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Tuesday, April 17, 2012

April 21st Saturday morning is El Camino College's Space Day - free outreach event to learn about science

Almost every year, my children and I  go to El Camino College on their annual Space Day to meet and hear real astronauts share their experiences in space and at the International Space Station.  This outreach event is in honor of Ellison Onizuka who perished in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986.

Although it is aimed at 5th graders and up, most of the activities and science learning is accessible to a much younger child interested in science.  For example, my children have won the egg drop competition almost every year as early as kindergarten and, for anyone whose egg survives the long vertical drop, the prize is a T-shirt celebrating that year's Space Day.  Last year was the first year the paper airplane contest was held and the eventual winner is a 9-year old boy, none other than ... ahem :)  The prize was a different t-shirt.  Session tickets for these competitions are the first to run out.  All the sessions are excellent opportunities for learning about various aspects of science.  The planetarium presentation features what you will see in the night sky on Space Day.   The first 800 in line also get a free In-and-Out lunch- and, yes, the line is usually very long - which is why I try to make this a early-breakfast adventure :)

If you have never been to a Space Day event, I invite you to join me as I have a group reservation.

For Space Day this year, it looks like I can only collect 6 tickets for each session for my group, so I will give those session tickets to anyone coming with my group --- first come first served.  Please state the two specific sessions your student wants most and two more back-up choices.  If you wish to give me 4 choices in your order of priority, that should ensure you get two sessions you really want.  Please respond to this blog and post your choices and an email address for me to email you to confirm your sessions.

On April 21st morning, we will designate a place to meet you between 8am and 8.30am before the astronaut's presentation begins at 9am, since I should be able to be in the first 25 people in the line if I get there as early as 7am.  You will be given your session tickets at 8.30am when we meet at the designated spot.

There is no cost to attend this event on your own and you can reserve space by contacting El Camino College as a family.  However, if it helps you to arrive later at 8am and you would like to get specific sessions' tickets, please consider making a cash donation in any amount to my daughter's fundraising efforts to support horse sanctuaries and prevent the slaughter of horses for horsemeat.  No one will be turned away for lack of a donation :)

Thanks, and below are the details of all the sessions this year.
GCB

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Dear Space Enthusiast;

The attached information will help make your experience with Space Science Day, Saturday, April 21, an enjoyable one. Our guest Astronaut and El Camino College alumni from NASA is Edward Michael "Mike" Fincke. Astronaut Fincke's NASA Bio can be found atwww.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/fincke.html. We are anticipating another inspiring presentation for 2012.

WARNING – PARKING PERMITS REQUIRED FOR 2012
PARKING PERMITS ARE REQUIRED THIS YEAR! – PLEASE PURCHASE A $2 DAILY PERMIT AVAILABLE AT THE ENTRANCES TO THE PARKING LOTS IN THE YELLOW DISPENSERS

LUNCHES
ONLY THE FIRST 800 STUDENTS TO CHECK IN WILL RECEIVE A FREE LUNCH TICKET

GROUP TICKETS
INDIVIDUALS COLLECTING BREAKOUT TICKETS FOR GROUP CHECK-IN WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO SELECT 6 TICKETS MAXIMUM PER BREAKOUT PRESENTATION

The day will begin at 8:15 a.m. with check-in at the Marsee Auditorium located at the corner of Crenshaw Blvd and Redondo Beach Blvd in Torrance. Parking is located south and west the Marsee Auditorium. A map can also be found at www.elcamino.edu orwww.elcamino.edu/about/directions.asp

If you have received this email, you have a reservation.  Only the first 800 students to check in will receive a lunch ticket. After you check in and pick up your lunch ticket, you will move on to select tickets for the two breakout sessions for the students only. 

Important Note: Because of the demand to attend Space Science Day, we want to allow as many students as possible to participate in the breakout sessions. Therefore, parents, adults and young siblings are asked not to select tickets to the breakout sessions. Adults will be able to stand in or outside of the classrooms or you may enjoy our outside demonstrations. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Again, we want the students to access the breakout sessions.    

The following breakout sessions will be repeated so students may select two of the following (more details on these breakout sessions will be available in the program which will be provided at check in):

Onizuka Space Science Day Program 2012
See Tonight’s Stars, Planetsand Constellations - Planetarium Show
Let’s Take a BirdWalk!
NASA Mars Missions
Paint Making – Prussian Blue - Participants must be at least 10 years old
Get Your Hands on Chemistry
Robotics Demonstration
So You Want to be an Engineer?
The Lost Recipe for "Dizzy Dog" Medicine
The Buzz on Space “Bugs”
Ask the Astronaut!
Let’s Do Launch! (Rockets)
The World of Insects
El Mundo de los Insectos
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and the Deep Ocean
Rock and Fossil Discovery Zone
Solving the Mystery of the Owl’s Dinner
Dude, Where’s My Air?
Paper Airplane Contest - Competencia de Aviones de Papel
Egg Drop Construction - Participants must be in 5rd grade or older

After selecting your sessions, find a seat in the Marsee Auditorium by 9 a.m. for our morning presentation featuring our astronaut.  The first breakout session will run from 10:30 to 11:15 and the second session will begin at 11:30 and end at 12:15. Lunch will follow the second session and the Egg Drop Competition will be presented during lunch.
Have a great day rain or shine!!


Robin Dreizler, Director
Outreach and School Relations
El Camino College ~ www.elcamino.edu
16007 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90506