Vermont Afterschool is proud to be part of the Million Girls Moonshot initiative, working to inspire and prepare the next generation of innovators by engaging one million more girls in STEM learning opportunities through OST programs over the next five years. The Million Girls Moonshot is an initiative of the STEM Next Opportunity Fund. The Million Girls Moonshot seeks to re-imagine who can engineer, who can build, who can make. See below for some information and resources that can help advance this goal!

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August 19 is National Aviation Day, a day to commemorate the anniversary of Orville Wright’s birthday. Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur (aka the Wright Brothers) were aviation pioneers credited with inventing, constructing, and flying the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane. To celebrate, Million Girls Moonshot is taking flight this month to inspire the next pioneers!

IF/THEN Ambassadors

These assets feature IF/THEN Ambassador and CEO and Visionary, Jasmine L. Sadler:

• Jasmine Sadler’s STEM Journey (video)
• On the Job (video)

These assets feature IF/THEN Ambassador and Aircraft Maintenance Technician, Nikki Sereika:

• Ambassador Profile of Nikki Sereika
• Nikki Sereika’s STEM Journey (video)
• On the Job (video)

These assets feature IF/THEN Ambassador and Scientist and Innovator, Adele Luta:

• Ambassador Profile of Adele Luta
• Adele Luta’s STEM Journey (video)
• On the Job (video)

Activities

• Take Flight: In this student design activity, youth use everyday materials to engineer a glider that can fly straight for 15 feet. 
• DIY Model Satellite: A Camp GoldieBlox activity sheet
• Get it Write!: Using everyday materials, youth engineer a writing device (pen) while considering about both the (water soluble) “ink” and the delivery mechanism.
• Keep Your Cool! Design Your Own Cooler Challenge – Youth design a cooler that will keep a bottle of water cool using the engineering design process. They test their prototype and graph their results to determine the effectiveness of the solution.
• After-School Science PLUS: Download Building with Wonderful Junk and take the challenge! Build a bridge or a platform that meets a set of requirements and test it. Challenge the kids to add to the activity (For example build a bridge that will hold a student up 6 inches from the floor). 

Resources for Programs

• Try Engineering Lesson Plan: Take Flight!: This lesson for ages 8-12 explores how flight is possible and how engineers have improved glider designs and materials to improve flight accuracy and distance.
• NASA’s Aerospace-related STEM Resources for K-12: A collection of aerospace resources including lesson plans and more.
• AeroEducate: AeroEducate is a Teacher’s Toolbox for aviation and STEM activities. Enhance your existing K-12 curriculum with free, standards-compliant, grab-and-go activities.
• Mission Unstoppable: How Do Planes Stay in the Air? (video)
• Can a Satellite Drop From the Sky Into Your Backyard?! | Curiosity Camp (video)
• PBS Kids Free PD Experience on Connecting with Families – In this professional development experience, participants look at effective strategies for using technology to enhance communication with families.