Field Trip to Space and Rocket Center

So Magan had signed us up as a chaperone for Sam's 5th grade field trip.  And when I learned it was going to be at the Space and Rocket Center, I gladly volunteered to take this trip for her.  But I didn't realize I was going to be a chaperone...I thought I could just go and hang out with Sam...but I only had one other kid to watch so it wasn't bad.  We boarded our charter bus at 6:00 AM, and didn't get back until 6:00 PM. 

 

Sam enjoyed the bus ride with his gang...Austin, Trey, Benton and Brody...and they hung out for most of the day together.  The bus ride was a mixture of them trading Pokémon cards, and some really strange Disney shows. 

 

After riding the Gforce and the Spaceshot, we all gathered together for the group picture.  We did get to eat lunch in one of the SpaceCamp buildings that I have never been in...so I took an opportunity to wander off for a bit...like a good chaperone.  We then toured the new Saturn V rocket Davidson Center, and had some actual retired NASA scientists telling us about different projects.  Our official tour guide for the day was Wonder Woman (It was the day before Halloween), and I must say all the other dads were jealous of our tour guide...

 

After an IMAX movie (I can NOT stay awake in these things), then another ride on the spaceshot, we headed back to the bus for the long ride home.  I actually got another ride on the spaceshot while the kids were doing a science experiment...I slipped off...like a good chaperone.  :) 

 

I was happy when I asked Sam his favorite parts, because his matched mine...1. Riding the Spaceshot, and 2. Talking to the NASA scientist about the Skylab project.  The group got ahead of me and Sam, so I pulled him back to show him the Skylab module, we read all about it, then walked out to see our group had gone, but one of the NASA scientists that was a part of the project came over and talked to us about the goals of the project to test living conditions and effects of space on bone mass.  He also talked about having to fight with those pesky shuttle guys that got all of the funding he wanted for Skylab 2.  Really cool conversation, until we realized that our group was completely out of the building, and we had to link back up with them...wherever they went...