Florida teacher heading to Space Academy

Fourth-grade teacher at Laurel Oak Elementary School, Jodi Vidaurri, is heading to the Space Academy for Educators program in Huntsville, Ala., this summer. This story tells us why this “spacy” teacher deserves it.

Vidaurri lobbied to have her new school, Veteran’s Memorial Elementary, named “Columbia” in honor of the ill-fated space shuttle that broke up over Texas in 2003, killing all seven astronauts on-board.

Her Laurel Oak Elementary students are always clued in before every rocket launch and asteroid brush. They can not only pronounce terms like “nebula”; they also know what it means.

But for the 28-year-old teacher, teaching about space from afar isn’t good enough. She wants to speak to her students from experience.

Combining space with lessons is nothing new for Vidaurri. She participated in a space education program, Project Launch, at Florida Gulf Coast University, where she is attempting to earn her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis on environmental science.

Vidaurri used the information she obtained during Project Launch to conduct learning labs with students. This year, she asked students to represent the planets, and spread them across the school to demonstrate the distance each planet is from the sun.

“Fifth-graders are tested on science they learned all through elementary school,” Vidaurri explained. “If they don’t remember the information from a book, next year, when it comes time to answer these questions, they can relate to some hands-on experience.”

Congratulation, Vidaurri. Have fun!

About Brandon Haught

Communications Director for Florida Citizens for Science.
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