ASTA News!
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Previous Science Bytes are available online

Welcome to "sySTEMic Connections"!

January 30 v20 -- Yahoo! Sunlight and "warmer?" take time and catch up with the latest!
January 24 v19 -- February is closing in so take a moment, stay warm and read the new issue!
January 18 v18 -- Lots of great ideas and news to keep you warm this January!
January 10 v17 -- warm your toes , rest from the shoveling and read up the latest edition!
January 3 v16 -- it's a new year and a new edition so curl up by the woodstove and take a look!
December 12 v15 -- time to throw another log on the fire and curl up with the latest edition!
December 5 v14 -- just wait and the whether will change again .... meanwhile, stop and read the latest!
November 28 v13 -- serious cold - wow Thanksgiving survival so stop and read the latest!
November 21 v12 -- cool baby .... grab the hot chocolate and and read the latest!
November 14 v11 -- ah winter slow down and read the latest edition!
November 7 v10 -- time to chill ... so stop and read the latest!
November 2 v9 -- settling in for the long white haul .... curl up with a cup of coffee or tea and read the latest!
October 17 v8 -- yikes .... it's white outside! winter's here, perfect time to slow down and read the the latest!
October 10 v7 -- good bye fall enjoyed it while it was here - gray, overcast and cold - perfect chance to retreat and the the latest!
October 3 v6 -- Sooo nice! Enjoy the wonderful fall days and relax with the latest edition!
September 19 v5 -- Enjoy these last few days of a wonderful fall - go sit on your deck and read the latest copy!
September 13 v4 -- Glorius days to stop and enjoy the fall while reading the latest issue -- do it TODAY!
September 6 v3 -- Fall is here and what better way to enjoy it than with a cup of coffee while reading the latest issue!
August 29 v2 -- School is on so get your game on and stay current - read the latest edition!
August 22 v1 -- Summer is fading --- school has started so it's back to reading the latest issue!

Travel Stipends Available to NSTA National Conference in Indianapolis

The NOAA Climate Stewards Education Project (CSEP) is offering a limited number of travel stipends (~ $750-800) for participants to attend the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana (March 29-April 1, 2012).
An application is attached with this email. Applications should be submitted to bruce.moravchik@noaa.gov by Friday, January 13th, 8:00 PM Eastern Time. No applications will be accepted after this time. All applicants will be notified as to whether or not they have been funded by 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Friday, February 3rd.

National Youth Science Camp Accepting Applications

The 2012 National Youth Science Camp competition is now open to Alaskan seniors who will graduate by June 30, 2012. The National Youth Science Camp is a residential science education program that honors and challenges two graduating high school science students from each state and others from selected countries around the world.

Scientists from across the nation present lectures and hands-on science seminars and linger to interact informally with student delegates. Delegates are challenged to explore new areas in the biological and physical sciences, art, and music with resident staff members. Opportunities are provided for delegates to present seminars covering their own areas of interest and research.

The National Youth Science Camp is offered at NO COST to its participants so that selected delegates may attend regardless of their financial status. All educational and recreational programming, as well as meals, lodging, and round-trip air passage on scheduled airlines are provided free of charge to the delegates.

A visit to Washington, D.C., permits delegates to visit some of the nation's premier scientific, governmental, and cultural facilities. The NYSC experience includes overnight excursions into the Monongahela National Forest, featuring backpacking, rock-climbing, caving, mountain biking, and kayaking opportunities. Delegates are required to participate in the camp program for its entirety, as the fast-paced activities and remote location make travel to and from the NYSC very difficult. More information is available online at www.nysc.org

Mail or electronically deliver your complete application directly to your selection coordinator (bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov) so that it is received no later than February 17, 2012. Contact information for your selection coordinator is available online at www.nysc.org

Delegates must be able to attend the entire NYSC program. Delegates arrive in Charleston, West Virginia, on Wednesday, June 27, 2012, and depart on Saturday, July 21, 2012.

Google Science Fair Returns

In January 2012, Google will launch the second annual Google Science Fair. The Google Science Fair is an international competition that encourages students between the ages of 13 to 18 to be curious, ask questions, and perform science experiments to answer those questions. In partnership with CERN, National Geographic, LEGO and Scientific American, Google invites these students to post their science projects online so that they may compete for prizes, scholarships and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Interested students and teachers should visit the website to register to be notified when the competition opens.

Information to Share with Parents - Myths About Science

Myth #1: Science teaching is better left to the science teacher.

A parent is a child's first and most important teacher. Whether you know it or not, your child has been learning from you since the moment he or she was born. Many parents, however, would rather leave science teaching to the teacher. Parents play a very important role and have the ability to significantly increase a child's interest and performance in science. With a little creativity, you can work science into your child's everyday life and find many opportunities for you and your child to explore and learn together.

Myth #2: Science is difficult.

It would be difficult to know all the facts of science. But science isn't just facts. It's a way of seeing the world around us and solving problems. Doing science is for everyone! That's why "being scientific" is a great family activity.

Myth #3: I'm not a scientist and don't know enough about science to help my kids.

You do not have to be a scientist to help your children learn science. The majority of parents in this country are not scientists, but it doesn't mean they can't help their children learn science. Questions like Why is the sky blue? Why does ice float? Or how does a Frisbee soar through the air? are just a few examples of science questions you can explore with your children. The most important starting point is to ask: "Why?"

Myth #4: I have to know the answers to all of my child's questions.

It's okay to say, "I don't know." As a parent, you're probably familiar with the questions "Why?" and "How come?" Children by nature are very inquisitive and interested in the world around them. We wouldn't be telling the truth if we said we could answer all of their questions. But herein lies the opportunity for them to explore, alone or with you, and have fun discovering the answers.

Myth #5: Science is all about facts and not very interesting.

SCIENCE IS FUN! Science teaching today is a lot different than it was years ago. Today's emphasis is on inquiry, which means children are encouraged to explore their own natural curiosities about the world around them. Science museums and centers are sprouting up around the country because they allow children to conduct independent investigations on their own … and children have a lot of fun!

Myth #6: Science requires equipment.

Science is everywhere! The skills of science can be practiced in any environment, including the kitchen or the park. The best way to begin is through conversation. Parents who ask open-ended questions (ones that don't have just one "right" answer) and who listen patiently to their children's responses are modeling the most essential skills for young scientists.

Myth #7: Science skills should wait for reading skills.

To encourage the "whole child," parents and teachers should join together to foster early science experiences along with opportunities for reading. In many ways, preschoolers' developmental skills are more suited to doing science than reading. Learning about science also can motivate kids to read.

Alaska Science Teachers Group
Please consider joining the Alaska Science Teachers group on Facebook. It is a community group for science educators in the state of Alaska to exchange ideas, get support, and share experiences with other science teachers.  The idea is to make it an interactive virtual teachers lounge where science teachers from across the state can share ideas. Please share the group with any educators you think might be interested in joining.

Polar Science Weekend at Pacific Science Center (March 1-4)
The 7th annual Polar Science Weekend (PSW) brings student, teachers and families face-to-face with active scientists who work in some of the most remote and challenging places on Earth, to learn first-hand about Arctic and Antarctic research in a fun and informal setting. PSW consists of many hands-on activities, live demonstrations, and exhibits about current polar research, presented by the researchers themselves. PSW highlights NASA-funded work in the polar regions, and is supported by a grant from NASA E/PO for Earth and Space Science.

Shuttle Asset Disposal Program
NASA is giving away Space Shuttle Protective Tiles and Space Food Kits to qualified schools all across the country. As a result, we're hoping that generations of children will be able to see a piece of space history, no matter where they are in America.
Although the tiles and food kits are free, schools are responsible for shipping costs, which must be prepaid.

Music Video:  We've Got to be That Light – A Gift to America's Teachers
Dr. Jeff Goldstein, Center Director for the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education had the wonderful honor of giving the Keynote Address at the National Science Teachers Association National Conference in San Francisco in March 2011 to a few thousand teachers of science. Much of the Keynote was dedicated to why we teach, and to reaffirm to teachers why we went into this noblest of professions. After the Keynote, teachers approached him by the dozens and talked about losing their passion, their need to consider leaving the teaching profession, and overwhelming levels of stress from testing and the severe economic pressures now on school systems.    
 
As a thank you to the participants, and to all teachers, he wanted to do something to help in some small way. He worked with John Boswell at Symphony of Science to remix the Keynote into a music video as a gift to America's teachers - to let them know how important their job is to our children, our communities, and this great nation.  To listen to the music video, please visit:
http://blogontheuniverse.org/sos

Breathe Life Into Your Science Teaching
Whether you want to teach young students about the inner workings of the eye, explore bioethics or teach lessons about neurobiology, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Science Education offers modules that include detailed lesson plans with objectives, activities and assessment suggestions; texts for students and bibliographies for teachers; videos; and other materials that will help you breathe life into science lessons. Teachers can go deeper in their content knowledge by exploring the historical documents and research gathered in the teacher's guide available with each lesson, while students participate in the lesson's interactive Web activities. The Web site also features a "career finder" resource to help young people match their skills and interests to careers in the health and science fields. The Life Works application includes more than 100 career descriptions and interviews with adults who discuss their own paths to professional success, and a college and career-planning guide helps students understand what types of skills they must master to prepare for higher education and a career in the health and science fields


Online resource offers Alaska-based science curriculum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2011
CONTACT: Amy Hartley, GI information officer, at 907-474-5823 or via e-mail at amy.hartley@gi.alaska.edu

Fairbanks, Alaska— A free science education resource for Alaskan educators created by Alaskan scientists is now available online. Developed by the Geophysical Institute under contract to the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, the Alaska K-12 Science Curricular Initiative (AKSCI) is designed to help teachers bring cutting-edge Alaskan research to K-12 classrooms.

AKSCI features more than 300 physical, earth, and life science lessons based on research being conducted throughout the state. Lessons were created to address every one of the State’s science Grade-Level Expectations, and infuse Alaska Native cultural knowledge and traditional wisdom.

AKSCI offers a three-year curriculum map school districts across the state can adopt to provide cohesive K-12 science instruction. The spiraling curriculum enables students to revisit content areas and to build upon knowledge they have previously gained, handling more complex and sophisticated concepts each time.

Of the new initiative, ADEED Commissioner Michael Hanley wrote, “From beginning to end, the developers labor with passion to deliver a science curricular context that calls students to first-hand examination of the land in which they dwell…The developers sustain unrelenting integrity of process to align this initiative with scientific truth as understood in our era, while inviting students to their own, reasoned conclusions.”

Geophysical Institute Education Director Kathy Berry Bertram, who oversaw the project, explained that AKSCI advocates student inquiry and experimentation. “AKSCI was created for Alaskan students by Alaskan scientists, Alaskan teachers, and Alaskan Elders. It is designed to foster student enthusiasm for studying the science they see occurring around them.”

The AKSCI database is set up as a searchable website (http://www.aksci.org/) so teachers can use the entire curriculum, or just the lessons that meet their individual classroom needs.

In addition to lessons, the AKSCI website offers a variety of multimedia materials to support classroom work, and online access to 29 University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists willing to mentor teachers.

AKSCI is founded on five educational programs previously created by the Geophysical Institute as well as Alaska Sea Grant’s Alaska Seas & Rivers curriculum and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Alaska Wildlife Curriculum.

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS:
Kathy Berry Bertram, Geophysical Institute education director, at 907-474-7798 or via e-mail at kbertram@gi.alaska.eduGlenda Findlay, AKSCI program manager, at 907-474-2722 or via e-mail at glenda.findlay@gi.alaska.edu.
Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@alaska.edu.
ON THE WEB: http://www.aksci.org

Addressing Science Teacher Needs
http://www.bioedonline.org and http://www.k8science.org
Given the pace at which the scientific landscape changes, even practicing scientists can find it difficult to keep up with advances outside their fields of specialization.  Imagine the daily challenge faced by classroom science teachers, who are trying to remain current with a broad range of scientific content and to incorporate the new information into existing curricula. This integration requires a depth and breadth of science knowledge not provided by the professional development available to most elementary, and even some secondary, school teachers.

BioEd Online (established in 2004) and K8 Science (established in 2007) are web sites developed by Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) to address both elementary and secondary science teachers' needs for accurate, timely science information and teaching materials.  
 
BioEd Online was developed as a resource for biologists making a career transition, via alternative certification, to secondary school science teaching.  The site proved useful and was expanded to serve a wider audience, including all life-science teachers, undergraduate faculty, home-schooling families, and the general public.
 
K8 Science was developed to support the needs of teachers in the younger grades, and also offers a wide variety of materials that help teachers deepen their expertise and teach in ways that promote students' use of scientific evidence, engagement in scientific discourse, development of science knowledge, and excitement about science.
 
BioEd Online and K8 Science offer a growing number (over 120) of free downloadable (PDF) lessons and science inquiry modules developed by BCM educators and scientists for use with students.

K-12:  Outstanding Science Trade Books Published in 2010
What makes a book about science an outstanding book? Although it would be hard to create a rubric for every book, experienced teachers recognize them quickly. Outstanding books fascinate and captivate with their content and their style. Award-winning trade books inspire young readers to want more…more information, more books, more inquiry, more science. Survival at 40 Below by Alaskan author Debbie Miller was chosen as one of the outstanding life science books. Check it out!

K-12: Survey Reveals Educators' Must-Have Technologies
What is the most valuable mobile technology, according to teachers?  Laptops. Read more about must-have technologies in a recent eSchool News article that features results from a PBS and Grunwald Associates LLC report. Educators are incorporating more Internet-dependent technologies into their instruction.
 
See if you agree with the rest of the outcomes ... are interactive whiteboards and free digital media on the top of your list, too?  To read the entire article you need to "subscribe" to eSchoolNews, but this is a free subscription, and if this topic interests you, well worth it!
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Do You Want to Save Money on Computer Software?
TechSoup Global is one of the most comprehensive technology resources for non-governmental organization's (NGO)) in the world. Working with corporate donors, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, and Symantec, TechSoup provides nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, libraries, and community-based organizations with the latest professional hardware, software, and services they need. These information and communication technology (ICT) donations are available alongside educational content, such as articles, webinars, and nptech community forums. As of June 2010, TechSoup Global has served more than 127,000 organizations, distributed more than 6.3 million technology donations, and enabled nonprofit recipients to save more than $1.8 billion in IT expenses in 33 countries around the world.

Project Funding for Rural School Classrooms to Study About, Explore, or Clean Up the Planet!
(Public school teachers in rural school districts nationwide are eligible for this funding)

1. What's available? UPS Foundation is offering rural teachers match funding for classroom projects that will have students study about, explore, or clean up the planet. Here are the kinds of projects they love:

-          Materials to study or create community gardens, compost heaps, ecosystems, terrariums, you name it!
-          Tools to test or improve water quality, learn about the rock cycle and geology, or explore alternative energies.
-          Projects to start school based recycling programs, clean-up watersheds, and conserve water or energy.

2. Who qualifies? If you are a full-time public school teacher at a rural school, you're eligible to submit requests for this funding.

3. How do I participate?

-          Log in to your teacher account on DonorsChoose.org (if you don't have one, any public school teacher can sign up at www.donorschoose.org/teacher).
-          Once you're logged in, submit up to three project requests for $400 in materials per request, for resources to help your class study about, explore, or clean up the planet.

Projects must be submitted by March 1st, but we suggest you submit your project sooner for best chance of matched funds this winter.

4. Then what happens? Within a week of project approval, if your project meets the above criteria, you will see a UPS logo on your project page.

Gr 9-12: Nominate an Innovative High School Science Teacher
Calling all U.S. high school science department chairs and administrators: it's time to nominate teachers for the 2011 AAAS Leadership in Science Education Prize for High School Teachers.
 
The $1,000 prize honors a high school science teacher who has advanced science education by developing and implementing an effective strategy, activity, or program.  The winner will also receive a complimentary one-year institutional subscription to Science magazine and will be invited to attend and make a brief presentation at the annual Shanghai International Forum on Science Literacy of Pre-college Students as a guest of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology.
Deadline: May 27, 2011.

NSTA's National Conference for Science Educators-Come Grow With Us!
 Scheduled for March 10-13 in San Francisco, the event offers more than 2000 sessions for K-16 science teachers in every discipline. Compelling and relevant professional development will inspire you and invigorate your career.

Next Generation of Science Standards-Update on the Initial Conceptual Framework
Visit this site to see an update on the status of the project "Conceptual Framework to Guide the Development of Next Generation Standards for K-12 Science Education".
 
Helen Quinn, chair of the Board on Science Education of the National Research Council (NRC), describes the ongoing efforts of the 18-member study committee to revise the draft conceptual framework for new science education standards based on feedback received during the public comment period last July. At that time, more than 2,000 people responded to the online survey, and hundreds more participated in discussion groups across the country, including those conducted by NSTA. The revised draft will go through an external review process before being released some time in the spring.
 
Funded by the Carnegie Corporation, NRC began work early last year to develop a conceptual framework to guide the development of the next generation of science education standards. When the final framework is complete, Achieve, Inc., will begin the science standards writing process based on this framework.

Seeking Teachers to Evaluate the NASA Aquarius Educational Materials

WIN A TRIP TO JPL (the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) in Pasadena, California!

We are seeking teachers at the elementary, middle, and high-school levels to help us evaluate NASA's Aquarius mission...

Educational outreach is an important component of every National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission.  The Aquarius satellite, scheduled for launch in June 2011, is NASA's first mission designed to measure sea surface salinity, water cycle, ocean circulation, and climate.

Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), based in Denver, Colorado, has been contracted to evaluate the Aquarius educational materials, teacher resources, and webinars, being developed by The University of Maine (UM), School of Marine Sciences, Darling Marine Center.  The Aquarius educational materials being developed include basic content information, classroom activities, supplemental data investigation tools, other collateral (such as mission bookmarks), links to related resources, and opportunities to participate in webinars.

McREL is seeking teachers from all school levels who may be interested in participating in this evaluation of the Aquarius program materials. Teachers will participate in a series of webinars that will be offered by Aquarius staff from the University of Maine regarding the mission. Also, teachers will be given curriculum materials (e.g., modules, etc.) to implement and will be asked to provide evaluative feedback to McREL evaluators.

At this time, we are developing a schedule for the three Webinars. Each Webinar should last 1.5 to 2 hours. An initial Webinar in February, with the University of Maine staff providing an overview of the project, the goals of the missions, and a tutorial on the materials that will be used.

 A follow-up Webinar will take place soon after at which time teachers who are using the materials will share their experiences on what they have learned, provide feedback on the materials, and ask questions. A final Webinar in April with NASA scientists involved in the project to work with teachers, and be able to ask teachers for feedback on the materials.

In addition, one teacher will be chosen to attend the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Educators Launch Conference in California in June 2011.

Space is limited for this opportunity.  If you would like additional information about participation, please contact Robyn Alsop, StudyDirector at McREL, by Monday, January 24, 2011.  She can be reached at ralsop@mcrel.org or by calling 303-632-5539.

We thank you for your interest in this important work. Feel free to share this information with your other networks.


Anne L. Tweed, Principal Consultant North Central Comprehensive Center, Director
McREL, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning
4601 DTC Blvd., Suite 500
Denver, CO  80237-2596
P: 303.632.5528
F: 303.337.3005
atweed@mcrel.org
http://www.mcrel.org

WEBINAR: Earthquake Safety & Mitigation for Schools
A one-hour webinar for school officials, teachers, facility managers, and other local  stakeholders interested in learning how to reduce earthquake risks and take actions to  ensure school safety and continued operations. Information is based on FEMA 395:
Incremental Seismic Rehabilitation of School Buildings (K-12): Providing Protection to  People and Buildings, which is available for download

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Numerous school buildings located in multiple States and U.S. territories are vulnerable to  earthquake damage and losses. This includes potential:
· Death and injury of students, teachers, and staff
· Damage to or collapse of buildings
· Damage and loss of furnishings, equipment, and building contents
· Disruption of educational programs and school operations
· And inability of the community to use schools as temporary shelters
 
At this webinar, you will learn the following:
· How to assess and analyze your earthquake risks
· How to develop an actionable plan to reduce and manage earthquake risks
· How to initiate an earthquake risk reduction plan for existing school buildings that were
   not designed and constructed to meet modern building codes
· How to secure "non-structural" elements of the school facility
· How to apply "incremental seismic rehabilitation" to protect buildings and ensure     occupant safety
 
WHEN:
Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 3:00 pm EST
 
WHERE:
Online webinar via FEMA Adobe Connect & Conference Line. Information will be shared upon successful registration.
 
REGISTRATION:
Registration is free. Please send your preferred date to participate, name, organization, address,  phone number and email address by fax at 650-593-2320 or by email at atc@atcouncil.org by Friday, January 7, 2011

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Email: Please add atcouncil.org to your safe list
Audio: Touch-tone telephone
Browser: Internet Explorer 6 or later, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, with JavaScript enabled
Internet: 56K or faster (high-speed recommended)
Audio/Video Streaming: Adobe Flash plug-in version 9 or higher

If you have questions please contact:
Jennifer N Adleman, Emergency Management Specialist II
Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
P.O. Box 5750
Fort Richardson, AK  99505-5750
Office phone: (907) 428-7010
Toll free phone: (800) 478-2337
Email: jennifer.adleman@alaska.gov

JUPITER LITHOGRAPH: LARGEST, FASTEST, STRONGEST
This lithograph provides general public audiences current information about the planet Jupiter. It also provides multiple images of the planet, its moons and a list of past and future mission that have flown by Jupiter.
 
NASA CORE Website
Have you visited this excellent site recently?

 Looking for a Change?  Consider This Job Opportunity at the Exploratorium
The Institute for Inquiry at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, is currently conducting a national search to fill a Senior Science Educator position.  They are seeking a talented and seasoned educator with experience in science education at the K-6 level, working knowledge of inquiry-based approaches to teaching in science, and a solid background in professional development. They value thoughtfulness, creativity and a collaborative spirit. They offer a competitive salary and a full complement of benefits.
Applications will be accepted until November 12, 2010.

NASA TRAPPED MARS ROVER FINDS EVIDENCE OF SUBSURFACE WATER
The ground where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit became stuck last year holds evidence that water, perhaps as snow melt, trickled into the subsurface fairly recently and on a continuing basis.

Thanks to Sam Norlin (UAF's GI) for this timely information regarding filed testing an online climate change multimedia class!
Download this pdf and find out more about the Cryosphere Connection!

Dear Colleague,

The NASA Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project awards 12+ month fellowships each year to over 40 formal educators. Funding authorization for the project is provided through the NASA Endeavor Teacher Fellowship Trust Fund as a tribute to the dedicated crew of the space shuttle Challenger.

In partnership with state departments of education, Endeavor Fellows take five graduate courses in an innovative, online format from the comfort of their home or school. In these courses, participants gain STEM professional development and learn to apply research-based pedagogical strategies and cutting-edge STEM content to their classroom contexts while becoming part of a network of like-minded educators across the Nation.

Endeavor Fellows earn and are awarded a NASA Endeavor Certificate in STEM Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Fellows' Leadership Distinction activities will promote learning outside the classroom walls in the Fellows' state or district.  15 graduate credits are awarded from regionally accredited higher education partners.

Applications for Cohort 3 will be accepted through October 15, 2010.
For more information, visit:   http://www.us-satellite.net/nasa/endeavor/

Glen Schuster, Project Director
NASA Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project
U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc.
32 Elm Pl  Rye, NY 10580
914.921.5920
http://www.us-satellite.net/nasa/endeavor

Observe the Moon Night - September 18, 2010
Did you know? September 18, 2010 will mark the first ever-International Observe the Moon Night! This year's InOMN will be used as our pilot year to inform us on how to make it better and more interactive. We're testing the waters and would love to hear from you about how we're doing. The InOMN website is ever evolving, so please be sure to check back often.

National Fossil Day
The National Park Service and the American Geological Institute are partnering to host the first National Fossil Day on October 13, 2010, during Earth Science Week. National Fossil Day is a celebration organized to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value. On October 13, paleontologists and park rangers will share fossil discoveries at special events nationwide and explain the importance of preserving fossils where they are found, so that everyone can share a sense of discovery! For a list of upcoming events or to learn more about National Fossil Day, visit the National Park Service website.

Global Science Project (GO3 Project)
We are trying to identifying schools and teachers who would like to participate in our exciting new project for high school students, the Global Ozone Project or "GO3 Project".  In the GO3 Project , students around the world measure ozone and meteorological parameters outside their school and upload their data to an overlay in Google Earth to share with other students, teachers and scientists around the world.  We have 18 schools participating at the present time, including 4 international sister schools in Madrid, Moscow, Sydney and Cairo.  GO3 students are learning about environmental science while helping create the world's first ground-level ozone database.  We expect to have funding for 50 more schools starting this fall.  Funding is provided through the GO3 Foundation , a 501(c)(3) non profit foundation.  To learn more about the project, please see our website  and 2-minute video .  We have developed a free curriculum that teachers can download as Power Point presentations, and we are working on free online interactive ("moodle") courses on all of atmospheric science.

I am hoping that you can put me in touch with a few teachers in  Alaska who might be interested in participating.  Having a few schools signed up in every state will help us with fund raising for those schools.  We are seeking donations from corporations, private foundations and government agencies.  Each participating school will receive a free instrument package valued at $5,000.

Feel free to make the signup opportunity available to all schools in  Alaska if you feel that is appropriate.

Thank you for your help.

Dr. John Birks
Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado, Boulder
Director, Global Ozone (GO3) Project
Chair, GO3 Foundation

Phone:  +1(303)273-0559
Email:  johnb@twobtech.com
GO3 Project:  http://www.go3project.com/
GO3 Foundation:  http://www.go3foundation.com

See the GO3 Project video:  http://www.go3project.com/network/JohnBirks/videos/14

New Survey Finds Parents Need Help Encouraging Their Kids in Science
A new survey announced recently by NSTA and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. found that the vast majority (94%) of science teachers wish their students' parents had more opportunities to engage in science with their children. However, more than half (53%) of parents of school-aged children admit that they could use more help to support their child's interest in science. The survey was conducted among a sample of 500 science teachers and 506 parents, including 406 parents of school-aged children.
Read more about the findings of the survey at: http://www.nsta.org/about/pressroom.aspx?id=57403

Boehringer Ingelheim launched a new YouTube channel called FamilyScienceQuest. Families nationwide can take advantage of the information presented on this dedicated YouTube channel, featuring simple, fun science experiments that parents can conduct at home with their children—such as making colors explode in a puddle of milk, creating sidewalk chalk, and making a cloud. To access the video tutorials, visit this YouTube page at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FamilyScienceQuest

From NSTA: Freebies ForThe Busy Science Teacher
http://www.nsta.org/publications/freebies.aspx
NSTA keeps a running list of hundreds of free resources, such as videos, publications, CD-ROMs, lab kits, and other opportunities for teachers. If you need some free materials or curriculum resources, and would like a list of helpful web sites (in addition to the Science Matters eBlasts, of course), then access this link anytime online! If you are an NSTA member, you would be able to use the handy pull-out center section of your copy of the NSTA Reports, which is sent to members 9 times throughout the year.

Free Science Poster
There is a free poster available from the State of Michigan on “Why Do I Need This Science Class?” It then goes into the strong science skills that are required for a job. IFor a copy visit: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Science_Poster_317875_7.pdf

NASA Wants to Fly Your Face in Space
http://faceinspace.nasa.gov
NASA wants to put a picture of you on one of the two remaining space shuttle missions and launch it into orbit.
After registering at the Face in Space Web site, you’ll be able to upload an image that will be put on a disc and flown aboard a shuttle on a future mission. You’ll receive a confirmation number and information about which flight your “face” will be on. Then, after the launch, participants will be able to print a commemorative certificate signed by the mission commander. You can also check on mission status, view mission photographs, link to various NASA educational resources, and follow the commander and crew on Twitter or Facebook.

Join educators and space enthusiasts around the world to celebrate World Space Week, Oct. 4-10, 2010. This international event commemorates the beginning of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on Oct. 4, 1957.
 
World Space Week is the largest public space event in the world, with celebrations in more than 50 nations. Last year, President Obama joined the celebration by hosting a Star Party at the White House.
 
To find NASA educational resources that can be used during World Space Week, visit: http://search.nasa.gov/search/edFilterSearch.jsp?empty=true.
 
To learn more about World Space Week and search for events in your area visit: http://www.worldspaceweek.org/index.html.

U.S. Science & Engineering Festival

The inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival will be the country's first national science festival and will descend on the Washington, D.C., area in the fall of 2010. The Festival promises to be the ultimate multi-cultural, multigenerational and multidisciplinary celebration of science in the United States. The culmination of the Festival will be a two-day Expo in the nation's capital that will give over 500 science and engineering organizations from all over the United States the opportunity to present themselves with a hands-on, fun science activity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship

Conservation International's Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship creates opportunities for leaders and scholars from indigenous and traditional peoples' communities and organizations to explore solutions to the impacts of climate change and the threats to ecosystems and biodiversity that are affecting their lands, communities and livelihoods.  Year-long fellowship will be offered to four candidates, with two in Biodiversity, and two in Climate Change.  The deadline for application is June 11, 2010.
http://www.conservation.org/discover/centers_programs/itpp/Pages/indigenous_fellowship.aspx

Wildlife Society Conference Native Student Grant

The Wildlife Society offers a native student grant program for students to attend the national Wildlife Society Conference, October 2-6, 2010 in Snowbird, Utah.  Any Tribal, Native (Alaska, Hawaii, US Territories), or First Nations students enrolled in a wildlife/natural resources program at an accredited college or university is eligible.  The deadline for application is August 6, 2010.
Contact Heather Stricker at hstricker.wildlife@gmail.com

Where Words Touch the Earth

In this new digital media collection for grades 3-12, students from American Indian Tribal Colleges interview Elders, students, and community members to provide a Native American perspective on climate change and its effects on their communities. Downloadable videos touch on key environmental science issues and indigenous knowledge of the depleted salmon population in Washington State, the ecological function and spiritual role of wetlands, and the relationship between humans and nature.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/special/nasawords/

The Alaska Science Consortium will be offering an Advanced Institute in Anchorage this summer!

The topic for this institute is Astronomy and will include guest lecturers and field trips (including a trip to a planetarium and the newly renovated Anchorage Museum where the Imaginarium will be located). The class will be held August 2- 6 from 9am-3pm unless a field trip requires a time adjustment. We have reserved a comfortable meeting room at the BP Energy Center for our daily use. There is a class limit of 16.

The fee is $400 and $200 (non-refundable) of that fee will be due by July 1st. The remaining fees will be due on the first day of class.

Credit will be available through the University of Alaska Southeast and it will be $90 for two credits. Taking the class for credit is optional.
 
Send your registration forms to Cheryl Cooper at: cheryl@wildak.net
For more information about the Alaska Science Consortium visit the web site at akscience.org

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) Program was established in 1983 by The White House and is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program identifies outstanding mathematics and science teachers, kindergarten through 12th grade, in each state and the four U.S. jurisdictions. These teachers will serve as models for their colleagues and will be leaders in the improvement of science and mathematics education. The award alternates each year between teachers of grades K-6 and teachers of grades 7-12. Teachers of grades K - 6 are eligible for the Presidential Awards in 2010.

Each Presidential Awardee will receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. Each Awardee will also be invited to attend, along with a guest, recognition events in Washington, D.C. during one week in the spring of 2011. These events will include an award ceremony, a Presidential Citation, meetings with leaders in government and education, sessions to share ideas and teaching experiences, and receptions and banquets to honor recipients.

This is an incredible opportunity to honor your outstanding secondary teachers who teach math or science. To nominate a teacher, go to http://www.paemst.org and click on Nominations.  It is quick and easy. We hope you will nominate one or more secondary teachers, and then encourage them to complete and submit the application that they will download from the same web site.

The 2010 nomination form must be filled out on line at http://www.paemst.org/and clicking on the Nomination form link.  If you have problems with the electronic nomination form, it can also be downloaded and sent or emailed to:

Math:                                                                   Science:
Sandy Schoff                                                      David Gillam
16235 Bridgeview Drive                               6701 Foothill Drive
Anchorage, AK 99516                                    Anchorage, AK 99504
Fax: 907-345-5855                                         Fax: 907-338-0667
Schoff_Sandy@asdk12.org                           gillam_david@asdk12.org

We will make sure the y get entered electronically.  If you have any questions, please contact either Sandy Schoff or David Gillam.

Science Buddies has a set of documents worth reading - download as a zipped archive the following documents are included:
Scientific Method Poster - A Strong Hypothesis - Putting Things in Perspective: Honest Science

Emma Walton Distinguished Teaching Award

For the 2010 award, the nomination packet should be received no later than June 1, 2010.  The winner of the Distinguished Teaching Award will be notified by August 1, 2010.
The award is designed to recognize Alaska educators who have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of science education in the sciences and science teaching.  Each award consists of up to $500 to travel to the biannual Alaska Math/Science Conference, where a formal citation and a suitable token of appreciation for the outstanding service rendered by the recipient will be given.

Send the nomination packet to:
Judith J Onslow
Alaska Science Teachers Association, President
ATTN:  ASTA Distinguished Service Award
P O Box 744
Girdwood, AK 99587

News From Togiak!

Togiak middle school students have been working with middle school science teacher Andrew Smith to conduct a Coho (silver) Salmon Egg Incubation inside their classroom. Togiak received coho (silver) salmon eggs  in early December and have been caring for them ever since their arrival.  All of the middle school students have helped with the Salmon Incubation Project. The students daily responsibilities are: tank cleaning, water exchange, fish feeding, temperature regulation, temperature recording, observation, equipment checks and survival monitoring. In the picture are 7th grade students from left: Evrocenia, Chad, Theresa, Brenton, Brett, Rosalie, and Corina. The average survival rate of salmon eggs is less than 1%. The science class started with 500 eggs and have over 50 small salmon alive at this point, so they are very pleased with their results thus far. 

Hitch a Ride on the Glory Satellite

Do you want to hitch a ride on NASA's next climate monitoring satellite? Join the Glory mission, which will launch no earlier than Oct. 1, 2010, by surfing over to the Send Your Name Around the Earth Web page. Names will be recorded on a microchip built into the satellite, and you will get a printable certificate from NASA acknowledging your participation. There are already 226,323 names on the chip, but there's still plenty of room. You may not submit your name more than once.

To add your name to the microchip, visit http://polls.nasa.gov/utilities/sendtospace/jsp/sendName.jsp

Glory carries two scientific sensors dedicated to understanding the effects of aerosols and the sun's variability on Earth's climate. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor will collect information about tiny liquid and solid particles suspended in the atmosphere that absorb or reflect sunlight. The Total Irradiance Monitor will measure the intensity of incoming sunlight that can vary over time.

To learn more about the Glory mission, visit http://glory.gsfc.nasa.gov

PhotoZone

Helps young photographers learn to take and share photos of wildlife and wild places.  
There are photo tips, tricks, contests, and more.

ChemMatters Debuts on YouTube news

The American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning high school chemistry magazine ChemMatters is making its YouTube debut with its first video podcast. The podcast highlights the promises of nanotechnology, the science and technology of building very small machines that are as small as 1/50,000th the width of a human hair. It is available at http://www.bytesizescience.com  and on the Bytesize Science podcast on iTunes.

Produced by the team behind ACS's award-winning Bytesize Science video podcast, the ChemMatters video serves as an entertaining and educational introduction to the fascinating world of nanotechnology. The episode explains how incredibly small materials could lead to tiny devices that bring medicine exactly where it needs to go in your body, powerful computers the size of a grain of sand and new sources of energy.

ChemMatters has been demystifying the chemistry in our everyday lives for over 25 years. Released quarterly, each issue contains readable articles about the chemistry used in everyday life, and is of interest to high school students and their teachers. New episodes of the ChemMatters video podcast will be available in early 2010.

What Is Science Matters?

Science Matters is an initiative by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) to bring content, news, and information that supports quality science education to parents and teachers nationwide.
 
Science Matters builds on the success of the Building a Presence for Science program, first launched in 1997 as an e-networking initiative to assist teachers of science with professional development opportunities. Building a Presence for Science—now Science Matters—reaches readers in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
 
Why does Science Matter? Science is critical to understanding the world around us. Most Americans feel that they received a good education and that their children will as well. Unfortunately, not many are aware that international tests show that American students are simply not performing well in science when compared to students in other countries. Many students (and their parents!) believe that science is irrelevant to their lives.
 
Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy, and this innovation depends on a solid knowledge base in science, math, and engineering. All jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of math and science. The most recent ten year employment projections by the U.S. Labor Department show that of the 20 fastest growing occupations projected for 2014, 15 of them require significant mathematics or science preparation to successfully compete for a job
 
This is why Science Matters. Quality learning experiences in the sciences—starting at an early age—are critical to science literacy and our future workforce. Feel free to publish this information in school newsletters and bulletins, and share it with other parents, teachers, and administrators.

Freebies for Science Teachers

Tucked away in the NSTA website, under the Publications tab, you’ll find the Freebies for Science Teachers, a continually refreshed repository of free resources for you and your classroom. The "Freebies" have long been a popular part of the Grab Bag pull-out section of NSTA Reports.

Where the Wild Things Are

National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with the film Where The Wild Things Are to bring you some fun activities. Try them out and discover the Wild Things in your own world!  Playing outside makes healthy, happy kids.

You will find an Educator’s Guide, plus all the details on how to plan a fun Wild Rumpus Day, by visiting:
http://www.nwf.org/beoutthere/docs/BeOutThere_KidsGuide.pdf

Learn Science From Frankenstein

The Atoms Family is a Science Learning Network online resource based on The Atoms Family exhibit at the Miami Science Museum. This resource contains educational activities, presented by famous gothic horror characters, related to different forms of energy. In The Mummy’s Tomb, students learn about energy conservation and kinetic and potential energy. In the Phantom’s Portrait Parlor, they investigate the principles of atoms and matter. In Frankenstein’s Lightning Laboratory, they study different forms of electricity and electrical safety. Dracula’s Library introduces the properties of light, waves and particles, and The Wolf Man’s Graveyard presents the concepts of fuel conservation and energy transfer.  

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory provides a rendering of science inquiry and the continuum it represents.

PUMAS

Practical Uses of Math and Science (PUMAS) offers more than 60 one-page
examples of how science and math can be used in interesting settings and everyday life. Topics include clouds (why they float), Social Security benefits (algebra), Pythagorean theorem (cabinet corners), ice sheets and sea level (logarithms), matching birthdays (statistics), traffic signals (probability), seasons (causes), volcanic clouds, wind chill (algebra) and more. The examples, written primarily by scientists, engineers and other content experts, are aimed mainly at K–12 classroom teachers.

Whelmers

Whelmers are 20 hands-on science activities intended to capture students’ imagination and spark curiosity. The activities have been aligned with the National Science Education Standards by the staff of McREL. Among the activities are Iron in Cereal, Nickel Karate, Inch of Skin, Fire Sandwich, Pretzel Predictions and Liquid Rainbow.

A Movie about DIRT
A new film is out and it is a topic that we all share concern about.  DIRT! the Movie brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impacts of soil. It provides a greater understanding of soil and the responsibility rests on all of us to take care of it.  Check out the trailer and sign up to find out how to see DIRT!  

Gr 5-8: Learn Space Science Through Social Media
The Adler Planetarium’s Teencasts are a cool way for teens to become educated about the universe. On this site, students will find interesting facts about science.

Gr 6-12: Body Learning Experience
Created by the Discovery Channel as part of the "Human Body: Pushing the Limits" video, "The Human Body Learning Experience" is an interactive web site exploring vision, memory, strength and sensation. Each of these four sections has games and videos to help you learn about the nervous system.

K-12:  Have a "No Child Left Inside" Day A Guide for Organizing Your Outdoor Earth Science Event
The No Child Left Inside Day is celebrated on the Tuesday of each Earth Science Week. Young people everywhere enjoy experiences that make learning fresh and exciting. Your students will, too. This guide contains all the information you need to begin planning your own NCLI Day. With the help of your colleagues, you can create an event that gets young people excited, shows the community what great things are happening at your school, and genuinely promotes high-quality, hands-on Earth science learning!

Pre K-2:  The Early Years Blog
With information on Discovery Bottles, a variety of recommended trade books to read with young children, so called “citizen science” projects, and suggestions for fall gardening, this site should be in your list of bookmarks, or added to your Google web site.  The blog is written by Peggy Ashbrook, who is a preschool science teacher, and the editor of The Early Years column, published regularly in the NSTA journal Science and Children.  Check out the web site for some great ideas for your classroom!

COSMIC TIMES: POSTERS, LESSONS AND TEACHER GUIDES FOR GRADES 7-12
Over the past century, our view of the universe has changed from static to expanding to accelerating.  Modern-day cosmologists have identified turning points in this science story to be the confirmation of Einstein’s theory of gravity, Hubble’s evidence for an expanding universe, the detection of the microwave background, and finally the discovery of dark energy. NASA’s Cosmic Times traces these advancements to teach the nature of science using literature.
 
Cosmic Times is a suite of curriculum support materials and classroom activities for grades 7-12.  Cosmic Times includes six posters, each resembling the front page of a newspaper from a particular time over the past century with articles describing the discoveries. Each poster is accompanied by inquiry-based lessons, which teach the science concepts behind the discoveries, the process of science, and skills for science literacy. In addition, lessons include cross-curricular activities which explore the times and social circumstances of the discoveries.
 
The Cosmic Times posters, lessons and teacher guide are available for electronic download from the Cosmic Times website. In addition, printed copies of the Cosmic Times posters are also now available by request from the web site.

WGBH NOVA Web-Only Series: "The Secret Life of Scientists"
NOVA recently launched a new online resource we think will be useful for
high school science teachers looking to encourage student interest in STEM  careers. "The Secret Life of Scientists," is a web-only series of videos that introduce the research of individual scientists while providing a glimpse at "secrets" from their personal lives. A new scientist is now being profiled every two weeks online.  Each new profile includes short video clips that make science and scientists accessible to students, as well as a forum that allows students to ask questions directly of profiled scientists.

Curious George Helps Bring Earth Science to Kids
Leverage Curious George's appeal to bring earth science learning to young kids. PBS has created easy-to-use resources for educators that are free and online. The resources outline how to set up and run hands-on “Curiosity Centers” where children can make their own discoveries about sand, water, soil, wind, and recycling. How-to includes simple materials lists, learning goals, leader notes, and tips for success. Over 80 three-minute video clips showing kids exploring science are also available.

Increase Understanding of Environmental Issues
The Captain Planet Foundation is accepting applications for projects promoting understanding of environmental issues. The foundation funds as many projects as its annual resources allow. Generally, the range of grants awarded by the foundation is $250 to $2,500. Deadlines: Grant proposals are reviewed over a period of three months from the date of the application submission deadline: September 30, 2009, December 31, 2009, March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010.

K-12 Seminars on Science
These are in full swing for the upcoming academic year with eleven courses on the roster.  We have a new environmental science course with a focus on water and water resource management and hope to add yet another course by 2011.
 
These online graduate courses offered through the American Museum of Natural History in New York City are a great way for teachers to fulfill professional (and personal) development needs.  
 
Everything you might want to know about Seminars on Science (including free resources, syllabi and info on how to register for graduate credit) can be found at our website.

The courses are fully online and can be taken for up to 4 graduate credits each.  Courses are six weeks long and are co-taught by an experienced classroom teacher and a research scientist. Courses include: Evolution; Earth: Inside and Out; The Ocean System; The Solar System, Genetics, Genomics, Genethics; The Link Between Dinosaurs and Birds, Space, Time and Motion, and others - including our newest course, Water: Environmental Science.
 
Registration for the Fall session closes October 5th, so sign up now! For more information contact: Katie Rasmussen

K-12 Explore Ice Worlds!
Discover our most precious resource — water — in its frozen form through our new Explore! Ice Worlds! hands-on activities. The three themes investigate All About Ice, Ice in the Solar System, and — just in time for Earth Science Week (Oct. 11-17) — Ice on Earth.

K-12 Polar Origami
Fold an iceberg, a penguin, a narwhal, an arctic tern, a polar bear or a wandering albatross!

K-12: PBS Teachers
This popular Web destination has been redesigned, making it easier and quicker for educators to find appropriate resources. It offers a searchable data base of more than 9,000 free local and national standards-based teaching activities, lesson plans, on-demand video resources and more.

K-12: Free videos from the NIH
Women are Scientists is a series of FREE videos from the National Institutes of Health that showcase successful female scientists in their respective specialties. The videos are designed to motivate students to take more challenging advanced science courses and to enable them to successfully direct their own career paths.

K-12 NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® and the On the Moon Educator Guide

This is an online workshop for educators and after school leaders to build their skills and confidence in guiding kids through engineering activities like those found in the On the Moon Educator Guide.
 
Completing this self-guided online workshop will allow educators to gain insight and strategies for strengthening critical-thinking skills and exciting their students about using the design process to arrive at solutions.
  
-- Experience the design process in action. Learn and reflect on ways to use the design process to tap into students’ problem-solving skills and creativity.
  
-- Watch an engineering activity. See how easy it is to integrate the design process into hands-on activities in the classroom.
  
-- Get resources. Discover a variety of engineering activities from NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® for students in grades K-12.

The K–2 and the 3–5 Teachers' Lounges

These web sites both provide excellent resources to integrate the nature and process of science into your teaching, and gain insights into helping students see how science really works. See also links to resources for 6-8 and 9-12.

K-4 Free Space Thrills Poster
The Space Thrills poster uses the excitement of a roller coaster traveling through the solar system to capture students' imaginations. The back of the poster includes five activities, teaching tips, fun facts and short narratives in which the sun and each planet introduce themselves.   
 
K-12:  Opportunities for Citizen Science
Citizen science is a term generally used for science projects or ongoing programs in which volunteers (who may or may not have any specific scientific training) perform or manage research-related tasks such as observation, measurement or computation.

The data collected by citizen-science networks often allow scientists to accomplish research objectives more feasibly than would otherwise be possible. Citizen Science projects also promote public engagement with science and with research. Some programs provide materials specifically for use by primary or secondary school students.

NASA's Kids Science News Network Newsbreaks for K–2
NASA's Kids Science News Network program has produced 20 newsbreaks—60-second animations, activities, and resource links that present "science news you can use." Available in English and Spanish, the newsbreaks explore topics that naturally pique children's curiosity, from what causes day and night to why shadows grow and shrink. Teachers can incorporate newsbreaks into instruction by using them to introduce a concept or as a warm-up, or they can request copies of the scripts and have students perform the newsbreaks themselves.

Power Up and Learn Science
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), education game maker Tabula Digita and the Monsanto Education Fund have partnered to develop a free interactive science game for grades 3–5 called the League of Scientists. This interactive resource allows students to compete against one another in a series of multiplayer games, constructed around a standards-based science curriculum. The League of Scientists currently includes four interactive games: Lab Rat Race, Beaker Blast, Butterfly Boss and Circuit Center, with additional games planned. The science content was provided by ISTE and can be selected based on a teacher’s desire to introduce or practice life science, earth and space science or physical science concepts
 
K-12: Tried and True Hands on Activities
Do you need some ideas for that first day of class? How about ideas for hands-on activities? If so, the Exploratorium's hands-on activities page is for you. Note that at the bottom of the second column are "Activity Collections" that contain hundreds of hands-on activities. Check out these tried and true activities to bring excitement and enthusiasm to your classroom.

Test Your Infrared Memory
No human can see infrared light. But the question is, can you think in infrared? Give your visual memory a workout with a few rounds of the Spitzer Infrared Concentration game at The Space Place. Click on tiles in a grid to find matches of striking and colorful infrared images of galaxies, nebulae, and renderings of other solar systems. Start with a 3x3 grid and work your way up to a 9x6 grid—if you can! All the images have short captions so you can better marvel at what you are seeing.
 
K-12: Night Shift!
The web site "Amazing Space" lives up to its billing, offering a variety of resources for students and teachers that make the cosmos come to life in the classroom. The evolution of the stars, gravity, the electro-magnetic spectrum and the mathematics underpinning astronomy are just a few of the topics presented. There is also a special "Teaching Tools" section for educators, filled with classroom activities, graphic organizers and more.

Gr.9-12: Scitable  
This is a free online science resource for undergraduate and high school teachers and students. The Web site contains a library offering instructional overviews of key genetic concepts compiled by the editorial staff of Nature Publishing group. Scitable also features an online community that allows students and teachers around the globe to collaborate on projects.

Gr 9-12 Biology: A great online resource: The Biology Corner
The Biology Corner is a resource site for biology and science teachers. It contains a variety of lessons, quizzes, labs, web quests, and information on science topics. You can find lessons related to biology topics such as Ecology, Genetics, Anatomy, Cells, Scientific Method, and Evolution.
 
New Websites for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Observe Animals in the Wild--The Secret Lives of Wild Animals looks at new technologies being used to observe animals in their natural environments. See video clips and stories about tracking white-tailed deer, ocelots, agoutis, dragonflies, zebras and seals.

Experience the Workings of Robotics
Visitors to San Francisco’s Tech Museum of Innovation website can experience the online exhibit Robotics: Sensing, Thinking, and Acting.  The Universal Robots section presents the history and workings of robotics. The Robot Art section includes the work of four Bay Area artists. Machines and Man addresses robotics and ethics in the 21st century. And At Your Command lets visitors control their own remotely operated robot. The free classroom materials are designed to increase students’ understanding about what makes a robot a robot, how robots sense, think and act as well as the uses and limitations of working robots. The educational materials were developed by the Carnegie Science Center.

Field Trip Earth
If you can’t afford a field trip with your students this year, then Field Trip Earth is the way to go. This website monitors wildlife preservation projects all over the world. Your class can go on these trips without ever leaving the classroom!  

Junior Engineering Technical Society Launches Annual TEAMS Competition
With the theme, "Water, Water, Everywhere" the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) launched its annual TEAMS competition for high school students throughout the country.  The theme-based engineering competition provides students in grades nine through 12 with the opportunity to make real-world connections between math and science to actual engineering challenges. With the release of the Grand Challenges for Engineering, the emphasis on providing access to clean water became the main focus for the competition.

Periodic Table of the Elements
Students, unfortunately, can find the all-important periodic table boring. Here is an interactive version that takes all the boredom away. There's a wealth of information available on this one page, and the viewer can configure it in various ways. There are links to plenty of visuals as well, with video and photos of each element
 
Free Physics and Physical Science Resources for Grades 5-12
Arbor Scientific introduces a new free resource for physics and physical science teachers. Labs in this growing collection are designed to cover important key concepts, and may be downloaded and used in your classroom. Whether you're a middle school or high school teacher, these labs are designed for you. Each lab includes teacher's notes with a brief concept review, lab tips, applicable National Science Content Standards, and a list of equipment. The student pages are ready to reproduce and use right away.

PolarTREC Teachers 2011
Application Deadline: 5 October
Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. For further information, please contact PolarTREC at: Email: info@polartrec.com Phone: 907-474-1600.

Turn Your Students into BirdSleuths
Channel your students' energy with inquiry, observation, and fun using one of BirdSleuth's ready-to-use curriculum kits!
If you are pressed for time and looking for a new way to get your kids outside, motivated and engaged by science and inquiry, then take a look at BirdSleuth's curriculum kits from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

NASA & DESIGN SQUAD Develop Online Workshop
NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® have developed an online workshop for educators and afterschool leaders to build their skills and confidence in guiding kids through engineering activities like those found in the On the Moon Educator Guide.
  Completing this self-guided online workshop will allow educators to gain insight and strategies for strengthening critical-thinking skills and exciting their students about using the design process to arrive at solutions.
  In this self-guided workshop, participants will
-- Experience the design process in action. Learn and reflect on ways to use the design process to tap into students’ problem-solving skills and creativity.
-- Watch an engineering activity. See how easy it is to integrate the design process into hands-on activities in the classroom.
-- Get resources. Discover a variety of engineering activities from NASA and DESIGN SQUAD® for students in grades K-12.
  Click to download the On the Moon Educator Guide

Teachers’ Domain Website
“Do you want to broaden your knowledge of science content and effective inquiry-based methodologies? Teachers’ Domain offers over 1,500 media resources in science, engineering, and technology as well as standards-based professional development courses in Physical, Life, and Earth Sciences.”

Examples from the Teachers' Domain web site ....

LPI Earth & Space Science News

Windows to the Universe
.
Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate
Boston public television station WGBH, in collaboration with the Alaska Staff Development Network, The Alaska Native Science Commission, and University of Alaska, Fairbanks, is pleased to offer a media collection designed specifically for Alaska teachers and students on our free digital library, Teachers' Domain. The 40 videos and interactives in Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate look at Alaska's unique geology and the impact of development and climate change on Alaska. These media resources provide both Alaska Native and Western scientific perspectives on these topics and feature Alaska Native scientists who are working toward solutions.  The collection also provides three lesson plans and a student activity that make use of the media resources. Explore the collection now.

Traditional Ways of Knowing:

Spirit  -  Air  -  Fire  -  Water  -  Earth

Earth as a System:

Atmosphere  -  Biosphere  -  Cryosphere  -  Hydrosphere  -  Lithosphere