Identifying exemplary curricula for effective inquiry in Space Science  What and where are the best NASA (and other) curriculum resources for engaging pre-service teachers in space science inquiry?  How can these curriculum resources be used to address questions tied to science education standards? {Greg Schultz and Bill Waller} AAS/FINESSE workshop, 3-4 January 2009

What qualities should curriculum resources have for effective classroom use?  What would you list as important curriculum qualities? 

What qualities should curriculum resources have for effective classroom use?  Do they elicit meaningful questions?  Do they involve strategies to pursue evidence?  Data collection, organization, and analysis  Interpretation of results  Do they engage students in creating, communicating, defending, and revising conclusions?  Do they encourage identification of new questions?  Do they address different learning modes?  Do they address science education standards?  Other qualities?

What NASA or other curriculum resources have you found useful?  Write down a few space science curriculum resources that you think lend themselves to active inquiry.  Share your suggestions.

Here’s what we find  The Real Reasons for the Seasons (book)  Private Universe / Minds of their Own (DVD)  Mars Student Imaging Project (onsite, distance-learning, & online)  Beyond the Solar System (DVD)  Space Science Education Resource Directory (online)  Contemporary Laboratory Experiences in Astronomy (CLEA)  Astronomycenter.org – at Astro 101 level (online)  Center for Astronomy Education – at Astro 101 level (online)

Further curricular resources …  See your list of Earth and Space Science Education Resources  What are worth using?  What are less helpful?  Are there other exemplary NASA or other education resources that would benefit future teachers of science and those who prepare them?

Now it’s your turn! (Assess the qualities of curriculum resources)  Peruse the handouts and other web links.  Select 2 resources that relate to your state space science standards.  Compare and contrast these 2 resources re: desired qualities.  Find scientific questions which the data set(s) can address.

What did you think of your resources?  Did they elicit meaningful questions?  Did they involve strategies to pursue evidence?  Data collection, organization, and analysis  Interpretation of results  Did they engage students in creating, communicating, defending, and revising conclusions?  Did they encourage identification of new questions?  Did they address different learning modes?  Did they address science education standards?  Other qualities?