New School students learning from infinity and beyond

The New School Montessori’s 6-9 students have been studying galaxies, their stars and their life cycles. They’ve learned that the universe’s 92 naturally occurring elements, like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and iron, are formed during a nuclear fusion reaction in stars called stellar nucleosynthesis. Dispersed through supernova blasts and stellar winds, these elements create new planets, stars and other matter in outer space. Students also reenacted “The Dance of the Planets” (when the planets appear to align in the night sky) on the blacktopped parking lot in chalk, with globes representing the planets.

Guest speaker Dr. Andy Czaja from the University of Cincinnati shared his knowledge about the science of space exploration. An astrobiologist and member of the Mars 2020 Mission, Dr. Czaja is part of the team searching for evidence of life on Mars. The students enjoyed his presentation, especially the Lego replica of the Perseverance Rover, and asked many questions, building on their understanding of planets and space.