Oh the anticipation...

It's 5:56 pm and we are about to have the Space Bowl competition.  This is a chance for each team to shine in showing what they have learned throughout the week.  Expectations are high.  Each team trainer (ie Counselor) has made it known that they want their team to do well.  The students have been reviewing their notebooks' information to be prepared.  I am going in to watch, listen, and, I am sure, learn some things.  I'll report back again later.

Strange Science & More

Typed on my iPad and I see that none of the paragraph indentations show. So be sure to read slowly ;-) Do you know how to get an egg in a bottle without cracking it? And if you do get it in, can you get it out - without cracking it? The kids learned about this in a program called Strange Science. And have you heard of special diapers that our astronauts wear to help them take care of special needs during take-off and landing. NASA even made some super improvements to the product that in turn probably benefited your babies. Space exploration has definitely had some positive effects on the rest of us in a trickle-down kind of way. 3-2-1 Blastoff!!! We launched rockets today. There is a launch pad complete with a blast shield located off to the far side of the campus where students are able to launch the rockets that they constructed yesterday. SO exciting to see these take off. And even more fun to retrieve your rocket - if it didn't go in the trees or across the street from the launch pad. It was a great test of the student's ability to follow directions in the construction of their rockets to see how they would soar. Some were very successful with parachutes deploying as they should, allowing the rockets to land safely back on Earth. I can tell that students are really gathering knowledge about past missions and astronauts because now when they go to one of the simulators, they have to answer a question about them in order to get their turn. What a great way to reinforce what is being taught and to insure that they are paying attention. Missions, Missions, Missions... Students were given their assignments for their missions. They have had their training and some of them have completed their missions. One group still has to complete theirs tomorrow. And right along with that, many of them had a chance to experience what it would feel like to walk on the moon with one-sixth of the gravity of Earth using the one-sixth gravity chair. Competition is always good. Teams were pit (or is it pitted) against each other in Space Camp Olympics. This involved a series of games in which students used team work to accomplish tasks. The team that was most successful won. Teamwork is essential in space travel, so that idea has been reinforced throughout the week. Our video this evening was all about the Hubble telescope. Wow! This is such an inadequate ex claymation for what we saw. I cannot even fathom the distances that were covered and the ideas presented that have been discovered by the Hubble with the pictures that it has been able to send back. Many students will definitely be inspired to go onto study more about space and space travel after watching this. Whew, another busy day. I said goodnight to some very tired students. I am sorry for this late night posting. There have been Internet problems here at the hotel. Till tomorrow ...

    Well, if yesterday was a little slow, today they were all out - full speed ahead with activities first thing in the morning.  They started with a little history of the Space Shuttle.  This was a great follow-up to the movie that we watched last night about the first Space Shuttle flight.
     They had other opportunities to ride the Space Shot and the G-Force, which some would say is their favorite thing to do.
      They had a Mars Mission, which is not open to me.  But this gave them a little insight into what NASA is doing in the space exploration of the planet Mars.  And don't be fooled into thinking that there are no aliens living on Mars.  One student said that he thought that there are aliens and that perhaps they have been hiding in holes any time we have been looking.  Who knows those aliens may be much smarter than we have imagined.
      They had a team photo made today and each student will receive an 8x10 of their team along with their graduation certificate on Friday.
       If you like turning upside down and all around in a gyroscope, then you would have enjoyed the MAT (Multi Axis Trainer).  We had some brave souls try this out. We even had at least one student who didn't think he wanted to do it, but tried it, and even enjoyed himself.  Who knew?  The looks on their faces were priceless.  Some squealed with delight, some with trepidation,  some just for the sake of squealing.  You may have recognized your child in this.  Others took it like a walk in the park.  "Yeah, that was fun."
       On to Rocket Construction...  This is where the students construct their own rockets which they will launch from the launch pad tomorrow.  And we have good weather predicted.  This is always fun.  If they are lucky and their rocket doesn't travel too far, they can retrieve it as a souvenir.  Those that travel "to the Moon" may not make it back.  (Space Camp was only able to provide enough fuel for a one-way flight.)
We'll have to watch and see how well they each followed instructions and carried them out.
      As an aside here - You would be pleased to see how your children have been able to handle things.  And I am always pleased to see how the team trainers allow them to do things for themselves.  This is a huge learning opportunity for the students.
      Each team is asked to draw a patch that represents their team.  They are shown patches from each of the NASA missions of the past as examples.  Then the team votes on one which they will use.  At the end of the week,  an award is given to the team with the best patch.  I can't wait to see what we submitted.
     The Davidson Center houses the Saturn V rocket as well as many other pieces of rocketry and space travel history.  So it makes a perfect place to take the students for some lessons on the history of space travel.  This is one of the examples of their "classes" being taught "on-the-go" and in a setting that makes more sense to the students than our sitting in the classroom at school and reading about it or discussing it.  How much more real can you get than being right there with the space craft that was used to make this history?
     I left the students tonight with an activity in which each team was to design a space suit.  They were given some information about the requirements needed for astronauts to be able to survive in space.  Then they worked together in groups to come up with their own design to be drawn out on grid paper - sort of a "Flat Stanley Goes to Mars" theme.
     For their final activity tonight, they were going to the IMAX theater for a video called Dream is Alive.
 I'm sure that tonight they will fall asleep a little faster.  Some were still testing the system a little last night and they were very excited for their first night out.  But after a full day today, and as much walking as they have done back and forth across this wide campus, I believe they will easily settle in tonight and be glad for the opportunity to be able to put their heads down.
      I hope that everyone has heard from your child by now.  I know that some said that they ran out of time to use the phone last night.  A few said that they had not tried.  I did encourage them all to at least call once so that you could hear their voices.  Everyone seems to be doing well.
     As for me, I'm calling it a night.  I did all of that walking back and forth across campus as well. ;-)

    The students have been very busy this afternoon.  They have gotten their room assignments and taken all goods to their rooms.  Then they spent a little "get-to-know-you" time with their counselors - Jacqueline, James, and Anna - by playing some games and establishing some base rules for the week.
This also allowed them to get some physical activities in with some chase games included.

     I caught up with them again as 2 of the groups were headed over to the G-Force.  This is a simulator that allows you to spin and feel the force of the gravity pushing against you.  Most enjoyed this, but several opted out, concerned that going in circles might not be good for them. ;-)

    The next group came along and rode the Space Shot.  This lets the students experience what it might feel like when the rocket takes off, then drops them down again just as suddenly only to take them back up again.  How exciting!  And what luck, they were there when there were very few others, so the line was short and they were able to ride twice if they wanted.

     I loved the comment from one of the students who said, "I probably won't be back here again.  I've got to try everything."  Great attitude.

     Our team names are:  Cosmos, Explorer, and Mariner.  They are each made up of 13 or 14 students.

    Now I have to apologize.  I have been taking pictures with my camera, but of all the charger cords that I packed, the one I seemed to have forgotten is the camera cord to allow me to download my pictures from the camera.  I am so sorry.  I will add them as soon as I get home.  I know - I can hear you now - but by then my child will be home.  I'll just have to do a good job of telling you all that they have been doing each day.

     I'm off to find them again.  The last activity before going back to their "Habitat" tonight is a movie called "Hail Columbia" in the IMAX theater.

TTFN

We're here!  We arrived safe and sound.  The children have had lunch and have been divided into teams.  While they are putting their belongings into their rooms, I slipped away to give you this update.  FYI  My phone is not one that allows me to post from it, so I will post when I am either in my room or near the camp computer.  No pics yet, but hope to post some tonight.

Some comments made already: "Do you know what we're having for lunch tomorrow?"  "It doesn't matter, I would eat this again.  It's good!"   They especially liked the fact that they could have soft drinks - with refills even.

I am getting so excited and I know that my Space Campers are too.  We leave Monday morning from Rainbow Plaza at 10 AM.  We will arrive, receive orientation and eat lunch.  After that, they will be on their way with a great learning experience.

I look forward to seeing you Monday morning.

Counting Down

I am writing this on Monday afternoon.  I assume that if you found this blog that your child has attended the campers meeting and received important information for his/her preparations for Space Camp. 
They received a packing list to assist them and some information about purchasing Gift Cards so that they do not have to carry cash.  Remember that must be done online prior to our leaving for camp.  They will receive those when they arrive.
The form telling me who will pick up your child is very important.  Please return it to me as soon as you can.  This lets me know who I will be looking for on Friday.  You will need to be sure to sign your child out with me before leaving camp.  This allows me to account for all of my students.