More Free Resources: NASA

I recently participated in the Airspace Systems Education Cohort at the NASA Ames Research Center, in Mountain View, California. The program engaged us in scientific inquiry at the leading edge of education and technology and encouraged us to return to our communities to bolster the quality of science instruction in schools as teacher trainers. I've used NASA education resources for years, but this experience reminded me that so many teachers don't take advantage of the many fine resources and opportunities NASA offers.

We have so few minority schoolchildren accepting the challenge of studying mathematics, science, engineering, and technology that teachers should make programs, such as NASA Quest Challenges, a part of the content they choose to help prepare students for the future and to make learning more relevant. NASA Quest Challenges are free Web-based interactive explorations designed to engage students in authentic scientific and engineering processes. The solutions relate to issues NASA personnel encounter daily.

My other pick from NASA is Smart Skies, designed for grades 5-9.

Check out these resources and spend some time on the NASA Web site to find lots of resources to enliven your curriculum.