Events

STEAM Author Visit (Oct. 10th)

Author Sue Fliess will zoom call with classes to discuss her books on space travel, science and the environment. Books she'll be discussing with students:

• The Earth Gives More (First Grade)

• The Beauty and the Beaker (Kindergarten)

• Zoologists on the Trail & Astronauts on the Space Station (Third Grade).

If you would like to help your child(ren) learn more about their stewardship, please look at this wonderful book our school librarian Ms. Chambion put together. 

Learn more about Sue Fliess here: www.suefliess.com

Rock Painting for New Space Garden (Oct. 7-11th)

Students will have the opportunity to visit the library to see a short video on the Moon Tree Program, and then paint their own rock with glow-in-the-dark paint and paint pens to add to the upcoming Space Garden. This will help each student form a personal connection with the garden that will house our Giant Sequoia Moon Tree. 

Mars Planetarium (Oct. 14th)

Students will have the opportunity to explore the wonders of the universe in a portable Mars Planetarium! The MARS Planetarium offers interactive and meaningful science learning opportunities to everyone. It brings together passion, science, and technology to immerse people in the universe in a way they never have before. An inflatable dome, Pathfinder, provides a live, interactive astronomy experience for students of all ages and knowledge levels. 

Space-Themed Dress Up Day (Oct. 14th)

This is the day to lean into the space theme! Wear your favorite space themed clothing including references to stars, the moon, the universe, NASA, space travel, etc. They can even come in flight suits or astronaut suits. In addition, PTA will be providing stickers, stick on rhinestones, and temporary tattoos to make sure all kids have something fun to wear for space day! 

Space Ice Cream Testing (At lunchtime!)  (Oct. 14th at lunch time)

After students finish their nutritious lunches, they will be invited to try Space Ice Cream -- a true passage of childhood, is to experience the interesting flavors and texture. What better day to try it, than space day?! 

Fun Fact: Space ice cream never actually made it into space! It turns out the crumbly texture is terrible to fly around sensitive equipment. So just like our students, they ideated, blueprinted, tested, and learned they needed to go in a different direction if they wanted to treat our astronauts after their lunches in space!  

Educational Speakers (Oct. 14th)

During the Moon Tree Ceremony on October 14th, several educational speakers will be speaking with students both in person and via ZOOM/video. 

• Paul Propster - NASA's JPL (in person): Since 2014, Paul has been the resident “storytelling architect” and strategist for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab’s Office of Formulation. He has led the capture of an Earth mission, a Heliopyhsics (Sun) mission, and an Astrophysics (Universe) mission. In 2019, Paul established JPL’s first “story accelerator” – StoryLab - to help the amazing humans at NASA/JPL engage diverse audiences.

• Dr. Gary H. Kitmacher - NASA Communications and Education (ZOOM): Gary H. Kitmacher has worked for NASA for 45 years primarily in the area of crew compartment management. He has served as a subsystem manager on the International Space Station and Space Shuttle. He was critical in establishing the requirements and design of the Space Station cupola, modules, nodes, racks and systems. He led the redesign of the Russian Priroda module of the Mir Orbital Station. He designed, developed and established the stowage and crew support computer system used on Mir and ISS. He negotiated the international agreements and contracts for implementation the joint US/Russian program. Kitmacher led lunar and Mars mission design. He has worked extensively at several NASA centers, including Headquarters in Washington, Marshall in Alabama and Kennedy in Florida. He worked extensively in Russia and in Kazakhstan at Baikonur. He served as the speech writer for the ISS Program Manager and the Associate Administrator for Space Operations. He was Chairman of the ISS Communications and Education Working Group. He has written several books and textbooks. He has won a number of awards including the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. He holds BS, MBA and PhD degrees.  

• Chantelle Baier - Founder of 4SPACE (in person): Chantelle Baier, founded 4SPACE, which is a space company that builds payloads and fun things to be flown in space! She also has the first Woman-Owned company to land on the Moon. For The NASA Moon Tree Ceremony Chantelle will be speaking about Growing the LOVE of Space. She will talk about how the first Art Gallery on the Moon came to be, and hopes to inspire kids to dream up what they would want to build on the Moon. Chantelle’s next mission will reveal the first garden on the Moon, and she will speak about the fun plants that we can grow on the Moon and how these plants can help future Astronauts travelling to the Moon.

• Eiman Jahangir - Astronaut (special video message): Eiman is the first Iranian American man to go to space, the first physician on a commercial launch, and only the third cardiologist to ever go to space. He was selected from more than 2,200 applicants to be MoonDAO’s second citizen astronaut and, on Thursday, August 29, 2024, made history as a member of the Blue Origin New Shephard rocket launch. Eiman is an associate professor and practicing cardio-oncology physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A proud graduate of Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet High School in Nashville, he is also the first Metro Nashville Public School alumnus to go to space.

Race to Space Reading Challenge (Nov. 8-30)

The Race to Space Reading Challenge increases literacy and highlights STEAM authors and books that can inspire our students to change the world. We encourage all students to sign up and participate. Students log minutes read from November 8-30 on Beanstack for the chance  to win prizes.

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