Students Get Hands-On at Summer Science Explorations Program

Nearly 30 students from Bayport-Blue Point School District had the opportunity to receive hands-on experience at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Science Learning Center earlier this week for Eastern Suffolk BOCES Educational Support Services' 2010 Summer Science Explorations Program.

Students traveled to the lab in a bus from Academy Street Elementary School on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for this pilot program, geared towards students entering fourth through sixth grade. The program cost $99 per student, including transportation.

Developed to National Science Education Standards, this program took place over a total of nine hours. Programs included environmental field study, the "Mars experience," a "Star Lab" and program interaction with scientific staff.

Students explored Mars geology, maneuvered a rover and tested cells for exposure to cosmic rays on their first day as part of the "Mars Experience." In Star Lab, they learned to navigate the stars in the learning center's portable planetarium.

This program utilizes students working toward a degree in education as helpers, as well as current and former educators. "Teacher get teaching experience, kids get a scientific learning experience. It's just one of those win-win situations," said Sue Frank, a summer educator at the lab's learning center.

After a brief lesson on Mars, the students were divided in groups and completed activities at several stations. The radiation-testing station proved difficult for some students. "It's very hard to do, very hard," said Bayport resident Kate.

Her classmate Christina had a different perspective, "I though it was really cool," she said.

The first "Mars Mission" the kids set to work on involved fact finding, which entailed locating and recording Mars facts that were posted on the walls of the learning center activity stations.

Students working on the Mars rover faced some obstacles in maneuvering the object, "It kept getting stuck, it was annoying but then it got easier. I liked it," Ben, a Blue Point resident, said.

His activity partner Max, also a Blue Point resident, agreed, "We got to use a remote control to move it, that was fun."

Interested in what the kids learned about Mars? Here are some facts about the fourth planet from the sun:

• Mars is 78 million kilometers away from Earth.
• The diameter of Mars is only slightly more than half the size of Earth. Earth's diameter is 12,756 kilometers; Mars' is 6, 794 kilometers.
• Mars is referred to as the "red planet" because its soil is rich in iron oxide (rust).
• Mars has volcanoes, canyons, dust storms, channels and impact craters.