Tag: Educator Workshops

NASA “Science WOW!” Message — Jan. 17, 2018

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Science Always Starts With a Question …

This Week’s Question: What Is Earth’s Atmosphere?

Earth’s atmosphere is like a jacket for the planet. It keeps us warm, it gives us oxygen to breathe, and it’s where our weather happens. Find out more about the different layers that make up this important part of our planet!

In English — https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/atmosphere/en/
In Spanish — https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/atmosphere/sp/

Have You Seen This?

Two new satellites are set to launch this year to help NASA study the ionosphere.

The GOLD instrument is set to launch on Jan. 25, and the ICON instrument will launch later in 2018. Find out more about this dynamic duo and why studying the ionosphere is important for everyday life on Earth.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/two-heads-are-better-than-one-icon-gold-teaming-up-to-explore-earths-interface-to-space

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

  • 2018 von Kármán Lecture — Explorer 1’s 60th Anniversary: A Celebration of Six Decades of Earth Science Discoveries
  • Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
  • Help NASA Find New Planetary Systems — Become a Disk Detective!

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

  • Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies
  • **NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
  • Free Education Workshops From NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

  • 2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
  • 2018-2019 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships
  • **NEW** FAQs, Amendment Posted: Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

2018 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Jan. 25 and 26, 2018, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Explorer 1’s 60th Anniversary: A Celebration of Six Decades of Earth Science Discoveries
Event Date: Jan. 25 and 26, 2018, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2018&month=1
The Explorer 1 satellite marked the start of the Space Age for the United States. For the world, it heralded the study of Earth from space. Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory documentarian Blaine Baggett and historian Dr. Erik Conway as they go on a multimedia journey from the dawn of Earth science exploration to today’s modern fleet of satellites dedicated to studying our home planet.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
Audience: Students Ages 11-18 and Educator Mentors
Registration Deadline: Feb. 2, 2018

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Langley Research Center, along with the Colorado Space Grant Consortium and idoodledu, inc., are offering a free STEAM education program for students ages 11-18. Cubes in Space™ lets students design and compete to launch an experiment into space. Selected student-designed payload cubes will be launched via a sounding rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, in late June 2018 or from a high-altitude scientific balloon from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in New Mexico in late August 2018.

Registration closes on Feb. 2, 2018. For more information, visit http://www.cubesinspace.com/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to info@cubesinspace.com.

Help NASA Find New Planetary Systems — Become a Disk Detective!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Now Through 2018

Help NASA find new disks, homes of extrasolar planets, by classifying images from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope and other observatories. In this citizen science project, you’ll view animated images of disk candidates and classify them, distinguishing good candidates from galaxies, asteroids and image artifacts. This project, suitable for elementary students through expert adults, will yield targets for the James Webb Space Telescope and publications in professional scientific literature.

This project is ongoing and expected to run through 2018. For more information and to start hunting for planets, visit http://www.diskdetective.org/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Marc Kuchner at marc.j.kuchner@nasa.gov.

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies
Audience: 5-8 Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST

Join NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology, or BEST, educators for a free 60-minute educator professional development webinar. Learn how NASA is developing large, sturdy and lightweight systems to deliver the next generation of rovers and landers to Mars. Using NASA’S BEST engineering design process, participants will design a prototype of new drag devices to potentially land humans, habitats and rovers safely on Mars.

For more information and to register to participate, visit https://nasabest-epd.eventbrite.com.

Please send questions about this opportunity to afrc-nasabestedu@mail.nasa.gov.

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.

NASA Spotlites — Science by Students for Students
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about a problem-based activity in which students produce NASA Spotlite videos. These 90- to 120-second videos are written, filmed, edited and produced by students using the engineering design process. Each video targets a misconception about science. All steps of creating a Spotlite video can be done using cell phones, tablets and laptops.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/296985

NASA Aeronautics: Elementary Balloons and Kites
Audience: K-5, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 18, 2018, at 5 p.m. EST
Learn how to use aeronautic teaching guides to teach STEAM lessons that incorporate children’s literature and art. By using popular children’s books, students are engaged in the cross-cutting principles and the science and engineering process skills of the Next Generation Science Standards.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/302503

**NEW** How NASA Plans to Get Humans Back to the Moon
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 22, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about plans for an upcoming mission to the Moon. It’s been 45 years since a crewed spacecraft flew to the Moon. NASA plans to do it again in just a few years. The mission will take about 25.5 days, and its highlight will be putting the spacecraft in a lunar orbit that will take it farther from Earth than any other crewed spacecraft has been.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/295063

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Speed of Sound
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 23, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about motions and forces, transfer of energy, and technological design, including ways NASA reduces or eliminates aircraft noise. Explore the physics of sound, including how certain variables can affect the speed of sound. Learn about hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations to connect this research in the classroom.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/304106

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Flying in Our Atmosphere
Audience: 5-9, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 25, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST
Explore the NASA “How High Is It?” lesson guide. Investigate online resources that create scale models of our atmosphere. Models include the layers of Earth’s atmosphere and altitudes of NASA aircraft, spacecraft, and natural and artificial satellites. Develop number sense by representing scale factors in terms of ratios, decimals and percentages.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/304376

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.

Free Education Workshops From NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Audience: In-Service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal STEM Educators

The NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education is presenting a series of free workshops open to all educators. All workshops will take place at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (map) Registration is required to participate. Each workshop is limited to 30 participants. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

Network of States Lunar Sample / Robotics EV3 EPD Workshop
Audience: NASA Network of States Educators Phase 2, and In-service STEM Educators of Grades 5-12 Interested in Joining the NASA Network of States Educator Institute
Registration Deadline: Jan. 22, 2018 (maximum of 50 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 27, 2018, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. CST
Join the Stennis Space Center Office of Education for a free workshop on the use and security of lunar and meteorite sample disks. Learn about hands-on activities designed to integrate use of the sample disks into curricula. Participants will be certified to borrow lunar and meteorite sample disks from NASA for the classroom. The workshop will include a short follow-up training session on EV3 robotics.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/276901

International Space Station: Beyond the Classroom
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-8
Registration Deadline: Feb. 4, 2018 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Feb. 8, 2018, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Explore ways to integrate the International Space Station into your STEM, arts and social studies instruction. Participants also will learn about the Year of Education on Station — two former classroom teachers, now astronauts, spending a combined year in space delivering STEM activities related to the space station.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/298599

For a full schedule of upcoming educator workshops, visit https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/education/educators/workshops.html.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to April McIntosh at april.l.mcintosh@nasa.gov.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Jan. 19, 2018
Join the Lunar and Planetary Institute for a 10-week program for graduate students in geology, planetary science, planetary astronomy and related programs. Learn how to integrate scientific input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft engineers can use. Activities will support missions to the Moon that use the Orion crew vehicle, the Deep Space Gateway and robotic assets on the lunar surface.

Interns will receive stipends and travel expense reimbursement. Applications are due Jan. 19, 2018.

For more information, visit https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration_intern/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to explorationintern@lpi.usra.edu.

2018-2019 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 1, 2018

The NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship program is accepting proposals for the 2018-2019 academic year. Applications must be from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines.

NASA will award training grants to the respective universities, with the advisor serving as principal investigator. The maximum NESSF award is $45,000 per year.

Proposals are due Feb. 1, 2018. For information, visit https://go.nasa.gov/2AsHckq.

Questions about Earth Science Research NESSF opportunities should be directed to Claire Macaulay at Claire.I.Macaulay@nasa.gov.

Questions about Heliophysics Research, Planetary Science Research and Astrophysics Research opportunities should be directed to Marian Norris at mnorris@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/

Take Part in a Year of Education on Station
September 2017 – September 2018: Although on different crews, astronauts Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold — both former teachers — will work aboard the International Space Station. Visit NASA’s A Year of Education on Station website for out-of-this-world resources and opportunities for K-16 students and educators.

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 Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

NASA “Science WOW!” Message — Jan. 10, 2018

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

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Science Always Starts With a Question …

This Week’s Question: What Is Pluto Time?

On average, Pluto is 3.6 billion miles away from the Sun. Though sunlight is much weaker when it reaches Pluto than on Earth, Pluto’s surface is not completely dark during its “day.” Check out this site to find out what time of day in your area is similar to “high noon” on Pluto.

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/pluto/plutotime

Have You Seen This?

Have you started making plans for next New Year’s Eve? Add New Horizons to your party plans! Shortly after midnight Eastern Time on Jan. 1, 2019, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft will buzz by the most primitive and most distant object ever explored!

Learn more at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20180104.

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** 2018 NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science Internship
Audience: Current High School Sophomores and Juniors
Application Deadline: March 1, 2018

NASA, the Texas Space Grant Consortium, and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research have joined forces to encourage high school students’ interest in STEM careers. The SEES project allows students to work remotely prior to their onsite internship in Austin, Texas, July 14-28, 2018. Participants will learn how to interpret NASA satellite data while working with scientists and engineers in their chosen area of work. Housing, transportation and meals will be provided.

For more information, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/sees-internship/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.

Search for Gravitational Waves With ‘Gravity Spy’ Citizen Science Project
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing

In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. A century later, on Sept. 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, made the first direct detection of this elusive phenomenon. This discovery is the first of many that will give researchers a whole new way to explore the universe. However, LIGO needs your help!

Being the most sensitive and most complicated gravitational experiment ever created, LIGO is susceptible to many instrumental and environmental noise sources called “glitches.” These glitches are difficult to model using computers, can mimic true astrophysical signals, and generally make LIGO less sensitive to gravitational waves.

Classifying glitches using computers has proven to be an exceedingly difficult task. That’s where the Gravity Spy Zooniverse Citizen Science Project comes in! Human intuition has proven time and time again to be a useful tool in pattern recognition problems such as this. One of the innovations of this project is that citizen scientists and computer algorithms will work in a symbiotic relationship, helping one another to optimally classify and characterize glitches. By selecting the right classification for a given glitch, you will help computers learn to do this classification themselves on much larger datasets. That capability will help scientists determine and eliminate the sources of noise.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Gravity Spy” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zooniverse/gravity-spy.

To learn more about the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and its mission to detect gravitational waves, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nsf-s-ligo-has-detected-gravitational-waves.

Download the “Direct Observation of Gravitational Waves” Educator Guide for activities and background information designed for grades 5-12. https://dcc.ligo.org/LIGO-P1600015/public.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Tyson Littenberg at tyson.b.littenberg@nasa.gov.

“Gravity Spy” is a collaboration between the following entities:
–Northwestern University, led by Scott Coughlin and Michael Zevin with PI Vicky Kalogera and co-PI Aggelos Katsaggelos. Northwestern’s team is composed of a LIGO group in the CIERA astrophysics research center and a machine learning group in the Image and Video Processing Laboratory.
–The Adler Planetarium Zooniverse Team, led by co-PI Laura Trouille.
–Syracuse University, led by co-PI’s Kevin Crowston and Carsten Østerlund.
–California State University at Fullerton, led by co-PI Josh Smith.
–The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, of which NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center are member institutions.

The project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

 

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.

Advanced Gravity With NASA
Audience: 9-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 10, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST
Participants will get an overview of NASA gravity missions and resources for teaching about advanced gravity concepts including gravity waves and relativistic frame dragging. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standards PS2. For lessons, please go to https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/303533

Teaching Force and Motion With Rocket Activities
Audience: 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 11, 2018, at 5 p.m. EST
This project-based STEAM webinar will guide participants through hands-on and inquiry-based learning activities related to forces, motion, and the engineering design process. Lessons that will be explored in this webinar include Stomp Rockets, Foam Rockets, Green Propellant Rockets and Balloon Rockets. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/303606

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Exploring the Extreme
Audience: 5-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 16, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Participants will get an overview of NASA’s “Exploring the Extreme” educator guide. Discussion will focus on hands-on activities to teach the concepts of force and motion. The activities in this webinar address the Next Generation Science Standard PS2.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/301147

**NEW** NASA Spotlites — Science by Students for Students
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about a problem-based activity in which students produce NASA Spotlite videos. These 90- to 120-second videos are written, filmed, edited and produced by students using the engineering design process. Each video targets a misconception about science. All steps of creating a Spotlite video can be done using cell phones, tablets and laptops.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/296985

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Elementary Balloons and Kites
Audience: K-5, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 18, 2018, at 5 p.m. EST
Learn how to use aeronautic teaching guides to teach STEAM lessons that incorporate children’s literature and art. By using popular children’s books, students are engaged in the cross-cutting principles and the science and engineering process skills of the Next Generation Science Standards.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/302503

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.

Free Education Workshops From NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Audience: In-Service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal STEM Educators

The NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education is presenting a series of free workshops open to all educators. All workshops will take place at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (map) Registration is required to participate. Each workshop is limited to 30 participants. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

**NEW** Our Solar System and Beyond
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-8
Registration Deadline: Jan. 14, 2018 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 18, 2018, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Take an exciting journey through our solar system and beyond! NASA’s exploration strives to span the universe and boldly research the outer reaches of space. While using NASA STEM activities and online resources, participants will investigate worlds beyond our planet and probe the origins of our universe.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/298598

**NEW** Network of States Lunar Sample / Robotics EV3 EPD Workshop
Audience: NASA Network of States Educators Phase 2, and In-service STEM Educators of Grades 5-12 Interested in Joining the NASA Network of States Educator Institute
Registration Deadline: Jan. 22, 2018 (maximum of 50 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 27, 2018, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. CST
Join the Stennis Space Center Office of Education for a free workshop on the use and security of lunar and meteorite sample disks. Learn about hands-on activities designed to integrate use of the sample disks into curricula. Participants will be certified to borrow lunar and meteorite sample disks from NASA for the classroom. The workshop will include a short follow-up training session on EV3 robotics.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/276901

**NEW** International Space Station: Beyond the Classroom
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-8
Registration Deadline: Feb. 4, 2018 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Feb. 8, 2018, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Explore ways to integrate the International Space Station into your STEM, arts and social studies instruction. Participants also will learn about the Year of Education on Station — two former classroom teachers, now astronauts, spending a combined year in space delivering STEM activities related to the space station.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/298599

For a full schedule of upcoming educator workshops, visit https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/education/educators/workshops.html.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to April McIntosh at april.l.mcintosh@nasa.gov.

Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies
Audience: 5-8 Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST

Join NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology, or BEST, educators for a free 60-minute educator professional development webinar. Learn how NASA is developing large, sturdy and lightweight systems to deliver the next generation of rovers and landers to Mars. Using NASA’S BEST engineering design process, participants will design a prototype of new drag devices to potentially land humans, habitats and rovers safely on Mars.

For more information and to register to participate, visit https://nasabest-epd.eventbrite.com.

Please send questions about this opportunity to afrc-nasabestedu@mail.nasa.gov.

**NEW** Summer Institute — Liftoff 2018: Reach New Heights, Reveal the Unknown, Benefit All Humankind
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-12
Application Deadline: March 30, 2018
Institute Dates: June 24-29, 2018

The 2018 LiftOff Summer Institute is a weeklong training event sponsored by NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium and held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The theme is “Reach New Heights, Reveal the Unknown, Benefit All Humankind.” The event will celebrate all that NASA has contributed and the engineering behind its accomplishments.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens currently employed as classroom teachers of grades 4-12, with at least one year teaching experience prior to the institute.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/liftoff/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.

 

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)
Audience: Informal Education Institutions
Pre-Proposal Telecom: Dec. 21, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EST
Notice of Intent Deadline: Jan. 16, 2018
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 28, 2018

NASA is seeking proposals for the NASA Research Announcement: NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions. Eligible proposers include U.S. nonprofit science museums, planetariums, youth-serving organizations and libraries.

Proposals are solicited to perform NASA education or research for inquiry- or experiential-based educational opportunities that directly align with major NASA missions within these congressionally directed topics: space exploration, space science or microgravity. Proposed projects shall partner with major networks of other informal education institutions, youth-serving organizations, libraries, and/or K-12 schools along with commercial entities, higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support federal STEM education goals.

A pre-proposal teleconference will take place on Dec. 21, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EST. To join, dial 888-390-0676 and use the passcode 7710486.

An optional but strongly encouraged Notice of Intent is requested by Jan. 16, 2018. Proposals are due Feb. 28, 2018.

For more information, visit https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/sites/default/files/2018%20TEAM%20II%20NRA%20Announcement.pdf.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to TEAMII@jpl.nasa.gov.

2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Jan. 19, 2018

Join the Lunar and Planetary Institute for a 10-week program for graduate students in geology, planetary science, planetary astronomy and related programs. Learn how to integrate scientific input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft engineers can use. Activities will support missions to the Moon that use the Orion crew vehicle, the Deep Space Gateway and robotic assets on the lunar surface.

Interns will receive stipends and travel expense reimbursement. Applications are due Jan. 19, 2018.

For more information, visit https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration_intern/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to explorationintern@lpi.usra.edu.

**NEW** Now Accepting Applications for NASA Summer Internships
Audience: High School, Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Application Deadline: March 1, 2018

Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on internship opportunities available this summer at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internships also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks.

If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

The deadline for summer applications is March 1, 2018!

Please submit inquiries about NASA Internships and Fellowships via https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.

 

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/

Take Part in a Year of Education on Station
September 2017 – September 2018: Although on different crews, astronauts Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold — both former teachers — will work aboard the International Space Station. Visit NASA’s A Year of Education on Station website for out-of-this-world resources and opportunities for K-16 students and educators.

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 Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Oct. 25, 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: What Is Dark Matter?

Dark matter may seem spooky, but don’t be scared! Find out what we know — and don’t know — about this mysterious matter.

Basics for Beginners: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/dark-matter/en/
Advanced Information: https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-dark-energy

Have You Seen This?

October 31 is Dark Matter Day! Find resources to celebrate the hunt for the universe’s missing matter. Or make plans to attend one of the many Dark Matter Day events scheduled nationwide.

Learn more at http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2017/06/28/dark-matter-day-is-approaching-but-dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark/.

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

Participate in International Observe the Moon Night
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 28, 2017

On Oct. 28, 2017, the whole world has the chance to admire and celebrate our moon on International Observe the Moon Night. And you can join in the fun! Visit the website to find a map of registered events and make plans to attend. If you don’t see an event near you, sign up to host your own! The website has step-by-step plans for hosting an event of any size. Ideas for hands-on activities are available to make your event a success.

To learn more, visit http://observethemoonnight.org/.

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

**NEW** Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 28, 2017, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. CDT

Join in the celebration of International Observe the Moon Night with an evening of fun-filled events at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Enjoy hands-on activities, a live interactive solar system show, solar system virtual reality simulators from NASA, and a chance to see the moon up close with the help of telescopes and astronomers. The event is free and open to the public.

For event details, visit https://www.rocketcenter.com/calendar/2017-10-28/international-observe-moon-night.

Please direct questions about this event to stephanie.w.henry@nasa.gov.

Send Your Name to Mars on NASA’s Next Red Planet Mission!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Deadline: Nov. 1, 2017

NASA invites the public to send their names to the Red Planet aboard NASA’s InSight Mars lander! InSight will launch in May 2018 and land on Nov. 26, 2018. The mission will do an in-depth study of the interior of Mars to answer key questions about how the solar system’s rocky planets formed, including Earth. InSight will place the first seismometer directly on the surface of Mars and deploy a self-hammering heat probe that will burrow deeper into the ground than any device on the planet has ever done.

To get your boarding pass to fly your name on the next mission to Mars, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/syn/insight.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to http://mars.nasa.gov/feedback/.

Be a Mosquito Habitat Mapper With ‘GLOBE Observer’ App
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Dates: Now Through Nov. 10, 2017

Mosquitos are more than just a summertime nuisance — they spread diseases. Now citizen scientists can use the “GLOBE Observer” app, available for Apple and Android phones, to help those who are working to understand and reduce mosquito-borne diseases. The Mosquito Habitat Mapper helps users identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites. This local, ground-based information will help NASA by supporting satellite-based research of environmental conditions that indicate possible outbreaks of mosquitoes.

To learn more, visit https://www.globe.gov/news-events/globe-news/newsdetail/globe/nasa-citizen-science-app-tackles-mosquito-borne-disease.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Holli Riebeek at Holli.riebeek@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.

Technology for Exploration: Mysteries of Saturn and Cassini
Audience: Grades 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Oct. 26, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Saturn’s ringed world has attracted attention ever since humans first looked at the sky. Scientists first got a close-up look at the planet when the Pioneer and Voyager spacecrafts swung by Saturn in the 1970s and 1980s. Explore the incredible Cassini mission and learn Saturn facts to share with your students. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/282865

**NEW** Using Rover Design Challenges to Teach Simple Machines
Audience: 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Oct. 30, 2017, at 5 p.m. EDT
Explore lesson ideas featuring all six simple machines — lever, wedge, wheels and axles, screw, pulley, and inclined plane. Combine different machines to create more complex, kinetic systems. Use inspiration from real NASA missions to help students gain critical mechanical skills, “design-thinking” principles and physical science concepts. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/278059

**NEW** Earth Sense — Remote Sensing at NASA: For Your Eyes Only
Audience: 5-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Nov. 2, 2017, at 6 p.m. EST
Look at Earth through the eyes of the astronauts. Learn how human observations from space help us understand our planet better. Using NASA missions, real data, online resources and classroom lessons, we’ll investigate Earth with eyes from above. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/280901

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.

**NEW** 2018-2019 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship
Audience: K-12 STEM Educators
Application Deadline: Nov. 16, 2017, at 8 p.m. EST

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship is a paid fellowship for K-12 science, mathematics, engineering and technology teachers. Einstein Fellows spend a school year in the Washington, D.C., area serving in a federal agency or on Capitol Hill. Applicants must be U.S. citizens currently employed full time in a U.S. elementary or secondary school or school district. Applicants must have been teaching STEM full time for at least five of the last seven years.

For details, visit http://science.energy.gov/wdts/einstein/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to sc.einstein@science.doe.gov.

 

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Apply to Receive Free ‘Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018’ Toolkits
Audience: Children’s Museums, Science Centers, Science Museums, NASA Visitor Centers, Public Planetariums and Observatories Located in the U.S.
Application Deadline: Nov. 1, 2017

The National Informal STEM Education Network, or NISE Network, is pleased to offer free “Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018” toolkits to new and existing eligible partners in the United States. In collaboration with NASA, the NISE Network has assembled a new set of engaging, hands-on Earth and space science experiences with connections to science, technology and society. In addition to the physical toolkits, all digital materials will be available online as a free download in February 2018.

A total of 250 toolkits will be awarded to eligible organizations through a competitive application process. Eligible organizations include children’s museums, science centers, science museums, public planetariums and observatories, and NASA visitor centers located in the U.S.

Applications are due Nov. 1, 2017. To learn more, visit http://www.nisenet.org/blog/post/applications-free-physical-2018-explore-science-earth-space-toolkits-hands-activities-due.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Catherine McCarthy at cmccarthy@smm.org.

2018 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge Tech Demo and Engineering Design Competition
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Project Plan Submission Deadline: Nov. 16, 2017

The 2018 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge is an engineering design and technology demonstration contest open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. This challenge gives teams the opportunity to design and build hardware that can extract water from simulated Martian subsurface ice.

Up to 10 teams will be chosen to demonstrate their system’s water extraction capabilities in June 2018 at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Project plans are due Nov. 16, 2017.

For more information, visit http://specialedition.rascal.nianet.org.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to rascal@nianet.org.

 

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Oct. 18, 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: Can I See Planets From My Backyard?

Some planets in our solar system, like Venus and Jupiter, can be easy to spot with the naked eye. You just need to know when and where to look! Check out this month’s “What’s Up?” video to get all the planet-spotting details.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1503

Have You Seen This?

Want to be your favorite planet for Halloween? Visit NASA’s Space Place to print a Planet Mask to top off your costume.

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/planet-masks/en/

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

2017 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2017, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Sink or Swim? Using Radar to Protect California’s Water Supply
Event Date: Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2017, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=10
California has highly variable annual precipitation and a great disparity between where precipitation falls and where people live and grow crops. To deal with these issues, a vast array of infrastructure is in place. Monitoring and maintaining this infrastructure is critical. Join Dr. Cathleen E. Jones, a signals analysis engineer, for a discussion about how NASA is using high-resolution, airborne radar to make this monitoring more efficient.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

Participate in International Observe the Moon Night
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 28, 2017

On Oct. 28, 2017, the whole world has the chance to admire and celebrate our moon on International Observe the Moon Night. And you can join in the fun! Visit the website to find a map of registered events and make plans to attend. If you don’t see an event near you, sign up to host your own! The website has step-by-step plans for hosting an event of any size. Ideas for hands-on activities are available to make your event a success.

To learn more, visit http://observethemoonnight.org/.

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

Send Your Name to Mars on NASA’s Next Red Planet Mission!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Deadline: Nov. 1, 2017

NASA invites the public to send their names to the Red Planet aboard NASA’s InSight Mars lander! InSight will launch in May 2018 and land on Nov. 26, 2018. The mission will do an in-depth study of the interior of Mars to answer key questions about how the solar system’s rocky planets formed, including Earth. InSight will place the first seismometer directly on the surface of Mars and deploy a self-hammering heat probe that will burrow deeper into the ground than any device on the planet has ever done.

To get your boarding pass to fly your name on the next mission to Mars, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/syn/insight.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to http://mars.nasa.gov/feedback/.

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.

Technology for Exploration: Engineering a Satellite
Audience: Grades 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Oct. 18, 2017, at 5 p.m. EDT
Materials going into space encounter extremely harsh conditions not normally encountered on Earth. Probes dropped into the atmosphere of a planet like Jupiter or Saturn’s moon, Titan, may encounter tremendous pressures, temperatures and corrosive gases. Learn how to bring these challenges into your classroom with two satellite engineering design challenges. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/271398

**NEW** Technology for Exploration: Speed of Sound
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Oct. 24, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Explore NASA’s efforts to reduce aircraft noise. Learn about motions and forces, transfer of energy and the abilities of technological design to reduce or eliminate noise. Use hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations to make and share connections to aircraft noise research within the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/281497

**NEW** Technology for Exploration: Mysteries of Saturn and Cassini
Audience: Grades 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Oct. 26, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Saturn’s ringed world has attracted attention ever since humans first looked at the sky. Scientists first got a close-up look at the planet when the Pioneer and Voyager spacecrafts swung by Saturn in the 1970s and 1980s. Explore the incredible Cassini mission and learn Saturn facts to share with your students. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/282865

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.

Sign Up to Receive the NASA Space Place Gazette
Audience: K-6 Educators

Something new is always going on at NASA Space Place. Do you want to keep up with all the latest articles, activities and games? Sign up to receive the NASA Space Place Gazette!

This monthly e-newsletter for educators and parents has information on all of the latest and greatest offerings from the NASA Space Place website. To sign up, visit https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/subscribe/en/.

Please direct questions about the NASA Space Place Gazette to info@spaceplace.nasa.gov.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Apply to Receive Free ‘Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018’ Toolkits
Audience: Children’s Museums, Science Centers, Science Museums, NASA Visitor Centers, Public Planetariums and Observatories Located in the U.S.
Application Deadline: Nov. 1, 2017

The National Informal STEM Education Network, or NISE Network, is pleased to offer free “Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018” toolkits to new and existing eligible partners in the United States. In collaboration with NASA, the NISE Network has assembled a new set of engaging, hands-on Earth and space science experiences with connections to science, technology and society. In addition to the physical toolkits, all digital materials will be available online as a free download in February 2018.

A total of 250 toolkits will be awarded to eligible organizations through a competitive application process. Eligible organizations include children’s museums, science centers, science museums, public planetariums and observatories, and NASA visitor centers located in the U.S.

Applications are due Nov. 1, 2017. To learn more, visit http://www.nisenet.org/blog/post/applications-free-physical-2018-explore-science-earth-space-toolkits-hands-activities-due.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Catherine McCarthy at cmccarthy@smm.org.

Help NASA Search the Realm Beyond Neptune at Backyard Worlds: Planet 9
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing

Is a large planet at the fringes of our solar system awaiting discovery, a world astronomers call Planet Nine? Using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, NASA scientists are looking for this planet and for new brown dwarfs in the backyard of the solar system. But they need your help! Finding these dim objects requires the human eye to comb through the images to distinguish moving celestial bodies from ghosts and other artifacts. Participants in this citizen science project will share the credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that result from the project.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Backyard Worlds: Planet 9” website at http://backyardworlds.org.

To learn more about NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and its mission to image the entire sky in the infrared, visit https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Marc Kuchner at marc.j.kuchner@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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Sept. 13, 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: When Will Cassini Plunge Into Saturn?

On Sept. 15, 2017, the Cassini spacecraft will make a fateful plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, ending the mission just one month shy of its 20th launch anniversary. Get details on the spacecraft’s final days with this end-of-mission timeline.

https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/cassini-end-of-mission-timeline/

Have You Seen This?

After nearly two decades in space, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is nearing the end of its remarkable journey of exploration. The Grand Finale Toolkit has background information about the mission, a gallery of Cassini images, a 3-D interactive feature and more!

https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/overview/

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** 2017 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

A Volcanologist’s Paradise
Event Date: Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, 2017, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=9
Volcanoes helped to transform the surface of Earth. But the biggest volcanic eruptions in the solar system aren’t happening on Earth: They’re taking place on Jupiter’s moon, Io. Join research scientist Ashley Davies, a volcanologist at JPL, for a discussion of how studying volcanoes on Earth leads to a clearer understanding of how Io’s volcanoes work and how best to study them from spacecraft.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to Saturn
Audience: All Educators and Students Ages 13 and Older

During nearly two decades in space, Cassini has inspired people on Earth. Cassini has sent home thousands of images of icy moons and resplendent rings. It helped discover erupting water geysers on Enceladus and seas of methane on Titan. It showed us a view of Earth as a blue dot.

Now the mission is moving toward its “Grand Finale,” and in September 2017 it will finally draw to a dramatic end. NASA’s Cassini team would like to know this: How has Cassini inspired you?

Visit the Cassini Inspires website to explore images and more from the mission. Then use inspiration to get creative. Write a poem. Paint a picture. Choreograph a dance. Tell a story. The possibilities are endless!

Share your creation with the NASA Cassini team on the social media platform of your choice, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or others. Tag it #CassiniInspires. Or send it directly to cassinimission@jpl.nasa.gov.

To learn more, visit https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/cassiniinspires/.

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** There’s Space in Your Classroom for Cross-Curricular: Marsbound!
Audience: 5-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Get an overview of the NASA education resource Marsbound! — Mission to the Red Planet. This cross-curricular activity combines science, engineering, mathematics and group interaction as students plan for an unmanned mission to the Red Planet. This webinar addresses Common Core – Mathematics standards and Next Generation Science Standard ETS1. Online registration is required. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/271282

**NEW** Cosmology 101
Audience: 5-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 19, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will get a historical overview of the varying scientific views about the structure of the observed universe from ancient cultures to current theories. This webinar addresses Next Generation Science Standards ESS1.A. Online registration is required. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/271284

**NEW** There’s Space in Your Classroom for Cross-Curricular: Who Will Feed the World?
Audience: 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 20, 2017, at 5 p.m. EDT
STEAM Educators will explore problem-based learning using the NASA resource, Mission Geography. This activity includes an investigation that focuses on meeting the food needs of an increasing global population. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/271243

**NEW** Hurricanes in Your Classroom: Ask a Hurricane Hunter Pilot
Audience: 5-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 21, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Learn how to use real NASA data and STEM lessons to explore hurricanes in your classroom. A U.S. Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunters” pilot from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, will share his experiences and expertise in the study of hurricanes. He also will take time to answer questions from participants. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/265134

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 Goddard Institute for Space Studies Seek Educators for Climate Change Research Initiative
Audience: 9-12 STEM Educators
Application Deadline: Sept. 21, 2017

This yearlong STEM engagement opportunity allows high school STEM educators to work directly with NASA scientists, to lead research teams, and to develop STEM curricula for their current classes. Educators participating in this opportunity will become associate researchers who integrate NASA education resources and content into their classrooms while improving STEM education within their communities. All applicants must be U.S. citizens and full-time STEM educators who reside within a 50-mile radius of GISS, located in New York City.

Applications are due Sept. 21, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/ccri/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Matthew Pearce at matthew.d.pearce@nasa.gov.

**NEW** NASA Mars Science: MAVEN Outreach Webinar — Deep Dips: Designing a Mission Orbiter
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Sept. 27, 2017, 7 p.m. EDT

Join the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission team for a professional development webinar for formal and informal educators, troop leaders, museum docents, and others interested in MAVEN and Mars science.

The MAVEN spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 2014, making periodic “deep dips” to sample Mars’ upper atmosphere. Guy Beutelschies from Lockheed Martin will discuss the challenges engineers face in designing missions like MAVEN for success.

For more information, visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/maven-outreach-webinars/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to epomail@lasp.colorado.edu.

 

Become a Member of the Infiniscope Education Advisory Board
Audience: Formal and Informal Educators of Grades 5-12
Application Deadline: Sept. 29, 2017

The Arizona State University Infiniscope Project (under cooperative agreement with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate) aims to recruit individuals with enthusiasm and ambition for a renewable, one-year term from 2017-2018 on its advisory board. Board members will review Infiniscope-developed educational products and receive a stipend, training, collaborative space, and recognition on the Infiniscope website. Board members also will have opportunities to earn badges and attend group meet-ups at national conventions.

For more information, visit https://infiniscope.org/announcements/educator-advisory-board-application/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Jessica Swann at jlswann@asu.edu.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Seek Students for Climate Change Research Initiative
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Sept. 21, 2017

The CCRI internship is a yearlong opportunity for graduate students to work directly with NASA scientists and research teams on a NASA research project related to climate change. This opportunity will not conflict with the student’s course work and class schedule during the fall and spring. The internship is considered a part-time position that supports the graduate student’s major area of study. All applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside within a 50-mile radius of GISS, located in New York City.

Applications are due Sept. 21, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/ccri/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Matthew Pearce at matthew.d.pearce@nasa.gov.

**NEW** NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships Virtual Career Summit
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 27, 2017, 1-2:30 p.m. EDT

Join the NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships recruiting team for this event showcasing the NIFS programs as well as highlighting the different types of available opportunities. Participants will learn about NASA opportunities, eligibility requirements and tips for the application process. Previous and current interns will share their experiences. The session will allow students to ask questions and have them answered live by NASA professionals.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://bit.ly/2x9oZJp.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.

**NEW** 2018 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge Tech Demo and Engineering Design Competition
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 13, 2017
Project Plan Submission Deadline: Nov. 16, 2017

The 2018 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge is an engineering design and technology demonstration contest open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students at accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. This challenge gives teams the opportunity to design and build hardware that can extract water from simulated Martian subsurface ice.

Up to 10 teams will be chosen to demonstrate their system’s water extraction capabilities in June 2018 at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

A notice of intent is requested by Oct. 13, 2017. Project plans are due Nov. 16, 2017.

For more information, visit http://specialedition.rascal.nianet.org.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to rascal@nianet.org.

**NEW** Apply to Receive Free ‘Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018’ Toolkits
Audience: Children’s Museums, Science Centers, Science Museums, NASA Visitor Centers, Public Planetariums and Observatories Located in the U.S.
Application Deadline: Nov. 1, 2017

The National Informal STEM Education Network, or NISE Network, is pleased to offer free “Explore Science: Earth & Space 2018” toolkits to new and existing eligible partners in the United States. In collaboration with NASA, the NISE Network has assembled a new set of engaging, hands-on Earth and space science experiences with connections to science, technology and society. In addition to the physical toolkits, all digital materials will be available online as a free download in February 2018.

A total of 250 toolkits will be awarded to eligible organizations through a competitive application process. Eligible organizations include children’s museums, science centers, science museums, public planetariums and observatories, and NASA visitor centers located in the U.S.

Applications are due Nov. 1, 2017. To learn more, visit http://www.nisenet.org/blog/post/applications-free-physical-2018-explore-science-earth-space-toolkits-hands-activities-due.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Catherine McCarthy at cmccarthy@smm.org.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Aug. 2, 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: What Are Hurricanes?

Hurricanes are large, swirling storms that form over warm waters in the ocean. Learn more about them in these stories written for students.

K-4: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-are-hurricanes-k4.html
5-8: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-are-hurricanes-58.html

Have You Seen This?

As hurricane season approaches, NASA researchers are finding new ways to study these large, powerful storms. By combining multiple satellite observations, scientists are creating “A New Multidimensional View of a Hurricane” to study the complex atmospheric interactions that happen inside the storms. Watch this video to learn more.

https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12635

Solar Eclipse Countdown!

Map of Eclipse Events across the U.S.Less Than THREE WEEKS Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

Do you have plans for observing the eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017? Eclipse events are scheduled all across the country. To find one near you, check out these maps of local events.

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/event-locations

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

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.

**NEW** ESTEEM Virtual “Ask US” Event: Exploring the Eclipse Through a Native American Perspective
Audience: Members of Tribal and Indigenous Communities
Event Date: Aug. 10, 2017, 4 – 5:15 p.m. EDT

On Aug. 21, 2017, North America will be treated to a solar eclipse. Native Americans have been observing natural events such as eclipses for thousands of years.

Join the ESTEEM team on Aug. 10, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT, as we preview materials, answer science questions, and allow for dialogue related to Native American knowledge about the eclipse. What is actually happening to the sun during an eclipse? What Tribal traditions take place in our region? Discover how to bring the eclipse to life through the lens of a Native American perspective.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/dln/live.

Please direct questions about this event to Bonnie Murray at bonnie.murray@nasa.gov.

‘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.

 

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** The Solar Eclipse: Sun, Earth, Moon Relationships
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Aug. 3, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
This STEM webinar will guide participants through hands-on and inquiry-based resources related to the solar eclipse of 2017. The session will prepatre participants to bring STEM challenges and the adventure of space exploration to their students in the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/260884

**NEW** Free Webinar — Exploring Beyond the Planets: The Seven Wonders of TRAPPIST-1
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Aug. 7, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Join the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University for a free 60-minute webinar to explore the TRAPPIST-1 mission. Learn how TRAPPIST-1 helped set a new record by finding seven Earth-size planets orbiting a single star beyond our solar system! Three of those planets are in the star’s habitable zone. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/255140

**NEW** Free Webinar — Exploring Beyond the Planets: Art and the Cosmic Connection
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Aug. 8, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Join the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University for a free 60-minute webinar to learn about the solar system and beyond. Participants will explore activities that bring art into the STEM classroom. The NASA STEAM activity, Art and the Cosmic Connection, will also be discussed. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254230

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.

**NEW** NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Online Solar Eclipse Workshop
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: Aug. 8, 2017, 3 p.m. EDT

Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for an online Solar Eclipse Workshop on Aug. 8, 2017, at 3 p.m. EDT. This hourlong live-streamed educator workshop will showcase solar eclipse education resources for K-12 educators. Learn how NASA education resources can help you bring the excitement and science of the total eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017, to your classroom. Several hands-on activities will be demonstrated during the workshop, and subject matter experts will explain why the eclipse is a unique event for scientists and the public.

This is the first total eclipse to cross the United States since the 1970s, and the next one will not occur until 2024. Make plans to attend and learn how to engage your students in “Total Eclipse 2017.”

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/368018193617114.

Please direct questions about this event to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.

For information about other DLN events, visit https://www.nasa.gov/dln/special-events.

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

**NEW** Free Eclipse Digital Experience Available from NASA and Infiniscope
Audience: Grades 5-12 and Informal Educators
Eclipse Date: Aug. 21, 2017

Introduce your students and informal audiences to an entirely new type of learning experience with “Eclipse 2017” from NASA and Infiniscope. Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, the experience presents NASA’s “Eyes on the Solar System” visualization embedded within the immersive digital learning environment of Infiniscope. Learners will explore the Earth-moon-sun system; learn about shadows at the astronomical level; and predict the eclipse’s path of totality.

For more information, visit https://infiniscope.education/lesson/eclipse-2017/.

Please direct questions about this resource to Jessica Swann at jlswann@asu.edu.

 

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

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/.

**NEW** 2018 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 1, 2017
Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2017

NASA’s 2018 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge is an engineering design contest open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students. This competition seeks innovations in the design, installation and sustainable operation of a large solar power system on Mars. Top teams present their concepts via a design review at either NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia or NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. The winning team will receive NASA internship offers.

A notice of intent is requested by Oct. 1, 2017. Entries are due Nov. 30, 2017.

For more information, visit http://BigIdea.nianet.org.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to BigIdea@nianet.org.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — July 19, 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: How Do We Look for Earth-like Planets in Other Solar Systems?

Exoplanets are very hard to see directly with telescopes. So how do astronomers hunt for them? Check out the latest Space Place in a Snap video to find out!

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/exoplanet-snap/en/

Have You Seen This?

How can a large telescope flying high above Earth in a 747 aircraft help a spacecraft zooming through the distant reaches of the solar system? Watch this “Kuiper Belt Object Chasers” video to learn how the SOFIA telescope is helping the New Horizons mission team guide their spacecraft for an upcoming flyby.

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/KBO-Chasers.php

Solar Eclipse Countdown!

Less Than Five Weeks Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

When the sun’s light is blocked during an eclipse, does the temperature in the path of totality drop? Download the GLOBE Observer app and be a citizen scientist during the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Use the app to make scientific observations of how the eclipse changes the atmospheric conditions in your area.

https://observer.globe.gov/science-connections/eclipse2017

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 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/.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — July 12, 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: Where Is Juno?

Earlier this week, the Juno spacecraft flew directly over Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, the gas giant’s iconic 10,000-mile-wide (16,000-kilometer-wide) storm. Visit the link below to see Juno’s current position!

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/where

Have You Seen This?

Learn more about the Juno mission to Jupiter and what scientists hope to learn as the spacecraft gets closer to Jupiter than any mission ever before! Bill Nye explains what makes Jupiter a treacherous and curious place in the “Why With Nye — Mission to Jupiter” video series.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/video/why-with-nye-mission-to-jupiter/

Solar Eclipse Countdown!

Two mobile devices displaying the Total Solar Eclipse 2017 AppLess Than Six Weeks Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

Download the Total Solar Eclipse 2017 App for access to live video streams of the total solar eclipse!

To learn more, visit https://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/apps/total-solar-eclipse-app.

 

 

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

2017 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Five Years of Exploring Gale Crater With the Curiosity Mars Rover
Event Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=7
Nearly five years after its celebrated arrival at Mars, the Curiosity rover continues to reveal Mars as a once-habitable planet. Early in the planet’s history, generations of streams and lakes created the landforms that Curiosity explores today. Join James Erickson and Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, mission team members from the Mars Science Laboratory, for a discussion about the latest findings from the mission, the challenges of exploration with an aging robot, and what lies ahead.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to Saturn
Audience: All Educators and Students Ages 13 and Older

During nearly two decades in space, Cassini has inspired people on Earth. Cassini has sent home thousands of images of icy moons and resplendent rings. It helped discover erupting water geysers on Enceladus and seas of methane on Titan. It showed us a view of Earth as a blue dot.

Now the mission is moving toward its “Grand Finale,” and in September 2017 it will finally draw to a dramatic end. NASA’s Cassini team would like to know this: How has Cassini inspired you?

Visit the Cassini Inspires website to explore images and more from the mission. Then use inspiration to get creative. Write a poem. Paint a picture. Choreograph a dance. Tell a story. The possibilities are endless!

Share your creation with the NASA Cassini team on the social media platform of your choice, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or others. Tag it #CassiniInspires. Or send it directly to cassinimission@jpl.nasa.gov.

To learn more, visit https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/cassiniinspires/.

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** Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a Volcano
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: July 13, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
Participants will be introduced to an activity that focuses on interpreting geologic history through volcano formation and excavation. Baking soda, vinegar and play dough are used to model fluid lava flows. Various colors of play dough identify different eruption events. The activity challenges students to do the following:

  1. Construct a model of a volcano.
    2. Produce lava flows.
    3. Observe, draw, record, and interpret the history and stratigraphy of a volcano produced by other students.
    4. Make the connection between the life cycle of a volcano and see these features on Earth and Mars.

Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/261971

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: Edible Experiments/The Great American Eclipse/Eclipse Book Reviews
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 17, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Explore resources for making edible models to teach about lunar and solar eclipses. Browse websites with hands-on activities on subjects such as protection from UV rays. Learn about a collection of children’s literature to use for studying the eclipse. These activities will be great for summer camps and back-to-school events before the solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263976

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: Guest Scientist — High-Altitude Ballooning
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 18, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Get an overview of high-altitude ballooning during eclipses with Bernhard Beck-Winchatz from the STEM Studies Department at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Beck-Winchatz has worked on several NASA projects using weather balloon flights that provide affordable access to a spacelike environment for student research. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/263980

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** Now Accepting Applications for NASA Spring Internships
Audience: High School, Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Oct. 17, 2017

Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on spring internship opportunities available at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internship opportunities also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks. If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

The deadline for spring applications is Oct. 17, 2017!

Please submit inquiries about the NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships One Stop Shopping Initiative, or NIFS OSSI, via https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — July 5, 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: What Is an Urban Heat Island?

As summer temperatures rise, some areas feel the heat more than others. Find out what an urban heat island is and what causes this hot phenomenon.

https://climatekids.nasa.gov/heat-islands/

Have You Seen This?

Become a Mosquito Habitat Mapper with the GLOBE Observer app. Download the app and help scientists reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases in your community.

https://observer.globe.gov/

Solar Eclipse Countdown!

Experience the 2017 Eclipse Across AmericaLess Than Seven Weeks Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

Does a solar eclipse produce harmful rays? Can a solar eclipse happen at either of Earth’s poles? Does the moon turn completely black during a total solar eclipse? Find answers to these questions and explanations of other Eclipse Misconceptions!

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-misconceptions

 

 

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** 2017 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Five Years of Exploring Gale Crater With the Curiosity Mars Rover
Event Date: July 13 and July 14, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=7
Nearly five years after its celebrated arrival at Mars, the Curiosity rover continues to reveal Mars as a once-habitable planet. Early in the planet’s history, generations of streams and lakes created the landforms that Curiosity explores today. Join James Erickson and Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, mission team members from the Mars Science Laboratory, for a discussion about the latest findings from the mission, the challenges of exploration with an aging robot, and what lies ahead.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

‘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.

 

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** NASA Engineering Design Process 101: An Introduction to Classroom Application
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12
Event Date: July 6, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Explore the engineering design process and its application to real-world problem solving. Also explore NASA design challenges and other NASA STEM classroom resources. Engineering design is a common topic across each grade level in the Next Generation Science Standards and an important concept in understanding the world around us. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/254193

**NEW** Lunar Phases and Student Misconceptions
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 2-8
Event Date: July 11, 2017, at 8 p.m. EDT
To prepare for the total solar eclipse in August, explore the astronomy behind lunar and solar eclipses. Presenters will demonstrate activities that prepare classes to view the eclipse and will share lesson plans that explain the connection between the phases of the moon and the eclipse. And participants will learn how to clear up common spatial misconceptions students often have about eclipses. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/261973

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

Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show
Audience: Informal Educators

Are you looking for ways to spark interest in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation? Right now, NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers is paving the way for human exploration of the solar system in the coming decades. Join NASA in preparing for a monumental journey of a lifetime — to Mars!

“NASA’s Journey to Mars” is a short planetarium presentation that can be used in the educational domes and planetariums, to inspire interest in STEM. To learn more, including how you can acquire the show for use in your area, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/journey-of-a-lifetime-mars-education-resources/.

Please direct questions about the “NASA’s Journey to Mars” planetarium/dome show to Elsie Weigel at elsie.weigel@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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — June 28, 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: What Is Aphelion?

On July 3, 2017, Earth will be at aphelion, the point of orbit where Earth is farthest from the sun. So why is it so hot? Visit the link to learn more about the mechanics of Earth’s orbit, tilt and seasons.

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

Have You Seen This?

Harness the energy of the sun to Make Sun S’mores! Check out this activity from Climate Kids to build a solar oven and make a tasty treat.

https://climatekids.nasa.gov/smores/

Solar Eclipse Countdown!

Less Than Eight Weeks Until the Total Solar Eclipse!

Do you wonder what the solar eclipse will look like from your location? Download the NASA Eyes on the Eclipse application to find out! This interactive, web-based 3-D simulation lets you click anywhere on Earth to preview the Aug. 21, 2017 total eclipse.

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/nasas-eyes
Screenshot of the NASA Eyes on the Eclipse App

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

“Where on Earth?” Quiz From NASA’s MISR Project
Audience: All Educators and Students
Submission Deadline: June 28, 2017, at 4 p.m. PDT

Are you ready for a challenge? Become a geographical detective and solve the latest mystery quiz from NASA’s MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer) instrument on board the Terra satellite.

The quiz asks nine multiple-choice questions (one question for each of MISR’s nine cameras) about the area seen in the mystery image. Online research is allowed. If all questions are answered correctly, you will have a chance to enter for a prize.

Prize submissions for perfect scores will be accepted until Wednesday, June 28, at 4 p.m. PDT. Happy sleuthing!

Take the quiz here: http://climate.nasa.gov/quizzes/misr_quiz_29.

To learn more about the MISR instrument, visit https://misr.jpl.nasa.gov/.

Please direct questions about this quiz to Abigail Nastan at Abigail.M.Nastan@jpl.nasa.gov.

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.

Create Art Inspired by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
Audience: All Educators and Students

In November 2016, a small group of artists visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to see the James Webb Space Telescope in person for inspiration to create art. They have been busy ever since, producing amazing work that will be presented for exhibit during spring 2017 at the Goddard Visitor Center.

Their offerings include painting, poetry, sculpting, textiles, woodworking, music, silk screening, 3-D design, jewelry, posters, tattooing and letterpress printing.

Though only a few artists were able to physically visit the telescope, the team at GSFC was impressed by the number of talented people who were interested in participating and want to offer more artists a chance to participate virtually.

How can you participate? Browse through the collection of James Webb Space Telescope images and videos and see what inspires you. Create art! (Note: this is not limited to art you can hang on a wall.) Then, share it with NASA on social media with #JWSTArt, or email it to jwst@lists.nasa.gov.

There’s no deadline for submissions.

To find inspiration and learn the full details on how to participate, visit https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/2017/nasa-invites-you-to-create-james-webb-space-telescope-inspired-art.

Email questions about this opportunity to jwst@lists.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** Journey to Mars: Super Models
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: June 29, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Could students you teach today be the first explorers to Mars? How far will they have to travel to explore Mars? Is Mars big or small? Investigate these questions and more! Learn about our solar system with NASA STEM activities and resources that model the sizes of and distances between Earth, Mars and other bodies in our solar system. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/241395

**NEW** Solar Eclipse: The Mechanics of Eclipses
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-12
Event Date: July 3, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants in this webinar will get an overview of the “Sun, Earth, Moon” system and the basic mechanics of how and why eclipses occur. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standard ESS1. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/242601

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

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.

 

Search the Realm Beyond Neptune at Backyard Worlds: Planet 9
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing

Is a large planet at the fringes of our solar system awaiting discovery, a world astronomers call Planet Nine? Using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, NASA scientists are looking for this planet and for new brown dwarfs in the backyard of the solar system. But they need your help! Finding these dim objects requires the human eye to comb through the images to distinguish moving celestial bodies from ghosts and other artifacts. Participants in this citizen science project will share the credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that result from the project.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Backyard Worlds: Planet 9” website at http://backyardworlds.org.

To learn more about NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and its mission to image the entire sky in the infrared, visit https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Marc Kuchner at marc.j.kuchner@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/