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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Resources for Transformative Practices

Equity and Inclusion

• Toolkit: Broadening Perspectives in Broadening Participation in STEM toolkit, developed by CAISE
• Article: Creating Pathways for Equity in STEM Through Family Engagement
• Article: Exploring STEM Engagement in Girls in Rural Communities

Engineering Mindsets

• Poster: Engineering Mindset Graphic
• Article: What STEM Mindset Is … and Why Everyone Should Have One
• Article and Activities: What is Engineering? Video For Kids | Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade

Families

• Family Activity Workbooks – STEM.Teaching.Kit_for_Web.pdf
• Webinar Recording: Listen, Learn, Lead webinar

STEM Transitions, Handoffs, and Coordination

• Toolkit: Brokering Youth Pathways: A Toolkit for Connecting Youth to Future Opportunity
• Research to Practice: Designing Learning Pathways: A research-practice partnership focused on parent brokering

Activities for Programs

Student Design Activities

• NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
• 50+ Awesome Engineering Projects for Kids – Left Brain Craft Brain
• Take Flight
• Keep Your Cool! Design Your Own Cooler Challenge

Mizzen by Mott Moonshot Connection

The Mizzen By Mott app delivers inspiring and engaging activities that spark learning in young people. Supported by the Mott Foundation, Mizzen is available at no cost to afterschool professionals!

Featured Activities & Playlists

• Playlist: Helping the Planet for 3rd-5th Grade – This playlist allows younger students to go outside and learn about ways to help the environment.
• Module: Make It Move Invention Camp for 6-8th – The Make It Move Invention Camp curriculum explores transportation, vehicles, and mechanical things that move! These activities explore engineering with hands-on fund activities that end with the creation of an invention that improves the quality of life.
• Build an Extension Arm – In this activity, students learn about engineering as they design, build and test an extension arm.