Grant For Research NNX12AL03G

THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION: STEM-ULATING GEORGIA'S FUTURE WORKFORCE THROUGH OUTREACH PROJECT WILL BUILD PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION AND TWELVE GEORGIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROMOTE STEM LITERACY, AWARENESS OF NASA'S MISSION, AND ENCOURAGE THE PURSUIT OF STEM CAREERS. THIS GOAL WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH MEETING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING BY STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES, USING NASA-THEMED STEM AND MISSIONS VIA SIX OUTREACH PROGRAMS SERVING 9,844 PARTICIPANTS(INCLUDING 8,090 STUDENTS, 1,600 PARENTS, AND 154 TEACHERS). IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF NASA'S MISSIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO STEM DISCIPLINES AND CAREERS BY STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN GRADES PRE K-8 BY AT LEAST 40%. TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES, 6 STEM-BASED OUTREACH PROGRAMS WILL BE PROVIDED TO 12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WILL SERVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS. WONDER STUDIES - STEM MODULES USE HANDS-ON INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE PRE-K -1ST GRADERS TO EXPLORE, QUESTION, AND THINK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. THE MODULE TOPICS ARE EARTH & SPACE, TRANSPORTATION, INVENTIONS,&MEASUREMENT. ACE ON THE GO - STEM MODULES USE HANDS-ON INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE 2ND-5TH GRADERS TO EXPLORE, QUESTION, AND THINK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. THE MODULE TOPICS ARE STATES OF MATTER, RESEARCH, SNAP CIRCUIT ROVER, AND BLUE TRACKS. FAMILY STEM NIGHT - PROVIDES 2ND-5TH GRADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTAKE IN 15 OR MORE HANDS-ON, INTERACTIVE EXPERIMENTS THAT DEMONSTRATE STEM PRINCIPLES. THE PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO CREATE EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST IN SCIENCE AMONG STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS, INVOLVE FAMILIES IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS, AND DEMONSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STEM EDUCATION AND STUDENTS FUTURE CAREER CHOICES. AVIATION OUTREACH - INTRODUCES 6TH-8TH GRADERS TO AVIATION, AND TO STEM RELATED CAREERS. STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS ON AERODYNAMICS, AVIATION, AND RELATED CAREERS. A PORTABLE F-15 COCKPIT WILL BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CLASS PRESENTATION TO CONVEY THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FLIGHT AND NASA'S ROLE IN AERONAUTICS. STUDENTS WILL VISIT THE MUSEUM OF AVIATION TO FLY IN THE MISSION QUEST SIMULATORS AND TEST THE SMART SKIES CURRICULUM IN THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOM. STEM AFTERSCHOOL - 6TH-8TH GRADERS WILL LEARN ABOUT FORCES AND MOTION AND HOW FORCES MAKE FLIGHT POSSIBLE. EACH SESSION COVERS A DIFFERENT FORCE AND INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THAT FORCE, AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT DEMONSTRATE THE FORCE IN ACTION. STARBASE 2.0 CONSISTS OF TWO COMPONENTS - A SUMMER ENGINEERING AND ROBOTICS ACADEMY AND A STEM MENTORING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM BOTH FOR UNDERSERVED AND AT-RISK YOUTH IN GRADES 6-8. STUDENTS ATTENDING THE SUMMER PROGRAM WILL THEN PARTICIPATE IN THE AFTERSCHOOL MENTORING PROGRAM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE PROJECT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP TO STRENGTHEN GEORGIA'S FUTURE WORKFORCE BY TARGETING STUDENTS TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED IN COMMUNITIES AND IN STEM FIELDS. IT WILL HELP ATTRACT AND RETAIN STUDENTS IN STEM DISCIPLINES BY ENGAGING STUDENTS IN STEM EDUCATION AND EXPOSING THEM TO STEM CAREERS, AND CONNECT STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES TO NASA'S MISSION BY BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH FORMAL EDUCATION PROVIDERS. THE PROJECT ALIGNS WITH NASA'S 3 MAJOR EDUCATION GOALS BY HELPING TO STRENGTHEN THE NATION'S AND NASA'S FUTURE WORKFORCE, ATTRACT AND RETAIN STUDENTS IN STEM DISCIPLINES, AND ENGAGE AMERICANS IN NASA'S MISSION. AS AN INFORMAL EDUCATION PROVIDER, THE MUSEUM AND THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS NASA'S 3 INFORMAL EDUCATION GOALS TO INCREASE INTEREST OF STEM DISCIPLINES, ESTABLISH LINKAGES BETWEEN INFORMAL AND FORMAL EDUCATION, AND ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND OTHERS TO SUPPORT CHILDRENS' STEM LEARNING. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES STRATEGIC EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME 3 AS A PRIMARY OUTCOME AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME 2 AS A SECONDARY OUTCOME IN THE SOLICITATION. THE PROJECT'S STEM PROGRAM CONTENT SUPPORTS NASA'S ARMD,ESMD,SMD,AND SOMD.