As a result of student interest generated by a recent NASA downlink at Johnston Middle School, NASA Explorer Schools educator Lanena Berry reports the school has instituted a Space Explorer’s Club. So far this year, club members have researched the SPHERES satellites on the International Space Station. Students have been introduced to NASA’s website and participated in the NES module, Engineering Design Challenge: Spacecraft Structures (must be logged into the NES Virtual Campus website).
Space Explorer’s Club members now are working with students from Prairie View A&M University to send a weather balloon up 60,000 to 100,000 feet above Earth’s surface to take pictures and atmospheric readings.
The focus of this club is on the research and technology needed to explore space.
Read more about Johnston’s Space Explorer’s Club and link to a video about the downlink at the school in the Other NASA Activities I’ve Done forum in NEON (requires username and password).
Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.
On March 25, 2011 our school in conjunction with Prairie View A&M will test its first balloon. If all goes well, we anticipate actual launch in September, 2011. After careful review of over 50 applications, twenty students have been chosen from Space Explorers Club, Rocket Club, and AVID to participate.
In addition, two of our students have been chosen through NASA Explorer Schools to present their research on “Microbes in Space” at the national symposium in Florida.
Astronaut Shannon Walker is visiting our school May 6, 2011 as a follow up to our downlink with her and Doug Wheelock. We intend to honor her greatly for her contributions made possible through NASA’s educational programs.
I can not extoll enough the impact that NASA’s educational opportunities have had on our kids. I implore you to participate, actively. There is so much out there to tap into.
Lanena Berry