This lithograph contains a Hubble Space Telescope image that shows the colorful Planetary Nebula NGC 2440 with one of the hottest known white dwarfs at its center. The text briefly explains the process of stellar death of sun-like stars and those with a mass greater than eight times the Sun. The accompanying classroom activity is a curriculum support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. It can be incorporated into a unit that has a scientific inquiry and/or stellar evolution theme. During the classroom activity, In Search of... Stellar Death, students use the lithograph images and text to generate questions about the planetary nebula NGC 2440 and how stars end their lives. Students conduct research to answer their questions then compare the endpoints of different mass stars, providing supporting evidence from their research.

This DVD combines the latest scientific and educational research to help teachers in grades 8-12 deepen their own and their students’ understanding of our universe and of the nature of science. Produced by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in association with NASA, Beyond the Solar System is filled with video, print, and online resources. It is designed for Earth and space science educators, physical science educators, professional development providers, and classroom use. The National Science Education Standards includes the topic of origin and evolution of the universe as part of the essential content of Earth and space science understanding. Yet providing concrete, inquiry-based experiences for students to learn these concepts can be a challenge for teachers. Beyond the Solar System contains more than two hours of video, organized into two modular strands of material -- science content, and teaching and learning resources. These are intended to promote greater understanding of the scientific concepts through discussion and reflection, activities, and application of the ideas to teaching. Also included are lesson plans, student guides, assessments, content background, summaries of relevant standards, and links to further resources. These instructional materials are provided in PDF format and can be printed from a computer.

This activity is designed to introduce students to geologic processes on Earth and how to identify geologic features in images. It also introduces students to how scientists use Earth to gain a better understanding of other planetary bodies in the solar system.

This film was taken by astronauts from five Space Shuttle missions with the IMAX camera, illustrating forces affecting Earth's ecological balance: volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and, ultimately, humankind. Experiments discussed in the videotape focus on infrared detection of atmospheric remnants from volcanic eruptions, ozone concentration levels, and incoming solar ultraviolet radiation with respect to global warming, among others. Length: 42:00.

This curriculum includes ten missions and three exploration extensions that provide activities for up to a semester and focus largely on the space exploration theme. It is designed to engage students in hands-on inquiry based learning. It addresses science and technology standards, and specifically focuses on math content and process standards. Although other models will work, the curriculum is geared towards using a Texas Instruments (IT) 83 or 84 series graphing calculator with a Norland research calculator robot. The curriculum can be used in math, science, technology, or after school classes. Students create programs in TI-BASIC to run their robots. Missions are sequentially built on the knowledge of previous activities. Step-by-step programming instructions are provided in the first missions, gradually leading students to create their own programs in later missions. Students use and apply math and science concepts to direct their robots through a variety of challenges. In addition to the detailed activities, teachers are given opportunities to draw on their students’ hands-on experience to reach a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Several open-ended questions and extension activities are included to encourage potential scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer programmers to explore their fields.

This is the third in a series of four ChemMatters issues devoted to NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura mission and it focuses on the chemistry of the mission. ChemMatters is designed and published for teachers to use as a supplement to their first year high school chemistry course, and as a resource for other high school science teachers. Article titles are: Whose Air Is It Anyway (global circulation of the atmosphere), Alien Atmospheres (atmospheres of other planets), Clouds (how clouds form, and cloud research), Life in a Greenhouse (how the greenhouse effect works and how people study it), Chemistry in the Sunlight (about formation of the ozone we breathe), Beefing Up Atmospheric Models (how modeling helps us understand the atmosphere), and Nobel Prize Winner: Sherwood Rowland (interview). The issue also includes a challenge asking students to determine which activities on a list would be possible on a planet with no atmosphere; and an activity, Cloud in a Bottle. A 62-page teacher's guide accompanies the issue and provides additional information on articles, follow-up hands-on activities, classroom demonstrations, and additional resources.

This EOS-Aura special edition of ChemMatters is the first of four special issues focusing on atmospheric chemistry and the Aura mission. It features articles on global climate change, asthma and air pollution, good and bad ozone, and spectroscopy. ChemMatters is a quarterly publication of the American Chemical Society (ACS) geared to a high school audience. The magazine is designed and written to demystify everyday chemistry.

: This ChemMAtters issue features the human side of NASA’s Aura mission with five articles that include interviews with Aura scientists and engineers. ChemMatters is a quarterly publication of the American Chemical Society (ACS) geared to a high school audience. The magazine is designed and written to demystify everyday chemistry. This special edition is the second of four special issues that focussed on atmospheric chemistry and the Aura mission. Each story features one member of the Aura team and their role in the mission as well as their interests outside of science and engineering. The pull-out poster in the center of the magazine includes stories from the countdown by technicians and engineers building the spacecraft and it's instruments. A teacher's guide is also available for this issue.

This Hubble Space Telescope image reveals a small region inside the massive globular cluster Omega Centauri, which boasts nearly 10 million stars. This colorful assortment of 100,000 stars residing in the crowded core of the cluster is one of the first images taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3. The accompanying classroom activity In Search of … Stellar Evolution is a curriculum support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. During the classroom activity, students use the images and text on this lithograph to generate questions about star formation. They will conduct research to answer their questions. Students will create a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of the material, providing supporting evidence from their research.

Leonard Nimoy narrates this animated 13-minute video of NASA's Dawn mission, launched in October 2007. The movie features a look into the planning, instrumentation and technological challenges of this mission into the heart of the asteroid belt.

This book of 19 essays, written by Earth scientists, provides insight into the dynamic processes that shape the Earth. The essays are supported by case studies describing a range of research projects (including Looking for Life in Antarctica-and Mars, Mapping Mt. Rainer, and Mapping Hot Springs on the Deep Ocean Floor) and profiles of historically significant Earth scientists (Including Inge Lehmann, Milutin Milankovitch, and Harold C. Urey). The essays, case studies, and profiles are organized along the same themes explored in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, (How do we read the rocks?; How has the Earth evolved?; Why are there ocean basins, mountains and continents?; What causes climate and climate change?; Why is the Earth habitable?) a large, permanent exhibition that opened at the Museum in 1999.

This hands-on demonstration of the communications path between scientists and the NASA Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) Satellite shows how scientific data are downloaded from the satellite. The same demonstration can also be used to illustrate how the instruments on the satellite are commanded by scientists on Earth. It gives students a feel for the dynamics of satellite communications and orbital motion around the Earth. At the end of the activity, each student should be able to diagram the communications path between the EUVE satellite and scientists at the University of California Berkeley Center for Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Astrophysics.

This chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide provides the measurement protocols for collecting research quality data on land cover and constructing land cover maps using Landsat scenes. K-12 students from all over the world are participating in the GLOBE program by taking environmental measurements at their schools and sharing their data via the Internet. NASA scientists use GLOBE data in their research and provide feedback to the students. The protocols are imbedded in an integrated approach that includes background information and learning activities and that offers teachers an example of an inquiry based research activity.

This collection of nine cards focuses on the three types of galaxies: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Each card displays a color image of a galaxy on one side and describes the galaxy's type, its location within a constellation, and interesting facts on the other side. The Hubble Space Telescope card includes interesting facts, as well as suggestions for using the cards.

In this interactive laboratory, you'll investigate for yourself how fast several galaxies are moving. Galaxies are so large, and so far away, that you could never see them move just by looking -- even if you looked for a whole lifetime through the most powerful telescope! Fortunately, there is a way to detect the motion of a galaxy: By examining the spectrum of light from a galaxy, you can determine whether the galaxy is moving towards or away from Earth, and how fast.

This resource explains how Landsat works, how to make your own Landsat image and how to experiment with different combinations of light.

This brochure describes NASA's ICESat mission ((Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite), which was launched January 12, 2003. ICESat is the benchmark Earth Observing System mission for measuring ice sheet mass balance, cloud and aerosol heights, as well as land topography and vegetation characteristics.

This planetarium show teaches about meteors, meteorites, asteroids, and comets. It includes results from NASA missions and about the dangers they can pose to life on Earth. It is created for full-dome theaters but can also be shown in flat version for TVs and computer monitors. Shows the effects of the Chixulub and Tungusta events, plus the Pallasite impact that resulted in the Brenham meteorite fall. Describes ways that asteroid hunters seek new objects in the Solar System, and how ground-penetrating radar is used to find meteorites that have reached the Earth's surface and ancient craters under the desert. Narrated by astronaut Tom Jones, it also discusses ways that humans might try to deflect an asteroid or comet that is on a collision course with Earth. Created for informal science venues (digital planetariums), it is also useful as ancillary material for middle school science. Created under NASA Cooperative Agreement NCC5-316 to Rice University in conjunction with the Houston Museum of Natural Science as part of the "Immersive Earth" project, part of the REASoN program.

This lithograph contains a Hubble Space Telescope image of galaxies that appear to form the number 10. The text describes the image and provides a brief explanation of why astronomer Halton Arp compiled his catalogue of odd-looking galaxies in the 1960s. The accompanying classroom activity In Search of … Peculiar Galaxies is a curriculum support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. During the classroom activity, students use the images and text on this lithograph to generate questions about galaxy interactions. They will conduct research to answer their questions, and determine how Arp’s collection of peculiar galaxies compiled in the 1960’s contributed to today’s understanding of galaxy interactions. Students will create a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of the material, providing supporting evidence from their research.

This Hubble Space Telescope images shows a group of interacting galaxies called Arp 273. The accompanying classroom activity is a curriculum support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. During the classroom activity, students use the images and text on the lithograph to generate questions about galaxy interactions. They will conduct research to answer their questions, and create a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of the material, providing supporting evidence from their research.

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotrophy Probe (WMAP) hosts a website presenting basic information and concepts about Cosmology and our current best understanding of the Universe.

This activity gives an easy way for students to measure the relationship between distance and brightness. Once students discover the relationship, they can begin to understand how astronomers use this knowledge to determine the distances to stars and far away galaxies.

This video takes the viewer on a rapid tour of Earth's surface as seen from outer space. After explaining how the altitude of the viewer affects the amount of Earth's surface seen at one time, the video moves into a travelogue on some of the interesting features of Earth's continents as seen from space. Because the inclination of the Space Shuttle's orbit to Earth's equator did not carry the crew over Antarctica or the Arctic, these regions are not visited in the program. Length: 15:00.

This brochure describes the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite. The first NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite, Terra, was launched on December 18, 1999, carrying five remote sensors. The most comprehensive EOS sensor is MODIS which offers a unique combination of features: it detects a wide spectral range of electromagnetic energy; it takes measurements at three spatial resolutions (levels of detail); it takes measurements all day, every day; and it has a wide field of view. This continual, comprehensive coverage allows MODIS to complete an electromagnetic picture of the globe every two days.

In this curriculum, students can participate in a student-directed, authentic research project that will allow them to investigate Mars using an image they target using the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera onboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft.

This book cover relates the role the Great Dismal Swamp, NC, plays in the food chain.

This guide aims to assist educators in instilling interest in learning about meteorology by allowing the learner to take increasing responsibility for his/her learning. It is written as a supplement to existing Earth and space science curricula. The guide is not intended to be a complete course in meteorology; it should be used in conjunction with lectures, discussions, textbooks and other teaching material. The learner should understand "how we arrive at what we know," rather than memorizing what we know. This publication was developed to enhance the understanding of inquiry-based learning from the educator/teacher’s perspective as well as from the learner’s perspective.

This 28-minute video shows why the Milky Way appears as it does from the vantage point of the Solar System and explains how astrophysicists have arrived at their current understanding of its structure and composition.

In this program, students learn about the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. They learn the many legends and myths that have revolved around the aurora throughout human history. Students also discover how NASA scientists and engineers use satellite technology to measure and analyze aurora data, as well as how Norwegian scientists study the Northern Lights by using ground-based instruments and sounding rockets. Students plot the auroral oval in the northern hemisphere and determine the height of the northern lights using Carl Stormer’s triangulation method. Length: 30:00.

In this program, students learn about the importance of using scale models to represent the size and distance of objects in the Solar System and beyond. They are introduced to the astronomical unit (AU), the baseline distance from the Earth to the Sun, which astronomers use to determine the relative distances from Earth to other planets, stars, asteroids, and objects in space. They also discover facts about the Venus Transit, a celestial and historical event, which helped astronomers determine the scale of the Solar System. Students use measurement, ratios, and graphing to construct a model of the solar system and determine the relationship of each planet to the Sun. They will explore the scales needed to represent the size of the planets and the distances to the Sun.

This poster features several of the NASA Earth and Space Science Explorers, plus suggestions for using the series in the classroom. The series of online articles features NASA explorers, young and old, with many backgrounds and interests. Most articles are written for three different reading levels: grades K-4, grades 5-8, and grades 9-12 and up.

This show tells the story of how summer fun suffers a setback when the tree house detectives discover that their favorite spot on the beach is shrinking. The detectives dig in and learn more about weathering, erosion, the rock cycle, and much more. This show is part of the NASA SCI Files series of instructional programs consisting of broadcast, print, and online elements. Emphasizing research and standards-based instruction, problem-based learning, and scientific inquiry, the series seeks to motivate students to become critical thinkers and active problem solvers. Each program supports national math, science, and technology standards and has three components: (1) a 60-minute television broadcast; (2) a companion educator guide; (3) an interactive Web site.

In this episode, the tree house detectives are troubled by a strange tremor in the area, and they decide that they need to investigate earthquakes. They delve into geography, geology, and plate tectonics to discover why they're all shook up. The NASA SCIence Files- series introduces students in grades 3-5 to NASA and integrates mathematics, science, and technology through the use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), scientific inquiry, and the scientific method. Length: 60:00.

This set of four educational wall-sheets includes Newton's Three Laws and the Law of Gravitation. They include activities that are designed to be displayed as a set on classroom walls. The pre-activity reading featuring the Swift satellite and most activities can be used in middle-school classrooms. Optional extension activities are suitable for advanced middle-school students and students in ninth grade.

The front of this poster is a cartoon profile of the atmosphere, showing the “good and bad” roles of ozone in the stratosphere, high troposphere, mid-troposphere, and surface. The back contains six panels that can be photocopied separately. It is a classroom activity article, beginning with an explanation of ozone’s roles, and an introduction to spectroscopy. Also included are detailed instructions for building a spectroscope using a CD or a DVD. (Folded color poster, 22”W x 25-1/2”H.)

This NASA special publication is an overview of the Saturn system, and the continued exploration by the Cassini spacecraft and the Huygens probe.

This activity guide explores the potential for global climate change to increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and storm surges, and the impacts that could result. Designed to teach through scientific inquiry, the activity seeks to stimulate thought about the long-term impact of a warmer planet. The activity responds to national education standards in the English language arts, geography, social studies, mathematics, and science.

This is an electromagnetic spectrum science program that incorporates engineering, math, and solar system data stories that use mission data to explain how light is used to explore the solar system. A set of foundational lessons accompanies the program, helping students understand spectroscopy at a basic level. The data stories include paper and pencil versions, as well as Flash-based interactives where students delve more deeply into the missions and science behind the data.

This three-paneled wall-sheet describes Einstein’s theory of space-time. The first section focuses on two key questions that Einstein posed about Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. The second section describes the basics of Einstein's theory. The third section describes the major tests attempted to verify it in the 20th century. The front sides are collages; the backs sides are reproducible text.

This online course in satellite meteorology. includes 8 modules with numerous hands-on activities: 1) An Introduction detailing the evolution of remote sensing technology, 2) Weather Satellites and Orbits, 3) The Electromagnetic Spectrum, 4) Cloud Identification, 5) Satellite Images, 6) Satellite Winds, 7) Wild Weather, and 8) Monitoring the Global Environment. The modules were designed to serve as stand-alone lessons, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

This website covers scientific notation, orders of magnitude, and plotting using both linear and log scales. Students determine the relative scales of objects in the Universe from the very small to the very large. Many hands-on science experiments are available.

This lithograph set features images of the planets, the sun, asteroids, comets, meteors and meteorites, the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud, and moons of the solar system. General information, significant dates, interesting facts and brief descriptions of the images are included.

This resource offers a week of online curriculum with daily topics on the Sun, including Sun as a Star, the Sun Close Up, Solar Activity, Eclipses, and Careers organized for Solar Week 2011. Each day contains a game, an activity, topical questions, a related Life Science topic, teacher information, and an Ask the Scientist page.

This booklet includes 19 problems that explore the topic of radiation and human exposure to its different forms. The problems span math abilities from basic multiplication and unit conversions, to algebra and calculus. For example, students learn about the various natural radiation dosages to which they are exposed daily, work quantitatively with authentic radiation dosage units to estimate the total annual dosages resulting from different lifestyles, and determine probabilities of occurrence for flares and other radiation events in space. Math skills include graph analysis, Venn diagramming, probability and statistics, evaluating equations in more than one variable, extrapolation and forecasting, scientific notation, integral calculus. (8.5 x11, 28 pages, 11 color images, PDF file)

These inquiry-driven interactive Web explorations involve five mysteries that take advantage of students’ curiosity to build critical thinking and analytical skills. The mysteries are: Solar Supernova, Alien Bandstand, Live! From 2-Alpha, Star Market and Galactic Doom. Each mystery has been constructed to teach at least one physical science standards -e.g. conservation of energy, motion, or forces-, and is accompanied by materials to be used by teachers.

This activity includes pictures with detailed background information and short summaries of information accompanied by an image of an astronomical object.

This playground demonstration (using a merry-go-round) shows angular momentum and why rockets are launched in a certain direction and at a certain time. From a moving merry-go-round, participants attempt to throw small balls into a basket on the ground. It includes an explanation, with animated graphics.

This DVD includes space science images, movies and activities aligned with national standards. Includes the following sections: Astronomy, Solar System, Sky Tonight, and Space Weather models, which run separately or as a linked system, plus Space Events. It is safe for unattended use and suitable for museums or school libraries. Images can be updated without need of an open web browser.

This Web site contains multimedia educational presentations on the Sun and its effects on the Earth. The central part is a presentation on the Sun designed to be given in the classroom (though students could also go through it at a workstation). There are three versions of the presentation: a high school, middle school, and upper elementary school. Each contains between 30-60 slides, many of which contain movies and animations. The goal is to educate, engage, and develop student interest in the Sun and how we study its affects on Earth. There are a number of smaller tutorials on related topics, an interactive poster, a Sun art show, bonus video clips, links, activities and more.

In this activity, students get a feel for how astronomers measure the altitude, or height above the horizon, of a star or any object by building a simple sextant. Students can also build a sundial (using a project developed by Marshall's Space Academy).

This toolkit includes Power Points, scripts, videos and accompanying activities and handouts. Toolkit includes: SUPERNOVA in the Lives of Stars PowerPoint and Script (explores these and other questions about the powerful stellar explosion: the supernova), Let's Make a Supernova (participants imagine themselves inside a large star at the end of its life, just as it is about to go supernova), Nuclear Fusion (this activity explains nuclear fusion and how radiation is generated by stars, using marshmallows as a model), Supernova Star Maps (allow visitors to experience finding stars in the night sky that will eventually go supernova), A Universe Without Supernovae (an active game to illustrate the value of supernovae in the universe) and Lives of Stars (an activity and handout about the lifecycle of stars and when supernovae happen).

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows what appears to be a delicate bubble of gas floating in space. In actuality, the bubble is the visible remnant of a powerful supernova explosion called SNR 0509. The bubble was formed from gas being swept up by the expanding shock wave. The accompanying activity is a curriculum support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. In the activity, students use the images and text on this lithograph to generate questions about supernova explosions and remnants. They will conduct research to answer their questions, and create a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of the material, providing supporting evidence from their research.

This educational video details how the sciences of astronomy and geography guided slaves to freedom in the 1800s, and how the technologies of satellites and geographic information systems are being used to locate and visualize the secret paths they traveled. Using the North Star as a compass, freedom-seeking slaves went from safe house to safe house along the Underground Railroad, an intricate network of escape routes away from the slave-ridden South. This video explains the role celestial navigation played in the Railroad's success, and highlights the importance of modern technologies in reconstructing the exact routes and terrain of the Railroad. Length: 34:00.

This Web site contains a 22-lesson package, with activities that focus on studying the biosphere from space to teach students about the Earth system.

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Database houses millions of student observations from schools worldwide. The purpose of these activities is first, to help guide the teacher through these millions of data, and second, to inspire teachers and students to both collect GLOBE data as well as to use these data in their own research. The activities have been designed to help students and teachers discover that data exploration can be exciting and interesting. Each activity contains step-by-step procedures as well as notes on what students should see in and understand about the data.

This video provides historical footage regarding the importance of meteorological information obtained from NASA satellites for predicting and monitoring severe storms. Length: 15:00.