The XCam2 Aids in 8th Grade Astronomy Lessons

The XCam2 Aids in 8th Grade Astronomy Lessons By Mrs. Marilyn Sniffen

Dear X10,

From need to creativity--that's what directed me to use the my X10 camera in my classroom. You see, I am an 8th grade science teacher, and we end the year with a unit on astronomy. During this unit my students apply for positions as Mission Specialists on one of 12 teams which will be participating in a simulated mission to Mars, called "Mars Outpost". The "Transportation" team must build a robotic rover to explore new territory once we arrive on the Red planet, and it must be able to view the terrain and pick up samples.

In the past, my students had done an outstanding job building this project, but were always limited to the length of the USB cable which attached the video cam to my laptop. This was very frustrating, as it was not realistic, nor convenient.

When I saw the ad for the XCam2, a battery pack, and XRay Vision software, I jumped at the chance to be free of this limitation. This year, my students were delighted to mount the wireless X10 camera and battery pack on their robot, take it outside the room, and remotely control its movements by watching its "view" on a big screen from a desktop projector which was connected to my PC. When my students complete making a simulated Mars landscape in a nearby lot, they will be able to explore Mars via the Internet!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Marilyn Sniffen
Hillsdale Middle School
El Cajon, California

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