Sanity Savers, STEM Edition: Shoot for the Stars with Mae Jemison

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Presented by National Grid

Written By Dan Walsh
STEM Educator

Supplies:

Different colors of construction paper, scissors, glue 

Length: 

10 minutes 

Academic Subjects:  

Science  

ETS1.A: Defining Engineering Problems- Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints)

Directions for Shoot For The Stars with Mae Jemison 

Mae Jemison was born in 1956. Jemison graduated from Stanford University with degrees in chemical engineering as well as African and African-American studies. She then earned her medical degree from Cornell University. Mae Jemison is an engineer, physician, and NASA astronaut. Jemison was the first black woman to travel to space aboard the space ship Endeavour. Jemison spent around eight days in space and orbited the earth 127 times. After landing Jemison resigned from NASA to become a philanthropist. A philanthropist is a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others. Let’s celebrate Mae Jemison by creating a geometric space ship or hospital! 

Mae Jemison on space shuttle Endeavour in Sep. 1992. Jemison was the first African-American woman in space with her first flight to space in Sep. 1992. Photo obtained from NASA
  1. Cut your construction paper into squares, rectangles, circles, and triangles. 
  2. Grab a piece of black construction paper to use as a base. 
  3. Place your shapes down onto the black construction paper, try to build one of Mae Jemison’s different occupations. You could build a space ship or even a hospital. 
  4. Once you have your design done, you can use a glue stick to glue your pieces down. 

Shoot For The Stars with Mae Jemison Vocabulary: 

Geometry– A branch of mathamtics that deals with shapes, lines, and points. 
Orbit– The path of an object around particular point in space. 

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Storytime: Ms. Jackie Reads The Snowy Day

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Thanks to the generous support of Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for making this Storytime possible.

Ms. Jackie Reads The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Universal in its appeal, this story beautifully depicts a child’s wonder at a new world, and the hope of capturing and keeping that wonder forever. The quiet fun and sweetness of Peter’s small adventures in the deep, deep snow is perfect for reading together on a cozy winter day.

storytime

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Sanity Saver: George Washington Carver’s Inventions

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By: Dan Walsh
STEM Educator

George Washington Carver was an inventor, environmentalist, and a professor. Carver was a professor of Agriculture at the Tuskegee Institute which is now known as Tuskegee University. While teaching Carver created over 300 different uses for the peanut. For today’s experiment, we will be using Carver as an inspiration as we try to create our own inventions from supplies we have around the house. When scientists invent new things they go through a list of steps called the invention process. Follow the steps below to create your own invention. 

Materials:

Random collection of materials you find around the house

Length:

10 minutes

Academic Subject(s):

Science 

THIS LESSON SUPPORTS THESE STANDARDS: 
ETS1.A: Defining Engineering Problems- Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints) 

Directions:

 STEP 1 First, think of a problem. 
STEP 2 Look at all of the supplies you have collected. Try to think of a way to solve the problem with the supplies you have. 
STEP 3 Next we will brainstorm as many ways to solve the problem as you can. 
STEP 4 Using the supplies in your bag, build one of your inventions. 
STEP 5 Once your invention is finished, test your invention out. 
STEP 6 If your invention does not work the first time, don’t get frustrated. Try to tinker with your experiment until it works. 
STEP 7 Finally show your invention to your friends and family. 

Vocabulary Words

 INVENTION: The first time something has been built. 
INNOVATION: When a scientist tinkers on an invention and makes it better. 
AGRICULTURE: The science or practice of farming. 

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Storytime: Mr. Will Reads Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!

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Thanks to the generous support of Mother Cabrini Health Foundation for making this Storytime possible.

Mr. Will reads Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! written by Maureen Wright and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. It’s time for Big Bear to hibernate, so Old Man Winter keeps telling him: “Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep.” But Big Bear doesn’t hear very well. He thinks Old Man Winter has told him to drive a jeep, to sweep, and to leap. Big Bear just can’t seem to hear what Old Man Winter is saying. Finally, Old Man Winter finds a noisy way to get Big Bear’s attention.

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