[NAEP] Scout report stuff

[Dawn Wiseman]

A couple on rocket science and a couple on mapping.

Enjoy
Dawn
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Rocket Science 101* [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/RocketScience101/RocketScience101.html
On occasion, when one is asked to describe a common activity or simple 
concept, the other party may exclaim, “Well, it’s not exactly rocket 
science.” Well, this website is exactly that: rocket science. To be more 
precise, NASA has created this elegant and visually stimulating 
demonstration website that allows guests the opportunity to learn how 
two different types of rockets (the Delta II and the Atlas V) are 
constructed. First-time visitors will most likely want to take advantage 
of the short tutorial that explains the basic part of the launch 
vehicle, how it is constructed, and how all of these parts effectively 
help launch a NASA spacecraft. After looking over this section, visitors 
will want to get started on constructing their own rocket. They will 
have the opportunity to learn about different parts of each device, and 
then select each item for the rocket. At the conclusion, visitors will 
get to see a demonstration of how each rocket works during flight.

*
United Nations Environment Programme: Maps and Graphics*
http://www.grida.no/ <http://www.grida.no/>
More and more people are beginning to return the sometimes neglected 
field of geography to understand the world of environmental change (and 
degradation). In the process, the skills of highly trained cartographers 
and geographic information specialists are in great demand. Organized as 
an official United Nations Environment Programme centre, the 
GRID-Arendal group provides public policy officials, researchers, and 
the curious public access to hundreds of their detailed maps via this 
site. As might be expected, the visual and graphic interface parts of 
the site are quite user-friendly, and users can view maps by themes 
(such as water, climate change, and biodiversity). For those looking for 
a random piece of information, there is the random graphic of the date 
offered here on the homepage. It’s a fine way to get the flavor of the 
site, and may also spark a new interest. One rather compelling 
collection is the University of the Arctic Atlas, which can be viewed in 
its entirety here. Using zoom features and themes that can be toggled 
(such as lakes, cities, protected areas), visitors can learn a great 
deal of information about this region of the world. As a teaching aide 
or as a way to bring together spatial data for research, this is a very 
commendable site.

*Maps In Our Lives*
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/maps/ <http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/maps/>
The Library of Congress has many productive partnerships with peer 
institutions and affiliates, and their thirty-year partnership with the 
American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) has been quite 
fruitful. Designed to complement a current in situ exhibit at the 
Library of Congress’s headquarters, this online exhibit explores 
cartography, surveying, and geographic information systems in their full 
glory. The maps provide a broad overview of the history of surveying, as 
they begin with maps of George Washington’s farm created in 1760 and 
conclude with offerings created in 1999. The selection of maps is quite 
catholic in its scope, as it includes an intriguing map of the 
University of Oregon campus at night, a map from the popular board game 
“Carmen Sandiego”, and a relief map of Crater Lake. After all this, even 
the most casual visitor may find themselves with a renewed or newfound 
interest in the field of geography.

*NASA : Project Constellation* [Macromedia Flash Player]
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/constellation_front/index.html
Over the past few years, NASA has been working on a number of creative 
and important projects, particularly in the area of new spacecraft 
construction and design. This website was created to serve as a place 
the public can learn about Project Constellation, which is the long-term 
project that will once again take humans back to the moon for a variety 
of scientific endeavors. From the homepage, visitors can view several 
Flash-enabled features that demonstrate some of the newly proposed 
spaceships and also how such vessels will return from the moon. Along 
with these related multimedia features, visitors can view information on 
what each of NASA’s ten field centers is doing as part of this ambitious 
effort. Those seeking additional information should also browse around 
the “Related Links” area, which includes full resolution images, a Q&A 
section, as well as a basic fact sheet.