Just like area youngsters, the Great Lakes Aerospace Science and Education Center (GLASEC) at Spaceport Sheboygan is going “back to school.” Based on the tremendous hands-on learning experience created last May, the Spaceport team will be hosting another program in early October.
In May 2008, over 850 elementary and middle school students from Sheboygan and Manitowoc counties and from the Milwaukee Public Schools attended half-day classes tailored to their grade level presented by educators from the Kansas Cosmosphere. In addition to the academic components of the classes, the Cosmosphere team brought artifacts from the U.S. and Russian space programs, and “Dr. Goddard’s Lab,” a hands-on theatrical program with demonstrations that highlight the early liquid-fueled experiments of the father of modern rocketry, Dr. Robert Goddard. And one of the highlights of the week was the presentation made by two retired NASA astronauts: former Air Force Colonel Mark Lee and retired Navy Captain Winston Scott, talked of their weeks in space, and the tens of hours they have spent floating outside of the space shuttle and repairing satellites.

“This isn’t just a half-day at a museum,” said Gary Dulmes, a member of the Spaceport Sheboygan Board of Directors”We gave each student a science pre-test before their class, and then gave them a second test at the end of the day. There was a 100% increase in their test scores. Not bad for just one day! Think of how this place of interactive learning could affect the science grades and interests of kids all over the upper-Midwest if Spaceport Sheboygan were open year-round!”
Thirty two local companies sponsored various elements of the week to fund the content and to understand the impact that Spaceport Sheboygan could have on supporting teachers as they strive to keep kids interested in science and math. In addition to the daily classes, there was an evening open house that 400 local families attended to experience the educational and fun elements of the Spaceport. There was even a public screening of “In the Shadow of the Moon,” the British documentary on the Apollo program on the large screen at the armory.

The program for this fall will be very similar. The topics will include “Living in Space” and the technological challenges that presents, and “Robot Scouts,” which explores the science behind designing, engineering, and operating robots to do the earliest, most dangerous exploring. During these classes, kids will study the effects of microgravity on human physiology, the principles of aerodynamics and stability, and the technology behind robots and spacesuits. The biggest change for this fall will be the addition of evening session so more local teachers and interested families can attend.

“Our May classes had such an impact. We heard from so many educators and students in the weeks afterward about the enthusiasm they took back to the classroom,” said Karen Huston, Spaceport Sheboygan’s Director of Development. “This will be another chance to spread the word of the city’s vision for Spaceport Sheboygan to another 1,000 families from across Wisconsin. It will be a chance to get 1,000 more kids to experience science in a ‘Wow!’ sort of way. It will be a chance for teachers from all over the state to learn about what an ally they would have in Spaceport Sheboygan for bringing science alive to their students.”