July resources from Million Girls Moonshot

This month’s resources from the Million Girls Moonshot offer tools and resources for programs looking to implement STEM learning in summer programming. This summer provides an opportunity to reintroduce the four transformative programming areas of the Moonshot: equity and inclusion, engineering mindsets, role models, mentors and families, and STEM pathways and transitions to the field and families. 

If you are interested in becoming involved in the Million Girls Moonshot in your state, please connect with your statewide afterschool network.  

FEATURED WEBINARS

Role Models And Mentors

AUDIENCE: For Networks, Partners, and Programs

STEM Role Models in Action! 

National Girls Collaborative Project Team

Listen to the recording

TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMMING: INCORPORATING ROLE MODELS 

AUDIENCE: For Networks, Partners, and Programs

APPLICATION: Share the following resources about transformative practices with partners and programs in your state. Use them to create professional development for afterschool programs and educators in your state. 

Equity and Inclusion

• Poster: This Is What A Scientist Looks Like poster featuring Dr. Monica Rho who is the head Physician for the US Women’s National Soccer Team. This poster can be used in your physical paces to highlight an inspiring role model in Sports and STEM. Monica Rho Fieldshot

• Article: Black Girls Create: Developing a Culturally Responsive Maker Program for Black Girls article describes the development and pilot implementation of a culturally responsive maker afterschool program for Black girls. 

• Book: Social Justice Reading For Kids : NPR - Looking for summer reading for youth in afterschool? Check out these recommendations from writer Ibram X. Kendi

Engineering Mindsets

• Poster: Engineering Mindset Graphic - This printable graphic presents the 10 critical engineering practices and shows how they all contribute to the development of an engineering mindset.

• Article: What STEM Mindset Is … and Why Everyone Should Have One - This article describes how 21st century skills, growth mindset, and habits of mind all contribute to a STEM mindset

• Website: DiscoverE | Engineering activities for kids, resources for teachers and volunteers, and more! Build a beverage holder that won’t hurt the environment, learn about the many careers in engineering, and meet an engineering role model in a short video. 

Incorporating Role Models

Summer Olympics (July 23, 2021 - August 8, 2021) 

The below assets are free profile videos of IF/THEN® curated Olympics resources featuring NBC Learn videos that highlight women in STEM who work with top U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Role Model Profile Videos and Photos

For Networks: 

The below assets are free profile videos of IF/THEN Ambassadors. These can be used in marketing, presentations, social media, embedded on websites, during conferences, and so much more.  

• Yamilée Toussant-Beach Profile Video

• Yamilée Toussaint-Beach Photo

• STEM Journey: Yamile?e Toussant Beach

• On-the-Job: Ellie Maybury

• Ellie Maybury Fieldshot

• On-the-Job: Valerie Duprat

• Tiffany Kelly Profile Video

• Kimberly Sass Profile Video

For Programs: 

The below assets can be used in your programs as you celebrate Sports and STEM: 

• Mission Unstoppable: The Science Behind Surfing

• Mission Unstoppable: Training With the U.S. Women’s National Team

• Mission Unstoppable: Using Science to Make Sports Safer

• Yamilée Toussaint-Beach Activity Sheet and Educator Guide

• Ellie Maybury Activity Sheet and Educator Guide

• Monica Rho Activity Sheet and Educator Guide

• US Soccer: High Performance 101

• On-the-Job: Dawn Scott

• On-the-Job: Sarah Wilson

Families

• Article: Educational Justice Starts with Equitable Family Engagement by Riddhi Divanji, Ella Shahn, and Sydney Parker - Designing surveys and sharing data with a wide range of stakeholders results in a deeper understanding of the data from multiple perspectives.

• Article: ‘I’m not just a mom’: Parents as creators, collaborators, and learners in creative computing by Ricarose Roque - Social support from parents can play an important role in engaging and sustaining young people’s participation in computing. The authors identified many supportive roles for parents, including collaborating with their children on projects, providing resources and finding new opportunities. 

• Webinar Recording: Listen, Learn, Lead webinar by Flamboyan Foundation - Speakers discuss what they are hearing through their ongoing work with families, particularly their Black and Brown families facing the intersecting crises of racism and COVID-19. We hope this webinar will help spark concrete ideas to engage your most important stakeholders – students, families, and educators – in an ongoing way.

ACTIVITIES FOR PROGRAMS

AUDIENCE: For Programs and Youth

APPLICATION: Share the following STEM activities with programs and families for additional STEM learning in your state. 

• Student Design Activity: NASA's Favorite House Plants for Space Stations and You - The Grow Network : The Grow Network - Select a plant to grow and keep a record of its change over time. Design a flowerpot for space—what shape works best? How deep does it need to be? What do scientists need to consider to grow plants in space? 

• Student Design Activity: Design A Crew Module - Use materials that are easy to find at home to build a crew capsule for spaceflight. Practice engineering design process to improve on the original design. Grades 4-8. 

• Student Design Activity: Straw Towers to the Moon - Let your kids’ imaginations run wild.  Build the biggest tower, or the best balanced, or the most attractive…change the criteria to change the design. Grades K-8. 

• Student Design Activity: Landing Humans on the Moon Educator Guide - These easy to do activities for grades K-8 use engineering design process to problem-solve solutions for survival on the moon. 

• Student Design Activity: Be “Cool” with Popsicle Engineering - Students learn the design process using easy to find materials (for example, popsicle sticks and KoolAid) to produce purple popsicles.  Perfect for a summer day with young kids!

ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL 

AUDIENCE: For Partners and Programs

APPLICATION: Share the following training opportunities with partners and program leaders to build their understanding of engineering, equity and inclusion, and STEM. 

• Webinar Recording: Representation Matters! Highlighting the IF/THEN Collection - Join IF/THEN Ambassadors in a conversation about representation and why it is important for girls to see role models in STEM. In this webinar, learn why representation matters and how to use the IF/THEN Collection to increase representation of women in STEM. 

• Webinar Recording: Girl STEAM Ahead with NASA Free Resources - This Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA (part of NASA's Universe of Learning) webinar will provide a brief overview of the program and its free resources, including a range of computer-based and paper-based activities, print products, and a Program Cookbook for facilitators. Presenters will then delve deeper into some Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA activity-based resources.

MIZZEN BY MOTT MOONSHOT CONNECTION

AUDIENCE: For Networks and Partners

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!  You’ll find it in Mizzen here.

Featured Activities & Playlists

• Playlist: STEAM Activities for Middle School at Home

• Playlist: STEM Activities for K-5th Grade

• Balloon Rockets Challenge