Gillette Stadium Light House

At the Massachusetts Teacher STEM Fair, educators not only participated in hands-on STEM activities but also had the unique opportunity to visit the iconic Gillette Stadium Lighthouse. From the 360-degree observation deck, attendees enjoyed breathtaking views while engaging in exciting, collaborative STEM challenges, making the day both inspiring and memorable.

Featured Speaker: Congressman Jake Auchincloss

Co-Chair, Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council

Representative, Massachusetts 4th Congressional District

Congressman Jake Auchincloss engaged with educators and participants at the Massachusetts Teacher STEM Fair, advocating for STEM education.

Going Places: Fostering Creativity to Fuel Curious, Compassionate Problem-Solvers

As our planet faces increasingly daunting challenges, award-winning author and creativity champion Paul Reynolds believes there is one human superpower that will come to the rescue: CREATIVITY.  By supporting the cultivation of creativity in our schools - with a special emphasis in STEM/STEAM, we will support the development of the next generation of creative problem-solvers around the globe. 

Paul will be sharing his story book GOING PLACES, illustrated by his twin brother Peter H. Reynolds (Judy Moody, The Dot, Ish, The Word Collector,) which celebrates the kind of “out of the kit” thinking that leads to innovation, invention - and encourages us all to “Create Bravely!”

For more information about the STEM/STEAM programs at the non-profit Reynolds Center’s new TLC Studios & Media Lab, please visit:  www.reynoldstlc.org/announcingtlcstudios 

EcoTarium: Science You Can See

Nudge floating magnets into mysterious patterns, model light with a wave ladder, feel the heat of a burning tornado, or simply build a bridge that seems to defy gravity. No matter your interests, join educators from the EcoTarium and explore the unseen!

For more information about the EcoTarium educational programs please visit https://ecotarium.org/school-and-group-programs/

Federal Aviation Administration, Aviation and Space Education (AVSED)

The FAA has a strong STEM Outreach program and has a multitude of programs available for your classroom. We will have our 10x10 Drone Cage set to show educators how to integrate Drones into their classroom.

(if the drone cage is not preferred)

We will have our portable flight simulators set to show educators how aviation can help amplify classroom lessons. As a gateway to travel the world right from your classroom, flight simulators can be used in crosscutting ways to connect math and history, geography and science.

For more information about the Federal Aviation Adminstration (FAA) education programs please visit https://www.faa.gov/education/programs.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard - STEM Outreach Program

At this station, you will have an opportunity to program with small robots that can be used in  K-8 classrooms. We will also showcase how the same programming can be used in a trades career pathway. 

For more information about the Portmouth Naval Shipyard education programs please visit https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Shipyards/Portsmouth/STEM-Outreach/

Engineering Eco-friendly Slippers and Exploring Machine Learning Algorithms by the Museum and Science and MathWorks

Come investigate balanced and unbalanced forces as you engineer an eco-friendly slipper with a safe amount of traction. Then, explore, test, and refine a simple machine learning algorithm that can summarize user feedback on a slipper design.

For more information about the MathWorks education programs please visit https://www.mathworks.com

For more information about the Museum of Science K-8 engineering and computer science curricula please visit
https://yes.mos.org/

Beaver Works Summer Institute - Bringing the World of Robotics and STEM to Classrooms

MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI) offers a top-tier STEM program designed for talented high-school students. Through project-based, workshop-style courses, our program imparts essential STEM skills. BWSI features a diverse range of courses, covering topics from AI technologies to Radars and Satellites. In today's session, you will delve into the fascinating world of Wind Energy, Solar Bugs or Autonomous Vehicles. Ever wondered how a small wind turbine operates? These turbines harness the power of the wind to generate electricity through a generator. Get ready to construct your own Tiny Turbine with the enthusiastic support of Beaver Works Summer Institute. Let's see how many volts your Wind Turbine can produce!

For more information about MIT Beaver Works educational programs please visit https://beaverworks.ll.mit.edu/CMS/bw/bwsi.

Observing the Earth and Sun with GOES and JPSS

Explore the Earth and Sun with NASA and NOAA!  Discover how the GOES-R Series and JPSS satellites are advancing weather forecasting and our understanding of our sun through hands-on activities, and learn how you can bring NASA and NOAA into your classroom.

Education resources for GOES-R Series can be found at https://www.goes-r.gov/resources/education.html

Education resources for JPSS can be found at https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/about/k-12-education/jpss-education

For more information about NASA Goddard Space Flight Center please visit https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/.

LEGO® Education Inspires Learning you can Build On

LEGO® Education learning solutions are designed to empower students and teachers, build deeper understanding and engagement, and ignite a life-long love of learning. By inviting joy and curiosity into the classroom,  we can enable all students and educators to thrive, developing the skills needed to build a better world for themselves and for others. Join us to get hands-on with our K-8 STEAM solutions and explore our engaging, standards-aligned lessons. It's easy to get started, with the scalability to meet all learners where they are.

For more information about Lego Education please visit https://education.lego.com/en-us/

Vineyard Wind, Offshore Wind Energy Education

Unleash the power of renewable energy and spark student’s interest with Vineyard Wind’s Offshore Wind Energy Programs! Students will explore the nation's first commercial-scale offshore wind project powering over 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts. Engage in hands-on activities to map, design, and test their own wind energy projects, as well as gain insights into offshore wind job opportunities and career pathways through the lens of a wind technician. 

For more information about the Vineyard Wind please visit https://www.vineyardwind.com.

Check out our For Educators page to learn more about our Field Trips & Offshore Wind Energy programs: https://www.vineyardwind.com/education

Embrace hands-on STEM with the Makercart!

Using our Makercart - a mobile makerspace on wheels - participants will engage in a series of hands-on STEM activities that align with the "Low Floor, High Ceiling, Wide Walls" philosophy. Create your own conductive clay model that lights up when the circuit is connected, or scribble bots that wobble and sketch out patterns! Participants will learn about basic circuitry in the process of engaging in these playful making experiences.

For more details about the various activities in the Makercart - including those featured at the MA Teacher STEM Fair - please visit the Makercart Studio at https://builder.eddy4teachers.com/makercart-studio.

Makercart brochure

Makercart sample slides/worksheet

Paper Airplane Launcher

Get ready to elevate the fun as we bring you an exciting paper airplane launcher experience led by Doug Scott, PAEMST Awardee, and his students! Join us at this interactive table where you'll have the chance to test your paper airplane creations and see how far you can send them soaring. Challenge your skills and creativity by making adjustments to your paper airplanes and observing the impact on their flight distances. Explore the fascinating world of aerodynamics as you fine-tune your designs for optimal performance. Compete with friends and fellow aviation enthusiasts to see whose paper airplane can reach the farthest. This hands-on activity guarantees exhilarating moments and valuable insights into the principles of flight. Dare to take flight and unlock the secrets of successful paper airplane engineering. Join us at the Paper Airplane Launcher table and let your imagination soar to new heights!

Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Memberships

If you are looking for free aerospace/STEM lesson plans, activities, textbooks, products, and programs to use in any classroom or after-school or enrichment program, we hope CAP will have something to help you!  Visit our table to try out some of the STEM kits that will be available for teachers and learn about how you can take a free flight in a CAP Cessna every year with your Aerospace Education Membership!

For more information on become an Aerospace Education Member with the Civil Air Patrol, please visit https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/aerospace-education/join-as-an-aem.

FIRST- Robotics Enrichment in your classroom

FIRST programs offer an enriching experience in the classroom- during the day or after school. Learn about the robots that will build your students!

For more information about New England First educational programs please visit https://www.nefirst.org

Seasons: Light direct, light indirect

In this STEM activity led by Thomas Vaughn, PAEMST awardee, participants will learn how to explain that direct Sunlight transfers more energy to an area than indirect Sunlight.  Participants will be able to explain that light hitting Earth perpendicularly is considered “direct” light, and light hitting Earth at a low angle is considered “indirect” light.  These objectives will be accomplished by making a Sun Angle Analyzer.

See the lesson here. 

Coding in the Elementary, Middle, and High School Mathematics Classroom

Our table will showcase integrated mathematics and programming opportunities spanning K–12. At the elementary level, students will explore critical mathematical content through the visual, blocks-based programming language Snap!. Lessons are organized in mini-units, called “microworlds”, and are developed by the Educational Development Center (EDC). At the middle and high school levels, students will explore mathematical concepts through the programming language, Python, and will be able to direct a robotic vehicle to perform operations. Students at all levels will see the effect that their code produces and will make refinements as they progress through explorations and challenges.

For more information about ATMIM educational programs please visit https://atmim.wildapricot.org.

For more ATMIM/EDC resources please visit: https://elementarymath.edc.org/programming/

Voter Registration and Information 

Please visit and encourage your students to visit vote411.org and www.VoteinMa.com. These are great ways to educate voters and future voters about what is on their ballot, where they will vote, and how to make sure all students know their addresses. Remember that 16 and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote.

Visit LWVMA.org and lwvss.org to learn more about the League of Women Voters.

Hands on Nature Educational Activities for Classrooms

We will have samples of our educational activities for classrooms, such as earthworm observations, owl pellet dissections, insect studies, bird beak adaptations, butterfly tents (for observing butterflies closely), and so much more.  This is just a sampling of what we bring to our local schools, and information on all programs will be provided to people at our table.  Each activity is designed to connect students to their natural world, while educating them on the local animal species of New England.  Teachers can experience these activities first hand during the STEM Fair!