Professional Development Web Seminar: Linear Equations: NASA CONNECT — Breaking Barriers

Professional Development Web Seminar

NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Oct. 17, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. During this professional development session, participants will receive information about the applications of linear equations at NASA and learn how to implement the Breaking Barriers activity. Breaking Barriers provides students an opportunity to step into the shoes of a NASA engineer to design, build and test an X-1 balloon.


This seminar will be repeated on Feb. 20, 2013.


Link to the information and registration page.


Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.


Professional Development Web Seminar: Center of Mass and Center of Pressure-Engineering a Stable Rocket

Professional development Web Seminar

NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Oct. 16, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how to incorporate rocketry into your teaching repertoire. During this seminar, participants will get an overview of an activity from NASA’s “Rockets Educator Guide,” explore the NASA connections, share tips and tricks for implementing the lesson in the classroom and discuss possible modifications or extensions.


Link to the information and registration page.


Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.


Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest

Cassini

The deadline for the 2012 Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest is now two weeks away. There’s still time for your students to write essays for the contest.


The contest is open to students in grades 5-12. All students who enter will receive a certificate of participation. Winning entries will be posted on NASA’s Cassini website. Winners and their classes will be invited to participate in a teleconference, videoconference, or online discussion with Cassini scientists so the students can ask their space questions to the experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.


Complete contest rules and videos about each of the three possible essay topics can be found on the contest website.

Discovery of Lonely Galactic Island Relates to NASA Now Classroom Video Program

Recently, an isolated dwarf galaxy was discovered in an image from the Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxy is classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy because it is relatively small and lacks clear structure.

For more information and to see the image, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/ddo190.html.

This discovery serves as a new extension to the NASA Now Classroom Videos program Engineering Design Process: Hubble Space Telescope, which can be found on the NASA Explorer Schools Virtual Campus.

Apply Now for the 2013-14 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program is now accepting applications for the 2013-2014 Fellowship Year. The Einstein Fellowship Program is available to current K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators with a demonstrated excellence in teaching and leadership.


For more information about the program and to learn how to apply, visit www.einsteinfellows.org. Applications for the 2013-14 Fellowship program are due by 11 p.m. EST, Dec. 5, 2012.

Radiation Belt Mission Is Extension for Space Math Problems

Artist concept: Radiation belt storm probe in orbit above EarthNASA’s Radiation Belt Storm Probes are flying in Earth orbit after a recent successful liftoff and ascent. The rocket’s Centaur upper stage released the probes one at a time and sent them into different orbits, kicking off the two-year mission to study Earth’s radiation belts.

To read more about the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/rbsp/main/index.html

This mission is a great example of how NASA studies solar weather and an up-to-date extension to the NASA Explorer Schools lesson Geometry: Space Math Problems: Solar Storms. To access this lesson and get your students studying and tracking space weather, log into the NES Virtual Campus.

Professional Development Web Seminar: Engineering Design: Forces & Motion-The Great Boomerang Challenge

Professional Development Opportunity

NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a free 90-minute professional development Web seminar on Oct. 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how aerodynamic forces and motion are used in boomerang design. Participants will be introduced to the Boomerang Design Challenge and learn how to incorporate this activity into science classes. Two extensions featuring free computer simulations that teach students about airflow around airfoils will also be shared.


Link to the information and registration page.


Professional Development Web Seminar: Electromagnetic Spectrum: Remote Sensing Ices on Mars

Professional Development Web Seminar

NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute professional development Web seminar for teachers of grades 8-12 on Oct. 4, 2012, at 7:30 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/NES3/webseminar4.aspx.


Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.


Professional Development Web Seminar: Engineering Design Process: On The Moon Educator Guide

Professional development opportunity

NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar on Oct. 10, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. EDT for educators of grades 6-12. This seminar showcases two lessons from the “On the Moon” educator guide: “On Target” and “Feel the Heat”. Learn how to use the engineering design process to challenge students to solve problems related to exploring the moon. This session will fully prepare you to implement these activities in your classroom.


For more information and to register online, visit the seminar registration page.


(This seminar will be repeated on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013.)


Engineering Design Challenge: Water Filtration Web Seminar

Professional Development Web Seminar

NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for high school educators on Oct. 2, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. During this seminar, participants learn about ways water is recycled on Earth and on the International Space Station. Participants receive background information about water recycling and then see how to incorporate the information into an exciting hands-on, inquiry-based challenge.


For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES3/webseminar3.aspx.


Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.