Space Age

Innovative Education Calls for Innovative Design. New York City Center for Space Science Education was created through collaboration with The City Council, NASA, The National Challenger Learning Organization and NY C Department of Education to promote Space Science Education for K-12 students. OMNI worked closely with NYC SCA to create this innovative education space at PS 56 in Manhattan. Three classrooms at PS 56 were converted into a Briefing Room, Mission Control Room and a Challenger Space
Shuttle Simulation Room. In addition, the entry area corridor has been redesigned to “transfer” the students into a new world full of outer space experiences. After receiving basic instruction in the Briefing Room, students divide into two groups: one in the Mission Control Room which commands the other group as they “travel” through space in the Challenger Space Shuttle collecting and analyzing samples from the universe. During the lesson students reverse roles by walking through a star-filled black revolving door which magically takes them from the Mission Control Room into the Space Shuttle. The goal was to create an atmosphere which could propel students into an eye-opening new experience by engaging them in activities that simulate space travel. The Space Shuttle Challenger Simulation Room evokes enthusiasm derived from bringing something as complex as space travel into an interactive and tangible lesson, striving to enforce that big dreams can be a reality for young minds as they work collaboratively to launch into space. The excitement for the future is palpable as one 6th grader said after a lesson, “I was a communications officer and we launched a probe to Halley's Comet. I would love to become a communications officer when I grow up. It was very interesting.” There is no doubt that the Center empowers students to recognize that, with hard work and dedication, they will be able to achieve goals as high reaching as becoming an astronaut. OMNI is proud to have had an opportunity to facilitate this experience through innovative design.