Alexandria, VA – Someday plants could give us food, oxygen, and clean water for our life support systems on Earth and in space, and a showcase of student designs for space greenhouses for NASA has premiered on the Challenger Center for Space Science Education website this month.
In the on-going challenge, introduced by the first Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan last summer, elementary middle and high school students conduct research, design, build and evaluate lunar plant growth chambers using space-flown basil seeds. Students participate in the engineering design process and learn how to conduct a scientific experiment, and can receive national recognition for their efforts on the Challenger Center website.
The Challenger Center student design showcase highlights students engineering solutions submitted by Challenger Learning Centers across the United States. All participating classrooms receive a set of the NASA space-flown basil seeds for their plant growth chambers. Leading up to the NASA Design Challenge, Challenger Center hosted three live interactive web casts with NASA plant scientists and engineers that are archived on the Challenger website. Nearly 5,000 students in elementary, middle and high school participated in the web casts in preparation for their engineering designs.
Due to the popularity of the fall NASA Engineering Design Challenge showcase, a second showcase and series of web casts are scheduled for the spring of 2008. The spring design submissions are due by March 30th. Interested teachers should submit designs to their local Challenger Learning Center by that date, and can visit the national website to participate in upcoming interactive web casts, find classroom resources, and to see the on-line student showcase. To locate a Challenger Learning Center near you, please visit the Challenger Center for Space Science Education website, at www.challenger.org
Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded in 1986 by the families of the astronauts of the space shuttle Challenger 51-L mission. It is dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission. Challenger Learning Center programs at 50 centers around the world continue the crew’s mission of engaging teachers and students in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. Over 25,000 teachers attend professional development workshops each year at Challenger Learning Centers and 400,000 students fly simulated spaceflight missions that inspire them to pursue careers in the fields of science and technology.
Rita Karl, Director of Educational Programs
Challenger Center for Space Science Education, Alexandria, VA
888-683-9740
rkarl@challenger.org
