...

Student Activity: PLT_GreenJobs_MonitoringForestHealth.pdf Through a variety of health indicators, learners assess the health of a forested area and see how soil scientists, wildlife biologists, arborists, and other forest professionals monitor forests. This activity supports STEM identity by relati through role model and career connections.

Student Activity: How To Make Seed Bombs - Little Bins for Little Hands Kick off your spring science with a fun Earth Day activity and make seed bombs with your kids! Super easy and fun to make, help youth connect to their impact on the environment start a new tradition to celebrate Earth Day and learn how to make seed bombs or seed balls. This website also features other STEM activities for kids in environmental education. 

Student Activity: Do-It-Yourself DNA | STEM Activity (sciencebuddies.org)  In this activity, you will make your own DNA extraction kit from household chemicals and use it to extract DNA from strawberries.

Student Activity: Investigate Alien Genetics | Lesson Plan (sciencebuddies.org) Students model how traits are passed on from parents to their offspring by creating baby aliens based on the alien parents' traits. As students compare the physical features of their alien families, they will be able to make the connection between an organism's genotype and phenotype. Students will also learn the difference between dominant and recessive traits.

Student Activity: Extracting Onion DNA | Science Project (sciencebuddies.org)In this project, you'll learn how to isolate DNA from onion cells, separating it from other cellular components in a manner that still preserves its structure and sequence. In the end, you'll have enough DNA to see with the unaided eye, and you'll be able to spool it to demonstrate its strand-like structure.

Transformative Practices for April 2024

Equity and Inclusion

  • Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.

  • Elevating Youth Voice in STEM Programming Webinar: One way to ensure your program is youth-centric is to elevate youth voice and empower youth to take charge of their own STEM experiences. In this webinar recording, presenters share their knowledge and first-hand experiences promoting or using their voices and developing leadership skills to support and promote STEM learning in their communities.

  • Cultural Competence in Afterschool Programs: A chapter on how programs address the increasing and cultural diversity in the United States. Program leaders need to consider how to adapt their program to make it culturally relevant to the youth and families they serve. This chapter explores the meaning of cultural relevance, how to design cultural competence afterschool programs, and how to tailor cultural competence to meet local needs. 

Engineering Mindset

  • Engineering Mindset Overview: An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering — using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams. The Moonshot focuses on 10 engineering practices. An overview of each practice follows and subsequent briefs will explore each one individually.

  • Engineering Design Process: This resource helps educators understand design process and how to facilitate engineering activities with kids 

Role Models, Mentors, and Families

Role models, mentors, and family engagement in a young person’s STEM education leads to increased interest, greater self-confidence, and ultimately a stronger STEM identity. Developing a science-related identity increases the likelihood that students will work toward developing science literacy, or even pursue a career in a science or STEM-related field.

Continuous STEM Learning Pathways

Research tells us that continuous engagement and exposure rather than limited one-time opportunities are needed to nurture the interest and motivation necessary for children to pursue STEM pathways long term. The Moonshot aims to understand and support transitions and handoffs that remove barriers for youth by connecting STEM learning across ages and settings, ensuring youth interest and motivation persists.

  • Possible Futures — Career Exploration Curriculum: Open source curriculum that complements and enriches both school and afterschool settings 1) expanding career awareness through authentic experiential learning opportunities; 2) encouraging students to explore their diverse interests, talents, and options; 3) enlivening STEM subjects by bringing in real-world and career contexts; 4) empowering students to develop vital employability skills; and 5) engaging students in making informed choices.

Below are some adaptations of the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum specifically for afterschool and summer programs:

  • Career Foundations Adaptation: A collection of 14 lessons, a streamlined combination of the Lenses on the Future and Skills for Success units of Possible Futures curriculum.

  • College and Career Readiness Toolkit: Maryland Out of School Time (MOST) embedded the Career Foundations Unit of Possible Futures into this toolkit that serves as a guide for OST providers.

Activities for May 2024

Activity (engineering):  How Does a Wind Meter Work? | Science Project (sciencebuddies.org) On a windy day it is hard to keep your hat on! The power of the wind can even be strong enough to power large wind turbines to make electricity! In this experiment, find out how you can make your own instrument to measure the speed and power of the wind. How does it work?

Activity (engineering):  Tallest Paper Tower Challenge | Science Project (sciencebuddies.org) In this engineering challenge, you will use limited materials to build a paper tower as tall as possible, but there's a twist! Your tower must also support a heavy weight at the top without collapsing. Looking for inspiration? You can see how other students have tackled this and other annual Science Buddies Engineering Challenges.

Activity (engineering): How to Build a Toilet Paper Roll Balloon Car - Left Brain Craft Brain This project is a perfect opportunity to learn about simple machines: the building blocks of all things that move. The activity uses easy to find materials and can be done in class and easily repeated at home. 

Activity(engineering): Turn Milk into Plastic | STEM Activity (sciencebuddies.org) Until about 1945, milk was commonly used to make many different plastic ornaments, including buttons, decorative buckles, beads and other jewelry, and many other items. Milk plastic (usually called casein plastic) was even used to make jewelry for Queen Mary of England! In this activity students will make their own casein plastic out of hot milk and vinegar.

Activity (math): Devising an Algorithm for Solving Rubik's Cube | Science Project (sciencebuddies.org) This activity shows youth three sets of move sequences that accomplish specific rearrangements of the cube. Is there a way to solve the cube using only these three move sequences?

Activity (Computer science): Can Humans Recognize ChatGPT's AI-Generated Text? | Science Project (sciencebuddies.org) AI (artificial intelligence)-generated text is a hot topic for many reasons. Computers can now generate convincing paragraphs or even pages of text that look like they were written by a human. How do you know if a news article you are reading was written by a human or an AI? How does a teacher know if a student's essay was written by an AI? How do you know this text was not written by an AI? In this science project, you will conduct an experiment to see if volunteers can correctly identify whether different passages of text were written by a human or AI.


Transformative Practices for May 2024

Equity and Inclusion

  • Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.

  • A Summary of Effective Gender Equitable Teaching Practices in Informal STEM Education Spaces: This article summarizes research on gender equitable practices for middle school girls in the last decade and addresses the disconnect between research and practice. The article focuses on ways to connect STEM experiences to girls’ lives, emphasizing the ways that STEM is collaborative and community-oriented, and providing opportunities for girls to interact with and learn from diverse role models.

  • Beyond Equity as Inclusion: Framework of “Rightful Presence” for Guiding Justice-Oriented Studies in Teaching and Learning: This article presents a framework to guide the study of teaching and learning in justice-oriented ways. This framework highlights the limitations of equity as inclusion, which does not adequately address the ways in which systemic injustices manifest in local classroom practice. Three tenets for guiding the use of this framework in teaching and learning are offered.

Engineering Mindsets

  • Engineering Mindset Overview: An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering — using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams. The Moonshot focuses on 10 engineering practices. An overview of each practice follows and subsequent briefs will explore each one individually.

  • New Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA (GSAWN) Resources: The Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA program, part of NASA's Universe of Learning, provides resources and experiences that enable girls, families, and lifelong learners to explore fundamental questions in astrophysics and discover the universe for themselves. New resources include the GSAWN Program Cookbook, stages of a star's Life Flipbook, a Stellar Life Cycle Bookmark and Bracelet, and Stellar Evolution Scavenger Hunt. 

Role Models, Mentors, and Families

Role models, mentors, and family engagement in a young person’s STEM education leads to increased interest, greater self-confidence, and ultimately a stronger STEM identity. Developing a science-related identity increases the likelihood that students will work toward developing science literacy, or even pursue a career in a science or STEM-related field.

Continuous STEM Learning Pathways

Research also tells us that continuous engagement and exposure rather than limited one-time opportunities are needed to nurture the interest and motivation necessary for children to pursue STEM pathways long term. The Moonshot aims to understand and support transitions and handoffs that remove barriers for youth by connecting STEM learning across ages and settings, ensuring youth interest and motivation persists, especially for underrepresented groups like girls, youth of color, and youth from low-income families.

  • Possible Futures — Career Exploration Curriculum: Open source curriculum that complements and enriches both school and afterschool settings 1) expanding career awareness through authentic experiential learning opportunities; 2) encouraging students to explore their diverse interests, talents, and options; 3) enlivening STEM subjects by bringing in real-world and career contexts; 4) empowering students to develop vital employability skills; and 5) engaging students in making informed choices.

Below are some adaptations of the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum specifically for afterschool and summer programs:

  • Career Literacy: Three units that combine the units Skills for Success and Lenses on the Future (from Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum). The units also provide a model for aligning Possible Futures with state Career Literacy Standards and the development of required individual student postsecondary plans. 

  • Growing Myself: Twelve lessons that combine the Self unit from Lenses on the Future and the Growth Mindset unit from Skills for Success from the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum. 

Activities for June 2024

Interactive online resource: Surfers Against Sewage Virtual Tour | Explore in 360° (digitaloceanschool.com) Videos and interactive activities to teach about conservation.  After learning about them, students have the opportunity to protect the resources. 

Fact sheet Why should we care about the ocean? (noaa.gov) Our ocean provides countless benefits to our planet and all the creatures that live here. It gives us more than half of the oxygen we breathe. It regulates the climate, absorbs a quarter of the carbon that we put into the atmosphere every year, provides livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people, and contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to the global economy. Get the facts! 

Interactive online activities: For Students | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (noaa.gov) National marine sanctuaries are living classrooms that can be explored in person or through interactive digital labs and activities., Find games, online story books, information on marine careers, activities, free materials and other cool stuff on this NOAA website. 

Activity: Hands-on science activities | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov) hands-on activities that can be done in 15-30 minutes that get students thinking about how things really work, and how to engineer a cleaner, safer ocean.

Activity: Drinking Water Cleanup | STEM Activity (sciencebuddies.org) Where does drinking water come from?  ? It comes out of the faucet, but how does it get there? Drinking water all over the world originates from either surface waters—such as lakes, reservoirs, and rivers—or from underground sources, such as groundwater. Create (engineer) a filter to clean water to the point where it is clean enough to drink

Activity: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/subjects/environmental-engineering Wind turbines are large towers with blades on top that are spun by the wind. They are a great source of clean, renewable energy. Environmental engineers have to figure out where to put wind turbines so they get the best exposure to steady, consistent winds. In this project, students play the role of an environmental engineer and figure out whether it is a good idea to put wind turbines near tall buildings

Activity: 15 Cool Conservation Activities for Kids (mummymummymum.com) These hands-on, minds-on activities allow kids to understand conservation and the importance of it through activities and learning instead of hearing about it in a textbook. While you can’t make all environmental concepts visual, conservation is a great place to start! Here are 15 cool conservation activities for kids to do that incorporate engineering.

Activity:  Building a Grape Smasher - Click 2 Engineering Using simple, readily available materials. work in a team to design a machine from simple supplies that can smash a grape.  Click2Engineering includes activity instructions, avideo, and links to other resources.

Transformative Practices for June 2024

Equity and Inclusion

  • Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.

  • From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School-Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens from Marginalized Communities: This brief summarizes findings from Wallace-commissioned research about key challenges and promising practices toward equity in out-of-school-time programs engaging historically marginalized youth populations. This report captures the ideas and recommendations gleaned from a literature review and interviews with OST policy influencers, program directors, youth workers, and scholars across the nation.

Engineering Mindsets

  • Engineering Mindset Overview: An engineering mindset refers to the attitudes and thinking skills associated with engineering — using a systematic engineering design process, considering real-world problems, applying math and science, and working in teams. The Moonshot focuses on 10 engineering practices. An overview of each practice follows and subsequent briefs will explore each one individually.

Role Models, Mentors, and Families

Role models, mentors, and family engagement in a young person’s STEM education leads to increased interest, greater self-confidence, and ultimately a stronger STEM identity. Developing a science-related identity increases the likelihood that students will work toward developing science literacy, or even pursue a career in a science or STEM-related field.

Activity: Lesson plan: Who is an inventor, anyways? | PBS NewsHour Classroom In this lesson, students will learn about what it means to be an inventor and think creatively about improving something they are passionate about. First, students will watch a short video about a teen inventor who used creative thinking to improve the experience of others. Then students will draw connections between the young inventor and their own passions and interests.

Article: 35 of the most revolutionary inventions that shaped our world - Interesting Engineering From ancient tools to the latest digital advances, these human inventions changed the world and transformed life on Earth.

Article: Things You Didn't Know Were Invented by Black Women (businessinsider.com) Black women have invented satellite technology and instruments for cataract surgery.  This short (and incomplete list) highlights important contributions by Black women. 

Article: How Hedy Lamarr and Her Inventions Changed the World (leaders.com) Hedy Lamarr was the type of woman judgmental people love to underestimate. She was only known for her beauty and once known as the most beautiful woman in the world and was an actress in films. However, as Lamarr once said, “The brains of people are more interesting than the looks . . .” This especially rang true with her. She was one of the most prolific inventors of the 20th century, embodying the phrase “women in tech” before the concept even existed. She invented the technology that powers so much of our world today. developed frequency hopping—the technology behind WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. She said: “All creative people want to do the unexpected.”

Article: 51 Female Inventors and Inventions That Changed the World - Interesting Engineering  hese 51 women optimized the inventor’s spirit and created life-changing inventions and discoveries that forever transformed our world. Meet the women behind these world-changing discoveries and inventions who brought not only creativity but determination to succeed.  

Article: BBC 100 Women: Nine things you didn't know were invented by women  When we think of inventors, do we think of the woman who invented space station batteries?  Call waiting and caller ID? Learn about these amazing women and their inventions that are used every day. 

STEM Pathways and Transitions

Research tells us that continuous engagement and exposure rather than limited one-time opportunities are needed to nurture the interest and motivation necessary for children to pursue STEM pathways long term. The Moonshot aims to understand and support transitions and handoffs that remove barriers for youth by connecting STEM learning across ages and settings, ensuring youth interest and motivation persists.

  • Possible Futures — Career Exploration Curriculum: Open source curriculum that complements and enriches both school and afterschool settings 1) expanding career awareness through authentic experiential learning opportunities; 2) encouraging students to explore their diverse interests, talents, and options; 3) enlivening STEM subjects by bringing in real-world and career contexts; 4) empowering students to develop vital employability skills; and 5) engaging students in making informed choices.

Below are some adaptations of the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum specifically for afterschool and summer programs:

  • Communicating & Collaborating: Twelve lessons that combine lessons from the Communication and Collaboration units from the Skills for Success module from the Possible Futures Career Exploration Curriculum

  • Career Exploration Activities: Designed specifically for Out-of-School Time (OST) providers looking for engaging hands-on and collaborative activities:

Lenses on the Future - Self (7 activities)

Activities for July 2024

  • Lunar Roving Vehicle Activity: In this activity, students compare lunar rovers to family cars, and then design and build a rover model that may be used to explore the moon. Special considerations for the vehicle include the type of terrain the rover will traverse.

  • Rocket Races: In this fun activity students construct balloon-powered racing cars using a foam tray and drinking straws. They test the cars along a measured track on the floor. After measuring trials they report on their racer design and how it performed.

  • Can Humans Recognize AI-Generated Images?: (this one requires a printer and a camera/smartphone)  Artificial intelligence (AI) generated images have exploded in popularity, bringing plenty of controversy along with them. An AI-generated image of a tiger or a flower might seem harmless, but artificial images of people or events can contribute to "fake news." In this science project youth investigate whether people can tell the difference between real pictures and pictures generated by AI.

  • Girl Scouts STEM Playbook: The world of STEM is filled with endless opportunities to make a difference. From exploring computer coding and space exploration to building robots and solutions to problems such as climate change, girls are using STEM as a tool to change our world.

    And you can help them make it all possible! Girl Scouts’ new STEM Playbook is designed for anyone looking to encourage a love of STEM in girls of all ages. Whether you’re involved with Girl Scouts or simply a supportive adult, the new STEM Playbook offers ideas, guidance, and access to resources and tools to grow girls' interest and skills in the field. Download the new STEM Playbook and discover new ideas to help girls build the future with STEM. Download Girl Scouts’ New STEM Playbook Here

Transformative Practices for July 2024

The Million Girls Moonshot aims to raise awareness of the following four research-based practices — Equity and Inclusion, Engineering Mindsets, Role Model, Mentors, and Families, and STEM Pathways and Transition — proven to remove barriers to access and quality STEM learning experiences. Resources, toolkits, blogs, and activities that elevate these four Transformative Practices can be found below and on the Million Girls Moonshot Toolkit

  • Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.

  • Equity in Education: Evidence Based Strategies: Equity in education has become a common goal and guiding principle for modern school improvement and education reform efforts in the United States. But what does equity in education truly mean and how can it be achieved? This resource center is a one stop shop to help leaders and practitioners define exactly what is meant by “equity in education” vs. equality and materials to support youth and families. 

  • Women at NASA: Women have always played a critical role in NASA’s history. From the first black female engineer to the first female astronaut—many of our female pioneers have been the “first” to achieve something monumental in their fields. Today, the women of NASA continue to lead and inspire in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and truly make an impact on society. As we look ahead, we know it will take a diverse workforce to achieve our ambitious goals—like putting the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. NASA is committed to recruiting and retaining women in STEM to help the agency continue to push boundaries to achieve the impossible. 

  • Partnering with Multilingual Families: Engaging with families of students who are learning English is a powerful lever for fostering academic success and overall student well-being. The Ohio Afterschool Network has outlined effective strategies for engaging with families of english language learners in STEM.

STEM Learning Pathways & Career Awareness

Research tells us that continuous engagement and exposure rather than limited one-time opportunities are needed to nurture the interest and motivation necessary for children to pursue STEM pathways long term. The Moonshot aims to understand and support transitions and handoffs that remove barriers for youth by connecting STEM learning across ages and settings, ensuring youth interest and motivation persists.

  • Maryland Out of School Time College and Career Readiness Toolkit: This is a comprehensive guide to help middle and high school out-of-school-time programs get laser focused on building 21st century skills and supporting young people as they navigate through the complex world of planning for their advanced education and careers. We will be adding free and low cost professional development resources including videos, online courses and opportunities for live virtual training. Want to help MOST spread the word? Use the Social Media Sharing Resources to spread the word.

  • Building the STEM Workforce: Quickstart Toolkit: This Quickstart Toolkit outlines strategies for short-term changes that can help libraries accelerate their progress as STEM equity leaders — no matter how far they’ve already progressed in that journey.

  • The Strategic Imperative of STEM Education in Workforce Development: In the ever-evolving landscape of workforce development, professionals are faced with the critical task of preparing individuals for success in an increasingly complex and competitive job market. This article explores the profound impact of STEM education on workforce development and provides real-world examples that underscore its transformative potential.

Activities for August 2024

  • Statistical Science: In this activity kids learn about probability to determine the frequency of different colored M&M’s in a package of M&M candies. M&Ms normally come in six different colors: red, green, yellow, blue, orange, and brown. 

  • Turn Milk into Plastic: Is it possible to make plastic out of milk? In the early 1900s until about 1945, milk was commonly used to make many different things from plastic. Milk plastic (usually called casein plastic) can be made easily.  In this activity youth make their own casein plastic out of hot milk and vinegar.

  • Cyberchase_Biancas-Body-Math: In this Cyberchase activity, learners use math to explore how parts of the body are proportional. Learners make a measuring device out of string and then use it to measure the length of their forearms, the circumference of their fist, the circumference of their forehead, and the distance from their head to their toes.

  • Cool It!: In this fun hands-on activity, learners use simple materials to investigate evaporation. How can the evaporation of water on a hot day be used to cool an object? Find out the experimental way! The activity is based on an episode of Cyberchase called "Digit's B-Day Surprise" and was developed to capture kids' interest in math 

  • Reverse Engineering: Ball Bounce Experiment: In this activity, learners investigate the properties of different types of balls. Learners conduct experiments on four different balls to see which can bounce the highest and which continues bouncing for the longest period of time. Use this activity to talk about how each ball's properties are appropriate for their respective sport. This activity also coincides well with math graphing practice.

Transformative Practices for August 2024

The Million Girls Moonshot aims to raise awareness of the following four research-based practices — Equity and Inclusion, Engineering Mindsets, Role Model, Mentors, and Families, and STEM Pathways and Transition — proven to remove barriers to access and quality STEM learning experiences. Resources, toolkits, blogs, and activities that elevate these four Transformative Practices can be found below and on the Million Girls Moonshot Toolkit

  • Access to STEM Framework: To improve the overall quality of out-of-school STEM programs, we need to address how program providers design and implement programming to increase access in STEM for youth who have been underrepresented in the STEM fields. Partnering with the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) and national experts, we have developed an Access to STEM Framework — a guide for supporting program providers in this transformation. Download the Framework.

  • Afterschool Math Plus - FHI 360: Afterschool Math Plus is an evidence-based program that provides fun, real-world mathematics activities for students in grades three through eight. Materials include a culturally relevant curriculum designed around four thematic units that engage children. Each unit emphasizes identity development, careers, role models, strategies for family involvement, and inclusion of students with disabilities through an equity lens. Includes career connections.

  • 5 Ways to Get Parents More Involved in Schools: When schools figure out how to truly partner and work with parents, caregivers, and families, it can be game-changing for students’ academic achievement and social-emotional skills. Check out five principles behind effective family and community engagement.

  • Seven Ways to Promote Positive Communications With Families: One of the most meaningful and effective ways to improve rapport with families is by contacting them with positive news about their child. Together, positive communication systems are one of a handful of high-leverage practices that can help us build more cohesive and trusting school communities. Read about seven ways to promote positive communication with families, teachers, and afterschool programs

STEM Learning Pathways & Career Awareness

Research also tells us that continuous engagement and exposure rather than limited one-time opportunities are needed to nurture the interest and motivation necessary for children to pursue STEM pathways long term. The Moonshot aims to understand and support transitions and handoffs that remove barriers for youth by connecting STEM learning across ages and settings, ensuring youth interest and motivation persists, especially for underrepresented groups like girls, youth of color, and youth from low-income families.

  • Career-Conneted-Learning-Contiuum-Framework: Framework highlights the “Career Connected Learning” as a continuum of awareness, exploration, preparation, and work experiences developed through strong public and private partnerships. Participants develop, apply, and are assessed on academic, technical, trade, and entrepreneurial skills that support their future career success