Author Archives: davidvblack

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About davidvblack

I teach courses in multimedia, 3D animation, Earth science, physics, biology, 8th grade science, chemistry, astronomy, engineering design, STEAM, and computer science in Utah schools. I've won numerous awards as an educator and am a frequent presenter at state and national educator conferences. I am part of the Teachers for Global Classrooms program through the U.S. Department of State and traveled to Indonesia in the summer of 2017 as an education ambassador. I am passionate about STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics); science history; photography; graphic design; 3D animation; and video production. My Spaced-Out Classroom blog is for sharing lessons and activities my students have done in astronomy. The Elements Unearthed project (http://elementsunearthed.com) combines my interests to document the discovery, history, sources, uses, mining, refining, and hazards of the chemical elements. My third blog site, https://science-creativity.com is to provide resources for teaching creativity through student-created digital media projects in STEM classes.

Searching for Life Beyond

Posted on August 16, 2020 by davidvblack

New Haven School, where I teach science, is a residential treatment center for girls who have experienced trauma and other challenges. During the summers, since we can’t send our students home until they have completed their treatment program, we hold … Continue reading →

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Fifty Years Ago

Posted on December 21, 2019 by davidvblack

It was a Sunday afternoon in July and I was nine years old. In my hometown of Deseret, Utah we attended our normal church meetings, going to Sunday School in the morning. Everyone was more excited and restless than usual. … Continue reading →

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Launching the Washington Monument

Posted on October 6, 2019 by davidvblack

Day Five of the Teacher Innovator Institute; Friday, July 19, 2019 Our day today was a bit lighter than the previous days because our evening would be busy. The big celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon … Continue reading →

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Dropping the Moon

Posted on August 19, 2019 by davidvblack

Teacher Innovator Institute Day 4: Thursday, July 18, 2019 On Thursday, July 18, 2019 we were in two locations on the National Mall for our Teacher Innovator Institute. We started in the Museum of Natural History and ended in the … Continue reading →

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At the Udvar-Hazy Center

Posted on August 18, 2019 by davidvblack

Teacher Innovator Institute Day 3: Wed., July 17, 2019 On our third full day of the Teacher Innovator Institute we were at the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center again near Dulles International Airport. We spent the … Continue reading →

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I Spy With My Little Eye

Posted on August 13, 2019 by davidvblack

Day Two of the Teacher Innovator Institute; July 16, 2019 On this, the second full day of our Institute, we were in and around the National Mall in the new International Spy Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. … Continue reading →

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Teacher Innovator Institute

Posted on August 4, 2019 by davidvblack

Monday, July 15, 2019 This was our first official day of the Teacher Innovator Institute in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the National Air and Space Museum. It was held at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, which is … Continue reading →

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A Cruise of Cohorts

Posted on August 4, 2019 by davidvblack

Our second day of the Teacher Innovator Institute (TII) in Washington, D.C was a Sunday and a chance to get acclimated and become acquainted with each other before the actual workshop begins. I walked to the National Cathedral and attended … Continue reading →

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On a New Adventure

Posted on July 14, 2019 by davidvblack

I have been extremely fortunate as a STEAM teacher to experience a number of fun adventures despite being a rather ordinary person. This hasn’t been because of any remarkable talent or skill unless you count dogged persistence as a talent. … Continue reading →

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A Constellation in a Box

Posted on February 28, 2019 by davidvblack

Several weeks ago I wrote up a lesson plan as part of a contest sponsored by ORISE, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Winners of the contest would receive an all-expenses paid trip to the National Science Teachers … Continue reading →

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