Dad Brings Mars Rovers to Mountain Avenue Classroom

Shannon Welch, a third grader at Mountain Avenue Elementary School, brought in her science project Monday, her father, Richard.

Shannon is a student in Vicky Nolte's third-grade class at the La Crescenta school.

"They have been studying the planets," Nolte said.

It was evident the students knew their solar system when Welch quizzed them on the planets. They knew the names of each and where they were placed in relation to the Sun.

Welch, the deputy project system engineer of the Mars Science Laboratory Project at JPL, shared a video on various Mars projects and what scientists and engineers plan for the future.

The highlight of the visit was the Mars Rover. Welch brought a prototype of the rover for the students to see up close. He explained how the rovers on Mars operated and how they traversed the Martian terrain.

"This rover is small. Our rovers now are getting bigger and bigger," Welch said. He explained that the rovers are bigger because they carry more science equipment.

"How do you think the rovers get their power?" Welch asked.

"The Sun," yelled the class.

Then it was time for the students to see exactly how the rover rolled over Mars. They laid down as the rover rolled over them and their teachers, Nolte and Melissa Stephan.

"It's fun [having him here] because he gets to teach the class about what his job is," Shannon said.