Rural students bound for science and math enrichment

Submitted by Amy Hartley
Phone: (907) 474-5823
04/20/05

More than 40 middle school students from Arctic Village, Minto, Nulato, Shaktoolik, Teller, and Wales will learn about rocket science and weather instrumentation in the Science & Math Enrichment Program on the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) campus April 21 and 22.

The experience enhances what the students are already learning in their classrooms through the Aurora Alive curriculum, and it provides students the opportunity to visit with scientists conducting research on aurora and Alaskan weather.

Thursday, April 21 students will build weather instruments and rockets. In the afternoon, students will launch their rockets, recording data on each flight. This introduction to rocketry will prepare students for their tour of Poker Flat Research Range the following day.

Organizers hope students’ participation in the field trip will spur them to pursue careers in math and science, and introduce them to the UAF campus.

The International Arctic Research Center (IARC) is funding the trip, as well as hosting most of the student activities. Scientists at IARC study global climate change and arctic phenomena.

The Geophysical Institute developed Aurora Alive in 1997. It teaches science and math through the aurora¥Ë1ò2"a topic rural students are very familiar with. Due to the success rate of students using the curriculum, more than 30 schools are using Aurora Alive in their classrooms.

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CONTACT:
Amy Hartley, GI/IARC Information Officer: (907) 474-5823

Members of the media are invited to visit with students, scientists, and staff during the following activities Thursday, April 21, 2005:

9:00-12:15 p.m.
Students build rockets and weather instruments in the IARC Lobby and IARC Observatory.
2:15-3:45 p.m.
Students launch rockets across from Georgeson Botanical Gardens on West Tanana Drive.
4:30-5:00 p.m.
Students participate in rocket math activity, utilizing information from their rockets’ flights.