Education : Science & Music ? ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay music in microgravity !

 

Thomas Pesquet

crédits:  Photo AFP /European Space Agency/ ESA/ AFP

via ESA 

To celebrate the premiere of Coldplay's latest single Higher Power, the band linked up for an extraterrestrial video chat with French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who is currently on a six-month mission on board the International Space Station. 

A specially recorded performance of Higher Power - featuring dancing alien holograms - was beamed up to Thomas, who gave the track its very first play on board the Station. 

The song’s premiere followed a conversation which took in similarities between life on tour and life on the Space Station, how planet Earth looks from space and its fragility; and how Thomas listens to music in microgravity.

ESA

Vous rappelez-vous de l'astronaute français Thomas Pesquet et du concours sur le Petit Prince d'Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Bien sûr!

Alors, l’astronaute français Thomas Pesquet a décollé le 21 avril dernier, en direction de la Station spatiale internationale (ISS). Accompagné de deux astronautes américains, Shane Kimbrough et Megan McArthur, et du Japonais Akihiko Hoshide, le Français doit passer six mois en orbite.

L’astronaute tricolore Pesquet est le commandant de bord de la mission, une première pour un Français. Wow!

Coldplay/Handout via REUTERS

Eh ben! Thomas Pesquet et Coldplay ont eu l’honneur d’échanger ensemble, en visioconférence. A cette occasion, le commandant de bord de l’ISS a diffusé, en exclusivité, le nouveau titre High Power du groupe britannique. 

Thomas Pesquet et Coldplay ont échangé ensemble en visioconférence l’occasion de la sortie du nouveau titre du groupe britannique, Higher Power. 

Depuis la coupole où se trouvait le commandant de bord de l’ISS, Pesquet, les artistes et l’astronaute ont partagé un moment complice au cours duquel ils ont pu parler de leurs expériences respectives. 

Pesquet a montré aux musiciens une vue panoramique magique de l’espace, répondant ensuite à leurs questions - un anglais parfait - et ils ont évoqué ensemble les similitudes entre la vie dans la Station Spatiale Internationale et les mois de tournées mondiales. Magnifque! Il faut regarder la vidéo ci-dessus.

crédits: ESA

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/

"Que ressentez-vous à propos de la Terre et des gens, quand vous êtes là-haut ?" - a demandé Chris Martin, très impliquée dans la défense de la planète. 

"C’est une bonne question. Quand vous êtes là, vous ne voyez pas les frontières qui sont une création qui n’existent pas naturellement. La deuxième chose, c’est que c’est incroyable à quel point la Terre et petite et fragile", a notamment répondu Pesquet. 

"Vous devez utiliser vos ressources à bon escient, vous devez partager et travailler ensemble", a-t-il poursuivi. "C’est une belle perspective, c’est ce que nous ressentons aussi", a enchaîné Chris Martin.

Cette conversation avait aussi un autre but pour Coldplay : partager leur toute nouvelle chanson, Higher Power. 

"On vous a envoyé notre musique parce que pour l’instant, on ne peut pas jouer devant quiconque sur Terre, donc on s’est dit qu’on allait la jouer pour vous", a expliqué le leader du groupe en souriant. 

Une performance spécialement enregistrée de Higher Power, mettant en vedette des hologrammes extraterrestres dansants, a été diffusée à Thomas Pesquet, qui a offert au titre sa toute première diffusion à bord de la Station», écrit sur Youtube l’Agence Spatiale Européenne. 

"C’est la première fois que notre musique est diffusée… dans toute la galaxie. Et c’était incroyable mec", peut-on entendre le groupe réagir, une fois Thomas Pesquet déconnecté.

Thomas Pesquet a ensuite diffusé les premières notes du single avec sa tablette. 

Higher Power

crédits: Coldplay/PA

Science, & pop music:

Coldplay have premiered their new single with the help of French astronaut Thomas Pesquet on board the International Space Station (ISS).

A special performance of Higher Power featuring dancing alien holograms was sent up to Thomas Pesquet, who gave the track its first play after midnight on board the station.

The award-winning band, fronted by Chris Martin, also joined the 43-year-old aerospace engineer for a conversation via video call.

                                        Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay

credits: ESA/ YouTube

Martin told Mr Pesquet: “Right now we aren’t able to play for anybody on Earth, so we thought we’d just play for you. It’s like our one-man concert.”

In the recorded performance, the four-piece are seen playing in their trademark colourful outfits in front of shipping containers, while a troupe of hologram dancers perform in front of them.

The Max Martin-produced song was teased last week via a cryptic video and website referencing an Alien Radio.

A snippet of the track later appeared on TikTok for a 24-hour period.

  Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay

credits: ESA/ YouTube

Education: science & pop music: Why not?

We all know that students love pop music. Why not talk about pop music and astronomy? Two strong subjects to include into school curricula. Especially in pandemic tome where most of world schools were closed and student so far away from teachers and colleagues.

They need to reconnect to school subjects, even those who have special needs and felt outside the education system on remote learning. 

credits: ESA/ via YouTube

This experience Thomas Pesquet on space conversation with a pop group which took in similarities between life on tour and life on the Space Station, how planet Earth looks from space and its fragility; and how Thomas listens to music in microgravity. Wow!

Music offers a bundle of advantages for the educational and overall development of students. Training in music helps students develop language and reasoning. Early musical training helps develop the areas of brain related to language and reasoning. Music can help develop the left side of our brain, and songs can help in imprinting information on our minds."

Music also has the potential to achieve social and psychological transformation of children and young people. Their sensibility will be accurate. 

image: via Music Travel

Music and science? Yes. Some good students in science discovered or will discover that they can do both. Music and science.

Knowing that all humans are musical allows teachers to easily get past the myth that music education should be reserved for a subsection of the population: the “talented few.” 

It is imperative to get this message out to people – first to ourselves as educators, then to our students.

Many teachers love Music, in this case pop music and feel comfortable to speak about Music in the school curriculum.

Did you felt the enthusiasm of young students when we are talking about music in the classroom? Any kind of music. Pop or classical. No matter the curriculum. It depends from the learners we are teaching. And from teachers, of course.

They must love pop music, as a science teacher open to the new interests of students. They are changing, after pandemic times. They are open to new subjects in school curricula, More inclusive to their interests.

We must never waste such an opportunity as teachers! Captivating the major interests of our students to Music.

But, if possible, you may contact the band of Coldplay - in these days everything is possible - and ask for a chat with students to increase cultural education. 

Who knows if you will discover a gifted kid, a new pop musician among your students? 

This would be the perfect (idealistic, I know) school education! Artists and teachers working together for the complete education of children.

Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay conversation

credits: ESA/ YouTube

Some thoughts: 

"Those who believe that music isn't as important as other core academic subjects are uneducated about how music can benefit students, both emotionally and in their academic pursuits. In schools world-wide, music education is critical to students' development of skills necessary for thriving in school and beyond."

Jef Furr

All of your lessons plans must be thought to meet specific area and curricular requirements, but also enrich students experience. 

For example, start by choosing the subject area such as Core Curriculum (Languages, Sciences, Music, Digital Literacy) and of course a Media Art | Music cross-curricular project.

G-Souto

09.05.2021

Copyright © 2021G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Education : Science & Music ? ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay music in microgravity by  G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sources: ESA | Coldplay/ Facebook

Education World Book Day & Copyright : Read... so never feel alone !

 

https://en.unesco.org/

"The power of books must be fully harnessed. We must ensure their access so that everyone can take refuge in reading, and by doing so, be able to dream, learn and reflect"

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO

World Book and Copyright Day is a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading. 

23 April is a symbolic date in world literature. It is the date on which several prominent authors, William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. This date was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone to access books.

St Georges Day 

https://www.google.com/doodles/

• Google Doodle: St Georges

St. Georges became a heroic figure of legend who was declared Patron Saint of England in 1348. 

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by U.K.-based guest artist Ruby Fresson, honors England’s celebration of St. George’s Day and the legend behind this special day that has captured the imagination of generations. 

• Legend (England):

The legend of St. George traces its roots back to the Middle Ages when 11th-century Crusaders returned to England and shared his venerable story of valor and sacrifice. Accounts lauded St. George as a hero who rescued not only a princess but an entire city under siege from a fire-breathing dragon! Upon his valiant horseback arrival, St. George slew the dragon, a battle scene recreated in today’s Doodle artwork. Rose bushes are said to have grown across the village after the dragon’s defeat and St. George picked a fresh rose to give to the rescued princess. 

Following his success, the villagers held a massive feast in St. George’s honor—a tradition which has been passed down through the ages—as has giving a rose to a loved one in some cultures.

San Jordi

credits: unknow

via Twitter

• San Jordi festivity (Catalonia)

World Book Day and Copyright takes place today, with festivities such as the Catalan Sant Jordi – to mark Saint George's day, in honour of Catalonia's patron saint. 

World Book and Copyright Day is an opportunity to recognize the power of books to change our lives for the better and to support books and those who produce them.

https://www.facebook.com/unesco/

During the last year when most countries have seen periods of confinement and people have had to limit their time spent outside, books have proved to be powerful tools to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity. In some countries the number of books read has doubled.  

credits: iStock.com/monkeybusinessimages

During the month of April and all year round, it is critical to take the time to read on your own or with your children. It is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children's growth as readers and promote a lifelong love of literature and integration into the world of work. 

Through reading and the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, 23 April, we can open ourselves to others despite distance, and we can travel thanks to imagination. 

credits: AP hogeschool

Education:

April is a month full of good things to celebrate about literature.

April 23 Shakespeare death and April 22 Cervantes death. It's a day where books are the center of activities in schools and at home and virtual events all around the world. 

April 2nd was Christian Andersen's birthday and International Children's Book Day. 

Reading a book is in our days a large concept to adults and to children. All formats are available for those who love to read.

The goal is to engage people in reading, and to have fun doing so! 

The book covers are incredibly important and play a vital role in our buying decisions. We’re all extremely judgmental about covers. 

The pandemic has also reminded us all of the importance of books and reading for comfort and escapism, we’ve all needed it this past year. We're always glad to see when a title has been well presented, as a good cover can make or break a title. 

• Resources

Edith Ngaio Marsh: crime fiction

Edith Ngaio Marsh

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/

Edith Ngaio Marsh was born on 23 April 1895 in Merivale, Christchurch. Marsh worked within the classic detective story form, enlivening it with the high quality of her writing and a range of erudite references. 

A crime writer and theatre director, she was internationally known for her creation Inspector Roderick Alleyn, a gentleman detective who works for the Metropolitan Police in London. She had 32 detective novels published between 1934 and 1982.

When in Rome

Roderick Alleyn series #26

Ngaio Marsh

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Several works use theatre as a narrative context. Four have New Zealand settings – Vintage murder (1937), Colour scheme (1943), Died in the wool (1944) and Photo-finish (1980) – and there are many New Zealand references and characters. Her detective, Roderick Alleyn, who appears in all her fiction, displays the standard aristocratic confidence and a rational scepticism about human nature, but is notable, in the age of Peter Wimsey and Hercule Poirot, for his lack of eccentricity. 

Children's books:

Luci's Light

Margarita del Mazo

Illustration: Silvia Álvarez

https://www.amazon.com/

A tale all about how important it is to shine as brightly as you can, with the light that we all carry within us and makes us unique.

Luci's Light

Margarita del Mazo

Illustration: Silvia Álvarez

https://www.amazon.com/

Winner at the 2016 Gellet Burgess Award - Society & Culture

My Neighbor

Ignacio Sanz

illustration: Eva Poyato

https://www.cuentodeluz.com/

Synopsis:

Childhood and old age go hand in hand in this beautiful poetic text.

My Neighbor

Ignacio Sanz

illustration: Eva Poyato

https://www.cuentodeluz.com/

Age-related increases in wisdom and life experiences, is a drive to give to children in a meaningful way. The aging population has “distinctive qualities” to meet the needs of youth. 

Older adults are exceptionally suited to meet these needs in part because they welcome meaningful, productive activity and engagement. They seek – and need – purpose in their lives. 

As for older adults they benefit as well, experiencing emotional satisfaction in relationships with young people. One way to achieve such contact is through volunteer service, which is associated with better physical health and cognitive performance for aging people. From a societal view, these interactions are positive, too.

https://www.facebook.com/unesco/

UNESCO encourages us to challenge ourself, to explore new topics, formats, or genres that out of our ordinary. 

The goal? To engage people in reading, and to have fun doing so! Now is the opportunity to: As a celebration for this year's World's Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO has created a Bookfacechallenge

(link is external)

Inviting students, teachers, readers from around the world to testify and express their love for reading by participating to this challenge.

"Books  are  a  means  of  accessing  the  deepest  places in our minds. Page by page, books light a path for us to roam, unbound by time or borders. In other words, books give us freedom." 

G-Souto

23.04.2021

Copyright © 2021G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Education : World Book Day & Copyright : Read... so never feel alone by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.