Million Girls Moonshot: January 2022 Resources

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!

If you are using these resources please fill out this quick survey so Vermont Afterschool can see how these resources are being distributed. Thank you! 


Activities for Programs and Families

  • STEM Educators Academy Activity Toolkit from ExpandED Schools – This activity toolkit offers hybrid learning engineering design challenges, STEM facilitation skill builder videos, and engineering design activities categorized by content areas.
  • Math Equity Toolkit – This toolkit layers professional development into “Strides” that educators can take along a path to equitable education. Topics include Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction and Creating Conditions to Thrive.   
  • Engaging Families in Mathematics Education – Families are a child’s first educator and this role does not halt on day one of school. Families lay the foundation for future educational success. Researchers have identified four best practices for engaging families effectively in mathematics education.

“Math Lessons Go Better With Engineering”

The Common Core State Standards for math are pushing elementary educators to rethink how to teach math. How do you go beyond skills like adding and subtracting or the times tables to help kids develop a deep understanding of math concepts? This blog from the EIE at the Museum of Science in Boston describes how engineering activities are an ideal framework for meeting this challenge. An engineering parachute design challenge offers examples of how students practice math as they measure various aspects of their design and calculate their final evaluation scores.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *