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School Science Comes Alive

Phase 3 of the School Science Comes Alive Program (S(sup 2)CAP) created an exciting, science - enrichment experience for third, fourth and fifth graders and their teachers and enhanced the science-teaching skills of teacher teams at each of four participating elementary schools on Virginia's Peninsula. The schools involved enroll a majority of Black students, many of whom are from economically disadvantaged households. Designed to build on the highly successful S(sup 2)CAP program of the preceding two years, this project brought college faculty together with classroom teachers and trained volunteers in a cooperative effort to make a lasting difference in the quality of science education at the four schools. In total, this program touched approximately 1000 the school children, more than half of whom are black, giving them direct and indirect exposure to the spirit of inquiry and adventure of the world-wide science community. In S(sup 2)CAP Phase 3, a large measure of responsibility was placed on the classroom teachers, thus creating a more sustainable partnership between college faculty and grade school teacher. Our college physics professors coached and supported teams of teachers from each school at intensive training workshops. A volunteer program provided each teacher with one or more trained volunteers to assist in class with the hands-on activities that have been central to the S2CAP program. Most of the equipment for these activities was constructed during the workshops by the teachers and volunteers from low cost materials provided by the program. Two types of volunteers were enlisted: science smart black college students and technically trained retirees (many of whom are ex-NASA employees). One goal of this program was to increase the numbers of minority students who see science as an interesting and exciting subject, to make the science period a time which students look forward to in the school day. Such an attitude is expected to translate naturally into a higher interest in science and engineering as a career for these students. A second goal was to create a sustainable improvement in the way science is taught at the elementary level. By the end of the program we expected that our teachers would be significantly more self reliant in using hands-on-activities as a part of their science curricula than they were prior to their involvement with S2CAP. In summary, S2CAP Phase 3 offered intensive training workshops for teachers and supporting volunteers followed by stimulating hands-on activities in the classroom for the children. These components combined to amplify the experience, enthusiasm, and ideas of our scientists in a way that complements the normal elementary school curriculum in each of the two school systems involved.

Hartline, Frederick F.↗

Using Science and the Internet as Everyday Classroom Tools

The Everyday Classroom Tools project developed a K-6 inquiry-based curriculum to bring the tools of scientific inquiry, together with the Internet, into the elementary school classroom. Our curriculum encourages students and teachers to experience the adventure of science through investigation of the world around us. In this project, experts in computer science and astronomy at SAO worked closely with teachers and students in Massachusetts elementary schools to design and model activities which are developmentally appropriate, fulfill the needs of the curriculum standards of the school district, and provide students with a chance to experience for themselves the joy and excitement of scientific inquiry. The results of our efforts are embodied in the Threads of Inquiry, a series of free-flowing dialogues about inquiry-inspiring investigations that maintain a solid connection with our experience and with one another. These investigations are concerned with topics such as the motion of the Earth, shadows, light, and time. Our work emphasizes a direct hands-on approach through concrete experience, rather than memorization of facts.

Mandel, Eric↗

Propellant production and useful materials: Hardware data from components and the systems

During the past year significant progress included: a major breakthrough in oxygen production through discs (instead of tubes) that resulted in two orders-of-magnitude increase in the yield rates, proving that oxygen production from any iron-bearing silicate (avoiding costly beneficiation) in lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU); construction of a half-scale robotic soil processor; production of melt-spun fibers in a solar furnace; and the culmination of first-stage research in the construction (and delivery to NASA LaRC) of a self-contained portable oxygen plant that incorporates the first generation ISRU technologies developed at UA SERC. In addition, further reductions in mass and power needs were achieved in two smaller oxygen plants, which, however, have far greater production rates. SERC continued to attract bright students both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and several area high school students through the Professional Internship Program (PIP) administered by the local school district. Invited lectures at elementary schools continue to draw enthusiastic response. Another important first was the creation of the Freshman Colloquium, 'Space in Our Future, and Our Future in Space,' geared toward women and minority students. This course proved to be a success, with more than one-half of the enrollment composed of women. In recognition of these important contributions, the author was appointed to the NRC Committee on Space Science Technologies.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗

Aeronautics Learning Laboratory for Science, Technology, and Research (ALLSTAR)

We finished the material development of Level 1, Level 2 and most of Level 3. We created three new galleries, one of streaming videos enabling the user to select his/her appropriate speed of Internet connectivity for better performance. The second gallery on NASA's X-series aircraft and the third is on F-series aircraft. We also completed the placement and activation of all thirteen kiosks. We added one more kiosk over the number suggested in the proposal at Baker Aviation High School - a Dade County Public School for special aviation programs. We felt that the goals of this school matched ALLSTAR's goals and that the placement of the kiosk would better help the local students become interested in the Aviation and Aeronautics field. We continue to work on the development of our "Teacher Resource Guide to ALLSTAR material" in which we tied our material into the national and Florida State standards. We finished the Florida Sunshine State standards, getting positive feedback from local and other educators who use the material on a regular basis. We had another successful workshop on October 29 th, 1997. We introduced the ALLSTAR website and kiosk to about twenty science and history teachers from Dade County Public Schools (DCPS). Most teachers were from middle schools, although we had some from elementary schools also. We provided several demonstrations of the ALLSTAR material to local schools in the Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) system. We used the ALLSTAR material with FIU's summer immersion program for FLAME students. This program includes a high number of minority students interested in science and engineering. We also presented the material at National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and National Congress on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) conferences and will be presenting the material at the Southeast Florida Aviation Consortium (SEFAC). We provided two on-site workshops in the NSTA conference with total attended of about 70 teachers. The BBS was converted to an on-line discussion forum with a unique section on Blacks in Aviation, Prime Technologies coordinated with NASA LaRC and the Teacher Resource Centers (TRCs) for scale-up of ALLSTAR and performed live demonstrations of the software in schools and at conventions.

Levy, Cesar↗

NASA-OAI HPCCP K-12 Program

The NASA-OAI High Performance Communication and Computing K- 12 School Partnership program has been completed. Cleveland School of the Arts, Empire Computech Center, Grafton Local Schools and the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School have all received network equipment and connections. Each school is working toward integrating computer and communications technology into their classroom curriculum. Cleveland School of the Arts students are creating computer software. Empire Computech Center is a magnet school for technology education at the elementary school level. Grafton Local schools is located in a rural community and is using communications technology to bring to their students some of the same benefits students from suburban and urban areas receive. The Bug O Nay Ge Shig School is located on an Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, MN. The students at this school are using the computer to help them with geological studies. A grant has been issued to the friends of the Nashville Library. Nashville is a small township in Holmes County, Ohio. A community organization has been formed to turn their library into a state of the art Media Center. Their goal is to have a place where rural students can learn about different career options and how to go about pursuing those careers. Taylor High School in Cincinnati, Ohio was added to the schools involved in the Wind Tunnel Project. A mini grant has been awarded to Taylor High School for computer equipment. The computer equipment is utilized in the school's geometry class to computationally design objects which will be tested for their aerodynamic properties in the Barberton Wind Tunnel. The students who create the models can view the test in the wind tunnel via desk top conferencing. Two teachers received stipends for helping with the Regional Summer Computer Workshop. Both teachers were brought in to teach a session within the workshop. They were selected to teach the session based on their expertise in particular software applications.

Source record↗

NASA ALLSTAR Project

We finished the material development of Level 1, Level 2 and most of Level 3. We created three new galleries, one of streaming videos enabling the user to select his/her appropriate speed of Internet connectivity for better performance. The second gallery on NASA's X-series aircraft and the third is on F-series aircraft, We also completed the placement and activation of all thirteen kiosks. We added one more kiosk over the number suggested in the proposal at Baker Aviation High School - a Dade County Public School for special aviation programs. We felt that the goals of this school matched ALLSTAR's goals and that the placement of the kiosk would better help the local students become interested in the Aviation and Aeronautics field. We continue to work on the development of our "Teacher Resource Guide to ALLSTAR material" in which we tied our material into the national and Florida State standards. We finished the Florida Sunshine State standards, getting positive feedback from local and other educators who use the material on a regular basis. We had another successful workshop on October 29th, 1997. We introduced the ALLSTAR website and kiosk to about twenty science and history teachers from Dade County Public Schools (DCPS). Most teachers were from middle schools, although we had some from elementary schools also. We provided several demonstrations of the ALLSTAR material to local schools in the Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) system. We used the ALLSTAR material with FIU's summer immersion program for FLAME students. This program includes a high number of minority students interested in science and engineering. We also presented the material at National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and National Congress on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) conferences and will be presenting the material at the Southeast Florida Aviation Consortium (SEFAC). We provided two on-site workshops in the NSTA conference with total attended of about 70 teachers. The BBS was converted to an on-line discussion forum with a unique section on Blacks in Aviation, Prime Technologies coordinated with NASA LaRC and the Teacher Resource Centers (TRCS) for scale-up of ALLSTAR and performed live demonstrations of the software in schools and at conventions.

Levy, Cesar↗

NASA Allstar Project Aeronautics Learning Laboratory for Science,Technology, and Research (Allstar)

We finished the material development of Level 1, Level 2 and most of Level 3. We created three new galleries, one of streaming videos enabling the user to select his/her appropriate speed of Internet connectivity for better performance. The second gallery on NASA's X-series aircraft and the third is on F-series aircraft. We also completed the placement and activation of all thirteen kiosks. We added one more kiosk over the number suggested in the proposal at Baker Aviation High School - a Dade County Public School for special aviation programs. We felt that the goals of this school matched ALLSTAR's goals and that the placement of the kiosk would better help the local students become interested in the Aviation and Aeronautics field. We continue to work on the development of our "Teacher Resource Guide to ALLSTAR material" in which we tied our material into the national and Florida State standards. We finished the Florida Sunshine State standards, getting positive feedback from local and other educators who use the material on a regular basis. We had another successful workshop on October 29', 1997. We introduced the ALLSTAR website and kiosk to about twenty science and history teachers from Dade County Public Schools (DCPS). Most teachers were from middle schools, although we had some from elementary schools also. We provided several demonstrations of the ALLSTAR material to local schools in the Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) system. We used the ALLSTAR material with FIU's summer immersion program for FLAME students. This program includes a high number of minority students interested in science and engineering. We also presented the material at National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and National Congress on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) conferences and will be presenting the material at the Southeast Florida Aviation Consortium (SEFAC). We provided two on-site workshops in the NSTA conference with total attended of about 70 teachers. The BBS was converted to an on-line discussion forum with a unique section on Blacks in Aviation. Prime Technologies coordinated with NASA LARC and the Teacher Resource Centers (TRCs) for scale-up of ALLSTAR and performed live demonstrations of the software in schools and at conventions.

Levy, Cesar↗

Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School (PASS) Project

The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project (PASS) Project was granted a one-year no cost extension for 2001-2002. In year three of the project, objectives and strategies were modified based on the previous year-end evaluation. The recommendations were incorporated and the program was replicated within most of the remaining elementary schools in Portsmouth, Virginia and continued in the four middle schools. The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project is a partnership, which includes Norfolk State University, Cooperating Hampton Roads Organizations for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME), NASA Langley Research Center, and the City of Portsmouth, Virginia Public Schools. The project seeks to strengthen the knowledge of Portsmouth Public Schools students in the field of atmospheric sciences and enhance teacher awareness of hands on activities in the atmospheric sciences. The project specifically seeks to: 1) increase the interest and participation of elementary and middle school students in science and mathematics; 2) strengthen existing science programs; and 3) facilitate greater achievement in core subjects, which are necessary for math, science, and technical careers. Emphasis was placed on providing training activities, materials and resources for elementary students (grades 3 - 5) and middle school students (grades 6 - 8), and teachers through a CHROME club structure. The first year of the project focused on introducing elementary students to concepts and activities in atmospheric science. Year two of the project built on the first year's activities and utilizes advanced topics and activities appropriate for middle school students. During the third year of the project, in addition to the approaches used in years one and two, emphasis was placed on activities that enhanced the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL).

Coleman, Clarence D.↗

Elementary and middle school science improvement project

The Alabama A and M University Elementary and Middle School Science Improvement Project (Project SIP) was instituted to improve the science knowledge of elementary and middle school teachers using the experimental or hands-on approach. Summer workshops were conducted during the summers of 1986, 1987, and 1988 in the areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and electricity, and magnetism. Additionally, a manual containing 43 lessons which included background information, experiments and activities for classroom and home use was provided to each teacher. During the course of the project activities, the teachers interacted with various university faculty members, scientists, and NASA staff. The administrative aspects of the program, the delivery of the services to participating teachers, and the project outcome are addressed.

Mcguire, Saundra Y.↗

The Chemistry of Early Self-Replicating Systems

The NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology is a consortium of scientists at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), The Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Salk) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). All three institutions are located in close geographical proximity in La Jolla, California. The NSCORT/Exobiology is administered through the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Since its inception in January 1992, the NSCORT in Exobiology has made major contributions with respect to the question of how life began on Earth. The Principal Investigators (PIs) and their associated Fellows have published numerous articles in peer reviewed journals on topics relevant to Exobiology. They have presented papers and sponsored symposia at several meetings of national and international scientific societies. A total of 30 undergraduate, 12 graduate and 15 postdoctoral Fellows have been supported by the NSCORT. The Fellows have met on their own at least once a month to discuss Exobiology topics and research progress. The NSCORT has arranged seminars and evening discussion meetings, and offered an undergraduate class on "Biochemical Evolution" as well as graduate courses dealing with topics in Exobiology. A visiting scientist program has allowed 11 scientists from the U.S. and 4 foreign countries to conduct cooperative research with the various PIs. An active outreach program has been initiated, which includes an Exobiology high school level teaching module and curriculum guide, and an elementary school level booklet about basic atomic structure and formation of the universe, Sun and Earth. A World Wide Web Homepage (http://www-chem.ucsd.edu/-nscort/ NSCORT.html) has been developed, which describes the NSCORT activities, research programs and Fellowship opportunities. The various activities of the NSCORT in Exobiology have received wide-spread coverage in both the scientific and public media. The major function of the NSCORT is the training of young scientists in the field of Exo- biology. Thus, the bulk of the $1,000,000 annual budget is used to support the research and training of undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral Fellows who are selected on a competitive basis. About five Fellows at each level are supported each year. Our goal is to train scientists whose major research interest is Exobiology, but whose mastery in the classical fields of chemistry, biology and earth science is so strong that they outstanding candidates for either graduate school or academic tenure-track positions in departments at leading national and international Universities. Applicants for these Fellowships are solicited by advertisements in journals such as Science and Nature and in organizational newsletters such as the one published by the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life (ISSOL), by contacting academic and NASA colleagues working in Exobiology or related fields and by recruiting students who have already been admitted into the various academic programs with which the PIs are affiliated.

Bada, Jeffrey L.↗

Elementary and middle school science improvement project

The Alabama A & M University Elementary and Middle School Science Improvement Project (Project SIP) was instituted in response to a need to improve the ability of North Alabama teachers to teach science effectively using the experimental or hands-on approach. The major component of the project was a two-week workshop. Follow-up visits were made to the classrooms of many of the participating teachers to obtain information on how the program was being implemented in the classroom. The administrative aspects of the program, the delivery of the services to participating teachers, and the project outcomes are addressed.

Mcguire, Saundra Yancy↗

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration

The session "Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration" included the following reports:Training Informal Educators Provides Leverage for Space Science Education and Public Outreach; Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education: K-12 Teacher Retention, Renewal, and Involvement in Professional Science; Telling the Tale of Two Deserts: Teacher Training and Utilization of a New Standards-based, Bilingual E/PO Product; Lindstrom M. M. Tobola K. W. Stocco K. Henry M. Allen J. S. McReynolds J. Porter T. T. Veile J. Space Rocks Tell Their Secrets: Space Science Applications of Physics and Chemistry for High School and College Classes -- Update; Utilizing Mars Data in Education: Delivering Standards-based Content by Exposing Educators and Students to Authentic Scientific Opportunities and Curriculum; K. E. Little Elementary School and the Young Astronaut Robotics Program; Integrated Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach: Theme, Products and Activities; and Online Access to the NEAR Image Collection: A Resource for Educators and Scientists.

Source record↗

Technology assessment to reduce aerosol transmission risk in naturally ventilated K12 classrooms (CRADA Final Report)

LBNL provided technical assistance to Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) through this project in their selection of technologies to support in-person instruction. OUSD considered different technologies to mitigate the aerosol transmission risks of COVID-19: a) Upgrade to higher efficiency air filters in buildings that are served by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. b) Install portable air cleaners with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters. c) Install ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems. d) Install bipolar ionization air cleaning systems. LBNL met with OUSD facilities staff to discuss the pros and cons of options a) and c), and cited the lack of proven data on efficacy and discouraged option d). LBNL provided practical guidance on how to select portable air cleaners for classrooms. LBNL met with the boarder school communities to explain OUSD approach to ventilation and filtration, and produced FAQs to answer their questions about the science behind the selected approaches. In addition, LBNL helped OUSD facilities staff to acquire five indoor air quality (IAQ) monitors (AirVisual Pro by IQAir) for measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) and particulate matter (PM) concentrations. These monitors were installed in an elementary school in West Oakland.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

An Integrated Approach to Engineering Education in a Minority Community

Northeastern New Mexico epitomizes regions which are economically depressed, rural, and predominantly Hispanic. New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU), with a small student population of approximately 2800, offers a familiar environment attracting students who might otherwise not attend college. An outreach computer network of minority schools was created in northeastern New Mexico with NASA funding. Rural and urban minority schools gained electronic access to each other, to computer resources, to technical help at New Mexico Highlands University and gained access to the world via the Internet. This outreach program was initiated in the fall of 1992 in an effort to attract and to involve minority students in Engineering and the Mathematical Sciences. We installed 56 Kbs Internet connections to eight elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, a public library (servicing the home schooling community) and an International Baccalaureate school. For another fourteen rural schools, we provided computers and free dial-up service to servers on the New Mexico Highlands University campus.

Taylor, Bill↗

Citizen Science Data Quality: The GLOBE Program

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international program that provides a way for students and the public to contribute Earth system observations. Currently 122 countries, more than 40,000 schools, and 200,000 citizen scientists are participating in GLOBE. Since 1995, participants have contributed 195 million observations. Modes of data collection and data entry have evolved with technology over the lifetime of the program, including the launch of the GLOBE Observer mobile app in 2016 to broaden access and public participation in data collection. GLOBE must meet the data needs of a diverse range of stakeholders, from elementary school classrooms to scientists across the globe, including NASA scientists. Operational quality assurance measures include participant training, adherence to standardized data collection protocols, range and logic checks, and an approval process for photos submitted with an observation. In this presentation, we will discuss the current state of operational data QA/QC, as well as additional QA/QC processes recently explored and future directions.

Amos, Helen↗

Actualizing Change after Experiencing Significant Mathematics PD: Hearing from Teachers of Color about Their Practice and Mathematical Identities

While it is well-documented that students of color and students from low-income communities have often been denied access to a challenging education in mathematics in the United States, less is known about how teachers of color have overcome their deprived educational backgrounds to become teachers of mathematics who implement inquiry-based instructional methods as a means to improve their students’ learning and mathematical identities. In this article, we use a sociopolitical theoretical framework to examine how seven elementary school teachers of color characterized their experiences as mathematics students, themselves as teachers of mathematics, and their mathematical identities after experiencing significant professional development in mathematics. All the participants in this study had experienced extensive professional development support in mathematics over a sustained period of time. We demonstrate through the teachers’ narratives that, given the deprived mathematics education that the majority of the participants experienced as PK-12 students, having opportunities to participate in significant and focused PD in mathematics over a sustained period transformed how teachers viewed themselves as teachers and positively impacted their mathematical identities.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Legal restraints on dissemination of instructional materials by educational communications systems

The legal restraints on the use of electronic communications systems for dissemination of instructional materials in the United States are discussed. First the laws are examined relating to public school elementary and secondary education, with primary emphasis on selection of courses of study and instructional materials. The second part contains an examination of the copyright laws, both the copyright law now in effect and the revision thereto currently pending before the Congress of the United States.

Bernstein, N. N.↗