Space Foundation Offers Wonders of the Universe Courses at Discovery Center

This education update is by Space Foundation Director - Education Bryan DeBates.

What was to be a world premiere Science On a Sphere® (SOS) video event at the Space Foundation lost luster due to the recent government shutdown. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center created a new movie, Water Falls, based on the upcoming GPM or Global Precipitation Measurement mission in which it is to be played specifically on SOS, and chose the Space Foundation Discovery Center's Northrop Grumman Science Center as the location of the world premiere event. Unfortunately, the movie didn't make it; but the Space Foundation's education team was able to conduct an extreme weather workshop for four groups of middle school students on Oct. 9 and 10 based on datasets and activities that the Space Foundation has used in its Meteorology and Space Weather Space Across the Curriculum course.

Seventh and eighth graders from STAR Academy, sixth graders from the Academy for Advanced & Creative Learning as well as sixth graders from Corpus Christi Catholic School attended the workshop and participated in hands-on activities associated with the mission educator lesson plans.

This education excursion highlights the programs available to PreK-12 students along the Front Range at the Space Foundation Discovery Center. The very popular Wonders of the Universe education program uses the six foot diameter SOS globe to bring to life curriculum being taught in the classroom.

Students also get to experience a scavenger hunt through our Discovery Center to view our many artifacts as well as doing a hands-on activity aligned to the SOS presentation.

The Wonders of the Universe courses are grade level specific and aligned to Colorado state education standards.

Currently, all Wonders of the Universe courses are science focused, but planned for the near future are courses aligned to social studies standards. Also, coming soon will be a Space Foundation exclusive Novel on a Sphere which will be aligned to state language arts standards. Read Space Watch for more information about these courses.

For a complete listing of program topics, prices and grade level suggestions, click here, or call 719.576.8000.

The Space Foundation's Discovery Center is located at its world headquarters, 4425 Arrowswest Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

This article is part of Space Watch: November 2013 (Volume: 12, Issue: 11).