Curiosity is the essence of human existence. Indeed, it was curiosity that led some of our 5th graders to explore space and share their learning during the PYP exhibition 2021-22.
Students were inquiring about space with excitement when a problem grabbed their attention. They came across an issue that people are unaware of i.e. space debris. Various resources were used to enrich the learning experience of the students, but we encountered an unexpected and exceptional resource from this intriguing field. The resource was none other than the space junk expert- Mr. John Crassidis. He is currently a professor at the University of Buffalo (UB), the state university of New York. He works with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and other agencies to monitor space debris. Space debris, also known as space junk, threatens satellites and future space missions.
When we approached Mr. Crassidis, he volunteered to take time out of his hectic schedule to help the children have a better learning experience. The Space Exploration and Impact of Innovation on the Society group students and mentors were really excited to meet this space scientist invited for the ‘expert talk’ on 27th January 2022. The students shared their learning along with their queries with him. He was astounded to learn about Grade 5 students’ conceptual understanding. He commended upon the questions posed by these young EPSites.
