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Making Earth & Space Science More Relevant and Inclusive

Nebula Spin Art Activity with family

These resources are designed to help museum and science center educators make Earth & Space science relevant and inclusive for their local communities. This collection of resources features written materials, slides, and videos presented during this virtual online learning community for you to explore at your own pace.

These professional learning resources are based on materials developed for the NISE Network’s Earth & Space Project-Based Professional Learning Community which took place in 2021-2022. This project supported 100 museums and science centers across the U.S. in their efforts to make Earth & Space science relevant and inclusive for their local communities.


Explore Science Earth and Space logo in English and Spanish bilingual

1) Goals and Outcomes

The NISE Network Earth & Space project-based professional learning community was focused on making Earth & space Science relevant and inclusive for local communities. This PDF outlines the overarching goals for the program as well as our intended goals and outcomes for participants.


2) Project Planning Worksheet

This is a helpful tool you can use when planning any project; revisit and revise this document as your project progresses. Some of the categories may not be applicable to your project.


3) Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) Tools and Practices

DEAI Booklet Cover showing an illustration of a diverse group of people

The Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion tools and practices are designed to support informal educators in making their program offerings more relevant and inclusive in order to promote a more equitable STEM future for all of our local communities.


4) Making STEM Content Relevant

These Making STEM Content Relevant resources provide informal educators with examples on how to make your program offerings more relevant to your visitors and your local community.


Earth and Space content framework screen capture

5) Earth & Space Learning and Content Frameworks

The Content Framework and Learning Framework are professional learning tools for informal educators engaging the public with the hands-on activities in the Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkits and the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition.


cover of the collaboration guide on blue background

6) Community Collaborations

These Community Collaborations resources offer an introduction to collaborations between museums and community organizations.


Working with STEM Experts Guide cover including an image of expert  puring a liquid and using a strainer with a girl and her family at a museum public event

7) Working with Experts

These Working with Experts resources help informal STEM educators find, prepare, and work with STEM experts to engage with the public.


8) NASA Resources Showcase

This NASA Resources Showcase video offers a summary of NASA showcase presenters featuring NASA Science Activation public engagement resources for informal educators.


9) NISE Network April 2022 recorded keynotes and concurrent sessions

Plenary keynotes and concurrent session recordings from the Earth & Space Project-Based Professional Learning Community 3-day culminating meeting in April 2022. It features 4 plenary keynote presentations and 9 concurrent sessions on a variety of topics. 

 

Plenary Keynotes

Caitlin Ahrens Headshot

1) Bringing the Perseverance Landing to the Deaf and Blind Community - Caitlin Ahrens, PhD, NASA Goddard

Dr. Derrick Pitts headshot

2) Improving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Space Science - Derrick Pitts, HON.D, The Franklin Institute

Dr. Christine Chen Headshot.

3) James Webb Space Telescope - Christine Chen, Space Telescope Science Institute

Dr. Elena Sparrow Headshot

4) Engaging Indigenous Youth and Adults in Community-Focused Efforts Around Climate Change - Elena Sparrow, PhD, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Concurrent Sessions

A detailed list of concurrent sessions and presenters for the Earth & Space Project-Based Professional Learning Community April 2022 Convening

  1. Session A1: Co-creation and You (Slides | Recording, 47-min) 

  2. Session A2: ​​ Working Well with Experts (Slides | Recording, 38-min)

  3. Session A3: Working with K-12 Schools, Teachers, and Homeschoolers (Slides | Recording, 38-min)

  4. Session B1: Connecting Meaningfully with Specific Communities (Slides | Recording, 43-min)

  5. Session B2: ​​Collaborating with Indigenous Communities (Slides | Recording, 40-min)

  6. Session B3: Collaborating with Libraries (Slides | Recording, 42-min)

  7. Session C1: Approachable Ideas to Address Extreme Weather (Slides | Recording, 44-min)

  8. Session C2: ​​ Stories of Community Collaborations (Slides | Recording, 42-min)

  9. Session C3: Earth & Space Science for Everyone: Developing Materials and Partnering with Deaf and Blind Communities (Slides | Recording, 41-min)

 


Acknowledgements

This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award numbers NNX16AC67A and 80NSSC18M0061. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).