NASA Chemical Engineer Kicks off Fifth Grade Mars Unit

This week, the fifth grade classes enjoyed a special visit from Mrs. Annie Meier, a chemical engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. This is the second annual visit from NASA as part of the fifth grade’s Astronomy and Space Science unit; where students are learning the basics of astronomy while studying similarities between Earth and Mars.

Students eagerly hung on every word emparted by the guest, and she was quick to use the opportunity to urge them to think BIG, work hard and follow their dreams. Using her own story as an example, Mrs. Meier said she never thought she could work for NASA because she was the granddaughter of an immigrant to the U.S. who collected trash. But after hearing stories about trash collection and barges for years, and learning about the harm people were causing to the environment, she became a chemical engineer who specializes in converting the trash and waste created during a space mission into fuel.

Mrs. Meier specifically described her experience and participation in the 120-day HI-SEAS (Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation) program. HI-SEAS is a habitat on an isolated Mars-like site on the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii's Big island. The location offers not only physical isolation, such that astronauts experience, but also geological similarity to the surface of Mars. She shared many photographs of the simulated spacewalks and highlighted her study on NASA’s possible plans to turn trash and waste into fuel, water and breathable oxygen during deep space travel. Additionally, she highlighted the design of the habitat and shared the psychological factors and effects of being isolated from the world for an extended period of time. Finally, Mrs. Meier highlighted many more challenges that astronauts will have to understand and solve as NASA plans to explore the red planet in the future.

Later this trimester, the unit will culminate in two major project-based activities. First, a science class debate discussing the question, “Should human being's plan to travel to and live on Mars?” and second, a cross-curricular STEM project in which students will plan, design and construct a simulated virtual Mars colony using Minecraft software. Look for more information on these projects in future articles.

Did you know Adrianne Finley Odell, Assistant Head of School, recently participated in the Astronaut Training Experience at the Kennedy Space Center? Read her story here.

Catch a video clip from Mrs. Meier, our fifth grade visitor on our Facebook page.

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