Jennifer Donais, a math coach at Silver Hill Elementary School, has just returned from a stellar stint at Space Camp. The weeklong program featuring NASA-inspired curriculum that adheres to national science education standards took place at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. and is a special training program for teachers hoping to expand their school’s science curriculum.
Jennifer Donais (Courtesy photograph)
Donais and a team of teachers from across the country became students for the week, learning about the space program and how to teach critical thinking skills any future astronauts may require. They also engaged in more unconventional lessons where they underwent space training as though they were authentic astronauts.
Calling her trip a “once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Donais told WHAV she looks forward to bringing the lessons learned back to Haverhill in an effort to provide a global STEM perspective for all students.
Many of the hands-on tasks Donais took part in can translate for her Silver Hill STEM students, she told WHAV.
One of the activities she was especially impressed by was a new variant on the classic egg drop. Sums up Donais: “We got a lesson plan on heat transfer and an activity for students to make a heat shield for an egg,” she said, adding that the plan involves students measuring the temperature of the egg and doing conversions from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
As Donais tells WHAV, the program allowed her to take a step back and realize the possibilities available to both STEM students and educators.
Says the math coach: “Space Camp teaches about perseverance and collaboration skills which we want to give to all students in Haverhill Public Schools. If we want to bring 21st century skills to Haverhill, this is one step in the right direction that not only helps to bring STEM skills but a global perspective back to students.”