[ECP] Educational CyberPlayGround K12 Newsletters

NASA opportunities for the education community

NASA opportunities for the education community.

Full descriptions are listed below.


NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program to Host Interactive Student Presentations
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Presentation Dates: Feb. 28 – March 1, 2013
Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Feb. 28 – March 3, 2013
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Next Application Deadline: March 1, 2013
Expeditions 37 and 38 In-flight Education Downlink Opportunities
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: March 1, 2013
Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crewmembers Aboard the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: March 1, 2013
Free Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series
Audience: All Educators and 9-Higher Education Students
Next Lecture Date: March 2, 2013
Historical NASA Space Artifacts Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
Deadline: March 4, 2013
Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Dates: Various Dates During March 2013
Engineering Design: Forces and Motion — The Great Boomerang Challenge Web Seminar
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Mar. 7, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EST
National Air and Space Museum Super Science Saturday Events
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event: March 9, 2013
NASA Request for Information — Educator Professional Development
Audience: Entities With the Academic Expertise Needed to Implement a Range of Requirements Designed to Enhance the Professional Development of STEM Educators
Deadline: March 11, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. EDT
Pre-Proposal Teleconference Slides and Agenda — NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums, and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH13ZHA001N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008)
Audience: Informal Education Institutions
Proposal Due Date: April 9, 2013
Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: May 10, 2013
Institute Dates: July 12-24, 2013
Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html

NASA National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program to Host Interactive Student Presentations
On Feb. 28 – March 2, 2013, the National Council of NASA Space Grant Directors’ Spring Meeting will be held in Crystal City, Va. This meeting will include a NASA Digital Learning Network, or DLN, broadcast of presentations by undergraduate and graduate students who are supported by Space Grant consortia from across the country. Join us online for this exciting, interactive event. Viewers will have the opportunity to email questions to the presenters during the live presentations. The NASA Space Grant Program Office staff will also be in attendance.
The presentations will commence as follows:
Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, 3 – 4:15 p.m. EST: Learn about students’ exciting work on space hardware, a supersonic wind tunnel, ionospheric dust collection and robotic aircraft during this webcast.
Friday, March 1, 2013, 2 – 2:45 p.m. EST: Learn about students’ exciting work on transformative Space Grant projects, bone loss in microgravity and helicopter testing during this webcast.
To access, please visit the NASA DLN website at http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/dln/webcast/webcast.html.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Aleksandra Korobov at

al******************@na**.gov











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Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center

Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Wash., is taking place Feb. 28 – March 3, 2013. The event is four days of hands-on activities, live demonstrations and exhibits presented by scientists who work in some of the most remote and challenging places on Earth. Learn about ice sheets and sea ice, polar bears and penguins, scientific instruments and polar expeditions.
Polar Science Weekend highlights NASA-funded work in the polar regions, and is supported by a grant from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
For more information, visit http://psc.apl.washington.edu/wordpress/education/polar-science-weekend/.
Questions about this event should be directed to

ps*@ap*.edu











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NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) supports NASA’s goal to expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live.
Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that offer scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research in fields of science relevant to NASA.
These opportunities advance NASA’s missions in Earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology. Opportunities are available at NASA Centers and other NASA-approved sites.
As a result, NPP Fellows contribute to national priorities for scientific exploration, confirm NASA’s leadership in fundamental research, and complement the efforts of NASA’s partners in the national science community.
U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply. Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent degree before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements. Applicants who earned the Ph.D. more than five years before the deadline date are categorized as Senior Fellows; all applicants, no matter their category, must apply and become eligible for an NPP award via the same process.
Interested applicants may apply by one of three annual application deadlines: March 1, July 1, and November 1.
For more information and application procedures, go to http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to

na*********@or**.org











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Expeditions 37 and 38 In-flight Education Downlink Opportunities
NASA is seeking formal and informal educational organizations, individually or working together, to host live, in-flight education downlinks during Expeditions 37 and 38 (approximately from September 2013 to March 2014). To maximize these downlink opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the downlinks into well-developed education plans.
The deadline to submit a proposal is March 1, 2013.
During Expeditions 37 and 38, crew members aboard the International Space Station will participate in downlinks. Downlinks last approximately 20 minutes and allow students and educators to interact with astronauts through a question-and-answer session. Downlinks afford education audiences the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to live and work in space. Downlinks are broadcast live on NASA TV and are streamed on the NASA website. Because of the nature of human spaceflight, organizations must demonstrate the flexibility to accommodate changes in downlink dates and times.
Interested organizations should visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/tfs/downlinks to learn more or contact Teaching From Space at

JS*********************@ma**.gov











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Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crewmembers Aboard the International Space Station
NASA is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between Nov. 1, 2013, and May 1, 2014. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due March 1, 2013.
Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. The technology is easier to acquire than ever before. ARISS has a network of mentors to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once in a lifetime opportunity for students.
Interested parties should visit www.nasa.gov/education/tfs/ariss to obtain complete information including how the technology works, what is expected of the host organization and how to submit the proposal form.
Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to

JS***********@ma**.gov











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Free Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series
Curious about our nearest star, moon rocks, volcanoes and other wonders of the universe? Come to the Smithsonian’s Stars, a series of 10 lectures by Smithsonian researchers who are exploring the sun, the moon, planets, stars, galaxies and the universe. These speakers will share behind-the-scenes details about how their research is done and technologies that advance new discoveries at the Smithsonian Institution.
Each lecture begins at 5:15 p.m. and is followed by a question-and-answer session. A Discovery Station activity will take place at 4 p.m. prior to each lecture. Stay after the lecture to visit the observatory, weather permitting.
March 2, 2013 — Robots and Humans Unite
The universe is far older and vaster than anyone imagined a century ago. To help scientists map the structure and evolution of the universe, a special instrument called a Hectospec was needed. A Hectospec uses the precision technology of optical fibers placed by delicate but very fast robots. Senior Physicist Dan Fabricant will discuss how the Hectospec was developed, how it works and how it is used by astronomers for scientific discovery.
For more information about the Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/lectures/stars/index.cfm.
Questions about this lecture series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-1000.
The Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series is made possible by a grant from NASA.
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Historical NASA Space Artifacts Available for Educational Use

NASA is inviting eligible educational institutions, museums and other organizations to screen and request historical space artifacts.
The artifacts represent significant human spaceflight technologies and processes and the accomplishments of NASA’s many programs. NASA and the General Services Administration worked together to ensure broad access to space artifacts and to provide a Web-based electronic artifacts viewing capability. The Web-based artifacts module is located at http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm.
Eligible participants may view the artifacts and request specific items at the website through March 4, 2013. Only schools and museums are eligible to receive artifacts. They must register online using an assigned Department of Education number, or through the state agency for surplus property in their state.
The artifacts are free of charge. Eligible organizations must cover shipping costs and any special handling fees. Shipping fees on smaller items will be relatively inexpensive, while larger items may involve extensive disassembly, preparation, shipping and reassembly costs. NASA will work closely with eligible organizations, on a case-by-case basis, to address any unique special handling costs.
Special items, such as space shuttle thermal protective tiles and packages of three packets of astronaut food, also are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Instructions for requesting artifacts and special items are linked on the website home page.
To date, more than 7,500 artifacts from programs, including the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, space shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope, have been given to eligible museums, schools, universities, libraries and planetariums in all 50 U.S. states.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to

GS**********@gs*.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 March 2013. 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.
Physics Resources for Secondary School (Grades 7-12)
March 4, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EST and 6 – 7 p.m. EST
Join aerospace education specialist John Weis as he demonstrates simple activities and resources for teaching physics at middle and high school levels. Topics and resources covered will include Newton’s Laws of Motion, energy, light and gravity. Lesson plans and modification strategies will be discussed.
How’s the Weather? (Grades 5-8)
March 5, 2013, at 4 – 5:30 p.m. EST
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will guide participants through a storm of classroom activities, and explore NASA’s role in our understanding and forecasting of weather. This webinar will also feature a visit from an Air Force hurricane hunter pilot who will share his experiences and expertise in the study of hurricanes.
Solar Max: Storm Warning (Grades 3-8)
March 11, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
In preparation for the 2013 Sun-Earth Day program “Solar Max: Storm Warning,” aerospace education specialist Rick Varner will share Sun-Earth Day resources and the amazing imagery rendered by the NASA heliophysics mission Solar Dynamics Observatory. Students will be able to use this online resource to track sunspots and solar storms as they develop and migrate across the sun.
Mars and the Scientific Method (Grades 6-12)
March 12, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will lead participants in an investigation conducted by viewing images of Mars and creating general questions that can be refined using the information available. Participants will evaluate the lesson and determine its effectiveness in helping students use a critical thinking, collaborative approach to the first step of the scientific process.
Food and Fitness (Grades 5-8)
March 13, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Angelo Casaburri will discuss the relationship between nutrition and fitness. Participants will be introduced to activities that examine techniques to make life-long healthy meal and activity choices, such as determining the proper serving size, understanding food labels and assessing proper nutritional and exercise choices. This webinar is part of the Department of Education Green Strides webinar series.
Climate Versus Weather: It’s a Matter of Time (Grades 4-8)
March 18, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Tony Leavitt will explore how weather and climate are related and how they differ. Participants will be introduced to NASA websites that will engage and educate students about these important topics.
Physics Resources for Elementary School (Grades 1-6)
March 19, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Join aerospace education specialist John Weis as he demonstrates simple activities and resources for teaching physics at elementary school levels. Topics and resources covered will include Newton’s Laws of Motion, energy, light and gravity. Lesson plans and modification strategies will be discussed.
Radiation Exposure on Earth (Grades 5-8)
March 20, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Julie Muffler will share “Radiation Exposure on Earth,” the first activity of “NASA’s Radiation Challenge Guide” designed for middle school classrooms. Discover how NASA is using radiation studies to help design long-duration spaceflight vehicles and how NASA’s space experiences are helping us here on Earth. This webinar is part of the Department of Education Green Strides webinar series.
Our Earth: A Real World Overview (Grades 5-12)
March 25, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will discuss how we explore Earth using NASA satellites, maps and astronaut observations. Participants will explore how to integrate NASA resources into their existing science, technology, engineering, mathematics and geography curriculum to better understand the processes that shape our planet.
Building Curiosity Using NASA’s Teaching Strategies and Instructional Design (Grades K-12)
March 26, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT and 6 – 7 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Susan Kohler will explore inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning and project-based learning models using NASA unique resources. This session will empower participants to design and implement engaging meaningful lessons based on 21st century needs.
For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through March 2013, visit http://neon.psu.edu/webinars/.
Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Chris Gamrat at

ga****@ps*.edu











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The U.S. Department of Education has Green Strides webinars scheduled throughout 2013. To see a full list of Green Strides webinars, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/webinar.html.
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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 Mar. 7, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. EST. 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.
This is the last time during this school year that this Web seminar will be offered.
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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National Air and Space Museum Super Science Saturday Events
Join the National Air and Space Museum on the second Saturday of each month during 2013 for Super Science Saturday at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Through demonstrations and hands-on activities, visitors of all ages will become immersed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics topics related to aviation and space exploration. Each event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Admission is free, and parking is $15.
Upcoming topics include:
March 9, 2013 — The Space Shuttle
April 13, 2013 — How Things Fly
May 11, 2013 — Astronomy
June 8, 2013 — Energy
July 13, 2013 — Weather
Aug. 10, 2013 — Helicopters
Sept. 14, 2013 — Living and Working in Space
Oct. 12, 2013 — Balloons and Blimps
Nov. 9, 2013 — The Moon and Beyond
Dec. 14, 2013 — The Wright Brothers
For more information, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/superscience/.
Questions about this series of lectures should be directed to

na****************@si.edu











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NASA Request for Information — Educator Professional Development
The following is a Request for Information (RFI) or Sources Sought Notice. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and does NOT constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). It is issued under the authority of FAR 15.201(“Exchanges of information before receipt of proposals”).
NASA’s Langley Research Center is conducting market research in order to identify potential sources that have the academic resources, capabilities, and experience to assist in the implementation of NASA’s “Educator Professional Development” (EPD) Line of Business.
NASA’s education mission is to advance high quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education utilizing NASA’s unique capabilities. NASA’s attention to professional development for educators spans more than 50 years as various related models, projects, and activities at all ten NASA field centers have been implemented to introduce and integrate the agency’s unique educational STEM resources into formal and informal learning environments locally and nationally. The NASA EPD Line of Business has been established to consolidate these diverse components into a focused agency-wide effort to ensure operational efficiency while optimizing strategies, methods, and technologies that promote educators’ use of NASA-related content. NASA’s EPD incorporates four integrated delivery mechanisms: Facility Face-to-Face (F2F) Institute, Partner-Delivered, Online EPD, and Community-Requested EPD. The overall objective of EPD is to utilize the four components in concert with NASA-related content to enhance the professional development of STEM educators.
The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice/Market Research is to identify sources with the academic expertise needed to implement a range of requirements designed to enhance the professional development of STEM educators. Interested parties are asked to submit a written capability statement that demonstrate the following: (1) Experience in designing and developing research based educator professional development with a STEM focus; (2) Accreditation by a certified higher education governing board; (3) Ability to perform robust evaluations related to educator professional development; (4) Ability to scale up and down to meet changing geographic and budget requirements; (5) Ability to conduct face-to-face workshops at various geographical locations simultaneously; (6) Ability to respond to community requested opportunities; (7) Ability to plan, prepare, and produce high quality, synchronous and asynchronous STEM EPD sessions, courses, and learning modules for delivery through an online environment, and (8) Ability and success in utilizing in distance learning tools and social networking structures to effectively enhance educator professional development.
Capability statements must also include: (1) Complete Business Name, including DUNs Number; (2) Contact Information (Respondent’s name and title, address, telephone, facsimile, e-mail); (3) Business Size and Classification (small, small-disadvantaged, SBA Certified 8(a), HUBZone, etc.).  The NAICS code is identified as 611310 (Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools).  Capability statements shall be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF format and must not exceed five (5) pages. Font size shall not be smaller than Times New Roman, 12-type point.
This Sources Sought Notice should not be construed as a commitment by the Government for any purpose, nor does it restrict the Government on determining the ultimate acquisition approach. Questions will not be addressed at this time. The Government will not award a contract on the basis of this notice nor reimburse the cost incurred by potential offerors who respond to this notice. Any information submitted by respondents to this notice is strictly voluntary. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit or award a contract. All capability statements should be sent via email to

Dr**************@na**.gov











no later than 4:30 p.m. EDT, March 11, 2013. Please reference NNL13ZB1002L in any response.
It is the offeror’s responsibility to monitor www.fbo.gov for the release of any follow-on information.
For more information about this opportunity, visit http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=155292.
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Pre-Proposal Teleconference Slides and Agenda — NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums, and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMP+) (Announcement Number: NNH13ZHA001N, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008)

An agenda and 78 Pre-Proposal Teleconference slides were posted on the CP4SMP+ portal page on NSPIRES on Feb. 20, 2013.
Visit: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId=%7B37764C2A-F415-01DF-1B30-F1971BE7F8BE%7D&path=open
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Pre-Service Teacher Institutes at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center has partnered with Oakwood University to offer a two-week Pre-Service Teacher Institute taking place July 12-24, 2013, in Huntsville, Ala. This residential session is for education majors preparing to teach grades K-8.
Participants will engage in hands-on learning experiences designed to develop their skills for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics using NASA-developed curriculum resources. Full-time rising junior or senior undergraduate and graduate students at minority institutions are invited to apply. Housing, meals, travel assistance and a stipend will be provided.
Applications must be postmarked by May 10, 2013.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/education/msfc/psti.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to Marilyn Lewis at

ma*************@na**.gov











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