Teachers to Explore Microgravity

April 28, 2010—Imagine proposing, designing, fabricating and evaluating an experiment that your teacher will fly in a reduced gravity environment. High school students in seven states won’t have to imagine. NASA and the National Science Teachers Association have selected high school teachers from Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Missouri, New York, North Carolina and Washington to fly an experiment in microgravity. The overall experience will include scientific research, hands-on design, and test operations aboard a modified Boeing 727 jetliner. Zero-Gravity Corp. will conduct the flights the week of July 29 to August 7 in cooperation with NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The teams selected to participate are: § Delaware Agriscience Teachers, Middletown High School, Middletown, Delaware § Dover High School/Capital School District in Dover, Delaware § A team of Einstein Fellows, who are teachers spending a year in Washington at a congressional office or a federal agency § Fairport High School/Fairport Central School District in Fairport, New York § Fulton High School in Fulton, Missouri. § Greensboro Day School in Greensboro, North Carolina § Jackson High School in Jackson, Missouri § Jefferson County Public Schools and Trussville City Schools/Hewitt Trussville High School in Homewood, Alabama, and the University of Alabama, Birmingham § Muscogee County School District in Columbus, Georgia § New Deal High School/New Deal Independent School District in New Deal, Texas § Northbrook High School/Spring Branch Independent School District in Houston, Texas § Van Alstyne High School/Van Alstyne Independent School District in Van Alstyne, Texas Teachers and students will share their experiences and research in a series of interactive Web seminars after the flight week. “This is a unique way to engage students and teachers in hands-on science, as well as give them a ride of a lifetime,” said Susan White, director of Education at Johnson Space Center. “Our goal is for that excitement to be carried into the classroom.”

Selected high school teachers will be able to fly an experiment in microgravity, in hopes of engaging their students in science, math, engineering and technology back in the classroom. Photo credit: Zero-Gravity Corp.

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