June resources from Million Girls Moonshot

Trainings for June 2024

ACRES Coaching: Make Math Engaging

Mondays: 6/3, 6/17, and 7/1 at 10AM- 12PM EST / 7AM - 9:00AM PST

Are you looking for fun ways to help youth build number sense and problem-solving skills? Math can take on new meaning when it is integrated into daily routines in our afterschool programs. In this module, afterschool educators will explore and practice strategies for making math engaging and accessible. *The expectation is that you will be live at all three sessions and an active member of this coaching cohort. Recordings are not available if you are unable to attend. Completion of the Asking Purposeful Questions module is a prerequisite for this module. REGISTER HERE Code: AC352MP (Coach Becky T)

Info Session about Micro-credentials and Digital Badging

Thursday, June 6th 4:00 - 5:00 pm EST / 1:00 - 2:00pm PST

ACRES (Afterschool Coaching for Reflective Educators in STEM) is excited to offer additional Information Sessions about STEM micro-credentials, which are competency-based, digital badges for afterschool and out-of-school professionals offered through the National Afterschool Association. These sessions are free, live, interactive, and one hour in length.  You will learn about what Micro-credentials are and how to apply for them. PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM, choose the date that works best for you, and we'll reach out to you with the Zoom link. FMI contact acres@mmsa.org (Note: It isn’t necessary to attend more than one informational session as the content is consistent.)

Asking Purposeful Questions- Evening Cohort

Mondays: 6/10, 6/17, and 6/24 at 6PM- 8PM EST / 3PM - 5PM PST

Questions begin a path toward discovery, imagination, and STEM exploration. How can we help youth expand and clarify their thinking and develop their reasoning through the questions we ask them? This module is a great way to train staff on how to facilitate STEM learning. Experienced educators also love being part of a cohort as a way to connect with other educators across the country, to learn new lesson plans, and to reflect on practice.  This is our introductory module and a prerequisite to other opportunities. *The expectation is that you will be live at all three sessions and an active member of this coaching cohort. Recordings are not available if you are unable to attend. REGISTER HERE Code: AC332PQ (Coach Emma C)

Transformative Practices for June 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.

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:
  • Health Sciences (6 activities + career posters)
  • Information Technology (4 activities)
  • Lenses on the Future - Self (7 activities)

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: Environmental Engineering STEM Activities for Kids (sciencebuddies.org) 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, a video, and links to other resources.