RESOURCES
AND OPPORTUNITIES
Space-Flown Basil Seeds Still Available for Lunar Plant Growth Chamber Design
Challenge
The NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Lunar Plant Growth Chamber has positively
impacted educators and students nationally. Currently over
1,000,000 students are involved! Plenty of space-flown seeds are still
available. To register for the Challenge and receive seeds, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge. Visit
the Web site frequently to find new feature stories about schools participating
in
the Challenge.
World Wise Schools Supports Geography and Global Issues
The World Wise Schools program offers free cross-cultural educational resources
online including podcasts, videos, stories, slide shows, and
electronic newsletters. Each resource reflects Peace Corps Volunteer experiences
overseas and builds in U.S. children a greater understanding of the world
around them. Educational materials produced by the program
promote cross-cultural understanding, awareness of global issues, and
the ethic of community service. They include writings by Peace Corps
Volunteers
and returned Peace Corps Volunteers, online narrated slide shows, monthly
podcasts, a monthly educational electronic newsletter, and award-winning
Destination videos. These resources may be found at
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws.
The National Science Digital Library has
started its professional development series of free web seminars for
educators in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association.
These 90-minute
programs run from 6:30pm-8:00pm Eastern on their specified date. The
fall schedule features two seminars related to Beyond Penguins and Polar
Bears:
Oct 29th: Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears Series: Physical Science From
the Poles
What’s the difference between an ice shelf and an ice sheet, or an
iceberg and sea ice? Why do glaciers and icebergs appear blue? How will
melting ice in the Polar Regions affect sea level? In this seminar, we’ll
explore ice’s many forms in the Arctic and Antarctica and how this
real-world context can be used to teach physical science concepts such
as states and changes of matter, density, and buoyancy.
Nov 13th: Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears Series: Energy and the Polar
Environment
The Polar Regions provide an interesting real-world context for the study
of energy: intense seasonal fluctuations in the amount of solar radiation
and heat, and the albedo (reflectivity) of the ice caps. Climate change
and the declining sea ice of the Arctic are changing the energy balance
of this region.
Dec 9th: Chemistry Comes Alive: III Water
Free Virtual Learning Through NSTA Fall Web Seminars
Teachers are amazed at the breadth of NSTA Web Seminars, 90-minute, online,
live experiences that allow participants to interact with national experts,
scientists, engineers, and fellow colleagues. These programs, designed
for K 12 educators, are sponsored by the National Science Digital Library
(NSDL) and NSTA. Review our fall lineup and take time for your professional
development. Be the best you can be.
Register by visiting the NSTA Learning Center.
NSTA Board Adopts Position Statement on E-Learning
The NSTA Board of Directors voted recently to adopt the position statement,
The Role of E-Learning in Science Education. The new statement supports
and encourages the use of e-Learning experiences for science students,
as well as for science educators engaging in professional development.
The statement sets forth key elements of effective, high-quality e-Learning
experiences, and makes declarations that specifically address e-Learning
as a component of teacher
preparation
and professional development and in blended instructional approaches
for preK 16 students.
NSTA wishes to thank the outstanding panel of science educators and experts
who dedicated their time over recent months to develop the statement.
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Ask a Scientist connects you to some of the top scientists in the country,
and each of them is connected to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
If you've got a question about medicine, human biology, animals, biochemistry,
microbiology, genetics,or evolution, then please, Ask a Scientist! www.askascientist.org
Teach Outdoors During Earth Science Week 2008
Encourage students to unplug and study geoscience outdoors. The American
Geological Institute (AGI) holds this event to promote public and professional
awareness of the status of Earth science in education and society. Classroom
activity ideas and resources in conjunction with the 2008 theme, “No
Child Left Inside," are available online. AGI is sponsoring three
national contests and one international competition for Earth Science
Week. Entries must be either postmarked or received digitally by 5 p.m.
EDT on
October 17. (from NSTA)
House of Representatives Approves No Child Left Inside Act
Earlier last month the U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 293
to 109, passed The No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 3036). The bill, as
approved by the House, would authorize new spending on environmental
education and
would provide incentives to states to develop environmental literacy
plans. The federal funding could also be used by states to train teachers
in environmental
instruction and to create environmental programs.NSTA and other leading
organizations supported the No Child Left Inside Act. For more information
go to www.fundee.org/campaigns/nclb/ (from NSTA)
NASA Space Place
We have just published our latest issue of a bi-monthly newsletter for formal
and informal educators. The newsletter is all about the many useful
and--it goes without saying--free resources on The Space Place website
that can be helpful to classroom and home school teachers, after-school
program directors, museum and library program directors, and other informal educators.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/educators. Click on NASA Space Place Newsletter |
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