JACKSON — Attempting to get a handle on the infinite vastness of the cosmos may be a difficult concept for people of any age to deal with.
From the idea that there are a plethora of planets circling an endless number of stars, to the possibility of intelligent life existing on a planet tens of billions of miles away, humanity’s fascination with space tends to bring more questions than answers.
During a recent hour-long presentation at the Elms Elementary School, pupils in grades 3-5 had the opportunity to spend time with Jackson’s own Tom Timko, a NASAsanctioned ambassador.
The assembly — which tackled questions such as “Is Pluto a planet?” or “How fast are the winds on Neptune?” — had students gather in the gymnasium to learn about the solar system through the use of a model in the center of the large room.
For Assistant Principal Lisa Lane, the assembly was an integral part of the Jackson School District’s goal of engaging as many students as possible with the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiative and other modern methods of teaching.
“Obviously, we endorse something like that because it is really cross-curricular for us,” she said. “With the Common Core State Standards, STEM and everything we do with math, science and technology, [the assembly] really fuses with everything we want to do in those areas.
“I think we have moved toward integration into other content areas through science, which is all about problem-solving and inquiry, and how that can apply across education,” she said.
This year’s presentation was Timko’s 10th in the school district since he became an ambassador in 2010.
According to NASA, the Solar System Ambassadors Program was created to be a “public outreach program designed to work with motivated volunteers across the nation. These volunteers communicate the excitement of [NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s] space exploration missions and information about recent discoveries to people in their local communities.”
While school administrators tout the program for its educational aspects, many pupils left the gymnasium with a newfound interest in what lies beyond Earth.
“It’s fun and fascinating to learn about space, because there is so much. It’s a journey, learning about space and finding something out that is new every day,” said Harry Swindell, 10.
“When I grow up, I want to be an astronomer and study the stars and other planets. When I grow up, I really want to go somewhere with my life. I really want to discover new things.”
Lane said administrators hope to continue working with similar programs to help steer children into careers about which they can be passionate.
“In 21st-century learning, we really like to expose students to some sort of a career path … so as they move on to middle school and beyond, they can draw from their experiences,” she said.