TREWORGY PLANETARIUM IS A NASA COMMUNITY ANCHOR

The Museum’s Treworgy Planetarium was delighted and honored to be one of only 21 organizations to be selected by NASA to receive the designation of “Community Anchor.” This honorary title recognizes the recipient as an important community resource for broadening student participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) within their communities. The first series of six STEM programs was unveiled in the fall of 2022 and shared with 270 students, including 48 bilingual students, from two partner schools: St. Martin de Porres Academy in New Haven and Windham Middle School in Willimantic. Over the course of two in-school lessons, two virtual programs, and two on-site visits to the Museum, students immersed themselves in the subject of space science. Activities included making scale models, discovering different ways that objects in space are classified, and taking on the role of exoplanet hunter to search for Earth-like planets in the far reaches of our galaxy. A favorite activity was designing a heat shield from simple household materials that could withstand exposure to extreme temperatures.

These heat shields needed to keep “chocolate bar astronauts” from melting, and the students enjoyed the challenge of designing, testing, and improving their creations.

The second series of six STEM programs aligns with NASA’s Moon to Mars program highlighting the upcoming Artemis Missions back to the Moon. Students were tasked with new engineering challenges, such as model rocket building, designing and testing a compartment that protects astronaut figures from drops and impacts, and thinking and working spatially to pack valuable cargo for a trip to the Moon in a small enclosure.

The experiences offered by the Treworgy Planetarium to community schools would not have been possible without the support of NASA, the enthusiasm of partner school teachers, and the eager engagement by students in the various programs and activities. We are excited to show students that there is a place for them in the world of STEM at Mystic Seaport Museum.

Brian Koehler, Planetarium Supervisor