Snow and Snowflakes:

• Snowflakes: Nano at its Coolest program
• Ready, Set, Self-Assemble group activity
• Exploring Fabrication - Self-Assembly program

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January

Predictions for the New Year (January 1) 

• Flying Cars stage presentation
• Exploring Nano & Society - Flying Cars activity
• Exploring Nano & Society - You Decide! activity
• Nano Around the World card game

National Bird Day (January 5)

• www.nationalbirdday.com website
• some bird feathers (such as peacock feathers) are iridescent due to nano-sized structures within the feathers; for more about iridescence check out:
  • Exploring Materials - Thin Films
  • Colors at the Nanoscale: Butterflies, Beetles and Opals program
  • Butterfly Blues video
  • Biomimicry: From Nature to Nanotech program
• explore this website by searching the topic: Life Sciences - Animals

National Static Electricity Day (January 9)

• NanoDays activity: Exploring Forces - Static Electricity
• Other electricity activities:
  • Frankenstein200 activity: Battery Stack
  • Frankenstein200 activity: Spark of Life
  • NanoDays activity: the Electric Squeeze

  • NanoDays activity: Exploring Materials - Graphene

  • more activities about electricity and magnetism

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February

Black History Month / African-American History Month (February) -  celebrate people in STEM

• www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov
• NASA Modern Figures Toolkit
• African Americans in Science and Technology internet resources from the Library of Congress
• Black History Month resources from AAAS Science NetLinks
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE): https://www.nsbe.org
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE): https://www.nsbe.org
• NASA Museum Alliance resources (log-in required)
• NISE Network compilation of racial justice, equity, and inclusion resources: www.nisenet.org/racialjustice

Groundhog Day (February 2)

• Use Exploring Earth: Bear's Shadow activity to make and experiment with shadows
• STEM topics to explore include: signs of spring (animals emerging from hibernation), signs of winter (clear, cold das), and seasons (February 2 lies midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox) 
• NASA Space Place Reasons for Seasons

World Radio Day (February 13)

• https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldradioday

Valentine's Day (February 14) 

• NISE Network food activities including chocolate and candy
• Sweet Self-Assembly program
• What's Nano About Chocolate video
• What's Nano About Chocolate sign in Nano Museum Labels (Graphic Signs) 
• Gum and Chocolate
• Exploring Fabrication - Gummy Capsules (NanoDays 12, 13) short activity
• Sweet Self-Assembly long activity
• Molecular Gastronomy Mr. O video

National Engineers Week (February) 
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (February)

• www.discovere.org website
• explore this website by searching the topic: Physical Sciences -  Materials Science
• explore this website by searching the topic: Engineering and Technology
• www.discovere.org/our-programs/girl-day Girl Day website

• Discover E Girl Day resources for educators and engineers http://discovere.org/our-programs/girl-day/engineering-activities 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Engineering and Technology
• 60 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls from A Mighty Girl
• SciGirls Seven: How to Engage Girls in STEM 
• NASA Modern Figures Toolkit
• National Girls Collaborative Project publication: State of Girls and Women in STEM
• National Girls Collaborative Project
• NASA Engineering

National Battery Day (February 18)

• Build a Battery hands-on activity
• Battery Stack hands-on activity

Great Backyard Bird Count (mid-February)

• www.birdsource.org website
• some bird feathers (such as peacock feathers) are iridescent due to nano-sized structures within the feathers; for more about iridescence check out:
  • Exploring Materials - Thin Films
  • Colors at the Nanoscale: Butterflies, Beetles and Opals program
  • Butterfly Blues video
  • Biomimicry: From Nature to Nanotech program
• explore this website by searching the topic: Life Sciences - Animals​

Leap Day (February 29) (every four years)

• Leap Day math activity from NASA JPL

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SPRING

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March

Women's History Month (March) - celebrate people in STEM
International Women's Day (March 8)

• National Women's History Project: http://www.nwhp.org
• womenshistorymonth.gov website
• International Women's Day (March 8t): https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/womenday
• IF/THEN® Collection is a free asset library of thousands of images, videos, posters, and more dedicated to increasing access to images reflecting the diversity of women and gender minorities in STEM
• Free posters for download from A Mighty Girl celebrating women role models in Science, Technology, and Math
• Free posters for download from NASA and the Chandra X-ray Center, at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
• NASA Celebrates Women: https://www.nasa.gov/women
• NASA Women and Girls resources https://women.nasa.gov/outreach-programs/
• NASA Modern Figures Toolkit
• NASA Museum Alliance resources (log-in required)
• National Girls Collaborative Project
• National Girls Collaborative Project publication: State of Girls and Women in STEM
• SciGirls Seven: How to Engage Girls in STEM 
• 60 Books to Inspire Science-Loving Mighty Girls from A Mighty Girl

NanoDays (last weekend in March - first weekend in April)
2021: March 27-April 4
2022: March 26-April 3
2023: March 25-April 2

• NanoDays website: www.nisenet.org/nanodays
• explore this website by searching the topic: Engineering and Technology - Nanotechnology

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (March 4)

• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/engineering
• SustainABLE kit activities
• Sustainable Futures collection of public programs

Groundwater Awareness Week (second full week in March)

• www.ngwa.org website
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• The Water Race: Hydrophopbic and Hydrophilic Surfaces
• What’s Nano About Water?
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

Dr. Seuss Day (March 2) 

• Seussville reading resources
• Dr. Seuss STEM activity Ideas from Scholastic
• Oobleck - Exploring Materials - Oobleck

Brain Awareness Week (mid-March)

• Brain Awareness resources from the Society for Neuroscience
• Brain Awareness Week resources from the Dana Foundation
• World Federation of Neurology Brain day 
• Stand Up Sit Down Icebreaker - Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies
• Step into the Shoes of Stakeholders training guide and materials - Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies
• NISE Network Changing Brains professional audiences resources

Pi Day (March 14)  
International Day of Mathematics (March 14)

• https://www.piday.org/
• Celebrate math! there are one billion nanometers in a meter
• NASA Pi Day challenges
• explore 18 Ways NASA Uses Pi
• explore this website by searching for topic: Mathematics
• UNESCO: International Day of Mathematics: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/mathematics

National Learn about Butterflies Days (March 14)

• Zoom into a Blue Morpho Butterfly video 
• Butterfly Blues video
• Exploring Structures - Butterfly (NanoDays 2012) short activity
• Colors at the Nanoscale: Butterflies, Beetles and Opals long activity
• Zoom Into a Butterfly Wing poster 
• What's nano about butterflies Nano museum labels (graphic signs)
• Scientific Image - Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing (reflected light) 
• Scientific Image - Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing (non-reflected light) 
• Scientific Image - Blue Morpho Butterfly
• Scientific Image- Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing Ridges 
• Scientific Image - Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing Microribs 
• Scientific Image - Blue Morpho Butterfly Wing Scales 
• Scientific Image - Photonic Crystal
• Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly (Middle and High School curriculum lesson) 
• NISE Network compilation of light activities and resources
• explore this website by searching the topic: Life Sciences - Animals

World Water Day (March 22)

• www.worldwaterday.org website
• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/waterday
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - Cleaning Oil Spills with Chemistry (longer program)
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - What’s in the Water (longer program)
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• The Water Race: Hydrophopbic and Hydrophilic Surfaces
• What’s Nano About Water?
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• Oil Spill Clean Up Simulation hands on activity 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

Solar Week (last full week in March)

• http://multiverse.ssl.berkeley.edu/Solar-Week
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth, Moon, and Sun 
• learn about our Sun https://www.nasa.gov/sun

Earth Hour (mid-March) 

• www.earthhour.org
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science
• explore this website by searching the topic: Societal Topics - Sustainability

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April

Citizen Science Month (April) - please see Citizen Science day mid-April

National Kite Month (April)

• https://www.kite.org/events/national-kite-month/
• How to Fly a kite: https://www.globe.gov/web/aren-project/overview/aerokats/kites
• How NASA uses kites: https://www.globe.gov/web/aren-project/overview/aerokats/nasa-and-kites

Global Astronomy Month (April) 
Astronomy Day (Spring) (held in April or May) (May 15, 2021) 
Astronomy Week (Spring) (held in April or May) (May 10-16, 2021)

• Global Astronomy Day Month website  http://astronomerswithoutborders.org
• Astronomy Day website https://www.astroleague.org/astronomyday/facts
• Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkits activities 
• Exploring Nano & Society - Space Elevator (NanoDays 2013) short activity
• Aerogel short activity
• Exploring Nano & Society - Flying Cars short activity
• Flying Cars theater program
• Exploring Size - Memory Game (NanoDays 2011 and 2012) short activity
• Exploring Size - Powers of Ten Game (NanoDays 2011, 2012, and 2014) short activity
• Exploring Size - StretchAbility (NanoDays 2010) short activity
• Scale of the Universe Zoom
• Is That Robot Real? children's book and poster
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science

Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month

• National Math Festival events 
• explore this website by searching for topic: Mathematics

World Health Day (April 7)

• World Health Day and WHO World Health Day
• Intro to Nanomedicine video
• Exploring Products - Sunblock activity
• Nanotech and Consumer Products
• Should We Engineer the Mosquito forum
• Nanomedicine in Healthcare forum
• Nanomedicine Explorer exhibit and software
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• Disease Detectives middle school outreach program
• Nano Latch-n-Catch Nanomedicine Activity 
• explore this website by searching for topic: Life Sciences - Health and Medicine

International Dark Sky Week (first week in April)

• https://idsw.darksky.org

National Robotics Week / RoboWeek (second week in April) 

• www.nationalroboticsweek.org website
• Shrinking Robots! program 
• Is That Robot Real book and graphics
• Robots and People program
• explore this website by searching for topic: Engineering and Technology - Technology 

Yuri's Night (April 12)

• https://yurisnight.net
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science

World Quantum Day (April 14)

• https://worldquantumday.org
• The Future of Computing stage presentation
• Making Molecular Movies with QSTORM stage presentation
• Scientific Image - Quantum Corral (side view) using a Scanning Tunneling Microscope
• Scientific Image - Quantum Corral (top view) using a Scanning Tunneling Microscope

World Art Day (April 15)

• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldartday
• STEAM activities:
• Watch and Create! Creativity For Sustainability activity
• Exploring the Universe: Nebula Spin Art activity
• Chemistry is Colorful activity
• Nature of Dye activity
• Exploring Materials - Thin Films activity
• explore this website by searching the topic: Art, Music, and Literature

Black Hole Week (mid-April) (April 12-16, 2021)

• Black Hole Week: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/bhw/
• What are Black Holes? https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/black_hole_description.html
• More about Black Holes: https://www.nasa.gov/black-holes

National Math Festival (mid-April)

• https://www.nationalmathfestival.org
• explore this website by searching for topic: Mathematics 

Citizen Science Day (mid-April)
Citizen Science Month (April)

• http://citizenscience.org/events/citizen-science-day/
• https://www.citizenscience.org/events/citizen-science-month/
• NASA resources: https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscientists
• SciStarter database of projects: https://scistarter.com
• SciStarter citizen science day: https://scistarter.org/Citizen-Science-Day

• Globe Observer website - Clouds, Mosquitos, Land Cover, Trees

• Globe Observer app - Clouds, Mosquitos, Land Cover, Trees

• Exploring Earth: Investigating Clouds activity - connect to NASA GLOBE app

• Exploring Earth: Land Cover activity - connect to NASA GLOBE ap

Earth Day (April 22)
National Environmental Education Week (week of Earth Day)

• NISE Network compilation of resources and activities: www.nisenet.org/earthday
• www.earthday.org website
• www.eeweek.org website for National Environmental Education week 
• www.neefusa.org/eeweek/resources National Environmental Education Foundation
• Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW)
• Tiny Solutions to Our Big Energy Problem stage presentation
• Energy Challenges, Nanotech Solutions forum
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• Water Clean Up DragonflyTV episode
• Nanosilver DragonflyTV episode
• Nanosilver: Breakthrough or Biohazard? stage presentation
• Does Every Silver Lining Have a Cloud video
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• Oil Spill Clean Up Simulation 
• SustainABLE kit activities
• Sustainable Futures collection of public programs
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - Cleaning Oil Spills with Chemistry (longer program)
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - What’s in the Water (longer program)
• Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkit activities
• NASA Earth Day resources
• GLOBE Observer citizen science (clouds, mosquito habitat mapper, land cover, trees) https://observer.globe.gov
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science
• explore this website by searching the topic: Societal Topics - Sustainability

Take Your Child To Work Day / Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day (fourth Thursday in April)

• https://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org

DNA Day (April 25)

• National DNA Day website 
• DNA Nanotechnology hands-on activity 
• Exploring Structures - DNA (NanoDays 2012) hands-on activity 
• Building with Biology Kit activities
• explore this website by searching the topic: life sciences 

National Poetry Month (April)

• www.poets.org/npm website
• UNESCO World Poetry Day (March 21): https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldpoetryday
• nano-themed haiku at the end of each NISE Network NanoBiteNewsletter (2009-2013)

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May

Astronomy Day (Spring) (held in April or May) - please see April for details
Astronomy Week (Spring) (held in April or May) - please see April for details

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (May)

• https://healthfinder.gov/nho/MayToolkit.aspx

Asian American and Pacific Islander Month - celebrate people in STEM

• https://asianpacificheritage.gov
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: https://smithsonianapa.org
• PBS AAPI History Spotlight: Saluting STEM Pioneers
• NASA Asian Pacific American Heritage

May the Fourth Be With You - Star Wars Day (May 4)

• NISE Network Science Fiction, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Super Heroes compilation of resources
• Star Wars Day: https://www.starwars.com/star-wars-day
• NASA and Star Wars connections 
• NASA Museum Informal Education Alliance list of resources (login required) 
  https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/content/star-wars
• NASA and Star Trek list of resources (login required)
  https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/content/star-trek-and-nasa
• May the Fourth event example in 2019 online workshop (at 30 minute point of recording)
  http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/online-workshop-earth-space-science-early-learners-recorded

National Children’s Book Week (early May) 

• Children's Book Week website
• Shrinking Robots! book (for free download or to order)
• How Small is Nano? book (for free download or to order)
• Alice in NanoLand book (for free download or to order)
• Selected books about nano

Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week (May)

• National Mosquito Control Awareness Week resources from American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA)
• Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week resources from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) World Health Organization (WHO) resources 
• "Should We Engineer the Mosquito?" Forum
• GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper 

International Day of Light (May 16)

• UNESCO:The International Day of Light celebrates the role light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy; https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/dayoflight 
• NISE Network compilation of light activities and resources

National Week of Making (May 11-17)

• https://www.weekofmaking.org
• National of Makers resource library https://nationofmakers.us/resources.html
• Frankenstein200 kit of activities 

 

2015 - year-long events

• NISE Network compilation of light activities and resources
• International Year of Light (2015) NISE Network resources 
• check out HowToSmile.org for many more light activities

Museum Day (May 18)

• Search for a NISE Network partner museum and other informal science education partner near you: http://nisenet.org/partners

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) (May 20, 2021)

• https://globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org/

National Paper Airplane Day (May 26)

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SUMMER

Summer Reading

• 2020 Summer Reading Themes - “Imagine Your Story”
• https://www.cslpreads.org/programs/childrens-program/yearly-program/
• https://www.cslpreads.org/programs/adult-program/yearly-program/
• Alice in NanoLand book (Downloadable PDF)
• Past themes: 
  2019 Summer Reading Themes - "A Universe of Stories"
  http://www.starnetlibraries.org/universe-of-stories/

Sun and Sand

• Nano Ice Cream program
• Invisible Sunblock program
• Magic Sand/Nanosurfaces program
• Exploring Products - Sunblock program
• fun outdoor group activity:  Ready, Set, Self-Assemble group program
• Why are Seashells so Strong? program

Summer Camp

• Nanotechnology Summer Camp (Ages 8 - 10) framework
• High School Nanotechnology Summer Camp framework
• After School nanoscale Science framework
• Explore Science Zoom into Nano modules and videos

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June

Pride Month (June)

• please see Pride in STEM Day (November 18) - celebrate people in STEM
   

World Environment Day (June 5)

• United Nations World Environment Day website: https://www.un.org/en/events/environmentday/
• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/environmentday
• https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/
• SustainABLE kit

World Oceans Day (June 8)

• worldoceansday.org
• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/oceansday
• Cleaning Oil Spills with Chemistry longer program
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• The Water Race: Hydrophopbic and Hydrophilic Surfaces
• What’s Nano About Water?
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• Why are Seashells so Strong? program
• Oil Spill Clean Up Simulation hands on activity
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

International Women in Engineering Day (June 23)

• http://www.inwed.org.uk/

National Mosquito Control Awareness Week  - Fight the Bite (last full week in June)

• National Mosquito Control Awareness Week resources from American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA)
• Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week resources from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) World Health Organization (WHO) resources 
• "Should We Engineer the Mosquito?" forum
• GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper 

Asteroid Day (June 30)

• https://asteroidday.org/
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science

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July

Plastic Free July 

• https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/

Moon Landing - anniversary of Apollo 11 first step on the Moon July 20, 1969

• Moon resources and activities: https://www.nisenet.org/moon
• Moon Adventure Game: https://www.nisenet.org/moongame
• NASA Apollo 11 Moonwalk Montage
• NASA logos for 50th anniversary in 2019
• NASA Apollo 11 resources
• NASA Moon resources
• NASA moon 
• NASA Museum Alliance list of many more resources - login required
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science -  Earth, Moon and Sun

World Brain Day (July 22)

• World Federation of Neurology Brain day 
• Brain Awareness resources from the Society for Neuroscience
• Brain Awareness Week resources from the Dana Foundation
• Stand Up Sit Down Icebreaker - Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies
• Step into the Shoes of Stakeholders training guide and materials - Professional development training tool to prepare scientific audiences to talk about public engagement around now & near-future brain research and technologies
• NISE Network Changing Brains professional audiences resources

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August

National Sand Castle Day (first Saturday of August)

• Nano Sand hands-on activity

National Aviation Day (August 19)

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Aviation_Day
• NASA suggestions for National Aviation Day

World Mosquito Day (August 20)

• "Should We Engineer the Mosquito?" Forum
• GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper 
• National Mosquito Control Awareness Week resources from American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA)
• Caribbean Mosquito Awareness Week resources from Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) World Health Organization (WHO) resources 

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FALL

Back to School 

• K-12 lesson plans 
• collaboration with K-12 class on Nanoparticle Stained Glass project
• Theater High School Program videos
• pencils and writing with graphite - Forms of Carbon
• Exploring Materials - Graphene program (related to pencils, graphite, and tape)
• Nobel Winning Experiment Mr. O video (related to pencils, graphite, and tape)
• Material Marvels with Ainissa Ramirez video - Graphene (related to pencils and graphite)
• After School Framework

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September

Read a Book Month (September)

• Breakfast Moon picture book
• Frankenstein and its connection to Frankenstein200 kit
• Alice in NanoLand
• NISE Network selected books about nano 

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15- October 15) - celebrate people in STEM

• https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov
• SACNAS – Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science: https://www.sacnas.org
• National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/hispanic-heritage-month.htm
• NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/subject/16278/hispanic-heritage-month/

Protect Your Groundwater Day  (first week in September)

• https://www.ngwa.org/get-involved/protect-your-groundwater-day
• www.ngwa.org website
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• The Water Race: Hydrophopbic and Hydrophilic Surfaces
• What’s Nano About Water?
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

National Aerospace Week (second week in September)

• https://nationalaerospaceweek.org

National Pollution Prevention Week (P2 Week) (third week in September)

• https://www.epa.gov/p2week
• explore the website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

Worldwide Day of Play (WWDoP) (mid-September)

• http://www.worldwidedayofplay.com
• Nickelodeon's 2018 Worldwide Day of Play Playbook 

World Cleanup Day (mid-September)

• https://www.worldcleanupday.org
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - Cleaning Oil Spills with Chemistry (longer program)
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - What’s in the Water (longer program)
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• The Water Race: Hydrophopbic and Hydrophilic Surfaces
• What’s Nano About Water?
• DragonflyTV - Water Clean Up video
• Oil Spill Clean Up Simulation hands on activity 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science - Water and Oceans

National Bike Month (September)
Bike to Work Week (third week in September)

• https://www.bikeleague.org/content/bike-month-dates-events-0
• Bike to School Day http://www.walkbiketoschool.org

International Day of Scientific Culture / Día Internacional de la Cultura Científica (September 28)

• http://ciencia.unam.mx/leer/1044/-28-de-septiembre-para-que-un-dia-inte…

International Observe the Moon Night (date selected in September/October based on viewing ) (October 21, 2021)

• https://moon.nasa.gov/observe
• Moon resources and activities: https://www.nisenet.org/moon
• Moon Adventure Game: https://www.nisenet.org/moongame
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science -  Earth, Moon and Sun

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October

Astronomy Day (Fall) (October 5, 2019; September 26, 2020; October 9, 2021)

Astronomy Week (Fall) (September 30-October 6, 2019; September 21-27, 2020; October 4-10, 2021)

• Astronomy Day website https://www.astroleague.org/astronomyday/facts

World Space Week (October 4-10)

• http://www.worldspaceweek.org
• Explore Science: Earth and Space toolkits

Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) (first Friday in October)

• https://creatorswanted.org/mfgday/
• https://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/students/manufacturing-day/
• https://www.facebook.com/MfgDay/

National Nano Day (October 9th)
National Nanotechnology Day (#NationalNanoDay) is an annual celebration and pays homage to the nanometer scale, 10^–9 meters.

• https://www.nano.gov/nationalnanoday
• NanoDays website for hands-on activities and resources: www.nisenet.org/nanodays

Metric Day (October 10th)

• How Small is Nano? book and poster
• How Small is Nano? video
• Scale Ladder Diagrams
• Sizing Things Down
• Exploring Size - Measure Yourself
• Exploring Size - Powers of Ten card game 
• explore this website by searching for topic: Mathematics - Measurement 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - World AI Week (2nd week in October)

• https://worldaiweek.ai

Campus Sustainability Month (October)

• http://www.aashe.org/campus-sustainability-month/ website
• explore this website by searching the topic: Societal Topics - Sustainability 

Earth Science Week (second full week in October)
(October 13-19, 2019; October 11-17, 2020; October 10-16, 2021)

• www.earthsciweek.org website
• SustainABLE kit activities
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - Cleaning Oil Spills with Chemistry (longer program)
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry activity  - What’s in the Water (longer program)
• Energy Challenges, Nanotech Solutions forum
• Cleaning Our Water with Nanotechnology program
• Water Clean Up DragonflyTV episode
• Nanosilver DragonflyTV episode
• Nanosilver: Breakthrough or Biohazard? stage presentation
• Does Every Silver Lining Have a Cloud video
• Tiny Solutions to Our Big Energy Problem stage presentation
• Oil Spill Clean Up Simulation hands on activity
• educational products on nisenet.org topics related to water 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Societal Topics - Sustainability 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and space Science 

National Chemistry Week (third full week in October)
Mole Day (October 23) commemorates Avogadro's Number (6.02 x 10²³), which is a measuring unit in chemistry.

• American Chemical Society's National Chemistry Week website
• NISE Network National Chemistry Week page www.nisenet.org/national-chemistry-week for a complete list of activities
• Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit
• Sweet Self-Assembly
• Exploring Size - Scented Balloons
• Exploring Materials - Liquid Crystals 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Physical Science - Chemistry

International Observe the Moon Night (date selected in September/October based on viewing ) (October 16, 2021)

• https://moon.nasa.gov/observe
• Moon resources and activities: https://www.nisenet.org/moon
• Moon Adventure Game: https://www.nisenet.org/moongame
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth and Space Science -  Earth, Moon and Sun

Solar Week (October 21-25, 2019)

• http://multiverse.ssl.berkeley.edu/Solar-Week
• explore this website by searching the topic: Earth, Moon, and Sun 

Imagine a Day Without Water (October 23, 2019)

• http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org
• explore this website by searching the topic: Water and Oceans

Nuclear Science Week (NSW) (third week in October)

• www.nuclearscienceweek.org
• activities on size and scale, atoms and molecules 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Physical Science 
• explore this website by searching for topic: Mathematics - Measurement 

Dark Matter Day (on or around October 31)

• https://www.darkmatterday.com

Halloween (October 31)

• Frankenstein 200 kit activities - celebrating the anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley's novel
• Chemistry activiites - see National Chemistry Week resources
• Chemistry activities see Explore Science: Let's Do Chemistry kit activities including dry ice sublimation activity
• Nano Dreams and Nano Nightmares puppetry play
• Attack of the nanoscientist stage presentation
• Intro to Nano video for costume ideas
• NISE Network food activities including chocolate and candy
• What’s Nano About Chocolate? video
• Exploring Fabrication - Gummy Capsules (NanoDays 12, 13) short activity
• Sweet Self-Assembly long activity
• Ideas for activities, costumes, and pumpkins from the American Chemical Society (ACS) for Halloween chemistry

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November

Native American Heritage Month / American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month (November) - celebrate people in STEM

• https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov
• NASA Native American Heritage Month: https://www.nasa.gov/subject/17655/native-american-heritage-month/
• SACNAS – Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science: https://www.sacnas.org

World Tsunami Awareness Day (November 5)

• https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/tsunamiday

 

National STEM - STEAM Day (November 8)

• STEAM activities:
• Watch and Create! Creativity For Sustainability activity
• Exploring the Universe: Nebula Spin Art activity
• Chemistry is Colorful activity
• Nature of Dye activity
• Exploring Materials - Thin Films activity
• explore this website by searching the topic: Art, Music, and Literature

 

International Day of Radiology & World Radiography Day (November 8)
The date marks the anniversary of the discovery of X-Rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895

• https://www.internationaldayofradiology.com

• https://www.isrrt.org/world-radiography-day

• https://www.sor.org/about-radiography/world-radiography-day

International Science Center and Science Museum Day (November 10) 
World Science Day for Peace and Development  (November 10) 

• http://www.iscsmd.org/about/
• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldscienceday

America Recycles Day (November 15)

• https://americarecyclesday.org/
• explore this website by searching the topic: Societal Topics - Sustainability

Pride in STEM Day (November 18) - celebrate people in STEM
International Day of LGBTQIA+ People in STEM

• Pride in STEM Day: http://prideinstem.org/lgbtstemday/
• LGBTQ+ STEM: https://lgbtstem.wordpress.com
• Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM): https://www.queerstem.org
• Out to Innovate™, formerly known as National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP): https://www.noglstp.org

Thanksgiving (November)

• Turkey breast feathers are iridescent due to nano-sized structures within the feathers: for more about iridescence check out:
  • Exploring Materials - Thin Films program
  • Colors at the Nanoscale: Butterflies, Beetles and Opals program
  • Butterfly Blues video
  • Biomimicry: From Nature to Nanotech program

• Would You Buy That stage presentation (related to shopping and Black Friday)

Black Hole Friday (last Friday in November)

• Black Hole Week: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/bhw/
• What are Black Holes? https://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/black_hole_description.html
• More about Black Holes: https://www.nasa.gov/black-holes

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December

National Disability Day (December 3)
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3)

• UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/personswithdisabilitiesday
• Universal Design Guidelines: Programs - Guidelines for creating accessible programming within the NISE Network
• Universal Design Guidelines: Exhibits - Guidelines for creating accessible exhibits within the NISE Network

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) and Hour of Code (second week in December)

• CS Ed Week: www.csedweek.org 
• Hour of Code: http://hourofcode.com/us 
• Accessible Hour of Code: https://quorumlanguage.com/selection.html
• Computer Science Collaboration Project: www.cscproject.org
• Code.org's educational resources: https://code.org/educate

• Computer Science Is for Everyone toolkit to increase diversity from the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)

• Purdue University Resources for Women in Computer Technology
  https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/information-technology/resources-women-computer-technology/

• Computer Science Online: Resources, Degrees, and Careers: www.computerscienceonline.org

• Zoom into a computer chip poster
• Zoom into a microchip video
• The Future of Computing stage presentation
• Exploring Products - Computer Hard Drives (NanoDays 13, 14) 
• explore this website by searching the topic: Engineering and Technology - Computing

Games Day (December 20)

• explore this website by searching the topic: Games

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OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS

Super Hero activities

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2019 - Year long events

• 2019 - International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, 150th anniversary

• 2019 - 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing (July 20, 1969) and Apollo missions
  http://nisenet.org/moon50

• 2019 - NASA 60th anniversary 

• 2019 Summer Reading - A Universe of Stories 219 Summer Learning Program

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2015 - year-long events