[Sgteachers] Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium Newsletter for Teachers

[Irene Svete]

The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium's electronic newsletter for  
teachers provides curriculum ideas, links and other resources to help  
you better meet the Washington EALRs and the National Science  
Education Standards.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

-- EDUCATORS OPEN HOUSE (K-12)
-- ARE SUNSPOTS DISAPPEARING?
-- TOP STARS COMPETITION (K-12+)
-- WORLD SPACE WEEK
-- CASSINI SCIENTIST FOR A DAY (5-12)

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EDUCATORS OPEN HOUSE (K-12)

On Oct. 17, K- 12 educators, administrators, and their families are  
invited to enjoy the Museum of Flight free of charge. The open house  
takes place from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Visitors can explore exhibits and discover air and space resources,  
products and programs. Seminars where clock-hours can be earned will  
be available throughout the day. For more information, go to

http://www.museumofflight.org/educators-open-house

ARE SUNSPOTS DISAPPEARING?

The sun is in the pits of the deepest solar minimum in nearly a  
century. Weeks and sometimes whole months go by without even a single  
tiny sunspot. The quiet has dragged out for more than two years,  
prompting some observers to wonder, are sunspots disappearing?

To read the whole story, visit

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/03sep_sunspots.htm?list820645

TOP STARS COMPETITION (K-12+)

Formal and informal educators are invited to submit their best  
examples of using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope for science,  
technology, engineering or mathematics education.  Those selected as  
Top Stars will receive national recognition and awards.

The deadline for the next round of entries is Nov. 20. Scientists and  
educators from NASA and the Institute for Global Environmental  
Strategies will review the entries. Educators are allowed (and  
encouraged) to revise, improve and re-submit their entries up to the  
final deadline of January 2, 2010. For complete details, go to

http://topstars.strategies.org/

WORLD SPACE WEEK

World Space Week will be celebrated October 4-10 in 60 nations around  
the world. The international event commemorates the beginning of the  
Space Age with the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957.

This year the theme is "Space for Education."  To encourage teachers  
and students to participate in World Space Week, $500 teacher grants  
will be awarded for the most creative use of space in the classroom  
during World Space Week 2009.

The entry deadline is January 31, 2010. For more information, go to

http://www.worldspaceweek.org

CASSINI SCIENTIST FOR A DAY (5-12)

The Cassini Scientist for a Day essay contest is designed to give  
students a taste of life as a scientist. Students will study three  
possible targets that the Cassini spacecraft can image on Oct. 11 then  
choose the one image they think will yield the best science results  
and explain their reasons in an essay.

Contest entries must be received by Sept. 30. The competition is  
divided into three categories: grades 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12. Students can  
work alone or in teams of up to four students. All submissions must be  
the students' original work. For complete rules, go to

http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/scientistforaday/

FEEDBACK
Ideas, comments and Web sites of interest to other teachers should be  
sent to Irene Svete, newsletter editor, at

isvete at u.washington.edu


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