Proficiency in Science Students who are proficient in science: 1. Know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world 2. Generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations 3. Understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge 4. Participate productively in scientific practices and discourse Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8, Richard A. Duschl, Heidi A. Schweingruber, and Andrew W. Shouse, NRC, 2007

Our definition of inquiry When students are engaging with scientific ideas by collecting evidence to pursue questions to provide data-based conclusions When students are engaging with scientific ideas by collecting evidence to pursue questions to provide data-based conclusions Designing Questions Designing Questions Pursuing Evidence Pursuing Evidence Constructing Conclusions Based On Evidence Constructing Conclusions Based On Evidence

Stages of Inquiry Discovery learning Discovery learning Interactive demonstrations Interactive demonstrations Inquiry lessons Inquiry lessons Inquiry labs Inquiry labs Teacher Directed Teacher Directed Guided Guided Open Open

Locating Useable NASA (and other) Data for Earth and Space Science Inquiry What and where are the best NASA (and other) data resources for engaging pre-service teachers in Earth and space science inquiry? How can these data resources be used for inquiry?

What Qualities Should Data Resources Have for Effective Classroom Use? Best Practice Tips: Get your audience involved using their experience; build ownership.

What Qualities Should Data Resources Have for Effective Classroom Use? Easy to find Easy to access – (relatively) simple user interface Easy to manipulate – so students can do something meaningful with them; visual data, graphic data (Excel) Well-sampled (in space, time, etc.) Elicits scientific questions that can be addressed through further investigation Other qualities?

What NASA - or other - Data Resources Have You Found Useful? Jot down a few Earth or space science data resources that you think lend themselves to open inquiry Earth Solar System Beyond Share as we go! Best Practice Tips: Get your audience involved using their experience; build ownership. CD!

Here’s What We Found Earth … A Work in Progress  NASA Earth Observatory Data and Images  Earth Impact Data Base  IRIS Seismic Data  TOMS Ozone Data (A little more advanced)  USGS Real Time Water Data  And More!  And Links to Data-Rich Teaching Resources:  Student Observation Network  Discovering Plate Boundaries Other Datasets? DISCLAIMER: ALL of these data sets will require some playing around to get what you want … but they are nearer to useable than much of what’s out there …. Best Practice Tips: Poweryak at your audience … in a monotone … CD!

Here’s What We Found Solar System … A Work in Progress  Mars Phoenix Lander ImagesMars Phoenix Lander Images  Solar System Simulator – more than Galilean moons!  Solar Activity – Sunspots, Tracking a Solar Storm, Solar Images  Cratering databases (planets and moons)  Project LASP – uses planetary spectra  SDSS SkyServer – plots planets and asteroids in sky. Other Datasets? CD!

Here’s What We Found And Beyond … A Work in Progress  Globe at Night  SDSS SkyServer – images and spectra of stars and galaxies  star types, galaxy types, redshifts  Hubble Law, cluster properties  Hubble Deep Field folder on CD  Amazing Space – “Hubble Deep Field Academy” and “Galaxy Hunter” (also uses HDFs but with more statistics).  US National Virtual Observatory -- oodles of data but hard to use  Extra-Solar Planets Dataset  Stellarium – more sophisticated planetarium program Other Datasets? CD!

Now It’s Your Turn! Launch into Some Open-Ended Inquiry! Browse the data CD Select 2 data sets that relate to what you teach and align with your state science standards Crater data base and impacts = natural hazard Sunspot activity = characteristics of the sun Compare and contrast these 2 data sets re: desired qualities Identify scientific questions that the data set(s) can address What is the relationship between sunspot activity and Earth’s temperature? How does cratering size and density on the Moon compare to that on Mars? Dig In! Use the Electronic Poster Slides PowerPoint on the CD to present your results (recall the disclaimer!).

What Did You Think of the Resources? Were they easy to find? Were they easy to access – simple user interface? Were they easy to manipulate – visually or graphically? Did they adequately sample the parameter space? Did they elicit fruitful scientific questions? Other qualities?

Questions? Best Practice Tips: Allow time to clarify discussion; be responsive to audience.

Here’s What We Found And Beyond … A Sampling  Google Sky – includes DSS, infrared, and microwave imagery.  World Wide Telescope – most sophisticated viewing of sky.  SkyView – less sophisticated but includes more databases.  SDSS SkyServer – images and spectra of stars and galaxies.