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Dr. Molly Nipper

STEM Teacher, SEEC Crew, Space Foundation Teacher Liaison
Spring Branch ISD- Bendwood School

Dr. Molly Nipper is a 17 years teacher veteran.  She currently teaches STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) at Bendwood School for 3rd-5th grade gifted & talented students. Her curriculum focuses on best practices, inquiry-based, and project-based instructions. The curriculum stimulates intellectual development, creativity, self-reliance, and social responsibility. Teaching strategies that include differentiation and social & emotional development are used to meet the needs of gifted learners.  In science, students will discover and apply physics principles as they study engineering in elementary school! Students will integrate technology daily to enrich their lessons. Students will use critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and teamwork to complete individual and group projects as they incorporate the Engineering Design Process. To apply mathematics skills, students will learn to calculate physics math problems. Students investigate the exploration of space. Past, present, and future space missions to the Moon and Mars. 

Molly just received her doctorate degree in Executive Educational Leadership at Houston Baptist University. She received her Masters of Science teaching degree in 2010 in Physics & Astronomy at Rice University where she had the opportunity to develop her love and passion for space science. Molly received her undergraduate degree in 1994 at the University of Houston with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Biology.
Molly's teaching experience includes fourteen years in the public schools in which she has taught 7th grade Science at Hodges Bend Middle School, high school Physics at Memorial High School, and 3rd-5th grade gifted & talented students STEM at Bendwood School. 


 As Rice alumni and a life-long learner, she has participated in several Rice Office of STEM Engagement Programs:

Noyce Texas Leadership Initiative for Inquiry Science Teaching (NLIIST)
ConocoPhillips-Rice Applied Mathematics Program (AMP!)
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers (RET)
ConocoPhillips-Rice Elementary Model STEM Lab (REMSL)
Rice Excellence Secondary Science Teaching (RESST)
 
As an active participant with the NASA educators program, she is a part of:

Space Exploration Educators Crew (SEEC) 2020
Space Exploration Educators Conference Presenter -2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
NASA LiftOff Alumni- 2019, 2016, 2014
Space Foundation Teacher Liaison- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
NASA Network of States Educator- 2017
MAVEN Educator Ambassador- 2014
Heliophysics Educator Ambassador- 2009
 
Special recognition:
Bendwood School Teacher of the Year 2015

https://sbisd.itslearning.com/nipper/about/

https://sites.google.com/springbranchisd.com/tliistnippermolly/home

 

Featured articles:

Presenting Mars Lesson

NASA Veggies in Space Program

Former astronaut visits Bendwood School

NASA Engineer Inspires SPIRAL Students

Be Limitless

Honeywell Educator @Space Academy

Mission to Mars

Prepare for LiftOff!

Apollo 13 Astronaut Fred Haise

Campus Teacher of the Year 2015

 

 

 

Sessions in which Dr. Molly Nipper attends

Wednesday 5 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
Exoplanets in Our Backyard
1 hour, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Presentation

Our generation is the first in human history to travel to other worlds. With the help of robots, we’ve seen the lava plains of Venus, the fire f...

Thursday 6 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Keynote Session- Thursday
1 hour 30 minutes, 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

 Mike Kincaid oversees strategic direction and leadership of NASA’s STEM engagement function,...
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
NASA’s Target Mars: Introduction to Engineering Design for Middle School Students
1 hour 30 minutes, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Boardroom

Session

LTC John Wilson III, NSPACE (Participant)

John Davis, NSPACE (Participant)

It’s All About Timing! NASA’s Mars 2020 is set to launch this year in preparation for the first humans to step foot on Ma...
11:30 AM
11:30 AM
Lunch 1 Thursday
1 hour, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronaut Gallery - Lunch 1

12:45 PM
12:45 PM
The ARISS Education Proposal Process: How to Talk to an Astronaut LIVE with your Students!
45 minutes, 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 2

Session

Melissa Pore, Bishop O'Connell High School (Participant)

Participants will learn how to submit a competitive proposal to allow their students an experience to talk to an astronau...
1:45 PM
1:45 PM
Engineering Our Ride to the Moon
1 hour 30 minutes, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Silvermoon

Session

Patricia Moore, NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (Participant)

Eduardo Lopez, SLS (Participant)

katie gonzalez, The Boeing Company (Participant)

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will carry humans to the Moon and on to Mars. Meet rocket propulsion experts fro...
3:45 PM
3:45 PM
SEEC Crew Session one
1 hour 30 minutes, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Mission Briefing Center

Session

Phyllis Friello, Space Center Houston (Participant)

Daniel Newmyer, Space Center Houston (Participant)

SEEC’s Space Educator Expedition Crew brings together exemplary educators from around the world to collaborate and further the mission of space ...
5:15 PM
5:15 PM
Networking Reception
1 hour 44 minutes, 5:16 PM - 7:00 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronuat Gallery

Reception

Join the ISS National Lab for an evening of networking and learning we will be hosting a free reception to showcase our partners in the...

Friday 7 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Keynote- Friday
1 hour, 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

Lara KearneyDeputy Program Manager, Gateway Program Kearney serves as Gateway Deputy Progra...
9:30 AM
9:30 AM
The TEAM in STEAM
1 hour 30 minutes, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 2

Session

Lauren Taylor, The Kinkaid School (Participant)

Michael Vu, The Kinkaid School (Participant)

Krissy Venosdale, The Kinkaid School (Participant)

This engaging, hands-on workshop will share practical, integrative ways to collaborate with members of the "STEAM TEAM" o...
11:15 AM
11:15 AM
SEEC Crew work session
45 minutes, 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Silvermoon

Session

Phyllis Friello, Space Center Houston (Participant)

Daniel Newmyer, Space Center Houston (Participant)

SEEC Crew: SEEC’s Space Educator Expedition Crew brings together exemplary educators from around the world to collaborate and further the missio...
12:00 PM
12:00 PM
Lunch 2 Friday
1 hour, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronaut Gallery- Lunch 2

1:15 PM
1:15 PM
Protecting Astronauts in Space - Are You Up To The Challenge?
1 hour 30 minutes, 1:15 PM - 2:45 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Boardroom

Session

Jakarda Varnado, NASA Johnson Space Center (Participant)

Michael McGlone, NASA/NSPACE (Participant)

We are going forward to the Moon and on to Mars! Help design innovative garments to protect astronauts from the hazards ...
3:15 PM
3:15 PM
Space Helmets You Can Build
1 hour 30 minutes, 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 4

Session

Eryn Beisner, KBR (Participant)

Diego Martinez, Delphian Schools (Participant)

Students want to learn science, especially if it helps them build a space helmet. Learn vital things to teach before buil...
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
SEEC Banquet
4 hours, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Signup required

Saturday 8 February, 2020

Time Zone: (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
8:00 AM
8:00 AM
Poster/Networking session
30 minutes, 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronuat Gallery

Session

Meet the SEEC regional crew member and learn about further STEM resources and opportunity.In addition, we know that many of yo...
8:45 AM
8:45 AM
Space Center University Flight Operations Mission 
45 minutes, 8:45 AM - 9:30 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Silvermoon

Session

Tamara Cougar, Boeing (Participant)

Kaci Heins, Space Center Houston (Participant)

Rachael Stephenson, Space Center University (Participant)

The Foundations of Mission Operations instill a culture of leadership that is unwavering in the highly stressful work that...
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
Back to the Future - To the Moon
1 hour 30 minutes, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 4

Session

Mrs. Linda Frantz, Putnam City Schools (Participant)

Dr. Robert Frantz DMed, MS, BSEE, Franklin Gray Patents (Participant)

Go Back to the Future as participants learn more about why NASA is planning to go back to the Moon in order to reach Mars...
11:30 AM
11:30 AM
Lunch 1 Saturday
1 hour, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Astronaut Gallery - Lunch 1

12:45 PM
12:45 PM
Building an Aerospace S.T.E.M. program in a Turnaround Elementary School
45 minutes, 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Boardroom

Session

Ronald Ben, Wesley Elementary (Participant)

Discover some key elements to consider in building an Elementary Aerospace S.T.E.M themed campus. Come learn about the b...
1:45 PM
1:45 PM
Animate Your Space!
1 hour 30 minutes, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Learning Innovation Center- Lab 2

Session

Sharon Rigsby, Murry J Frank Planetarium, Beaumont ISD (Participant)

Lisa Stewart, SEEC CREW (Participant)

Use Animation Studio and StopMotion to create short animations of Earth/Space concepts and models. Backdrops, props, and ...
3:30 PM
3:30 PM
Keynote- Saturday
1 hour, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Signup required

Space Center Houston (Hosting of all events take place on-line-virtually) - Space Center Theater

Keynote

Holly Ridings She is a mechanical engineer and the first woman to be chief flight director. She leads the elite gro...