Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This week, scientists at NASA managed to successfully crash a satellite into a passing comet. The result of the impact generated huge amounts of data about the content in the comet, much of which may have been around since the dawn of the universe. This site shows the images and describes the mission in detail.

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Supplement an astronomy unit with the clever tools provided on this site. Students can take advantage of a variety of solar system calculations, watch animations of solar objects' orbits and simulations of the seasons, create a virtual solar system model, and much more.

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With the 15th anniversary of the hubble space telescope scientists have released a new set of stunning images of stars, galaxies, and other space objects taken with the remarkable space telescope. These are some of the richer digital treasures on the web.

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Discover the latest details about the Cassini-Huygens' mission to Saturn on this impressive site that includes a concise description of the spacecraft, recent news updates, and Web casts of some of the mission's exciting findings. Be sure to view the interactive tutorial on Saturn's rings and moons.

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It begins with an introductory video and leads visitors through an interactive journey highlighting the exciting accomplishments of NASA during 2020. Features include Aeronautics - Advancing Technologies for the Future of Flight, Earth Science - Understanding Our Home Planet, pace Technology and Exploration - The Solar System and Beyond, and ducating Our Future through STEM Engagement.

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NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which has been observing Saturn, was scheduled to land on Saturn's moon, Titan, on Friday, January 14, 2005. This NASA site provides complete coverage, including images, of this space exploration milestone. The news video resides on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, it may not be viewable.

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There is SO much to see and do on this site! Click on one of three main topics (Our Planet, Our Solar System, or Astronomy and the Universe), choose one of three levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced), and begin to browse through the rich collection of text, images, movies, animation, and more. Check out the array of interactive games, participate in a group on-line journal, or read some of the latest earth and space news. This is an excellent resource for earth and space science teachers and students. Also available in Spanish.

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This battleship-style game pits students against the computer and challenges kids to correctly answer questions about the moon before their ships are sunk. Choose from three levels of difficulty.

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Find out what's up in space with this galactic twist on the Weather Channel. Find the latest information on solar winds, interplanetary magnetic fields, solar flares and sunspots, asteroids, and more. You can even sign up to receive Space Weather Alerts - phone calls and simultaneous emails that let you know about space weather events. Includes user-friendly text and impressive photographs.

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The NASA Space Simulator website, hosted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), allows users to explore the solar system and beyond through an interactive, 3D visualization tool. Students and educators can view planets, moons, and spacecraft from different perspectives, adjusting their vantage points and zooming in to examine celestial bodies up close. This tool provides an engaging way to understand planetary orbits, distances in space, and space missions. The simulator is a valuable resource for integrating astronomy, physics, and space exploration into classroom lessons, making complex space concepts more accessible and interactive.

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Despite its untimely crash to earth, the Genesis spaceship still managed to bring back tiny samplings of raw material from the sun for eager scientists to analyze. This site provides an overview of the entire mission, video clips, photographs, and descriptions of the processes scientists are using to investigate the Genesis canister and its contents. Younger students will enjoy the interactive games and activities related to the mission and follow-up investigation by NASA. Be sure to check out the Creator's Kitchen for teacher resources and suggestions. A few resources on this site require Flash or QuickTime, however, there is so much more here that doesn't that it's worth a look by you and your students

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It's July 20, 1969 and millions of Americans are glued to their television watching Neil Armstrong take that first historic step on the surface of the moon. This multimedia NASA site recreates that Apollo 11 mission, from its launch to its splashdown. Students can view vintage photographs, listen to the mission's audio recording, browse news articles, and tour the video gallery.

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Complete a free online registration and begin to explore an impressive collection of learning modules that address chemistry, general science, physics, math in science, process of science, earth science, and scientists and research. Many modules contain interactive animations, a glossary, related current events, practice exercises, and biographic information about scientists who worked with that particular concept. Members can personalize each module with comments, links, or notes.

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This website provides short and sweet information that can come in handy during an astronomy lesson. "What's a blue moon?" "How many eclipses will occur this year?" "How do you figure out your longitude or latitude?" - are just a few of the questions that can be quickly addressed with a click of the mouse.

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On October 15, 1997, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, headed for Saturn. In July of 2004, the craft is scheduled to reach the ringed planet. This site will provide you and your students with daily mission updates, images, and information about the science behind the mission.

tag(s): planets (113), solar system (110), space (222)

Astronomical history is about to happen! On June 8, 2004 the planet Venus will cross the face of the sun, an event that has not occurred since 1882. Tune into this site to view a live Internet webcast of the transit and an interactive timeline detailing Venus transits throughout history (only six have occurred since the invention of the telescope in the 1600s). Basic information on what a transit it, why it is important, and how to see it is also provided. Some areas of this resource require Flash, however there is plenty of important information to learn from that doesn't.

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Your elementary and middle school earthlings will enjoy exploring this site that provides fascinating information about space flight and astronomy. The "Cosmic Q's and A's" link uses text and video to explain what actually goes on in space. Browse through a collection of on-line, interactive games including "Moon Pong" and "Crazy Asteroid," listen to Monty Python's "Galaxy Song" (it IS educational!), and try out some of the experiments patterned after those performed on space missions. This is fun and educational site that can add a unique dimension to a lesson on space exploration.

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Let your students do some serious staring into space with guidance from this site that provides helpful information on how and when to observe celestial events. Click on the link to Week's Sky at a Glance to find out what you can expect to see on any given night. Helpful tips are offered on how to observe space phenomena like auroras, asteroids, and star clusters. An on-line gallery provides amazing images from ground-based and space-based observatories. Encourage older students to explore the site independently in the computer lab. Elementary teachers may want to consider projecting the site in class and guiding students through selected topics.

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Look to this site for any questions you may have about everything from blue moons, to quasars, to leap years. Find out the exact dates when spring, summer, fall, and winter arrive, and discover if there really is a connection between equinoxes and eggs. The clear and detailed discussions of astronomical events provide an outstanding on-line reference or refresher for teachers and high school students, but the information is a bit technical and lofty for independent use by younger students.

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Tap into the latest astronomical news and learn about the coldest, most distant object in our solar system - Sedna. Astronomers from Caltech, Gemini Observatory, and Yale University officially announced Sedna's discovery on March 12, 2004. Read the actual scientific documents describing the discovery; learn about its size, location and composition; and view images of this distant planetoid, named for the Inuit goddess who rules over the seas!

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