Development and adaptation of existing materials for Out-of-School time settings, including Hasta La Vesta. This includes the adaptation of existing classroom materials for K-12 settings and FY12 continued development of Explorer Guides as stand-alone materials for students. It also includes the collaboration with Discovery to develop a new activity piloted in Small Bodies, Big Concepts using art to deepen visual analysis of images from solar system bodies. The materials were received…

The Dawn Mission E/C is planning to commemorate the arrival of the spacecraft at dwarf planet Ceres with a festival called i C Ceres. We plan to hold a flagship event in collaboration with NASA JPL on the Caltech Campus with both family-oriented activities and special speakers for a variety of audiences May 9, 2015.  Events throughout that weekend will be encouraged all over the country and the world, utilizing materials, special online presentations and resources highlighted on the…

Material development for FY 2012 will include Solar System Origins module and accompanying interactives including the stand alone activity "Active Accretion" and "Active Phase Changes." For FY 2012, this will include formatting, posting, internal and product review and subsequent revisions of the Solar Systems Origins module and the initial development of the Data Analysis module. Content module on Dawn instruments: Framing Cameras, Visible and Infrared Spectrometer, Gamma Ray and…

The Dawn website includes up-to-date resources and information of thematic asteroid content and mission specific multimedia and educational materials. Secondary pages include details of mission, science, technology, multimedia, education, community and get involved pages. The homepage includes features, timelines and links to where is the spacecraft is now, mission status reports, media releases and scientist/engineer interviews. http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov. During FY 2011, the website…

Asteroid Mapper is an online Web interface for participants to count and analyze craters on the surface of Vesta. Vesta Zoo provides images of the surface of Vesta through a web page to "citizen scientists" for them to identify and mark surface features. The data produced by this activity is available to the science team for analysis.

Dawn  education team members presented new science findings and activities as well as background information to a variety of student audiences in informal education settings. Here, a set of workshops about the Dawn Mission were presented at GESTEM, Girls Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, events in Denver, Colorado, April 20, 2012 and May 9, 2014 sponsored by the Colorado Women in Engineering Society. Aproximately 150 middle school girls were reached during…

In FY 2012, Dawn science, engineering and education team members presented new science findings and activities as well as background information to a variety of student audiences in formal education settings. Here, students participated in a pilot of new materials connected to Dawn's Instrumentation.

For FY 2011: Includes 1) Day-long teacher workshop in Denver CO.  2) Day long workshop for Florida Science Supervisors.  3) Five simultaneous workshops in February 2011 based on results of EPOXI and in anticipation of Stardust NExT and Dawn.  For FY 2012, the Dawn mission will provide educator workshops about some of the findings at Vesta and a review of Stardust NExT and EPOXI educational materials. Venues to include the Colorado Science Conference and the School Science and…

In FY 2011, Stardust NExT organized a district wide NASA event in Cheyenne Wyoming modeled after similar activities conducted by NASA's Discovery Program office. A team of scientists and educators visited students in grades 6-12. An evening star party and the local observatory opened the event to students, parents and families.

DISCOVER-AQ is an EPD/SE project for middle/high school grades. It leverages the content and locales of an intensive series of airborne flight campaigns, through the GLOBE program, to engage educators and their students in NASA research. The objective of DISCOVER-AQ E/PO is to involve K-12 teachers and students in NASA Earth science activities. http://discover-aq.larc.nasa.gov/education.html

Small Worlds is a section that was added to the Discovery Program website to convey a wealth of information about the many Discovery missions focused on asteroids and comets, why we explore, how we explore, what we have learned, and the importance of this knowledge.  The information is conveyed through text, images, jingles, and an audio feature called Image Impact. 

"Art and the Cosmic Connection" is a curriculum that uses beautiful and compelling NASA images of planets, moons, and small bodies to help students understand and analyze what they see using the elements of art – shape, line, color, value, texture. After viewing images, students choose one image to draw with pastels, honing observation skills as they learn to look and look to learn. The activity is demonstrated in educator workshops and done with students during classroom visits.

Space Thrills! is a wall sheet intended for educators of students in grades K-4.  It is designed to be visually interesting to arouse curiosity about exploring our solar system and to teach about our solar system using language arts.  It is distributed to classrooms through the ERCs, at conferences, and upon request through the web site. Funds cover time spent to respond to requests through the web site. 

"Unlocking Mysteries of the Solar System" is a video overview of the Discovery Program and missions with an accompanying educator guide.  The video describes the science objectives and results of the missions, and the educator guide leads students through a series of activities to learn about the mission and then design their own space mission.  Portions of the video are shown at workshops and the activity is demonstrated to teachers who work in groups to design a…

"Vision of Discovery" Professional Development is a 5 hour workshop for teachers held in four locations simultaneously.  Using a thematic design, this workshop connects the Discovery and New Frontiers missions’ science and technology with the curriculum needs of classroom teachers. The workshop offers prominent mission scientists giving presentations and hands-on experience with classroom activities. The speaker presentations can be viewed via the Internet in real-time and in the…

Classroom visits by NASA scientists and educators bring a sense of excitement and interest in STEM. In FY 2012, Stardust-NExT, Dawn and EPOXI participated in three-day event in Rainsville, Alabama, coordinated by NASA's Discovery Program with 8 NASA scientists and educators visiting 1,200 students in grades 4-12 at Plainview School, which had been severely damaged from a massive tornado the previous spring. The presentations, hands-on activities and discussions help students see a place…

Conduct visits to schools with presentations, discussions, and hands-on activities.

Thematic training for college student-mentors preparing to lead a Discovery Program focused NASA Space Science Day event. The NSSD events are sponsored by an EPOESS grant to Charlie Galindo-ARES-JSC. The workshop offers mission content, hands-on experience with classroom activities, and strategies for implementing.

NASA Space Science Days (NSSD) is a science education outreach collaboration that includes NASA-JSC, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate (ARES), the Discovery and New Frontiers Education Program, and The University of Texas at Brownsville, and Texas Southmost College.  The purpose is to encourage future generations to strive for excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Teams of presenters share 10-15 hands-on science activities throughout…

Public events take place in a variety of venues that attract adults and students and provide an opportunity to bring information about NASA, space exploration, and the missions to raise awareness, heighten curiosity, inform and inspire. In FY2012, D/NF funded and coordinated a NASA booth at the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, aimed at engaging students in STEM activities and helping them see themselves as scientists and engineers. Attendance was 26,000. The event included…

Space School Musical is a play that introduces the solar system to students while integrating science with performing arts, physical education, music, social themes and leadership opportunities. Aimed at upper elementary and middle school students, the play teaches solar system science in a fun and engaging way.  Designed for easy and successful replication, the package includes a DVD of the play performed by high school students, a CD with the songs, and a CD-ROM with teacher tips, an…

DNF thematic educator workshops are a series of workshops in a variety of venues for teachers in grades 4-12.  The workshops bring standards-aligned, engaging, hands-on activities based on mission science goals and results to educators. DNF program and project scientists and education specialists train teachers at local, regional, and national conferences and events.

Unlocking the Mysteries Professional Development is a 3 hour workshop for in-service and pre-service teachers.  Using a thematic design, this workshop connects the Discovery and New Frontiers missions’ science and technology with the curriculum needs of the classroom teachers. The workshop offers mission content and hands-on experience with classroom activities.

D/NF has two websites that provide current and historical information about the programs and the missions. The websites serve as the primary outreach tool to provide a wide array of information to the public, teachers, students, and mission personnel. The web sites are kept up to date with current news and ongoing updates.  The New Frontiers site was redesigned and updated with new content in FY'12.

1) In Nov. 2011 (FY 2012), McREL supported a NASA educator workshop in Rainsville, AL. 2) McREL coordinated and facilitated Vision of Discovery (FY 2012), a Discovery Program/New Frontiers Year of the Solar System (YSS)  event. The 4-6 hour workshop was held in four locations across the country: JPL, APL, JSC, and Oregon. It involved collaboration with the E/PO staff of many D/NF Program missions (Dawn, MESSENGER, New Horizons), the Discovery and New Frontiers Programs, the NASA Digital…

2012 marks the 14th annual MD Day, an annual open house for the University of Maryland (College Park). Colleges and departments are encouraged to "show-off" their research and educational programs via informal hands-on activities. EPOXI team members will be participating again demonstrating the mechanics of transiting exoplanets and building dry ice comets. http://www.marylandday.umd.edu/

EPOXI Mission website includes up-to-date resources and information of thematic comet content and mission specific multimedia and educational materials. Secondary pages include details about the mission, science & technology; multimedia gallery; formal and informal education content. The homepage includes features, mission status, media releases, and team bios. Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter) were added in mid FY10. Site included a blog for encounter (FY11).  http://epoxi.umd.edu/

The Amateur Observers' Program (AOP) is a web resource that provides information and resources for beginner, intermediate, and advanced amateur astronomers. The site provides guidance for the public to locate and share images of small solar system bodies (comets and asteroids). Amateurs from around the world use the site as a resource connected to mission events.  Funds are for site maintenance and public events at amateur venues (clubs, star parties).  http://aop.astro.umd.edu

The purpose of the Fermi E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, through inspiring, engaging and educational activities linked to the mission’s science objectives. The E/PO program has additional more general goals, including increasing the diversity of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline, and increasing public awareness and understanding of Fermi science and technology. Fermi’s…

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific and partner organizations are carrying out the "Galileo Educator Network" project, creating distributed and leveraged professional development nationwide with the primary goals to: (1) Help teacher educators and teacher professional development providers engage and educate teachers of astronomy (and general science), especially in grades 3-9, using effective instructional strategies and educational resources, with engaging and inspiring content;…

The THEMIS Education and Public Outreach team established ground-based magnetometer stations in the proximity of rural schools in traditionally under-served, underrepresented communities. Teachers at these schools were trained in how to use the magentometer data with their students. The network of these teachers, students, and magnetometers together with other students who participate using the web is called the Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students (GEONS).

GLOBE is an international program that encourages and supports students, teachers, informal educators, and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of their local environment, sharing results over the internet. The objective of GLOBE is to promote the teaching and learning of science, enhance environmental literacy and stewardship, and promote scientific discovery. https://www.globe.gov/

The GRACE higher ed program provides summer research experiences, short workshops, seminars to early career scientists, pre-service education faculty and students underrepresented in Earth and Space Science. The project is carried out through SMD missions and competitively selected awardees working in partnership with higher education institutions. The objective is to deepen their understanding of SMD science and technology so they are better prepared to contribute to the STEM workforce…

GRAIL MoonKAM is a student experience project for 5th-8th grade students nationwide. Middle school students use the MoonKAM website to target and request images of the moon taken by the GRAIL MoonKAM cameras. The objective of GRAIL MoonKAM is to engage students in STEM subjects.

GRAIL MoonKAM is a student experience project for 5th-8th grade students nationwide. Middle school students use the MoonKAM website to target and request images of the moon taken by the GRAIL MoonKAM cameras. The objective of GRAIL MoonKAM is to engage students in STEM subjects.

GRAIL MoonKAM is a student experience project for 5th-8th grade students nationwide. Middle school students attend Sally Ride Science festivals and learn about how to take picture of the moon using the GRAIL MoonKAM cameras. The objective of GRAIL MoonKAM is to engage students in STEM subjects.

E/PO GRAIL MoonKAM. An essential part of the E/PO MoonKAM program is student collaboration.  The E/PO MoonKAM Mission Control Center (MOC) will coexist with and utilize the NASA EarthKAM MOC facility already in place and functional at UCSD. From FY09 through FY2013 UCSD undergraduate students will work with SRS supervisors and GRAIL scientists to design and implement the MoonKAM Mission Operations.www.GRAILMoonKAM.com

Using data in the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC) archive, scientists throughout the world study black holes, stars, supernovae, and the big bang. Through its Education and Public Outreach program, the HEASARC brings these objects to teachers and students using our Imagine the Universe! and StarChild websites, print materials, and educator workshops. 

The Heliophysics Educator Ambassador (HEA) program is a collaborative, multi-mission effort that provides professional development and resources to middle and high school science teachers who then train other teachers at local, regional and/or national workshops, conference and meetings. The NASA Heliophysics missions collaborating on the HEA program are: THEMIS-ARTEMIS, IBEX, Van Allen Probes, SDO, MMS, Voyager, RHESSI, STEREO, TIMED and AIM.

As part of a Chicago Public Schools systemic initiative, the IBEX Space Explorers After School Program (IBEX SEC) trains teachers to use the IBEX-funded GEMS SSS Curriculum with under-represented students.  The purpose of this program is to increase student exposure to space science that they do not receive during the school day and to increase their enjoyment in science activities.  This program provides professional development and classroom support for these science clubs through…

The IBEX Education and Public Outreach program funded the development of seven strategy guides for middle school teachers. The first six guides utilize student text from Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS) Space Science Sequence for Grades 6-8: Teaching How Scientists Use Models with What Makes Up Most of the Solar System?, Teaching Roundtable Discussions with Seasons on Mars, Teaching Text Structure with Understanding the Scale of the Universe, Teaching Vocabulary Awareness…

The ICESat-2 mission E/PO implementation plan, in direct collaboration with other NASA Earth-observing missions, strives to focus its impact on NASA’s identified target audience outcomes in education and outreach. Each current and new project will not target each and every audience, but rather focus on one or two specific audiences. http://icesat.gsfc.nasa.gov/icesat2/epo.php

InSight's formal-education program features comparative planetology initiatives with our E/PO partners IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology), SCEC (Southern California Earthquake Center) and NASA's SpaceMath for standards based math resources. This year begins development of Preassessment, Standards-focused curriculum, near-real-time data classroom delivery methods, earthquake analysis tools and professional development.

IRIS scientists at Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory are developing a Challenger Learning Center (CLC) module parallel to the materials they created for a similar SDO program. The target audience is students in grades 5-8 who visit the Challenger Centers.

This project is a yearly nationwide undergraduate student team competition to design and build spectrographs. It is targeted at under-represented students.

The extremely popular and highly successful program of Quest Challenges presents middle-school students and their teachers with an authentic design task associated with a mission. Student groups are introduced to the Challenge via an initial webcast, and subsequently develop a preliminary design, obtain feedback from IRIS team members through a web chat, refine their designs, and then submit them for review and presentation as part of a culminating live webcast. The challenge is…

Stanford, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL), and NASA/Ames jointly host students in summer research opportunities by leveraging on Stanford’s highly-successful Summer Research College (SRC), a ten-week program currently available to undergraduate Stanford physics majors. The IRIS team extends this program to incorporate promising non-Stanford undergraduates recruited from 2- and 4-year colleges, especially those at institutions where students would not otherwise…

The AEE LADEE activity is a collaboration between the Ames Exploration Encounter and the LADEE mission to produce an interactive multimedia activity for students visiting the AEE. Students participating in the activity assume the role of a researcher receiving and interpreting data from LADEE during its mission. LADEE EPO is providing scientific and multimedia content to the AEE as they implement new activities as part of a center-funded update/renovation of the AEE.

The Challenger Center LADEE activity is a collaboration between the Challenger Learning Centers and LADEE to include LADEE content in the Challenger Center's updated Mission Moon program. Students participating in the lunar mission will be introduced to the fundamentals of the lunar atmosphere and how it is studied. LADEE EPO is providing scientific and multimedia content adapted from the AEE LADEE activity as the Challenger center implements its new Mission Moon program.

While LADEE supports a number of workshops hosted (and reported in the data call) by other missions/programs (see notes), these represent workshops not reported elsewhere. Educators attending these workshops are introduced to how our understanding of the Moon is changing dramatically based on results from a new generation of robotic explorers, how LADEE will further advance our understanding of the Moon, and how they and there students can directly participate in NASA lunar science and…

The comparative planetology module for SOS is a formal education module on comparative planetology for grades 6-8 that will be developed during FY10. Institutions with SOS installations will be given professional development on how to use the module with students that visit their institutions. 

This activity is for the production of a kit of resources drawn from all LRO E/PO. The educator kit contains strands for investigation of lunar concepts and data using lessons developed by the LRO EPO Team. 

The Lunar Student Imaging Project (LSIP) is an inquiry-based program that enables K-12 students to learn about lunar science and develop proposals to acquire and analyze data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) instrument.  

This activity is a workshop for educators of grades 6-12 to learn about lunar science and exploration and how to incorporate LRO data into their classrooms. Participants in the workshop attend a week-long workshop at Goddard Space Flight Center in July 2010 and are given follow-up professional development using distance learning technologies.

This activity is leveraging the Mini-RF data for both informal and formal education using the Global Imagination Magic Planet. This learning platform will provide a unique experience for students, teachers and the general public to learn about the Mini-RF instrument.  Currently, the programming includes Minim-RF data, and can be easily expanded to include other LRO instrument data as well.

LRO Middle School Educator Professional Development (MSEPD) provides sustained, long-duration professional development for middle school teachers in the regions directly surrounding our E/PO partners. Educator professional development includes short and long-duration professional development experiences on lunar and planetary content using materials developed in previous LRO E/PO funding cycles. The objective of LRO E/PO middle school educator professional development is for middle…

Mini-RF has developed a beta Lunar Simulation on the instrument and its findings at the Moon. The goal is to provide middle and high school students with a mission specific gaming-like experience that will be used to augment existing math and science curriculums. It also folds in the existing educational products developed for the Mini-RF instrument and the LRO mission. This is based on the ARENA (Augmented Reality Environment at APL), a 3-D modeling and simulation facility at APL that…

LRO Professional Development for Afterschool Providers (PDAP) provides sustained professional development for those whom conduct afterschool programs. The program includes professional development for afterschool club leaders and afterschool programs like the Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative. The objective of PDAP is that afterschool providers identify LRO data of suitable use in their programs.

These programs give middle school students a close-up look at NASA’s  LRO mission and specifically the Mini-RF instrument. They are designed to engage, inspire, and influence attitudes about space science and STEM careers. Space Academy includes a student press conference with mission experts as panelists and students as “reporters.” The panelists represent varying backgrounds, careers, and roles on the mission. 

The Student Planetary Investigators (PI) program engages high school students with data from the Mini-RF instrument which is focusing on mapping the lunar poles, searching for water ice and demonstrating new communications technologies.  The program provides students with authentic research experiences in the classroom, is conducted via distance learning technologies, and is designed to provide maximum flexibility for student teams.

The Student Planetary Investigators (PI) program engages high school students with data from the Mini-RF instrument which is focusing on mapping the lunar poles, searching for water ice and demonstrating new communications technologies.  The program provides students with authentic research experiences in the classroom, is conducted via distance learning technologies, and is designed to provide maximum flexibility for student teams.

The lunar and meteorite disk loan program provides samples embedded in acrylic for use by trained educators in classroom and event settings.

This activity covers reproduction and distribution of previously NASA-approved materials (e.g., Earth/Mars comparison poster).  All else in online and downloadable. The purpose is to support dissemination of classroom materials to K-12 educators.  mars.jpl.nasa.gov/education

This project provides educators around the country with professional development opportunities. Since research shows that an initial face-to-face training, followed up by a few distance learning opportunities, is more effective than single, stand-alone workshops, Mars Public Engagement has begun to take that approach, partnering with NSTA for educator professional development.  Face-to-face regional workshops continue to occur around the country, with recruitment for distance learning…

Connected closely with Mars engineering efforts, Mars Robotics is one of three content "threads" for formal education listed in the Mars Exploration Program Public Engagement Plane, and supports national programs in robotics such as FIRST (9-12) and FIRST/LEGO League (6-8).   The purpose of this effort is to provide mentorship and role models in order to inspire students to acquire technical skills, as well as to assist in the implementation of regional and national competitions.  This…

Connected closely with Mars scientific efforts, Mars Student Imaging and Analysis is one of three content "threads" for formal education listed in the Mars Exploration Program Public Engagement Plan, and is geared for K-12 students.  Activities include Mars Student Imaging Project (5-12), Mars Exploration Student Data Teams (9-12), and Mars High-School Student Interns(11-12).  These activities provide progressively deeper and more sophisticated opportunities for students, supporting a…

Connected closely to both human and robotic exploration, Mars Science through the Arts, Letters, and Humanities is one of three content "threads" for formal education listed in the Mars Exploration Program Public Engagement Plan. This thread is meant to represent the earliest entry point into the pipeline, focused on elementary level, interdisciplinary activities that introduce Mars science and engineering.   This thread is also appropriate for pre-service teachers and students without…

The Mars Exploration Student Data Team (PI) program engages high school and undergraduate students with data from the CRISM instrument which is seeking traces of past and present water on the Martian surface. MESDT students have the opportunity to join the science team in the analysis of data from the CRISM instrument. The program provides students with authentic research experiences in the classroom, is conducted via distance learning technologies, and is designed to provide maximum…

Sample Analysis at Mars(SAM) Educator Professional Development Workshops: The SAM E/PO team hosts workshops for middle and high school educators who visit GSFC.  The workshops include an overview of the MSL mission and science goals, an overview of SAM, a presentation by a SAM scientist, and an introduction to Mars and MSL educational activities and resources.

Sample Analysis at Mars E/PO Website: The SAM E/PO team, in collaboration with the SAM science team, maintains a website to provide information on SAM and MSL, access to current news, SAM science results, and E/PO resources such as the Curiosity landing site activity developed by the SAM team and SAM-related multimedia products.

Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Curiosity Landing Site Selection Activity: This activity teaches middle school students about the process used to select a landing site for the Curiosity rover.  In so doing, the students learn basics about Mars geology and mission teamwork.

This project aims to incorporate up-to-date SMD education resources and science and mission data relating to NASA’s explorations of Mars into the Mars Rover Celebration (MRC), an existing low-cost curriculum enhancement program for grades 3-8. The MRC prototype focuses on the adventure of learning and discovery, asking participating teams to propose their own scientific mission to Mars, design a rover to carry it out, and present a mock-up at an open house. The overarching goal of this…

MAVEN mission formal E/PO is a comprehensive program targeting K-12 teachers and students. The program involves product development and professional development workshops, including MAVEN Educator Ambassador Project, Space Science Teachers Summit, and Red Planet, and management and evaluation for the aforementioned activities. The objective of the MAVEN mission EPO program is to engage multiple audiences in the quest to understand Mars’ long-term atmospheric losses, giving insight into…

Imagine Mars through Native Eyes – a professional development project for informal out-of-school time educators of native young teenagers, which adapts the process-driven MEPPE Imagine Mars project. The MAVEN E/PO team expects to train 30 out-of-school time educators, with a total reach of 900 youth.

MAVEN mission formal E/PO is a comprehensive program targeting K-12 teachers and students. The program involves product development and professional development workshops, including MAVEN Educator Ambassador Project, Space Science Teachers Summit, and Red Planet, and management and evaluation for the aforementioned activities. The objective of the MAVEN mission EPO program is to engage multiple audiences in the quest to understand Mars’ long-term atmospheric losses, giving insight into…

Red Planet: Read, Write, Explore! – a professional development project for elementary teachers across the United States and focused on Latino, Spanish-speaking communities. The professional development will incorporate science in elementary school literacy projects using the topic of Mars exploration.

MAVEN mission formal E/PO is a comprehensive program targeting K-12 teachers and students. The program involves product development and professional development workshops, including MAVEN Educator Ambassador Project, Space Science Teachers Summit, and Red Planet, and management and evaluation for the aforementioned activities. The objective of the MAVEN mission EPO program is to engage multiple audiences in the quest to understand Mars’ long-term atmospheric losses, giving insight into…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

This project provides a curriculum for teachers, Pre K-12, on a range of topics associated with the questions and challenges of the MESSENGER Mission. This project ensures that the high-quality materials developed to improve understanding of NASA missions is readily available to teachers and students, both nationally and internationally. Trained instructors (MESSENGER Fellows) conduct workshops for teachers and instructors in the use of the curriculum which is also freely available on…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

The internship program provides undergrad & grad students focusing on STEM careers  an opportunity to work on summer projects related to the MESSENGER mission to Mercury, and make contributions to the mission.

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

The MESSENGER K-12 education and public outreach (E/PO) efforts encompass teacher professional development and web-available content-based curriculum for K-12 students and educators. The Educator Fellowship program trains educators who commit to conducting teacher professional development using high-quality educational materials featuring mission-related themes. The objective of the MESSENGER E/PO program is to prepare classroom teachers across the nation to incorporate high-quality,…

In this program, approximately 30 MESSENGER Fellows conduct at least 100 workshops per year for educators in their communities, and at local, regional, and national conferences. The purpose is to ensure widespread dissemination of high quality NASA education products to classrooms across the nation. MESSENGER Fellows arrange and conduct their own workshops with support, oversight, management and evaluation provided by  the MESSENGER E/PO team. 

The online ‘Educators Launch Kit’ will include Launch Party ideas, activities, and links to mission content, videos and social media pages. When available the page will also contain information on how to connect to the live launch. From these pages, users will be invited to join the MMS Magnetic Space Café. This collaborative website used by NASA's Science Education and Public Outreach Forum will provide an online space where educators and the general public come to chat, receive E/PO…

Students can use these models to make and even stronger connection between engineering and mathematics while highlighting the importance of the MMS mission. On the models page, students can see a video of the LEGO model, make their own, make a paper model, or work on MMS card models. The MMS bookmark can be folded into a 3D model. It also has web resources and QR codes.

NASA EDGE is an unscripted, non-traditional video podcast or vodcast designed to highlight all things NASA in a unique and fun way. Built in the framework of sports talk radio (i.e. Mike and Mike in the Morning – ESPN Radio), NASA EDGE has generated a positive buzz for NASA in a way in which young teens and adults can relate. Produced vodcast segments will focus on a particular components of the MMS mission. For example, one segment might focus on the science instruments and another on…

MMS worked with Stephanie Smith (NASA Second Life Designer) to install models of the MMS spacecraft on NASA's eEducation Island. Second Life has become less of a draw for users lately but continues to be a place for MMS materials and activities. Given the capabilities of Second Life, it represents an environment that is very well suited for exploring the imagery of MMS.

This guide uses examples from the MMS Mission to introduce mathematics in a real-world context to fifth through eighth graders. It is meant to help students learn about math utilizing the NASA MMS mission and be able to produce artifacts that can be shared with their peers and with their families. The main area of mathematics covered in this guide is geometry. The guide focuses on two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometry to assist students in developing spatial skills. There are…

STEAM Camp – Dublin ISD piloted the MMS Challenge during the summer STEAM camp of 2012 and hosted a NASA national student summit in April of 2012 to help generate excitement about NASA’s MMS mission. Student experiences included hosting a digital art, physics, and robotics exhibition. Although Dublin ISD is a small and rural school, the impact of DISD STEAM camp led to an after school robotics program during the fall of 2012. The NASA MMS Challenge was piloted in Dublin ISD during the…

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) will partnet with the MMS mission to develop 3 resources related to the MMS Mission and student learning around the magnetosphere, space weather, and data manipulation.

The first resource will repurpose the previously created iBook for teachers, a companion to the student MMS Transmedia book (TBook), into other e-formats such as mobi and epub so they are accessible across the spectrum of e-readers in Kindle, Nook, and…

Teacher professional development is designed to familiarize teachers with the MMS mission, the science and technoloygy, and the education resources. A special workshop on NASA and earth and space weather was designed and offered during FY14.Teacher training efforts were identified specifically for the impact and reach of the MMS mission. In 2014, a total of 13 teacher training related activities were identified reaching over 1100 teachers, educators, administrators, and university faculty.

MY NASA DATA (MND) is a Web-based project for K12 students and educators. MND makes NASA Earth science data easily accessible for authentic learning in the K-12 classroom. The objective of MND is to engage K-12 students in STEM activities through the ability to explore the same data that scientists use. http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/

The Telling Your Story program aims to form collaborations between research scientists and K-12 teachers that will result in ongoing classroom visits by scientists, and lab visits by teachers and their students. The program brings together scientists and K-12 educators in a workshop that lets each group learn about, and from, the other. Scientists are taught effective communication skills appropriate for K-12 audiences, and work with teachers to develop ideas and formats for classroom visits.

This project engages citizen scientists in a study of microbial diversity in distributed domestic water heaters.  It's purpose is to look at the genetic differences from isolates of similar microbes from across the globe to understand the degree to which populations of microbes are isolated and whether this isolation suggests an allopatric speciation model for prokaryotes. Two-three interested households per state in the US will complete a questionnaire and submit samples back to labs…

This program supports in-service teachers in their work towards a Masters of Science degree in Science Education at Montana State University.  Two courses were supported in the program this year, Life in Extreme Environments and Thermal Biology in Yellowstone National Park. The courses provide science content information and authentic research experiences for practicing science instructors at the middle, secondary, and college levels.

This project provides professional development in astrobiology for teachers in Hawai'i and from the mainland US.  Its purpose is to increase awareness of astrobiology science and use of astrobiology classroom materials.  Teachers participate in a week-long workshop including lecture, lab, and field studies.

This project creates a new, small-dome planetarium show for Houston-area school districts.  It's purpose is to engage students in astrobiology science, especially extreme life.  Via a partnership with the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, the show is being developed and will be deployed locally to hundreds of schools via their fleet of traveling planetarium domes.

This project hosts summer undergraduate interns at the NAI's Penn State University team.  It's purpose is to provide an in-depth research experience for undergraduates with astrobiology researchers at PSU. The program occurs at Penn State University for 10 weeks during the summer session. The students participate in independent research under the guidance of one or more astrobiologists, a field trip to NASA and astrobiology-related sites around Washington, D.C., weekly seminars,…

This project hosts summer undergraduate interns at the NAI's Penn State University team.  It's purpose is to provide an in-depth research experience for undergraduates with astrobiology researchers at PSU. The program occurs at Penn State University for 10 weeks during the summer session. The students participate in independent research under the guidance of one or more astrobiologists, a field trip to NASA and astrobiology-related sites around Washington, D.C., weekly seminars,…

This is a week-long, in-depth, summer learning experience for high school science teachers in New York State.  Its purpose is to increase content knowledge for teachers and support them to develop unique lesson plans in astrobiology for their classroom.  This is a multi-year interaction which incorporates teacher mentors from prior years into each summer's workshop, and provides sustained contact for teachers with the scientist faculty and each other throughout the academic year.

This project provides professional development in astrobiology for teachers from across the US at Penn State University.  Two workshops were supported in Summer, 2011: Earth's History: Uncovering Clues of the Past‚ and Astrobiology: The Interdisciplinary Search for Life in the Cosmos.  The purpose is to expose teachers to the latest in astrobiology research, NASA missions, and classroom materials.

The Crow Education Project provides science enrichment activities for 10 4th grade classrooms and professional development for their teachers in three schools located on and adjacent to the Crow Reservation in Southwestern Montana.  It's purpose is to engage 4th graders on Native American reservations to astrobiology science and expose them to science as a career.  A district wide program, this hybrid education model incorporates monthly hands-on science activities, field experiences,…

This program provides hands-on research experiences for students and their teachers in Hawai'i.  Its purpose is to develop astronomy research skills in students in grades 7-11 so they can conduct Science Fair quality projects and pursue STEM majors in college.  After a week-long workshop in the summer, scientist mentors travel to student locations throughout the school year to provide help with the research, and students are supported to participate in science fairs.

This project will produce a new set of informal education materials.  The purpose is to share information about the icy moons of the outer solar system and their relevance to the search for life beyond Earth.  The product will be in the form of a set of trading cards, and will be available in 2012.

This is an online short course for elementary teachers with modules addressing astrobiology subject material including the challenges of defining life, sorting life, and discovering life.  It allows participants to contemplate and investigate the potential for finding life beyond Earth. The course is self-paced with interactive components as well as links to NASA resources. 

This project is a year-long, rural high school student internship program.  Its purpose is to bring local, rural students into Lassen Volcanic National Park to collect environmental data at astrobiologically relevant field sites.  Scientists visit the students and their teacher to prepare them for the upcoming year of sampling, then students visit the Park several times per year to collect data on the hydrothermal features.  An expansion includes the installation of videoconferencing…

This project is a non-residential summer enrichment experience for high school students in the greater Atlanta area.  Its purpose is to provide an in-depth exposure to astrobiology science and research techniques.  In a simultaneous professional development effort, the camp's curriculum is developed and implemented by local high school teachers paired with Georgia Tech undergrads.

This project hosts three science days during the school year at three elementary schools in the St. Labre school system (nearly 100% Native American from the nearby Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations) in eastern Montana.  Its purpose is to expose elementary students underrepresented in STEM to astrobiology science and careers. Teachers and students conducted three pre-lessons, the science day, and a post-lesson to evaluate  the value of the interaction.  

This project is a training program for high school students in Washington, DC.  Students are guided by scientists as they perform authentic research projects in a school setting.  Participants are selected annually to attend a 10 day summer institute then return to their schools to complete projects with teacher and scientist supervision.

This project hosts summer undergraduate interns at the NAI's Icy Worlds Team at JPL.  It's purpose is to provide an in-depth research experience for undergraduates with astrobiology researchers at JPL.  Ten interns were hosted by four faculty in the Summer of 2011.

This project supports undergrads from across the US to participate in the 2011 LPSC Undergraduate Conference.  Its purpose is to expose undergrads to the scientific conference environment and mentor them to pursue careers in science.  This NAI funding supports the larger project funded by EPOESS.

This project develops web-based, multimedia, interactive experiences for various kinds of learners.  Called Virtual Field Trips (VFTs), their purpose is to create an online environment which simulates a remote field research locale.  Several NAI teams are collaborating to create a suite of VFTs dealing with different areas of astrobiology research.  They will be field tested in various learning environments and the evaluation will be coordinated.

The Educator Cadre program – working in partnership with the NASA Solar System Educator Program (SSEP) – develops middle and high school teachers who represent New Horizons and serve as an important resource for solar system exploration programs across the country. Through New Horizons Teacher Training Workshops, we developed a cadre of skilled master teachers who now represent the mission; these workshops comply with National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and American Association…

Few programs combine fun and learning like the Space Academy series, where we bring students behind the scenes of current space missions and introduce them to scientists and engineers working on these projects. These events – sponsored by APL, Comcast Cable, and the Discovery Channel Networks – give middle school students a close-up look at NASA missions. They include student press conferences with mission panelists moderated by an APL public affairs representative. Students have an…

The Student Dust Counter (SDC) is a 20-year homework assignment, but you won’t hear any complaints from the students handed the task. Designed by students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, SDC is detecting dust grains produced by collisions among asteroids, comets, and Kuiper Belt objects during New Horizons’ journey. It is the first science instrument on a NASA planetary mission to be designed, built, and “flown” by students.  With faculty supervision, the students also are…

3 separate workshops, for teachers of grades 1-5, 6-8, and high school. Teachers received and practiced age-appropriate astronomy activities with a focus on lunar science. They built inexpensive "galileoscope" telescopes. Cooperation with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, which was meeting in Boulder, CO in 2010, increased teacher attendance. Nearly all teachers who applied were accepted. Scholarships were supported by NASA and ASP. Teacher assessment forms quite positive.

Working with Erin Wood (LASP) we hosted a teacher workshop for Elem & Middle School teachers.  This workshop was in association with the ASP.  The theme was the Scientific Method and we focused on the Moon to convey many aspects of the scientific method.  20 teachers registered.  Main activities:-  Pre-evaluation with clickers, moon phases (predicting, then "kinesthetic astronomy to explain), remote sensing (shoebox activity), talk by LUNAR PI Jack Burns, post…

A series of lectures to various different audiences (from middle school students to adults) about NASA's lunar science and exploration programs as well as EPO resources. These talks would be visually augmented by NASA lunar imagery such as high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface, the latest lunar science visualizations, as well as by animations of current and future lunar missions. 

DREAM's Lunar Extreme Program: The Lunar Extreme Program works with high school teachers and students via Webinar over the course of a semester to prepare them for participation in a week-long Lunar Extreme Workshop in June.  The Workshop will bring together high school teachers and students with members of the DREAM team to investigate extreme events, such as a lunar impact, and their effects on lunar dust, plasma, and the exosphere. 

Developed a Spanish version of "Max Goes to the Moon" A  children's planetarium program which will explain basic science about the moon. "Max Goes to the Moon" planetarium show for 1st-5th grade students completed.  Video of NASA Astronaut Alvin Drew reading "Max" from the International Space Station starts the program.  Extensive formative evaluation with scientists and elementary children led to about 30% of the program being revised and improved.  Test audiences now really like it,…

Explore the Moon! is a library program in which a team of NLSI SwRI and LPI education specialists and scientists are training children's librarians in CO, WY, MT, ID, ND, and SD to engage their communities in NLSI science and exploration. The training encompasses content discussions, exploration of how to engage children in science,  the use of hands-on inquiry based resources, and network planning.  

High School Lunar Research Projects pairs NASA scientists with students in a mentoring relationship.  High-school students undertake authentic data-rich lunar projects, related to NLSI science, to learn about the process of science and science careers. LPI and JSC NLSI members work with science teachers and high school counselors to mentor student teams. Funds support the development of projects, E/PO specialist support of high school teams and teachers, and travel for high school team…

Journey through the Universe is a national science education initiative that engages entire communities – students, teachers, families, and the public – using education programs in the Earth and space sciences and space exploration to inspire and educate. The initiative engages communities in sustained science, math, and technology education, and is a celebration of exploration and the joys of learning.  The initiative includes local programming for thousands of students and families,…

NLSI supported the NASA Ames Academy through support of a student in addition to support of their summer project of lunar dust and biological systems interactions.  The undergraduate or graduate students spends 10 weeks at NASA Ames working alongside an ARC scientist. They are exposed to research at three other NASA centers (KSC, DFRC, JPL) and a wide variety of other research and commercial institutions (e.g. Desert Research Institute, Space Systems Loral, SpaceX).  The summer…

Create children's planetarium program which will explain basic science about the moon. "Max Goes to the Moon" planetarium show for 1st-5th grade students completed.  Video of NASA Astronaut Alvin Drew reading "Max" from the International Space Station starts the program.  Extensive formative evaluation with scientists and elementary children led to about 30% of the program being revised and improved.  Test audiences now really like it, and it contains more science than most commercial…

Students design a public web page for Southwest Research Institute.  NLSI project. High-school students build their understanding of lunar science – and lunar science careers – and translate the information for the public using traditional and new media. SwRI and LPI NLSI scientists and education specialists work with North High School high-school students to present accurate, interesting, and engaging lunar science and exploration content. Current efforts focus on inclusion of content…

SSP is a program in which high-achieving high school students participate in a six week summer experience and work with space scientists to track asteroids. The program is designed to keep these students in the pipeline for careers in the science disciplines.  SwRI's NLSI team is collaborating with SSP to a) develop two-day lunar research projects that involve computer modeling and b) to implement these projects with the students during the summer.  Funds support involvement of students…

The NLSI Summer Student Intern is a grade 10-14 student support program. The program provides a 10 weeks summer research experience for grade 10-14 students. The purpose of the program is to increase the U.S. talent pool of lunar scientists by providing high school and two year college students an opportunity to spend a summer working on lunar science research with lunar scientist from the NLSI and attracting them to pursue graduate level studies in lunar science.

The course, Geology of the Moon (ERTH 580-50), offers MSU graduate credits in earth science for middle school teachers. The online course runs Sept. 28 through Nov. 29 and is taught by Cass Runyan, who teaches at both MSU and the College of Charleston, and Noah Petro, a lunar geologist from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Pamela Whiffen, a high school science teacher, will also be part of the instructional team, helping participating teachers better incorporate the science concepts…

The purpose of the NuSTAR E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, through a multi-faceted education and outreach program that capitalizes on the synergy of existing high-energy astrophysics E/PO programs to support the mission’s objectives. Science content goals of the E/PO program are aligned with mission science goals and include: Facilitate understanding of the nature of collapsed objects; Develop awareness of the role…

Materials for use in classroom for pre-visit: The OSIRIS-REx education and public outreach (E/PO) program includes field trip experiences for K-8 students. Low-income students can access the Great Balls of Fire! exhibit at a local science center through support provided by the OSIRIS-REx mission. The objective of the OSIRIS-REx K-12 E/PO effort is to motivate students to pursue the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through attendance at science center with…

This project develops a mission website. The purpose is to provide a portal for the public to engage with the mission and is a coordinated effort with other internet outlets such as the Facebook page and Twitter. E/PO staff and other team members work together to create content for OSIRIS-REx internet presence.

Our Solar System – Through the Eyes of Scientists (TES) is a solar system thematic science and language arts based curriculum for students and teachers in grades 1-6.  Students read biographies of current NASA scientists and view scientists’ notebook pages, while learning about planetary features such as canyons, volcanoes, and ice.  Curriculum is distributed on CD-ROM and made available on the Solar System Exploration website.  Teacher professional development is included.  Major costs…

The overall strategy of Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) and Cosmic Origins (COR) Education and Public Outreach is to infuse PCOS and COR science topics into established programs, as well as develop new projects to reach audiences from formal and informal education and the general public.

With this interactive simulation you can follow Planck on its mission to map the microwave emissions of the universe, and 'fly' through a virtual solar system, or fly inside Planck and explore the inside of the satellite.

For PC's or Laptops running Windows XP or higher, or Linux

See http://web.physics.ucsb.edu/~jatila/Planck-Mission-Sim/ to download the simulation and manual.

Planetary Science Summer School (PSSS).  PSSS prepares the next generation of engineers and scientists to participate in future solar system exploration missions. Participants are highly qualified science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students with a strong interest in planetary exploration.  Through preparatory webinars and a one-week experience at JPL with Team X mentors, students develop a mission concept and present it to a "review board" of JPL scientists and…

The ROSETTA education and public outreach (E/PO) program supports NASA Sun-Earth-Day events tied to phenomenon through actual scientific experience.  The objective of the ROSETTA E/PO is to educate students about; Activities to increase public engagement in improving science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education in the United States.

The Rosetta project worked with The Space Place to develop a free ITunes game that represents the science of the Rosetta Mission.

One Friday each month the Rosetta Project Manager presents a hands-on activity in Space Science, Planetary Science or NASA Technology to the LaCanada Elementary school student body. This SMD project provides elementary and secondary education students with the opportunity to work directly with NASA science and technology data. Family involvement is encouraged. The purpose of the project is to stimulate interest in STEM disciplines and careers through engagement with SMD science and…

The Rosetta Project is working on an educational experience through the web page that brings students from different cultures and areas of the world together to learn about comets and asteroids as a group via the internet.  Rosetta is an international mission between ESA and NASA.

Teachers, invite a Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Ambassador into your classroom!

Class visits include an introduction to the SDO mission and a hands-on activity aligned with national and local science standards. Presentations typically last from 45 to 75 minutes depending on the lesson and class length. An SDO Ambassador would also be happy to visit your school on Career Day or at other school events!

Teachers can choose from a variety of lesson topics including kinesthetic…

You are invited to bring your classes to spend the day at Goddard Space Flight Center! Activities include a facilities tour, a career-oriented meet and greet with scientists and engineers, and a hands-on lab activity. The purpose of this trip is to increase your students' interest in STEM subjects, expose them to STEM-related careers, and increase their awareness of the research that NASA conducts.

This trip is free; lunch and transportation are not provided.

This program currently…

The NASA Family Science Night program invites middle school children and their families to come discover the wide variety of science and engineering being performed at NASA and in our every day life. You will work with volunteers to explore various themes on the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and the Universe* through fun, hands-on activities. You will even get to take stuff with you when you leave to perform your own experiments at home!

This program trains graduate students, with help of a Physics Education Research specialist, to present NASA-developed classroom activities to K-12 teachers, and to coach the teachers how to use those activities in their classrooms.  Program facilitators adopt and/or adapt activities from the existing, extensive catalogue of NASA-developed & -approved activities.  At the request of the teachers, program facilitators deliver the training/coaching sessions at their schools, with no cost…

This project is specfically aimed at classrooms and students. It gives the public the ability to interact with the latest SDO data in a meaningful way to learn about the activity on the sun that causes space weather and what NASA and other agencies do to predict space weather.

Think Scientifically is a three-book series for elementary school teachers that integrates math, science and reading instruction. Each storybook focuses on a key science theme and includes a hands-on science lesson, math and language arts activities, and other educational resources that can be easily utilized in the classroom. The books are based on national standards and were written by teachers. The books include a hands-on lab activity, a data collection/graphing activity, a language…

The EVE Solar Science kit builds on high quality existing space science education resources and presents lessons and background information about the extreme ultraviolet light science of the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) detector on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The kit of lessons is supplemented by a DVD that includes a virtual tour of Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder, an overview of the EVE project, and…

This program involves development and facilitation of a laboratory activity for community college physics and astronomy students to give them an opportunity to analyze data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory mission. Professors and teachers at a local community college are involved in an SDO partnership to develop the lab exercise. The students at the community college are first year non-science majors coming from a diverse urban environment.

This program involves a series of full-day and half-day events in schools that introduce students to the Sun, solar science, and space weather. The programs also encourage students to consider STEM careers.

This project involves development and distribution of solar science resources, learning guides, curricula, etc. designed to complement SDO and IRIS educator workshops and also serve as stand-alone materials (or with web-based instructional materials).

The SDO EPO team presents a series of workshops to provide materials and techniques as to how educators can incorporate solar studies and space weather topics into science classrooms.

Solar System Educators (SSEP) are master teacher volunteers who train educators in their states in the use of NASA's STEM educational materials.  Results of these educator workshops are reported to the NASA OEPM system annually.  Currently, there are 94 SSEPs in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.  Training for SSEPs on NASA/JPL educational products is accomplished in two ways:  1) In-person institutes and 2) telecons with downloadable web-based materials.  Institutes are held when…

The Space Place program includes web site for elementary school children as well as a museum display program and partnerships with amateur astronomy clubs and newspapers.  The Space Place web site makes SMD content accessible to a variety of audiences including elementary school age kids, Spanish speakers, amateur astronomers, and teachers.  The Space Place web site is available in both English and Spanish, in upper elementary language; the Space place museum display is in over 350…

The Space Place program includes a web site for elementary school children as well as a museum display program and partnerships with amateur astronomy clubs and newspapers.  The Space Place web site makes SMD content accessible to a variety of audiences including elementary school age kids, Spanish speakers, amateur astronomers, and teachers.  The Space Place web site is available in both English and Spanish, in upper elementary language; the Space place museum display is in over 350…

Reprint: Combines the same data used on Solar System Night Boards and will introduce the Stardust-NExT and EPOXI websites in preparation for encounter in Nov. 2010 and February 2011.

Developed by NASA's Space Place for the Stardust-NExT, EPOXI, and Rosetta Missions. Introduces elementary level facts about comets and NASA missions exploring them. Funds were used for development and print costs.

Comet Characteristics Mystery Boxes is designed to engage students in a tactile experience that can enhance or assess the students’ knowledge using tactile experiences to model comet characteristics.

Scientists, engineers, administrators, educators and students working with NASA tell their personal stories of inspiration on the challenges in their careers, education requirements, and exciting highlights of working with/for NASA. By showing "real life" people in real life experiences we hope to engage the public and students into considering a future career or involvement in aerospace, science and technology.

1) In Crater Capture students model the problem NASA engineers encounter as they mathematically predict the position of the comet in its trajectory and the location of the crater in the rotation of a comet nucleus, and then photograph or video the crater as the comet nucleus rolls by the observer. 2) In Comparing Cosmic Cameras, students compare cameras from different spacecraft capturing the cool images illuminating comet science. 3) In Comet Mysteries, stories of comets in history are…

The Van Allen Probes education and public outreach (E/PO) programs provide training for formal and informal educators. Middle and high school teachers and informal educators receive content understanding and experience with hands-on activities and interact with scientists through face-to-face workshop opportunities. A unique aspect of the workshop was participation by mission scientists and instrument leads who designed and presented classroom activities.The objective of the Van Allen…

SpaceLink at the Maryland Science Center is an informal education and public outreach partner for the Van Allen Probes mission. An instructional PowerPoint was produced for distribution to informal educators at museums, science centers and planetariums across the U.S. with the purpose of providing content information about the Van Allen Probes mission and science objectives, and to help educators in communicating the mission to their audiences. 

Material and activities focusing on…

The Van Allen Probes Pre-Service Teacher Workshops provide professional development opportunities for undergraduate and graduate pre-service teachers attending HBCUs.  The training engages students by providing a more in-depth experience that focuses on the Van Allen Probes mission.  The objective is to improve K-12 educator awareness and understanding of the Sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space through the study of Earth’s radiation belts.  Students interact with scientists…

Space Academy is a hands-on, minds-on experience designed to engage and excite both middle school students and teachers about current NASA missions. It takes students behind the scenes of actual space missions and introduces them to engineers and scientists working on some of NASA’s most exciting projects. In the format of a mini-NASA press conference, the daylong event includes briefings by Van Allen Probes mission team members represented by varying backgrounds, careers, and roles on…

Girl Power is an annual STEM expo for middle and high school girls exploring careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics hosed by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the event is free and open to the public.  The one day event is designed to attract and retain girls in STEM fields, stressing that women are making a difference, changing the world, and transforming the future.  Van Allen Probes E/PO staff, scientists and engineers host a booth at the…

Synergistically combining resources from several other high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy missions, the XMM-Newton E/PO program from 2003-2010 was aligned with all three of NASA’s Education Outcomes. Outcome 1: We have contributed to the development of the STEM workforce by working with dozens of students at the community college and university levels in partnership with SSU’s new MESA Engineering program and similar programs at other local community colleges. We have also…