summer sessions for upper elementary and middle school students

A Celebration of Life XXV: To the Moon and Beyond!

Note: All in-person summer programs are cancelled for 2020.

ON-line: To the Moon and Beyond!

A Celebration of Life XXV: To the Moon and Beyond! is now in session, from June 15th until July 31st. During this time frame, your child is challenged to complete at least three activities from our growing list or from the mission pack we will send out. Please share your student’s work via e-mail with Aidan Holmes. (If you have questions, she will work with you to determine the easiest way for you to do so.)

If you complete the mission you will receive a Moon magazine, a button, a certificate, and will be entered into a raffle to win an additional prize. Prizes will be awarded for completion after July 31st.

New activities will be added each week, as related to (1) the moon; (2) the NASA Artemis Program; (3) living in space; (4) STEM careers and training in related areas; and, historic and contemporary STEM professionals of color, including those affiliated with NASA. You are free to do any of these activities at any time throughout the program.

If you have registered a child, please check your email for updates on activities and mission packs!

We are hoping to be able to provide in-person experiences in Fall.

Many thanks to the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, a member institution of the national network of Space Grant Consortia funded by NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, for Special Initiatives Program funding to support these efforts!

For more information, please contact Barbara Bielec or Aidan holmes — thank you!

schedule

MISSION ACTIVITIES

MISSION PACK DETAILS

Additional Space Activities

Activity Book

A NASA activity book that you can color while also learning about the Space Launch System!

Coding Game

Create a video game that lets players explore Mars with a helicopter like the one attached to NASA's Perseverance rover!

Cosmic Art

Use the elements of art to make sense of space and planetary features - dive into the potential of science and art to inspire and empower each other!

Docking Simulation

Pilot the SpaceX Dragon 2 vehicle to the International Space Station using this simulator and familiarize yourself with the actual interface used by NASA Astronauts.

Draw Artemis

Put the "art" in Artemis (NASA's space program to explore the moon) with a guide to draw NASA's Space Launch System rocket.

Moon Phase Book

Create a flip book that allows you to track the moon phases and make observations over the next month!

Parachute Design

Design and build a parachute to successfully land an “egg-stronaut” using the Engineering Design Process from NASA.

Satellite

Take on the role of a chief engineer for an important NASA mission - build your own spacecraft from materials you can find around the home!

Space Musical

This "hip-hopera" uses song and dance to introduce space objects. Watch videos - learn lyrics! Plus: academic, art, fitness and life skills activities exist for each song.

You're An Astronaut

How would you adapt to the challenges and still keep doing important routines, like exercising, learning and making time for fun?

more activity ideas for elementary and middle school students: SCIENCE-AT-HOME

A Celebration of Life backgrounD information

The African American Ethnic Academy and the BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute (BTC Institute), both 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organizations, have collaborated for 25 years to offer A Celebration of Life, a summer science program for upper elementary and middle school students. Open to all students, an important goal of this partnership is to support underrepresented students’ interest in the life sciences and provide them with the tools for success in school.

In addition to developing knowledge and abilities associated with scientific investigations in field and laboratory settings (e.g. formulating and testing hypotheses, utilizing problem-solving skills, learning and demonstrating correct techniques), students are challenged to develop their communication skills (e.g. through teamwork, journals, presentations to parents and family members). They are also encouraged to express and develop their creativity in numerous ways. Information regarding STEM professionals of color throughout history is shared, and role models of color are key players in program activities.