January - Habitat for Engineering - 2021
Twenty years ago, the first astronauts settled into the International Space Station, launching an exciting new era of discovery. The orbiting outpost, which took 11 years to build, has grown from three modules to a research complex with five bedrooms, a gym, two bathrooms, and a cupola where astronauts like flight engineer Victor Glover (photo, right) enjoy out-of-this-world views. Your explorers will savor this month's activity marking two decades of human habitation of space. All systems go!
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Working lke NASA engineering teams, students learn about and then follow the steps of the engineering design process to design and build original model devices to help astronauts prepare, eat, and store food in a microgravity environment.
BONUS: NASA infographic highlighting 20 years of life aboard the ISS
Built for scientific discovery, the International Space Station’s cupola also delivers awe and inspiration. Get a glimpse of the engineering behind this iconic addition along with classroom activities and resource links as we celebrate two decades of human habitation in space.

SPOTLIGHT: Free Online STEAM Workshops
Join the University of St. Thomas's Playful Learning Lab on January 29 and 30 for PLAYfest 2021, a two-day virtual festival of free, hands-on STEAM professional development with speakers from around the world. Designed for classroom teachers and informal educators, but all interested in learning through whimsy and play are welcome. Registration required.
The Advancing Excellence in P-12 Engineering Education research collaborative has collaborated with the American Society for Engineering Education to develop a framework for creating and implementing authentic, coherent engineering curricula that promote equity and access across all grade levels. The goal: Engineering literacy for all students.
The free, downloadable document Includes guides to help educators and district leaders evaluate curriculum, textbooks and materials, and policies.
Student Contests & Other Opportunities
High school juniors and seniors compete for $100,000 in prizes by tackling real-world math problems under time and resource constraints in this Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics contest. Register teams by Feb. 21. Learn more.
To mark Career & Techical Education Month, the Association for Career & Technical Education and NASA HUNCH host an annual K-12 student video challenge. This year's theme: Advancing Space Exploration through Manufacturing. Submit videos by April 1. Learn more.

Middle and high school students from around the world to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math, or health that fascinates them, then write an engaging 500-word explanation. Contest runs from January 19 until March 2. Learn more.
Elementary, middle, and high school students can win up to $500 in the National Academy of Engineering's annual writing contest. This year's theme: engineering’s role in meeting and defeating the challenges presented by COVID-19. Submisions due Feb. 1.

High school girls are invited to apply and be trained as EngineerGirl Ambassadors. Each Ambassador designs, develops, and implements a project in her local community that will encourage upper elementary or middle school girls to think about engineering and engineering careers. Training and support provided by the National Academy of Engineering. Apply by March 1.

This year's celebration, including chats with change makers and Girl Day, will be virtual. The theme, Imagining Tomorrow, salutes the critical work of engineers in creating a world safe from pandemics, climate change, cyber-attacks, and other daunting global challenges.

ASEE Engineering @ Home
Check out ASEE-eGFI's list of resources for STEM learning at home, including the SCOPES Digital Fabrication UnPluuged lesson library.

Experience some of the core elements of the Exploratorm's professional learning institute for STEM teachers in this series of short highlight videos.

Virtual STEM Teaching Resources

Also check out the Exploratorium's online events, activities, learning toolbox for your virtual classroom, and other resources to engage your students in hands-on STEM learning,
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Whether you seek timely, authentic engineering activities, teaching resources, or professional development opportunities, ASEE's free eGFI Teachers newsletter is your go-to source for STEM!