OSGC Educational Resources Blog

NASA Education’s Act Now page highlights upcoming NASA opportunities available for teachers and students.

The Act Now for Educators section features information about upcoming workshops, grants, online activities, faculty fellowships and conferences in one location, making it easy for educators to find opportunities that interest them.

NASA has also created a new Act Now section just for students. “NASA and You” will inform students about upcoming NASA events, contests, internship opportunities, webcasts and much more.

The information in the Act Now sections is listed by the expiration date and is posted in an easy-to-follow format. Targeted grade levels are highlighted along with a brief description and a link for more information. Act Now is updated on a regular basis as new items are added when opportunities become available.

Act Now for Educators:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/actnow/index.html

Act Now for K-4 Students:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/home/Act_Now_Students.html

Act Now for 5-8 Students:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/Act_Now_Students.html

Act Now for 9-12 Students:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/9-12/features/Act_Now_Students.html

Act Now for Post-Secondary Students:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/Act_Now_Students.html

The Mars - Red Planet Poster is now available on NASA’s website in the Posters section of the Educational Materials area. The poster shows that the journey to Mars starts in the classroom. The back of the poster has an overview describing what NASA has learned about Mars and listing facts about the Red Planet.

Download the Mars - The Red Planet poster from the following location:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Mars_The_Red_Planet_Poster.html

The STS-118 Robotic bookmark is now available in the Bookmarks section of the Educational Materials area. Read about the role robotics will have on the STS-118 space shuttle mission. Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan makes her first flight on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. As a mission specialist, part of her assignment is to manipulate the International Space Station and the shuttle’s robotic arms. This bookmark describes how the Canadarm on the ISS is used during the mission.

Download the STS-118 Robotics bookmark from the following location:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/STS-118_Robotics_Bookmark.html

As Charles Simonyi’s adventure on the International Space Station unfolds, children are encouraged to visit the entrepreneur’s website to ask him questions about his experiences in space. The website includes lots of interactive content including a space quiz, live mission coverage, podcasts, and links to more information.

Visit Charles Simonyi’s website here:
http://www.charlesinspace.com/

Ever wonder how each NASA center supports a shuttle mission?

On April 19-20, 2007, teachers and students can take a virtual tour of NASA’s Field Centers during the STS-118 Relay Rally. Through two NASA Digital Learning Network webcasts, viewers will able to find out what all of the NASA centers do and how they will support the STS-118 mission. Each 90-minute webcast will feature five of NASA’s centers and five NASA Explorer Schools.

The STS-118 flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour will be the first flight of an Educator Astronaut, Barbara Morgan, and an important step in the ongoing assembly of the International Space Station. Other STS-118 crewmembers are commander Scott Kelly, pilot Charles Hobaugh, and mission specialists Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams.

For more information about the STS-118 Relay Rally webcasts, visit:
http://nasadln.nmsu.edu/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=568

For more information about the STS-118 space shuttle mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/sts118

This “Space Thrills!” poster for K-4 students uses reading and writing activities to teach students about the solar system. Students will Meet Our Solar System and ponder Solar System Mysteries. Teacher Tips and Resources and Student Activities are included.

Visit the following website for more information and to request your free poster. Other educational materials are also available through this website.
http://discoverynewfrontiers.nasa.gov/

This year in support of Earth Day, the National Geographic is launching a virtual teachers’ workshop focused on the ocean to bring environmental issues into the classroom. Discussion will be led by Dr. Carl Safina, a renowned scientist and author who will present his findings, assisting all to better understand the impact of this issue. Dr. Greg Marshall, Project Manager for Crittercam, will look at what research is doing to help protect species. Dr. Michael Libbee, Director of the Michigan Geographic Alliance, will also participate to demonstrate how to make these topics an important part of your curricula, with new classroom applications and extensions.

Registration for the workshop is free. Teachers can also earn graduate credit for this course for a fee of $90.00. Please visit the following website for more information and links to other virtual workshops:
http://www.coexploration.org/ngs/EarthDay

Application deadline: April 25, 2007

The Phoenix Student Interns Program is a unique opportunity for high school teachers and students to become part of the Phoenix Science Team for the 2007-2008 Phoenix Mars Lander Mission. From around the country, selected teachers and their chosen students will work with scientists to prepare for surface operations on Mars, analyze data during the mission, and reach out to other students, teachers, and the public through presentations, articles and Web sites. Following preparation and special training, teachers and students will spend one week at the Science Operations Center in Tucson, Ariz., during landed operations to help investigate the surface of Mars.

Applications are due Apr. 25, 2007. For more information, visit: http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/edu_psip.php

Elementary GLOBE is a series of five storybooks designed to help K-4 teachers integrate Earth science into their reading and writing curriculum. Each book focuses on a different Earth science topic as the main characters — Simon, Anita and Dennis — explore the natural world. Storybooks and learning activities are correlated to national education standards in science, geography and math.

For more information, go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/k-4/features/F_Elementary_GLOBE.html

The U.S. Department of Education will offer free regional summer workshops across the United States for teachers to learn best practices from their fellow educators. The workshops will focus on math and science best practices. Registration begins April 8.

For more information, go to:
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/01/01092007.html