In November, Orange County students in Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to take their love of books to astronomical heights by participating in the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge.
Coinciding with National STEAM Day, the third annual reading event will take place on November 8. It is designed to encourage students to improve their reading habits while also introducing them to potential career opportunities in industries such as engineering and aerospace through storybooks and novels.
Teachers and families can register their students online starting November 1.
With the three-week challenge, local nonprofit Timeless Learning Inc. – in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education and 4Space – aims to inspire the next generation of innovators in science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
To begin, students must download the Beanstack app to track how much they read. Then, participants can begin their journey by following the recommended reading lists.
Each list of STEAM content is categorized by four age-appropriate learning levels, from picture books for kindergarteners to science fiction novels for middle and high school students. This year’s reading challenge includes dozens of books, including “AlphaBot” by author and illustrator Vicky Fang and “The Boy Who Reached for the Stars” by author and aerospace engineer Elio Morillo.
Upon reaching the baseline goals for their category, students receive a personalized certificate of completion. Young readers who exceed the reading requirements have the chance to win rewards such as tickets to local attractions and opportunities to talk with renowned scientists, artists and engineers.
Teachers who want to involve their classes can learn more by checking out the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge materials. Students who want to read STEM books and win prizes can learn how to register for the challenge on the program website.
Stay tuned for more details as the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge gets ready to launch.
