Extending the #MVSpace Experience

Mar 15, 2017 | Have Fun, Highlights, Impact, Maker, Middle School News

IMG_8401Every spring during Interim Term, grade 6 explores space on their class tripย to NASAโ€™s Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. See their play by play on Twitter.ย 
For three days, students and their teacher chaperones took part in Space Camp’sย Pathfinder program, which includes a simulated space mission, rocket building, and realistic astronaut simulators.
The Mount Vernon mission teams trained extensively for a shuttle mission and explored space history, both of which are aligned closely with theirย Earth Science curriculum.
Our newly minted astronauts built their own rockets while there, but unfortunately, inclement weather precluded the rocket launch during camp, so upon their return to campus the mission teams regrouped for a launch on the Glenn Campus green. Grade 6 science teacher Susan Oltman shares, “We were able to turn the bad weather in Huntsville into the perfect recap to the Space Science unit that students did not want to end. The kids had a big decision whether to keep their rocket or launch it, and thereby risk losing their space camp memento in a tree or perhaps an explosion! The teamwork of the whole grade makes an activity like this a success!”
Leading up to the Space Camp trip, students learned a great deal about the space program Mrs. Oltman.ย Not only does she have an inherent interest in space, but has received extensive experience and training with NASA as well:
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Mission Teams:
Team Capella, Team Vega, Team Sirius, Team Arcturus, Team Armstrong, Team Bluford, Team Bolden, Team AldrinC52G1dxXMAEqMJX C52HS2OXEAIyFwP C52If3gWMAEIWq5 C52ImtRXEAEcCd_ C52JQRsWAAEBznV C52KzcfXEAIgev9 C52Ky7JWAAIvkl2 C52Ky6YXQAM3QEB C52Ky6VWgAAwYZh C52Ky6fXMAAeETy C52RzGSWAAk9RGg