The clear skies above Hawaii’s Mauna Kea make the site ideal for a giant telescope. That’s assuming engineers can shield it from earthquakes, fierce winds, and extreme temperatures.

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Filed under: Special Features | Comments Off on Location, Location, Location

Tags: ASEE Prism, Astronomy, big bang, Engineering, Hawaii, Mauna Kea Thirty Meter Telescope, NASA, stars, STEM education

Turn an empty cereal box into a pinhole projector or choose another DIY project for safely viewing the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Don’t forget to look around, too, as your shadow sharpens, the horizon colors with sunset hues, and birds roost!

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, Grades K-5, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features, Web Resources | Comments Off on Build a Cereal Box Eclipse Viewer

Tags: Astronomy, camera obscura, cereal box, Class Activities, eclipse, informal science education, Lesson Plans, NASA, pinhole projector, STEM education, sun, viewer, Web Resources

On August 21, 2017, all of North America will be treated to a solar eclipse, including a 90-mile swath of totality stretching from Oregon’s coast to Charleston, S.C. NASA has assembled a helpful guide for where, when, and how to experience the eclipse, including tips for safe viewing.

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Filed under: Class Activities, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features, Web Resources | Comments Off on Eclipse 101: What, Where, How?

Tags: Astronomy, eclipse viewing, Geography, History, Internet Resources, maps, NASA, Outreach, Resources for Teachers, solar eclipse, totality, Web Resources

Engineering is Elementary is seeking EiE teachers to pilot resources being developed to increase accessibility for students who receive special education services and/or are English Learners. Participants will receive a $350 stipend for providing feedback. Apply by September 1, 2017.

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Filed under: For Teachers, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features | Comments Off on Elementary Special Ed Engineering Pilot

Tags: early learning STEM, Engineering is Elementary, English language learners, NGSS, Resources for Teachers, special education, Teacher Resources, Teacher Training

Middle school students learn about the Earth’s geometrical relation to the sun by calculating where the sun will be in the sky for any date or time given a particular location on Earth, such as their school. The three-activity module was developed by lighting engineer Tony Esposito, Ph.D., during his graduate studies at Pennsylvania State University and made available to eGFI Teachers.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Lesson Plans, Special Features | Comments Off on Solar Geometry

Tags: angle, calendar, Class Activities, day, earth sciences, eclipse, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, Geometry, globe, Grades 6-8, latitude, Lesson Plans, light engineering, longitude, map, Mathematics, NASA, Project CANDLE, season, Solar Geometry, sun, Tony Esposito Jr.

eGFI caught up with lighting engineer Tony Esposito, who developed this month’s “solar geometry” lesson while earning a Ph.D. in architectural engineering at Pennsylvania State University, to learn more about his background and what sparked his interest in engineering and education. Check out his story – and tips for teachers!

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Filed under: Class Activities, K-12 Outreach Programs, Lesson Plans, Special Features | Comments Off on Meet Lighting Engineer Tony Esposito

Tags: architectural engineering, lighting engineering, Penn State, Project CANDLE, Solar Geometry, STEM education, Tony Esposito