DIGITS: increasing sixth-graders' interest in STEM

Connections between students' schoolwork and STEM in the world around them

Congratulations to our friends at DIGITS, who have reached nearly 5,000 6th graders in the Greater Boston area! DIGITS is an innovative program that connects sixth-grade classes in Massachusetts schools with STEM professionals to inspire student interest in STEM subjects and careers. Volunteers use a set of hands-on activities to engage students in the classroom. The program also provides a set of online STEM resources to teachers to supplement classroom instruction over the course of the academic year. The goals of the program are to demonstrate to students the connections between the math and science they study in school and the world around them, and to open their minds to the exciting career opportunities that STEM fields provide.

“Building STEM literacy among America's next generation of leaders is critical,” said DIGITS CEO Joyce L. Plotkin. “Our volunteers from across the state are great role models for the students, represent multiple STEM sectors, and are broadly reflective of the workforce - 44% women, 24% minority, and 56% with advanced degrees.” Students reached by the program showed a statistically significant increase in their interest in and knowledge of STEM subjects and careers, as well as an increase in interest in STEM-related after school activities!

DIGITS is available free of charge to all Massachusetts public schools with a sixth grade. For more information on DIGITS, go to www.digits.us.com, or contact:

Carol Greenfield, Chief Operating Officer and Press Coordinator
carol@digits.us.com
617-872-8602

Joyce Plotkin, Founder and CEO
joyce@digits.us.com
617-694-7309

NASA Exploration Design Challenge

Become part of space history

What: NASA learning challenge for K-12 students
Information: For details, see the Exploration Design Challenge website
Deadline: The deadline to register students for the virtual crew is March 14, 2014.

In March, NASA launched an exciting new partnership with Lockheed Martin to engage students in America's next phase of human space exploration. The Exploration Design Challenge (EDC) invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to learn more about one of the biggest challenges NASA faces before sending humans beyond low-Earth orbit: space radiation. Through a series of age-appropriate activities, participants will learn about radiation and its effects on humans and hardware destined for asteroids, Mars or other deep space locations. Orion is the vehicle for these space destinations and will make its maiden test flight in 2014.

The youngest explorers (K-4) will complete NASA education activities related to radiation. Upon completion, a teacher or other adult may submit the students' names to be flown on the 2014 Orion flight as honorary virtual crewmembers.

Those same opportunities are open to students in grades 5-8, but they also will design and develop a radiation shield prototype. Instructions, guidebooks and related content are provided on the EDC website.

High school participants have an even greater challenge – and opportunity! In addition to the activities listed above, teams of students will design a radiation shield prototype that meets established criteria and constraints. Teams will submit their designs, and the top five designs selected will be tested in a virtual radiation simulator. The winning team will travel to Florida for Orion's launch and have its design flown aboard the spacecraft!

This is an exciting, hands-on way to get students inspired and interested in what NASA does now and the grand plans ahead! All the details for the EDC and information on how to participate are on NASA's website.

The BLOSSOMS Initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

BLOSSOMS INITIATIVE OF MIT - ATTEND A WORKSHOP, MAKE A SCIENCE LEARNING VIDEO

MIT BLOSSOMS and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are looking for Massachusetts high school science teachers to participate in the development of new interactive video‐based lessons aligned to new science and technology/engineering standards. These lessons, created here in Massachusetts by individual science teachers or small teams of science teachers, will become valuable educational resources within the Commonwealth and important tools in supporting the transition to new state science standards. Each teacher or teacher team will earn $1,000 as a token of appreciation for the successful completion of one of the ten selected lessons.

Informational Workshops:

• May 20th, 4:00 – 5:30 PM Sturbridge Hotel and Conference Center, Sturbridge
• May 28th, 4:00 – 5:30 PM MIT, Tang Center, Kendall Square, Cambridge
• •May 29th, 4:00 ‐ 5:30 PM West Springfield Clarion Hotel, Springfield

To sign up, receive travel directions for a workshop, or for more general information, contact MIT BLOSSOMS Project Manager Elizabeth Murray at emurray@MIT.EDU.

Read after the jump to learn more!