Are you a grade 6-9 science teacher?
Do you teach your students about the Moon?
Would you like to learn exciting, interactive ways to bring lunar science and exploration into your classroom?
Grade 6-9 science teachers and pre-service teachers are invited to attend a workshop focused on lunar science, exploration, and how our understanding of the Moon is evolving with the new data from current and recent lunar missions.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has allowed scientists to measure the coldest known place in the Solar System, map the surface of the Moon in unprecedented detail and accuracy, find evidence of recent lunar geologic activity, characterize the radiation environment around the Moon - and its potential effects on future lunar explorers, and much, much more!
Workshop participants will:
- Learn about the latest discoveries in lunar science from LRO and other recent lunar missions
- Reinforce your understanding of lunar science concepts
- Gain tools to help address common student misconceptions about the Moon
- Interact with lunar scientists and engineers
- Work with LRO data
- Learn how to bring these data and information to your students using hands-on activities aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards
The 2014 workshop will take place at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. In addition to classroom lessons and talks by NASA scientists, participants will take a tour of NASA Goddard to help them better understand mission operations and see where the LRO spacecraft was built. Certificates of participation specifying the number of workshop contact hours will be provided to all participants, as well as professional development credits from the Maryland Department of Education. The Lunar Workshop for Educators will be offered once in the summer of 2014, from July 14-18.
Laptops are strongly encouraged for participation in this workshop.
Each hands-on activity in the LRO LWE series is specifically designed to address one or more of the Next Generation Science Standards. Time is allotted in each workshop to discuss how activities can be modified depending on the needs of each educator's students, and how the lessons can be incorporated into a broader science curriculum.
Each workshop will have follow-up sessions to support participants as they incorporate lunar science content and activities into their educational environments. The LRO Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Team will facilitate these follow-up sessions, and participants will be notified of each up-coming event. Virtual seminars will be interspersed among these sessions.
A wide range of education materials related to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter can be found on the LRO Education and Outreach website
Lesson plans for several of the activities included in the LRO LWE series are available on the Education and Public Outreach page of the Lunar and Planetary Institute website.