2013-01-14 - NASA invites Dalton STEM class to pilot program: Jan 14, 2013
Dalton Middle Schoool -- The special STEM class (Teacher: Ms Grimm) with which our fellow (Jon Bossley) works got a invitation to NASA program.
(from The Daily Record, Jan 14 2013)
NASA invites Dalton STEM class to pilot program
By ABBY ARMBRUSTER Staff Writer Published: January 14, 2013 4:00AM
DALTON DISTRICT -- The first semester of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
already made leaps and bounds above Dalton Intermediate School
the guinea pigs for a new project based on work that Grimm's students had done earlier this semester.
"Today, I got an e-mail from NASA asking if our STEM class would pilot a new program for micro-gravity," Grimm said. "They said it's much more technology-based pinwheels, yo-yos and pendulums were in an environment with no gravity. Students worked in groups to write proposals and diagrams discussing how their toy of choice would react in the anti-gravity environment.
Grimm had originally heard of a program through NASA that would allow students to submit their proposals for feedback from NASA engineers and scientists.
When it came time to turn the projects in, however, Grimm was told that the program was cut.
"They said 'We're sorry, that program's been canceled due to lack of funding,'" Grimm said. "They obviously heard it in my voice how disappointed I was."
Someone at NASA asked Grimm to submit the proposals regardless and then were returned with full-page comments from NASA employees.
"Each group has written comments from NASA engineers," Grimm said. "And then we set up a distance learning opportunity with a physicist from NASA who's up in Cleveland. They were able to hear feedback on their projects; they were able to ask their questions. It was awesome."
Grimm said she has not decided where to go from here with the pilot program, but said she was happy to be approached by the company.