Here are the dates for our upcoming STEM Connect Saturday Events:
STEM Connect Saturday Summer Science: August 24th
Join us for STEM Connect Saturday: Summer Science at the Air and Space Science Center, where kids can embark on a journey of discovery and innovation. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, from building and launching model rockets to exploring the principles of flight with interactive exhibits. They’ll also have the opportunity to experiment with solar-powered devices and learn about the latest advancements in space exploration. This event promises to ignite curiosity and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
STEM Connect Saturday Health and Wellness: September 21st
Discover the fascinating intersection of health and wellness with space science at STEM Connect Saturday: Health and Wellness. Kids will engage in hands-on activities that demonstrate how astronauts stay healthy in space, from understanding the effects of microgravity on the human body to exploring nutrition and exercise in zero gravity. Interactive exhibits will offer insights into cutting-edge biomedical technologies used in space missions. Students will learn about healthy eating and nutrition, the science behind medicine and medical marvels, and how NASA food scientists are changing the future of space travel with guest speaker, Dr. Vicky Kloeris, author of Space Bites and former NASA food scientist.
Thanks to the support of Congressman Bobby Scott, the Virginia Air and Space Center was awarded funding through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide a program that integrates Language Arts and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through a multi-prong approach.
These events will feature engaging, hands-on STEM activities for families thanks to various partners across varying STEM fields. We are providing free admission for the first 500 attendees to ensure the community at large has access to these educational experiences.
Library books to schools: 92 schools in the Hampton Roads area have been chosen to receive 30 different STEM-focused library books to add to their collections. Books will be delivered by staff from the Virginia Air and Space Science Center so that students can learn more about the world of STEM through literacy. These books will be available at each of these schools for students to check out from the library.
Curriculum and professional development: 5th-grade classrooms at the 92 participating schools will be provided with classroom copies of Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race, as well as aligned curriculum resources and activities to accompany the provided books. In addition to these resources and activities, teachers will be provided with professional development videos to assist in their teaching using the book and associated materials.
The overarching goal of this project is to engage and enrich students through various opportunities such as our STEM Community Enrichment events, access to library books, and classroom curriculum and activities. Through these experiences, we hope to stand true to our mission to entertain, engage, and inspire learners of all ages.
