In the middle of our science-focused trip to Southern California, students will visit Astrocamp, a hands-on, experiential science education facility nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains. This wonderful place immerses students in activities concerning lights and lasers, microgravity, telescopes, atmosphere and gases, and rockets. Students will also engage in team-building activities while at Astrocamp. Our “city kids” will even go on a couple short hikes in the mountains, both during the day and in the evening--quite an unforgettable experience!
This opportunity to explore science and engineering in an immersive, personal, and adventurous way is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Astrocamp is just one stop on our students’ week-long adventure, but is by far the most expensive activity on our trip. We will actually start our trip with lower-cost science activities in Los Angeles. The students will go on tours of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mt. Wilson Observatory, and they will meet with undergraduates at California Institute of Technology to learn what studying at a science school is like. Later, students will participate in a marine biology workshop at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and will learn about aerospace at the Columbia Memorial Space Center.
The final part of the trip will be in San Diego. After camping on the outskirts of the city, we will go kayaking in Mission Bay and visit the San Diego Wildlife Refuge and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. By the end of the trip, students will have bonded with each other and with the people they have met. They will also have made lasting connections to the amazing places they explored and experienced. My hope is that they are inspired to continue their science education, share their experiences with others, and pursue a career in a science or engineering field.
About my class
In the middle of our science-focused trip to Southern California, students will visit Astrocamp, a hands-on, experiential science education facility nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains. This wonderful place immerses students in activities concerning lights and lasers, microgravity, telescopes, atmosphere and gases, and rockets. Students will also engage in team-building activities while at Astrocamp. Our “city kids” will even go on a couple short hikes in the mountains, both during the day and in the evening--quite an unforgettable experience!
This opportunity to explore science and engineering in an immersive, personal, and adventurous way is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Astrocamp is just one stop on our students’ week-long adventure, but is by far the most expensive activity on our trip. We will actually start our trip with lower-cost science activities in Los Angeles. The students will go on tours of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Mt. Wilson Observatory, and they will meet with undergraduates at California Institute of Technology to learn what studying at a science school is like. Later, students will participate in a marine biology workshop at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and will learn about aerospace at the Columbia Memorial Space Center.
The final part of the trip will be in San Diego. After camping on the outskirts of the city, we will go kayaking in Mission Bay and visit the San Diego Wildlife Refuge and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. By the end of the trip, students will have bonded with each other and with the people they have met. They will also have made lasting connections to the amazing places they explored and experienced. My hope is that they are inspired to continue their science education, share their experiences with others, and pursue a career in a science or engineering field.
Read more