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Williams Elementary students explore space
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| Members of the “Blazing Boys” WISE crew unload their packs for their overnight stay in their spaceship made of plastic garbage bags. Through the school’s program 24 students simulate a trip to Mars. |
By AUDREY M. MARKS
The flight crews sat in rows Friday with their knees bouncing restlessly as they they waited patiently to begin their 100 million-mile trip into space, without leaving the classroom.
Clad in their flight jumpsuits, two teams of James Williams Elementary students prepared for their 24 hour space mission simulating a trip to Mars through the Williams Interplanetary Space Explorations program.
“It’s our goal that as a WISE astronaut these students will learn math, science, biology, problem-solving and team building skills,” Kimberly Trombitas, WISE director and fifth-grade science teacher said.
Trombitas, who has worked with the program for more than five years, said the simulation helps challenge the students and inspire them.
“We hope they take from this experience an excitement for future possibilities,” Trombitas said.
Williams is one of three elementary schools in the Katy Independent School District that hold space simulations.
After students interested in participating submitted essays, 12 girls forming the “Cosmic Cuties” crew, and 12 boys, the from “Blazing Boys” crew were chosen for nine training sessions that meet weekly.
This year there were only eight weeks of after-school training, due to Hurricane Ike.
To prepare, the students designed and built their own spacecrafts out of plastic garbage bags to house them overnight.
They made their own space helmets with most students using papier mache replicas and backpacks with their names and shuttle name on the back.
Each crew member is tasked with a specific role complete with their own individual responsibilities that range from commander, engineering, medical, communications to researcher.
The program is more than just a slumber party. The crews simulate a space mission and will have to dock with the International Space Station, construct an antenna, relay satellite imagery and conduct experiments throughout the night.
Students also got to moon walk as parents and teachers turned the corner of the gymnasium into an anti-gravity simulation by suspending the students from the ceiling using harnesses.
Behind the scenes, parents rolled in coolers and pillows to prepare for the overnight mission. Parents and teachers from Williams Elementary serve as Command Control.
Ken Human, deputy manager for NASA’s International Space Station Program was the guest speaker for the entire fiftth grade at the WISE astronaut send-off assembly Friday morning.
“This is a great program,” Human said. “You can tell (the students) are really excited.”
Human held a flight readiness review, like NASA does for its launches asking each member of the crew if they were ready for take-off.
Additionally, he gave students a brief presentation about space travel and NASA souvenirs.
Clad in their flight jumpsuits, two teams of James Williams Elementary students prepared for their 24 hour space mission simulating a trip to Mars through the Williams Interplanetary Space Explorations program.
“It’s our goal that as a WISE astronaut these students will learn math, science, biology, problem-solving and team building skills,” Kimberly Trombitas, WISE director and fifth-grade science teacher said.
Trombitas, who has worked with the program for more than five years, said the simulation helps challenge the students and inspire them.
“We hope they take from this experience an excitement for future possibilities,” Trombitas said.
Williams is one of three elementary schools in the Katy Independent School District that hold space simulations.
After students interested in participating submitted essays, 12 girls forming the “Cosmic Cuties” crew, and 12 boys, the from “Blazing Boys” crew were chosen for nine training sessions that meet weekly.
This year there were only eight weeks of after-school training, due to Hurricane Ike.
To prepare, the students designed and built their own spacecrafts out of plastic garbage bags to house them overnight.
They made their own space helmets with most students using papier mache replicas and backpacks with their names and shuttle name on the back.
Each crew member is tasked with a specific role complete with their own individual responsibilities that range from commander, engineering, medical, communications to researcher.
The program is more than just a slumber party. The crews simulate a space mission and will have to dock with the International Space Station, construct an antenna, relay satellite imagery and conduct experiments throughout the night.
Students also got to moon walk as parents and teachers turned the corner of the gymnasium into an anti-gravity simulation by suspending the students from the ceiling using harnesses.
Behind the scenes, parents rolled in coolers and pillows to prepare for the overnight mission. Parents and teachers from Williams Elementary serve as Command Control.
Ken Human, deputy manager for NASA’s International Space Station Program was the guest speaker for the entire fiftth grade at the WISE astronaut send-off assembly Friday morning.
“This is a great program,” Human said. “You can tell (the students) are really excited.”
Human held a flight readiness review, like NASA does for its launches asking each member of the crew if they were ready for take-off.
Additionally, he gave students a brief presentation about space travel and NASA souvenirs.
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