Paper Session I-B - PC\u27s in Space: Priming the Next Generation Astronomers and Scientists

Not since the Apollo era has student and teacher interest been more focused on space science. Mankind’s curiosity to solve space mysteries led to the development of the Hubble Space Telescope. Just as the Apollo missions expanded space science knowledge and inspired our civilization towards greater technological feats, Hubble is expanding our understanding of the universe. The PCs in Space program, a NASA spin-off, is a national teacher enhancement program for elementary and middle school teachers, keying off the excitement created by the new discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope. This excitement has opened up space and earth science acceptance into elementary and middle schools. PCs in Space uses NASA’s latest technologies and discoveries to enrich geography, math, physics and English topics. The incorporation of space and Earth science into existing curriculums assists in the creation of a future generation of astronomers, engineers and scientists