Kids learn NASA techniques at children’s museum

By Carla Keppler
The Gazette

CORALVILLE — Andrew Lamkins fulfilled a task typical of only the brainiest minds that train years for such adventures: He created a shuttle mission plan and successfully performed a spacewalk.

Sam Bishop, 10, of Solon, holds a coil of tube which water is flowing through against his arm, simulating how NASA astronauts stay cool in their space suits. NASA education specialist John F. Weis, from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama gave demonstrations relating to NASA at the Iowa Children's Museum inside the Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Iowa. Photo by J. Rachel Spencer.

“Mission complete,” the 9-year-old from Iowa City said, a blue and red NASA sticker pasted to his T-shirt.

Lamkins was one of many children visiting the Iowa Children’s Museum, 1451 Coral Ridge Ave., to hear from NASA aerospace education specialist John Weis. Based at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Weis teaches youngsters in Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas about space exploration in hopes of sparking an early interest in math and science.

The NASA specialist recently partnered with museum staff to develop educational strategies for their aviation exhibit, which is scheduled to open in early fall 2009.

“I have a blast doing this stuff,” he said as he uncoiled a plastic tube from 8-year-old Noah Bishop’s forearm, part of a demonstration detailing methods astronauts use to cool themselves in space.

Unlike us, space explorers can’t just take off their heavy coats if they are hot, Weis said. Moonwalkers wear a “pajama-like cooling suit” under their space gear while floating through the galaxy, he said.

Sam Bishop, Noah’s older brother, whose interest in outer space is reflected in the solar system-themed bedding, curtains and toys filling his Solon bedroom, was engaged by Thursday’s exhibit.

“I like the idea of NASA,” Sam, 10, said, reflecting on the astronaut suit he’s worn the past three Halloweens. “And I’ve always wanted to be an engineer. One on the ground for NASA, if I can get that far.”

The Bishop brothers enjoyed the pretend space launches and the mock aircraft preparation. Their mission plan – counting and weighing plastic bags of pennies — failed, but the boys were not disheartened.

They continued with a team-building activity where they attempted to assemble sections of tubing.

But the “coolest” part, Sam Bishop said, was talking to a representative from NASA.

“They’re really into space,” Jen Bishop, the boys’ mother, said. She said it is beneficial to provide such educational opportunities for “older kids,” especially those with interests like those found in the Bishop household.

“They’re always up for this stuff,” she said. “At our house, we’re all space all the time.”

© Gazette Communications 2009