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December 2008 Education Update

NASA Earth and Space Science Education E-News
December 2008

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/edreports/index.html
This monthly broadcast includes upcoming educational programs, events, opportunities and the latest resources from NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

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UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS

  1. Stockman is New E/PO Lead for SMD
  2. K-12 Teachers: Apply to be a NASA Endeavor Fellow (Dec. 5 or Mar. 6)
  3. Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Dec 11)
  4. The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Dec. 21)
  5. Fall AGU Meeting: Earth and Space Science Education Sessions (Dec. 15-19)
    Exploration Station Open House on Dec. 14
  6. Discover the Universe: NASA/NSTA Web Seminar (Dec.16 and Jan. 20)
  7. Join NASA Online Student Community for Grades 9-12 (Applications due Dec. 31)
  8. Climate Discovery Online Courses for Educators (Pre-registration deadline: Jan. 1)
  9. American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, Long Beach (Jan.  4-8)
    AstroZone (open house for local families and teachers - Jan 3)
    K-12 Educator Reception (local K-12 teachers and informal educators – Jan 4)
  10. POLAR PALOOZA – Houston Museum of Natural Science (Jan. 12-13)
  11. 2009-2010 Einstein Fellowships for K-12 Teachers (Applications due Jan. 13)
  12. Upcoming Educator Launch Conferences
    -Orbiting Carbon Observatory (Applications due. Jan. 16)
    -National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) - (Application Deadline: Jan. 23)
  13. NASA Invites Students to Name New Mars Rover (Entries due Jan. 25)
  14. Climate, Oceans and Human Health Science Lecture (Feb. 18)
  15. GLOBE Announces Student Research Campaign on Climate Change

 

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

  1. The Hubble Legacy: Mission Update and New Collegiate Case Study
  2. New NASA Education Web Site: Spacesuits and Spacewalks
  3. Let’s Go to the Moon – New Activity Added to Space Place Web Site
  4. Earth Observatory Feature Article: Correcting Ocean Cooling

 

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SCIENCE NEWS

  1. Spectacular Conjunction
  2. Solar Wind Rips up Martian Atmosphere
  3. NASA-USAID Earth Observation System Expands to Africa
  4. NASA Spacecraft Detects Buried Glaciers on Mars
  5. Discovered: Cosmic Rays from Mysterious Object
  6. NASA and DOE to Collaborate on Dark Energy Research
  7. NASA Successfully Tests First Deep Space Internet
  8. Water Vapor Confirmed as Major Player in Climate Change
  9. NASA Satellites Capture Images of Southern California Wildfires
  10. Hubble Directly Observes a Planet Orbiting Another Star
  11. NASA Restores Historic Lunar Orbiter Image
  12. NASA Selects Astronomy Student Ambassadors
  13. Galileo Visits New Discovery Dome Installation in England
  14. Battle at the Interstellar Boundary

 

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CALENDAR
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS/EVENTS

(1) STOCKMAN IS NEW E/PO LEAD FOR SMD
Beginning the week of November 23, Stephanie Stockman became the new SMD Education Public Outreach lead at NASA HQ.  For the past 16 years, Stephanie has played a leadership role in NASA Earth and space science education at Goddard Space Flight Center.  She has been the education lead for several NASA science missions, including Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), MESSENGER, EOS Aura and Landsat-7.

A planetary geologist and science educator by training, Stephanie has a B.S. in Natural Science/Geology Concentration from Towson University, ABD in Geology (Structure and Tectonics) at University of Maryland, College Park and an M.Ed. in Science Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.

(2) K-12 TEACHERS: APPLY TO BE A NASA ENDEAVOR FELLOW
Applications for the January 2009 cohort are due Dec. 5, 2008 (limited to in-service teachers).
Applications for the September 2009 cohort are due March 6, 2009 (open to in-service, alternative-route and pre-service teachers).

As part of NASA’s commitment to the effective preparation of K-12 science teachers, formal educators are invited to apply to become a NASA Endeavor Fellow. Each Fellow will be fully funded to complete a unique Online Certificate in Applied Science Education with Teachers College, Columbia University. The goal of the project is to ensure that teachers across the country can use the discoveries that NASA makes on a daily basis to inspire the next generation of explorers, engineers and astronauts. 
Applicants from the following states are encouraged to apply for the first Endeavor Fellow cohort that begins in January 2009: Florida, Virginia, Maine and Texas. For more information and to apply, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html.

(3) Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Middle school students and their families

This monthly two-hour program is open to the DC metro area middle school kids and their families. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. The Goddard Visitor Center, the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Astrophysics Science Division support this event.  For more information, visit: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Upcoming Family Science Nights are:

Dec. 11 - Tis the Season (reasons for the seasons)
Jan. 22 - Be a Star (life cycles of stars)
Feb. 19 - TBD (NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter theme)
Mar. 19 - Batteries Not Included
April 16 - Now you see it … Now you don’t (eclipses)
May 21 - Searching for Other Worlds (search for planets outside our solar system)
TBD in June or July - Family Science Night Overnight.

(4) The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The Sunday Experiment is a two-hour open house – the 3rd Sunday of each month from 1-3 pm - for local kids, families and teachers in the Washington, DC, area. During the event, families get to participate in a variety of hands-on activities, demos and explore the Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center.  For more information, visit: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Upcoming events include:

Dec. 21: Tis' The Season
Jan. 18: Planets
Feb. 15: Hubble Servicing Mission-4 (SM4)
Mar. 15: Astrophysics

 

(5) FALL AGU MEETING: EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION SESSIONS
Dec. 15-19, 2008

If you’re planning on attending the annual fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, be sure to check out the many Earth and space science education sessions.  You can see all the educational sessions by going to:
http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/sessions5?meeting=fm08&sec=ED.  AGU offers a reduced conference registration for teachers ($40 for one day; $85 for more than one day).

Also, be sure to check out the Exploration Station on Sunday, Dec. 14. This is a four-hour open house for local families, teachers and kids to learn about the latest NASA Earth and space science. Participants have a chance to meet scientists, do hands-on science activities, and take home science resources.
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/explore.php

(6) DISCOVER THE UNIVERSE: NASA/NSTA WEB SEMINAR
Dec. 16, 2008 and Jan. 20, 2009
Join NASA and NSTA for two free Web seminars featuring NASA scientists and education specialists. The seminars will focus on key science concepts -- Earth’s place in the universe; light, energy, and optics; and models and evidence in science -- as participants investigate how NASA’s space-based missions extend the legacy of observation and discovery that Galileo Galilei initiated when he turned his telescope to the skies in 1609. Presenters will share their science expertise, answer questions from the participants and provide information regarding educational Web sites.
 
Designed for educators of grades 5-12, the 90-minute seminars will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 16, 2008, and 6:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 20, 2009.
 
To learn more about these seminars and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/webseminar.aspx.

(7) JOIN NASA ONLINE STUDENT COMMUNITY FOR GRADES 9-12
Applications Due: Dec. 31, 2008

NASA’s INSPIRE project (Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience) is accepting applications from students in grades 9-12 to join the INSPIRE online community.  Students who are selected will:

--Participate in the INSPIRE Online Community.
--Learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study and careers.
--Compete for unique summer experiences at a NASA facility.

For more information, including requirements and an online application, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/INSPIRE_Project.html.

(8) CLIMATE DISCOVERY ONLINE COURSES FOR EDUCATORS – REGISTRATION OPEN
Pre-registration deadline: Jan. 1, 2009

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) offers a series of six and seven week online courses for middle and high school teachers that combine geoscience content, information about current climate research, easy to implement hands-on activities, and group discussion. There is a $225 fee per course (save $25 if you register by Jan. 1). The courses run concurrently from January 23 through March 15, 2009.

• CD 501 Introduction to Earth's Climate is designed to guide participants through the basics of climate science, integrating content, classroom activities, and community-building discussions to help middle and high school educators understand the answers to common questions about climate.
• CD 502 Earth System Science: A Climate Change Perspective explores Earth as a system from the perspective of climate and global change, describing the interactions between the various parts of the Earth system, including human activities, and how they all affect our climate.
• CD 503 Understanding Climate Change Today presents some of the current and predicted impacts of global warming on our planet and human societies. This course explores how climate models are developed and used to understand likely scenarios of future climate and how current scientific research is improving the quality of climate predictions.

For complete course schedule and registration information, visit
http://ecourses.ncar.ucar.edu

(9) AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (AAS) MEETING, LONG BEACH
Jan.  4-8, 2009, Long Beach, Calif.

The AAS meeting (http://aas.org/meetings/aas213/schedule_splash.php) features numerous NASA science and education presentations, as well as participation at the following sessions for local families and educators (Long Beach, Calif.):

Sunday, Jan. 3: Participate in AstroZone, a four-hour open house for local families, teachers and kids to learn about the cool science currently being done. Participants have a chance to meet scientists, do hands-on astronomy activities, and take home astronomy related resources collected during their visit to continue their excitement beyond the event. http://aas.org/meetings/aas213/event_splinter_astrozone.php

Monday, Jan. 4: K-12 Educator Reception, a 3-hour reception for local K-12 Teachers, and educators from local museums and science centers. Throughout the event, participants are provided the opportunity to interact with astronomers in a social setting, gain background knowledge, and collect resources to take back to their classrooms. http://www.astroed.org/

(10) Polar-Palooza at the Houston Museum of Natural Science Jan. 12-13, 2008 – Houston, TX

POLAR-PALOOZA, the national tour, features high-energy public presentations entitled "Stories from a Changing Planet," tales of adventure and science told by a charismatic "cast" of characters, including ice researchers, geologists, oceanographers, climate scientists, biologists and Arctic residents. The event uses HD video and authentic props such as a 2,000 year old piece of ice core or a caribou parka to bring polar research to life. Each event includes special programs for schools and workshops for K-12 educators and museum volunteers.

The next POLAR PALOOZA event is scheduled for Jan. 12-13, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Tex.  Stay tuned for details at: http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp0408k.php

(11) 2009-2010 EINSTEIN FELLOWSHIPS FOR K-12 TEACHERS
Applications Due: Jan. 13, 2009

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship is a paid fellowship for K-12 math, science, and technology teachers. Einstein Fellows spend a school year in Washington, DC, serving in a federal agency or on Capitol Hill. Placement opportunities with federal agencies vary slightly year to year, but may include NASA, National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

To be considered for an Einstein Fellowship during the 2009-2010 school year, one must apply and submit three letters of recommendation online at https://applicationlink.labworks.org/applicationlink/default.htm.

For more information about the Einstein Fellows program visit www.trianglecoalition.org/ein.htm or contact Liz Burck at burckl@triangle-coalition.org.

(12) UPCOMING EDUCATOR LAUNCH CONFERENCES
These educational programs are geared to K-16 educators and administrators and will provide a general introduction to the specific NASA mission and a variety of K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education workshops and specific science behind the satellites. All K-12 educators will be provided learning opportunities as well as a teacher’s guide, a classroom poster and mission CD for classroom use. For more information and to register, visit http://endeavours.org/sec/.

Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)
Dates TBD – Late January
Application Deadline:  Jan. 16, 2009
Originally scheduled for January 14-15, this conference has been delayed until late January. Check the Web site for updates.

OCO will provide space-based observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and will improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the distribution of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

NOAA-N Prime National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS)
Feb. 3-4, 2009 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Application Deadline: Jan. 23, 2009

NPOESS will provide data about the Earth’s weather, atmosphere, oceans, land and near-space environment. Participating educators are invited to watch the launch and learn about real-world Earth, atmospheric and rocket science, and NPOESS’s satellite instrument technology.

(13) NASA INVITES STUDENTS TO NAME NEW MARS ROVER
Entries Due: Jan. 25, 2009

NASA, in cooperation with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' movie WALL-E from Pixar Animation Studios, will conduct a naming contest for its car-sized Mars Science Laboratory rover that is scheduled for launch in 2009. The contest is open to students 5 to 18 years old who attend a U.S. school and are enrolled in the current academic year. To enter the contest, students will submit essays explaining why their suggested name for the rover should be chosen. In March 2009, the public will have an opportunity to rank nine finalist names via the Internet as additional input for judges to consider during the selection process. NASA will announce the winning rover name in April 2009.
http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov

(14) Climate, Oceans and Human Health SCIENCE LECTURE
Feb.18, 2009, Washington, D.C.

The Geographical Sciences Committee of the National Academy of Sciences announces the third annual Gilbert F. White Lecture in the Geographical Sciences to be held at The Keck Center of the National Academies in Washington, D.C. on February 18, 2009.  The lecture, to be given by Rita Colwell, University of Maryland, is entitled ‘Climate, Oceans, and Human Health:  The Saga of a Cholera-Chaser.’  

The aim of the Gilbert F. White lecture series is to focus on connections between the geographical sciences and society.   Visit http://dels.nas.edu/besr/lecture.shtml for more information.

(15) GLOBE Announces Student Research Campaign on Climate Change

Planning for the GLOBE Student Research Campaign on Climate Change will occur over a 2-year period, beginning in January 2009, and will enlist the support of internationally renowned climate change scientists, science educators and educational outreach experts, as well as businesses, foundations and policy makers.  Student research activities will commence in 2011, with final results of the campaign to be presented at an international student conference in 2013.

The Campaign goals are to: (a) involve over 1,000,000 students in climate change research; (b) enhance environmental and climate literacy for millions of people around the world; (c) empower students, teachers, and community members to take action on climate-related environmental issues; and (d) create a compelling model for 21st century environmental science education based on grade-level appropriate research and learning experiences.

The project is currently developing strategic collaborations to make this campaign a success. For more information, go to: http://globe.gov/r/html/climatechange or email: ClimateChangeCampaign@globe.gov.

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

(16) THE HUBBLE LEGACY: MISSION UPDATE AND NEW COLLEGIATE CASE STUDY
The Hubble Space Telescope is working again after engineers working remotely were able to successfully switch to a backup after a key data-formatting instrument failed. The instrument failure has delayed until at least May 2009 a planned mission to repair and upgrade Hubble in hopes of extending its life for at least five more years.

On the Sight/Insight Web site, students and educators may learn about the repairs and enhancements NASA professionals at the Goddard Space Flight Center have engineered in preparation for the 2009 servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). A new collegiate case study is now available which studies the Hubble legacy and how human ingenuity and a “failure is not an option” attitude have contributed to the improvement and maintenance of the HST.
http://www.usatoday.com/educate/hubble/index1.html.

(17) New NASA Education Web Site: Spacesuits and Spacewalks
With the upcoming space shuttle missions continuing construction on the International Space Station and to provide maintenance to the Hubble Space Telescope, the importance of spacewalks and the reliance on spacesuits are taking center stage. To help educators share these topics with their students, NASA Education has unveiled a new Web site. The site brings a wealth of educational resources together in one place.
http://www.nasa.gov/education/spacesuits.

(18) Let’s Go To The Moon - New Activity Added to Space Place Web Site
NASA’s latest plans to return to the Moon are a lot more ambitious in many ways than was the Apollo Program in the ‘60s and ‘70s. This time, we plan to stay a while. NASA wants to learn how to keep the astronauts alive in a hostile environment for months at a time, so we will someday be able to send humans to Mars—and beyond!  Designing a lunar habitat is part of the challenge. Kids can help to create a lunar outpost by building their own Moon Habitat, or even a whole village of them! This fun activity can involve the whole family: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/exploration/habitat.

(19) EARTH OBSERVATORY FEATURE ARTICLE: CORRECTING OCEAN COOLING
Scientists revise their conclusion that the ocean has cooled since 2003.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/OceanCooling/.

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SCIENCE NEWS

(20) Spectacular Conjunction
Nov. 24 - Venus and Jupiter are converging for a spectacular three-way conjunction with the crescent Moon, a rare gathering some astronomers are calling 'the sky show of the year.'
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/24nov_skyshow.htm?list1110881

(21) SOLAR WIND RIPS UP MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE
Nov. 21 - The solar wind appears to be ripping big chunks of air from the atmosphere of Mars. This could help solve a longstanding mystery about the Red Planet.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21nov_plasmoids.htm?list1110881.

(22) NASA-USAID EARTH OBSERVATION SYSTEM EXPANDS TO AFRICA
Nov. 21 - NASA, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and their partners are in Nairobi, Kenya, have launched SERVIR-Africa, a program that helps scientists, government leaders and local communities address concerns related to natural disasters, disease outbreaks, biodiversity and climate change. SERVIR integrates satellite resources into a Web-based Earth information system, putting previously inaccessible information into action locally.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/eo1_anniv.html

(23) NASA SPACECRAFT DETECTS BURIED GLACIERS ON MARS
Nov. 20 - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed vast Martian glaciers of water ice under protective blankets of rocky debris at much lower latitudes than any ice previously identified on the Red Planet. Scientists analyzed data from the spacecraft's ground penetrating radar and determined buried glaciers extend for dozens of miles from the edges of mountains or cliffs. A layer of rocky debris blanketing the ice may have preserved the underground glaciers as remnants from an ice sheet that covered middle latitudes during a past ice age. This discovery is similar to massive ice glaciers that have been detected under rocky coverings in Antarctica. For more information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mro.

(24) DISCOVERED: COSMIC RAYS FROM MYSTERIOUS OBJECT
Nov. 19 - An international team of researchers has discovered a puzzling surplus of high-energy electrons bombarding Earth from space. The source of these cosmic rays is unknown, but it must be close to the solar system and it could be made of dark matter.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/19nov_cosmicrays.htm?list1110881.

(25) NASA AND DOE TO COLLABORATE ON DARK ENERGY RESEARCH
Nov. 19 - NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the Joint Dark Energy Mission. The mission will feature the first space-based observatory designed specifically to understand the nature of dark energy. Dark energy is a form of energy that pervades and dominates the universe. The mission will measure with high precision the universe's expansion rate and growth structure. Data from the mission could help scientists determine the properties of dark energy, fundamentally advancing physics and astronomy. For more information, visit http://jdem.gsfc.nasa.gov.

(26) NASA SUCCESSFULLY TESTS FIRST DEEP SPACE INTERENT
Nov. 18 - NASA has successfully tested the first deep space communications network modeled on the Internet. Working as part of a NASA-wide team, engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., used software called Disruption-Tolerant Networking, or DTN, to transmit dozens of space images to and from a NASA science spacecraft located about 20 million miles from Earth.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/nov/HQ_08-298_Deep_space_internet.html.

(27) WATER VAPOR CONFIRMED AS MAJOR PLAYER IN CLIMATE CHANGE
Nov. 17 - Water vapor is known to be Earth’s most abundant greenhouse gas, but the extent of its contribution to global warming has been debated. Using recent NASA satellite data, researchers have estimated more precisely than ever the heat-trapping effect of water in the air, validating the role of the gas as a critical component of climate change.  http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/view.php?id=35952

(28) NASA SATELLITES CAPTURE IMAGES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
Nov. 17 - Images from NASA satellites give a wider perspective of the full extent and devastation of the wildfires raging in Southern California. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/usa/cal_fires_2008_1117.html

(29) HUBBLE DIRECTLY OBSERVES A PLANET ORBITING ANOTHER STAR
Nov. 13 - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken the first visible-light snapshot of a planet circling another star. Estimated to be no more than three times Jupiter's mass, the planet, called Fomalhaut b, orbits the bright southern star Fomalhaut, located 25 light-years away in the constellation Piscis Australis, or the "Southern Fish." http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/fomalhaut.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/fomalhaut.html

(30) NASA RESTORES HISTORIC LUNAR ORBITER IMAGE
Nov. 13 - NASA released a newly restored 42-year-old image of Earth on Thursday. The Lunar Orbiter 1 spacecraft took the iconic photograph of Earth rising above the lunar surface in 1966. Using refurbished machinery and modern digital technology, NASA produced the image at a much higher resolution than was possible when it was originally taken. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/moonmars/features/LOIRP

(31) NASA SELECTS ASTRONOMY STUDENT AMBASSADORS
Nov. 4 - Forty-six undergraduate and graduate students have been selected to represent NASA in their local communities as recipients of the agency's International Year of Astronomy (IYA) Student Ambassadors Program. The program is designed to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to participate in IYA activities and generate excitement about NASA's discoveries in astrophysics, planetary science and solar physics within their local communities and beyond. For more information, visit http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov.

(32) GALILEO VISITS NEW DISCOVERY DOME INSTALLATION IN ENGLAND
Galileo kicked of the IYA in England with a demonstration of the new Discovery Dome (mobile planetarium) at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Centre in Northumberland. To see the video go to: http://www.dimaggio.org/discovery_dome/installations.htm

(33) Battle at the Interstellar Boundary
A battle of galactic proportions is taking place at the boundary of the solar system and has been for millions of years. Unlike Voyagers 1 and 2, NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer, or IBEX, won't have to travel for decades before studying this boundary. IBEX launched on Oct. 19, 2008, and orbits Earth at a distance a little closer than the moon. How is IBEX learning anything about an area billions of miles away? Read more on the NASA portal at: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/battle-at-the-interstellar-boundary.html.

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CALENDAR

Dec. 4-6
NSTA Regional Conference, Cincinnati, OH, http://www.nsta.org/conferences/schedule.aspx?id=2008CIN
NASA Symposium on Dec. 5 – Discover the Universe (ticketed event): http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/symposium.aspx

Dec. 5
Deadline to Apply to be NASA Endeavor Fellow – Cohort 1,
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html

Dec. 5
NASA/NSTA Symposium: Discover the Universe, http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/symposium.aspx.

Dec. 11
Family Science Night at GSFC, Tis the Season, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Dec. 14
Exploration Station Open House (AGU), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/explore.php

Dec. 15-19
Fall AGU Meeting: Earth and Space Science Education Sessions, http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/sessions5?meeting=fm08&sec=ED.

Dec. 16
NASA/NSTA Web Seminar: Discover the Universe, http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/webseminar.aspx.

Dec. 16
NASA launches GOES-O, http://goespoes.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/index.html.

Dec. 18-19
GIFT/IPY Workshop (AGU), http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm08/index.php/Jobs/HomePage.

Dec. 21
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Tis’ the Season, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Dec. 31
INSPIRE (Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience) applications due, http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/INSPIRE_Project.html.

Jan. 1
Pre-registration deadline for Climate Online Discovery Courses, http://ecourses.ncar.ucar.edu

Jan. 3
Astrozone (AAS Meeting), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/astrozone.php

Jan. 4
Educator Reception (AAS Meeting), http://www.astroed.org/

Jan. 13
Deadline to apply for 2009-2010 Einstein Fellowship, https://applicationlink.labworks.org/applicationlink/default.htm.

Jan. 16
Applications due for OCO Educator Launch Conference, http://endeavours.org/sec/.

Jan. 18
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Planets, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Jan. 20
NASA/NSTA Web Seminar: Discover the Universe, http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/webseminar.aspx.

Jan. 22
Family Science Night at GSFC, Be a Star, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Jan. 23
Applications due for NOAA-N Educator Launch Conference, http://endeavours.org/sec/

Jan. 25
Entries due to Name Mars Rover Contest, http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov

Feb. 3-4
Educator Launch Conference: NOAA-N, http://endeavours.org/sec/

Feb. 4
NASA launches NOAA-N, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/main/index.html.

Feb. 15
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Hubble Servicing Mission (SM4), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Feb. 16
NASA launches Kepler, http://kepler.nasa.gov.

Feb. 18
Geographical Science Lecture: Climate, Oceans and Human Health, http://dels.nas.edu/besr/lecture.shtml

Feb. 19
Family Science Night at GSFC, TBD (LRO theme), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Mar. 6
Deadline to Apply to be NASA Endeavor Fellow – Cohort 2
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html

Mar. 15
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Astrophysics, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Mar. 19
Family Science Night at GSFC, Batteries Not Included, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

April 6
Thacher Scholar Entries Due – contest for grades 9-12, for student projects using geospatial technologies to study Earth. http://www.strategies.org/education/index.aspx?sub=education&sub2=scholars&sub3=scholars2009.

April 16
Family Science Night at GSFC, Now You See it…Now You Don’t, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

April 19
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

May 17
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

May 21
Family Science Night at GSFC, Searching for Other Worlds, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

 

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

NASA Science Mission Directorate: Larry Cooper, Stephanie Stockman and Ming-Ying Wei.

Editor: Theresa Schwerin, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), theresa_schwerin@strategies.org.
Writer: Catherine Fahey, IGES, catherine_fahey@strategies.org.

Contributions from: Edmund Burke, Space Information Labs; Emilie Drobnes, GSFC; Jan Heiderer, GLOBE; Nancy Leon, JPL; Kirsten Meymaris, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Caetlin Ofiesh, Geographical Sciences Committee; Patricia Reiff, Rice University; Glen Shuster, U.S. Satellite Laboratory Inc.; and Dan Stillman, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.

 

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