HR: 0800h
AN: ED11A-1098    [Abstracts]
TI: Earth System and Space Science Curriculum for High Schools
AU: * Leck, J P
EM: jleck@pop100.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road Mail Stop 130.0, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AB: Earth System and Space Science emphasizes the dynamic interrelationships between the atmosphere, the geosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere and the earth-universe system. There is a strong emphasis on internet-based and technology activities, and laboratory activities. Science skills and processes learned in this course prepare for continued development of scientific inquiry in other science disciplines. A partnership with the Goddard Space Flight Center and collaboration with Anne Arundel County Public Schools provides enhanced richness to the learning activities. Earth and Space scientists from NASA GSFC gave their expertise in the development of ESSS. Their suggestions were the foundation for the development of this curriculum. Earth System and Space Science is a course, which develops student knowledge and understanding of the Earth System and its place in the universe. This course seeks to empower students to understand their dynamic local and global environments and the Earth as part of a complex system. The student will learn the science content necessary to make wise personal and social decisions related to quality of life, and the management of the Earth's finite resources, environments, and hazards. During much of the recent past, scientists have been concerned with examining individual physical, chemical, and biological processes or groups of processes in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Recently, however, there has been a movement in Earth Science to take a planetary or "system" approach to investigating our planet. Satellite images show planet Earth as one entity without boundaries. There are concerns with environmental issues on regional, global, and even planetary scales. In Earth/Space Systems Science, Earth is viewed as a complex evolving planet that is characterized by continually interacting change over a wide scale of time and space.
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
DE: 0830 Teacher training
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005