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Kids Pretend to be Planets Under New NASA Education Initiative

NASA experts are working with a group of San Diego teachers to craft lessons at their inner-city school. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

Kids Pretend to be Planets Under New NASA Education Initiative

(Photo: Johnson Elementary’s curriculum has an emphasis on space and technology. Ana Tintocalis/KPBS.)

NASA experts are working with a group of San Diego teachers to craft lessons at their inner-city school. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

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Most kids learn about the solar system by reading textbooks. But Johnson Elementary School students learn by pretending to be planets. The activity is just one of many lessons NASA experts and Johnson teachers are crafting together.

NASA expert Ota Lutz says many science lessons today aren't fun. 

Lutz : When you actually do the science, it gets a little crazy as you saw in the activities today, but the kids love it, they remember it and they learn.

Teacher Kimberly Reels says the NASA folks helped her brush up on some science skills. They also breathed new life into her lessons.

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Reels : You know we really stick close to the curriculum of science that the district gives us because we're not as knowledgeable as we need to be.

The NASA experts spent two days training and working with the teachers.

Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.