Over the summer, Middle School Science Teacher Shari Hiltbrand was selected from across the nation for the 
prestigious LiftOff Summer Institute held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This program is sponsored by NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium and selects teachers from across the U.S. to increase their knowledge of space education. The theme of this year’s Institute was Exploration: Past, Present and Future. The competitive week long institute featured a series of workshops, hands-on activities, field investigations and presentations by NASA scientists and engineers working on various missions.
Mrs. Hiltbrand had the opportunity to interact with astronauts, flight directors and engineers affiliated with the Apollo, Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs. She toured research facilities at JSC exploring comets, meteor impacts, Lunar rocks and Mars, seeing the most up to date information being processed by the “Curiosity” rover. Speakers included: Apollo 13 astronaut, Fred Haise; Apollo 13 (and other Apollo and Space Shuttle Missions) Flight Director, Gene Kranz, who is known for his vests; “The Ordinary Spaceman” Clayton Anderson; and senior engineer, Norman Chaffee, who is known for directional engines on both Apollo and Space Shuttle vessels. Scientists and engineers from the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Program and the Mars Rover Program also spoke to the group of teachers.
In between speakers, Mrs. Hiltbrand worked with other teachers doing hands-on activities to reinforce ideas and concepts being explored during the week “creating” a comet, comparing the Earth and the Moon and other planets, making mini-spectroscopes and other activities that can be used in the classroom. Besides doing hands-on activities, teachers shared a lesson with the group that teachers can then take back to their classrooms. Mrs. Hiltbrand presented her “Physics of Angry Birds” lesson as it helps students better understand how things move, which is important for objects moving in space. The group of teachers also toured the training facilities that are used by astronauts and scientists in preparation for ISS missions, going into “badge only” areas including Mission Control and Robotics and Neutral Buoyancy Lab where astronauts train for ISS missions. Wrapping up the week, Mrs. Hiltbrand went through a NASA certification process that allows her to check out Lunar and Meteorite samples for use at Kinkaid with students.
In the Elementary Division, Kinkaid Team A was one of the four teams to qualify for the playoff, going on to win first place after defeating Harmony, Village and St. Thomas in the finals..jpg)
Approximately, 2,600 students from across Texas participated in the 2016 PSIA State Tournament, Saturday, April 30, at Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth. Students qualified to participate by placing first or second individually in one or more contests at the District Meets held at 22 area tournaments this Spring.
In the Elementary Division, Kinkaid Team A was one of the four teams to qualify for the playoff, going on to win first place after defeating Harmony, Village and St. Thomas in the finals..jpg)
Approximately, 2,600 students from across Texas participated in the 2016 PSIA State Tournament, Saturday, April 30, at Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth. Students qualified to participate by placing first or second individually in one or more contests at the District Meets held at 22 area tournaments this Spring.