Sometimes teachers get so busy with endless testing that we miss the joy of teaching, the joy in learning! This past weekend, my family and I took a family fun/educational weekend trip to Houston, Texas. It was so exciting to learn new things, not only for my own children, but it will also benefit my students!
We were able to visit NASA's Space Center. Inside the Space Center are some fabulous exhibits about space and space exploration. We also took a tram tour to the Johnson Space Center across the street. Because it was the weekend and there were no active missions that day, we were allowed to visit the gallery above the Mission Control Center! There was another Mission Control Center nearby monitoring the International Space Station, so we did get to view some of that via monitors. It was fascinating!
Thinking about my students, and our upcoming Space Unit, I went a little crazy at NASA's gift shop.
We also visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science. What an incredible place! My own children loved the Dinosaur Exhibit and the Egyptian Exhibit. Fun fact: When you see a dinosaur skeleton on display at a museum, you can tell if it's real or a replica by looking at the metal. If the metal poles go through the bones, it is a replica. If the metal is bracing the bones, it is real! I did not know that!
I also found a Lakeshore Learning Store nearby and went in person! It was so much more fun than just looking through their catalog!
Lastly, this was my fortune at dinner one evening. Well said!
I am excited to get back to my students and use my newfound knowledge, as I remember that it's not all about the tests. There needs to be joy in learning!
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