Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-0836)
Jonas Dino
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
(Phone: 650/604-5612/9000)
|
July 29, 2003
| RELEASE:
03-252
|
Space Station Crew Brings Science Down To Earth
The crew of the International Space Station will give educators a boost during a professional development workshop for the NASA Explorer Schools program.
A conversation with the Space Station crew is one of the highlights for 25 teachers and administrators from five NASA Explorer Schools Thursday, July 31 from 2:50 to 3:10 p.m. EDT. NASA astronaut Ed Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko will chat with educators at the Ames Research Center (ARC), Moffett Field, Calif. Educators are participating in a five-day Explorer Schools workshop focusing on how NASA can work with institutions to develop unique and compelling material to use in the classroom.
"We are extremely excited to introduce the agency's finest engineers and scientists to the NASA Explorer Schools. It is our intention these competitively selected schools become examples of how education may be empowered throughout the United States," said Mark Leon, Deputy Director of Education at ARC.
The five schools participating in the ARC session are: Chapman School, Sheridan, Ore.; Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Lihue, Hawaii; Jim Bridger Middle School, Las Vegas; Poplar Middle School, Poplar, Mont., and Waimea Middle School, Kamuela, Hawaii. They are among the 50 middle schools selected in the program's pilot year. Explorer Schools teams attending the workshop at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. also submitted questions for the Station crew and will view the downlink remotely.
The goal of the NASA Explorer Schools program is to address the nation's needs in mathematics, science and technology for grades four through nine. During a three-year partnership, NASA will work with each school to incorporate the agency's cutting-edge research and unique missions to inspire students.
Teachers and administrators will have access to additional professional development, grants, NASA researchers and scientists. In addition, aerospace education specialists will periodically visit each NASA Explorer Schools team to give inspirational talks and demonstrations.
"As NASA Aerospace Education Specialists we are able to bring math and science to students and teachers on a personal level. Our reward is seeing their smiles and watching their eyes light up with understanding," said Thomas Gates, NASA Aerospace Education Specialist. The NASA Aerospace Education Specialist program has helped inspire the next generation of explorers for more than 40 years.
The NASA Explorer Schools program is sponsored and implemented by NASA through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Teachers Association, Arlington, Va. NASA begins recruiting for the 2004 NASA Explorer Schools Program on September 1.
The International Space Station event, provided via NASA downlink, is one in a series for education organizations across the country and abroad. The events are integral components of NASA's Teaching From Space Program. The Teaching From Space Program, managed from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, enables educational opportunities using the unique environment of human space flight.
The downlink will be carried live on NASA TV, which is available on AMC-9, transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 85 degrees west longitude. Polarization is vertical. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
For information about NASA on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov For information about NASA education programs visit:
http://education.nasa.gov For information about the NASA Explorer Schools Program visit:
http://explorerschools.nasa.gov For information about NASA's Teaching From Space Program visit:
http://education.jsc.nasa.gov/Educators/tfsp.htm
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