Mon, Feb 21, 2011
Any Teacher Can Submit An Proposal For An Experiment
For the first time, NASA is offering teachers from across the
country an opportunity usually reserved for researchers -- the
chance to design a science experiment and then test it aboard a
microgravity research plane. Proposals should be submitted to
NASA's Teaching From Space office by March 14.
"Any teacher from anywhere in the country can submit a proposal
to fly an experiment," said Cindy McArthur, Teaching From Space
project manager. "It doesn't matter if you teach kindergarten or
advanced placement in high school. What better way to make science
and math come alive? We can't wait to see the experiments educators
and their students propose."
Previous proposals were tied to NASA education programs such
NASA Explorer Schools. This year the opportunity is open to any
certified teacher, kindergarten through 12th grade, who is in the
classroom and is a U.S. citizen. The teachers chosen to participate
will design and fabricate an experiment that takes advantage of a
reduced gravity environment – just like the environment
onboard the International Space Station and the space shuttle.
On March 30, NASA will select 14 teams, composed of four or
more teachers. This summer, teachers and their experiments will fly
aboard a modified Boeing 727 jetliner provided by the Zero-Gravity
Corp. of Las Vegas.
To achieve weightlessness, the aircraft makes
roller-coaster-like climbs and dips to produce periods of micro-
and hyper-gravity, ranging from 0 g's to 2 g's. It takes about 30
climbs to complete an experiment.
Teaching From Space is partnering with the Reduced Gravity
Education Flight Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston
to provide the flights. The program continues NASA's investment in
the nation's education programs by supporting the goal of
attracting and retaining students in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics disciplines critical to future space
exploration.
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