6th Grade Students Dive Deep Into the Mysteries of Space Thanks to the Joan and John W. Hillenbrand VISION Fund for Innovation
On February 22nd and March 7th, sixth-grade students in Ripley County were provided with a unique opportunity to explore the wonders of our galaxy. Thanks to a collaborative effort between Oldenburg Academy, Genesis: Pathways to Success, Batesville Memorial Public Library, Drake Planetarium, and Kids Discovery Factory, young minds were ignited with wonder and knowledge.
In this immersive experience, 409 students from Batesville Middle School, Jac-Cen-Del Elementary School, Milan Middle School, South Ripley Elementary School, St. Louis Catholic School, and St. Nicholas Catholic School were transported into the depths of space within the confines of a remarkable 14-foot portable planetarium, courtesy of Drake Planetarium. This celestial sanctuary, held inside the Batesville Memorial Public Library, provided an opportunity for students to increase their academic achievement levels in science concepts.
Inside the portable planetarium, students were greeted by Albert Einstein to explain the fundamentals of a solar eclipse. He educated the students that gravity associated with stars, like our Sun, cause distortions in space. This is what causes planets to orbit our Sun, and moons to orbit planets. The gravitational pull between Earth and the Moon impacts many things on Earth – such as tides. Despite this gravitational force between the Earth and the Moon, the Moon is getting farther away from earth each year at the rate of 4cm. As a result, in a few billion years, solar eclipses will no longer be visible on Earth.
The students also learned that the sun has many layers, but it is the Chromosphere which is seen during an eclipse. Solar eclipses occur twice a year on Earth, but what we will experience on April 8th, a total solar eclipse, is rare due to its totality and due to the location of the Moon and its distance from Earth. A solar eclipse is when the Sun, Moon and, Earth are in perfect alignment with the moon being between the Sun and Earth.
Sixth-grade students have an Indiana Department of Education Science Academic Standard relating to solar eclipses where they learn about the cyclic patterns of lunar phases and the role that the sun and moon play in eclipses. While students are learning about eclipses in the classroom, the portable planetarium allows students to make real-world connections by “experiencing” a solar eclipse. Now, Ripley County’s sixth-grade students will be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to safely view the solar eclipse occurring on April 8th.
Kids Discovery Factory was present for this immersive experience, providing two rooms for enrichment activities. Through these activities, students experienced the captivating soundscape of nature during a total eclipse, engaged with a sound level meter to understand the fluctuations in sound during a celestial event, and drove robots acting as Mars rovers on missions.
“The exploration of space is a thrilling concept that allows students to dream big,” stated Amy Streator, a Communications Professor at Oldenburg Academy. Streator further noted, “Exploring space is the epitome of interdisciplinary learning – it weaves physics, chemistry, math, biology, economics, and political science together as we attempt to understand the mysteries of the universe. I appreciate the collaboration between the Vision Fund and Oldenburg Academy, which is the foundation of this unique experiential learning opportunity just ahead of the Solar Eclipse. This is an example of the power of partnerships.”
This hands-on learning opportunity would not have been possible without the generous support from The Joan and John W. Hillenbrand VISION Fund for Innovation. The VISION Fund for Innovation gives educators from the Batesville Community School Corporation, Oldenburg Academy, or St. Louis School the opportunity to fund a project that directly and positively impacts the environment of a classroom and increases student learning.
