Hampton University students win first place at NASA Pre-Service Teacher contest

 Photo Caption: (From left to right) Dr. Kianga R. Thomas (NASA/PSTP Faculty Advisor), Shea Thompson, Ashlyn Williams, Brittany Yhap, Brittany Street, Eunice Collier, and Dr. Clair Berube (NASA/PSTP Faculty Advisor).

(Hampton, Va.) –  Students from Hampton University recently received first place at the NASA/Pre-Service Teacher Program STEM Lesson Plan Contest on April 23 at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.  These future teachers were required to develop, implement and submit a documented lesson plan incorporating the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  

Eunice Collier, Brittany Street, Shea Thompson, Ashlyn Williams and Brittany Yhap designed a lesson plan based on the real-life situation of developing a small plane that could fit on a fleet ship.  The students taught their lesson to a group of elementary students ages 8-10 and documented the lesson for evaluation purposes.  The lesson contained national standards from all four STEM areas and demonstrated a high level of inquiry.

Dr. Kianga R. Thomas and Dr. Clair Berube, both assistant professors in the HU College of Education and Continuing Studies, advised the students.  

“I think this opportunity has thoroughly given the students a lot of insight in terms of lesson plan writing and providing inquiry learning in the classroom,” said Thomas. “This experience is going to place them head and shoulders above the rest.”

The HU team competed against teams from Norfolk State University, Elizabeth City State University, Kentucky State University, Jackson State University, Alabama A&M University, and Virginia Union University.