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Thinking Outside the (STEAM) Box: Takeaways on Tween Engagement
Picture this: a hotel meeting room with, not your typical podium and speaker, but tables of librarians playing with…dirt and plastic gloves? Upon closer inspection, it’s not dirt, but adobe mud, and those plastic gloves are full of tiny seeds. Why? These librarians are participating in hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) activities so they can take home fun new program ideas.
Thinking Outside the (STEAM) Box: Bringing the Library to Your Community Using Kits was a program held at the 2024 ALA Annual Conference in San Diego. In collaboration with the STAR Library Network and the Emmy award-winning SciGirls television show, this session offered strategies for library workers to create inclusive and engaging STEAM programs for tweens and their families, with an emphasis on gender inclusivity and cultural responsiveness.
Speakers discussed the best approaches for creating hands-on STEAM activities while participants got to speak to their own success stories. Here are some key takeaways from the session.
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FREE STAR Net Webinar
Exploring Local Waters: A Place-Based Approach to Water Education and Conservation
October 10th from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Mountain Time
Join STAR Net and members of the We are Water project team as we delve into the unique water systems of the Four Corners Region of the southwest. We will highlight culturally relevant engagement strategies around local water topics, discuss place-based approaches to inspire action for local conservation efforts, and showcase how to plan and implement your own Water Celebration Day using the assets and partners in your community.
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Cover Art Contest: Scientific Ballooning Handbook – 50th Anniversary Edition
Entry Deadline: Oct. 1
The NASA Balloon Program Office is organizing an update to the Scientific Ballooning Handbook and inviting students to design the cover. Entries may be submitted by individuals or students working together in teams.
The winning artwork will be the cover for the 50th-anniversary edition handbook, which NASA will digitally publish in the public domain. The winning art will also be professionally printed and flown on a NASA Scientific Balloon. The art will then be returned to the artist(s), compliments of the NASA Balloon Program Office.
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New Resource! Bring the Exploratorium to Your Space with DIY Exhibits
We're excited to share our newest collection of learning resources: Exploratorium DIY Exhibits! Developed in partnership with Community Science Workshops, these hands-on projects are perfect for bringing interactive science into your learning space, be it a classroom, community space or garage, using materials you can easily find.
Each DIY Exhibit comes with step-by-step instructions while leaving ample room for creativity, troubleshooting and iterating using what you have on hand. For example, we used ten feet of yarn and a mattress pump to make a String Flinger, but you can try this using any kind of string and any kind of blower!
Check out our DIY Exhibits page to get started and bring the magic of the Exploratorium to your space.
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“The STAR Library Network (STAR Net) is a hands-on learning network for libraries and their communities across the country. STAR Net focuses on helping library professionals build their STEM skills by providing “science-technology activities and resources” (STAR) and training to use those resources.
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STAR Net is built upon a strong network of collaborators and partners, led by the Space Science Institute’s (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL).
Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, NASA Office of STEM Engagement, and the NASA Science Mission Directorate.
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| The Sparkly Magic of Crystals!
by Caitlin Savage with Skokie Public Library
Check out a STAR Net Community Member Caitlin Savage's blog on their STEAM journey with a video and project all about crystals! Check out how they created sugar crystals and crystals made with Borax that can be made at home with supersaturated solutions.
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Exploring Auroras: the Science, the Art, and Participatory Science
by (SSI)
Delve into the beautiful phenomenon of the Northern and Southern Lights! NASA@ My Library/STAR Net is joined by Dr. Elizabeth MacDonald and Laura Edson of Aurorasaurus: a participatory science project that uses web reports to map auroras. Learn more about aurora science, get an introduction to the Aurorasaurus project, create your own aurora chalk art, and discuss ways to bring this topic to your library’s programs with these resources including this webinar recording, link bank and more.
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Fostering Belonging in Neurodiverse Teams
by Jessica Santascoy (SSI)
The NASA@ My Library team, along with a consultant from Happily Autistic recently provided a presentation to other NASA Science Activation groups and Science Mission Directorate teams about fostering belonging and inclusion within a team that consists of both neurodivergent and neurotypical members. While many of our lessons learned came from our own interactions, we also were able to share ideas and concepts learned from observing the great work already happening in the library community.
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NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Launch
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NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission Launch
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NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge
October 5-6
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Earth Science Week 2024 Contests
(Video, Photography, Visual Arts, Essay)
Submission Deadline:
October 18
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