Blue Marble Matches: Using Earth for Planetary Comparisons

Goal: This activity is designed to introduce students to geologic processes on Earth and model how scientists use Earth to gain a better understanding of other planetary bodies in the solar system. Objectives: Students will: 1. Identify common descriptor characteristics used by scientists to describe geologic features in images. 2. Identify geologic features and how they form on Earth. 3. Create a list of defining/distinguishing characteristics of geologic features 4. Identify geologic features in images of other planetary bodies. 5. List observations and interpretations about planetary body comparisons. 6. Create summary statements about planetary body comparisons

Expedition Earth and Beyond: Student Scientist Guidebook, Teacher Guide

The goal of the Expedition Earth and Beyond Student Scientist Guidebook is to provide students with an inquiry-based approach to conducting a student-led research investigation in the classroom

Oh, What a Pane! An Inquiry Based on Activity with a Mathematical Approach to Investigation Windows on Earth...and in Space. Teacher Guide

This is a teacher's guide to assist teachers in developing modules on windows for use in both earth and space and astronaut photographs. Activities incorporating mathematical exercises are suggested for grades five through ten

Spheres of Earth: An Introduction to Making Observations of Earth Using an Earth System's Science Approach. Student Guide

Scientists from the Image Science and Analysis Laboratory (ISAL) at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) work with astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) who take images of Earth. Astronaut photographs, sometimes referred to as Crew Earth Observations, are taken using hand-held digital cameras onboard the ISS. These digital images allow scientists to study our Earth from the unique perspective of space. Astronauts have taken images of Earth since the 1960s. There is a database of over 900,000 astronaut photographs available at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov . Images are requested by ISAL scientists at JSC and astronauts in space personally frame and acquire them from the Destiny Laboratory or other windows in the ISS. By having astronauts take images, they can specifically frame them according to a given request and need. For example, they can choose to use different lenses to vary the amount of area (field of view) an image will cover. Images can be taken at different times of the day which allows different lighting conditions to bring out or highlight certain features. The viewing angle at which an image is acquired can also be varied to show the same area from different perspectives. Pointing the camera straight down gives you a nadir shot. Pointing the camera at an angle to get a view across an area would be considered an oblique shot. Being able to change these variables makes astronaut photographs a unique and useful data set. Astronaut photographs are taken from the ISS from altitudes of 300 - 400 km (~185 to 250 miles). One of the current cameras being used, the Nikon D3X digital camera, can take images using a 50, 100, 250, 400 or 800mm lens. These different lenses allow for a wider or narrower field of view. The higher the focal length (800mm for example) the narrower the field of view (less area will be covered). Higher focal lengths also show greater detail of the area on the surface being imaged. Scientists from the Image Science and Analysis Laboratory (ISAL) at NASA s Johnson Space Center (JSC) work with astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) who take images of Earth. Astronaut photographs, sometimes referred to as Crew Earth Observations, are taken using hand-held digital cameras onboard the ISS. These digital images allow scientists to study our Earth from the unique perspective of space. Astronauts have taken images of Earth since the 1960s. There is a database of over 900,000 astronaut photographs available at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov . Images are requested by ISAL scientists at JSC and astronauts in space personally frame and acquire them from the Destiny Laboratory or other windows in the ISS. By having astronauts take images, they can specifically frame them according to a given request and need. For example, they can choose to use different lenses to vary the amount of area (field of view) an image will cover. Images can be taken at different times of the day which allows different lighting conditions to bring out or highlight certain features. The viewing angle at which an image is acquired can also be varied to show the same area from different perspectives. Pointing the camera straight down gives you a nadir shot. Pointing the camera at an angle to get a view across an area would be considered an oblique shot. Being able to change these variables makes astronaut photographs a unique and useful data set. Astronaut photographs are taken from the ISS from altitudes of 300 - 400 km (approx.185 to 250 miles). One of the current cameras being used, the Nikon D3X digital camera, can take images using a 50, 100, 250, 400 or 800mm lens. These different lenses allow for a wider or narrower field of view. The higher the focal length (800mm for example) the narrower the field of view (less area will be covered). Higher focal lengths also show greater detail of the area on the surface being imaged. There are four major systems or spheres of Earth. They are: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphe, and Litho/Geosphere

A Framework for Successful Research Experiences in the Classroom: Combining the Power of Technology and Mentors

Authentic research opportunities in the classroom are most impactful when they are student-driven and inquiry-based. These experiences are even more powerful when they involve technology and meaningful connections with scientists. In today's classrooms, activities are driven by state required skills, education standards, and state mandated testing. Therefore, programs that incorporate authentic research must address the needs of teachers. NASA's Expedition Earth and Beyond (EEAB) Program has developed a framework that addresses teacher needs and incorporates the use of technology and access to mentors to promote and enhance authentic research in the classroom. EEAB is a student involvement program that facilitates student investigations of Earth or planetary comparisons using NASA data. To promote student-led research, EEAB provides standards-aligned, inquiry-based curricular resources, an implementation structure to facilitate research, educator professional development, and ongoing support. This framework also provides teachers with the option to incorporate the use of technology and connect students with a mentor, both of which can enrich student research experiences. The framework is structured by a modeled 9-step process of science which helps students organize their research. With more schools gaining increased access to technology, EEAB has created an option to help schools take advantage of students' interest and comfort with technology by leveraging the use of available technologies to enhance student research. The use of technology not only allows students to collaborate and share their research, it also provides a mechanism for them to work with a mentor. This framework was tested during the 2010/2011 school year. Team workspaces hosted on Wikispaces for Educators allow students to initiate their research and refine their research question initially without external input. This allows teams to work independently and rely on the skills and interests of team members. Once teams finalize their research question, they are assigned a mentor. The mentor introduces himself/herself, acknowledges the initial work the team has conducted, and asks a focused question to help open the lines of communication. Students continue to communicate with their mentor throughout their research. As research is completed, teams can share their investigation during a virtual presentation. These live presentations allow students to share their research with their mentor, other scientists, other students, parents, and school administrators. After the initial year of testing this authentic research process, EEAB is working to address the many lessons learned. This will allow the program to refine and improve the overall process in an effort to maximize the benefits. Combined, these powerful strategies provide a successful framework to help teachers enhance the skills and motivation of their students, preparing them to become the next generation of scientists, explorers, and STEM-literate citizens of our nation

Image Detective 2.0: Engaging Citizen Scientists with NASA Astronaut Photography

Image Detective 2.0 engages citizen scientists with NASA astronaut photography of the Earth obtained by crew members on the International Space Station (ISS). Engaged citizen scientists are helping to build a more comprehensive and searchable database by geolocating this imagery and contributing to new imagery collections. Image Detective 2.0 is the newest addition to the suite of citizen scientist projects available through CosmoQuest, an effort led by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) and supported through a NASA Science Mission Directorate Cooperative Agreement Notice award. CosmoQuest hosts a number of citizen science projects enabling individuals from around the world to engage in authentic NASA science. Image Detective 2.0, an effort that focuses on imagery acquired by astronauts on the International Space Station, builds on work initiated in 2012 by scientists and education specialists at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Through the many lessons learned, Image Detective 2.0 enhances the original project by offering new and improved options for participation. Existing users, as well as new Image Detective participants joining through the CosmoQuest platform, gain first-hand experience working with astronaut photography and become more engaged with this valuable data being obtained from the International Space Station. Citizens around the world are captivated by astronauts living and working in space. As crew members have a unique vantage point from which to view our Earth, the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) online database, referred to as the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/), provides a means for crew members to share their unique views of our home planet from the ISS with the scientific community and the public. Astronaut photography supports multiple uses including scientific investigations, visualizations, education, and outreach. These astronaut images record how the planet is changing over time, from human-made changes like urban growth and agriculture, to natural features and landforms such as tropical cyclones, aurora, coastlines, volcanoes and more. This imagery provides researchers on Earth with data to understand the planet from the perspective of the ISS, and is a useful complement to other remotely sensed datasets collected from robotic satellite platforms