Challenger Learning Center

Operation Montserrat

Grades 7-10

On September 4, 1996, the island of Montserrat was the world's most dangerous place. Two potentially catastrophic events convened upon this Caribbean paradise simultaneously: an awakening volcano and a Category 3 hurricane.

Operation Montserrat, a new electronic mission, connects a flight director at the Challenger Learning Center in northwest Indiana (CLCNWI) with a classroom anywhere in the world for a unique learning adventure. With the help of computers, the Internet and a small video camera, students interact with the flight director in northwest Indiana to track the hurricane, predict volcanic rock fall and determine how these conditions will impact the island's air, land, water and vegetation.

Operation Montserrat allows students to participate as Earth systems science experts. Student specialists will be members on the volcano, hurricane, evacuation, or communication teams during the two-hour electronic mission. Operation Montserrat engages students to work as scientists in order to solve problems in real-life situations. Students will be called upon to determine:

* What impact winds and falling ash from the volcano will have on plant life?

*How far the hurricane is from the island?

*Should residents be evacuated and, if so, what are the possible routes?

The mission challenges students to apply their mathematics and science knowledge to a real-life event.

The program meets state and national education standards in the areas of mathematics and science for students in 7th through 10th grade. Operation Montserrat builds students' enthusiasm for science and math, improves students' problem solving and critical thinking skills and teaches students the importance of teamwork and communication.

While computers exist in many classrooms across the country, content material designed to enrich the mathematics and science curricula is lacking. Operation Montserrat is an interactive method for teachers to effectively utilize technology in the classroom.

Operation Montserrat Student Website

Visit the eMission Web site at www.emissionhq.com

eMission Training Form

Moon, Mars and Beyond

Grades 3-5

This program is an innovative way to engage students in grades 3-5 in the power of math and science in real world situations. The mission is based on authentic space science and math. During the mission, students connect live to a flight director with the help of computers, the Internet, and a small video camera.

A Rescue Mission
The year is 2080 and NASA has permanent research bases on both the Moon and Mars. From these bases astronaut scientists can study stars and planets and continue to search for possible life outside Earth.
Exploration vessels routinely take off from the Moon and Mars to conduct research. Flybys of planets and moons yield valuable information and will tell us if the establishment of more research stations is possible. The exploration missions also look for and track any comets, asteroids, or meteoroids which may potentially harm the Earth or our bases.

The Mission
On mission day, the students are in Mars Mission Control anxiously awaiting the arrival of a space ship that is launching from the lunar base. The space ship is on a rescue mission. It has been five days since a research vessel exploring the outer regions of our solar system has checked in with the Mars base. They are thought to be lost or having communication problems. The rescue ship just launched from the Moon will hopefully bring the two astronaut crew back to the Mars station safely. The rescue ship will have to stop at the Mars base to pick up the supplies needed for the rescue of the astronauts and for the trip back to Mars.
The students have a lot to do before the rescue ship arrives at the Mars station. They are divided into teams to work more efficiently on the rescue. The teams are based on the five planets in our outer solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, with an addition team working to communicate the results of the team work directly to Earth Mission Control.

Moon, Mars and Beyond Student Website

Visit this eMission Web site at clc.cet.edu/emissions/mmab/studentsplace/main.html

eMission Training Form