February 4, 2004
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
-- THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE
-- NOBEL WINNER SPEAKS ON ATMOSPHERE
-- ERC OFFERS THREE FREE WORKSHOPS (K-12)
-- MEET TUSKEGEE AIRMAN LEE ARCHER
-- BECOME A DLESE K-12 AMBASSADOR (K-12)
-- ARCTIC ICE BREAK: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
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THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE
On Feb. 10, astronomer and Space Grant Associate Director Julie Lutz
will speak at Everett Community College on "The Search for
Extraterrestrial Life." the lecture takes place from 7-8:30 p.m. in the
Jackson Center. Her talk is sponsored by the Harlow Shapley Visiting
Lectureships in Astronomy program of the American Astronomical Society.
Everett Community College is in north Everett, two blocks west of North
Broadway, between 10th and Tower Streets. Parking on campus is by
permit only. Visitors permits are available in the campus security
office in the Parks Student Union building. For more information, go to
http://evcc.ctc.edu/template.cfm?doc_id=1653
NOBEL WINNER SPEAKS ON ATMOSPHERE
Nobel Prize winner Dr. Sherwood Rowland will speak Feb. 12 at the
University of Washington Bothell campus on "Our Changing Atmosphere in
2004." The event takes place at 7 p.m. in UW2-005.
Rowland won the 1995 Nobel Prize for chemistry for his pioneering
research in atmospheric chemistry, explaining the destruction of the
stratospheric ozone layer. He is a professor at the University of
California at Irvine and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
He is appearing is in conjunction with the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Seattle.
Seating is limited. Reservations should be made by Feb. 10. To attend,
send an RSVP to Kai Martin at
kamartin@uwb.edu
For more information on the speaker, go to
http://www.chem.uci.edu/people/faculty/rowland/
ERC OFFERS THREE FREE WORKSHOPS (K-12)
The NASA Regional Educator Resource Center has three free workshops
scheduled at its new home on the third floor of UW Condon Hall.
On Feb. 21, NASA Aerospace Education Specialist Brian Hawkins will
present a half-day workshop based on the NASA CONNECT video, "Having a
Solar Blast," which deals with interactions between the sun and Earth.
This workshop is geared to grades 5-9. On March 20, astronomer and NASA
ERC Director Julie Lutz leads a half-day workshop for K-12 teachers on
"what's cooking" in the solar system over the next year or so.
Discussion topics will include the latest results from Mars Rovers
Spirit and Opportunity, the transit of Venus on June 8, and more.
Brian Hawkins returns April 17 with a half-day workshop for teachers of
grades 4-9 on how meteorologists, weather officers and NASA researchers
use measurement and data analysis to predict severe weather such as
hurricanes and heavy rainfall. The workshop includes math and science
content, as well as hands-on activities. For times, location and
registration, visit
http://www.waspacegrant.org/teaworkshops.html
MEET TUSKEGEE AIRMAN LEE ARCHER
On Feb. 14, the Museum of Flight celebrates Black History Month with a
salute to the heroism and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II,
featuring special guest Lt. Col. Lee A. "Buddy" Archer, USAF (Ret.). As
a pilot with the 302nd Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, the
New York native flew 169 combat missions in the Mediterranean Theater.
Piloting the P-51C Mustang, Archer shot down five German
Messerschmitts, the final three in the course of a single mission on
October 12, 1944. Following that engagement, however, rather than being
awarded the customary title of "ace," Archer had his initial kill
downgraded to a shared victory, leaving his official tally at
four-and-a-half. In 1971, Archer retired from a distinguished Air Force
career (that included service in Korea) and went on to an equally
impressive career as a business and civic leader.
Air Force Academy cadets later researching combat records found no
evidence of any other pilot having earned the half victory that had
been taken from Archer. During an Academy ceremony, the cadets
recognized Archer as the only Tuskegee ace, although his official
record remains, inexplicably, only four-and-a-half victories. Retired
Lt. Col. Archer will speak at a multimedia presentation at 2 p.m. and
afterward answer questions from the audience and sign autographs. For
more information, visit
http://www.museumofflight.org
BECOME A DLESE K-12 AMBASSADOR
The Digital Library for Earth System Education is offering ambassador
training at the upcoming NSTA National Conference in Atlanta, April
1-4. Training will include an overview of all aspects of the digital
library and a discussion of effective promotional strategies to
represent DLESE at their state and local education meetings.
Teachers selected to participate in the NSTA workshop will receive one
night of lodging and dinner in Atlanta. Logistical and financial
support will be available and a $200 honorarium will be given after the
teacher successfully makes two presentations at state or local
professional society meetings.
To apply, please submit a letter of interest, including home and work
contact information, the number of years you have taught, present grade
level(s) and subject(s) that you teach, and examples of your past
leadership activities in education (workshops, presentations, etc), to
Bryan Aivazian at
bryana@trib.com
To visit the library, go to
http://www.dlese.org
ARCTIC ICE BREAK: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
In the summer of 2002, graduate student Derek Mueller made an unwelcome
discovery: the biggest ice shelf in the Arctic was breaking apart. The
bad news didn't stop there. Lying along the northern coast of Ellesmere
Island in northern Canada, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf had dammed an
epishelf lake, a body of freshwater that floats on denser ocean water.
When the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf fractured, the epishelf lake suddenly
drained out of Disraeli Fiord, spilling more than 3 billion cubic
meters of fresh water into the Arctic Ocean.
What does this tell us about the impacts of climate change on life in
the Arctic? To learn more, go to
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/wardhunt/
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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