When astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first rocketed into space and walked on the moon in July 1969, school-age children could only imagine what the experience was like.
Today, as NASA astronauts prepare to make the first crewed mission around the moon since Apollo 17 nearly 50 years ago in 1972, kids won’t be left to simply wonder.
Students now can watch as NASA astronauts at the International Space Station answer prerecorded questions from kids about living and working in space via NASA’s YouTube channel. Since 2017, over 1.2 million children have viewed these exchanges—like one on Feb. 5 between astronaut Chris Williams and Pennsylvania elementary school students.
One 3rd grader, Neela, asked: “How does Earth look like from space?”
Williams responded: “Earth looks incredibly beautiful from space. … You see all of the blue and all of the green. …. You can see the curvature of the earth with your eyes, and you can see continents and countries flying by beneath you, and it makes me really appreciate our planet.”
This kind of interaction allow kids to realize that the “limit is the universe,” said Hoda Ehsan, chief learning officer at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, Pa., which hosted a watch party for local students during the live Q&A with Williams. “We want them to see that they can do anything, regardless of where they come from, and what resources they have.”
There are good reasons to hook kids on STEM from a young age. Early exposure to STEM concepts increases the likelihood of pursuing a related career later, research shows. And experts predict high growth for jobs in STEM-related fields over the next decade—8.1% compared to 2.7% for jobs in non-STEM fields, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Salaries are higher, too—on average, more than double of those in non-STEM jobs. And yet, teens’ interest in pursuing STEM careers, particularly in non-medical STEM fields, is waning.
Experts point to a lack of real-world exposure to STEM concepts and careers as a reason for that slide in interest. Several factors can get in the way of such exposure: a lack of funding and resources, inadequate support from administrators, and curricula that doesn’t make room for “extras,” to name a few.
But, say advocates, finding ways to connect kids to these real-world experiences is worth the effort.
“You have to be very intentional about making sure that these experiences are had,” said Alicia Conerly, the retiring president of the National Science Teaching Association. “It requires a teacher to go outside of the regular curriculum that everybody has their hands on.”
Conerly suggests multiple avenues for identifying real-world STEM experiences to students: networking with professional peers in other districts; connecting with STEM experts and organizations online; and exploring available partnerships, grants, and related resources with nonprofits.
A partnership between an elementary school and a neighboring science center brings science class to life
One such partnership exists between the Da Vinci Science Center, and Central Elementary STREAM Academy, a Title I school in the same town.
The school’s students, along with thousands of others in Pennsylvania, watched the live interview with NASA astronaut Williams last Thursday—either from their classrooms or down the street at the center. It’s a familiar spot to these students who, once a week, attend a two-plus hour science class during the school day at the center with a teacher from their school and a subject-matter expert.
“They are on the exhibit floor. They use the fab lab. We do lots of technology integration activities with them. How cool is that?” said Ehsan, the Da Vinci Center’s chief learning officer.
The unique partnership brings to life the first-of-its kind “theme-based” public school in the Lehigh Valley, an area of eastern Pennsylvania that encompasses Allentown and other neighboring cities. The elementary school, which opened last school year, focuses on science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and math. Expertise and resources from the school’s neighboring science center bring to life lessons in these subjects.
For instance, kindergartners learning about the needs of plants and animals visit the science center’s butterfly garden and observe them and other insects in their natural habitat.
“It’s helping them to create emerging mini-scientists,” said Rebecca Bodnar, the school’s principal. “They have lab coats. They all have microscopes. And they are exploring at a deeper level than what we would be able to do with just textbooks.”
Technology bridges gaps in access to real-world STEM experiences
Not every school has access to this type of partnership, but many nonprofit science and learning organizations offer programs and events that deliver real-world STEM experiences to K-12 students. And when physical distance presents a barrier, technology can bridge it—as in the case of NASA’s In-Flight STEM Downlink program, which connects students to in-flight calls with astronauts on International Space Station expeditions.
For access to other virtual STEM opportunities, Conerly of the NSTA suggests the following: Facebook groups for science teachers like OpenSciEd and STEM for Teachers; podcasts like Lab Out Loud, Science in Between, and Tumble; and YouTube science educator influencers like the Amoeba Sisters and Mark Rober. Additional free resources for science educators can be found on the association’s website.
Technology lets students access real-world STEM experiences that, in turn, could change their life’s trajectory. But it’s often up to educators to jump-start the process, Conerly says.
“With the internet, we can talk to an astronaut. We can talk to a person in the medical field,” she said. “That takes intentionality on the part of the teachers who make it happen.”
