November 30, 2005
The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium's electronic newsletter for teachers provides curriculum ideas, Internet links and other resources to help you better meet the Washington EALRs and the National Science Education Standards.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-- SPACE GRANT/NASA ERC MOVES 12/8
-- SHADOWS OF VENUS
-- SPOOKY SOUNDS FROM SPACE
-- DARWIN FOR EDUCATORS (K-12)
-- ODYSSEY OF THE MIND (K-12)
-- BECOME A NASA EXPLORER SCHOOL (4-9)
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SPACE GRANT/NASA ERC MOVES 12/8
On December 8, Washington NASA Space Grant offices will move back onto the University of Washington's main campus. The new Space Grant offices and NASA Educator Resource Center will be located on the first floor of Johnson Hall, Room 141.
The mail box, telephone and fax numbers will remain the same. Office hours will also remain the same, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. The NASA ERC will be closed from December 1, 2005 to January 9, 2006.
The offices had been relocated to Condon Hall for two years while the building underwent a $50 million renovation to address health, safety and code requirements. Johnson Hall—located northwest of Drumheller Fountain—was built in 1930. For more information and directions, go to
http://www.waspacegrant.org/
SHADOWS OF VENUS
Astronomers often say that Venus is bright enough to cast shadows. Those shadows are elusive, delicate and—if you appreciate rare things—a thrill to witness. This week, we will get a chance enjoy that thrill. For more on Venus and its shadows, go to
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/28nov_venusshadows.htm?list820645
SPOOKY SOUNDS FROM SPACE
Despite its Halloween bent, NASA's Spacy Sounds video provides information that is timely throughout the year.
The video includes some of the sounds (pulsars, lightning on Saturn, Huygen's descent to Titan, etc.) featured in "Music of the Spheres" in the December issue of Astronomy magazine, which are available online to purchasers and subscribers. To view the NASA video, go to
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/sounds-2005.html
DARWIN FOR EDUCATORS (K-12)
How did Charles Darwin arrive at his theories about evolution and natural selection? This guide, designed to accompany the American Museum of Natural History's exhibition on Darwin and his discoveries, examines the life of the great naturalist, and how his observations during and after the voyage of the Beagle led him to a new understanding of the world around usÑand our place in it.
The site includes an educator's guide and resources plus additional activities for the home or classroom. Visit
http://www.amnh.org/education/resources/exhibitions/darwin/educators/
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND (K-12)
NASA is once again partnering with Odyssey of the Mind to sponsor a long-term earth science problem for their 2005-06 competition. Odyssey of the Mind, founded in 1978, is an international problem-solving program for students from kindergarten through college.
The competitions involve creative exercises in which teamwork, cooperation and ingenuity are applied to complete various tasks. Problems range from the technical to the artistic, and solutions are judged for creativity,
originality and other criteria. Each spring, teams take their solutions to
official competitions at the regional, state, country and world level. for more information, go to
http://odysseyofthemind.com/materials/2006problems.php
BECOME A NASA EXPLORER SCHOOL (4-9)
Applications are now available to become a NASA Explorer School. Each spring, a three-year partnership is established between the agency and 50 new NASA Explorer School teams.
NASA invites the selected teams to work with education specialists from agency centers to spark innovative science, mathematics and technology instruction aimed at students in grades four through nine. NES teams acquire new teaching resources and technology tools using NASA's unique content, experts and other resources. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2006. For an application, visit
http://explorerschools.nasa.gov
FEEDBACK
Ideas, comments and Web sites of interest to other teachers should be sent to Irene Svete, newsletter editor, at
isvete@u.washington.edu
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