Horace Mann Insurance Awards Educator Scholarship

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jun. 2, 2011) — Jo Ann Davis, mathematics coach at North Middle School in Colorado Springs, has been awarded a scholarship by Horace Mann Insurance to attend a one-week Space Foundation Space Across the Curriculum professional development course this summer. Davis has chosen to attend the Space Foundation rocketry course, to be held the week of June 20 at the Space Foundation Discovery Institute in Colorado Springs.

Horace Mann initiated the scholarship this year specifically for Colorado Springs School District 11 educators.

Space Across the Curriculum teaches educators how to use space themes in the classroom to strengthen students’ science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) interest and skills. Most of these full-day week-long classes are held at the Space Foundation Discovery Institute adjacent to Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy in central Colorado Springs. The classes include activities that can be adapted to various grade levels and are experiential, hands-on and immediately transferable to the classroom. Scholarships are still available for teachers to attend Space Across the Curriculum courses this summer.

The program starts the week of June 13:

June 13-17 Earth Systems Science: Planetary Geology
This course helps educators discover the fascinating processes that form and shape Earth and the other terrestrial planets. Through a variety of guided tours, lesson plans and activities, educators will gather a better prospective of their planet and how it functions.

June 13-17 PreK-2 Early Childhood Space Exploration
Centered on space and science education for early learners, the Space Foundation’s PreK-2 course is designed to provide Early Childhood educators with activities to inspire eager young minds through inquiry-based learning.

June 20-24 Rocketry: Space History
Rockets are an effective way to teach students the fundamental processes of propulsion, Newton’s Laws of Motion and the physics of space travel. The building and construction of a variety of rockets gives educators an experiential approach to teaching an overview of various rocket propulsion concepts.

July 11-15 Astronomy Principles for the Classroom: Exploring our Universe and the Search for Life
Participants will examine the many fascinating aspects of astronomy as it relates to astrobiology and the development of life on Earth, as well as the possible existence of life elsewhere in the universe. The Miller-Urey process and the Drake equation will be investigated as possible theories of how these organisms could exist on other worlds such as Mars, Europa, Enceladus and Titan. The class includes an investigation of extremophile organisms and an evening stargazing and learning to use a planisphere.

July 18-22 Space Technologies in the Classroom: Nanotechnology and Space Spin-Offs
This course will examine the numerous uses of space technologies in our society for the benefit of humankind. Educators will discover the practical applications of orbital mechanics as they explore the everyday uses of satellites. Through field trips and hands-on demonstrations, educators will receive an introduction to space transportation and design, robotics, communications, space power and space structures. Participants will build and explore a variety of space technologies, including constructing their own programmable robots.

To Register
See scholarship and registration information for Space Across the Curriculum classes at: www.SpaceFoundation.org/education or contact the Space Foundation at [email protected].

Free Space Across the Curriculum Class for Pueblo-Area Educators
The Space Foundation is also offering a free professional development class just for educators from the Pueblo, Colo., area. The course will be held on the Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU-Pueblo) campus, June 27-July 1, and is open to Pre-K-12 educators. The course is accredited through CSU-Pueblo Continuing Education Credit, or as part of CSU-Pueblo’s new degree program, Master of Education with an emphasis in Space Studies. To sign up for the Pueblo class, contact the Space Foundation at [email protected].

About the Space Foundation
The Space Foundation is a global, nonprofit organization and the foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry – civil, commercial, military and intelligence. Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is a leader in space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom, and major industry events, including the National Space Symposium, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” An expert in all aspects of the global space industry,the Space Foundation publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indices that track daily performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has field representatives in Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and read about the latest space news and Space Foundation activities in Space Watch.

About Horace Mann
Horace Mann is the largest national multiline insurance company focusing on educators’ financial needs. Horace Mann provides auto and homeowners insurance, retirement annuities, life insurance and other financial solutions. “Founded by Educators for Educators” in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, Ill. For more information, see www.horacemann.com.