Andrea Galabinski NASA scientist/educator Brian Campbell treated students from Littleton Elementary to a two-day speaker series, with a high-tech presentation on the earth, the moon, and outer space.

Scientist and educator Brian Campbell spent two full days last week at Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary School in North Fort Myers. He treated every class (with the exception of kindergarten) to a look at what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration does toady, both in space and on earth.

“What a lot of people don’t know is that NASA is one of, if not the, leading agency in earth science in the United States,” he said.

The students delighted in his high-tech presentation that included a lot of animation, and his question -and -answer style presentations.

Hands were constantly raised to answer the science questions he incorporated into his presentation.

“It was very positive, and kids got to use science terms and knowledge versus in a test or quiz,” said Assistant Principal Ross Cooper.

Littleton Assistant Principal Ross Cooper, below right, taught his first year with guest NASA speaker Brian Campbell.

Campbell and Cooper are personal friends. They both taught their first teaching year together in Maryland in 1997.

Campbell’s background as a teacher shined in his style of presentation. While science can be complicated to convey, his presentation stimulated the students.

“We’re thrilled to have Mr. Campbell on campus,” said Littleton Principal Monica Broughton. “It’s a very special gift for our children to react with a real NASA scientist.”

Campbell talked about the work that he conducts at the Goddard Flight Space Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. His official title is Hydrospheric and Cryospheric Science Educational specialist, something he was even able to explain to first graders.

“I use satellite data to study the earth,” he said, “and I work with LRO – Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter – were we are going back to the moon to look for water. We’ve just sent a satellite back to the moon to study it more. It will crash into a crater and the dust and debris will be studied.”

Other presentation topics included the water cycle, the importance of studying the earth and how the earth maintains and sustains life. Disney even lent NASA its famous character Wall-E for information in the presentation.

Campbell noted that besides satellites, his home base at the Goddard Flight Space Center also does a lot of work with the Hubble Telescope.

He has also had many scientific works published, five in the last few years.

“We are putting a special emphasis on science this year at Littleton,” said Cooper. Officials there said they hope to have more programs that focus on science.