‘NASA STEM Stars’: Teacher Appreciation Week

NASA Role Model: Ricky Arnold
NASA Center: Johnson Space Center
Topic: Teacher Appreciation Week
Original Air Date: May 5, 2021
Watch astronaut and former educator Ricky Arnold discuss his life and work. Hear his answer to a viewer’s question: What is the best advice that you have gotten from a mentor? His answer goes back to his kindergarten teacher. Ricky joins “NASA STEM Stars” to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week.

STEM Short Activity: STEMonstrations: Engineering Design-Trusses
Objective: Understand the importance of engineering design, and identify how the structural design of a truss will withstand multiple forces acting on it.
Duration: 50 minutes
Materials Needed: Hot glue gun with glue sticks, popsicle sticks, drinking straws, meter stick, straight pins, chairs
Difficulty: Easy to Medium

Next Generation Science Standards:  MS-ETS 1-4

“NASA STEM Stars” is a webchat series. Each chat introduces a science, technology, engineering or math career, addresses a STEM topic and highlights a NASA mission. The chat includes a STEM activity that students can do at home. After the interviews, experts answer students’ questions.