NASA’s Dragonfly Mission: Inspiring Clubs, MakerSpaces, and Learners Everywhere

Outline

Content and Engagement:
-The poster will present NASA’s Dragonfly mission as a catalyst for hands-on learning in clubs, MakerSpaces, and classrooms.
-Content will highlight mission science, rotorcraft innovations, and community connections, demonstrated through sample activities.
-Attendees will be able to engage directly with examples of zines, coding and electronics builds, drone challenges, 3D-printed prototypes, and the NASA Flight Log program.
-Presenters will provide visuals, printed materials, and digital resources that attendees can adapt to their own learning environments.

Time:
-As a poster session, the engagement is continuous throughout the session (60 minutes).
-Attendees may spend 5–10 minutes at the poster, during which they will:
-Review the poster and digital displays.
-Interact with demonstration materials.
-Ask questions and engage in discussion with presenters.
-Receive handouts or digital links to resources.

Process:
-Attendees will be encouraged to interact with hands-on demonstration items (e.g., small drone models, 3D prints, zine samples).
-Presenters will use a peer-to-peer dialogue approach, answering questions, sharing stories, and guiding participants through example activities.
-Quick prompts (e.g., “What could your students build if they were exploring Titan?”) will invite educators to envision classroom applications.
-A sign-up QR code will allow participants to connect with ongoing Dragonfly Clubs and access free teaching resources after the conference.

Outcomes

Apply NASA’s Dragonfly mission content to create engaging STEM experiences in clubs, classrooms, and MakerSpaces.

Investigate how technologies such as drones, coding and electronics, VR, and 3D printing can be adapted into Dragonfly-inspired projects for different learning environments.

Explore sample activities including zines, the NASA Flight Log program, drone challenges, and 3D-printed prototypes.

Access lesson plans, demonstration resources, and classroom-ready materials that extend learning beyond the session.

Design opportunities that spark curiosity and agency, empowering students to see themselves as explorers, makers, and problem-solvers.

Supporting research

Miller, J. & Tomas, T. (2021). Designing culturally responsive makerspace pop-up activities for middle school students. NSTA Engage Conference.

Miller, J. & Tomas, T. (2021). Designing culturally responsive makerspace pop-up activities for elementary students. NSTA Engage Conference.

Miller, J., Tomas, T., Maryboy, N., & Begay, D. (2018). A Rural Navajo Reservation Makerspace. Dimensions, (Sept/Oct), 50–52.

NASA Dragonfly Mission Overview: https://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu/

NASA Dragonfly Mission—STEM Resources (Flight Log, classroom activities): https://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu/Education/

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Mission (for cross-mission context): http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/

EZIE Mission: Citizen Science and Magnetometer Maker Kit: https://ezie.jhuapl.edu/

Sheridan, K., et al. (2014). Learning in the Making: A Comparative Case Study of Three Makerspaces. Harvard Educational Review, 84(4), 505–531.

Halverson, E.R., & Sheridan, K. (2014). The Maker Movement in Education. Harvard Educational Review, 84(4), 495–504.

Martinez, S.L. & Stager, G. (2019). Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press.