Tag: challenger

Summer STEM Academies 2023

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Summer STEM Academies 2023

Summer Camps have landed! Registration is now open for these two exciting, supercharged camps for your 1st – 6th grader this year. Challenger camps are action-packed with exploratory learning and unique science experiments. This year we are also excited to offer an overnight option for the 4th – 6th graders.

Visit www.akchallenger.org/camps for details!
Our Summer STEM Academies are all about hands-on exploration and discovery!

Challenger Learning Center of Alaska puts a tremendous care into providing a fun and exciting camp your children will remember. Equally fun, our camps are formatted to allow youth to engage in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) based activities revolving around each Academy theme. Challenger Camp Counselors encourage creativity and offer hands-on tools and materials for campers to learn through inquiry-based instruction. Campers improve their problem-solving, teamwork, self-confidence, and critical thinking skills without even realizing it. Challenger Summer STEM Academies is not just another camp; They are unique youth-centered experiences.

Power Up! Summer Camp
Students entering 4th – 6th Grade
June 5 – 9, 2023
Day Camp or Overnight Camp Option!
Power Up! Summer Camp, the week of June 5th-9th, 2023 will energize your children for learning and exploration! Activities are centered around learning important energy sources and transformations, such as petroleum, natural gas, geothermal, solar, and nuclear. Hands-on exploratory projects will uncover how our energy is consumed and conserved. Of course, as students get charged up, we can’t leave out all the exploding energy that blasts humans to space and engineers the most robust robotics.

Astronauts Alive! Summer Camp
Students entering 1st – 3rd Grade
July 24 – 28, 2023
Astronauts Alive! Summer Camp, the week of July 24-28, 2023. We blast astronauts into space but how do they stay alive?! Campers will take the big leap into space as they discover what tools, systems, and resources they need to continue to explore, work and live in their new interstellar home.

Steam Ahead Registration Open

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Registration Open

CLCA’s STEAM Ahead program is created exclusively for home learners as an in-center program. Students learn facts and methods of thinking that can be applied to solve real-world problems. STEM creates critical thinking, bridges the gender gap in leadership roles, increases science literacy, and enables the next generations of innovators.
Our Fall semester will start on October 5th, one day a week for six sessions. Each session will build onto the curriculum that will reveal more intricate science concepts as students learn.
 
“From the Big to the Little: How Are We Connected?”
Dates: 6 weeks, Wednesdays 
(Oct 5, Oct 12, Oct 19, Oct 26, Nov 2, Nov 9)
Time: 10am – 12:30pm
$295 for the whole semester
 
1st – 2nd Grade
 
3rd – 5th Grade
 
 
 
📌Please Note
We have a new online booking system to create a smoother process for our customers. You can create a profile that will easily store your family’s information for faster booking next time! This system also allows us to check your child in and out virtually, with access to your approved pickup contacts, additional forms, and medical information. We are a direct pay vendor for most homeschools. If you choose this method, it is important you fill out your homeschool’s VDP form and get it to your representative right away for approval. If you have questions please give us a call or email our admin at cooper.kelley@akchallenger.org
Fall 2022   1st – 2nd 
Week 1 5-Oct Solar System Explorations
Week 2 12-Oct Climate Change & Alaska
Week 3 19-Oct Aeronautics & Weather
Week 4 26-Oct Thermal Engineering Matters
Week 5 2-Nov Electrical Circuits are a SNAP
Week 6 9-Nov Microscope Investigations

*Topics are subject to change

Fall 2022   3rd – 5th  
Week 1 5-Oct Climate Change & Alaska  
Week 2 12-Oct Aeronautics & Weather  
Week 3 19-Oct Aquatic Investigations  
Week 4 26-Oct Electrical Circuits are a SNAP  
Week 5 2-Nov Thermal Engineering Matters  
Week 6 9-Nov Solar System Explorations  

CLCA Joins NASA in Nationwide Celebration of WEBB Telescope First Images

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CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER OF ALASKA JOINS NASA IN NATIONWIDE CELEBRATION OF WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE FIRST SCIENCE IMAGES

KENAI — Challenger Learning Center of Alaska (CLCA) has joined hundreds of sites across the country to celebrate the release of the first science images from the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s next great space science observatory. CLCA will offer a range of 3D, hands-on activities and exhibits in a free public event to bring the excitement of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to youth and adults of all ages.

“We are thrilled that Challenger Learning Center of Alaska is an official host site for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope community events celebrating Webb’s first stunning images”, said Colette Gilmour, Operations and Communications Director. “We have partnered with Boys and Girls Club of Kenai Peninsula Teen Center to help our community celebrate this amazing feat of science and engineering. A model the B&G teens built will be on display during the event. People of all ages and backgrounds will find inspiration in Webb’s new view of the cosmos, which will fundamentally change our understanding of the universe for this generation and many to come”.

Webb is the largest and most complex space science telescope ever built – the premier observatory of the next decade. This international mission, led by NASA in partnership with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, launched Dec. 25, 2021. After unfolding in space into its final form, Webb successfully arrived at its destination nearly 1 million miles from Earth and began preparing for science operations.

The observatory, which is designed to see the universe in the infrared, will push the field of astronomy into a new era. Webb will be able to study light from distant parts of the universe for the very first time – the first galaxies that formed over 13.5 billion years ago – and give us insight into how our universe formed. It will also peer into dusty stellar nurseries to explore distant worlds orbiting other stars, as well as observe objects in our own solar system. Webb will extend the scientific discoveries of other NASA missions like the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite.

Challenger’s James Webb Community Event, September 9th, 2022 will explore the wonders of these remarkable new images and answer your questions on how different light is captured, how telescopes and James Webb works and are made. For a full schedule of events, visit www.akchallenger.org/communityor contact CLCA at 907-283-2000.

Challenger Learning Center of Alaska is located at 9711 Kenai Spur Highway, Kenai, AK. Our community event will be free and open to the public during 2:30pm – 4:30pm. This event will be in person, holding a live broadcast with a NASA Webb Scientist Panel talk at 3pm. To learn more about the Webb telescope, visit webb.nasa.gov and webbtelescope.org.

James WEBB Community Night

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Free Community Event, Wednesday
October 20th with Virtual Attendance too!

TODAY! Join us 4 – 6pm for a night of space fun and explore the amazing capabilities of NASA’s WEBB telescope! If you can’t make it you can join virtually for a special presentation and Q&A from Dr. Vivian U, an observational extragalactic astronomer who uses state-of-the-art telescopes to understand how galaxies and their supermassive black holes coevolve.

Watch live on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dprgQ1LgaA0

or Join the Zoom Presentation at 5pm

Launch Meeting – Zoom

Meeting ID: 824 5188 3773

Passcode: 555201

Celebrate and learn about NASA’s new James Webb space telescope (WEBB) before the big space launch! October 20th, bring your family to Challenger Learning Center of Alaska for interactive activities exploring this magnificent WEBB telescope, from how it’s made, what it sees, to why it’s so important. There will be activities for all ages including tours of our simulator rooms and a star planetarium! No need to sign up, just come on in! 9711 Kenai Spur Highway, Kenai, AK 99611

Send your WEBB questions ahead of time, about merging galaxies, supermassive black holes, using infrared observations from the Webb Telescope and/or large ground-based telescopes to colette.gilmour@akchallenger.org
The Zoom link will be shared Wednesday morning on our Facebook, @CLCAlaska

See you there!
 

Informative Links:
James Webb Telescope Overview | NASA

www.jwst.nasa.gov

www.webbtelescope.org

www.nasa.gov/webb

Mars Significance

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Mars Significance

February 18th the world was watching the rover, Perseverance land on Mars. There were nerves, excitement, and hope. Perseverance is the fifth rover to reach the surface of Mars though, so why is it so important? Why is everyone so excited? What is the significance of THIS rover?

Our team at Challenger Learning Center of Alaska sees this as an opportunity to make our world better. Perseverance will change the way we look at science, life, past life, and the Earth. The magnitude of new technology and the number of features included in this one rover is unbelievable.

In one mission we will be able to test a brand new technique in flying with the Mars helicopter, receive footage of the landing that we have never been able to witness before, test astronaut suit materials in the Mars atmosphere, test, take and store samples to later retrieve that will analyze signs of past life and resources similar to Earth’s, record sounds of natural events happening on the surface, and test a technology that could create oxygen from Mars’ CO2 atmosphere, to say the least!

All of this, to us, means if we can identify the resources for humans to survive on Mars, then we can discover how Mars reached the condition it is in now. We can learn how to revive Mars, how to grow a plant on Mars, and how to create oxygen on Mars. If we can do all this on a planet like Mars, can you imagine what we could do with that technology to save our home, Earth?

How is this mission significant to you? How did you feel watching Perseverance land on Mars? Join the conversation and leave a comment below to let us know!

#goperseverance

New Programs!

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Challenger Has New Programs

For YOU

CLCA is offering Alaskan Teachers, the ever-growing Homeschool population and individual parents looking to enroll their child into additional hands-on, engaging science classes, the opportunity to schedule Virtual STEM programs! 

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For Individual Students at Home

Let us cover your home school science credits, or sign up your child just for extra fun activities! We are offering a new weekly theme every month! Classes are delivered via Zoom for 1 1/2 hours a day and materials are provided for hands on learning!

Learn More & Register »

Custom Virtual Teacher Programs

Bring Challenger to your classroom for week long science curriculum. We can build custom lessons to what you need. Materials are sent to you for hands on learning and it’s as easy as inviting us to your virtual classroom! Learn more »

 

In-Center Options

Homeschool STEM Ahead Days are also an option! Sign your K-8th grader up for one day or all, offered on Tuesdays. You can see the schedule of topics for each day, pricing and registration here -> STEAM Ahead

If you child still goes to school but you’d like them to come in for this program you may still sign them up!

Kindernauts is a once a week program for your K-2nd grader, Thursdays for 1 1/2 hours. They will be immersed in a variety of goopy, wonderous and wacky STEM activities! Pricing, more details and registration can be found here-> Kindernauts

 

Teachers looking for more in class options?

We have ELearning programs, like Classroom Adventures virtually taking your class on a one hour team adventure!  Increase your students’ engagement in STEM subjects with an interactive team online adventure! Classroom Adventures takes the entire class on journeys to reach collective goals as they research, work together to answer questions, and collaborate to find solutions to urgent challenges. Choose from Aquatic Investigators, Dirt Decoders, or Nature Rangers! Call or email us to sign your class up. Licences are given to you to access these programs from your computers in your classroom! Contact Suzanne.phillips@akchallenger.org

You Are A Part Of CLCA and We Thank You!

Challenger Learning Center of Alaska, CLCA, is excited to share with you that we were the recipient of the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Innovation in Education, August 12th! As a nonprofit, our educational programs live on because of the support we receive from Alaskan communities. Assisting teachers, groups, and businesses fulfil their science curriculum, safety training or being here for team building retreats, is important to our mission. Community input, sponsorships and partners around Alaska is what makes our mission possible to achieve, therefore this award goes to all of you as well!

During the Challenger Center Annual Conference, Dr. Pelton recognized how important the student engagement and cultural exchange opportunity is that the Alaska meets Bermuda camp CLCA administered this summer, provides. Dr. Pelton also mentioned how exciting it was for him to see the virtual use of NASA’s equipment from the Artemis program, the Orion capsule, and the Natural Buoyancy Lab, being demonstrated to the students throughout the camp.  Dr. Pelton himself has played an enormous role in the space and STEM industries.Programs CLCA has been serving Alaskans for 20 years, providing STEM workshops and camps, simulated space missions, and water and land survival courses.

We are rolling out new programs and content throughout the year, So keep an eye on our website and social medias!

Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube

International Observe the Moon Day

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International Observe the Moon Day

The Moon, the big bright circle in the sky that everyone is introduced to as the first introduction to our solar system and space, when we are little. Many of us, around the world, have most likely been read to about it at least once growing up. So, why not celebrate it when we are adults? International Observe the Moon Day, is recognized annually, this year falling on September 26th.

If you don’t have a local event happening that you can attend, there are several virtual events available from September 19th, through October 3rd. By visiting Here you can search and find one for you and your family to virtually attend. You can also register to put your home on the map of observers and share photos of your activities!

If you want to talk to your kids about the Moon but don’t know quite what to say, do not worry! NASA also has a handy Viewing Guide that beautifully pays tribute to all of the Moon’s best features.

OBSERVE THE MOON

If you celebrate the day, please share your activities and pictures with us! Tag @CLCAlaska on Facebook or @akclca on Instagram!

National Moon Day, 51st Anniversary

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Today, July, 20th, 2020, marks an important day in history. Each year the world together, celebrates and remembers mans first accomplishment of landing on the moon. 1969, Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon was a day to remember, opening up the endless possibilities for lunar exploration. Buzz Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong, stepping on the surface. The duo collected 47.5 pounds of lunar material to bring back to Earth. Michael Collins, the pilot, waited two and a half hours for them to return to the command module.

Celebrate with your kids and let them know the importance of this day. You can start by sharing this restored Apollo 11 video from NASA and feel like you were there!

There are several moon books you can also look for to help your kids understand and marvel at the moon’s importance.

Hello, Moon!, Francesca Simon

Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing, Dean Robbins

Papa, please get the moon for me, Eric Carle

Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown

Moonshot: The Fight of Apollo 11, Brian Floca

The Moon’s First Friends: How the Moon Met the Astronauts from Apollo 11, Susanna Leaonard Hill

If You Decide To Go To The Moon, Faith McNulty

Reaching for the Moon, Buzz Aldrin