NASA program visits county schools

Heather Mouser/For the FCT The U.S. Space and Rocket Center held mini space camps Monday at East Franklin Junior High School and Phil Campbell Elementary School. Representatives from the program taught a couple of interactive and educational classes to students in third through eighth grade.

EAST FRANKLIN – It’s not everyday that students are allowed to launch projectiles at school, but East Franklin Junior High School made an exception on Monday when representatives from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center showed up to teach a couple of interactive and educational classes to students in third through eighth grade.
Alex Rennekamp, an educational programs representative with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, said the group taught two different classes: Expedition Living and Stomp Rockets.
“The action reaction rockets are just paper rockets that we show the students how to construct and then launch using a stomp launcher,” Rennekamp said. “The activity teaches the students about basic physics as wells as some forces of flight.
“The second activity was a presentation on expedition living and how astronauts function in space – how they eat, sleep, exercise and work in that kind of environment.
“Through this activity the students learn more principles of physics by seeing how water behaves in space and they learn some biology principles by seeing how the body reacts in space.”
Rennekamp said there’s even some social studies lessons to be learned through information about the International Space Station.
“The kids always seem to have a great time because these are hands-on activities and they present an opportunity to learn by doing.”
Rennekamp said the outreach program they provided to EFJH was made possible through a grant from the Air, Space and Middle Defense Association and the National Space Club.
“We receive these grants for outreach programming from ASMDA every year,” Rennekamp said. “We go to many different schools, but this year we really focused on this area because it was hit so hard by the tornadoes and we knew these children could use a dose of learning and fun all mixed together.”
Rennekamp said the group visited Hackleburg schools and Phil Campbell Elementary School as part of the outreach program as well.
“When we were approached about participating in this program, we jumped right on board,” Principal Scott Wiginton said. “Anytime we can be involved in something that makes learning a fun activity is something we want our students to be involved in.”
Wiginton said the activities the students participated in on Monday would help reinforce the things they were already learning in science and math.
“This is just a great program and we are so thankful our school was given the opportunity to be a part of it.”