Teachers in the SystemsGo STEM program spent a week in Hobbs NM training for the innovative rocket program. Pictured from left to right: Rebekah Hyatt, Program Director SystemsGo, Trainer, Andrew Rodriguez–Hagerman NM, Taylor Wilson–McGregor High School, McGregor TX, Christine Hendershot–NM Region 8, Holli Horton–London ISD, Corpus Christi TX, Toni Castle–London ISD, Corpus Christi TX, Kelly Alsup–NM Region 8, Cory Saxon–NM Region 8, Chris Patino–Carroll High School, Carroll TX
Other teachers attending training: David Bunch–Ingram High School, Ingram TX, Michael Dodson–Lovington NM, Steve Goluska–Lake Arthur NM, David Janzen–Loving NM, Nathan Richard–Jal NM, Shawna Carter–Hobbs NM, Deb Haggerton–Carlsbad NM
Sept 4, 2017–This summer, high school science teachers from Texas and New Mexico underwent training in the SystemsGo rocketry curriculum.
On July 10-16, 2017, at Hobbs Municipal Schools Training Center in Hobbs, New Mexico, Rebekah Hyatt, Program Director, conducted the training, which included classroom instruction, field work, and rocket building that simulated SystemsGo’s project-based instructional strategies.
“The workshop included both theory and practice,” Hyatt said, “We try to model the process they will use in the classroom with students, to encourage independent learning and problem solving on their own. It was a good group that worked well together.”
This training covered all levels of SystemsGo. Depending on the level, teachers worked on Excel and flight profiles, on developing the mathematical model of a vehicle, and on troubleshooting actual rockets.
“I gave teachers the task of building a RockSim simulation based on previously built student rockets,” Hyatt said. “They were to find and fix issues typically seen in vehicle construction then complete a Flight Readiness Review. Teachers also worked with motor systems and assembled motor configurations, not so they could build the motor back in the classrooms, but to learn how to work with students and guide them through the process.”
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Teachers in the SystemsGo STEM program spent a week in Houston training for the innovative rocket program. Holding their Generation 3 model rockets, left to right:
Brian Morril (RLTurner HS), Tom Parrish (Hamilton HS), Glenn Taylor (Kingwood Park HS), Chris McLeod (Brazosport HS), Sarah Dickey (Henrietta HS), Leslie Brown Alexander (Marble Falls HS), Allex Wilson (Maypearl HS), and Hayland Hardy (Harleton HS).
On July 31 to Aug 6, 2017, 10 Texas high school science teachers underwent a week of training in the SystemsGo rocketry curriculum at NASA’s Gilruth Center in Houston.
Andrew Matthes, Education Manager, conducted the training, which included classroom instruction, field work, and rocket building that simulated SystemsGo’s project-based instructional strategies.
“This training went really well,” Matthes said. “It was a good group of teachers, all very engaged and excited about the program.”
The training covered Tsiolkovsky and Oberth levels of SystemsGo, and included work on Excel and flight profiles, on developing the mathematical model of a vehicle, and on troubleshooting actual rockets. NASA’s Chris Madsen presented sessions on modeling performance reviews for student rockets.
The teachers were given a tour of the Johnson Space Center. The training was supported in part by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Boeing.
SystemsGo is an innovative high school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) curriculum developed at Fredericksburg High School (TX). Using project-based instruction, over four years students progress from drafting, CAD, and engineering design, to building rockets. First-level (Tsiolkovsky) students attempt to loft a one-pound payload one mile high. Second-generation (Oberth) projects send rockets past the speed of sound. Every spring, participating students gather at sites near Hobbs NM, Fredericksburg TX, and Houston TX to launch their rockets.
SystemsGo is now active in more than 50 high schools across Texas, New Mexico, and Oregon. Information on starting a program or supporting the nonprofit organization is available at www.systemsgo.org, 830-997-567, info@systemsgo.org.