107. How Students Can Search for Asteroids ft. Dr. Trudi
In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha chats with Dr. Trudi Hoogenboom, a planetary scientist and teacher. She shares her journey in science and the exciting work of her students in searching for unidentified asteroids. She shares how you can be involved in this citizen science project plus some advice for Space Club teams participating in the upcoming Space Colony Competition. This is an audio recording of Space Club Career Chats. You are invited to share the video with your students!
106. Why is Engineering in K-12?
Why should engineering be in K-12? Has the movement to include engineering improved the state of education? What exactly are students learning in an engineering design challenge? In this episode, Natasha discusses her dissertation research that explores these questions. She also provides an overview of efforts to define engineering learning goals and provides strategies to meaningfully integrate engineering in a science classroom.
105. Explaining the 3 Stages of STEM
From towers to coding, planning out STEM lessons can be overwhelming and confusing. In this episode, which is a rebroadcast of our very first STEM Space episode, Claire and Natasha present The 3 Stages of STEM. Think of it as a way to map out your STEM curriculum with intentional learning progressions!
104. How to Access the Free STEM Space Library
Claire and Natasha are excited to share Vivify's new way to access free STEM resources and connect with them! Tune in to find out how you can become a member of the STEM Space and learn about some interesting results from a recent survey that includes 600 responses from STEM teachers across the country.
103. Teaching Light & Breaking Misconceptions
How do I see an apple? Can I still see an apple in a dark room? Students have so many misconceptions about light, and in this episode, Natasha and Claire share a simple but eye-opening activity that will change the way your students understand light. They also share their “virtual pen pal” idea that bridges preservice elementary teachers with a class of 4th grade STEM students.
102. Celebrate World Water Day ft. MakeWater
Join Natasha as she dives into the world of storytelling, STEM education, and citizen science with award-winning filmmaker and founder of MakeWater, Ryan Beltrán, as he shares his own personal story and the inspiration that led to developing a nonprofit that inspires through environmental science, technology, tinkering, and storytelling. He also shares an exciting way to celebrate World Water Day through citizen science in your classroom!