I have been on at least three space
missions with my sixth grade class. No, I'm not an astronaut, and no,
(sadly) I am not Ms. Frizzle. We have been able to
join up with the International Space Station (ISS) via the Sally Ride EarthKAM program on several different occasions. EarthKAM, or Earth
Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students, is
an educational outreach program provided by Sally Ride Science.
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| An Earth image requested by my 6th grade. Sally Ride EarthKAM 2012 |
Through EarthKAM students are able
to request images of Earth from the ISS. These images are used to
engage students in science, geography, math and much more. EarthKAM
is a project created by Dr. Sally Ride, America's first woman in
space. When Dr. Ride developed the program in 1995 it was named
KidSat. The KidSat camera rode on three shuttle flights to test its
abilities. In 1998 the program was renamed EarthKAM and the camera
took two more shuttle trips before it moved to the ISS in 2001. When
Sally Ride passed away in 2012 the program was renamed once again-
Sally Ride EarthKAM. The EarthKAM camera is a permanent fixture on
the ISS and makes about four missions each year. During these
missions teachers and students are invited to join and make image
requests.
EarthKAM is a wonderful program
for many reasons. It is available to schools free of charge and the
only necessary technology requirements are the internet and devices
to open the website. Students are empowered and feel a sense of
ownership when they request an image and see that the crew of the ISS
took an image of Earth for them. A variety of learning opportunities
may arise from taking part in a mission. These opportunities could
include, but are certainly not limited to: further investigations of
space and the ISS, learning Earth's geography through images, using
mathematics to determine when and where the ISS will be when
requesting an image, or understanding the size and scale of an Earth
image, developing communication skills by writing to astronauts and
exploring female scientists or careers in astronomy, etc. There are
activities available on the
website to help prepare and enrich the classroom experience of
EarthKAM.
In my classroom we've used
EarthKAM as part of the Astronomy unit. Studying about the ISS allows
students to see that space exploration is real and current. We
request images through EarthKAM, view and share them with one another
when we receive them. Learning is extended by using Google Earth to understand location and scale. We
discuss cloud and snow cover and how that impacts the image. This is
a great extension of our participation in the NASA S'COOL program the previous year in
fifth grade. We also gain a better understanding of what it means to
be in "low Earth orbit". There are many other ways this
program and the images it takes from space can be used across the
curriculum or through integrated projects.
You, too, can be part of a space
mission. The next EarthKAM mission is scheduled for January 27th-30th
2015. To participate in this mission, just sign your class up at the
Sally Ride EarthKAM website. It is well
worth the effort! I would love to hear about your experiences with
the Sally Ride EarthKAM project. Comment below, or send me an e-mail
at: shareitscience@gmail.com
Resources:
- Sally Ride EarthKAM
- NASA Teach Station: International Space Station Education
- Google Earth
- NASA S'COOL
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