Fun fact: Red stars are cool and blue stars are hot.
This is one of the many bits of information TCS Alumna Faith Allen has kept with her for more than ten years. She learned all about our galaxy during Space Week at Timothy Christian School when she was in second grade.
“I loved space week when I was here,” says Allen, TCS Class of 2016. “Now that I’m an alumna, I love coming back and helping.”
Allen and other alumni have come back to Timothy to help first grade teacher, Miss Ramunda conduct the 19th annual Space Week at TCS. Students in grades K4-5th recently took part in a week of activities to learn about our solar system, planets, space travel and more.
TCS students learned all about God’s handiwork beyond our planet.
“They’re learning about the makeup of each of the planets and how God has aligned them perfectly how earth is the only planet that can sustain life and that’s where God chose to put us, on earth,” says Ramunda.
The program incorporates different sciences such as chemistry and physics. Reading during the week is all about space and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities and games fill the first grade classrooms.
“I get excited every year. I have always been fascinated by the study of space and I love the hands on experience that the kids have,” continues Ramunda.
While a majority of the week is meant for first graders who are studying space during their curriculum, other grades take part in the festivities.
During the week students play different roles during a space shuttle “launch” actually learning about the many responsibilities needed to make a shuttle go. K4 and Kindergarten students play the role of security helping the astronauts make it to their shuttle. Second graders serve as the medical personnel who examine the astronauts before the launch. This fits in nicely with the second grade curriculum, where students are studying the human body all week. For the launch reenactment, third graders play the role of news reporters. Fourth graders provide the weather report and fifth graders work at Mission Control at the International Space Station, reporting back and forth with the results of their activities. The first graders are none other than the astronauts themselves, cheered on by a sea of adoring fans ready to watch the launch during a “Space Parade” alongside building 2. (See Space Week Video)
“They actually dress up in space suits, helmets and all,” says Ramunda. “This is an exciting moment for them.”
And it is a moment that has had
an impact on those who have completed Space Week at TCS. While many alumni can regurgitate space facts, Alum Gabriel Morocoima actually is a Flight Controller for the International Space Station in Houston.
“God opened the door for me to have this job,” explains Morocoima, TCS Class of 2005. “The TCS elementary school program also played a role in fanning the flame as did a variety of my math and science teachers. I still remember Mrs. Schlagenhaft who excitedly told my 6th grade science class that the first piece of the ISS was launched into orbit in 1998, I thought it was the coolest news! Who knew that 14 years later, I’d be getting to fly the ISS in Mission Control.”
Morocoima is still impressed with Space Week at TCS, an asset he believes inspires students to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Tech
nology, Engineering and Mathematics) with hands-on-learning.
“It gets them excited, and shows them practically what it means to think and work like a scientist and engineer,” says Morocoima.
The week concluded with a study on traveling to the moon and an inside look at the three historical women mathematicians behind the movie ‘Hidden Figures,’ who helped U.S. astronauts orbit the moon.