My Experience with Ask a Scientist...

So, my first experience with Ask a Scientist was a little bit of a let-down.  At first glance, I was excited about the potential of asking a "real" scientist a wondering question and getting a "real" answer.  I immediately thought of what this would mean to my students...and that excited me even more about the potential of this site.  We were assigned to ask a question about cells.  I asked, "With regard to brain cells, how do multiple hits to the head affect the brain cells?  What are the ramifications to brain cells from concussions or other sports related injuries?"  This is a question that interests me because of my sports history (I played at the high school and college level) and because I currently am a high school coach.  Although I received no answer, I still see the value in this type of site.  If we could be assured of more timely responses, I would definitely use this in my classroom instruction for students to interact with scientists.  Just as students have pen pals and write to authors in ELA, interactions with professionals in the field bring a positive, real-world experience to students.