Topics of this update listed below:

* NASA Quest Web site Redesign

* Planetary Flight Forum

* Planetary Flight Webcast

* Astrobiology Fieldwork

* Project Astro: call for teachers

To all our users.

Thanks so much for a great school year of NASA education events.

We at NASA Quest have been working to enhance our website to better meet the needs of you, our user. We would like to let you know that as of June this summer NASA Quest will be uploading the latest version of our website. This new version will feature:

* better access to the wealth of NASA information.

* database search capability of all NASA Quest content with a variety of search criteria available to

assist you with locating the information you need.

Search for:

specific bios based on topic, program, gender, occupation

lesson plans based on subject, content, grade level, events

archived events based on content, name, topic, grade level

images, videos, background material based on content area, grade level, etc.

* Year long and monthly calendar of events – to assist with planning and preparation.

* Color coding of NASA Quest events and NASA content areas for easy reference.

* Links to other major interactive educational web base projects being produced out of NASA.

* Links to NASA TV live streaming anytime.

We look forward to continuing to bring you content rich educational events and programs. Below is a list of upcoming events and opportunities from the educational technology team here at NASA.

Thanks,

The NASA Ames educational technology team

—–

May 18 – 23, 2001

Planetary Flight forum – Designs for a Mars Airplane

Ask Peter Gage and Steve Smith questions about the design of a Mars Airplane.

Read their bio’s at

http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/team/smith.html

http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/team/gage.html

To learn more about the two events visit.

http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/events/marsplane

Tuesday May 22, 2001 10 AM

Planetary Flight Webcast – Designs for a Mars Airplane

Join Andrew Hahn to discuss Mars Airplane Designs. Read his bio at

http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/team/hahn.html

Try designing your Mars airplane at

http://quest.nasa.gov/aero/planetary/

Wednesday, May 23

10 – 11 AM Pacific – Talk to an astronaut and an astronaut’s doctor!

Astronaut Health will be the topic of our next webcast from Kennedy Space Center. When astronauts return from a mission, they receive thorough checkups to determine the effects space flight has had on their bodies and to be assured of their health and safety. Astronaut Bruce Melnick and Dr.

Phil Scarpa will join us to answer your questions. More information is available at:

http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/ksc

Wednesday, May 23, 2001
1:30 – 2:30 PM, Pacific Standard Time

“SoTIE Down Under” (Southern Telescopes in Education). Join the webcast and chat featuring guest speaker, Sarah Bugg, Public Relations Coordinator, Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex, Tidbinbilla, Australia.

http://learn.arc.nasa.gov/events/australia/.

June 6, 2001

10 – 11 AM Pacific ST

Join us for a follow-up webchat w/ith Dr. Scarpa

Log into http://quest.arc.nasa.gov for more information

Fall 2001 (September)

Astrobiology Webcasts Fieldwork – Before, During, and After. Grades 3- 8

Learn about what an astrobiologist does before, during and after fieldwork. Students will conduct their own field investigations, compare and contrasts microbe’s requirements for life with a human’s requirements for life. Students will complete simple food webs for organisms found in the two environments, including humans when possible.

check out http://quest.arc.nasa.gov soon for more information

Project ASTRO pairs Bay Area teachers in grades 4 – 9 with local amateur and professional astronomers, who commit to make at least four classroom visits. Teacher and astronomer partners train together at a 2-day summer workshop where they learn to do hands-on, inquiry-based astronomy activities that involve students in the process of science. Workshop participants also receive Project ASTRO’s 800-page curriculum resource guide, “The Universe at Your Fingertips.”

Applications are now being taken for the 2001-2002 school year. The deadline is May 21 and space is limited to 20 – 25 partnerships. All participants must attend the hands-on training workshop, which will be held this year on August 3 – 4 2001, at the San Mateo County Office of Education in Redwood City. Teachers must commit to teaching some astronomy during the 2001-2002 school year, but prior experience teaching astronomy is NOT required.