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NASA Opportunities for Educators and Students
NASA Education is providing a variety of exciting STS-118 activities to engage all educators and inspire the nation's future workforce before, during, and after the first spaceflight of an Educator Astronaut. Please read the PDF brochure by clicking its image at left. Barbara Morgan and her STS-118 cremates will share their spaceftight experience with students, educators, and the general public in a variety of ways, including downlinks and media events during their flight. The crewmembers will also conduct informal education activities that may be taped and broadcast through a variety of media. NASA and the international Technology Education Association are launching the NASA Engineering Design Challenge for Fall 2007. During the 2007-2008 school year, elementary, middle, and high school students will design, build, and assess plant growth chambers in a standards-based grade-banded activity. Students will learn the basics of engineering ind design, as well as how to conduct a scientific experiment. Two education payloads will fly on STS-118. Cinnamon basil seeds will be exposed to microgravity and used in Earth-based science experiments and design assessment activities for NASA's Engineering Design Challenge- Two small growth chambere and the associated hardware needed to conduct a 20-day on orbit plant growth experiment will also be part of the flight's educational activities. Growth of seeds on-orbit will be documented for educational use in the Engineering Design Challenge and beyond. The NASA Fit Explorer project is a scientific and physical approach to human health and fitness on both Earth and in space, Students (grades 3-5) will "train like an astronaut" by completing physical activities modeled after the rest-life physical requirements of humans traveling in space. Students will also gain an understanding of the science behind nutrition and physical fitness by participating In structured hands-on activities that relate physical Earth-based needs to the requirements of exploring space. For additional information on STS-118 and related education activities, please visit http:// www.nasa.gov/sts118 NASA Podcast
Click on the brochure image to the right to view the entire PDF file... NASA Engineering Design Challenge
There are three challenge tracks:
After your students build their own growth chambers, you will receive actual Space Seeds that you can use along with other Earth Seeds to test your design. Space Seeds are available on a limited basis to educators who register and complete the challenge with their classes. Visit www.nasa.gov/sts118 for more information and to register. Here you'll also find lesson guides, classroom extensions, teaching tips, assessment guidelines, and an educator career corner. Sign up for NASA's Express mailing list! You can receive updates on the Engineering Design Challenge and the many other exciting STS-118 Education activities NASA is offering, as well as on related NASA Education news and opportunities. Click the poster thumbnail to the right to view the pdf poster and related information. Challenge Your Students to Be a Fit Explorer
Inspire the nation's future explorers by joining NASA in a variety of exciting hands-on and physical activities before, during, and after the flight of mission STS-118. NASA's Fit Explorer project is a scientific and physical approach to human health and fitness on Earth and in space. This standards-based activity set based on mission STS-118 was developed to help your students will learn about NASA's Vision for Space Exploration and the requirements of living and working in space. Students will practice walking to their "base station," coordinating muscle movement for a space walk, jumping for strong bones, strength training for strong muscles, and developing post-mission improvements in balance. Visit www.nasa.gov/sts118 to download and print Fit Explorer materials (available beginning Summer 2007). Click the poster thumbnail to the right to view the pdf poster and related information. A Guide to NASA Education Programs Aerospace Education Services Program (AESP)...AESP is a nationwide, free program for teachers, students, and the general public. A specialist can provide workshops for teachers or work with state education officials, presenting ways in which aerospace topics may be applied or integrated into subject matter. The NASA Aerospace Education Services Program (AESP) is administered through the Department of Aviation and Space Education at Oklahoma State University. Visit their website to determine the NASA center serving your region and for additional information about the program. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)...Is a program that offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crew members of the International Space Station. Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM) - Is a spectacular collection of digital images of Earth taken from the International Space Station and the shuttle. Using the World Wide Web, select middle schools request images based upon their classroom investigations. The image collection and accompanying learning guides and activities support classes in Earth science, space science, geography, social studies, mathematics, communications, and even art. The NASA Engineering Design Challenges connect students with the challenges of NASA engineers as they design the next generation of aerospace vehicles. With simple and inexpensive materials, students engage in related design challenges in their classrooms by designing, building, and testing models that meet specified criteria. Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment - GLOBE: GLOBE is a worldwide network of students, teachers, and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment. This program is an excellent opportunity for teachers to integrate computers and the World Wide Web into classroom activities. K-12 students in the GLOBE Program make environmental measurements daily, weekly, and seasonally with the guidance of their teachers. Students send their data, via the Internet, to the GLOBE Student Data Archive. Imagine Mars - Is a Web-based initiative that provides educators and project leaders with lesson plans, Mars facts and other resources to lead student project teams. The goal is to encourage students to explore their own community, to interact with scientists, engineers, artists, architects and community leaders, and to understand the different planetary environment on Mars. Learning Technologies Project - LTP: NASA's Learning Technologies Project conducts and facilitates educational projects at all levels of the American educational system. The project funds activities that use the Internet and other technologies to foster reform and restructuring in math, science, computing, engineering, and technical education. The LTP Web site provides an overview of all of NASA's educational technology activities. MATHCOUNTS: MATHCOUNTS is an annual math competition for 7th and 8th grade students which brings NASA and other organizations together to promote math education. Teams are selected in local schools and advance to regional,state, and national competitions. MATHCOUNTS is the national math coaching and competition program for 7th and 8th grade students. On their website you will find the problem of the week, problem solving, a math challenge, rules and procedures, and information for participating in the competition. Meet NASA People - Online at NASA Quest you can meet scientists, engineers, technicians and other diverse NASA professionals. Read their biographies and join in the chats to learn more about careers at NASA. Mission Geography is curriculum support material that links the content, skills, and perspectives of Geography for Life: National Geography Standards with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's missions and results. Mission Geography's goal is to excite and educate learners about geography, NASA's research and missions, and the world in which they live. This educational product uses existing NASA data and images to engage students in active, hands-on inquiry, modeling the scientific method and developing students' understandings of environment-society relations and Earth Science. NASA's Classroom of the Future (COTF) - The Web site for NASA's Classroom of the Future highlights technology activities such as workshops, news and events, CD-ROMs, 21st Century Teacher Initiative, the Challenger Learning Center, and related NASA technology programs. NASA Cooperative Education Program: NASA Cooperative Education Programs are designed to combine academic studies with on-the-job training and experience and to give students an opportunity to work at a NASA Field Center while completing their education. Each NASA Field Center manages its own program. Contact the Cooperative Education Office at your college or university for NASA programs available to you. NASA Explores is a website that brings your classroom lessons to life with the latest information on NASA aeronautics and space exploration, prepared by professional educators for use in your classroom. NASA Explorer Schools - Become a NASA Explorer School and partner with NASA to bring exciting and unique opportunities to educators, administrators, students, and families. Stipends and grants are available to participants. NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics - NOVA: NOVA invites the participation of science, engineering, technology, mathematics, and education faculty who are concerned with how universities prepare new teachers. Using the NASA mission, facilities, and resources, NOVA will provide faculty with enhanced knowledge and skills to implement change in university courses. The NOVA website offers a listing of participating colleges and universities. Also available are contacts, registration information, archives, workshop schedules, research, and related links. NASA Quest - Invites students and teachers to communicate with NASA scientists and researchers through frequent live, interactive events that allow participants to come and go as dictated by their own individual and classroom needs. These projects are open to anyone, without cost. Supporting resources include Web-based profiles of NASA experts, lesson plans, activities, background information, and other Internet educational services. Become a NASA Teacher-Mentor! - NASA Ames Research Center seeks motivated and creative educators of grades 3-8 to apply to become an elite member of a NASA peer-mentoring network, the Airspace Systems Education Cohort (ASEC). Educators selected for this opportunity will attend a 3-day institute at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA in August 2005. This institute will engage participants in scientific inquiry at the leading edge of education and technology and prepare the educators to share their experiences with their students and colleagues. Download the application at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/asec/index.shtml. Application Deadline: March 21, 2005 The NASA Personal Property Disposal Program...Each year the Federal agencies of the United States generate billions of dollars worth of excess, surplus and/or exchange/sale personal property no longer needed by the original acquiring activity. Find out how to obtain this property through this Web site. Where to Ask Questions - Do you have a question about Space? Do you want to ask a question about an experiment you tried in Science class? Choose a site from this list and post your question. Read carefully for rules that apply to each location.
Last modified 06 August 2007 |
