Virtual Field Trip to Mars for Middle Schoolers -- THE Journal

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Virtual Field Trip to Mars for Middle Schoolers

By Richard Chang
09/21/16

Discovery Education and Lockheed Martin are teaming up to offer a virtual field trip to Mars for middle school classrooms around the world. The free event is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. PT Oct. 4, during World Space Week.

During this inaugural event, kids in grades 6 to 8 will be introduced to STEM concepts and careers in deep space exploration. They’ll also see a replica asteroid wall, a prototype of the Orion crew module and a massive 3D printer that uses metal, along with the engineers who operate it.

Students will also get the opportunity to interact with the test lab team simulating and testing Exploration Mission 1 (EM1), the mission to Mars. Lockheed Martin experts will be on hand to answer questions and explain their career paths and experiences exploring deep space.

The event will be broadcast live from the Lockheed Martin Space Operations Simulation Center in Littleton, CO. Advanced classroom signup is available at generationbeyondinschool.com.

Classrooms that register will receive lesson plans and activities ahead of the event, during the event and afterward to help reinforce learning.

The host will be Larry Price, Orion deputy program manager at Lockheed Martin Space Systems. This virtual field trip is part of the “Generation Beyond in School” program. For more information, visit the event website.

About the Author

Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

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