Reaching for the Stars: The Story of Ellen Ochoa
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how people travel into space? Exploring the stars takes years of study, curiosity, and teamwork. Ellen Ochoa used her love of math and science to become an engineer, an inventor, and a pioneer in space exploration.
Ellen was born in 1958 in California. As a young student, she enjoyed reading and playing the flute. She also discovered a deep interest in math and science. In school, she liked solving difficult problems step by step. After high school, Ellen attended San Diego State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in physics. Next, she went to Stanford University to study electrical engineering. There, she earned both a master's degree and a doctoral degree. Engineering is the work of designing and building machines, systems, and structures to solve real-world problems.
- pioneer:
- A person who is among the first to explore a new area or try something new.
- optics:
- The scientific study of light and how it behaves.
- defects:
- Flaws, errors, or imperfections in an object.
- patents:
- Official government documents that give inventors the right to stop others from copying their creations.
- orbit:
- The curved path that an object takes around a planet or star in space.
- satellites:
- Objects sent into space to orbit a planet and collect data or transmit signals.
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- 1What subject did Ellen Ochoa earn her bachelor's degree in at San Diego State University?
- 2Why did Ellen receive three patents for her engineering work?
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About this biography passage for 3rd Grade
“Reaching for the Stars: The Story of Ellen Ochoa” is a biography reading passage about Ellen Ochoa, written for 3rd Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (549 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.