It's been way too long since my last post! With new jobs and graduate school, this passion project took a back seat. I'm happy to say that in December, I earned my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in STEM Education. I've been able to continue to learn about space exploration and teach bits and pieces to my students, but I haven't been sharing with others as much. This year, I was back in the classroom; extremely fortunate to teach STEM and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) to fifth and sixth graders. Like any new mission, it took some training, had its ups and down and at times was quite the ride. I would imagine that teachers across the world would probably identify with at least part of that previous statement, if not all of it. I enjoyed the new challenge and know that I could not have been successful with my supportive crew members, specifically my awesome teaching partner! Environment of ExplorationStudents work through the LAUNCH Cycle, which is a design thinking framework. It is adaptable and a great fit for engineering design challenges. It allows us to not only be consistent with structure, but terminology as well. I love the LAUNCH Cycle for many reasons. It's helpful to use because as an acronym each letter stands for a phase. It's no surprise that I'm a fan of the theme. There is a book to reference and printable resources. You can read more information in this blog post by John Spencer, one of the creators. I chose Martian explorers as my table groups. I designed these in Canva, laminated and attached to colorful yarn. My plan is to create QR codes for students to scan to learn more about their mission. The ISS Above was definitely the centerpiece! I am so thankful to CASIS for the 100 schools grant and Liam Kennedy for creating it. You can write a grant to get one for your classroom. There are so many learning opportunities including; locations on a world map, identifying landforms, determining cloud types, researching biographies of crew members, examining mission patches and watching extravehicular activities (EVAs aka space walks). I was able to get crafty to recreate the motto of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. JPL is the home of the Martian missions. Additional Decor:
NASA has a plethora of amazing photographs, video clips, infographics and mission posters that you can print for your classroom or enhance your lessons with visuals. Recently Updated Pages
Better World Books is a great resource to buy used books in great condition. Many are former library books. For every book you purchase, BWB donates a book to someone in need. Their grants fund literacy, educational nonprofits and libraries. You can donate books and if it is unable to be sold, it is recycled. Shipping is free. They frequently have sales and you can earn points for books you purchase
I'm also thrilled to announce that I'll be heading to Space Camp in a few days!! Peace, love and space exploration
- CAPCOM Conrad
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AuthorApollo 13 fan. Educator. Lifelong Learner. Third generation Boilermaker. Space Exploration Enthusiast. Collaborator. Click Subscribe to stay updated!Archives
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