Reach for the Stars with Math and Science
by Norma Boakes, New Jersey Teacher

 Just this past year our high school decided to begin a new interdisciplinary math and science program. To begin this program it was decided that a basic skills non-college prep math class would be linked to a similar level general science class. The intention was to show how math and science relate to one another by teaming the two types of classes together for joint projects and lessons.

 When I heard that this was to take place, I chose to help pilot the program. From what I've learned as a math teacher, teaming classes together sounded like a great way to break from the traditional separation of the subjects and instead, explore the rich connections between them. Since it had been quite some time since I had taken a science class like the one I would soon be teamed with I thought it might be a good idea to find a summer program to give me some ideas to use in the classroom.

As fate would have it, the perfect opportunity arose, the NASA Educational Workshop for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teachers (NEWMAST). I had applied and was accepted for this 3-week NASA and National Science Teachers' Association sponsored program that took place at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. While at these NASA sites I gained a wealth of information including lessons I could use in the classroom, projects I could do with my students, and literally pounds of instructional materials that NASA offers free to teachers.  One project in particular was the Space Experiment Module (SEM) program. This program offers schools the chance to fly an experiment on an actual space shuttle mission. Well, how could I resist that kind of opportunity? So while I was at the workshop I wrote a simple experiment proposal to be used in our new interdisciplinary program.

Well, you guessed it, the experiment was accepted for flight. The experiment was broken into two parts entitled "Bubble Lab Adds Science and Technology" (BLAST) and "Silly Putty Longevity and Adaptability Testing" (SPLAT). My idea was to use silly putty and bubble solution to help teach students the scientific process and utilize some of the basic concepts they learn in their classes while working on a real problem situation. So, with the help of NASA, our experiment was accepted to ride on the STS-88 flight of the Endeavour to the International Space Station.

By this time, the school year was under way. I got together with my interdisciplinary colleagues and we proceeded to plan a space unit to work in our BLAST and SPLAT experiments. So, during the school year our classes teamed together to do pre-flight testing, post-flight testing, and analysis of our space experiment. We were even able to work in a trip to Kennedy Space Flight Center for the teachers involved to watch our experiment blast into space and bring a group of students to Wallops Flight Facility in VA to pick up the experiment. BLAST and SPLAT soon grew to be an excellent learning experience for the students. In fact, they loved it. They enjoyed the hands-on nature of the activities and thought doing an experiment about space was "cool".

Fate once again stepped in. While all of this was taking place I received a newsletter from NEWMAST and NASA called the "Orbit". It had in it a reminder that Spaceweek 1999 was coming up in March. Wow, another opportunity appears! With all the interest in our space experiment I figured why not do more with space and it's connection to math and science. So, I decided we should hold a Spaceweek celebration. I had lots of great ideas from my summer experiences at NEWMAST that I could use and my colleagues seemed to really like the idea. Now I had the ideas, but was in need of some funding to get the supplies and equipment we needed. Then it dawned on me, try writing a grant!

After combing through resources I had, I came across a few mini-grants that seemed perfect for what we wanted to do. Well, a few applications later, JACKPOT. I landed two mini-grants to help fund our Spaceweek program. The N.J. Business Industry and Science Consortium and McDonalds corporation awarded us enough money to run a week of space-related events (totaling almost $900). 

 Space Week 1999 turned out to be a great success. Utilizing materials I had gotten from NASA and the World Space Week Association, we ran daily space-related labs. We were even able to borrow actual lunar and meteorite samples from NASA to work with. In addition, some of the grant money was used to bring in an indoor planetarium to the school. The best part of the week was our open house. It was decided in the evening that we would give parents, faculty, students, and the community a chance to see what we were doing in the classroom, learn more about our space experiment, and let students demonstrate what they learned. We also were able to hire an astronomer to come in and hold a stargazing program. 

 I was thrilled that our Space Week program was such a success. I made sure that I wrote reports to each of organizations that funded the program and let them know what was done. In addition, I thought maybe I could get funding for next year's program by filling out the Teacher Award application that World Space Week Association offers. 

 As you already know, to my surprise, I was contacted and told that I was chosen as one of the Space Week Teacher Award recipients. So, I traveled to Houston, Texas to receive a cash grant for my school at an award gala held in honor of the award winners.

 In all, a lot has happened over the past school year. A simple idea blossomed from a single experiment into an all out celebration! Believe it or not, it was easy to do. Yes, even with all the planning and time it took. Why? Because of one common tie among everything we did, the allure of SPACE. It was this amazing topic that motivated me to do more with it. I encourage each of you to do the same. If you don't know how, contact your local NASA site, World Space Week Association, or past participants of World Space Week celebrations. It's well worth the time and effort and can be done in a classroom or school-wide!

Remember…the sky's the limit, but not any more!!!

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