The Goddard Center for Astrobiology

Education and Public Outreach Program

GCA Team Meeting, March 23-24, 2006Stephanie Stockman, EPO Lead

Curriculum materials developmentJeff Pedelty and Jason Dworkin liaisons

Mapping Astrochemsity content to Standards High school Astrochemistry

Bring MIAC educators to GSFCInteract with node scientistsWrite education modulesField test in classrooms

Return to GSFC for year twoContinue work with node scientistRevise modules Field test revised modulesFinal Draft

Educator workshops at MIAC institutionsDifferent institution each year (3-5)Lead by MIAC module developersIncludes GCA scientists Additional workshops after year 5 supported by MSL-SAM EPO

Comet research in the ClassroomScience team Liaison Mike DiSantiMIAC Liaison Dr. Donald Walters SCSUMIAC partners TSU and SCSU provide telescope timeGCA provides narrow-band filters

Curriculum materials development

FY 04

Astrobiology in Secondary Classrooms Summer Institute June 2004

Developed an astrobiology curriculum framework that is mapped to the National Science Education Standards and AAAS Benchmarks

Drafted lessons and activities and Implementation Plan for Field-testing astro-chemistry materials

FY 05

Drafted lessons and activities

Field testing in schools continuing

Initiated collaboration with CIW and IPTAI teams to bring in DC teachers and conduct joint workshops beginning Summer 2006

FY 06

First MIAC workshop at Tennessee State University June 19-23

Curriculum Materials for Workshop

Module 1: What is Astrobiology

Overview of astrobiology--Fundamental questions in astrobiology Overview of the NASA Goddard Center for Astrobiology How does the investigation of comets fit into to field of Astrobiology?

Module 2: How Astrobiologists Study Comets Introduction to the electromagnetic spectrum and the study of comets Remote study of comets

Earth-based telescopes Satellite-based telescopes

Earth-based labs: models and simulations

Module 3: Astrobiology and Comets Comparing and contrasting comets Designing comets: “Comet on a Stick” Chemical composition of comets

Curriculum Materials for Workshop

Module 4: Astrobiologists Study Life

Understanding life’s systems Building blocks of life Building blocks of life in comets

Module 5: Astrobiologists study a changing world and and a changing universe

Early Earth timeline The environment of early Earth Extreme organisms on Earth; an analog for life in the Solar System? Theory of how life began on Earth

ASC at AbSciCon

Session 30: Science Communication: The Other Astrobiology DisciplineChair: Linda Billings Chair: Krisstina Wilmoth

Thursday, March 30th, 2006 (9:30 - 12:30 am)

Ronald Reagan Building, Horizon A

The Astrobiology in Secondary Classrooms (ASC) Project (11:00 AM)

Virtual Teaching and Inspiration Environmenthttp://vtie.umbc.edu

Liaison Dr. Susan Hoban, GEST, UMBC

VTIE is an online database includes research toolsProposal toolGlossary toolPaper writing toolComet database

VTIE PI Hoban worked closely with MIAC educators during curriculum development

Interface will be utilized for Astrochemistry in the Secondary Classroom MIAC Workshops

Astrobiology Courses

Astrobiology and Life in the Universehttp://home.eckerd.edu/~hudsonrl/chn/CH210/index210.htmCH210, Fall Semester, 2004Instructor: Reggie L. Hudson (Co-I)

Life in the UniverseASTR380, Fall Semester, 2004Instructor: Marla H. Moore (Co-I)

Cosmos to Humanity: From the Big Bang to the Space Age Biology 290H, Fall Semester, 2004 Lecturer W. M. Irvine (Co-I)

Collaborative projects

NASA Explorer Institutes initiative for Informal EducationNational Park Service--From Earth to Sky program ran concurrently at NASA AMES and NPS Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV Participants included 50 National Park Service InterpretersStockman served on planning committee, identified potential Astrobiology Speakers (Mike Myer), and represented NAI EPO during workshop

Girl Scouts USA--A Vision for Girls in Earth and Space Science -a two part program a including workshop at JPL to train experienced GSUSA trainers and a workshop at GSUSA training Center in NY to train novice trainersAudience included 30 GSUSA regional trainersStockman served on planning committee and lead activities linking earth and space science

NASA Explorer School Institutes - Formal Education InitiativeHeld at Regional NSTA meetings in Indianapolis (30 K-12 teachers) and Seattle (52 K-12 teachers)Stockman involved in planning and implementation for both 4 hour workshopsIndiana science presenter Lisa Pratt and U. Washington presenter for Seattle workshopAstrobiology hands on activities during workshops

Fall 2004 AGU GIFT workshopTwo-day workshop held in conjunction with AGU Fall meetingStockman was workshop organizer35 k-12 and community college educators participated Workshop included Astrobiology and NAI overview by Rosalind Grymesand NAI education modules as hands on activities.

Future Plans

Collaborative project with CIW and IPTAIProposing to NAI Central EPO for funding to bring DC and Knoxville,Tennessee teachers to 2006 Educators workshop hosted by Tennessee State University

Possible collaborative project with Ames, University of Hawaii to bring Astrobiology content to Volcanoes National Park working with NPS