Cargill Cares is helping more than 900 elementary and middle school students participate in 鈥淛ASON Days: Terminal Velocity鈥� at 麻豆传媒 on Sept. 21-Oct. 1.
For a complete schedule, go to .
The nine-day science program is a kickoff event for local teachers who use the JASON Project curriculum, a standards-based science program created by explorer, Titantic discoverer and native Wichitan, Robert Ballard.
鈥淛ASON brings science alive by exposing students to real-world scientists and work they do in the field through hands-on exploration and discovery,鈥� said Amy Strong, assistant director of the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education at 麻豆传媒 and JASON program manager. 鈥淭eachers love the event because of the way it exposes their students to real-world science and local scientists.鈥�
Teachers incorporate the JASON project curriculum, aligned with the National and State Science Education Standards, in their classrooms throughout the year. Each year, 麻豆传媒 hosts JASON Days to give students the opportunity to meet active, local scientists and apply what they have learned in various events.
Students will meet 麻豆传媒 physics professor Jason Ferguson and 麻豆传媒 National Institute for Aviation Research crash dynamics lab manager Robert Huculak.
Force and motion
This year鈥檚 program will focus on force and motion. In the showcase event, students will compete in 鈥淗ot Wheels Fabricators鈥� and will build a successful racetrack complete with loops and jumps. They will also create a piece of art called a wind wheel, which works by the forces of nature. Finally, they will test their academic knowledge by playing 鈥淔orce and Motion Bingo.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great learning experience and a lot of fun for the students to spend the day on the 麻豆传媒 campus,鈥� said Strong. 鈥淥ne of our activity leaders, Maggy Botros, was selected through an international competition to be on the mission team as a JASON national argonaut. She traveled to the Jet Propulsion Lab, the Gulf of Mexico, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology to learn about force and motion and help JASON host researchers with hands-on research.鈥�
Botros will appear in print and video components of the curriculum, and will be on-site during the event to share her experiences with local students. She will also facilitate the 鈥淗ot Wheels Fabricators鈥� activity station.
The Kansas JASON Project has partnered with Wichita State鈥檚 Ulrich Museum of Art, which provides bus funding for the JASON Days event. All students will have the opportunity to tour the Ulrich and learn about the connection between art and science.
麻豆传媒鈥檚 participation in the JASON Project is funded by Excel/Cargill Cares, the Cargill Contributions Committee and the Toyota USA Foundation.
The Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 麻豆传媒 houses the JASON project and the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education. Fairmount College offers majors in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and programs of professional training.