The STEM Space

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha chats with Dr. Trudi Hoogenboom, a planetary scientist and teacher. She shares her journey in science and the exciting work of her students in searching for unidentified asteroids. She shares how you can be involved in this citizen science project plus some advice for Space Club teams participating in the upcoming Space Colony Competition. T...

Show Summary: Why should engineering be in K-12? Has the movement to include engineering improved the state of education? What exactly are students learning in an engineering design challenge? In this episode, Natasha discusses her dissertation research that explores these questions. She also provides an overview of efforts to define engineering learning goals and provides strategies to meaningful...

Show Summary: From towers to coding, planning out STEM lessons can be overwhelming and confusing. In this episode, which is a rebroadcast of our very first STEM Space episode, Claire and Natasha present The 3 Stages of STEM. Think of it as a way to map out your STEM curriculum with intentional learning progressions! Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 1. The 3 Stages of STEM (original broadcas...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha are excited to share Vivify's new way to access free STEM resources and connect with them! Tune in to find out how you can become a member of the STEM Space and learn about some interesting results from a recent survey that includes 600 responses from STEM teachers across the country. Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 56. What Do Kids Need To Prepare For Engi...

Show Summary: How do I see an apple? Can I still see an apple in a dark room? Students have so many misconceptions about light, and in this episode, Natasha and Claire share a simple but eye-opening activity that will change the way your students understand light. They also share their “virtual pen pal” idea that bridges preservice elementary teachers with a class of 4th grade STEM students. Relat...

Show Summary: Join Natasha as she dives into the world of storytelling, STEM education, and citizen science! She chats with award-winning filmmaker and founder of MakeWater, Ryan Beltrán, as he shares his own personal story and the inspiration that led to developing a nonprofit that inspires through environmental science, technology, tinkering, and storytelling. He also shares an exciting way to c...

Show Summary: Have you heard of ChatGPT, the AI-powered language model that's transforming education? In this podcast episode, Claire and I explore the use of ChatGPT in the classroom, discussing its potential to enhance teaching and learning. We share examples of how this technology can be used to provide personalized learning experiences, assist with grading and assessment, and foster critical t...

Show Summary: Welcome to episode 100 of The STEM Space! In celebration, Natasha and Claire rant about one of their favorite topics: why does science education always ignore aerodynamic drag? In this episode, Natasha shares a simple science inquiry lab on exploring whether all objects fall at the same rate, the results from her students, and then how they applied an understanding of gravity and dra...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha discuss simple lessons to help your students develop scientific thinking and better understand how science works. From trying to guess a mystery object to using creativity to design their own investigations, Natasha shares some activities from her own classroom that build confidence in her students and create a classroom environment driven by inquiry. Links from th...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha discuss how the history of engineering education tends to focus on the evolution of the departments and colleges of engineering, but what about the female-dominated home economics fields of study? Around 1930 to 1950, women could major in household equipment, which focused on a scientifically based understanding of household technologies. Students took physics and...

Show Summary: In this episode, Claire has the privilege of chatting with the head of Robotical for North America, Hal Speed, who has a passion for promoting computer science, robotics, and artificial intelligence among other technology concepts and skills with the next generation of problem solvers. Tune in to hear about a new robot that you can try for free and find out how you can bring more tec...

Show Summary: In this episode, Natasha chats with Dr. Danna Freedman, a professor of chemistry at MIT in Boston, MA. They discuss her pathway to chemistry, the challenges of teaching and mentoring, and her coolest failure. You are also welcome to share the video recording of this podcast with students. The questions Natasha asks are based on submissions from Space Club elementary and middle school...

Show Summary: Claire and Natasha are talking all things 2023 and what to expect from Vivify! Listen in to learn about big projects like the Colony Competition, Wheelchairs, and a big thing that they are working on with Scope and Sequence! Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 33. My Students Built A Wheelchair 75. Space Colony Competition 64. Inspire Kids with Space: Chat wi...

Show Summary: This episode is all about robotics and one of our favorite STEM companies, Sphero! Natasha chats with Sphero’s Senior Director of Product and Content, Michelle Acaley. Michelle started as a classroom teacher in New York City and Chicago before moving into education technology. She is passionate about ensuring Sphero has a content-first approach so that all products Sphero builds have...

Show Summary: Natasha and Claire expand upon a recent blog post discussing how to teach engineering in the science classroom. How do engineering and science relate to each other? What do you do with the NGSS standards? Listen in to find out! (You may also hear baby Fenya’s very strong opinions about this in the background!) Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 91. Defining...

Show Summary: This is part 2 of Natasha’s conversation with Molly Seward, a K-4 STEM teacher and Coach in Indiana with 37 years of teaching experience. The episode tackles the Next Generation Science Standards including strategies to make them more manageable for teachers. We also discuss how to plan a learning progression for a STEM classroom. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast E...

Show Summary: In this episode, Natasha chats with Molly Seward, a K-4 STEM teacher and coach in Indiana. She has been teaching for 37 years, including being a robotics coach for the last 9 years, and selected as the 2005 Indiana Teacher of the year! The conversation is divided into 2 episodes. The first will focus on her experiences as a classroom STEM teacher and her goals for students. In the ne...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha and Claire recap their experience launching a high-altitude weather balloon! This epic project is an impactful way to incorporate real-world STEM into your classroom and takes your students on a wild adventure. Hear about the trials and successes of our latest weather balloon launch! Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episod...

Show Summary: In this episode of The STEM Space, Natasha chats with Jonathan Stancek, a physics teacher in the Design & Technology Academy at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas. We discuss his journey from studying engineering to entering the classroom and his experience teaching math, engineering, and science. We discuss how to better prepare students for the rigor of high school and...

Show Summary: In this episode, Natasha chats with Maria Garza, a neuroscientist in San Antonio, Texas. They discuss her research on blind mice, what it feels like to touch a brain and all sorts of interesting questions submitted by elementary and middle school students. This is the audio recording for a Space Club Career Chat that is posted on YouTube and linked in our show notes. We invite you to...

Show Summary: In today’s episode of The STEM Space, Claire shares an epiphany she had about teaching engineering to her students. Engineering and STEM tend to focus on identifying and solving a problem, but Claire proposes a shift for the way we frame engineering to one that is more inclusive, promotes empathy, and emphasizes growth mindset. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Epis...

Show Summary: In today's episode of The STEM Space, Natasha sits down with a special guest, Christy Hall. She joined Claire and Natasha recently in hosting a virtual Space competition called Space Teams , and we reflect on our experiences interviewing astronauts and space architects! Natasha talks with her about Claire, who is the STEM teacher for her two children! She gives an incredible perspect...

Show Summary: UPDATE: AS OF 2024, OUR RESOURCES ARE NOW INCLUDED IN EITHER THE FREE OR ALL-ACCESS MEMBERSHIP LIBRARIES! PLEASE CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! (Note: the All-Access Library membership is a full 365 days of access, while access to the free Explorer Library has no expiry.) Are you a STEM educator or parent looking for guidance and resources? Claire and Natasha walk you through t...

Show Summary: Have you been spending your own money on STEM supplies? We are here to help! In this episode, Natasha and Claire discuss ways to get money for your STEM program. Whether you are interested in writing grants or reaching out to potential donors, we are sharing all of our tips and tricks to get you funded. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 83. How to Engage Fa...

Show Summary: Getting families involved with your school can be rewarding in many ways. Showcase your STEM program by hosting a STEM Family Night! Tune in as Claire shares her recent experience of hosting one and ways you can successfully get parents excited about STEM at your school too. Links from the Show: Related The STEM Space Podcast Episodes 67. Is STEM After School Effective? 52: How to Ho...