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PRESS RELEASE

Subject: NASA SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION RESOURCE DIRECTORY AVAILABLE ONLINE

Don Savage October 2, 2000
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone: 202-358-1547)

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone: 202-358-1761)

RELEASE: 00-161

NASA SPACE SCIENCE EDUCATION RESOURCE DIRECTORY AVAILABLE ONLINE

NASA's Office of Space Science today announced the release of the Space Science Education Resource Directory, an Internet on- ramp to top-quality educational resources produced by NASA's Space Science Education and public Outreach programs.

The web-based directory provides easy access to high-quality, online space science educational resources for teachers and students from kindergarten through high school.

"Sharing the wonders of our universe with educators and the public is the responsibility of every space science endeavor funded by NASA," says Ed Weiler, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Science. "It's our way of investing in the future scientific talent of our nation. The Space Science Education Resource Directory will help teachers bring the exciting new discoveries of space science into their classrooms."

This first release of the directory contains more than 100 electronic resources, including lesson plans, educator guides, student activities, websites, and spectacular space science imagery such as auroras, comets, the birth place of stars, and colliding galaxies. Educators, resource developers, and space scientists have worked together to design a system that is scientifically accurate and easy to use.

"This is a significant effort by the Office of Space Science to ensure that the results from their education programs are widely available," says Frank Owens, Director of NASA's Education Division. "We look forward to adapting and integrating this model for broader use within NASA's Education Program.

Science educators can locate science lessons and activities for their classrooms by searching by keyword or browsing by subject,grade level, and topics that align with National Science EducationStandards.

One middle school teacher who reviewed the directory is impressedwith its variety of resources. "Wow, this is terrific! I can findexciting, current, and accurate space science lessons and activities for my students so easily," says Susan Higley, the 1999Maryland Teacher of the Year from Cherry Hill Middle School in Elkton, Maryland. "It's evident that teachers helped develop this Internet site-I find resources I can use in my classroom!"

The directory will be updated continually with new top-qualityresources. Future plans include providing access to printed materials, CD-ROMS, videos, and posters.

The University of California at Berkeley, the NASA Goddard SpaceFlight Center, and the Space Telescope Science Institute developedthe resource directory in close consultation with the U.S.Department of Education's Gateway to Educational Materials-GEM.The resulting directory is compatible with national educational databases that are familiar to, and widely used by, teachers.

David Lankes, director of GEM, believes that this directory will help educators access accurate space science information. "We're thrilled to have GEM and NASA hook up. It's a natural combination of excellent education technology and outstanding space science content," Lankes says. "Through our partnership, it will be easier and easier for teachers to find the materials they need. It's also exciting to see NASA adopt emerging education technology standards as it continues its education mission."

To review the directory's collection, visit the web site at:

http://teachspacescience.stsci.edu