Blast Off!: Exploring Space Through Hands-On STEM Learning

This semester, our Science Clubs explored the world of space science through our Blast Off curriculum. Across eight weeks, participants engaged in hands-on, space-inspired projects discovering how science, engineering, and math work together to make space exploration possible.

One of the first projects of the semester challenged participants to design and build their own straw model rockets. Through designing and testing model rockets, students examined how different forces affect motion and practiced the same problem-solving skills used by real engineers.

Hands-on projects are at the heart of every Science Club, these projects giving participants opportunities to explore STEM through creativity and collaboration. This semester some projects included designing astronaut boots to navigate different planetary surfaces, building gravity slingshots to explore motion and force, and creating spacesuits to protect astronauts in extreme environments.

One of the semester's favorite projects was designing spacecraft landing systems. Participants put their engineering skills to the test by building colorful parachutes out of tissue paper to help their spacecraft land safely. The excitement grew as they dropped their creations from balconies, observing how different design choices affected their descent while exploring the physics of drag and using each test to refine their designs.

Through each session, participants connected science and math concepts to real-world applications in space exploration. A key area of focus was building on math literacy and confidence. Math is integrated into all of our programming. Throughout the semester, participants explored how math supports every stage of space exploration. From calculating launch distances and analyzing data, participants saw firsthand how math and science are powerful tools used by scientists every day. Hands-on experiences like these encourage curiosity, build confidence, and show students how the concepts they learn can be used to design solutions for the future.

At Science Club for Girls, we believe hands-on STEM experiences help girls and gender-expansive youth see themselves as future scientists and innovators. Through Blast Off, students didn’t just explore space, they also discovered the confidence to tackle big challenges and new possibilities for themselves.