NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — July 19, 2017

**NEW** New Podcast Series Available From NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Podcast Release Date: New Episode Every Friday
Live Podcast From Space: Aug. 10, 2017

“Houston, We Have a Podcast” is a new weekly audio show from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The podcast, hosted by Gary Jordan as he talks with various guests, is designed to highlight a variety of topics covering the work of Johnson, NASA’s “home of human spaceflight.”

In the first episode, released on July 7, 2017, NASA public affairs officer Dan Huot provides a high-level overview of the International Space Station: what it is, how it works, and why it’s there. New episodes will be released each Friday; upcoming topics include space food, human research in space, mission control and communications. Personal stories of human spaceflight, from living on the space station to understanding what it may be like to walk on Mars, will come from the Astronaut Candidates of 2017, International Space Station astronauts, and scientists and engineers from around the center.

Timed at an average of 45 to 50 minutes, episodes of “Houston, We Have a Podcast” will be released on iTunes, SoundCloud and nasa.gov. Questions may be asked using the hashtags #askNASA and #HWHAP on various NASA accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A live podcast episode from space with astronaut Jack Fischer is planned Aug. 10, 2017, on NASA TV, Facebook, YouTube, UStream and other platforms. Live audience viewers will be able to ask questions via Facebook and YouTube. The recorded podcast episode will be released Friday of the following week.

To download episodes of “Houston, We Have a Podcast,” visit https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/HWHAP .

Episodes also may be found on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/nasa/sets/houston-we-have-a-podcast.

Episodes of the podcast will soon be available on iTunes and other platforms.

Please direct questions about this podcast series to Gary Jordan at gary.j.jordan@nasa.gov.

**NEW** All Aboard! The NASA Education Express Is Turning 20!
Audience: All Educators and Students

For 20 years, the NASA Education Express has kept subscribers in the know about opportunities for teachers and students. To celebrate, we’re giving the weekly newsletter a fresh, updated look!

The NASA Education Express will still deliver the latest NASA opportunities for educators and students directly to your inbox each Thursday. But the message is getting a makeover — All to help you find what you need … faster!
— “New This Week” opportunities at the top
— “Act Fast!” for those opportunities where the clock is ticking
— Plus more opportunities for educators and students

Keep an eye on your inbox on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, and be ready to hop on board!

https://www.nasa.gov/education/express

‘Predict the Corona’ Art Project
Audience: All Educators and Students
Eclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017

Before the advent of photography, astronomers tried to sketch the fleeting shape of our sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This ghostly halo of light had been seen for centuries by naked-eye observers at the height of most total solar eclipses, but little was known about its shape and extent or how these changed with time.

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a total solar eclipse once again. Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. To prepare for the big event, NASA wants you to predict what the corona will look like!

Share your drawings with NASA via the NASA Solar Eclipse Flickr page (https://www.flickr.com/groups/nasa-eclipse2017/) or via Instagram using #Eclipse2017Corona.

For more information about the project and to see what past coronas have looked like, visit https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/predict-corona-art-project.

Please submit questions about this opportunity to https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/contact-us.

Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Audience: All Educators and Students
Submission Deadline: Nov. 20, 2017

Set to launch in June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an explorer-class planet finder. In the first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey, TESS will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants and will orbit a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics.

This opportunity is open to all ages and skill levels. Submissions will be collected via email. To download the template for submitting your artwork, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/fly_your_exoplanet.html.

The deadline for submissions is Nov. 20, 2017, or when capacity of the drive carrying the submissions to space is reached, whichever occurs first.

To learn more about the TESS mission, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSFC-TESS@mail.nasa.gov.

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: What, When, Where, How and Safety
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 20, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
On Aug. 21, 2017, most Americans will experience their first total solar eclipse in almost 40 years. What is a solar eclipse? Where will the eclipse be visible? When will the eclipse occur? How can the eclipse be viewed safely? This webinar will explore these questions using some of the many NASA resources and classroom lessons supporting this solar event. Learn about the important safety of properly viewing the eclipse with your students. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/263468

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, Guest Scientist
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 24, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
As a singular event of national scale and with a global audience, the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, will be a landmark event for a new generation. Where will you be? In this webinar, participants will be able to connect with the lead program scientist for NASA’s “Living With a Star” initiative, Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263957

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: Shadows
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 25, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible across the continental U.S., the first in almost 40 years! Participants in this webinar will learn about shadows and the upcoming solar eclipse. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254223

For a full schedule of upcoming NASA Educator Professional Development webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.

NASA Education Workshop at Glenn Research Center — Modeling the Solar Eclipse
Audience: K-12 Educators
Workshop Date: July 25, 2017, 8:30 a.m. EDT

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse. This event will provide an excellent opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Join the Office of Education at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, for a STEM educator workshop on July 25, 2017. Participants will be introduced to problem-based-inquiry learning activities related to the solar eclipse. Learn how to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to students in the classroom.

For full event details and registration information, visit https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=237940&.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Stephanie Brown-Houston at sdbrown-houston@nasa.gov.

Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: Aug. 21, 2017

On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.

Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.

Visit the following websites to find additional information and resources, including:
— Tips for safely viewing the solar eclipse.
— Recorded interviews with NASA scientists, mission specialists and eclipse path communities.
— Topical online eclipse videos, featuring a variety of STEM and cultural topics.
— Social media community development and networking.
— Mobile educational eclipse applications.
— Public challenges and engagement activities.
— 2-D and 3-D printing exercises for K-16 students.
— Citizen science campaigns in partnership with NASA mission observations.
— Adjunct activities and educational resources.
— Live streaming of observations and programming.

Total Eclipse 2017 — Through the Eyes of NASA
http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov

Eclipses and Transits
http://www.nasa.gov/eclipse

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

**NEW** New 2017 Solar Eclipse Resources Available for Public Libraries
Audience: Librarians and Informal Educators

The total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, is quickly approaching! To help you prepare for the big event, STAR_Net has developed educational resources to assist libraries in creating promotional and program materials for events surrounding the eclipse.

Funded by the NASA@ My Library program, these materials include images, videos, posters, activities, webinars and more! Here are just a few highlights of what is available:

2017 Solar Eclipse Guide: This eclipse information booklet may be downloaded free by anyone at http://www.starnetlibraries.org/EclipseGuide/. The 24-page booklet includes background information on eclipses, times when the eclipse is visible over different parts of the country, safe viewing techniques, suggestions for good outreach partners for libraries, and more.

Online Course About the Sun and the 2017 Solar Eclipse: This course is perfect for librarians who want more extensive background information on how and why astronomers study the sun. It is a five-meeting course, and the last “class” is all about eclipse day. Check it out at http://www.starnetlibraries.org/2017eclipse/eclipse-resource-center/educational-resources/online-course/.

Eclipse-related STEM Clearinghouse Activities: Find fun, hands-on activities to bring the science behind the eclipse to life! Activities are available for a wide range of ages and interest areas. Learn more at http://clearinghouse.starnetlibraries.org/index.php?id_category=124&controller=category.

Eclipse Resources Forum: Share ideas and brainstorm with other librarians about eclipse programming and events. Join the discussion at http://www.starnetlibraries.org/forums/forum/eclipse-resources-forum/.

Please direct questions about these resources to Anne Holland at aholland@spacescience.com.

For more information about STAR_Net, visit http://www.starnetlibraries.org/.

Looking for more information about the 2017 solar eclipse? Visit NASA’s eclipse website at https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/.