Challenger Spotlight

Moon Mars and Beyond is a Challenger mission run directly from your classroom! A Challenger Commander will connect with your students using a webcam, microphone, and projector.  Through the webcam feed your students will work with the Challenger Commander to save a pair of astronauts whose spacecraft has gone missing somewhere in the solar system.  The students will need to use reading, writing, math, mapping, and teamwork to find the lost astronauts and plan the rescue mission. 
 
Moon Mars and Beyond is a curriculum unit, with the mission as the capstone activity.  Students will complete lessons which practice the skills they will use during the mission. Challenger Colorado will provide curriculum lessons, training for the teacher, and the printed materials used on the mission day.  This program targeted to 4th grade students. 

Challenger Colorado also offers the Operation Montserrat e-mission for students in 6th - 7th grade, and the Space Station Alpha e-mission for students in 9th - 12th grade.
 
If you are interested in participating in an e-mission please contact our Registrar, Mary Grantz:

Marty Grantz
Registrar
719-598-9755
SeaPerch Design Challenge 2018
Due to the unexpected unavailability of federal funding, Challenger Learning Center will not be hosting a SeaPerch Competition for the 2017-2018 school year.
 
Please refer to the Official SeaPerch website, http://www.seaperch.org/, for information about other regional competitions, or go to http://www.seaperch.org/region_map and click on Colorado to request information from the regional contact.
 
Thank you for your past participation.  We hope we will be able to host a competition in the 2018/2019 school year!
Calendar of Events for Teachers
December 18th through January 2nd - Holiday Break

The Challenger Learning Center will be closed during the Holiday Break to allow our staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.
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January 18 - Returning Teacher Training

Who: Educators who have participated in a Simulator Mission.
Location: Challenger Center
Time:  5:00 pm - 7:00 pm (dinner is provided)
Cost: Free   (Please RSVP)

This training is designed for teachers who have already brought students to participate in a Challenger Simulator Mission (Return to the Moon, Rendezvous with a Comet, Voyage to Mars).  It will highlight any mission changes and new resources available at Challenger.  Challenger also requests that interested teachers RSVP for the training, so our staff can prepare enough materials.  Professional development credit is available.   If you have any questions regarding this training, please contact our Registrar.

Marty Grantz:  [email protected]
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January 27 - New Teacher Training

Who: Educators participating in their first Simulator Mission.
Location: Challenger Center
Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm (lunch is provided)
Cost: Free  (Please RSVP)

This training is designed for teachers who will bring their first class of students to participate in a Challenger Simulator Mission (Return to the Moon, Rendezvous with a Comet, Voyage to Mars).  The teachers will run their own mission will highlight student job assignments, and discuss opportunities for educators through Challenger.  Professional development credit is available. If you have any questions regarding this training, please contact our Registrar.

Marty Grantz:  [email protected]
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February 26 & 28 - WeDo LEGO Design Challenge

Who: Students in Grades 4th and 5th
Location: Library 21C (Briargate), Colorado Springs
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Cost:  Free - Registration is closed.

Teams of students will compete to build a mystery design using their WeDo LEGO kits.  Due to the large number of 4th & 5th grade teams participating, the competition will be divided into two nights.  Participants will be informed which night to attend. 

Registration for this event is now closed.  Challenger announces new LEGO Design Challenges each fall, typically in October.  If you are interested in joining us next year, watch this Challenger Newsletter for the announcement.
 
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March 5 -  Early Simple Machines  LEGO Design Challenge  

Who: Kindergarten & 1st Grade students
Location: Library 21C (Briargate), Colorado Springs
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Cost: Free -  Registration is closed
 
Teams of students will compete to build a mystery design using their Early Simple Machines LEGO kits.  Registration for this event is now closed.
 
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March 6 & 7 - Simple Machines LEGO Design Challenge 

Who: 2nd & 3rd Grade students
Location: Library 21C (Briargate), Colorado Springs
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Cost: Free -  Registration is closed
 
Teams of students will compete to build a mystery design using their Simple Machines LEGO kits.  Due to the large number of teams participating the competition will be divided into two nights.  Participants will be informed which night to attend. Registration for this event is now closed.
 
Our Night Sky
December 3
Supermoon.  The full will appear slightly larger and brighter as the moon is on its closest approach to Earth.

December 13 & 14
The Geminids meteor shower peak.  This shower will produce up to 120 meteors per hour.  This shower is considered to be one of the best to view throughout the year!

December 21
Winter solstice.  This will be the shortest day of the year for the northern hemisphere.  It is also the first day of winter.

December 21 & 22
Taurids meteor shower peak.  Only 5-10 meteors can be seen in an hour.  The best viewing will occur after midnight.

Mercury 
the smallest planet will be visible at the end of  December.  Look to the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

Venus & Mars
They will be visible just before sunrise in the eastern sky.  Venus will be low on the horizon, with Mars just above.

See the International Space Station!

This website will calculate when and where you need to look to see the ISS in your city.
Teacher Web Resource
Dash and Dot Competition 

Students aged 6-12 can use the Dash and Dot robots in an international online competition.  Prizes include $5,000 and free Dash robots.  Competitors must register by December 31st.  

Space News
Even Space Needs Some Housekeeping

Space debris poses a large problem for both the safety of astronauts and spacecraft.  A new spacecraft will take the first step in solving the problem.  
 
Upcoming Global Launches
Dec 4
Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a cargo delivery to the ISS.
 
Dec 7
Kazakhstan
A Ukrainian Zenit rocket will launch the first ever Angolan satellite providing communications services to Angola.
 
Dec 8
Marshall Islands
A Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket will deploy a satellite for NASA which will study the Earth's Ionosphere.
 
Dec 12
French Guiana
An Ariane 5 rocket will launch 4 Galileo navigation satellites for Europe.
 
Dec 13
California
A ULA Delta 4 rocket will launch a classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
 
Dec 17
Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch the Expedition 53 crew to the ISS.
 
Dec 22
California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch 10 satellites, providing cell phone services to North America.
 
Dec 22
Russia
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch 4 Earth observation satellites, to assist with forest mapping.
 
Dec 25
Kazakhstan
A Russian Proton rocket will launch a communications satellite providing internet, TV and radio to Russia.
 
December TBD
Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a communications satellite providing TV, and internet services for Europe, North Africa and the Americas.
 
Dec TBD
Florida
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will have its first test launch.

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The Challenger Learning Center of Colorado | 719-598-9755
| [email protected] | http://www.challengercolorado.org/
10215 Lexington Drive,  Suite 110
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

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