Mr. Morin has a friend who owns the local BPs who went to see Chris Hadfield play at a concert earler this year. He caught this pick that Chris tossed into the crowed and Mario convinced him to give it to him for me. So awesome! MERCI!!
This is a photo that my friend Greta had taken with Chris Hadfiled. Her and I taught together in Monterrey, Mexico in over ten years ago. She recognized Chris from my posts and had a conversation with him. Here is what she said:
"Hi Amanda! How are you doing darling? I know it's been ages, but I hope you're doing wonderful :) Today I met Commander Chris Hadfield on one my flights. He is an incredibly nice person in real life as well. I told him I knew a teacher in Edmonton who's a huge fan, and he knew exactly who I was talking about! He said something along the lines
"It's teachers like Amanda who help turn kids into great people." I thought I'd share this with you and hope it makes your day Big hug to you and yours! xoxo"
Today is the last day that Space Oddity by Chris Hadfiled is available on YouTube. David Bowie gave him one year to rock this song and now it's time to say goodbye. Or just watch it here.
Also this just made me laugh. #YEGHAPPY with all of our friends at CTV, Astral Media, our local and provincial government, and a few other local celebrities dancing and being HAPPY! Click on the photo to play the video.
It is as simple as that. Twitter is awesome! I have been using Twitter to follow a variety of people to keep up with current events and innovations in science and technology that I can use in my class. It is a great social networking tool because you can share what you find and it is not as personal as other platforms. That way you can follow celebrities and other public figures who would not normally be "friends" with strangers. Follow me on Twitter @AmandaGMerriman The Canadian Space Agency is one of my favorites. They retweet an reply to public posts often and make you feel like your opinion matters. See more about my interactions with them here.
I also have had a few interactions with Canadian astronauts Chris Hadfiled and Jeremy Hansen that have been awesome. They have pretty busy lives but it makes me feel special to have them take a moment to tweet.
Handyman's dream tool. Quick refresher on PGT (space drill) that crew will use to release & install bolts. pic.twitter.com/d7LcvSabqA
— Jeremy R. Hansen (@Astro_Jeremy) April 23, 2014
Best. Day. Ever. Here is the back story ... Last year I made it
my goal to meet Chris Hadfield and have him come and
talk to my school. I am a self-proclaimed space geek and love all things Hadfield. With his new celebrity and best-seller book he is even
more popular than ever so, even though I did get to briefly meet him, I
have to set the second part of this goal aside. For now.
I have made a new goal. Connect with a current Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Skype, perhaps one day have a school visit, and eventually to be there to interact and support when the day comes for his own time in space. So now I have achieved two of the four so far and am excited to see what the future may bring.
Last November I attended the ATA Science council conference and
was delighted to find out that Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, would be a keynote speaker. I read all I could and discovered so much about Hansen, Hadfield, and the CSA. Through Twitter I interacted
with Magalie Renaud from the Canadian Space Agency and was able to meet
her and Jeremy face-to-face. It was wonderful to ask him so many
questions and pick Magalie's brain about what was out there for educators in
regards to our Canadian Space Program. She asked me if I had applied to
have an astronaut speak to my class and, of course, I had.
A few months later I received an email from her letting me
know that Jeremy was able to Skype with my class!
This past
week and a half was busy getting the students and their questions ready and
even doing a practice Skype with NASA. We had heard that
there was a possibility that the event would have to be rescheduled
because the astronauts currently aboard the International Space
Station were planning a space walk to repaira computer, and that our own Jeremy
Hansen would be the Ground Intravehicular Officer. It was explained to me that it would be like he is the conductor
to the orchestra that is the symphony of space walking. A pretty big
deal!
Fortunately the
space walk was scheduled for tomorrow so we were able to do our Skype
after all. (Please click HERE to watch the space walk live on April 23rd at 7:20am MST and listen for
Jeremy's voice!). All 80 kids and 5 teachers piled in to my classroom and
the excitement was palpable. What a great moment!
Jeremy talked to us about his journey in becoming an astronaut including Air
Cadets as a youth, being a CF-18 fighter pilot for the Canadian Air Force and
finally being chosen to join the CSA as an astronaut. He explained about
the detailed training including going on caving expeditions, geology and research in the arctic, space walk simulations in space suits under water,
and learning how to use the famous Canadarm. He talked about his job and
all of the experiences he has had so far with such joy and appreciation
that I think it was very inspiring for my students who are starting to find and
follow their own dreams.
Today is also Earth Day and he mentioned how aboard the ISS they have a really
good view of our entire world and that it is important to care for it. Wouldn't it be nice to see the world from way
up there? No borders or boundaries. Just planet Earth.
Jeremy
talked about the future of the space program and how in our lifetime we will
see a boom in scientific studies, commercial space flight, and
new discoveries and technologies that these kids could
very well be a part of. He told them
that no matter what their dreams are they need to find that thing they are
passionate about and go for it with all that they have.
He showed us two amazing videos that were distorted by our slow bandwidth. I thought I'd re-post them for you all to see.
The last
half was spent answering the plethora of questions the kids were itching to
ask. They wanted to know more details
about his training, goals, challenges, and even fears. I asked about his role in the space walk tomorrow,
the role of social media in promoting specifically Canadian astronauts, and any
photography tips he may have picked up.
Space selfie?
I want to say a HUGE thank you to
Jeremy for taking the time during such a busy and important week to talk to our
class. I know I found it very inspiring and
know my students will never forget it. I
also want to thank the CSA and NASA for the continual educational support. It is an exciting time to be a teacher! Merci.
Thank you.
La Nouvelle Beaumont News was there to
cover the story. They interviewed me and
some of the kids for an article in an upcoming addition. Keep an eye out! Here is the picture they took.
What an adventure! I am smiling so much my face hurts.
I received and email from the Canadian Space Agency letting me know that we were chosen to Skype with one of our two active Canadian astronauts, Major Jeremy Hansen!
I was lucky enough to meet Jeremy at the ATA Science Council Conference and he was a very interesting person with a unique perspective of our world. He will be talking to our class about his journey and then a lucky few students will be able to ask him their questions. See more about him and the CSA here. Also see the CSA channel on YouTube. Follow us live via Twitter during the event @AmandaGMerriman @Astro_Jeremy @csa_asc
And because I love it ... click HERE for all things Chris Hadfield!
I was fortunate enough to receive two sets of tickets from some very thoughtful parents to go and see a private lecture by my hero, Chris Hadfield. I was able to take a few other teachers with me to share in the fun. I am so grateful!
I have been lucky enough to have heard Hadfield speak before and he is always very eloquent and thoughtful. I was delighted to find that he is also quite funny. He said something like "In the shade it is -150oC and in the sun it's +200oC ... just like Fort McMurray!"
He spoke of his feelings and experiences leading up to liftoff (don't forget your space diapers!) and the wonder of weightlessness. He spoke of working hard towards your goals and the responsibility we have to children to inspire them to pursue great things. I only hope sharing my passion for science and enthusiasm for all things space and Hadfield will rub off on my students and their future endeavors.
He sang the ISS song with a funny moment about 1:30 into the video. Very nice acoustics at the Windspear indeed!
The best part was when he let people ask him questions and his interactions with the kids that were curious to learn about his adventures. I was up on the third balcony and waved my arms like a mad-woman and caught his attention. I asked him "What song are you working on next?". He told us about preparing for the Lou Reed tribute (one of my dad's favorites) and practicing some of his original songs he wrote in space to be performed with a symphony. He mentioned another song but in my glee from having him look and talk directly to me I forgot. A bit of a space-geek coma for sure!
It is a bit blurry as I was trying hard to listen to him TALKING TO ME!!!
Well I did it!! I finally was able to meet Chris Hadfield!
He was in town on November 21st for a whirlwind media frenzy including interviews with CTV, City TV, CBC Radio and more! He even stopped by the Southside Chapter's (Gateway) and signed all the copies of his book.
I was able to shake his hand, thank him for what he has done for space education (he thanked me for making the effort to say hello) and then a quick picture. My hands were shaking so badly but it was worth it. I hope the next time I have the chance to talk to him for more than 30 seconds and have a real conversation.
He always talks about following you dreams, but more than that he talks about turning yourself into the person who can accomplish that dream. This includes setting goals and working hard towards them, making each day a learning experience, and enjoying the ride! My goal has been to meet Chris Hadfield (check!), have him talk to my school, and spark the passion for science in the hearts of my students. So I am half way there! But this hasn't all happened because I am jut lucky. It happened because I am passionate about science, have spent a lot of time reading and researching, and am truly inspired and excited by the lessons Hadfield has taught us all.
@MarkConnollyCBC In his book he talked about thinking like an astronaut and always being prepared, like learning "Rocket Man" just in ...
— Alberta Sci Teacher (@AmandaGMerriman) November 21, 2013
@MarkConnollyCBC ...case Sir Elton John invited him up on stage. I want to know what the next song and artist he is preparing for ...
— Alberta Sci Teacher (@AmandaGMerriman) November 21, 2013
Edmonton - I just signed all of my books at the Chapters South Point, in case you wanted one. Thanks for the warm hospitality & fresh snow!
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) November 21, 2013
A nice young Edmontonian made this 'Spacewalker' bracelet for me. I love it - thanks Mackenzie! pic.twitter.com/BCZWPac3tB
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) November 21, 2013
The ISS is 15 years old today! As Chris Hadfield Tweeted, almost old enough to drive!
Join the ISS and CSA on Twitter and see if you can wave to the ISS as it passes over head. They are doing 24 tweets in 24 hours! See more about this amazing event here http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/news.asp Follow along on Twitter with the hash-tag #ISS15 Mme Merriman @AmandaGMerriman CSA English:@csa_asc CSAFrench:@asc_csa NASA @nasa or @nasa_johnson
Don't forget to follow some other amazing Canadian space dudes! Jeremy Hansen @Astro_Jeremy Chris Hadfield @Cmdr_Hadfield
I had an amazing time this weekend at the ATA Science Council Conference and am humbled by the great minds that were brought together to share and inspire! The ATASC did a wonderful job, as usual, bringing together a wide variety of presenters keynotes with excellent hospitality. I am tempted to join the council. I was able to meet so many new people who all had such unique and amazing ideas and ways of teaching science. I feel both inadequate and inspired all at the same time.
I also introduced myself to the ATASC Science Teacher of the Year Award winner, Annie, who is one of the few other French immersion junior high science teachers I have ever met. Naturally I exchanged information with her and will be in touch soon. I am looking forward to picking her great big science brain! Felicitations Annie!
I was able to present two session with my friend, Morgan Laird, about teaching with technology and quick science demo's and how we keep them organized on Pinterest. It was wonderful to have someone so like-minded to work with and explore what we are able to share with other teachers. See our session notes and links HERE. See the notes and hand outs of ALL of the sessions HERE.
Morgan and I ready to rock our presentations!
The rest of the weekend was spent being inspired by other educators and organizations out there looking to share with and support teachers. There are so many energy and petrochemical companies with free resources that not only share he science of oil but also how to conserve and protect the environment. My favourite of all is Inside Education, the organization that brought Morgan and I together for the love of science! See their website for FREE teacher PD!!
The highlight of the entire weekend was being able to meet Canadian Astronaut, Jeremy Hansen as well as Magalie, his lovely co-worker from the Canadian Space Agency. I introduced myself to Jeremy and Magalie and they both indulged my questions and we had a lovely conversation about space, science, geology, parenting, and more. I found out Jeremy lived in Cold Lake when had just started teaching there. I wonder if it was his F-18 roaring over my class making the windows shake? He was very kind and spoke with an innate yet humble intelligence. He was gracious enough to sign a picture I brought and pose for a picture that I will treasure in my space-geek collection.
The autograph reads "To Amanda, Thanks for your contribution to our students! Jeremy Hansen"
Later on Jeremy gave his keynote address that made us all want to become astronauts! Well maybe if it weren't for the exhaustive training, arduous elimination process, and the immeasurable amount of education, patience and intelligence needed. If we aren't up for that we were at least inspired to be the best we can be, reach for our goals, work hard to achieve them, and enjoy the ride in the mean time. Maybe we will be the teachers that share our love for science and space and inspire the next generation of future Canadian astronauts! Jeremy was very appreciative of teachers and acknowledged the importance of what we do, especially if we do it well and with caring and passion. He spoke of a variety of resources for space and science education including the educational support the CSA has to offer, the Tomatosphere project, and the ever evolving National Film Board Space School that my school was lucky enough to participate in.
The CSA looks like the starship Enterprise!
Hadfield and the Candarm - Great Canadian contributions to space
He showed us some amazing pictures of the ISS, his training, new technologies and a variety of perspectives of our world. He shared about working with Chris Hadfield and my favourite video of him in space, other than the ISS song and Space Oddity. Jeremy was very witty and I think the CSA was testing how he deals with pressure by having a technical glitch with his presentation that deleted all of his video links. He recovered with humour and great speed. Well done.
Trying out being weightless with other astronauts from around the world!
Jeremy flying over the Alberta Rockies. Stunning.
Jeremy was part of Chris Hadfield's ground support. Sounds like a great team to me!
My favourite Chris Hadfield science demo
This is by far one of the most stunning videos from space I've ever seen. My kids keep asking me to play it for them over and over again. My boy wants to be an astronaut now!
When explaining how they deal with the potential conflicts of living in space for so long and being confined together he said "Nobody wants to fly in space with a jerk." He continued to explain the extensive training and team building they do for years before they ever leave the ground. He was able to go up to the Arctic and train with a geologist so he would be able to collect data and samples on the moon, an asteroid, or even Mars! He also did a cave exploration with a team of astronauts from around the world and had to squeeze through some tiny spaces as well as collect scientific data. All of this to prepare for the day when it will finally be his turn to go into space. We will be cheering you on from Canada Jeremy!
Jeremy on Mars with his Mars Rovers ... or the Arctic with ATVs.
Jeremy's cave adventure
I have to indulge my ego and share something that was by far the most meaningful moment of the conference for me. Jeremy was able to stay and enjoy the rest of the conference and a few sessions. A total class act. As I was leaving the final keynote speech to go home after an exhausting (and amazing) day he stopped me to talk. He said that someone was singing my praises and saying that I was a passionate science teacher. He shook my hand and thanked me for all of the hard work and all that I do. I stood there blushing and dumbfounded but truly honoured. I thanked him and in a blur made my way home. I'm not sure if he will ever know just how much it meant to me to be acknowledged by someone of his calibre. I plan to pay it forward and acknowledge all of the amazing and talented teachers, students, and people who are dedicated to their passions.
Thank you Jeremy. Merci
What an amazing week! I'm going to buy a lottery ticket and if I win get on that flight with Lady Gaga into space!
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