No, it’s not a “B” movie. The award-winning Challenger Learning Center-St. Louis provides space education programs for schools, corporations, scouts, community groups and the general public. At the core of the Center are state-of-the-art space simulators, which include an orbiting space station, and a Mission Control center modeled after NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
For those of you not in the St. Louis area — find a Challenger Learning Center near you.
The following email was sent out to the St. Louis homeschool network today:
My name is Betty Smith and I am a past member of WCCHE and HENJC. Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Challenger Learning Center in St. Louis.
Here’s their mission: To ignite lifelong interest in science, engineering, math and technology through simulated space missions and space science programs.
Missions are 2 hours and have pre- and post-visit activities. Participants are assigned various jobs, similar to those of NASA astronauts, scientists and engineers. There’s a brief orientation; groups are split in half with one half “launching” into space to perform experiments, etc. The other half of the group works in Mission Control monitoring/guiding the astronauts’ activities.
They are set up for Grades K-4 (Micronauts in Orbit mission); Grades 5-8 (Voyage to Mars, Rendezvous with a Comet, or Return to the Moon).
They have a program for Scout groups (Girl Scout Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Sr Girl Scouts, Bear Scouts, Webelos, and Boy Scouts) allowing the scouts to earn their space-related badges.
While there, I spoke with Heidi Lung, Lead Flight Director, and she said that she would love to work with homeschool groups because the afternoon session (2 p.m. – 4 p.m.) is lightly attended. Most schools attend the morning session (9 a.m. – 11 a.m.).
Visit their website for more info.
Here’s Heidi’s contact info:heidi@clcstlouis.org, 314.524.3490 ext. 103
Challenger Learning Center
205 Brotherton Lane
St. Louis, MO 63135Have a great school year!
Betty Smith
Leave a Reply