MARQUETTE— Alanna Hamel, a Northern Michigan University student from Champion, participated in the NASA Pre-Service Teacher Institute in Houston. She is a senior secondary education major, focusing on integrated science, with a minor in biology. The institute took place at the Johnson Space Center. Throughout the four-day program, Hamel learned about ways to make learning math and science fun and interactive for children.

            As a result of the program, Hamel received inspiration for many science, technology, engineering and mathematics lesson plans, which she plans to use in her future classroom. She was also lunar rock and meteorite certified, which means that she can own enclosed disks containing real moon rocks and meteorites in her classroom.

            “I believe my experience at NASA will enable me to give my students an experience to connect to while they learn about scientific discovery, innovation and application,” Hamel said. “My first-hand witnessing of the future jobs in science and aerospace engineering will motivate my future students to learn skills that could place them in a job of the future.”

            The activities taught throughout the week included homemade rockets, engineered robotic arms and make-your-own space food. Hamel went home with free posters, lesson plans, color prints, DVDs, CDs and other hand-outs to use in her future classroom.

            More information about the institute can be found at http://education.jsc.nasa.gov/psti/.