Image taken from NASA.
I think that it is rather fitting that NASA's Curiosity sets down on Mars just before the beginning of a new school year. Garth and my continuing mission is to inspire learning through independent exploration and autonomous learning grounded in a grander sense of curiosity and creativity. Thinking of, designing, creating and implementing such an extraordinary thing like landing a man-made object on the surface of Mars is nothing less than awesome. Sure there is a ton of science and math involved with the whole process, but none of it would have been possible without the imagination of the people involved.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is someone I have spoken of before, and I come back to his words in a recent tweet: "The day we stop exploring is the day we commit ourselves to live in a stagnant world, devoid of curiosity, empty of dreams." As a teacher, a learner and someone who is always awe struck by what we know (and don't know) I find it inspiring to know one of this centuries greatest scientific minds still sees the importance of human wonder/curiosity. Garth and I teach exploration, but I do not think we have ever really discussed curiosity as one of the big factors that pushes humans to continually explore. Exploration, whether we call it that or migration, is at the foundation of all mankind's advancements. Whether we are talking about leaving Africa or landing on Mars.
It is with a new spark of curiosity that I begin this upcoming school year (two weeks of summer left). I am tempted to have the landing of Curiosity playing in my room during open house. I hope it will generate questions, spark curiosity about what 7th grade social studies will be like and start to create subconscious links between science and history.
Congratulations to everyone on the planet for living full lives. A special thanks to the men and women of NASA that make such amazing discoveries and continued exploration possible. "Live long and prosper".
-Mike
Neil deGrasse Tyson is someone I have spoken of before, and I come back to his words in a recent tweet: "The day we stop exploring is the day we commit ourselves to live in a stagnant world, devoid of curiosity, empty of dreams." As a teacher, a learner and someone who is always awe struck by what we know (and don't know) I find it inspiring to know one of this centuries greatest scientific minds still sees the importance of human wonder/curiosity. Garth and I teach exploration, but I do not think we have ever really discussed curiosity as one of the big factors that pushes humans to continually explore. Exploration, whether we call it that or migration, is at the foundation of all mankind's advancements. Whether we are talking about leaving Africa or landing on Mars.
It is with a new spark of curiosity that I begin this upcoming school year (two weeks of summer left). I am tempted to have the landing of Curiosity playing in my room during open house. I hope it will generate questions, spark curiosity about what 7th grade social studies will be like and start to create subconscious links between science and history.
Congratulations to everyone on the planet for living full lives. A special thanks to the men and women of NASA that make such amazing discoveries and continued exploration possible. "Live long and prosper".
-Mike
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