HR: 11:20h
AN: ED42A-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Using NASA's Aura Satellite Data for Inquiry Based Classroom Instruction
AU: * Carter, B L
EM: brooke_carter@ssaihq.com
AF: NASA/GSFC/SSAI, 10210 Greenbelt Rd Ste 600, Lanham, MD 20706, United States
AU: Stockman, S
EM: Stephanie.A.Stockman@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/GSFC/SSAI, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Code 698, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Bojkov, B
EM: Bojan.R.Bojkov@nasa.gov
AF: NASA/GSFC/SSAI, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Code 613.3, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AB: NASA's Earth Observing Satellite Aura was launched in 2004, and since that time has been collecting a wealth of data that contributes to scientists' understanding of the complexity of air quality issues. The Aura spacecraft monitors five of the six EPA criteria pollutants (NO2, SO2, O3, aerosols, and CO). Data from one of the criteria pollutants, NO2, are now available in a format useful to educators and students. The data by itself is not enough for students to engage in the scientific reasoning process. Thus, inquiry-driven supporting material in the form of lessons, project based learning scenarios, and curricular support for online data have all been adapted as part of the scaffolding necessary to help students gain an understanding of issues pertaining to air quality. These materials are delivered online which makes them readily accessible to the education community. Currently, NO2 data are available for manipulation using tools such as GoogleEarth and MY NASA DATA (http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov). These tools are used to investigate common relationships between spatial distribution and variability of NO2 concentrations. Through guided investigations in the Earth Exploration Toolbook (http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/index.html) or MY NASA DATA, students gain an understanding of NO2 variability. Students are then asked to extrapolate their knowledge and understanding to investigate other air quality issues relating to NO2. Within the coming year, the lessons built around Aura data will be introduced in professional development workshops. Feedback from those attending the professional development workshops about how the data and lessons are used in the classroom will be used to help shape future lesson development on new data. Subsequent data on criteria pollutants of SO2, aerosols, and O3 will soon be made available in a similar format to the education community, helping to further student understanding of the complex nature of air quality issues.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting