NESSP NEWS: Back to School Opportunities! – September 12th, 2023 🗓
Hello, educators!
We hope you had a wonderful summer! NESSP HQ’s highlight was taking 13 lucky student teams and Mission Advisors from last year’s Artemis ROADS challenge to Kennedy Space Center. We had some once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as going inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), visiting Launchpad 39b, where they launched SLS, and witnessing a night launch of a Falcon 9 on the beach. The teams who joined us worked hard to complete all the Artemis ROADS Mission Objectives and were lucky enough to be selected in a drawing. Could it be you next summer?
As we start a new year, we want to let you know about the many exciting opportunities you and your students can register for now! Fliers are attached; please feel free to share.
Artemis ROADS II Professional Development – Nationwide
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 NGSS-aligned science and engineering lesson plans? This professional development opportunity for grades 3 to 12 educators offers flexible learning via Canvas coursework and three optional live sessions. Choose from various dates/times and earn stipends, professional development hours, and access challenge materials!
Register before your first Live Session on Aug 17th, Sept 14th, Sept 30th, or Oct 12th at: Link to registration (flier)
PLANETS STEM Education Workshop on October 18th in Spokane, WA
Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) is a NASA-funded program that supports the development of out-of-school time engineering and planetary science units.
Grades 3-8 educators attending the October 18th workshop in Spokane, WA, will explore and develop materials related to planetary science and engineering, with an emphasis on increasing diversity.
Learn more and apply at: Link to application (flier)
Montana Learning Center Classroom Observatory Course For Educators – MT, OR, WA, ID
This free online course from Montana Learning Center and Montana State University instructs high school teachers on how to use a state-of-the-art robotic telescope to capture images and conduct research in their classrooms.
Teachers who complete the course can earn professional development hours and will have unprecedented access to a 16-inch, research-grade, Ritchey-Chretien telescope, located atop a mountain in New Mexico.
To learn more and apply by September 29th, visit: Link to application
Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) from the Museum of Flight – WA specific
Aerospace Scholars is an online distance learning course and summer experience designed for high school juniors interested in STEM, with an emphasis on the exploration of space and space travel. Students who complete an asynchronous online course (Phase 1) earn transferable credit from the University of Washington and an invite to a residential summer experience at the Museum of Flight (Phase 2). If you have juniors at your high school who may be interested, consider creating a “WAS” cohort to provide guidance and support as they complete the online course. Support is available to students with financial need!
Washington Aerospace Scholars is also looking for certified and pre-certified teachers to help evaluate the work of WAS scholars during the online course (Phase 1) and serve as an academic facilitator for one week of the summer residency (Phase 2). Stipends of up to $4,000 are available.
Students and teachers can learn more and apply at:
Link to more information (Student Scholar Flier, Teacher Mentor Flier)
Pacific Science Center Science on Wheels and Virtual Programs – WA specific
Did you know that the Pacific Science Center will come to you? The Science on Wheels Space Odyssey whole day experience brings hands-on exhibits, a whole school assembly, and classroom workshops to schools across Washington.
The Pacific Science Center also offers virtual Digital Discovery Workshops, including Robots on Mars, Planetary Geology, and Stick the Landing Engineering Challenge, which bring PacSci educators into classrooms virtually for 40 minutes of in-depth exploration and real-time interaction.
Visit Pacific Science Center Education or email edprograms@pacsci.org for more information. Support is available for qualified schools. (flier attached)
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – OR specific
Bring a unique space science experience to you with OMSI’s portable, museum-quality planetarium. The portable planetarium brings the night sky inside with live presentations and films. Various lessons are available for different age groups of students. Financial assistance is provided for qualified school and community programs, so don’t hesitate to inquire about possible opportunities.
Learn more at: OMSI Community Programs
Feel free to email info@nwessp.org if you have any questions or need more information about these exciting opportunities. We look forward to your participation!
Best regards,
Dr. Darci Snowden
Director of NESSP