Seven Minutes of Terror !

In November of last year, scientists launched the Mars Science Laboratory which will touch down on the surface of Mars at 12:30 CDT on August 6^th – (really late Sunday nite).  The lab is a roving vehicle called Curiosity and its mission is to perform experiments to unlock the history of Mars.  Curiosity will take samples of soil, rock, and the Martian atmosphere.  The record of the planet’s climate and geology is literally recorded in the rocks and soil.

So what is the “7 minutes of terror?  The spacecraft’s final descent to Mars takes seven minutes but it takes fourteen minutes for a radio signal to travel from Mars to the earth.  By the time that scientists receive a message from Curiosity, it will have already safely arrived or have crashed on Mars seven minutes earlier.

Check out this video to see how Curiosity will descend to the surface of Mars.

Curiosity Rover

EARN A REWARD!

Walk into class on the first day of school with written answers to these questions and earn a reward!   (This opportunity is open to all current and former students of Mrs D.)

• What is the name of the crater where Curiosity will land?
• What is the mass of Curiosity?
• Where was the Mars Science Laboratory launched from?
• Who was the Kansas 6th grader that gave Curiosity its name?

Georgia Aquarium - Awesome

On Saturday, I visited the Georgia Aquarium and it is truly an amazing experience.  Encourage your family to go sometime soon.  This is one of the world's largest aquariums and you'll have an opportunity to view (and sometimes touch) both saltwater and freshwater animals from around the world.  Checkout the links below to learn more!
Georgia Aquarium - YouTube video
Sharks Invade Georgia Aquarium
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM

Never Stop Learning !!

Mrs D just returned from the National Science Teachers Association national conference in Indianapolis.  Thanks very much to Dale County Schools for sponsoring this opportunity!

Science teachers are students too and this conference was a great opportunity to work with scientists and educators from across the country to learn more about science, learn new teaching methods and tools. 

Some highlights of this trip:

• Visit to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis
• Met Bill Nye the Science Guy and learned about his newest venture – The Planetary Society
• Developed programs for Lego robots with other teachers and experts
• Scientists from the Air Force Museum in Ohio taught short course on mechanics of flight
• Learned cool new methods for creating Science notebooks
• Talked with Scientist from Florida State in Tallahassee where they have some of the world’s strongest magnets.  (Hoping he will be able to visit GW Long Elementary!)

Looking forward to sharing new ideas and materials with our 5^th and 6^th grade students!