Fifth Grade News

The fifth grade students of Clarendon and Huber Street Schools recently engaged in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They had the opportunity to have a questions and answer video conference with NASA Astronaut Steve Swanson, currently is a visiting Distinguished Professor and Boise State University. Mrs. Patricia Smeyers, 5th grade teacher at Clarendon School, works part-time with Dr. Swanson and their BSU STEM faculty. Since his retirement in 2015, Dr. Swanson devotes his life to educating our youth and college students with inspirational STEM activities. After working on an aeronautics unit with Mrs. Smeyers, his content curriculum writer, she invited the former astronaut to a question and answer session with the Secaucus fifth grades. The students are currently studying a health/STEM lesson about life in space, living on the ISS (International Space Station), and the effects of zero gravity on an astronauts’ bones and muscles. The students are utilizing Newton's Laws of Motion to develop a sport for an astronaut to participate in while on the International Space Station,in order to keep healthy and fit for their return home to Earth. Dr. Swanson, a PhD. in Computer Science, presented excellent information for their STEM projects, while also providing a unique opportunity to speak with a NASA STEM expert and receive inspiration, training, and educational advice for their futures. All participants are grateful to Dr. Swanson for the time and effort he volunteered to interact with and inspire our fifth graders.