Passport to Knowledge '96-'97 Projects Invitation

[Jan Wee <jwee@MAIL.ARC.NASA.GOV>]

Dear LM_NET Members,

Please share with all interested educators in your building, district, region!
Looking forward to having lots of your teachers involved in the Passport
to Knowledge projects.

Jan Wee, former LMC Director (West Salem, WI)
Education Outreach Coordinator
Passport to Knowledge (Supported by NSF, NASA, and PBS Teacher Resources)


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Calling all Educators, Home Schoolers, Science Museum, Planetarium, and
        Distance Learning Educators!

>>>>>>ANTARCTIC METEORITE INDICATES POSSIBLE LIFE ON MARS !!<<<<<<
                (Headline from August 7, 1996 NASA News Conference)

   >>>>>COME along to MARS and ANTARCTICA this School Year <<<<<<

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PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE announces TWO *new* 1996-97 Electronic Field Trips:
                Live From Mars & Live From Antarctica 2


Take advantage of the excitement already generated by NASA's recent news
announcement made in early August regarding the possibility of life on Mars
by bringing "real science, real scientists, real locations, real time" into
your classroom/learning environment!

Maintaining the trailblazing tradition already established through
previous projects, Live from Antarctica, Live from the Stratosphere and
Live from the Hubble Space Telescope, Passport to Knowledge
announces two unprecedented electronic field trips for the upcoming
school year, Live from Mars and Live from Antarctica 2.

Passport to Knowledge connects students to leading-edge scientific
research through the integration of multi-media resources--
live telecasts (carried by NASA-TV and PBS stations), a full array of
web-based on-line resources, and highly rated print materials.   Regardless of
your level of technology or expertise, from simple email to CU-SeeMe, all
educators can successfully participate in the Passport projects.

Teacher's guides and sample curriculum is available online without cost for
downloading; printed versions are also available at a minimal cost
($10.00 US only; $15.00 CA).

A Life From Mars  Multi-media Kit (a *new* option this year) will include the
Teacher's Guide, Mars CD-ROM (IBM and Mac), slide set,  teacher
orientation videotape, original color poster, sample online materials, and
other instructional materials fully underwritten by NASA's Mars Exploration
Directorate -- and more for $99.00 (US) and $112.00 (Canada), shipping
and handling included.

Passport project HIGHLIGHTS include:

        *Interactivity with project scientists and researchers via Researcher Q
            and A (question and answer forum), CU-SeeMe and Web Chats
        *Collaborative student activities (data collection, sharing, analysis)
        *Field Journals written by scientists, researchers, and experts
            sharing the behind-the scenes look into their lives and work which
            provide an excellent science-related career resource; and are
                      useful as models for student journal writing and
                      integration into language arts.
        *Links to near real-time data and imaging resources  (web-based)
        *Live telecasts on location featuring guest experts/scientists/
            researchers, uplink sites (science centers/museums/planetariums)
            and student interactive via e-mail, fax, live participation with
            schools all across America
        *Integration of leading edge technology applications--- web-based
            resources, CU-SeeMe, WebChat, Imaging in Education software
            and related lessons
        *Collaboration with NASA K-12 Internet Initiative and NASA
            centers such as The Mars Education Directorate at NASA's
            Jet Propulsion Lab, as well as other government research agencies
        *Exceptional high quality hands-on lessons/activities integrating
            scientific concepts and interdisciplinary components relating
            to each project
        *E-mail discussion forums for educators and students, updates
            newsletter including weekly project announcements.
        *Award winning web-based resources developed by NASA K-12
            Internet Initiative and the Passport to Knowledge team including
            project overviews, learning resources, archives of discussion
            forums, WebChat, KidsCorner, participation information,
            images and text background files, links to related resources
        *Support services-- Access to telecasts via PBS and NASA-TV broadcasts
            and low cost tapes via NASA Core, access to web-based resources
            through B & R Samizdat diskette service, access to human support
            services via Jan Wee, Education Outreach Coordinator
        *Low cost participation--- telecasts are freely accessible, print and
            videotapes materials available at minimal cost, no charge
            for e-mail forums!

  >>>>>>>>>>>Upcoming Passport to Knowledge Projects>>>>>>>>

Two Passport to Knowledge projects are scheduled for the upcoming school
year, Live from Mars and Live from  Antarctica 2. The projects again, are
targeted at the middle school grade levels, but will have appeal above and
below that range.

Please subscribe to the ptk-info email forum to receive upcoming
Passport to Knowledge project news:

Send an email to: listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov
Leave the subject blank.  In the message body, write:  subscribe ptk-info
Send your message.  You will receive up-to-date Passport to Knowledge
project information as a member of this email mail list.

    <<<<<<<<<<<<Live from Mars Overview>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In 1996 NASA will launch two missions to Mars, and by participating
in Passport to Knowledge, you and your students can travel along!

Live from Mars, a collaboration between Passport to Knowledge and the
Mars Exploration Directorate of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will
follow both Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Pathfinder.  Pathfinder will land
*Sojourner,* the micro-rover, on the Red Planet on July 4, 1997.  Four
live telecasts are scheduled between November 1996 and November of 1997.

Each telecast and accompanying on-line and print materials will allow
educators to customize the learning experience, whether they use
only one program, live or on tape, or follow the Mars missions
across the school years.

As with all Passport to Knowledge projects, interactive on-line opportunities,
and an and an original Teacher's Guide will make the human dimension of
contemporary science and high tech careers come to life.  Curriculum strands
include: Mars geology and evolution as a planet, robotics, interplanetary
weather, exobiology, mission planning, rocketry, comparisons between
planets of the solar system, and Mars imaging resources.

Live telecast air dates of first two programs:

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 19, 1996, 13:00-14:00 ET, and will feature
reports from Cape Canaveral, where the Pathfinder spacecraft will be
undergoing final preparations for its December launch.


THURSDAY APRIL 24, 1997, 13:00-14:00 ET .  This program will show
how scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena plan and control missions to the planets.

Please note, NSF's National Science and Technology Week for 1997,
with the theme of "The Future of Communications," runs from April 21-25,
1997.

Pathfinder lands on Mars July 4, 1997 when Passport to Knowledge
will once more offer live programming, with a final Live from Mars to be
scheduled for November, 1997, when the mission has returned new science
data.

Mission exigencies *may* result in changing one or more of these
dates.  But we hope not!  This early lead time has been planned to permit
as widespread carriage on PBS stations as possible.  As ever, please
check local listings!

The Live From Mars teacher's guide and kit will be released in late September.
Ordering information will be distributed via the updates-lfm mail list,
via the 800-626-LIVE messaging service.

To participate in Live From Mars, join the maillist by sending
a message to listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov
Leave the subject blank. In the message body, write:  subscribe updates-lfm

If you have questions, please contact Jan Wee via e-mail at
jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov

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<<<<<<<<<<<<<Live from Antarctica 2 Overview>>>>>>>>>>>>

Live from Antarctica 2 will return to the icy continent, featured in the
1994-95 Passport to Knowledge module.  This visit will focus more
intensely on marine biology and the fascinating interaction of
ocean, ice, seals, and penguins.  This time we'll bring the sites and sounds of
the Palmer Peninsula directly into classrooms across America and around the
world.

The latest research on global climate change, ozone, UV radiation, and
meteorites research findings  will also be featured in new earth and life
science activities appropriate for elementary, middle, and high schools.
Teachers who participated in 1994-95 will find themselves well-prepared
for new students.  Videotapes, our Internet archive and existing hands-on
activities will provide background for newcomers before the 1996-97
programs.  Thoroughly updated on-line resources and curriculum materials
will be created to illuminate the new creatures and locations which we will
visit and new researchers we'll encounter.

Live from Antarctica will rely on collaboration between advanced NASA
telecommunications and NSF's Office of Polar Programs, which funds and
manages the United States Antarctic Program.

Live telecast air dates:

THURSDAY JANUARY 23, 1997, 13:00-14:00 ET
THURSDAY JANUARY 30, 1997, 13:00-14:00 ET, and
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6, 1997, 13:00-14:00 ET

The Live From Antarctica 2 Teacher's Guide and Kit will become
available in late November/early December.  Please check our
800 number messaging service for updated information.

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Passport to Knowledge projects are available via the world wide
web at NASA K-12 Internet Initiative....

        http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/interactive

If you are interested in being placed on the Passport to Knowledge
mailing list, please return this completed form to Jan Wee, Education
Outreach Coordinator at <jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov>

Questions can be directed to Jan Wee via email (above) or by
calling Jan at 608-786-2767 (8am-4pm Central time, M-F)

Jan Wee, Education Outreach Coordinator
Passport to Knowledge

        Passport to Knowledge is sponsored in part by the National Science
        Foundation, NASA K-12 Internet Initiative, and PBS Teacher Resource
        Services.

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>>>>>> PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE MAILING LIST FORM<<<<<<<<<

Complete this form and email to: jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov

Name:

Position/ Grade/Subjects:

Institution/School:

Preferred Snail Mail Address:


E-mail address:
Alternate email address:

Phone:

Fax:

Comments/Questions:





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Jan Wee, Education Outreach Coordinator
Passport to Knowledge
    http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/interactive
Voice: 608-786-2767  (8am-4pm Central time)   Fax: 608-786-1819
Email: jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov