Asombro Is “Camping” This Summer
By Stephanie Bestelmeyer
We love summer! This is the season for Asombro staff to create new lessons, update existing lessons, restock supplies, and organize the office. But before we get to all of that, Asombro staff first gets to go to camp.
For the fourth year in a row, Asombro is partnering with theChallenger Learning Center of Las Cruceson a series of summer space camps for local kids. We love collaborating with Challenger Learning Center educators and figuring out new and exciting ways to adapt our lessons to the theme of space.
Camps got off to a great start on May 29 and May 30 with programs celebrating the 50thanniversary of the moon landing. Ryan, Dakota, and Thomas (our volunteer who used to be a student in these camps!) helped thirty-two kindergarten through 2ndgrade students use science to learn about the moon. The young scientists received the challenge of trying to grow food on the moon. As they tested the nutrients of “moon soil” and investigated the insulating power of various materials, they asked great questions, used scientific equipment, and experienced the wonder of science.
Our camping adventures continue throughout June. We’ll host a camp for 6th-8thgraders that celebrates our moon and other fascinating moons in our solar system. Of course, we can’t help but bring data into our middle school programs, so students will complete the first ever Moon Data Jam. We can’t wait to see what kinds of songs, physical models, stories, and videos students will create using moon data. They’ll learn about soil texture and other land characteristics and then use the LandPKS appto analyze the suitability of different parts of the planet for various land uses.
Third, fourth, and fifth graders will participate in two additional camps, with activities centered on NASA’s theme: From the Moon to Mars. Check out this inspiring videofor more information.
In the Challenger Learning Center / Asombro camp, our young scientists will face the challenge of growing food, this time on Mars. Then they’ll design a hydroponic system and create a marketing pitch to get NASA to choose their design.
We love partnering with the Challenger Learning Center to teach at the summer space camps. It’s just another way for us to spark wonder about science for local kids.