October 2019 
Play Ball! 
 
The World Series is in full swing - and STEM is stepping up to the plate! The bat is a simple lever that launches home runs. Sizzling pitches result from the transfer of momentum from body to ball during the wind up - a biomechanical principle called sequential summation of movement. Your baseball engineers will knock this month's activity out of the park. Cracker Jack optional!
baseball lesson
 
Students in grades 3 to 12 learn how levers convert a small motion into a large motion by following the engineering design process to build a device that can launch a ping-pong ball high enough for them to catch it.
 

RELATED LESSONS 

Build a Marshmallow Catapult   (Grades 3-5)  
Flying T-Shirt Challenge  (Grades 8-12)

Video Resource: The Physics of Baseball (PBS Learning Media)

MORE ACTIVITIES 
GRADES K-5   |   GRADES 6-8   |   GRADES 9-12
baseball bat shattering

When wooden bats began shattering at an increasing rate back in 2008, Major League Baseball turned to engineers at the U.S. Forest Service.Their design changes helped make the nation's pastime safer even as maple bats grew more popular. 
                                                  Photo Courtesy of MLB Advanced Media.
Extra Credit: Check out the Exploratorium's Science of Baseball  activities and articles.
E4USA students doing fire activity
 
Engineering for Us All, a national initiative to develop a college-creditworthy engineering design course and assessment, is seeking high school and university partners to join its pilot program. The effort, spearheaded by the University of Maryland's engineering dean, aims to expand and diversify the STEM talent pool. The pilot program, which began this year with nine high schools, seeks to expand to 75 schools this year. Teachers receive stipends and both online and in-person professional development.

Attend an informational webinar Nov. 6 at 6 pm Eastern. 

Read last year's eGFI Teachers' blog post  2014 ASEE Prism article about the push to create an Advanced Placement-style Engineering course.

Opportunities for Students


NEW! EngineerGirl Essay Contest. -- Write a story about a space traveler learning to live on a new world and win up to $500 in the National Academy of Engineering's annual contest for K-12 students. Deadline: Feb. 1, 2020 .  Learn more.

NEW! Modeling the Future Challenge. -- High school juniors and seniors develop mathematical models and compete for $60,000 in this real-world data-analysis contest. Register teams by Nov. 22. Learn more.

Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program. -- High school students get paid to work on real projects with STEM researchers at Navy labs. Apply by Nov. 1.  Learn more. 

Conrad Challenge. -- High school teams develop and pitch real-world STEM solutions in this prestigious contest named for astronaut Pete Conrad. Enter by Nov. 1 . Learn more.

Congressional App Challenge. -- Middle and high school students create apps in this prestigious nationwide STEM education initiative. Projects due Nov. 1. Learn more.

eCybermission. -- Real-world mentors and problem solving is a hallmark of this NGSS-aligned contest for 6th-9th graders. Sign up by Nov. 20 for free STEM kit. Learn more. 

Regeneron Science Talent Search. --  Winners can receive up to $250,000 in the nation's oldest STEM competition for high school seniors. Apply by Nov. 12 . Learn more.

Name the Mars Rover. -- NASA invites students to write a short essay on why their chosen name is best and also seeks teachers to judge. Entries due Nov. 1. Learn more. 

Opportunities for Teachers 

NEW! Albert Einstein Fellowship. --  Work on national STEM policy at the Department of Energy or other federal agency. $7,500/month stipend. Apply by Nov. 14. Learn more.

Grants for Teachers. --  Teach.com's list of grants,fellowships, and other funding sources for curriculum and professional development. Learn more.
 
Ed Department Seeks Peer Reviewers for STEM Grants. --  
Review grant applications in STEM and computer science. Compensation is available. Create an account and submit resume  HERE . 

STEM VOICES. --  Do you use songs to teach? Enter the Virtual Ongoing Interdisciplinary Collaborations on Educating with Sound contest by  December 31 . Learn more.


Resources for STEM Classes & Careers

STEM Careers . -- Show students what engineers do with Discovering You: Engineering Your World, a new video series from NBCLearn, Chevron, and ASEE. Learn more.

NASA Internships. -- High school, college, and grad students can work with engineers and scientists on sending the first woman to the moon and other missions. Learn more.

The Accelerator. -- ASEE's blog and free monthly e-newsletter for engineering and engineering education students has scholarships, teaching tips, and news. Learn more. 

ASEE Precollege Division hands on demo
You Belong at ASEE

Whether you're a seasoned instructor or new STEM coordinator seeking to integrate authentic design challenges into the curriculum, ASEE has you covered. 

engineering trailblazers
Explore eGFI: Helpful Links 

Fire Up the Future with eGFI Magazine 


Filled with engaging features, gorgeous graphics, and useful information about engineering colleges and careers, the latest edition of ASEE's award-winning Engineering, Go For It is sure to get students excited about learning - and doing - engineering! 

Perfect for K-12 outreach events and college fairs!
   
About the eGFI Teachers' Newsletter
 
 
Delivered each month to your e-mail inbox, our free newsletter is packed with  lesson plans and classroom activities,  resources,  feature stories, and the latest developments in  K-12 engineering education. eGFI is part of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), a  nonprofit organization committed to advancing STEM and engineering education.   
 
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