April, 2017
Challenger Spotlight
STEM Bootcamp Registration Opens April 1st

STEM Bootcamp is one of the top teacher workshops in the region.  Challenger Colorado and the US Air Force Academy invite STEM-focused presenters from across the nation to lead education workshops.  STEM Bootcamp covers three days of workshops which prepare teachers to implement classroom ready projects in their schools.  

Past presenters include MIT, SparkFun, Estes Rockets, Colorado Springs Utilities, USAFA, ISSAC Engineering, EleSTEMary, LEGO and more. Past sessions have covered subjects including robotics, coding, high altitude balloons , simple machines, infrared  spectrometers, astronomy, Project-Based Learning, quantum mechanics for elementary students, and more.  Professional development credit will made available to attendees.

What: STEM Bootcamp
Where: U.S. Air Force Academy (near Colorado Springs)
When: July 18th - 20st @  9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Who: K-12 Educators
Cost: $50 (includes lunch for each day)

Tickets sell out quickly!  To secure your ticket, please visit our registration website on April 1st:

Calendar of Events for Teachers
April 1 - Registration Opens for Teacher Bootcamp!

STEM Bootcamp offers some of the best project-based teacher professional development in the U.S.. Over three days, K-12 educators gather at the Air Force Academy to learn effective ways to engage their students in hands-on, exciting STEM topics.

This year Bootcamp will take place on July 18th - 20th. Registration fills up quickly.  Last year, all elementary educator slots were sold out in less than a week.

More details concerning STEM Bootcamp will follow soon.  We will send them out as soon as they are available.
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April 3 - Program Registration Opens for Districts Widefield 3, Falcon 49, Woodland Park & Cripple Creek

School Districts Widefield 3, Falcon 49, Woodland Park and Cripple Creek can begin registering for Challenger Programs in the 2017-2018 school year.  If you have any questions concerning scheduling missions, or signing up for training please contact our Registrar Marty Grantz: 
Please Note: D11 and D20 registration has been open since March.
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April 8 - Big Cool Science

What: Big Cool Science
Where: Colorado College (Barnes Science Center)
When: 10 am - 4 pm
Cost: Free!

The Big Cool Science Festival will have hands-on stations for the whole family, focused on everything from animals to chemistry  Stop by the Challenger Colorado booth for some fun STEM activities!

Big Cool Science Website
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April 17 - Program Registration Opens for All

All school districts, organizations, and groups can begin registering for Challenger Programs in the 2017-2018 school year. If you have any questions concerning scheduling missions, or signing up for training please contact our Registrar Marty Grantz:  ___________________________________________________

May 20th - Living In Space

What: Living in Space presentations
Where: Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (Woodland Park)
When: 20 minute shows from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

This presentation is about human survival through the many challenges in space. You will learn what happens with your muscles in space, the effects of microgravity, astronaut hygiene, food and eating in space. You will also see a mock-up of an Apollo era space suit and learn how it works.

Our Night Sky
April

Mercury & Mars
These two planets will appear bright in the western sky right after sunset. 

Jupiter
Jupiter will rise with the constellation Virgo in the east after sunset.

Saturn
Saturn will rise in the middle of the night, and be visible until sunrise.

April 23
Lyrids Meteor Shower
This is an average shower.  You can expect about 20 meteors per hour.

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
Challenger Presents: Martians of Tomorrow

Challenger National (Challenger Colorado's parent organization) has kicked off their Martians of Tomorrow website. This website provides access to Mars-focused lesson plans, suitable for secondary students.
 
Space News
Ravioli Moon

NASA has taken the highest resolution photos yet of Saturn's moon, Pan.  The moon's unusual shape resembles a piece of round ravioli!
 
Upcoming Global Launches
April 4
French Guiana
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket will launch a communications satellite providing internet to airliners across North America.
 
April 9
Florida
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a cargo delivery to the ISS.
 
April 20
Kazakhstan
A Russian Soyuz rocket will launch the next crew (Expedition 50S) to the ISS.
 
April 25
French Guiana
An Arianespace will launch an Ariane 5 ECA rocket will launch two communications satellites providing services to the Americas and Southeast Asia.
 
April TBD
Florida
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch on its  first demonstration flight. 
 
April TBD
China
A Chinese Long March 7 rocket will launch a cargo mission to the Chinese Tiangong 2 space lab.
 
April TBD
China
A Chinese Long March rocket will launch a X-ray telescope designed to study black holes and galactic nuclei.
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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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