Leah Shinaberry
GBEMS Librarian
The first and second grade students at Green Bank Elementary-Middle School had an exciting opportunity last week to participate in a science activity in collaboration with the Green Bank Observatory and the West Virginia Department of Education.
The WVDE filmed part of an episode for their YouTube channel called “Common Factor.”
Common Factor explores the use of math in real world situations in West Virginia. Previous episodes have featured the WVU football program, the reintroduction of elk into the state, the National Guard of West Virginia, and more.
GBEMS students designed parachutes on toy cars to see how they affected the cars’ movement when blown by a hair dryer. This simulated the way satellites are designed to move through space and the way a satellite’s movement can be affected by storms. Part of the work at the GBO is to track satellites and to find satellites that have been blown off course by stormy weather.
This is another exciting opportunity students at GBEMS have participated in because of the proximity to the Green Bank Observatory. Students have previously launched weather balloons, participated in robotics activities, toured the facility, and were even able to converse with astronauts on the International Space Station in collaboration with GBO scientists and radio experts.
The production team of Common Factor hopes to launch this video in fall 2025.
