National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
http://www.nasa.gov

The NASA online presence is extensive and significant. There is a wealth of information about Earth and space science on the Internet; much of this is connected to NASA support. A good starting place for NASA online resources is the NASA Education Home Page: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codef/education . Here you will find an overview of NASA's education program, a link to education home pages listed by NASA mission or program, and links to education home pages listed by NASA field center. Here is a brief description of some of the online highlights in the NASA education program:

NASA Spacelink-An Electronic Library of Educational Resources: http://spacelink.nasa.gov. Spacelink has been an aeronautics and space resource for educators since 1988. It was developed specifically for use by the educational community, and this library is the guide to all of NASA's Internet resources. There are lesson plans and subject oriented pages in Earth science, life science, mathematics, physical science, space science, engineering, and technology. The site's search feature allows one to search all NASA electronic resources. This page also has "Hot Topics" and "Cool Picks" of educational value and interest.

NASA K-12 Internet Initiative (Quest): http://quest.arc.nasa.gov . This is a resource that also has been developed for the educational community. It is at this site that one finds "Sharing NASA", an online interactive project where people have the opportunity to communicate electronically with NASA scientists and space explorers. This is also the home for various electronic field trips and other activities.

NASA Learning Technologies Project (LTP): http://learn.ivv.nasa.gov/organization/proj_sum.html
The goal of LTP is to increase public access and interest in the use of NASA scientific databases. LTP projects are designed to develop new curricum products and tools for K-14 education. This website has an annotated list of NASA projects worthy of investigation. One example is Observatorium-Exploring Earth's Backyard, a public access site for Earth and space data, complete with activities and guide for teaching and learning. http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/core.shtml

NASA's Classroom of the Future: http://www.cotf.edu
The NASA Classroom of the Future project "… engages students in doing real science by presenting them with problems currently being investigated by practicing scientists and by having students manipulate the actual data relevant to those problems." In other words, these are great examples of problem-based learning and constructivist classrooms. (The teacher pages include tips and information for implementing problem-based learning.)

NASA Solutions Online-the Technology Transfer Office: http://techtran.msfc.nasa.gov/
Find out how NASA technology affects our lives. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center sponsors this look at engineering and technology and their applications. At Home with NASA Technology provides "…a down-to-Earth look at how NASA technology has been applied in numerous areas of everyday life." This can be an interesting springboard for investigations and writing projects. http://techtran.msfc.nasa.gov/at_home/technology.html

A related site is NASA Technology Twice Used: http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/Tech_Twice/Tech_twice1.html . Look for "Fishing from Orbit" for an example of an Earth application of space technology. http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/Tech_Twice/Tech_twice9.html

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
http://www.noaa.gov/

This organization, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, supports scientific research, gathers data, and disseminates information. Topics include climate, coastal issues, fisheries, environmental information, marine navigation, and satellite data. This is the home of the National Weather Service, the National Hurricane Center, and information about the International Year of the Ocean, 1998.

The NOAA site also supports the National Weather Service-Interactive Weather Information Network. This is a wonderful source of information in many areas: local weather (a "clickable map"allows one to get hourly weather readings in seven categories), national and world weather, and national weather warnings or advisories. This site is user-friendly; start here for explorations about weather.

The main NOAA website has links to many sources and sets of data; these datasets are great resources for teaching mathematics and data analysis in real-world contexts. In some cases it is possible to "visit" a particular ocean buoy to check its readings.

Interactive Weather Information Network- National Weather Service: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/graphicsversion/main.html

International Year of the Ocean, 1998: http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/ This site has great ocean-related activities for children.

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ (When interest in active hurricanes overwhelms this site, the user is sent to a number of other hurricane-related websites)

National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory has information about El Niño and La Niña http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/toga-tao/el-nino/home.html; there is further information about La Niña here http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/lanina.html

Public Broadcasting System (PBS):
http://www.pbs.org

PBS Online offers Internet-based programming related to the Public Broadcasting System television programming in science and technology. These websites integrate online technology with classroom activities, teachers resources, related links, and generally fascinating information.

PBS Science: http://www.pbs.org/science/ This webpage is the general organizational website for descriptions and links to the PBS science programs.

PBS Technology: http://www.pbs.org/technology This webpage is the general organizational website for descriptions and links to the PBS technology programs.

NOVA: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova This website has a directory of NOVA programs with related links to teacher's guides and activities.

PBS Scienceline: http://www.pbs.org/learn/scienceline Scienceline describes itself as designed for K-12 teachers of science. There will be a professional development component to this site, in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association.

PBS Scienceline Monthly Spotlight : http://www.pbs.org/learn/scienceline/spotlight.html Each month, Scienceline turns the spotlight on a particular topic of interest. Each theme is introduced by an expert in the field, with links to related websites.

PBS Teacher Connex Online Teacher's Guides for PBS Science and Math Programs:
http://www.pbs.org/learn/tconnex/sciencemathtg.html Teacher Connex contains a schedule of PBS programs with videotaping rights for educators. Check here for a list of the available teacher's guides to these special programs.

 

Smithsonian Institution:
http://educate.si.edu/

The Smithsonian Institution is known as "the nation's attic". Its online education website has a lesson plan collection of "classroom-ready" lessons and activities. The materials emphasize inquiry-based learning, using primary sources and museum collections. Photographs and links to online resources are made available for those of us unable to visit the various Smithsonian exhibits in person. There are lesson plans in the content areas of art, language arts, science, and social studies. The section of science lesson plans currently links to six investigations.

Science lesson plan lists: http://educate.si.edu/lessons/lists/scilist.html The lessons in this section can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat format for professional looking student handouts. Here are two recommended lessons:

Ocean Planet: Interdisciplinary Marine Science Activities: http://educate.si.edu/lessons/currkits/ocean/main.html There is a description of this project in the "Theme-based investigations" section of this special collection. There are six online lesson plans with background information, student handouts, and related activities. Math, geography, biology, and writing are incorporated in these activities.

How Things Fly: Activities for Teaching Flight http://educate.si.edu/lessons/siyc/flight/start.html These lessons and activities have been adapted from materials developed by the National Air and Space Museum. Some of the graphics and words relate to children, but the activities can be adapted for the adult learner.

Smithsonian Institution museums and organizations: http://educate.si.edu/programs/lists/scilist.html There are many Smithsonian museums that offer curricular materials in the sciences. This site provides links to eleven such organizations, for further exploration.