FIRST Robotics
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
With
their skill in providing innovative, interactive programs, FIRST and its staff of educators collaborate with University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College to develop space and Earth science curricula for pre-service teachers.
Teaching our Teachers
NHSGC support is used to offer seminars, professional development workshops, and on-site consultation for New Hampshire school teachers and pre-service teachers, particularly science educators. UNH and Dartmouth College scientists and science educators are included as guest instructors.
These college level courses incorporate concepts and processes that cross many scientific disciplines, and are selected specifically for elementary school teachers. The course material reflects national/state standards and demonstrates methods of teaching and assessing elementary school students.
Their teaching method: content placed in context—using electromagnetism to build a motor to power something useful to society, building a robot to help with city infrastructure like painting lines on highways, or developing robotic ways of removing toxic waste.
NASA-funded educational materials are used and given to the students whenever possible, and occasionally the staff include demonstrations developed at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.