In a statement they made back in early November, the Caps announced they would take part in an NHL and NHLPA innovative to expand STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) teaching to relate to real life situations, using hockey as an example. This program is a great idea. When I was 3 or 4 years old, I learned numbers by reading them off of the backs of Caps jerseys when I went to games with my grandparents. I also learned the calendar by memorizing the Caps schedule. As someone who is thinking about majoring in the STEM field, I am very excited to see how this plays out in the future. Looking forward to a new semester and a new way of learning.
Full statement from the Caps:
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have announced the addition of Future Goals – Hockey Scholar within the Caps in School program for the 2015-16 season. Hockey Scholar is an online course that brings science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts to life through the game of hockey. The course combines cutting-edge instructional design with scientific method-based games to build student’s confidence, mastery and excitement around critical STEM topics.
The new initiative aligns to fifth- through seventh-grade math and science standards and is now available to all Caps in School teachers in conjunction with the 2015-16 school year. The Caps in School curriculum also incorporates the sport of hockey and the Washington Capitals into lesson plans for first-through fourth grade students.
“The Caps are clearly committed to helping kids get excited about learning,” said Jeanette Edelstein, who creates content for the Caps in School program. “Our approach incorporates video highlights, images, player stats and more to build engaging, academically-relevant resources for teachers and students. We make it fun to learn about things like angles, friction, vocabulary or the importance of teamwork by linking the content to hockey and our Washington Capitals.”
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced the launch of Hockey ScholarTM earlier this season as a new hockey-themed STEM education course that is part of the NHL & NHLPA Future GoalsTM Program. Since its launch in September 2014, Future Goals™ has reached more than 375,000 students throughout the United States and Canada across 3,500 schools, generating more than 1.5 million hours of STEM learning opportunities.
Hockey Scholar is developed in accordance with state math and science standards, as well as the national U.S. NGSS and CCSS Math standards. The course is available to elementary and middle schools across North America for free. It was developed by Washington, D.C.-based EverFi, the critical skills education leader that has certified more than 12 million learners.
In conjunction with Hockey Scholar, the Washington Capitals are creating the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Teacher Advisory Committee, which will be comprised of sports-minded educators and leaders with the goal of establishing a hockey-based curriculum for the Caps in School program. The committee members will review current education plans and guide future curriculum development.
For questions or further information regarding the Caps in School program please email [email protected]. To receive monthly emails from the Caps in School team, go to capsinschool.com and fill out the form.
To apply for the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Teacher Advisory Committee, complete the application to be eligible for participation.
More information on Future Goals can be found at futuregoals.nhl.com. To watch a video about the program, click here.
