STEAM Newsletter – Celebrating Girls in STEM!
October 21, 2021
This October we are celebrating girls and women in STEAM! “Let’s reimagine who can be an engineer; who can build; who can make. Let’s reimagine the future,” is the mission of the Million Girls Moonshot (MGM). As we celebrate the women in this field, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore MGM’s four transformative practices:
- Equity and Inclusion
- Engineering Mindset
- Role Models, Mentors and Families
- STEM Transitions and Pathways
Additionally, high-quality afterschool STEAM experiences cultivate interest, build real STEAM skills, and help all students connect STEAM to their lives and future careers. Afterschool STEAM boosts students’ proficiency in math and science, increases their likelihood of graduation, and puts them on the path to pursuing careers in the STEAM field. Let’s promote STEAM opportunities to help young people thrive in future STEAM Careers!
Additional MGM and STEAM-related Resources:
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Related Content
Equity and Inclusion
Exploring STEM Engagement in Girls in Rural Communities - Creating enriching and encouraging programs to engage girls in STEM is critical because girls and women bring unique experiences, perspectives, and ideas to scientific work. Besides benefiting the women themselves, having more women in STEM occupations will enable society to benefit from women’s expertise by maximizing innovation, creativity, and competitiveness.
Incorporating Role Models: World Space Week & World Architecture Day!
October celebrates World Space Week and World Architecture Day! Explore these role model resources that you can share with your programs:
World Space Week (Oct. 4-10)
Ayanna Howard Role Model Resources:
STEM Transitions, Handoffs, and Coordination
Designing Learning Pathways: A research-practice partnership focused on parent brokering – Learn about an design-led research project to align youth-centered, interest-driven learning pathways with the needs and interests of a local community-based creative arts and technology organization. This case study provides one example of a design-led learning innovation to deepening interest-driven learning pathways for youth.
SciFest 2021
October 18-24, 2021; Virtual
USASEF’s SciFest is a FREE virtual STEM expo for K-12 educators, families, and students!
Virtually experience exhibit booths featuring hands-on interactive STEM content, get an all-access pass to exclusive performances on the STEM Stage, hunt for clues in the Scavenger Hunt, earn points to be eligible for prizes, get creative with selfies in the photo booth, view student projects on display, and so much more!
October 18-24
Plan a STEM-Themed Lights On Afterschool Event!
October 28, 2021
Webinar Opportunity!
If you’re looking for ideas and suggestions for how to talk compellingly about your STEM programs and put together a STEM-themed Lights On Afterschool event, this webinar is for you! The Afterschool Alliance is offering a recorded webinar to learn how you can get children and youth excited about STEM!
Going Deeper: From Curiosity Machine to Technovation Girls Challenge
Saturday, November 4, 2021; 8:00AM PST
Calling all educators who are interested in teaching your students how to solve global problems with technology! Join Technovation for their upcoming webinar to learn about how to explore open-ended design challenges centered around coding or AI with students.
Saturday, November 4, 2021
8:00AM PST
Lessons Learned from Equity and Inclusion Community of Practice
Sunday, November 16, 2021; 11:00AM PST
Million Girls Moonshot hosted a Community of Practice focused on Equity and Inclusion for afterschool networks during summer 2021, led by the National Girls Collaborative Project. Join their follow-up webinar as they share best practices from the five sessions and hear from participants as they share their takeaways. Presenters will also speak to the successes and challenges they have related to implementing equitable approaches within their network and programs.
Saturday, November 16, 2021
11:00AM PST
Together At Home: Parent & Family Resources
- Toolkit: A Parent’s Role in STEM Education – To immigrant families, the overall school-to-work pipeline may be downright mysterious. The New York Hall of Science has identified five types of programs and resources that parents need.
Activities for Programs
Million Girls Moonshot is sharing these activities that can be integrated into your program this month:
- Science Fair Project Ideas – School is starting again! Are you stuck looking for a science fair project? Over 1000 ideas and activities are listed. And, there’s links to STEM careers associated with the projects!
- Fun Math Games for Kids - Math Blaster – Save the universe as you learn math skills. This free online game engages kids in purposeful, other world (as opposed to “real world”) math. Fun to play alone or with others.
Mizzen by Mott
The Mizzen By Mott app delivers inspiring and engaging activities that spark learning in young people. Supported by the Mott Foundation, Mizzen is available at no cost to afterschool professionals! Encourage partners to download the Mizzen By Mott app to access STEM activities at your finger-touch!
Featured Activities & Playlists
- Playlist: STEM Activities for K-5th Grade
- Playlist: STEAM Activities for Middle School
- Helicopter Engineering for 6-8th Grade- Students work in team to engineer an optimal paper helicopter design
Check Out CAN’s Other Newsletters!
Access the CAN newsletter archives to view past newsletters today! You may be interested in some of our other newsletters as well: