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| [PHOTO: JD Hancock/CC BY 2.0] |
Houston: Students from two schools, one in Iowa and the other in New
York, are the winners of the International Space Station (ISS) Science Challenge,
NASA has announced.
Challenge winners
from North Tama Elementary in Traer, Iowa, and Madison Elementary in Massena,
N.Y., are being inspired to learn more about the space station's cutting-edge
research by designing programs to teach others about specific experiments and
what scientists are hoping to learn. This pilot program was created by Darcie
Fregoe and Lisa Chizek, contributing teachers with NASA's Endeavour Science
Teaching Certificate Project. The program is part of the Interdisciplinary
National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience
(INSPIRE).
"I believe it is
my responsibility as a middle school Earth science and astronomy teacher to
educate students about the very valuable contributions ISS science has made in
their lives," Fregoe said. "I want them to get excited about NASA and
the International Space Station, and I want them to start thinking about
possible futures working for NASA."
The participants were
students in grades 5 through 12. Their mission was to review science investigations
performed on the space station and choose one on which to focus. Once they
completed their research, students developed and submitted a project to teach
others about the investigation. Projects included the development and creation
of a Web page, a slide presentation, an audio or video podcast or a written
report.
The winners chose
investigations to highlight in the areas of Earth and space science, biology
and biotechnology, human research, physical science and technology.
Investigations included cell culturing, diagnostic ultrasound, robotics,
treadmill kinematics, soldering in microgravity, Earth observations, combustion
and possible exercise countermeasures for bone and muscle loss.
"The ISS Science
Challenge gives students the opportunity to learn about the research happening
on the ISS in depth," said Dynae Fullwood, Teaching From Space education
specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "It develops the
creative, cognitive and presentation skills of students while producing useful
material for their peers and the public to understand the work of ISS
research."