NASA's Psyche mission is set to launch on an unprecedented journey to visit a metal-rich asteroid. This unique asteroid – also named Psyche – is thought to be the remnant of a planet's core. Get ready for the launch window to open on Thursday, Oct. 12, by making a STEM connection with these resources. | | Professional Development Opportunities | | Audience: K-12 educators Webinar Date: Thursday, Oct. 5, at 8 p.m. EDT What happens on Earth when the Sun goes dark during an eclipse? Join the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Observer team to find out. Atmospheric scientist Jason (Brant) Dodson from NASA’s Langley Research Center joins Henry (Trae) Winter and MaryKay Severino from the NASA Eclipse Soundscapes team to answer your questions about how an eclipse changes Earth’s atmosphere and how animals respond to those changes. The discussion will help you prepare to make your own observations during the annular solar eclipse that will be visible in North and South America on Saturday, Oct. 14. | | Audience: K-12 educators Event Date: Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. EDT Are you ready for the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14 and next year’s total solar eclipse? Join us for this online professional development session to learn about the Sun-Earth-Moon system and the mechanics of how and why eclipses occur. Participants will receive hands-on STEM activities, plus heliophysics lesson plans, eclipse demonstration ideas, safety guides, and more. Registration closes on Monday, Oct. 9. Click here to register. | | Audience: Formal and informal educators of grades 3-12 Next Live Session Date: Thursday, Oct. 12 Are you interested in engaging your students in a nationwide Moon-related NASA challenge? Do you want to infuse NASA science into your after-school activities? Do you need standards-aligned science and engineering lesson plans?
Join NASA's Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pathways team for a flexible professional development opportunity featuring self-paced online coursework and three live virtual sessions. Stipends, clock hours, and challenge materials are available. | | Online Learning Opportunities | | Audience: Educators and students in middle school and high school Event Date: Monday, Oct. 9 - Friday, Oct. 13 Learn about heliophysics science and STEM careers with the new Space Weather Explorers Week website. Explore the website to find cool facts, games, and an online, interactive discussion board where your class or group can submit a question to leading space scientists. The website also features educational activities formatted into a week-long course designed to complement “live” weeks that will take place several times per year. During these events, students will be able to interact with volunteer scientists, often from under-represented groups in science. The website and program will emphasize the importance of role models in science. The next “live” week begins on Monday, Oct. 9, with a solar eclipse theme to prepare for the upcoming annular solar eclipse. | | Audience: Formal and informal educators, parents, and caregivers Webinar Date: Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. EDT Join the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Mission Mosquito team to learn about the new “Year of Carbon and Climate” campaign. Grace Crain-Wright from the GLOBE Implementation Office will share how you can become involved and gain a deeper understanding of climate through data collected using GLOBE protocols. She’ll also share learning activities for use both in and out of the classroom. Dr. Rusanne Low from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies will share how climate changes are creating conditions for potential mosquito-borne disease outbreaks. | | The Sun and Moon will work together to put on a celestial show in the skies of North America during two upcoming solar eclipses. On Saturday, Oct. 14, the Moon will nearly cover the Sun during an annular solar eclipse, and on April 8, 2024, the Moon will completely block the Sun during a total solar eclipse. Make the most of these rare events with NASA STEM learning resources and related content, including activities, citizen science opportunities, and more. | | Are You Up for a Challenge? | | Application Deadline: Wednesday, Oct.18 The NASA MINDS program is seeking students from all fields of study at Minority Serving Institutions to help advance technologies needed for NASA’s Artemis mission. Artemis will return astronauts to the Moon and eventually send them to Mars. Participating student teams will first learn about the Artemis Mission and the technologies NASA needs. They will then pick the technology opportunity of most interest to them, plan their detailed design concept, and receive $1,500 towards the building of their project to be presented to NASA subject matter experts. Participating teams can receive recognition awards of up to $5,000 in various categories and win a VIP trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. | | Audience: Educators and students in grades 6-12 Entry Deadline: Friday, Oct. 20 Contact: The NASA TechRise Student Challenge invites student teams to submit science and technology experiment ideas to fly on a rocket-powered lander or high-altitude balloon. Students attending U.S. public, private, or charter schools – including those in U.S. territories – are challenged to team up to design an experiment under the guidance of an educator.
A total of 60 winning teams will be selected and awarded $1,500 to build their experiment. Winning teams will receive technical support from Future Engineers and will get an assigned spot on a rocket-powered lander or high-altitude balloon flight. | | Opportunities With Our Partners | | Webinar Date: Thursday, Oct. 12, 1 - 2:30 p.m. EDT | | Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m. EDT | | |
Are you looking for NASA STEM materials to support your curriculum?
Find NASA science resources for your classroom. The NASA Science Activation (SciAct) program connects diverse learners of all ages with science in ways that activate minds and promote a deeper understanding of our world and beyond. https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website! Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Visit science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit ciencia.nasa.gov. | | Visit NASA STEM Engagement on the Web: | | | | | | |
