Focus on TUSD - November 2006

Howenstine Students Map Out Strategy
Howenstine High Magnet School students are expanding their view of the world by using satellite images to make maps with their Chilean counterparts.

After studying satellite images of Tucson and La Serena, Chile, Chris Martin's general science students are now acting as "Mars rovers" for their friends across the globe. The project teaches students the electromagnetic spectrum, coordinates and scale.

Martin said that even NASA is interested in this AstroChile project, asking if it can add the activities to its Web site so that other users could participate.

Some students hone in on specific project aspects, such as 10th-grader Gracie Harris, who is learning about Chilean landmarks by e-mailing information and photographs to Mario Baeza. Bisbail Dorame, a senior, translates for students in a monthly video conference and is also developing a blog system for American and Chile students.

And ninth-grader Megan Deloach has prepared a packet of landsat Tucson photographs for a local Lions Club. Dorame and Deloach have also taught Miles Early Learning Center about the landsat satellite maps. The three girls all said they would like to visit Chile after learning more about the country.