Jerry Fingal
November 18, 2020
Person takes photo of night sky with smartphone

NASA experts will present six STEAM projects that educators can bring back to their classrooms at the NASA Playground during ISTE20 Live on Dec. 5.

The projects include virtual and augmented reality explorations of NASA missions as well as information on robotics, coding, family science nights and citizen science.

Each project will be presented by a NASA expert and an ISTE educator and will feature a replicable lesson or learning activity that educators can use right away.

The projects will be presented simultaneously during 30-minute blocks and repeated two more times so that participants can attend three live sessions and watch recordings of the other three.

The NASA Playground will take place at ISTE20 Live on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 7:30 a.m.-9 a.m. PT (10:30 a.m.-noon ET).

Here’s a look at the projects: 

Maggie Goes to Mars

Explore a gamified AR/VR challenge for students that allows them to help get the canine, Maggie, to Mars.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot: Up Close With the Sun

Observe the sun through Parker Solar Probe and use Merge Cube to learn more about how NASA is studying the sun's Corona.

Family Science Night – Virtual Edition

Learn how NASA's Family Science Night curriculum can be delivered virtually to get families to engage with space science. A sample exercise: What items would be essential if you were making a trip to the moon?

A Night Under the Stars

Contribute to NASA citizen science by learning how to take pictures with of the night sky with your smartphone and learn about the effects of light pollution on astronomy.

Robots Have Sensors, Too!

Robotic sensors allow NASA to study space and planetary objects. Explore K-12 lessons that help your students code robotic sensors.

Space Storm Warning!

Wi-Fi-enabled coding can help your students see when space weather hits Earth's magnetosphere.

ISTE20 Live will also feature the soft launch of the new NASA STEAM PLN, a private Facebook group for NASA scientists and educators to collaborate and share ways to use educational technologies to help teach space science concepts and make NASA science accessible to all learners.

The NASA Playground is one of several that will be offered during the seven-day conference. Check out some of the other playgrounds:

ISTE20 Reinventing Education Together graphic

Tags
ISTE Conference & Expo
STEM & STEAM
NASA