Marshall Space Flight Center - NASA K-12 Education Opportunities

    Students and educators may explore and experience unique space and aeronautics content through NASA's education opportunities for K-12 education in the Marshall Space Flight Center region and nationwide. Learn about ways to interact with NASA engineers and scientists in the programs listed below.

    Click "Find out more" for further details and contact information. You can also view an alphabetical list of all student, educator and faculty programs.
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Student Project Descriptions

  • Astro Camp

    [Students Grades K-8]
    [Available: Nationally]
    Astro Camp is an exciting, week-long mission for children located in Bay St. Louis, MS. Each year, it has activities centered around a new space exploration theme.

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  • Digital Learning Network

    [Educators and Students Grades K-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    DLN offers videoconferencing or Webcasting at no charge, providing interactive educational experiences to students and educators from kindergarten to university levels across the Nation and around the world.

    › Find out More
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  • Dropping In a Microgravity Environment

    [Educators & Students Grades 6-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The DIME competition challenges student teams to design, build, and operate microgravity experiments in a NASA drop tower.

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  • FIRST Robotics

    [Students Grades 9-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting, multinational competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way.

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  • Great Moonbuggy Race

    [Students Grades 9-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The Great Moonbuggy Race is an annual competition for students to design well-crafted vehicles to manipulate rugged simulated lunar terrain at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

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  • Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience

    [Students Grades 9-12 and Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    NASA will engage selected students in its mission through multiple experiences in hands-on activities and internships designed to maximize their involvement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education.

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  • Lewis' Educational & Research Collaborative Internship Project

    [Students Grades 12-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    LERCIP provides students with introductory professional experiences to complement their academic programs and research interests under the guidance of a NASA mentor. The project provides students with summer internships at Glenn Research Center to learn about NASA and possible career choices.

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  • National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program

    [Faculty and Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    This program provides NASA funding for space-related research, education and public service projects through a national network of 52 university-based Space Grant consortia.

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  • Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy

    [Students Grades K-12]
    [Available: CA, FL, GA, IN, MD, MI, NM, NY, NC, OH, SD, TN, TX, VA and WV]
    The NASA SEMAA project is comprised of three unique, core components that collectively engage K-12 students, parents and adult family members, and teachers in exciting science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunities.

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  • Student Launch Projects

    [Students Grades 7-12 & Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    SLP challenges students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering with NASA engineers.

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  • Student Volunteer Service Project

    [Students Grades 11-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The project involves students gaining work experience and knowledge in early career exploration.

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  • Summer of Innovation

    [Educators Grades 4-9]
    [Available: Nationally]
    NASA's Summer of Innovation, or SoI, leverages current NASA research and discovery as a powerful context for student learning. The Summer of Innovation inspires middle school students and sparks their imaginations by using the excitement of NASA's missions. In partnership with organizations across the country, NASA hopes to test and expand models that are proven to make a difference.

    › Find out More
    › View site
  • Teaching From Space

    [Educators & Students Grades K-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    TFS uses the unique environment of human spaceflight to facilitate education opportunities that support science, mathematics, engineering and technology instructional materials through on-orbit education downlinks, demonstration activities and payloads.

    › Find out More
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Educator Project Descriptions

  • Aerospace Education Services Project

    [Educators Grades K-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    AESP is a comprehensive project designed to reach out to the formal and informal education communities in all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

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  • Airborne Research Experiences for Educators and Students

    [Educators Grades 5-12 & Students Higher Education]
    [Available Nationally]
    NASA offers the perfect package of adventure and career development. Teachers earn graduate level credits while spending six weeks in California as part of a residential science research program that includes flying on a NASA aircraft.

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  • Digital Learning Network

    [Educators and Students Grades K-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    DLN offers videoconferencing or Webcasting at no charge, providing interactive educational experiences to students and educators from kindergarten to university levels across the Nation and around the world.

    › Find out More
    › View site
  • Dropping In a Microgravity Environment

    [Educators & Students Grades 6-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The DIME competition challenges student teams to design, build, and operate microgravity experiments in a NASA drop tower.

    › Find out More
    › View site  →
  • Education Associates

    [Educators Grades K-Higher Education & Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    Education Associates is a flexible year-round project that permits NASA scientists, engineers and managers to "tap higher education," while giving university students and faculty the opportunity to "experience NASA."

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  • Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project

    [Educators K-12 and Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The project awards Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project Fellowships to K-12 formal educators (in-service, alternative route, pre-service) to develop and improve teachers' knowledge of pedagogical content. Fellows demonstrate changes in practice and apply science concepts with NASA content and educational materials.

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  • Langley Aerospace Research Student Scholars Project

    [Educators Grades Pre-K-Higher Education & Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    Participants spend 10 weeks conducting state-of-the-art research with other students from across the nation. They work with NASA researchers exploring an array of high-technology development projects and activities in pursuit of space exploration.

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  • NASA Electronic Professional Development Network

    [Educators Grades K-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The NASA electronic Professional Development Network, or ePDN, develops and delivers NASA-related online courses, workshops and events for the benefit of STEM K-12 teachers across the nation

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  • NASA Explorer Schools

    [Educators Grades 4-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The NES Project is NASA's classroom-based gateway for middle and high school students in grades 4-12. The project provides unique learning experiences designed around NASA's missions while promoting student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics based on NASA’s resources.

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  • NASA Innovations in Climate Education

    [Educators Grades K-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    NASA Innovations in Climate Education, or NICE, is designed to improve the quality of the nation's STEM education and enhance students' and teachers' literacy about global climate and Earth system change, from elementary grades to lifelong learners.

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  • National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program

    [Faculty and Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    This program provides NASA funding for space-related research, education and public service projects through a national network of 52 university-based Space Grant consortia.

    › Find out More
    › View site
  • Pre-Service Teacher Institutes

    [Educators Grades K-8 & Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    PSTI gives pre-service teachers and faculty members opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skill in teaching mathematics and science by using technology at the elementary and middle school levels.

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  • Spaceward Bound

    [Educators Grades 5-8 & Students Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    Spaceward Bound trains the next generation of space explorers by having students and teachers explore scientifically interesting -- but remote and extreme -- environments on Earth as analogs for human exploration of the moon and Mars.

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  • Student Launch Projects

    [Students Grades 7-12 & Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    SLP challenges students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering with NASA engineers.

    › Find out More
  • Summer of Innovation

    [Educators Grades 4-9]
    [Available: Nationally]
    NASA's Summer of Innovation, or SoI, leverages current NASA research and discovery as a powerful context for student learning. The Summer of Innovation inspires middle school students and sparks their imaginations by using the excitement of NASA's missions. In partnership with organizations across the country, NASA hopes to test and expand models that are proven to make a difference.

    › Find out More
    › View site
  • Teaching From Space

    [Educators & Students Grades K-12]
    [Available: Nationally]
    TFS uses the unique environment of human spaceflight to facilitate education opportunities that support science, mathematics, engineering and technology instructional materials through on-orbit education downlinks, demonstration activities and payloads.

    › Find out More
    › View site
  • Workforce Coalition: Education Task Force

    [Educators K-Higher Education]
    [Available: Nationally]
    The Workforce Coalition task force will use a systems approach to engage community stakeholders in facilitating partnerships to build skills needed for the workforce.

    › Find out more
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Contact Information

    Mr. Jeff Ehmen (Acting)
    Elementary and Secondary Education
    Marshall Space Flight Center
    HS30/Academic Affairs Office
    Huntsville, AL 35812
    Phone: 256-961-1567
    Fax: 256-961-1521