NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — July 26, 2017

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”


Science Always Starts With a Question …


This Week’s Question: Why Does the Sun Burn Us?

The sun keeps our planet warm enough for living things to thrive. It gives us light so we can see. But it also can burn us. What causes these burns?

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sunburn/en/


Have You Seen This?


Keep an eye on the sun’s space weather activity from your classroom with a Space Weather Action Center. This computer-based activity allows students to track the development and progress of solar storms in near-real time. The activity incorporates online NASA data and addresses national education standards in science, technology and mathematics.

https://sunearthday.nasa.gov/swac/


Solar Eclipse Countdown!


The dark disk of the moon covers the lower-right portion of the sun during a solar eclipseLess Than ONE MONTH Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

Potentially, more than 300 million people in the United States could directly view the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, and NASA wants everyone who witnesses this celestial phenomenon to do so safely. Get the latest safety information before the big event!

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-recommends-safety-tips-to-view-the-august-solar-eclipse


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages



Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12



Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


 


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


**NEW** New, Updated Look for NASA Education Express Coming Next Week
Audience: All Educators and Students

To celebrate 20 years of delivering NASA education opportunities to educators and students, the NASA Education Express is getting a brand new look!

The more things change …
— Eye-catching graphics help you zero in on opportunities
— “Act Fast!” section shows which deadlines are looming on the horizon

The more they stay the same …
— Still delivered on Thursdays
— Still highlighting STEM opportunities for educators and students.

Keep an eye on your inbox on Aug. 3, 2017, for the new NASA Education Express message!

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


**NEW** Storyboard Competition for NASA’s REALM Project
Audience: Graphic Designers and Creative Writers of All Ages
Entry Deadline: Aug. 3, 2017, at 3 p.m. EDT

NASA’s RFID-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management, or REALM, project is seeking storyboard ideas for a two-minute animation that describes its mission to the public. REALM is a three-phased experimental project based on radio frequency identification, or RFID, technologies.

The winning storyboard will be developed into a video via a separate contest, for which submitters, and others, are eligible to participate.

The creator of the winning storyboard will receive $500. Entries must be submitted by 3 p.m. EDT on Aug. 3, 2017.

For full details, visit https://www.freelancer.com/contest/NASA-Contests-Storyboard-for-Minute-VideoAnimation-for-REALM-Project-1032506.html.


 ‘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.


Be a Citizen Earth Scientist With the ‘GLOBE Observer’ App
Audience: All Educators and Students

Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? To contribute to NASA’s studies of our home planet, all you need is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the “GLOBE Observer” app.

Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. For over two decades, GLOBE has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.

To learn more, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-launches-new-citizen-science-opportunity and http://observer.globe.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** Mission STEM: Constructing Explanations and Solutions
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 31, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
Participants will explore resources that allow students to practice inquiry-based strategies while completing design challenges. Explore recoding, analyzing and interpreting data. And learn how maps and models can be used to help students gain perspective and answer questions. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/249118

**NEW** Exploring Beyond the Planets: Cassini and Saturn
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Aug. 1, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about the solar system and beyond. Explore the current research going on at Saturn with the Cassini mission and related activities that can be used within the classroom or during after-school programs. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254227

**NEW** Talk With a Scientist: Mike MacFerrin
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12
Event Date: Aug. 2, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will have the opportunity to interact with leading cryo scientist Mike MacFerrin. MacFerrin is a Greenland ice sheet researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. He is an expert in physical geography, cryosphere studies, Earth science, ice interactions and remote sensing. He will be presenting “Tales from a Greenland Polar Field Scientist.”  Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263962

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.


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


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/.


2017 Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Workshop Dates: Aug. 21-25, 2017

The annual Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop will be held Aug. 21-25, 2017, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop encourages knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking throughout the thermal and fluids engineering community within NASA, academia and the aerospace community at large. STEM faculty and university students are encouraged to attend, take free training, or do a combination thereof.

Registration to attend the workshop is free. For more information, visit https://tfaws.nasa.gov/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Ramona Cummings at ramona.o.cummings@nasa.gov.


Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities
.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educators and Students Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html

Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom.
NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Visit NASA Education on the web:
NASA Office of Education: http://www.nasa.gov/education
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

Did you miss last week’s NASA Education Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/