3rd - 4th Grade School Programs
A Challenger Learning Center Micronauts experience is an exploration in science, engineering, and mathematics for your students. It is an interdisciplinary experiences designed specifically for classes that are completing a Solar System unit. The Challenger Learning Center has a Micronauts program for K-2nd grade classes and a program for 3rd-4th grade classes. Each program consists of three components:
| Activity #1 - Athena Simulated Space Mission |
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| Students will take a ride in the CLC Athena spacecraft in a daring attempt to find the best home planet for humans (K-2nd grade) or to track a lost satellite through the Solar System (3rd-4th grade). | |
| Activity #2 - Discovery Lab |
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| Students will work in pairs as they rotate through several science stations in the CLC Discovery Lab. Science Station topics vary by grade level, but are all directly related to the Illinois Learning Standards. | |
| Activity #3 - Engineering EVA |
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| Students will be challenged to solve a problem posed to them by a CLC instructor. They will have to create and test a prototype for the solution, taking into consideration time, materials, and technology restrictions.
Micronauts is designed to revolutionize elementary school science education through: |
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| Teacher Professional Development |
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| Professional development workshops will equip classroom teachers with knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to prepare students for a CLC Micronauts Mission. | |
| High-Quality Curriculum Materials |
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| Aligned with Illinois Learning Standards, the CLC hands-on curriculum will provide lessons for a complete Solar System classroom unit and MORE! | |
| Culminating Activities at the CLC | |
| The CLC experience will challenge students to apply concepts learned in the classroom as they work together to accomplish their Micronauts Mission. | |
| Package Options |
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| A Micronaut Adventure lasts approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes.Package Options are a way for you to extend your educational experience by visiting the Prairie Aviation Museum and the Illinois State University Planetarium. | |
| Educational Benefits | |
| • In addition to aligning with the Illinois Learning Standards, the Challenger Learning Center experience provides your students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills:Problem solvingCommunicationTechnologeTeamworkInterdisciplinary connections
• Help teachers become better educators by prompting them to use teaching strategies consistent with the National Science Education Standards, thereby moving teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction • Provide professional development opportunities for teachers to give them the confidence and competence to facilitate science and mathematics learning for today’s technology-driven world • Furnish teaching resources that are interactive and interdisciplinary as well as offer programs that are scientifically accurate, fun, and inspiring • Present opportunities for the development of community-based learning that includes teachers, students, and parents • Raises public awareness of the importance of and need for a scientifically literate populace |
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