Post List[NASA Education Express]

NASA Education Express

NASA Education Express -- May 10, 2012: Posted on May 10, 2012 03:03:22 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Live Video Chat: How Space Station Research Affects Life on Earth
Audience: Grades 7-12
Event Date: May 11, 2012, 2-3 p.m. EDT

Chemistry of Water: Mars Exploration -- Is There Water on Mars? Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 14, 2012

Celebrate the Launch of Astronaut Joe Acaba
Audience: All Educators and Students
Launch Date: May 15, 2012

Live Video Chat: Astronaut Greg Johnson -- Living and Working in Space
Audience: Grades 4-12
Event Date: May 15, 2012, noon-1 p.m. EDT

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates during May 2012

Engineering Design Challenge: Thermal Protection System Web Seminar
Audience: 8-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 15, 2012

LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: May 15, 2012

Linear Regression: Exploring Space Through Math – Space Shuttle Ascent Web Seminar
Audience: Algebra Teachers and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 16, 2012

Free Exploring Space Lecture -- Gamma Ray Bursts and the Birth of Black Holes
Audience: All Educators and 9-Higher Education Students
Event Date: May 16, 2012

Teachers Touch the Sky: An Astronomy Workshop
Audience: Grade 3-9 Educators
Registration Deadline: June 15, 2012
Workshop Dates: Aug. 6-10, 2012

2012 NASA’s Multiwavelength Universe Online Professional Development Course
Audience: 5-12 Educators and Higher Education Students
Event Dates: June 25 - July 13, 2012

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program -- Mission 3 to the International Space Station
Audience: 5-Higher Education Educators and Students
Letter of Commitment Deadline: Sept. 12, 2012

New Educational Materials Available at NASA.gov
Space Math VII Educator Guide -- Grades 3-12
Remote Sensing Math Educator Guide -- Grades 3-12
Solar System Magnetism Demonstration -- Grades 5-8
Astrobiology Math Educator Guide -- Grades 6-12
Supernova Remnant SNR 0509 Lithograph-- Grades 11-12

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Live Video Chat: How Space Station Research Affects Life on Earth

The NASA Explorer Schools project is offering students in grades 7-12 an opportunity to ask questions of Tara Ruttley, the associate program scientist for the International Space Station. Join the video chat on May 11, 2012, from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Ruttley will answer questions submitted during this live video chat about conducting research on the space station and the benefits of this research to astronauts living and working in space and to life on Earth.

Students do not need to be in a school participating in the NASA Explorer Schools project in order to ask questions during this video chat.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/research-ruttley-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Chemistry of Water: Mars Exploration -- Is There Water on Mars? Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute Web seminar on May 14, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. "Chemistry of Water: Mars Exploration -- Is There Water on Mars?" is an inquiry-based lesson on how atmospheric pressure and vapor pressure affect the boiling point of water. See why water’s boiling point is pressure-dependent, rather than temperature-dependent. Then, by extension, you will deduce if there could be liquid water on Mars.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar25.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Celebrate the Launch of Astronaut Joe Acaba

Educator and astronaut Joe Acaba will launch to the International Space Station to join Expedition 31. Students and educators can join NASA’s Digital Learning Network on May 15, 2012, at 12 p.m. EDT to celebrate the launch and to meet an astronaut trainer who helps prepare astronauts for their missions. There will also be a chance to ask questions.

Before joining the webcast, be sure to take a moment and visit Teach Station, NASA Education’s newest website for students and educators about the International Space Station. Visit the website often and watch for opportunities to connect with expedition crew members and other NASA education opportunities. Be sure to check out the page A Teacher in Space and meet Joe Acaba. Read about his experience as an astronaut and his transition from being a classroom teacher to becoming an astronaut in the astronaut corps.

Visit the new website at http://www.nasa.gov/education/teachstation.

View NASA's Distance Learning Network webcast at http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/dln/index.html.

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Live Video Chat: Astronaut Greg Johnson -- Living and Working in Space

NASA Explorer Schools is offering students in grades 4-12 an opportunity to ask astronaut Greg Johnson questions during a live video chat. Join the chat on May 15, 2012, from noon-1 p.m. EDT to ask Johnson questions about his education, astronaut training and experiences while living and working in space.

In 2007, Johnson was selected to pilot Endeavour on the STS-123 mission that launched in March 2008. After he returned from the flight, he served as a capsule communicator, or CAPCOM, for STS-126, STS-119, STS-125 and STS-127. In May 2011, Johnson piloted Endeavour's final flight, STS-134.

Students do not need to be in a school participating in the NASA Explorer Schools project in order to ask questions during this video chat.

To learn more about astronaut Greg Johnson, visit http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/johnson-gh.html.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/johnson-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

The Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through May 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

Free Planetarium Program for Your Computer (Grades K-12)
May 15, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Les Gold will introduce participants to a free planetarium program. Participants will learn how to use the program to demonstrate day/night cycles, the sun's changing position in the sky, as well as seasons, phases of the moon, constellations and more.

Looking at Our Earth From Above (Grades 4-9)
May 15, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will integrate science, technology, engineering, mathematics and geography, or STEM-G, with Earth observations, remote sensing and maps. NASA curriculum products, missions and other resources will be utilized to demonstrate an inquiry-based teaching strategy to better understand Earth and the processes that shape it.

Mars Uncovered: Revealing the Geologic History of Mars (Grades 5-12)
May 16, 2012, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Tony Leavitt will share an inquiry-based lesson that presents a critical-thinking approach of studying the surface of Mars. This process is similar to the approach used by NASA scientists. This lesson will teach students to examine geologic features of a planetary surface and use relative-age dating techniques to analyze the information and interpret the geologic history.

Rocket Scientists Write? (Grades K-12)
May 21, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate language arts activities using NASA materials and lessons found within NASA educator guides. Materials discussed will cover reading comprehension and composition for grades K-12. Lesson plans and strategies will be shared.

Toys in Space (Grades 4-9)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will share NASA's Toys in Space videos and activities. In this program, astronauts took toys from around the world with them into space. Students predict, observe and record how the toys behave without the effects of Earth's gravity, putting Newton's Laws of Motion to the test. Participants will receive copies of the astronaut videos for use in the classroom.

Sun-Earth-Moon Relationships (Grades K-8)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Rick Varner will introduce sun-Earth-moon models that help to explain the phases of the moon and both lunar and solar eclipses. Additionally, the activity "Kinesthetic Astronomy" will be introduced for its explanation of the seasons.

For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through June 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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Engineering Design Challenge: Thermal Protection System Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on May 15, 2012, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. Learn about the science of heat transfer and heat dissipation related to NASA vehicles, and receive an introduction to the associated engineering design challenge, Thermal Protection System. In this activity, students are challenged to design a thermal protection system and test it using a propane torch.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar10.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge

NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the State Department and Nike recently announced a challenge to identify 10 game-changing innovations that could transform waste-management systems and practices. Waste management is important for planning long-duration human spaceflight missions to an asteroid, Mars or beyond.

Humans living off the planet require waste solutions that mirror issues facing people on Earth. In the hostile environment of space, waste must be eliminated or transformed in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. The innovations, which will be presented at the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste forum, may lead to practical applications for astronauts as we send humans deeper into our solar system.

The LAUNCH: Beyond Waste challenge is open through May 15, 2012, and seeks creative solutions to minimize waste or transform it into new products in space and on Earth. Forum partners will select 10 innovators to present their technology solutions at the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste forum, hosted by NASA July 20-22, 2012, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

NASA and the LAUNCH Council -- thought leaders representing a diverse and collaborative body of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, government, media and business -- will participate in the forum and help guide these innovations forward. The selected LAUNCH innovators will receive networking and mentoring opportunities from influential business and government leaders, as well as portfolio presentations.

LAUNCH was created to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global sustainability challenges. LAUNCH searches for visionaries whose ideas, technologies or programs show great promise for making tangible impacts on society in the developed and developing worlds.

For more information about the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge and how to enter, visit http://links.launch.org/beyond-waste.

Inquiries about this challenge should be directed to Chad Badiyan at chad.badiyan@secondmuse.com.

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Linear Regression: Exploring Space Through Math – Space Shuttle Ascent Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools and Learning Environments and Research Network, or LEARN, Projects are hosting a 60-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on May 16, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Discover how you can use the Space Shuttle Ascent activity to construct a knowledge bridge for your students between the algebra concepts they learn in your classroom and space exploration.

For more information and to register online, visit https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/nes-webinar-registration-linear-regression/.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Free Exploring Space Lecture -- Gamma Ray Bursts and the Birth of Black Holes

The Swift Explorer is an astronomical satellite that is observing gamma-ray bursts, the birth cries of black holes. Experimental physicist Neil Gehrels will share the latest mission results and discuss the amazing properties of black holes.

The lecture will take place on May 16, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Come early to see a free film and to meet the lecturer.

The lecture will be held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and is free to attend. Tickets are required. The lecture will be webcast live for free viewing online. Lecture video will be archived.

For more information, visit http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=3727.

Questions about this lecture should be directed to nasmpubliclectures@si.edu.

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Teachers Touch the Sky: An Astronomy Workshop

Space science is inherently interesting to students, less threatening to teachers than some other sciences and interdisciplinary in nature. These features make it the ideal vehicle for teaching basic scientific concepts to children in a concrete and captivating manner.

In August 2012, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Calif., will host a one-week educator workshop for teachers of grades 3 through 9. Attendees will learn about NASA education materials, including hands-on activities based on current projects in astronomy and space science at JPL, with a special focus on NASA's current Dawn Mission to the asteroid Vesta. Participants will take a field trip to JPL's Table Mountain Observatory, tour JPL's facilities and to talk to real scientists about their work.

Registration for this workshop closes on June 15, 2012.

For more information and to download the workshop application, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/index.cfm?page=273.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Dr. Bonnie Buratti at Bonnie.J.Buratti@jpl.nasa.gov.

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2012 NASA’s Multiwavelength Universe Online Professional Development Course

In-service and pre-service teachers of middle- and high-school students are invited to register for an online professional development course sponsored by several NASA missions that are exploring the universe across the electromagnetic spectrum.

The course is offered for academic or continuing education credit through Sonoma State University. In the course, participants will be shown how to use astronomical examples (images, phenomena, telescopes) to describe the nature of light and color in terms of the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Participants will also learn why NASA uses a variety of telescopes and space-based instruments to make observations of the universe. NASA resources for the classroom will be shared, and participants will learn how NASA resources can be used to address common student misconceptions about the nature of light and color.

Formal presentations for the course will take place on four dates between June 25 and July 13, 2012, but will also be available for archival viewing. Homework for academic credit is due Aug. 17, 2012.

Enrollment is limited to 25 participants. Auditors are also welcomed, on a space-available basis.

For more information and to register, visit http://epo.sonoma.edu/multiu.php.

Questions about this course should be directed to Lynn Cominsky at lynnc@universe.sonoma.edu.

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Student Spaceflight Experiments Program -- Mission 3 to the International Space Station
Audience: 5-Higher Education Educators and Students
Letter of Commitment Deadline: Sept. 12, 2012

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announces a new opportunity for communities across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP, flight opportunity, Mission 3 to the International Space Station, or ISS, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit on the International Space Station.

Each participating community will be provided an experiment slot in a real microgravity research minilaboratory scheduled to fly on the space station from mid-April to mid-May 2013. An experiment design competition in each community -- engaging 300 to 1,000 students -- allows student teams to design real experiments vying for their communities’ reserved experiment slot on the space station. Additional SSEP programming leverages the experiment design competition to engage the community, embracing a Learning Community Model for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations are also encouraged to participate. All participating communities must be aboard by Sept. 12, 2012. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities secure the needed funding.

Through previous SSEP missions on the space shuttle and International Space Station, more than 70,000 students in almost 200 schools have had the opportunity to design and propose real experiments to fly aboard the space station. A total of 27 experiments, reflecting the 27 communities, flew on the final two space shuttle flights. The third SSEP flight opportunity, Mission 1 to the ISS, engaged 12 communities, and 15 experiments have been selected to fly on SpaceX's Dragon capsule scheduled to launch later this month. The Mission 2 experiments are slated to fly to the space station in fall 2012.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the SSEP Mission 3 to ISS National Announcement of Opportunity at http://ssep.ncesse.org/?p=9708.

The SSEP in-orbit research opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks LLC, which is working in partnership with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of using the International Space Station as a national laboratory.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein at jeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.

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New Educational Materials Available at NASA.gov

The Educational Materials section of NASA's Web site offers classroom activities, educator guides, posters and other types of resources that are available for use in the classroom. Materials are listed by type, grade level and subject. The following items are now available for downloading.

Space Math VII Educator Guide -- Grades 3-12
This collection of activities are intended for students looking for additional challenges in mathematics and physical science. The problems deal with modern science and engineering issues, often involving actual research data. Each word problem includes background information and teachers' answer keys.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Space_Math_VII.html

Remote Sensing Math Educator Guide -- Grades 3-12
This guide is a complete study for remote sensing and mathematical models. Each lesson in this guide is a supplement for teaching mathematical topics. The problems can be used to enhance understanding of the mathematical concept or as an assessment of student mastery. Each word problem includes background information and teachers' answer keys.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Remote_Sensing_Math.html

Solar System Magnetism Demonstration -- Grades 5-8
The big idea of this demonstration is that the sun and Earth have different magnetic properties. Sunspots are related to magnetism on the sun. Earth has a strong simple magnetic field with two poles. The educator builds the magnetic fields using polystyrene spheres, strong magnets and staples. Then the participants make "field detectors" from simple objects to predict the locations of the fields.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Solar_System_Magnetism.html

Astrobiology Math Educator Guide -- Grades 6-12
This collection of activities is intended for students looking for additional challenges in the mathematics and physical science curriculum in grades 6-12. The problems deal with modern science and engineering issues, often involving actual research data. Each word problem includes background information and teachers' answer keys.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Astrobiology_Math.html

Supernova Remnant SNR 0509 Lithograph -- Grades 11-12
The Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of what appears to be a delicate bubble of gas floating in space. The bubble is the visible remnant of a powerful stellar explosion that took place in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy about 160,000 light-years from Earth. The image of the supernova remnant is on the first page of the lithograph, and background information is on the second page. The lithograph includes a Level One Inquiry activity entitled "In Search of ... Supernova Remnants" in which students research supernovae and dispel misconceptions of the life cycle of stars.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Supernova_Remnant_SNR_0509.html

To find more NASA educational materials, visit http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true.

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- May 3, 2012: Posted on May 03, 2012 02:06:38 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Astronaut Don Pettit Shares Space Physics "Science Off the Sphere" Videos
Audience: All Educators and Students

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates during May 2012

Celebrate Space Day at the National Air and Space Museum
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: May 5, 2012

Engineering Design: Forces and Motion -- Balloon Aerodynamics Challenge Web Seminar
Audience: 6-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 7, 2012

Quadratic Functions: Exploring Space Through Math -- Weightless Wonder Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 9, 2012

Live Video Chat: How Space Station Research Affects Life on Earth
Audience: Grades 7-12
Event Date: May 11, 2012, 2-3 p.m. EDT

Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: May 11, 2012
Institute Dates: July 14-27, 2012

For High School Juniors and Seniors: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair
Audience: 9-12 Students
Application Deadline: May 11, 2012
Event Date: May 26, 2012

2012-2013 National Student Solar Spectrograph Competition
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Deadline to register and apply for build awards: Sept. 30, 2012

What's New at NASA's Space Place Website
Audience: K-6 Educators

Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download
Audience: Informal Education Institutions

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Astronaut Don Pettit Shares Space Physics "Science Off the Sphere" Videos

NASA astronaut and Expedition 31 crew member Don Pettit continues to examine how microgravity affects scientific principles through “Science Off the Sphere,” a video series featuring unique physics experiments performed on the International Space Station using everyday objects.

NASA and the American Physical Society, or APS, have partnered to share the videos with students, educators and science fans around the world.

In the short, downloadable videos, Pettit has used knitting needles and water droplets to examine static electricity, demonstrated capillary flow by creating a zero-gravity tea cup, used thin water films to experiment with fluid motion, shared infrared imagery of Earth and more.

APS, the professional society for physicists, shares new "Science Off the Sphere" videos every other Thursday on its outreach website, Physics Central. The website also features educational content on the physics topics demonstrated in space by Pettit and facilitates a physics-oriented challenge based on the experiments. APS reviews the responses and identifies a winner, who is recognized by Pettit in a future installment.

For more information and to view the science demonstrations, visit: http://www.physicscentral.com/sots.

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

The Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through May 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

NASA and Education Resource Access (Grades K-12)
May 3, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Sonya Williams will explain NASA's mission directorates and their purposes. Learn about the K-12 educational materials created by each of the directorates and how educators can access these materials free of charge. Learn about citizen science opportunities, student design challenges and many other NASA resources that educators can incorporate into their classrooms.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
May 3, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
May 5, 2012, 9 - 10 a.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

Food for Thought: Space Food and Nutrition in the Classroom (Grades 4-9)
May 5, 2012, 11 a.m. - noon EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will share "Food for Thought," a new NASA educator guide designed to explore space food and the nutritional needs of astronauts that includes a menu of inquiry activities and other resources to address this exciting topic.

Rocket Scientists Write? (Grades K-12)
May 7, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate language arts activities using NASA materials and lessons found within NASA educator guides. Materials discussed will cover reading comprehension and composition for grades K-12. Lesson plans and strategies will be shared.

NASA's S'COOL Program (Grades 4-12)
May 8, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Les Gold will introduce NASA's Students' Cloud Observations On-Line, or S'COOL, program. The program engages students to make observations of cloud type and cover and then share it with NASA. Scientists use the data to assist their understanding of global climate change. After sending in observations, teachers receive satellite images for comparison to student data.

Free Planetarium Program for Your Computer (Grades K-12)
May 15, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Les Gold will introduce participants to a free planetarium program. Participants will learn how to use the program to demonstrate day/night cycles, the sun's changing position in the sky, as well as seasons, phases of the moon, constellations and more.

Looking at Our Earth From Above (Grades 4-9)
May 15, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will integrate science, technology, engineering, mathematics and geography, or STEM-G, with Earth observations, remote sensing and maps. NASA curriculum products, missions and other resources will be utilized to demonstrate an inquiry-based teaching strategy to better understand Earth and the processes that shape it.

Mars Uncovered: Revealing the Geologic History of Mars (Grades 5-12)
May 16, 2012, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Tony Leavitt will share an inquiry-based lesson that presents a critical-thinking approach of studying the surface of Mars. This process is similar to the approach used by NASA scientists. This lesson will teach students to examine geologic features of a planetary surface and use relative-age dating techniques to analyze the information and interpret the geologic history.

Rocket Scientists Write? (Grades K-12)
May 21, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate language arts activities using NASA materials and lessons found within NASA educator guides. Materials discussed will cover reading comprehension and composition for grades K-12. Lesson plans and strategies will be shared.

Toys in Space (Grades 4-9)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will share NASA's Toys in Space videos and activities. In this program, astronauts took toys from around the world with them into space. Students predict, observe and record how the toys behave without the effects of Earth's gravity, putting Newton's Laws of Motion to the test. Participants will receive copies of the astronaut videos for use in the classroom.

Sun-Earth-Moon Relationships (Grades K-8)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Rick Varner will introduce sun-Earth-moon models that help to explain the phases of the moon and both lunar and solar eclipses. Additionally, the activity "Kinesthetic Astronomy" will be introduced for its explanation of the seasons.

For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through June 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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Celebrate Space Day at the National Air and Space Museum

Celebrate Space Day at the National Air and Space Museum, on Saturday, May 5, 2012. This event is sponsored by Lockheed Martin.

Space Day is an annual favorite at the National Air and Space Museum. Visitors enjoy hands-on activities; meet NASA astronauts, scientists and engineers; find out how space suits are made; design a mission patch; and learn about space from museum experts.

Visit the Museum’s National Mall building in Washington, D.C. to see the Buzz Lightyear action figure that flew in space. Or get an up-close look at space shuttle Discovery at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

For a list of scheduled events, visit http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/dateRange.cfm?date=5/5/2012.

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Engineering Design: Forces and Motion -- Balloon Aerodynamics Challenge Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on May 7, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. This Web seminar will introduce the Forces and Motion: Balloon Aerodynamics Challenge for students. This activity provides first-hand information about density, neutral buoyancy and drag, which is then used to solve a problem. The activity provides many opportunities for incorporating national mathematics, science and technology learning standards into your curriculum.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar23.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to the NES Help Desk at NASA.Explorer.Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Quadratic Functions: Exploring Space Through Math -- Weightless Wonder

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project is hosting a 60-minute Web seminar on May 9, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Investigate the characteristics of quadratic functions to solve real-world problems involving the parabolic flight path of NASA's Weightless Wonder C-9 jet. Get an overview of a student investigation, solve related quadratic equations and evaluate and graph quadratic functions. A graphing calculator will be used to demonstrate concepts; however, you do not need a calculator for this professional development seminar.

For more information and to register online, visit https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/nes-webinar-registration-quadratic-functions/.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Live Video Chat: How Space Station Research Affects Life on Earth

The NASA Explorer Schools project is offering students in grades 7-12 an opportunity to ask questions of Tara Ruttley, the associate program scientist for the International Space Station. Join the video chat on May 11, 2012, from 2-3 p.m. EDT. Ruttley will answer questions submitted during this live video chat about conducting research on the space station and the benefits of this research to astronauts living and working in space and to life on Earth.

Students do not need to be in a school participating in the NASA Explorer Schools project in order to ask questions during this video chat.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/research-ruttley-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center has partnered with Oakwood University to offer a two-week Pre-Service Teacher Institute taking place July 14-27, 2012, in Huntsville, Ala. This residential session is for education majors preparing to teach grades 4-8.

Participants will engage in hands-on learning experiences designed to develop their skills for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics using NASA-developed curriculum resources. Full-time undergraduate students in their junior or senior year at minority institutions are invited to apply. Housing, meals, travel assistance and a stipend will be provided.

Applications must be postmarked by May 11, 2012.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/msfc/psti.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to Marilyn Lewis at marilyn.h.lewis@nasa.gov.

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For High School Juniors and Seniors: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair

As part of NASA’s Third Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition, a University/College Recruitment Fair will be held on May 26, 2012, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Top colleges and universities from across the U.S. will be at the fair to share information about science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities at their schools. NASA scientists and engineers will be available to answer questions about specific majors and technical career paths.

Students interested in attending this free recruitment fair are asked to register online before May 11, 2012. To register, visit http://www.secorstrategies.com/nasa-lunabotics.

Inquiries about this event should be directed to Mary Baker at Mary@SecorStrategies.com.

To learn more about NASA's Lunabotics Mining Competition, visit www.nasa.gov/lunabotics.

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2012-2013 National Student Solar Spectrograph Competition

The National Student Solar Spectrograph Competition is the Montana Space Grant Consortium’s Education Program for NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, mission. IRIS will use spectrography and imaging in ultraviolet wavelengths to reveal the dynamics of the sun’s chromospheres and transition region.

This yearly competition is open to undergraduate interdisciplinary teams from colleges and universities across the U.S. Teams are challenged to design and build a working ground-based solar spectrograph and demonstrate the capabilities of the spectrograph as defined by their science goal. Typical teams have three to six students and must have a faculty advisor.

Both substantial scholarship prizes and travel prizes will be given in four categories: best design, best build, best science observations and best presentation of results. Teams may apply for funding of $2,000 per team for project materials. Priority for build funds will be given to minority-serving institutions, community colleges and institutions with less aerospace activity.

Applications for build awards and registrations are due on Sept. 30, 2012.

The competition will be held in Bozeman, Mont., in May 2013.

For more information and to register online, visit http://www.spacegrant.montana.edu/IRIS/index.html.

Please email any questions about this competition to Randy Larimer at rlarimer@ece.montana.edu.

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What's New at NASA's Space Place Website

The Space Place is a NASA website for elementary school-aged kids, their teachers and their parents.

     Space is harsh! It’s vicious!
     It reminds us every day.
     There‛s heat and cold and sun that blasts
     All objects in its way,
     The zero-g, no gravity!
     A galactic cosmic ray!
     And not a whiff of air to breathe.
     Nor guide to show the way.

At the Space Place, we have plenty to remind you of the nature of nature when you leave Mother Earth.

New at spaceplace.nasa.gov
It was a dark and stormy August night in 1859 … solar stormy, that is. A solar storm caused such bright Northern Lights that gold miners in the Rockies were frying up bacon and eggs at 1 a.m. thinking the sun was up.

Violent storms on the sun blast out charged particles and radiation that can damage satellites, power grids, and communication and navigation systems. In the new game “Shields Up!” you are in charge of protecting three satellites by putting them into safe mode whenever bad stuff is coming their way. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – R Series, or GOES-R, monitors the sun’s surface and warns the other satellites when they need to get ready for the worst.

Put your "Shields Up!" and save those satellites at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/shields-up.

Space Place en Español
Black Hole Rescue!, en español, is a challenging game in which you must spell out black-hole-related vocabulary words by clicking on moving letter tiles that have been dropped into a swirling vortex of matter that is slowly being devoured by a black hole. Talk about a harsh environment. So time is of the essence!

This is a good language arts game for Spanish speakers or learners. Accented letters must be matched too. No substituting an “n” for an “ñ” or an “e” for an “é.” Rescue words from the black hole at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sp/black-hole-rescue.

New Space Place "Listmania®"
“Customers who bought this item also bought . . .” is a common marketing ploy on popular retail websites. Well, The Space Place team knows a good idea when we see one, and we are not above borrowing. You will now find recommendations at the bottom of every Space Place article, game or activity. There’s a lot of cross-pollination on the site, so these suggestions should help visitors deepen their appreciation for any topic that engages their interest.

For the Classroom
What’s the weirdest, most alien place you can imagine? Well, no matter how extreme your imaginary world, there’s probably something like it somewhere in the universe, probably in our own galaxy. Even our own solar system has some real doozies. Methane rain on Saturn’s moon Titan? Crushing pressures in Jupiter’s atmosphere? A surface hot enough to melt lead on Venus? So, how do space scientists and engineers know what kinds of science instruments (cameras, spectrometers, etc.) to put on spacecraft that are destined for one of these strange places? The classroom activity “Designing for the Barely Imaginable” explains these planetary science instruments as extensions of our five senses, with each type of instrument analogous to eyes, ears, noses, etc. The activity invites students to imagine and describe an alien world, then design a pretend mission to explore that world and give the results! This activity involves engineering design, physics, earth science and language arts. Find it at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/classroom-activities/#alienworld.

For out-of-school time
Here’s a classic physics experiment with a space exploration twist. Crush an aluminum can without even touching it. This version of the activity is presented in the context of testing a new spacecraft material. How would this material work in the harsh vacuum of space? The activity requires pouring a small amount of boiling water into an empty soft-drink can, which an adult can do, but the rest is very doable by a child. And the result is a dramatic demonstration (and explanation) of atmospheric pressure. It makes it look as if we ourselves withstand a measure of harshness under the weight of our own atmosphere. It’s at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/soda-can-test.

Special Days

May 2, 1953: First Commercial Jet Flight
Why can't we just fly into space? Read about a rocket that hitches an airplane ride for part of the trip to space. http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/galex-pegasus.

May 17: Pack Rat Day
You can't afford to be a pack rat when you are packing for a trip to Mars. Try this fun, geometry-oriented activity for your class. http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/classroom-activities/#marspacking

May 18, 1980: Mount St. Helens Erupted, Completely Blowing Off Its Top
Volcanoes look amazing from space. See Mount St. Helens and others at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gallery-earth/#volcanos.

June 5: World Environment Day
How are satellites helping us understand and care for the environment? One way is by tracking migrating endangered animals. http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/migration

June 15: Nature Photography Day
Kids can make their own cameras and take awesome nature pictures while learning about light. http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/classroom-activities/#pinhole

June 16, 1914: Birthday of Lyman Spitzer, Jr.
He was a great scientist, and the Spitzer Space Telescope is named for him. Read how it was invented to make a dream come true. http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/story-lucy

And another thing…
If you are taking a vacation from the classroom, have a wonderful, restorative summer. Before you let those kids go, however, remind them to visit The Space Place in between their other screen-related activities!

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Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download

Four Frequently Asked Questions received after the proposal due date have been added to the CP4SMP+ portal page on NSPIRES at the following URL:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId=%7b75AAC7BF-2F69-6C73-2980-B1DCF25EA665%7d&path=closed

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- April 26, 2012: Posted on Apr 26, 2012 02:52:38 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

New DIY Podcast Module Available -- Space Station
Audience: 5-12 Educators and Students

NASA DLN Webcast -- Dawn Mission Chief Engineer Marc Rayman
Audience: 5-12 Educators and Students
Event Date: April 27, 2012

Geometry: Space Math Problems -- Solar Storms Web Seminar
Audience: Algebra Teachers and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 30, 2012

NASA Tournament Lab: Idea Generation Contest
Audience: Students Ages 13-18 Years Old
Entry Deadline: April 30, 2012

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates during May 2012

RockOn 2012 University Rocket Science Workshop
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Registration Deadline: May 1, 2012
Workshop Dates: June 16-21, 2012

Percentage and Volume: Space Food and Nutrition -- How Much is Waste? Web Seminar
Audience: 5-8 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 2, 2012

2013 eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Due Date: May 2, 2012

2010-2011 Green Aviation University Engineering Contest
Audience: Higher Education Students
Deadline: May 2, 2012

International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission
Audience: 5-8 Educators
Event Date: May 8-11, 2012

NASA Earth Day Video Contest 2012
Audience: All Educators and Students
Deadline for Entries: May 31, 2012

Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crewmembers Aboard the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: July 2, 2012

Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download
Audience: Informal Education Institutions

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New DIY Podcast Module Available -- Space Station

Are you looking for new ideas to integrate technology into your lessons? Or are you a student looking for a savvy idea for a class project? Then NASA's Do-It-Yourself, or DIY, Podcast "Space Station" module may interest you.

Learn what astronaut Mike Fincke enjoys doing most while in space. Finke served as a flight engineer on the station as well as the commander for Expedition 18. He shares how extraordinary efforts of teamwork have resulted in the largest space structure ever built -- the International Space Station, or ISS.

Ground-breaking research is being done on the space station by NASA and its international partners. Camille Alleyne, assistant program scientist for the International Space Station, shares some of the work being done in space and how it benefits us on Earth. And astronaut Garrett Reisman, flight engineer for Expeditions 16 and 17, takes us on a tour of the station.

So, why are you waiting? Choose from 40 video clips, 25 audio clips and a variety of images to learn about the station while having fun creating a podcast.

How DIY Podcast Works:
-- Download NASA video and audio clips.
-- Write a production script.
-- Record your narration.
-- Edit your product.
-- Share your podcast.

Visit NASA's DIY Podcast site at http://www.nasa.gov/education/diypodcast to learn more and to access information and resources for the new Space Station module.

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NASA DLN Webcast -- Dawn Mission Chief Engineer Marc Rayman

NASA's Dawn mission is studying the roles of water and size in planetary evolution by visiting two of the largest asteroids, Vesta and Ceres, in our solar system. Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network, or DLN, and chief engineer Marc Rayman as he describes the exciting Dawn mission, its two exotic destinations and its use of ion propulsion -- a technology that mostly has been in the domain of science fiction but is now being used on Dawn.

This live hourlong webcast will take place on April 27, 2012, at 1 p.m. EDT.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/dln/index.html.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Lyle Tavernier at lyle.tavernier@jpl.nasa.gov.

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Geometry: Space Math Problems -- Solar Storms Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools and Learning Environments and Research Network, or LE&RN, projects are hosting a 60-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on April 30, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Solar Storms provides teachers with a unique opportunity to have students use their knowledge of geometry and trigonometry to analyze NASA images of a solar tsunami. During this seminar, participants will preview a video about solar storms. An overview of the problem sets, suggestions for implementation of best practices and some extension activities that may be appropriate for your curriculum will be provided.

For more information and to register online, visit https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/nes-webinar-registration-geometry-space-math/.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA.Explorer.Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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NASA Tournament Lab: Idea Generation Contest

Do you have good ideas? NASA’s Planetary Data System has tons and tons of data (over 100 terabytes), and they are looking for fresh new ideas on how to share it. NASA wants to deliver this incredible data to users in a way that excites people and helps them to understand its value and potential. In short; what's the coolest thing you can do with images, analysis and telemetry of asteroids and comets?

Ideas for mobile and Web applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and there is no limit on the number of ideas you can submit. This contest is open to 13-18 year olds in the United States.

Winning ideas get $500! To learn more and sign up, visit https://www.nonamesite.com/web/cs-stem/pds-ntl.

Email any questions about this opportunity to nonamesite-support@topcoder.com.

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

The Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through May 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

Our Solar System: A Model Overview (Grades 4-9)
May 1, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will present NASA inquiry activities that demonstrate remote sensing and scale models to better visualize our sun, planets, asteroids and other objects as a whole system.

Mars Uncovered: Revealing the Geologic History of Mars (Grades 5-12)
May 2, 2012, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Tony Leavitt will share an inquiry-based lesson that presents a critical-thinking approach of studying the surface of Mars. This process is similar to the approach used by NASA scientists. This lesson will teach students to examine geologic features of a planetary surface and use relative-age dating techniques to analyze the information and interpret the geologic history.

NASA and Education Resource Access (Grades K-12)
May 3, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Sonya Williams will explain NASA's mission directorates and their purposes. Learn about the K-12 educational materials created by each of the directorates and how educators can access these materials free of charge. Learn about citizen science opportunities, student design challenges and many other NASA resources that educators can incorporate into their classrooms.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
May 3, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
May 5, 2012, 9 - 10 a.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

Food for Thought: Space Food and Nutrition in the Classroom (Grades 4-9)
May 5, 2012, 11 a.m. - noon EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will share "Food for Thought," a new NASA educator guide designed to explore space food and the nutritional needs of astronauts that includes a menu of inquiry activities and other resources to address this exciting topic.

Rocket Scientists Write? (Grades K-12)
May 7, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate language arts activities using NASA materials and lessons found within NASA educator guides. Materials discussed will cover reading comprehension and composition for grades K-12. Lesson plans and strategies will be shared.

NASA's S'COOL Program (Grades 4-12)
May 8, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Les Gold will introduce NASA's Students' Cloud Observations On-Line, or S'COOL, program. The program engages students to make observations of cloud type and cover and then share it with NASA. Scientists use the data to assist their understanding of global climate change. After sending in observations, teachers receive satellite images for comparison to student data.

Free Planetarium Program for Your Computer (Grades K-12)
May 15, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Les Gold will introduce participants to a free planetarium program. Participants will learn how to use the program to demonstrate day/night cycles, the sun's changing position in the sky, as well as seasons, phases of the moon, constellations and more.

Looking at Our Earth From Above (Grades 4-9)
May 15, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will integrate science, technology, engineering, mathematics and geography, or STEM-G, with Earth observations, remote sensing and maps. NASA curriculum products, missions and other resources will be utilized to demonstrate an inquiry-based teaching strategy to better understand Earth and the processes that shape it.

Mars Uncovered: Revealing the Geologic History of Mars (Grades 5-12)
May 16, 2012, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Aerospace education specialist Tony Leavitt will share an inquiry-based lesson that presents a critical-thinking approach of studying the surface of Mars. This process is similar to the approach used by NASA scientists. This lesson will teach students to examine geologic features of a planetary surface and use relative-age dating techniques to analyze the information and interpret the geologic history.

Rocket Scientists Write? (Grades K-12)
May 21, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate language arts activities using NASA materials and lessons found within NASA educator guides. Materials discussed will cover reading comprehension and composition for grades K-12. Lesson plans and strategies will be shared.

Toys in Space (Grades 4-9)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will share NASA's Toys in Space videos and activities. In this program, astronauts took toys from around the world with them into space. Students predict, observe and record how the toys behave without the effects of Earth's gravity, putting Newton's Laws of Motion to the test. Participants will receive copies of the astronaut videos for use in the classroom.

Sun-Earth-Moon Relationships (Grades K-8)
May 24, 2012, 7 - 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Rick Varner will introduce sun-Earth-moon models that help to explain the phases of the moon and both lunar and solar eclipses. Additionally, the activity "Kinesthetic Astronomy" will be introduced for its explanation of the seasons.

For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through June 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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RockOn 2012 University Rocket Science Workshop

U.S. university faculty and students are invited to a weeklong workshop to learn how to build and launch a scientific experiment into space. NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is hosting the RockOn 2012 workshop June 16-21, 2012, in partnership with the Colorado and Virginia Space Grant Consortia. The registration deadline for the workshop is May 1, 2012.

The hands-on workshop teaches participants to build experiments that fly on sounding rockets. During the week, participants will work together in teams of three to construct and integrate a sounding rocket payload from a kit. On the fifth day of the workshop, the experiments will fly on a sounding rocket expected to reach an altitude of more than 70 miles.

Each experiment will provide valuable scientific data, analyzed as part of the student-led science and engineering research. The program engages faculty and students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills critical to NASA's future engineering, scientific and technical missions.

For more information about RockOn and to register online, visit http://spacegrant.colorado.edu/rockon/2012/index_2012.html.

Questions about the workshop or the registration process should be directed to Chris Koehler by email at koehler@colorado.edu or by telephone at 303-492-3141.

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Percentage and Volume: Space Food and Nutrition -- How Much is Waste? Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project and project LE&RN are hosting a 60-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on May 2, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Learn how to guide your students through three mathematical computations to determine usable and unusable portions of foods. Your students determine the mass and volume of a food package before and after repackaging for spaceflight and determine the usable and waste portions of food selected for spaceflight.

For more information and to register online, visit https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/nes-webinar-registration-percentage-and-volume/.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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2013 eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge

In a continuing effort to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields and provide a real-world challenge, exposing students to the engineering and design processes, the Advanced Exploration Systems Habitation Systems Deep Space Habitat Project team has begun accepting applications for the 2013 eXploration Habitat, or X-Hab Challenge.

Post-secondary students, engaged in a variety of curricula, will work together to create a solution to a need for living and working in space or on another celestial body. The winners of the challenge will receive between $10,000 and $49,000 to design and produce functional products of interest to the Deep Space Habitat project.

Proposals are due May 2, 2012, and awardees should expect to deliver their product to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in May of 2013.

Proposals will be accepted from university faculty who are U.S. citizens and currently teach an ABET-accredited engineering senior or graduate design, industrial design, or architecture curriculum at an accredited university in the U.S.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and other minority serving educational institutions are particularly encouraged to apply. Proposals from women, members of underrepresented minorities groups, and persons with disabilities also are highly encouraged.

For more information about the challenge, visit http://spacegrant.org/xhab/.

If you have any questions about the X-Hab Challenge, please email xhab@spacegrant.org.

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2011-2012 Green Aviation University Engineering Contest

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project invites undergraduate and graduate students to submit a well-documented design paper for a large cargo aircraft that produces less noise, fewer emissions and is more fuel efficient than current models.

Participants, either teams or individuals, must be enrolled full time in an accredited college or university. International students may participate but are not eligible for cash prizes or student internships. Entries are due May 7, 2012.

For more information about the contest, visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/era_univ/competitions_univ_era.htm.

Questions about the contest should be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.

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International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission

Middle school educators are invited to join NASA for the International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission taking place May 8-11, 2012. Find out more about this exciting opportunity that allows students to take pictures of Earth from a digital camera aboard the International Space Station.

International Space Station EarthKAM is a NASA-sponsored project that provides stunning, high-quality photographs of Earth taken from the space shuttle and the space station. Since 1996, EarthKAM students have taken thousands of photographs of Earth by using the World Wide Web to direct a digital camera on select spaceflights and, currently, on the space station.

For more information about the project and to register for the upcoming mission, visit the EarthKAM home page www.EarthKAM.ucsd.edu.

If you have questions about the EarthKAM project, please email ek-help@earthkam.ucsd.edu.

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NASA Earth Day Video Contest 2012

To mark Earth Day 2012, NASA presents the Earth Day Video Contest 2012. For the second year in a row, NASA is challenging the public to create a compelling video vision of NASA's exploration of Earth -- The Home Frontier.

To enter, produce a short video that captures what you find inspiring and important about the unique view and understanding of Earth provided by NASA science. Upload your video to YouTube and tag it using the instructions found on the contest website. NASA will feature the best entry -- chosen by a panel of NASA scientists and communicators -- on the NASA website. And, the winner will receive a behind-the-scenes look at the next rocket launch of a NASA Earth-observing satellite.

Submissions will be accepted until May 31, 2012.

For more information, official contest rules and to see the winning video from last year, visit http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/earthday-vid-2012.html.

If you have any questions about this contest, please email Patrick Lynch at Patrick.Lynch@nasa.gov.

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Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crewmembers Aboard the International Space Station

NASA is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between Nov. 1, 2012, and May 1, 2013. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due July 2, 2012.

Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. The technology is easier to acquire than ever before. ARISS has a network of mentors to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once in a lifetime opportunity for students.

Interested parties should contact Teaching From Space, a NASA Education office, to obtain complete information including how the technology works, what is expected of the host organization and how to obtain the proposal/application form by sending an email to JSC-TFS-ARISS@mail.nasa.gov or by calling 281-244-1919.

Additional information can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/students/ariss.html.

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Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download

Eight Frequently Asked Questions received after the proposal due date has been added to the CP4SMP+ portal page on NSPIRES at the following URL:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId=%7b75AAC7BF-2F69-6C73-2980-B1DCF25EA665%7d&path=closed

________________________________________________________________

Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- April 19, 2012: Posted on Apr 19, 2012 02:43:14 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Live Video Chat: NASA Untamed
Audience: Grades 4-8
Event Date: April 23, 2012, 1-2 p.m. EDT

REGISTRATION OPEN: Zero Robotics SPHERES ISS Challenge: High School Tournament 2012
Audience: 9-12 Educators and Students
Informational Webinar: April 23, 2012
Registration Deadline: Sept. 21, 2012

Heat Transfer: MESSENGER -- My Angle on Cooling Web Seminar
Audience: 5-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 23, 2012

Live Video Chat: 100,000,000,000 Planets in Our Galaxy and Counting
Audience: Grades 4-12
Event Date: April 25, 2012, noon - 1 p.m. EDT

NASA DLN Webcast -- Dawn Mission Chief Engineer Marc Rayman
Audience: 5-12 Educators and Students
Event Date: April 27, 2012

2012 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summer Faculty Research Program
Audience: Higher Education Educators
Deadline: April 27, 2012

Mars Student Imaging Project
Audience: 5-12 Educators
Submit Interest By: April 27, 2012

NASA Tournament Lab: Idea Generation Contest
Audience: Students Ages 13-18 Years Old
Entry Deadline: April 30, 2012

International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission
Audience: 5-8 Educators
Event Date: May 8-11, 2012

2012 Educate to Innovate Conference
Audience: 6-12 Educators
Registration Deadline: May 31, 2012
Event Date: June 20-21, 2012 and June 26-27, 2012

2012 National Community College Aerospace Scholars Program
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: June 6, 2012

National Space Biomedical Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Application Deadline: June 8, 2012

NASA G.I.R.L.S. Mentoring Project
Audience: 5-8 Educators and Students
Application Deadline: June 15, 2012

Earth Science Information Partners Federation Summer Meeting 2012
Audience: Grades 6-12 Educators
Event Dates: July 17-18, 2012

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Live Video Chat: NASA Untamed

In celebration of Earth Day 2012, Becky Bolt, a wildlife ecologist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will answer student questions about how scientists study wildlife and how this research helps support space operations.

Join the video chat on April 23, 2012 from 1-2 p.m. EDT to ask Bolt questions about her exciting career and find out what Kennedy Space Center is doing to ensure a green and sustainable future.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/bolt-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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REGISTRATION OPEN: Zero Robotics SPHERES ISS Challenge: High School Tournament 2012

NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology's, or MIT's, Space Systems Laboratory are proud to announce that the next Zero Robotics High School Tournament will take place this fall, offering high school students the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space.

Zero Robotics challenges high school student teams to write their own algorithms to fly the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The competition starts online where teams compete to solve an annual challenge guided by mentors. Students can create, edit, share, save, simulate and submit code, all from a web browser. After several phases of virtual competition, finalists are selected to compete in a live championship aboard the International Space Station!

Teams may register now:
1) Go to http://zerorobotics.mit.edu/.
2) Log In or Create an Account.
3) Click "Tournaments" and register for the High School Tournament.
4) Create a team and invite other users.
5) Visit Resources to get started.

The registration deadline for this competition is Sept. 21, 2012.

NASA and MIT will hold a webinar on Monday April 23, 2012, at 1 p.m. EDT / 10 a.m. PDT for all interested participants. Please check http://zerorobotics.mit.edu/ for the latest information and to access the webinar.

By making the benefits and resources of the space program tangible to high school students, Zero Robotics is designed to inspire future scientists and engineers. Students will have the opportunity to push their limits and develop skills in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. This program helps students build critical engineering skills, such as problem solving, design thought process, operations training, team work and presentation skills.

The SPHERES are used inside the station to test maneuvers for spacecraft performing autonomous rendezvous and docking. The three satellites that make up SPHERES fly in formation inside the station's cabin. Each is self-contained with power, propulsion, computing and navigation equipment. MIT's Space Systems Laboratory developed SPHERES in 2006 to provide DARPA, NASA and other researchers with a long-term test bed for validating technologies critical to the operation of future satellites, docking missions and satellite autonomous maneuvers.

The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2012 is brought to you by NASA, DARPA, the MIT Space Systems Laboratory, TopCoder and Aurora Flight Sciences.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to zerorobotics@mit.edu.

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Heat Transfer: MESSENGER -- My Angle on Cooling Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute Web seminar on April 23, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how the MESSENGER mission to Mercury takes advantage of passive cooling methods to keep the spacecraft functioning in a high-temperature environment. You will also see how to use the mission’s Staying Cool activities to lead students through an examination of different solutions to the problem of how to deal with too much sunlight and energy.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar22.aspx

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to the NASA Explorer Schools help desk at NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Live Video Chat: 100,000,000,000 Planets in Our Galaxy and Counting

On April 25, 2012, at noon EDT, NASA research scientist Stephen Kane will answer questions from students in grades 4-12 about a study he co-authored showing there are 100 billion planets in our galaxy. During the live video chat, Kane will reveal details about this incredible study and answer questions submitted by students on how common planets are in the galaxy and why people want to know about them.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/kane-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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NASA DLN Webcast -- Dawn Mission Chief Engineer Marc Rayman

NASA's Dawn mission is studying the roles of water and size in planetary evolution by visiting two of the largest asteroids, Vesta and Ceres, in our solar system. Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network, or DLN, and chief engineer Marc Rayman as he describes the exciting Dawn mission, its two exotic destinations and its use of ion propulsion -- a technology that mostly has been in the domain of science fiction but is now being used on Dawn.

This live hourlong webcast will take place on April 27, 2012, at 1 p.m. EDT.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/dln/index.html.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Lyle Tavernier at lyle.tavernier@jpl.nasa.gov.

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2012 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summer Faculty Research Program

Applications are currently being accepted for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2012 Summer Faculty Research Program. This program provides opportunities for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, faculty to engage in research of mutual interest to the faculty member and a JPL researcher. Non-STEM faculty will be considered based on available opportunities.

To be eligible to participate in the program, a potential fellow must hold a full-time appointment at an accredited university or college in the U.S. Special requirements for foreign national faculty members may apply. Fellows are required to submit a research report and present their work at the end of the session.

The program awards $13,500 fellowships for the 10-week session. A housing allowance will be offered for awardees who live beyond a 50-mile radius of JPL. Please note that stipend payments or salaries from other federal funding sources, including research grants and contracts, may not be accepted during the 10-week tenure of a JPL faculty research appointment.

The deadline for applications is April 27, 2012. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://jsfrp.jpl.nasa.gov/.

Inquiries about NASA's JPL Summer Faculty Research Program should be directed to the Petra Kneissl-Milanian at Petra.A.Kneissl-Milanian@jpl.nasa.gov.

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Mars Student Imaging Project

The Mars Student Imaging Project is seeking educators and classroom teams to participate in an authentic research opportunity for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year and the summer of 2012. Students will have the ability to formulate and ask a research question about Mars, interact with Mars scientists, target an image of Mars using a special camera on the Mars Odyssey Spacecraft and use their Mars data to answer their research question. This is an opportunity for students to build on their science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, experiences, and possibly make a new discovery on Mars!

The Mars Student Imaging Project strongly aligns to National Science Education Standards and the new National Research Council's Science Framework and working with data helps to build students’ essential 21st century workforce development skills. Participation is free and open to teams from grades 5-12 across the U.S.

Interested educators are asked to submit an Online Interest Form by April 27, 2012.

To get started and learn more about the project, visit http://marsed.mars.asu.edu/msip-home.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jessica Swann at jlswann@asu.edu or Anthony Zippay at jzippay@asu.edu.

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NASA Tournament Lab: Idea Generation Contest

Do you have good ideas? NASA’s Planetary Data System has tons and tons of data (over 100 terabytes), and they are looking for fresh new ideas on how to share it. NASA wants to deliver this incredible data to users in a way that excites people and helps them to understand its value and potential. In short; what's the coolest thing you can do with images, analysis and telemetry of asteroids and comets?

Ideas for mobile and Web applications will be accepted through April 30, 2012, and there is no limit on the number of ideas you can submit. This contest is open to 13-18 year olds in the United States.

Winning ideas get $500! To learn more and sign up, visit https://www.nonamesite.com/web/cs-stem/pds-ntl.

Email any questions about this opportunity to nonamesite-support@topcoder.com.

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International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission

Middle school educators are invited to join NASA for the International Space Station EarthKAM Spring 2012 Mission taking place May 8-11, 2012. Find out more about this exciting opportunity that allows students to take pictures of Earth from a digital camera aboard the International Space Station.

International Space Station EarthKAM is a NASA-sponsored project that provides stunning, high-quality photographs of Earth taken from the space shuttle and the space station. Since 1996, EarthKAM students have taken thousands of photographs of Earth by using the World Wide Web to direct a digital camera on select spaceflights and, currently, on the space station.

For more information about the project and to register for the upcoming mission, visit the EarthKAM home page www.EarthKAM.ucsd.edu.

If you have questions about the EarthKAM project, please email ek-help@earthkam.ucsd.edu.

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2012 Educate to Innovate Conference

NASA’s Aerospace Education Services Project and the Kentucky Southeast-Southcentral Education Cooperative are presenting two Educate to Innovate opportunities this summer. These conference workshops will explore engineering design challenges, problem-based learning activities, distance-learning modules, inquiry-based lessons, literacy across the curriculum and hands-on projects. Event agenda items will target the next generation standards of learning for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Workshop participants will experience eight breakout sessions with hands-on activities over the two-day training. Participants also can sign up for free 90-minute virtual follow-up with one of NASA’s aerospace education specialists.

Two separate conference opportunities are available. The first will take place June 20-21, 2012, at Eastern Kentucky University. The second will take place June 26-27, 2012, at Corbin Center for Technology and Community Activities in Corbin, Ky.

The registration deadline for these events is May 31, 2012.

For more information and to register online, visit https://coetech.eku.edu/registration/Online_PD_RegForm.php.

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact Brandon Hargis at Brandon.hargis@nasa.gov.

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2012 National Community College Aerospace Scholars Program

National Community College Aerospace Scholars, or NCAS, is an interactive, online learning experience featuring engineering career possibilities. It is highlighted by an on-site experience where selected students are encouraged to study mathematics, science, engineering or computer science by interacting with engineers at NASA.

The only cost to participants is a $30 registration fee. NASA covers travel, food and lodging. NCAS is open to community college students throughout the United States. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have access to the Internet.

Applications are due June 6, 2012.

For more information and to apply online, visit http://ncas.aerospacescholars.org/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to jsc-ncas@mail.nasa.gov.

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National Space Biomedical Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, or NSBRI, seeks solutions to health concerns facing astronauts on long-duration missions. This research also benefits patients on Earth. The NSBRI is soliciting applications for its Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.

The NSBRI's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides support for postdoctoral fellows in any U.S. laboratory carrying out space-related biomedical or biotechnological research. Funding is for a two-year period with an option for a third year of support. Applicants must prepare proposals with the support of a mentor, and all proposals are evaluated by a peer-review panel.

Applications are due June 8, 2012.

For detailed information on the application process, visit http://www.nsbri.org/postdocs/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to postdoc@nsbri.org.

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NASA G.I.R.L.S. Mentoring Project

NASA is looking for the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators. To jump start the future of potential explorers, Women@NASA has created a mentoring project that offers a one-of-a-kind experience for middle school girls. Participants will get to explore the possibilities of a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The project will feature one-on-one mentoring from women working at NASA. Participants will complete online lessons with their mentors while virtually connected through Skype or Google Chat.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens in grades 5-8 or home-school equivalent. The mentoring project will take place over a five-week period during the summer.

Applications will be open for submission on May 15 and are due June 15, 2012. The NASA G.I.R.L.S. website and social media accounts will be updated when application submission is opened! For more information on how to follow along on Twitter or Facebook, go to http://women.nasa.gov/get-involved.

For more information and to register online, visit http://women.nasa.gov/nasa-g-i-r-l-s/.

Email any questions about this opportunity to hq-women@nasa.gov.

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Earth Science Information Partners Federation Summer Meeting 2012

The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners, or ESIP, invites teachers to attend a 1.5-day workshop on earth science education, with an integral strand dedicated to climate change education. Participants will be able to choose from several breakout sessions demonstrating ways that earth science tools and data can be used in science classrooms.

This summer's workshop will take place July 17-18, 2012, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. After the workshop, teachers are invited to stay for the ESIP conference plenary and poster reception.

Educators for grades 6-12 are eligible to receive a $200 time and travel stipend. Discounted registration is available through June 15, 2012. Student registration rates and single-day registrations are also available. Those who are unable to attend in person may register to attend virtually.

To register for the workshop, please visit http://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1078265.

To learn more about the ESIP summer conference, please visit http://esipfed.org/meetings.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to erinrobinson@esipfed.org.

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- April 12, 2012: Posted on Apr 12, 2012 04:09:57 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Join the Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2012 Campaign
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Now through April 20, 2012

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Presents Space Shuttle Discovery "Fly-Out" Celebration
Audience: Grades 4-12
Event Date: April 16, 2012, 1 - 2.:30 p.m. EDT

Live Video Chat: Space Shuttle Discovery Fly Out
Audience: Grades 4-12
Event Date: April 16, 2012, 1 - 2:30 p.m. EDT

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates for April 2012

Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students Academy
Audience: 5-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 16, 2012

Student Flight Mission Challenge -- Improving Earthquake Monitoring
Audience: 7-9 Educators
Notice of Intent Deadline: April 16, 2012
Teacher Submission Deadline: May 21, 2012

Educator Workshop: Greenhouse Gases and Their Roles on Earth
Audience: Grade 6-12 Educators
Registration Deadline: April 17, 2012
Event Date: April 21, 2012

NASA's Digital Learning Network Presents "Beautiful Earth"
Audience: Grades 5-12
Event Date: April 18, 2012

Algebraic Equations: Calculator Controlled Robots Web Seminar
Audience: Algebra Teachers and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 18, 2012

Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge
Audience: Anyone 13 years or older who meets eligibility requirements
Registration Deadline: April 20, 2012

Mars Student Imaging Project
Audience: 5-12 Educators
Submit Interest By: April 27, 2012

2012 Summer Workshops -- Climate Science Research for Educators and Students
Audience: 9-12 Educators
Application Deadline: June 1, 2012

Sun-Earth Day Webcast to Commemorate Venus Transit
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: June 5, 2012

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Join the Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2012 Campaign

GLOBE at Night is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program for primary and secondary schools. The GLOBE at Night project encourages citizen-scientists worldwide to record the brightness of the night sky. During four select sets of dates, children and adults match the appearance of a constellation (Orion or Leo in the northern hemisphere, and Orion and Crux in the southern hemisphere) with seven star charts of progressively fainter stars. The map is located at http://www.globeatnight.org. Participants then submit their choice of star chart online with their date, time and location to help create a light-pollution map worldwide.

The GLOBE at Night 2012 campaign runs through April 20, 2012. Over 68,000 measurements have been contributed from more than 115 countries over the last six years of two-week campaigns.

Children and adults can submit their measurements in real time if they have a smart phone or tablet. To do this, use the Web application at http://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. With smart phones and tablets, the location, date and time are put in automatically. And if you do not have a smart phone or tablet, there are user-friendly tools on the GLOBE at Night report page to find latitude and longitude.

Through GLOBE at Night, students, teachers, parents and community members are amassing a data set from which they can explore the nature of light pollution locally and across the globe. Make a difference and join the GLOBE at Night efforts in 2012. Activity packets, one-page flyers and postcards advertising the campaign are available at http://www.globeatnight.org.

Please email any questions about GLOBE at Night to globeatnight@noao.edu.

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Presents Space Shuttle Discovery "Fly-Out" Celebration

NASA's Digital Learning Network, or DLN, is hosting a special event on April 16, 2012 at 1 p.m. EDT, to commemorate the departure of space shuttle Discovery. Join DLN hosts Damon Talley and Rachel Power as they broadcast live from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center's Space Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. The space shuttle Discovery is being prepared to fly on the back of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified 747. The flight will take Discovery to its final destination at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

The Space Shuttle Discovery “Fly-Out” celebration will include special guests that have worked on the space shuttle over the years, both on land and in space!

For more information and to watch the webcasts online, visit the DLN website at http://dln.nasa.gov.

Do you have a question you would like to see answered live during the webcast? Send questions to dlinfochannel@gmail.com.

Inquiries about this webcast should be directed to Damon Talley at Damon.B.Talley@nasa.gov.

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Live Video Chat: Space Shuttle Discovery Fly Out

Join NASA Explorer Schools, or NES, on April 16, 2012, at 1 p.m. EDT, for a live webchat from the Space Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Preparations are underway to transport space shuttle Discovery on the back of a modified 747 to its final destination at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. This special flight will take place on April 17, 2012. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your students ask NASA experts questions about the shuttle program and the future of space exploration.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/discovery-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through June 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

Messenger's Mission to Mercury (Grades K-12)
April 16, 2012, 5 - 6 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Brandon Hargis will provide an overview of the Messenger mission to the planet Mercury and will share lessons and activities connected with the mission. Participants will learn where to find online resources to bring the excitement of exploring Mercury into the classroom. Attendees will learn about geological processes and create a labeled illustration of lava layering.

Start a Space Garden (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Tom Estill will share how to start a school garden using seeds from NASA’s Seeds in Space project and the Canadian Space Agency’s Tomatosphere project. Over the past 10 years, Tomatosphere has evolved into a regular component of the curriculum for more than 13,700 classrooms in Canada and the United States. At the end of the workshop, a NASA space seeds surprise awaits you.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

NASA Literature and Science (Grades K-5)
April 25, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Lester Morales will share an array of NASA literature to enrich students’ vocabulary and scientific skills. During this session Morales will review The Air we Breathe, Echo the Bat and Amelia the Pigeon. Participants will practice the scientific method and remote sensing in both the city and in the wild.

For more information about the webinars listed above, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through May 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students Academy

The NASA Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students, or AREES, program is recruiting science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, educators of students in grades 5-12 to participate in a two-week residential Academy in Palmdale, Calif. The Academy will be offered June 18-29, 2012. The dynamic training program provides research-based experiences for educators using NASA’s unique flight platforms. Participants will engage as science practitioners by becoming involved in a NASA earth science mission.

The workshop is designed to combine research-based opportunities for educators with NASA content-based curriculum and student-focused design challenges in a program that focuses on three education goals:
1. Engage participants in NASA's unique, airborne research-based missions.
2. Increase educators’ core scientific and research knowledge bases.
3. Develop NASA's airborne research-based curriculum and student activities.

Experiences will include technical content instruction by scientists and engineers, hands-on learning of airborne data collection methods and operations, and a field site investigation to collect ground truth data from the Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay, Calif., for comparison to data collected from NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude airborne science aircraft. Further, participants may attend pedagogic workshops in problem-based learning, engineering design, inquiry-based instruction and integration of technology and data-focused curricula into the classroom. Experiences will be translated into classroom practice through the development of STEM action plans utilizing NASA thematic, curriculum modules based on the foundation that AREES provides and in context with on-going research.

Applications are due April 16, 2012.

For more information, visit http://www.aeroi.org. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Shaun Smith at shaun.smith@nasa.gov.

The AREES program is sponsored by NASA's Teaching from Space project, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and NASA’s Airborne Science Program, and administered through a partnership with the Aerospace, Education, Research and Operations Institute in Palmdale, Calif., the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wetlands Research and CNL World in Nebraska.

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Student Flight Mission Challenge -- Improving Earthquake Monitoring

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is gaining a better understanding of earth science processes such as earthquakes through airborne science research platforms. Using a specially modified Gulfstream-III jet, NASA engineers and scientists are using radar to collect data on how quakes change the Earth’s surface, which may eventually help scientists forecast earthquakes. NASA hopes to collect baseline data in critical areas in order to improve our understanding of how quakes affect not only the immediate area of the quake, but also the state of stress in the surrounding faults. This will help them improve their forecast models of quake probability and magnitude.

NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory are in process of identifying several new areas to collect baseline data for earthquake studies. Educators, grades 7-9, are invited to engage students in the NASA Student Flight Mission Challenge. Through this challenge, students will have the opportunity to investigate, evaluate, design and present a solution to a real-world problem that will expand our understanding of earthquakes at the global level. Students will form small mission teams to create multimedia presentations that suggest a site for a new earthquake science investigation. The challenge will engage students as practitioners of science through exploration of the airborne science research process that NASA scientists and engineers use to study earth system science. Students will:

-- Investigate the science.
-- Select a site for earthquake monitoring.
-- Prepare a flight plan.
-- Develop a multimedia proposal for submittal to NASA.

The challenge can be implemented in a classroom, after-school or other formal and informal teaching environment. One student team proposal can be submitted per educator. Proposals will be reviewed and ranked by NASA staff. Select student teams will receive recognition as earth system science investigators, and up to three teachers will be invited to attend the Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students, or AREES, 2012 summer academy.

To submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Student Flight Mission Challenge, visit www.aeroi.org.

The deadline to submit an NOI is April 16, 2012.
The deadline to submit a student team’s proposal is May 21, 2012.

To obtain the curriculum materials and to learn the science and pedagogical content knowledge to prepare students for this challenge, enroll in the online course Earth System Science through NASA’s electronic Professional Development Network at http://www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu/nasa_sdc_earthsystemscience.php. The course is free, self-directed and technology and standards-based.

This activity is offered through the Aerospace, Education, Research and Operations Institute in Palmdale, Calif., in partnership with NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and the Teaching From Space program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The G-III aircraft is operated from the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale in collaboration with instrument investigators from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

For more information about the AREES activity, refer to the website at www.nasa.gov/education/arees.

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Educator Workshop: Greenhouse Gases and Their Roles on Earth

Greenhouse gases are both naturally occurring and man-made gases that trap heat in Earth's atmosphere and play a vital role in maintaining a habitable climate. However, human activity is quickly increasing the concentration of these gases on Earth and causing concern about the future of our planet.

On April 21, 2012, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Calif., will host an educator workshop that will examine the role of greenhouse gases in our complex global system, and explore the ways that media deliver science content and discusses climate change. The workshop is open to formal and informal educators teaching grades 6 through 12. Attendees will take part in a group discussion, science presentations and a hands-on activity/discussion on the media's portrayal of science and climate change. Teachers will receive a certificate for continuing education hours.

Registration for this workshop closes on April 17, 2012. A $30 registration fee includes continental breakfast, beverages, snacks, a box lunch and incidentals.

For more information, directions to the workshop location and to register online, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/index.cfm?page=318.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Mary K. Kuehn at Mary.K.Kuehn@jpl.nasa.gov.

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NASA's Digital Learning Network Presents "Beautiful Earth"

NASA's Digital Learning Network, or DLN, at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is hosting a special event on April 18, 2012 at 1 p.m. EDT, to celebrate our beautiful planet. This event will use simulated spaceflight imagery to present views of Earth's water in all of its forms: solid, liquid and vapor. See our planet from scientific, artistic and cultural perspectives.

For more information and to watch the webcasts online, visit the DLN website at http://dln.nasa.gov.

Inquiries about this event should be directed to Erin McKinley at erin.e.mckinley@nasa.gov.

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Algebraic Equations: Calculator Controlled Robots Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute Web seminar on Apr. 18, 2012, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. Discover a unique way of integrating robotic technology into your algebra classes. Robotic missions engage students and provide a unique way of bringing to life the concepts you are teaching. Learn to use programmable Texas Instruments, or TI, calculators and Norland Research Robots to solve problems requiring substituting values for variables in formulas.

This seminar provides an overview of using robotics in algebra so you can make an informed decision about purchasing the robots and other equipment. You do not need to have a Norland Research Robot or programmable TI calculator to participate in this seminar, or know how to program the calculator.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar8.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to the NASA Explorer Schools help desk at NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge

NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT's Space Systems Laboratory are offering the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space aboard the International Space Station.

The Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge is a programming tournament that uses bowling ball-sized spherical satellites aboard the International Space Station. These Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES, are used inside the space station to test maneuvers for spacecraft performing autonomous rendezvous and docking.

This challenge opens the SPHERES satellite research platform to the general public for the first time. The goal of the tournament is to write a computer program to control a satellite to dock with a space object that may be tumbling through space. The best algorithm submissions from simulation competitions will be tested in microgravity on real SPHERES satellites aboard the International Space Station.

The Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge is open to anyone 13 years of age or older who meets eligibility requirements. Participants may work individually or in teams of up to 50 members to write their own algorithms to fly the satellites in the station.

The contest runs March 28 - April 25, 2012. Registration is now open and teams must join the competition by April 20, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.zerorobotics.org/web/zero-robotics/tournament-details?tournamentId=6.

The Zero Robotics project, a component of the ISS National Laboratory Education Project, or NLEP, is facilitated by MIT, TopCoder and Aurora Flight Sciences, continues the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, focus of the SPHERES facility. The Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge expands on a pilot program performed in 2009, 2010 and 2011. By making the benefits and resources of the space program tangible to high school and college students, Zero Robotics is designed to inspire future scientists and engineers. Students will have the opportunity to push their limits and develop skills in STEM. This program builds critical engineering skills, such as problem solving, design thought process, operations training, team work and presentation skills.

MIT's Space Systems Laboratory started operations of SPHERES in 2006 to provide DARPA, NASA and other researchers with a long-term test bed for validating technologies critical to the operation of future satellites, docking missions and satellite autonomous maneuvers. The satellites provide opportunities to test a wide range of hardware and software at an affordable cost.

For additional information about NASA and MIT's Zero Robotics program, visit www.zerorobotics.org.

For additional information about DARPA, visit http://www.darpa.mil.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to zerorobotics@mit.edu.

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Mars Student Imaging Project

The Mars Student Imaging Project is seeking educators and classroom teams to participate in an authentic research opportunity for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year and the summer of 2012. Students will have the ability to formulate and ask a research question about Mars, interact with Mars scientists, target an image of Mars using a special camera on the Mars Odyssey Spacecraft and use their Mars data to answer their research question. This is an opportunity for students to build on their science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, experiences, and possibly make a new discovery on Mars!

The Mars Student Imaging Project strongly aligns to National Science Education Standards and the new National Research Council's Science Framework and working with data helps to build students’ essential 21st century workforce development skills. Participation is free and open to teams from grades 5-12 across the U.S.

Interested educators are asked to submit an Online Interest Form by April 27, 2012.

To get started and learn more about the project, visit http://marsed.mars.asu.edu/msip-home.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jessica Swann at jlswann@asu.edu or Anthony Zippay at jzippay@asu.edu.

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2012 Summer Workshops -- Climate Science Research for Educators and Students

The Institute for Earth Science Research and Education, in collaboration with Queens College/City University of New York, is seeking participants for summer professional development workshops in the second year of its Climate Science Research for Educators and Students project. Funded by the NASA Innovations in Climate Education program, this project seeks to improve student engagement in climate science by helping teachers and students develop authentic climate-related science research projects.

During summer 2012, two climate science workshops will take place in New York City. The first workshop will be held in late June or early July. The workshop will focus on understanding sun/Earth/atmosphere interactions and Earth's radiative balance, a fundamental concept for climate science. All participants will build pyranometers, instruments for monitoring solar radiation. A follow-up workshop will take place in August. During the summer, participants are expected to conduct their own research.

All workshop participants in 2011 were from New York City or within commuting distance. In 2012, teachers from other places are encouraged to attend the early summer workshop, with follow-on activities to be conducted online in place of attendance at the August workshop. On-campus housing at Queens College should be available, and travel support for teachers from outside the NYC area may be available.

Applications are due June 1, 2012.

For more information, visit http://www.instesre.org/GCCE/GCCEHome.htm.

Questions about this competition should be directed to David Brooks via email at brooksdr@drexel.edu or by phone at 610-584-5619.

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Sun-Earth Day Webcast to Commemorate Venus Transit

NASA's Sun-Earth Day team has joined forces with NASA EDGE to celebrate the Transit of Venus with a live webcast from Hawaii. On June 5, 2012, tune in for a live webcast from Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

The Venus Transit event will not be visible from the continental U.S. in its entirety, so the NASA EDGE and Sun-Earth Day teams are heading to Hilo, Hawaii. A mountainside location on Mauna Kea will give a wonderful view of the entire transit with little chance of cloud cover. Viewers will be able to see real-time images of the transit for the duration of the event in various wavelengths of light.

This webcast will emphasize the history and importance of Hawaiian astronomy and its connections to NASA space science. Using the backdrop of Mauna Kea, the University of Hawaii, NASA scientists and Hawaiian cultural leaders will weave multigenerational stories combining ancient ways of knowing with modern scientific discoveries.

For more information about the Venus Transit webcast, visit http://venustransit.nasa.gov.

To learn more about the Transit of Venus and to find activities related to this once-in-a-lifetime event, visit http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2012/transit/transitofvenus.php.

Inquiries about this event should be directed to Elaine Lewis at elaine.m.lewis@nasa.gov.

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- April 5, 2012: Posted on Apr 05, 2012 03:19:18 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates for April 2012

Meteorology: How Clouds Form Web Seminar
Audience: 5-8 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 9, 2012

Engineering Design: Forces and Motion -- The Great Boomerang Challenge Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 11, 2012

Free Exploring Space Lecture -- The Little Satellite That Could
Audience: All Educators and 9-Higher Education Students
Event Date: April 11, 2012

Join the Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2012 Campaign
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: April 11-20, 2012

For Colleges and Universities: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair
Audience: Higher Education Educators
Application Deadline: April 13, 2012
Event Date: May 26, 2012

For High School Juniors and Seniors: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair
Audience: 9-12 Students
Application Deadline: May 11, 2012
Event Date: May 26, 2012

Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: May 11, 2012
Institute Dates: July 14-27, 2012

LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: May 15, 2012

Expeditions 33 and 34 In-flight Education Downlink Opportunities
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: June 1, 2012

Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download
Audience: Informal Education Institutions

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through June 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

Physics Resources for Secondary School (Grades 5-12)
April 5, 2012, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate simple activities and resources for teaching physics at middle- and high-school levels. Topics and resources covered will include Newton's Laws of Motion, energy, light and gravity. Lesson plans and modification strategies will be discussed.

Color Spinners: Understanding Light and Color (Grades 4-8)
April 6, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Christina Comer will explain light and color by constructing color spinners and observing the effects of rapid movement using colors. This webinar will be a fun introduction illustrating how different colors can be made and then changed.

NASA and Education Resource Access (Grades K-12)
April 11, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Sonya Williams will explain NASA's mission directorates and their purposes. Learn about K-12 educational materials created by each of the directorates and how educators can access these materials free of charge. Learn about citizen science opportunities, student design challenges and many other NASA resources that educators can incorporate into their classrooms.

Messenger's Mission to Mercury (Grades K-12)
April 16, 2012, 5 - 6 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Brandon Hargis will provide an overview of the Messenger mission to the planet Mercury and will share lessons and activities connected with the mission. Participants will learn where to find online resources to bring the excitement of exploring Mercury into the classroom. Attendees will learn about geological processes and create a labeled illustration of lava layering.

Start a Space Garden (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Tom Estill will share how to start a school garden using seeds from NASA’s Seeds in Space project and the Canadian Space Agency’s Tomatosphere project. Over the past 10 years, Tomatosphere has evolved into a regular component of the curriculum for more than 13,700 classrooms in Canada and the United States. At the end of the workshop, a NASA space seeds surprise awaits you.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

NASA Literature and Science (Grades K-5)
April 25, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Lester Morales will share an array of NASA literature to enrich students’ vocabulary and scientific skills. During this session Morales will review The Air we Breathe, Echo the Bat and Amelia the Pigeon. Participants will practice the scientific method and remote sensing in both the city and in the wild.

For more information about the webinars listed above, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through May 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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Meteorology: How Clouds Form Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a free 90-minute Web seminar on April 9, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn about the relationships between air pressure, temperature, volume and cloud formation. Get an overview of the necessary conditions for cloud formation and then see how to make a cloud in a bottle. Information will be provided about an extension activity, the S'COOL Project, which involves student participation in authentic science.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar2.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Engineering Design: Forces and Motion -- The Great Boomerang Challenge Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a free 90-minute professional development Web seminar for educators on April 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how NASA aerodynamics research can be applied to boomerang design to increase performance. During the session, participants will be introduced to the Boomerang Design Challenge and learn how to incorporate this activity into science classes. The seminar also includes information about two unique extensions. In the first, students access a free computer simulation illustrating the airflow around an airfoil to determine the correct flow equation, and a second extension uses an interactive simulation to determine the airflow around various shapes of airfoils.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar24.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to the NES Help Desk at NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Free Exploring Space Lecture -- The Little Satellite That Could

The International Ultraviolet Explorer, or IUE, was the first experiment to explore the full range of ultraviolet radiation from the universe. Astrophysicist Andrea K. Dupree of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory will discuss how the IUE project blazed the trail for international collaborations in space and paved the way for the Hubble Space Telescope.

The lecture will take place on April 11, 2012, at 8 p.m. Come early to see a free film and to meet the lecturer.

The lecture will be held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and is free to attend. Tickets are required. The lecture will be webcast live for free viewing online. Lecture video will be archived.

For more information, visit http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=3726.

Questions about this lecture should be directed to nasmpubliclectures@si.edu.

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Join the Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2012 Campaign

GLOBE at Night is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program for primary and secondary schools. The GLOBE at Night project encourages citizen-scientists worldwide to record the brightness of the night sky. During four select sets of dates, children and adults match the appearance of a constellation (Orion or Leo in the northern hemisphere, and Orion and Crux in the southern hemisphere) with seven star charts of progressively fainter stars. The map is located at http://www.globeatnight.org. Participants then submit their choice of star chart online with their date, time and location to help create a light-pollution map worldwide.

The GLOBE at Night 2012 campaign dates are April 11-20, 2012. Over 68,000 measurements have been contributed from more than 115 countries over the last six years of two-week campaigns.

Children and adults can submit their measurements in real time if they have a smart phone or tablet. To do this, use the Web application at http://www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. With smart phones and tablets, the location, date and time are put in automatically. And if you do not have a smart phone or tablet, there are user-friendly tools on the GLOBE at Night report page to find latitude and longitude.

Through GLOBE at Night, students, teachers, parents and community members are amassing a data set from which they can explore the nature of light pollution locally and across the globe. Make a difference and join the GLOBE at Night efforts in 2012. Activity packets, one-page flyers and postcards advertising the campaign are available at http://www.globeatnight.org.

Please email any questions about GLOBE at Night to globeatnight@noao.edu.

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For Colleges and Universities: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair

As part of NASA’s Third Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition, a University/College Recruitment Fair will be held on May 26, 2012, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This fair will cater to high school students looking for science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities at colleges and universities.

Approximately 200 high school students will be attending the fair during the Lunabotics Mining Competition. Local students from the area surrounding Kennedy Space Center are invited to attend.

Colleges and universities interested in participating in this recruitment fair must sign up to attend by April 13, 2012. This event is free.

For more information, visit http://secorstrategies.com/college-recruitment/.

Inquiries about this event should be directed to Mary Baker at Mary@SecorStrategies.com.

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For High School Juniors and Seniors: 2012 Lunabotics University/College Recruitment Fair

As part of NASA’s Third Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition, a University/College Recruitment Fair will be held on May 26, 2012, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Top colleges and universities from across the U.S. will be at the fair to share information about science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities at their schools. NASA scientists and engineers will be available to answer questions about specific majors and technical career paths.

Students interested in attending this free recruitment fair are asked to register online before May 11, 2012. To register, visit http://www.secorstrategies.com/nasa-lunabotics.

Inquiries about this event should be directed to Mary Baker at Mary@SecorStrategies.com.

To learn more about NASA's Lunabotics Mining Competition, visit www.nasa.gov/lunabotics.

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Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center has partnered with Oakwood University to offer a two-week Pre-Service Teacher Institute taking place July 14-27, 2012, in Huntsville, Ala. This residential session is for education majors preparing to teach grades 4-8.

Participants will engage in hands-on learning experiences designed to develop their skills for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics using NASA-developed curriculum resources. Full-time undergraduate students in their junior or senior year at minority institutions are invited to apply. Housing, meals, travel assistance and a stipend will be provided.

Applications must be postmarked by May 11, 2012.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/msfc/psti.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to Marilyn Lewis at marilyn.h.lewis@nasa.gov.

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LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge

NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the State Department and Nike recently announced a challenge to identify 10 game-changing innovations that could transform waste-management systems and practices. Waste management is important for planning long-duration human spaceflight missions to an asteroid, Mars or beyond.

Humans living off the planet require waste solutions that mirror issues facing people on Earth. In the hostile environment of space, waste must be eliminated or transformed in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. The innovations, which will be presented at the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste forum, may lead to practical applications for astronauts as we send humans deeper into our solar system.

The LAUNCH: Beyond Waste challenge is open through May 15, 2012, and seeks creative solutions to minimize waste or transform it into new products in space and on Earth. Forum partners will select 10 innovators to present their technology solutions at the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste forum, hosted by NASA July 20-22, 2012, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

NASA and the LAUNCH Council -- thought leaders representing a diverse and collaborative body of entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers, government, media and business -- will participate in the forum and help guide these innovations forward. The selected LAUNCH innovators will receive networking and mentoring opportunities from influential business and government leaders, as well as portfolio presentations.

LAUNCH was created to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global sustainability challenges. LAUNCH searches for visionaries whose ideas, technologies or programs show great promise for making tangible impacts on society in the developed and developing worlds.

For more information about the LAUNCH: Beyond Waste Challenge and how to enter, visit http://links.launch.org/beyond-waste.

Inquiries about this challenge should be directed to Chad Badiyan at chad.badiyan@secondmuse.com.

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Expeditions 33 and 34 In-flight Education Downlink Opportunities

NASA is seeking formal and informal educational organizations, individually or working together, to host live, in-flight education downlinks during Expeditions 33 and 34 (approximately from September 2012 to March 2013). To maximize these downlink opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the downlinks into well-developed education plans.

The deadline to submit a proposal is June 1, 2012.

During Expeditions 33 and 34, crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in downlinks. Downlinks take approximately 20 minutes and allow students and educators to interact with astronauts through a question-and-answer session. Downlinks afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space. Downlinks are broadcast live on NASA TV and are streamed on the NASA website. Because of the nature of human spaceflight, organizations must demonstrate the flexibility to accommodate changes in downlink dates and times.

Interested organizations should contact Teaching From Space, a NASA Education office, to obtain information related to expectations, format, audience, guidelines and forms by sending an email to JSC-Teaching-From-Space@mail.nasa.gov or by calling 281-244-7608.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/students/downlinks.html.

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Additional Frequently Asked Questions -- NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums Plus Opportunities for NASA Visitor Centers and Other Informal Education Institutions (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH11ZHA004N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008) -- Available For Download

One Frequently Asked Questions received after the proposal due date has been added to the CP4SMP+ portal page on NSPIRES at the following URL:

http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId=%7b75AAC7BF-2F69-6C73-2980-B1DCF25EA665%7d&path=closed

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub
NASA Education Express -- March 29, 2012: Posted on Mar 29, 2012 02:39:19 PM | Mindi Capp
0 Comments | Permalink |; Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

New Space Station Page for Educators and Students
Audience: Grades K-12

NASA at the 2012 NSTA Conference
Audience: All Educators
Conference Dates: March 29 - April 1, 2012

Visit NASA Explorer Schools at the 2012 NSTA Conference
Audience: 4-12 Educators
Event Dates: March 29 - April 1, 2012

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates for April 2012

Pythagorean Theorem: Exploring Space Through Math -- Lunar Rover Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 2, 2012

Virtual Professional Development: Exploring NASA
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Sessions on April 2 and April 5, 2012

Electromagnetic Spectrum: Remote Sensing Ices on Mars Web Seminar
Audience: 8-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 3, 2012

Live Video Chat: One Giant Charge for a Robot
Audience: Grades 8-12
Event Date: April 4, 2012, noon - 1 p.m. EDT

Properties of Living Things: Searching for Life on Mars Web Seminar
Audience: 4-8 and Informal Educators
Event Date: April 5, 2012

Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students Academy
Audience: 5-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 16, 2012

Educator Workshop: Greenhouse Gases and Their Roles on Earth
Audience: Grade 6-12 Educators
Registration Deadline: April 17, 2012
Event Date: April 21, 2012

Free Lecture -- John Glenn: Earning the Right Stuff as a Decorated Marine Aviator and Navy Test Pilot -- Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: May 24, 2012

Free Lecture -- NASA's Legacy and Future: Personal Reflections of a Space Flyer -- Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: June 27, 2012

2012 Humans in Space Youth Art Competition
Audience: K-12 Students
Deadline: Oct. 21, 2012

New Brochure Available Online: International Space Station Benefits for Humanity
Audience: All Educators and Students

Updated Rockets Guide Available Online
Audience: K-12 Educators

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New Space Station Page for Educators and Students

NASA Education is launching a new Web page for students and educators about the International Space Station.

Teach Station is the platform for space-station-focused education resources, science and research information for students and teachers, crew updates, and up-to-the minute education news. Visit often and watch for opportunities to connect with the expedition crew members and other NASA education opportunities.

Take a moment to visit the page “A Teacher in Space” and meet Joe Acaba. Read about his experience as an astronaut and his transition from a classroom teacher to the astronaut corps. Acaba’s next assignment is flight engineer for Expedition 31. He will join the crew on the International Space Station in May 2012.

Visit the new Web page at www.nasa.gov/education/teachstation.

Download a Teach Station bookmark at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Teach_Station_Bookmark.html.

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NASA at the 2012 NSTA Conference

Make NASA a part of your National Science Teachers Association, or NSTA, experience this year! The 2012 NSTA’s national conference is being held March 29 - April 1, 2012, in Indianapolis, Ind. Dozens of NASA presentations, workshops and short courses are scheduled during the conference. To find NASA sessions that fit in your schedule, visit http://bit.ly/nsta2012.

Also, stop by the NASA exhibit booth (#2159) to learn about exciting new NASA programs and products.

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Visit NASA Explorer Schools at the 2012 NSTA Conference

If you are attending the 2012 National Science Teachers Association National Conference on Science Education in Indianapolis on March 29 through April 1, be sure to stop by NASA’s exhibit booth #2159 in the exhibit hall. NASA Explorer Schools, or NES, representatives will be there to share information and answer your questions.

If you are not yet a participant in the NES project, you can obtain detailed information about NES by visiting the booth or attending a NES presentation. The session, "Teach STEM? NASA Explorer Schools Can Help!", takes place on Fri., March 30, from 11 a.m. - noon in the Cabinet Room of the Westin Indianapolis.

Everyone is invited to attend any of the additional NES lesson-related sessions:
-- The "Virtual Lab and NASA Explorer Schools" session takes place on Friday, March 30, from 4 - 4:45 p.m. in room 142 of the Convention Center.
-- The "NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Thermal Protection System" session takes place on Sat., March 31, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., in room 111/112 of the Convention Center.

Attend one of these presentations and see how NES helps teachers by packaging everything needed to deliver an exciting NASA-related lesson to students!

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project

Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars through June 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

NASA Literature and Science (Grades K-5)
April 2, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Lester Morales will share an array of NASA literature to enrich students’ vocabulary and scientific skills. During this session Morales will review The Air we Breathe, Echo the Bat and Amelia the Pigeon. Participants will practice the scientific method and remote sensing in both the city and in the wild.

Physics Resources for Secondary School (Grades 5-12)
April 2, 2012, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. EDT.
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate simple activities and resources for teaching physics at middle- and high-school levels. Topics and resources covered will include Newton's Laws of Motion, energy, light and gravity. Lesson plans and modification strategies will be discussed.

Mass Versus Weight: A Heavy-Duty Concept (Grades 5-8)
April 3, 2012, 3 - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will discuss mass and weight and how these words that have a big difference in meaning often get used incorrectly by students. This workshop will explore these terms using inquiry activities and NASA resources, including a NASA video filmed on the International Space Station.

Physics Resources for Secondary School (Grades 5-12)
April 5, 2012, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will demonstrate simple activities and resources for teaching physics at middle- and high-school levels. Topics and resources covered will include Newton's Laws of Motion, energy, light and gravity. Lesson plans and modification strategies will be discussed.

Color Spinners: Understanding Light and Color (Grades 4-8)
April 6, 2012, 6 - 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Christina Comer will explain light and color by constructing color spinners and observing the effects of rapid movement using colors. This webinar will be a fun introduction illustrating how different colors can be made and then changed.

NASA and Education Resource Access (Grades K-12)
April 11, 2012, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Sonya Williams will explain NASA's mission directorates and their purposes. Learn about K-12 educational materials created by each of the directorates and how educators can access these materials free of charge. Learn about citizen science opportunities, student design challenges and many other NASA resources that educators can incorporate into their classrooms.

Messenger's Mission to Mercury (Grades K-12)
April 16, 2012, 5 - 6 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Brandon Hargis will provide an overview of the Messenger mission to the planet Mercury and will share lessons and activities connected with the mission. Participants will learn where to find online resources to bring the excitement of exploring Mercury into the classroom. Attendees will learn about geological processes and create a labeled illustration of lava layering.

Start a Space Garden (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Tom Estill will share how to start a school garden using seeds from NASA’s Seeds in Space project and the Canadian Space Agency’s Tomatosphere project. Over the past 10 years, Tomatosphere has evolved into a regular component of the curriculum for more than 13,700 classrooms in Canada and the United States. At the end of the workshop, a NASA space seeds surprise awaits you.

Animals in Space (Grades K-5)
April 18, 2012, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Wil Robertson will demonstrate how teachers can use stuffed animals as props in telling the story of the animals that preceded humans in space. The program is geared for teachers in K-5 with a special focus of aligning the topic with the Core Literacy Standards for elementary grades. Web resources will be provided.

NASA Literature and Science (Grades K-5)
April 25, 2012, 4 - 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Lester Morales will share an array of NASA literature to enrich students’ vocabulary and scientific skills. During this session Morales will review The Air we Breathe, Echo the Bat and Amelia the Pigeon. Participants will practice the scientific method and remote sensing in both the city and in the wild.

For more information about the webinars listed above, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through May 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Gwendolyn Wheatle at Gwendolyn.H.Wheatle@nasa.gov.

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Pythagorean Theorem: Exploring Space Through Math -- Lunar Rover Web Seminar

NASA Explorer Schools and the Learning Environments and Research Network, or LE&RN, projects are hosting a 60-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on April 2, 2012, at 8 p.m. EDT. Learn to use the distance formula and the Pythagorean theorem to determine the minimal path and minimal time for a lunar rover to perform tasks on the surface of the moon. Participants should have a basic knowledge of scale factor and application of the Pythagorean theorem. Having access to a calculator is helpful but not necessary for session.

For more information and to register online, visit https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/nes-webinar-registration-pythagorean-theorem/.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Virtual Professional Development: Exploring NASA

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, are the foundation for studying clouds and seasons. Explore clouds and alleviate the misconception of seasons. Learn how NASA researchers study the sun’s energy and how it effects Earth. Check out these virtual professional development sessions to help you tilt students toward STEM.

If you’re interested in receiving professional development activity units applicable toward license renewal, register and complete the two workshops in the series and the post activity to accumulate five workshop hours.

The session dates of this workshop series are April 2, 2012 and April 5, 2012.

Get registered to learn more https://digitalmedia.wufoo.com/forms/virginia-virtual-professional-development-form/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Karen Ricks at Karen.Ricks@nasa.gov.

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Electromagnetic Spectrum: Remote Sensing Ices on Mars Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute web seminar on April 3, 2012, at 8:15 p.m. EDT. Learn how to use authentic NASA mission data to investigate the composition and distribution of ices in the high latitude regions of Mars through analysis of visible light, infrared light and gamma rays. The seminar includes information about a unique student extension activity, where students access a free computer simulation illustrating how gamma rays are used to determine the chemical composition of Mars.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar1.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Live Video Chat: One Giant Charge for a Robot

The NASA Explorer Schools, or NES, project presents a live video chat with NASA robotics engineer Sandeep Yayathi. Sandeep Yayathi works on Robonaut, a dexterous humanoid robot built and designed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. On April 4, 2012, Yayathi will answer student questions about his work with Robonaut, his career path and what the future holds for robotics. Robonaut 2, or R2, launched to the International Space Station on space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-133 mission. It is the first dexterous humanoid robot in space and the first U.S.-built robot at the space station.

Yayathi is developing a new power system including a battery backpack to allow Robonaut 2 to move about freely without having to be plugged into the space station’s power grid. Eventually, the new power system will allow an upgraded version of the robot to work outside the station.

Submit questions during the chat through a chat window, or send them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

To learn more about NES, visit the explorerschools.nasa.gov website.

For more information and to view the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/robonaut-chat.html.

If you have any questions about the video chat, contact NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Properties of Living Things: Searching for Life on Mars Web Seminar

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute Web seminar for educators on April 5, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Review criteria for determining if something is alive and learn how students can apply the criteria in a hands-on activity. A video will be shown that connects the activity to a NASA mission. Collaborate with other participants about ways of using and adapting the activity. Extension activities for students interested in the topic will be provided.

For more information and to register online, visit URL http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES2/webseminar7.aspx

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov.

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Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students Academy

The NASA Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students, or AREES, program is recruiting science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, educators of students in grades 5-12 to participate in a two-week residential Academy in Palmdale, Calif. The Academy will be offered June 18-29, 2012. The dynamic training program provides research-based experiences for educators using NASA’s unique flight platforms. Participants will engage as science practitioners by becoming involved in a NASA earth science mission.

The workshop is designed to combine research-based opportunities for educators with NASA content-based curriculum and student-focused design challenges in a program that focuses on three education goals:
1. Engage participants in NASA's unique, airborne research-based missions.
2. Increase educators’ core scientific and research knowledge bases.
3. Develop NASA's airborne research-based curriculum and student activities.

Experiences will include technical content instruction by scientists and engineers, hands-on learning of airborne data collection methods and operations, and a field site investigation to collect ground truth data from the Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay, Calif., for comparison to data collected from NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude airborne science aircraft. Further, participants may attend pedagogic workshops in problem-based learning, engineering design, inquiry-based instruction and integration of technology and data-focused curricula into the classroom. Experiences will be translated into classroom practice through the development of STEM action plans utilizing NASA thematic, curriculum modules based on the foundation that AREES provides and in context with on-going research.

Applications are due April 16, 2012.

For more information, visit http://www.aeroi.org. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Shaun Smith at shaun.smith@nasa.gov.

The AREES program is sponsored by NASA's Teaching from Space project, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and NASA’s Airborne Science Program, and administered through a partnership with the Aerospace, Education, Research and Operations Institute in Palmdale, Calif., the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wetlands Research and CNL World in Nebraska.

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Educator Workshop: Greenhouse Gases and Their Roles on Earth

Greenhouse gases are both naturally occurring and man-made gases that trap heat in Earth's atmosphere and play a vital role in maintaining a habitable climate. However, human activity is quickly increasing the concentration of these gases on Earth and causing concern about the future of our planet.

On April 21, 2012, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or JPL, in Pasadena, Calif., will host an educator workshop that will examine the role of greenhouse gases in our complex global system, and explore the ways that media deliver science content and discusses climate change. The workshop is open to formal and informal educators teaching grades 6 through 12. Attendees will take part in a group discussion, science presentations and a hands-on activity/discussion on the media's portrayal of science and climate change. Teachers will receive a certificate for continuing education hours.

Registration for this workshop closes on April 17, 2012. A $30 registration fee includes continental breakfast, beverages, snacks, a box lunch and incidentals.

For more information, directions to the workshop location and to register online, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/index.cfm?page=318.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Mary K. Kuehn at Mary.K.Kuehn@jpl.nasa.gov.

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Free Lecture -- John Glenn: Earning the Right Stuff as a Decorated Marine Aviator and Navy Test Pilot -- Attend in Person or View Online

How did John Glenn get “the right stuff?” Before he was an astronaut, John Glenn earned six Distinguished Flying Crosses as a United States Marine Corps aviator in World War II and the Korean conflict, and also flew as a naval test pilot.

On May 24, 2012, National Air and Space Museum Director Jack Dailey will join Glenn for a discussion of his career-defining moments. The lecture begins at 8 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Admission is free, but tickets are required and will be distributed via a drawing. For those unable to attend in person, the lecture will be webcast live.

For more information, visit http://www.airandspace.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=3734.

Questions about this lecture should be directed to nasmpubliclectures@si.edu.

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Free Lecture -- NASA's Legacy and Future: Personal Reflections of a Space Flyer -- Attend in Person or View Online

On June 27, 2012, NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. will be the speaker for the 2012 John H. Glenn Lecture. Administrator Bolden will reflect on his career as a Marine aviator, a space shuttle pilot and commander and his leadership of America's space agency. His insights will provide a timely window into his own experiences and the future of space exploration.

The lecture begins at 8 p.m. at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Admission is free, but tickets are required. For those unable to attend in person, the lecture will be webcast live.

For more information, visit http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=3735.

Questions about this lecture should be directed to nasmpubliclectures@si.edu.

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2012 Humans in Space Youth Art Competition

The international 2012 Humans in Space Youth Art Competition invites students ages 10-18 to express their ideas about the future of human space exploration through visual, literary, musical or digital art.

Artwork submissions will be judged on creativity, skill and demonstration of meaning relevant to expressing “How will humans use science and technology to explore space, and what mysteries will we uncover?”

Winning art will be showcased at displays and multimedia performances worldwide from 2013 to 2014, as well as in an online gallery. Submissions must be received by Oct. 21, 2012.

For additional information and a complete list of guidelines, visit www.humansinspaceart.org.

Inquiries about this opportunity should be directed to Jancy McPhee at jancy.c.mcphee@nasa.gov.

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New Brochure Available Online: International Space Station Benefits for Humanity

The International Space Station enables researchers from all over the world to perform innovative experiments that could not be done anywhere else. This unique laboratory environment produces advancements in science and technology that benefit everyday life on Earth. Download this brochure to learn more about these innovations and share them with your students

The International Space Station Benefits for Humanity brochure is a collection of in-depth descriptions about benefits from research on the space station. The benefits outlined serve as examples of the space station’s potential as a groundbreaking scientific research facility.

This collection was developed collaboratively by the members of the Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency.

To view the brochure, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/ISS_Benefit_for_Humanity.html.

The Educational Materials section of NASA's website offers classroom activities, educator guides, posters and other types of resources that are available for use in the classroom. Materials are listed by type, grade level and subject. For more NASA-related education resources, visit http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true.

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Updated Rockets Guide Available Online

Few classroom topics generate as much excitement as rockets. The scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical foundations of rocketry provide exciting classroom opportunities for authentic hands-on, minds-on experimentation. The activities and lesson plans contained in this educator guide emphasize hands-on science, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. The guide also contains background information about the history of rockets and basic rocket science. The rocket activities in this guide support national curriculum standards for science, mathematics and technology.

The guide contains new and updated lessons and activities from the original Rockets Educator Guide.

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Rockets.html

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Don't miss out on education-related opportunities available from NASA. For a full list of Current Opportunities, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub


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