Pocono Raceway Events
May – June Trained over 70 teachers online (five webinars) to teach Aerodynamic material, rocket and racing correlations, and solar activities to students (including culturally relevant materials for the represented Spanish community). June 3-7th (Four days) Coordinated, and supported Heliophysics Goddard staff (4) for three days in a public outreach effort to bring NASA solar content to the Pocono Solar Powered track audience (N=estimated 20,000). Using engaging solar activities, educator packages, solar viewers, UV beads, telescopes, and solar related mission materials, the team spent time discussing NASA content to inspire and engage individuals in the relationship between the solar farm at Pocono and NASA’s solar missions. June 4th (3:30-4:30pm ET) Coordinated and presented a live webinar session for educators (N=17) at the Pocono Raceway Solar Farm in Long Pond, PA. The webinar included a Goddard guest speaker for solar content as well a live interview about the solar farm and panels with Pocono Raceway President, Brandon Igdalsky. Downloadable materials included both Spanish and English activities for educators. June 6th (9am – 1:00pm) Worked part-time with students, teachers and families for four hours at the Kids Day Event, Fanzone NASA Exhibit table to teach about the correlation between racing and rocketry (rotation and revolution) at the Pocono Raceway track in Long Pond, PA. (N=estimated 300+ students, teachers, parents). June 7th (8:30am setup, 9:30-10:15am Education Event) Supervised two online-trained teachers who presented NASA activities to students and parents (N=estimated 30 elementary students, 60 parents) for 45minutes at the Jimmie Johnson Racing Ticket Package Event. Afterwards Jimmie interacted with the students, not to mention one of the children asked Jimmie about his favorite planet! Educators can utilize online data from Pocono http://www.poconoraceway.com/pocono-raceway-solar-energy.html http://live.deckmonitoring.com/?id=pocono_raceway as well as from NASA’s Earth’s Energy Budget (through use of the CSI website http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-2/energy-budget.php) and investigate how changes in the atmosphere affect that balance. Additional NASA unique hands-on activities allow teachers in professional development and to explore and increase their understanding of this concept so they can bring the activities into the classroom. The racetracks host NASA tents in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York states. NASA education specialists facilitate these PD along with online webinars for remote locations who are interested in the event.