66. Eco-House Sustainable STEM with Kristina Ohl
Natasha chats with Kristina Ohl, a 6th-grade science teacher who decided to “re-create” one of her favorite activities, Vivify’s Mission to Mars Planning Game. She brought the real-world project back to Earth by having students plan and design an energy-efficient and eco-friendly house! She discusses her experience developing the lesson including consulting a sustainable building engineer and testing with elementary and middle school students. We also chat about effective teaching practices and how we cannot simply pour our knowledge into children’s brains - try as we might!
65. How to Plan Your Year in STEM
Tune in as Claire and Natasha tackle another question from our listeners: “I am new to STEM…how do you keep it all together? All the resources, organizing for all grade levels…I’d love to be a fly on the wall in Texas!” As the school year wraps up, Claire reflects on a crazy busy year and how she stays organized when teaching different STEM topics for her PreK all the way to 8th-grade students!
64. Inspire Kids with Space: Chat with NASA Ground Controller!
What is it like to work at NASA? What happens at mission control? In this episode, Natasha chats with Patrick Ream, a ground controller trainee at NASA's Johnson Space Center! We talk all about his work at NASA, what inspired him to become an aerospace engineer, and his advice for motivating struggling students.
63. What is the Point of a Field Trip?
What is the point of a field trip? In this episode, Natasha brings Claire on another adventure with a group of undergraduate engineering students who plan to become STEM teachers. Learn how educators can thoughtfully plan a field trip experience to maximize learning and when may be the optimal time for these types of experiences within a unit of study.
62. Life on Another Planet? Career Chat with an Astrobiologist!
Does life exist on another planet? Listen to a fascinating STEM career chat with Dr. Charity Lander-Phillips, an astrobiologist at Southwest Research Institute. We discuss how her love for volcanoes as a kid led to her current work searching for life on another planet. Tune in for this exciting episode, taken from a recent Space Club Career Chat. All questions were submitted by elementary and middle school students who wanted to know more about her exciting STEM career, how she got here, and what sort of challenges she faces!
61. Crazy Chemistry and Your Questions Answered
What are your must-haves for a STEM lab? What is a quick STEM challenge for a school showcase? How can I turn a theatrical puppet into an engineering design challenge? In this episode, Natasha and Claire answer your questions submitted in The STEM Space Facebook group! Plus, we share a wild story of a school being evacuated due to a science experiment gone awry.