| NASA INFORMAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS |
Program: |
NASA Explorer Institutes |
| Description: |
The Informal Education Division is initiating a new national level program called NASA Explorer Institutes (NEI). NEI will provide, "...as only NASA can," engaging experiences, opportunities, materials, and information to members of the informal education community including, but not limited to, representatives of science centers, museums, planetariums, libraries, parks, aquaria, nature centers, botanical gardens, youth groups, and community-based organizations. |
| Link: |
http://education.nasa.gov/divisions/informal/overview/F_pathfinder_explorer_institute.html
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Type: |
Museums, Science Centers, and Planetaria |
| Program: |
Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated |
| Description: |
The Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated (ASTC) is an organization of museums and science centers dedicated to furthering public understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences. JPL and NASA work with ASTC to provide professional development and resources to informal science educators.
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| Link: |
http://www.astc.org
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Type: |
Museums, Science Centers, and Planetaria |
| Program: |
International Planetarium Society |
| Description: |
The International Planetarium Society (IPS) is the largest organization of professional planetarians in the world. JPL and NASA's Office of Space Science work through the IPS to provide the latest space science news and multimedia to these informal science educators.
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| Link: |
http://www.ips-planetarium.org/
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| JPL INFORMAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ALLIANCES |
Type: |
Museums, Science Centers and Planetaria |
| Program: |
Museum Alliance |
| Description: |
JPL's Informal Education Department has created a Museum Alliance to assure that museums, science centers, planetaria, and other informal education organizations have ready access to news, image products, schedules, and professional development for JPL's missions. We are currently working with other NASA Centers and Mission Directorates to extend the content. About 250 organizations are currently partners in the Museum Alliance.
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| Link: |
http://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/alliance/
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Type: |
After School Program |
| Program: |
LA's BEST |
| Description: |
LA's BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow) is an after-school enrichment program serving over 19000 third through fifth grade students in 123 inner city elementary schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. LA's BEST is a partnership between the Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country.
JPL provides teacher enhancement workshops for science leaders and for activity consultants. JPL also assists in the implementation of a group science project approach, where teams of three or four students work collaboratively to complete a science learning project for judging at local fairs, regional fairs, and a City-wide fair held at JPL in March.
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| Link: |
http://www.LAsBEST.org/
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Type: |
After School Program |
| Program: |
The Space Place |
| Description: |
The Space Place offers quarterly hands-on activities suitable for after- school settings. If your organization would like to receive these, please e-mail spaceplace@jpl.nasa.gov. The Space Place also offers monthly columns available free of charge to amateur astronomy clubs. The column is currently carried in a number of clubs' newsletters across the country. If you would like to subscribe on behalf of your club contact nancy.j.leon@jpl.nasa.gov.
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Type: |
Amateur Astronomers |
| Program: |
Night Sky Network |
| Description: |
The Night Sky Network is a national organization of more than 200 astronomy clubs in all fifty states representing over 25,000 amateur astronomers. Individual club members are able to visit classrooms and afterschool programs to give talks and lively hands-on demonstrations to students fo all ages. Night Sky Network members also organize star parties and other events that make the wonders of astronomy come alive.
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| Link: |
http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/
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Type: |
Amateur Astronomers |
| Program: |
Saturn Observation Campaign |
| Description: |
Saturn and its majestic rings make an annual trek through the night sky, allowing ground-based observers to enjoy stunning telescopic views of the planet. The Saturn Observation campaign offers a variety of program elements for local community leaders,classroom educators, youth group leaders, and sky enthusiasts.
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| Link: |
http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
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| Program: |
Solar System Ambassadors |
| Description: |
The Solar System Ambassadors Program is a public outreach program that trains motivated volunteers across the nation as they communicate the excitement of space exploration missions and information about recent discoveries to people in their local communities.
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| Link: |
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/
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Type: |
Youth Group |
| Program: |
Cub Scouts |
| Description: |
Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts can earn achievements, electives, and badges at the Space Place web site. The Girl Scouts of the USA and the Boy Scouts of American have endorsed the activities noted on the site as meeting their own scouting requirements. These activity and requirement matches can be found at:
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| Link: |
http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/scouts.html
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Type: |
Youth Group |
| Program: |
Girl Scouts |
| Description: |
NASA and the Girl Scouts of the USA are partners in an effort to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, technology, and mathematics.
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| Link: |
http://solarsystem.jpl.nasa.gov/girlscouts/index.cfm
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Type: |
Youth Group |
| Program: |
Imagine Mars |
| Description: |
The Imagine Mars Project is a national arts, sciences and technology education initiative that challenges young people to imagine and design a livable Mars community of the future.
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| Link: |
http://imaginemars.jpl.nasa.gov/index1.html
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Type: |
Youth Group |
| Program: |
Saturn Youth Groups |
| Description: |
Whether it's a Scout Troop or 4H club, local Library or Astronomy Club, we have a number of activities and opportunities for kids of all ages to get involved.
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| Link: |
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/kids/youth-groups.cfm
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