49. Big Things Happening in 2022!
Feeling overwhelmed? Quarantines. Hybrid classes. Distance learning. Whew! Well good news! We are focused on continuing to provide more STEM resources for you than ever before, wherever you are! Your favorite space nerd teachers are so excited to help you bring all of these exciting things (and more) to you! What are you most excited for this year? (Our Marketing and Programs Coordinator is most excited for a new addition from one of us and is hoping to share a birthday!)
48. What Is In Our Air?
“WHAT ARE THOSE?!”
Pictured are two real pig lungs that were part of a scientific inquiry activity on air pollution! On this episode of The STEM Space Podcast, Natasha and Claire take a deep dive into an authentic inquiry experience that involves using air sensors to measure sources of air pollution in your local area, playing a “Mystery Town” game to discover air pollution around the world, and using a gross demonstration to highlight the impacts of air pollution on human health.
The episode describes a curriculum developed through Natasha’s work with CARTEEH at Texas A&M University. Click here to request access to the FREE Air Pollution Curriculum and Science Kit!
47. What Maps Have To Do With Creativity
Everyone is born either creative or not, right? WRONG! Listen in as Claire and Natasha discuss creativity and an exciting project you can try in your STEM classroom. From Mapsco (if you feel bad, don’t - Natasha didn’t know what this was either) to creating your own compass, listen in and find out just how much technology has been replacing some important life skills and how Claire creatively brought them back into the classroom.
46. STEM Career Chat with Bioengineer Dr. Georgia Lagoudas
Everyone knows that engineers are nerdy guys with glasses and scientists always have crazy hair! Our STEM Career Chat with bioengineer Dr. Georgia Lagoudas is here to help students break down the stereotypes around STEM careers by showing them that anyone, including them, can be an engineer or scientist! Whether she’s sleeping on snow (not something she was used to having grown up in Texas) or fangirling in an elevator with movie stars and senators, Dr. Lagoudas discusses what it’s like to be a Congressional Science and Technology Policy Fellow and how you don’t necessarily have to narrow your life path down to one fork in the road.
45. The Best STEM Challenge Ever
Weather balloons, rockets, and space landers? Oh my! STEM has so many projects and products out there, it can be hard to narrow it down to not only what works, but what's fun and STILL educational for your students. From pizza-stealing aliens to homemade roller coaster projects taller than a third grader, tune in to learn about and become inspired by Natasha and Claire's favorite STEM challenges.
44. How Do You Manage Your STEM Classroom?
How do you manage your STEM classroom? Do you have labels on everything or a less organized but still (somehow) coordinated? Join Natasha and Claire as they jump into a STEM classroom management discussion with special guest, Julie Lyons, a 15-year veteran of STEM education and current guest blogger and curriculum designer for Vivify STEM. Listen in as she shares her information on how routines are useful to classroom management but sometimes you just have to let it (kind of) go and work within the boundaries of "coordinated chaos".