NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.
Engineering Design: Forces and Motion — The Great Boomerang Challenge Web Seminar
Audience: 5-8 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Oct. 11, 2012
Celebrate Earth Science Week 2012
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Dates: Oct. 14-20, 2012
Celebrate Solar Week — Fall 2012
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Oct. 15-19, 2012
Center of Mass and Center of Pressure: Engineering a Stable Rocket Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Oct. 16, 2011
Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates During October 2012
Linear Equations: NASA CONNECT — Breaking Barriers Web Seminar
Audience: 6-8 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Oct 17, 2012
Deadline Approaching: Earth Science Week Contests
Audience: All Educators and Students
Deadline for Entries: Oct. 19, 2012
2012 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest
Audience: Grade 3-12 Students
Registration Deadline: Dec. 15, 2012
NASA Releases Interactive Space Communications Mobile Game App
Audience: All Educators and Grade 5-Higher Education Students
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Engineering Design: Forces and Motion — The Great Boomerang Challenge Web Seminar
As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a free 90-minute professional development Web seminar for educators on Oct. 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how forces and motion are used in boomerang design to increase performance. During the session, participants will be introduced to the Boomerang Design Challenge and learn how to incorporate this activity into science classes. The seminar also includes information about two unique extensions. In the first, students access a free computer simulation illustrating the airflow around an airfoil to determine the correct flow equation, and a second extension uses an interactive simulation to determine the airflow around various shapes of airfoils.
For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES3/webseminar6.aspx.
To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.
Email any questions about this opportunity to the NES Help Desk at NA*******************@ma**.gov.
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Celebrate Earth Science Week 2012
Who are NASA’s Earth Explorers and what does it take to become one of them?
Under the theme “Discovering Careers in the Earth Sciences,” this year’s Earth Science Week will focus on this very topic: the story of the Earth Explorers who contribute to our understanding of the planet. As a leader in Earth science research and applications, NASA plays a key role in this annual celebration. The American Geosciences Institute, or AGI, has organized this event since 1998.
During Oct. 14-20, 2012, students of all ages can connect to an incredible group of NASA Earth Explorers — from scientists and engineers, to multimedia producers, educators and writers. Find out about their careers, why and how they study the planet and what their typical day is like. Blog posts, Google+ Hangouts and Twitter chats, as well as a webinar and radio interview in Spanish, are just some of the media activities that will allow explorers to tell their stories. You can directly participate by asking questions during the live events or by sending in questions beforehand.
The current schedule of Earth Science Week events includes:
— Tuesday, Oct. 16, 1-2 p.m. EDT — Twitter Chat with polar scientist Thorsten Markus
— Tuesday, Oct. 16, 1-2 p.m. EDT — Univisión Radio interview with scientists Erika Podest and Miguel Román (in Spanish)
— Wednesday, Oct. 17, 1-2 p.m. EDT — Google+ Hangout with Operation IceBridge scientist Christy Hansen, on location near Antarctica
— Wednesday, Oct. 17, 4-5 p.m. EDT — Webinar with Aquarius engineers (in Spanish)
— Thursday, Oct. 18, noon-1 p.m. EDT — Twitter chat with atmospheric research scientist Erica Alston
— Thursday, Oct. 18, 6-7 p.m. EDT — Reddit Interview with Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Josh Willis
In addition, on Oct. 18, the many contributions of women at NASA to Earth science will be highlighted as part of Female Geoscientist’s Day. Together with the NASA Earth Science Week website, the Women@NASA blog will feature three remarkable Earth Explorers.
Visit the 2012 NASA Earth Science Week website (http://climate.nasa.gov/esw2012) for a collection of articles, event information, blog posts, videos and other educational resources in English and Spanish.
Visit the Women@NASA Blog page: http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/newui/blog/viewpostlist.jsp?blogname=womenatnasa.
Questions and feedback about Earth Science Week should be submitted to http://climate.nasa.gov/feedback/index.cfm?ReferPg=ESW.
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Celebrate Solar Week — Fall 2012
Solar Week provides a weeklong series of Web-based educational classroom activities and games with a focus on the sun-Earth connection geared for upper elementary, middle and high school students. Students learn about solar careers, sunspots and solar storms through a series of activities, games and lessons.
Solar Week is ideal for students studying the solar system, the stars and astronomy in general. Students will also learn about solar scientists and other science career choices. The website is for all students, but it is especially designed to spark the interest of pre- and early-teen girls with activities and online interaction with leading female scientists at the forefront of sun-Earth research.
To learn more and to register to participate, visit http://www.solarweek.org.
Questions about Solar Week may be emailed to so*******@so*******.org.
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Center of Mass and Center of Pressure: Engineering a Stable Rocket Web Seminar
As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Oct. 16, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn how to incorporate rocketry into your teaching repertoire. During this seminar, participants will get an overview of an activity from NASA’s “Rockets Educator Guide” that addresses forces and motion, center of mass and center of pressure. This seminar provides an overview of the activity, explores the NASA connections, shares tips and tricks for implementing this lesson in the classroom, showcases videos of students engaged in the lesson and discusses possible modifications or extensions.
This seminar will be repeated on April 23, 2013.
For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES3/webseminar7.aspx.
To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.
Email any questions about this opportunity to NA*******************@ma**.gov.
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Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
The Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars throughout October 2012. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.
Solar System and the Periodic Table (Grades 3-8)
Oct. 17, 2012, 5 – 6 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Sandy Kaszynski will lead this standards-based webinar that teaches participants basic principles of what the periodic table represents, using the solar system as an exciting basis for understanding. This is an introductory lesson with a concluding game.
Investigating the Climate System (Grades 5-12)
Oct. 24, 2012, 4 – 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist John Weis will introduce participants to the five problem-based learning educator guides in the NASA Investigating the Climate System series. Topics addressed will include wind, precipitation, energy, clouds and extreme weather. This webinar is part of the Department of Education Green Strides webinar series.
Robotics on a Budget (Grades 5-12)
Oct. 30, 2012, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will explore how to use robotics to enhance your students’ understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. Participants will also learn about NASA STEM robotics missions, curriculum and activities that are available.
For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through December 2012, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.
Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Katie Hayden at Ka************@na**.gov.
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Linear Equations: NASA CONNECT — Breaking Barriers Web Seminar
NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Oct. 17, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. During this professional development session, participants will receive information about the applications of linear equations at NASA and learn how to implement the Breaking Barriers activity. Breaking Barriers provides students an opportunity to step into the shoes of a NASA engineer to design, build and test an X-1 balloon.
This seminar will be repeated on Feb. 20, 2013.
For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES3/webseminar8.aspx.
To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.
Email any questions about this opportunity to the NASA Explorer Schools help desk at NA*******************@ma**.gov.
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Deadline Approaching: Earth Science Week Contests for 2012
Take part in the following contests to celebrate Earth Science Week. This year’s celebration takes place Oct. 14-20, 2012.
Earth Science Week 2012 Photography Contest — Open to All Ages
http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/photography/index.html
The American Geosciences Institute is sponsoring a photography contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2012. Photographs should support the topic “Earth Science Is a Big Job” and reflect the important work earth scientists do in their communities. Any resident of the United States or any AGI International Affiliate may enter.. Entries must be submitted electronically. Only one entry will be accepted per person. Entries are due Oct. 19, 2012.
Earth Science Week 2012 Visual Arts Contest — Open to Students in Grades K-5
http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/visualarts/index.html
The American Geosciences Institute is sponsoring a visual arts contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2012. Artwork should focus on the topic “Imagine Me, an Earth Scientist!” The contest is open to students in grades K-5 who are residents of the United States. Participants should submit an original two-dimensional visual arts project that shows themselves as earth scientists. Entries are due Oct. 19, 2012, and must be submitted by mail.
Earth Science Week 2012 Essay Contest — Open to Students in Grades 6-9
http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/essay/index.html
The American Geosciences Institute is sponsoring an essay contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2012. Essays should focus on the theme “Geoscientists Working Together.” The contest is open to students in grades 6-9 who are residents of the United States. Participants should submit an original essay no more than 300 words in length, typed and formatted to fit on one page. Entries must be submitted electronically. The deadline for submitting entries is Oct. 19, 2012.
If you have any questions about these contests, please email the Earth Science Week staff at in**@ea**********.org.
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2012 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest
NASA has opened registration for the 2012 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest. Featuring OPTIMUS PRIME, the leader from the popular TRANSFORMERS brand, the contest highlights spinoffs from NASA technologies that are used on Earth. The goal is to help students understand the benefits of NASA technology to their daily lives.
Each student, or group of students, will submit a three- to five-minute video on a selected NASA spinoff technology listed in NASA’s 2011 “Spinoff” publication. Videos must demonstrate an understanding of the NASA spinoff technology and the associated NASA mission, as well as the commercial application and public benefit associated with the spinoff technology.
Participants must register for the contest by Dec. 15, 2012.
Video entries will be posted on the NASA YouTube channel, and the public will be responsible for the first round of judging. The top five submissions from each of the three grade groups (elementary [3rd-5th], middle [6th-8th] and high school [9th-12th]) will advance for final judging. A NASA panel will select a winning entry from each group. The students submitting the winning entries will be the guests of honor at the OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Contest awards ceremony in May 2013. While there, the winners will receive the OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Contest trophy and have the opportunity to meet NASA VIPs, astronauts and actor Peter Cullen, who voices the character OPTIMUS PRIME.
TRANSFORMERS and OPTIMUS PRIME are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2012 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/releases/2012/12-077.html.
Questions about this contest should be directed to Darryl Mitchell at Da***************@na**.gov.
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NASA Releases Interactive Space Communications Mobile Game App
Just in time for World Space Week, NASA has released a new mobile application that challenges gamers to take on the role of a space communications network manager and puts them in charge of building a communications network to support scientific missions.
The educational application, “Space Communications and Navigation: NetworKing,” was developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., for the iPad and iPhone. NetworKing provides an interactive, 3-D experience with an insider’s perspective into how mission controllers and scientists communicate with spacecraft and satellites using the space, deep space and near Earth networks.
NetworKing allows players to build increasingly large and complex communication networks to support client satellites conducting scientific missions. Players who upgrade their communication networks can acquire more complex clients, such as the International Space Station and NASA’s Hubble and Kepler space telescopes.
By providing insight into the complex world of communications between astronauts, mission controllers, scientists and satellites in real mission scenarios, the game is not only challenging, but also entertaining.
In addition to the mobile application, NetworKing also is available free on the NASA 3-D Resources website. Players can access the game on their web browsers or it can be downloaded and run on PC or Macintosh operating systems.
For links to download the app, download the game or play in a web browser, visit http://go.nasa.gov/OFkcot.
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Education for K12 + Citizens