Who can visit the McAuliffe Center?
The McAuliffe Center’s Challenger Mission Simulation program is not open to the general public. It is designed to work in a formal education setting under the direction of a middle school classroom teacher.

The mission simulation experience is only the application component of a much broader educational experience, and requires advance preparation as well as post-mission follow up.

The McAuliffe Center is located on the campus of Framingham State University, and has no publically accessible displays or facilities.

The Boston Museum of Science, the Ecotarium in Worcester MA, and the McAuliffe/Shepard Discovery Center in Concord NH all specialize in public programming. The McAuliffe Center hopes you'll take advantage of the high-quality educational experiences they provide.

How does the program work?
Middle school teachers attend a day-long workshop at Framingham State University, at which time they are introduced to the Center’s unique facilities and curriculum materials.

They return to their classrooms and integrate these elements into their daily activities, beginning several weeks in advance of their scheduled visit.

On mission day students arrive at the McAuliffe Center with a clear understanding of their specific roles, the science behind their tasks, and the teamwork and communication skills necessary for mission success. The 2-hour mission simulation is as real as it gets.

The mission continues into the classroom even after the simulation experience has ended. Students analyze collected data, discuss emergency responses and other process decisions, and hold press conferences for schoolmates summarizing mission goals and outcomes.

Challenger 51-L 25th Anniversary Coverage
 

Challenger 25 Years Later
This story aired on the NBC Nightly News on Sunday evening, January 23, 2011.

McAuliffe ‘still impacting education,’ says classmate
This story was published on the NBC Nightly News website on Sunday evening, January 23, 2011.
 

Exploring Her legacy: McAuliffe Center Stresses Importance of Education
This article and an accompanying video piece, "Day Tripping to Mars", appeared in the Boston Globe on January 21, 2011.
 

Space Shuttle Challenger explosion still vivid after 25 years
This article appeared in the Metrowest Daily News on Sunday, January 23, 2011.
 

Slide Show honoring Christa Corrigan McAuliffe

Jeff Hoffman tribute to astronaut Ron McNair
Former Shuttle astronaut Jeff Hoffman, now an MIT AeroAstro professor, offers a tribute to fellow astronaut
and MIT alum Ron McNair who, along with his crew mates, in the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986.

Coverage of 25th Anniversary Events - McAuliffe Charter School Science Projects

The Challenger Learning Center's hands-on, minds-on middle school program...

...uses space flight simulation to demonstrate the importance of essential 21^st century work skills, including teamwork, problem solving, decision making, and communication

...empowers students while giving them a sense of real accomplishment

...provides middle school students with a unique opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom

...inspires students to become self-starters by placing them in an authentic, real world setting with real mission-critical goals

...awakens within students an entirely new outlook on science and its potential as a career choice

 

...gives middle school students a chance to experience a vibrant college campus

...directly addresses a number of concepts singled out by the Massachusetts Science Education Frameworks

As if that weren't enough, over
10,000 crewmembers per year tell us...

...it's a total BLAST!

Call Nanci Goguen at  508.626.4055
to schedule a mission for your class.

Teachers' Domain

Teachers' Domain is an online educational service with two related components — Collections and Courses — that help teachers enhance their students' learning experiences and advance their own teaching skills.

Visit the website, complete the simple, safe, and free teacher registration, and take it for a test drive right away. 

Planetarium Program Addresses
Common Classroom Conundrum

Are we closer to the Sun in summer? The answer to that question surprises many students - and adults. 

Angles, not distances, cause winter snows to obscure the same sandy beaches that burn our feet in the blazing heat of summer.

How does it all work?

Come experience the McAuliffe Center's multimedia planetarium presentation, The TILT, as we uncover the reasons behind the Earth's changing cycle of seasons.

Other News and Resources

Home | About Us | Directions | Workshops | Challenger | Space News | Education News | Links | Gift Shop | Schedule | Contact Us

© 2011 Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center for Education and Teaching Excellence
All Rights Reserved