[NAEP] A few more links for the beginning of the school year

[Dawn Wiseman]

The Great World Wide Star Count
Join us this coming October for an exciting new citizen science
campaign - the Great World Wide Star Count (starcount.org).

This international event encourages everyone to go outside, look
skywards after dark, count the stars they see in certain
constellations, and report what they see online.  This inaugural
Windows After Dark event is designed to raise awareness about light
pollution and the night sky as well as encourage learning in astronomy.

All the information needed to participate is available on the Star
Count Web site.  The Star Count uses a simple protocol and an easy
data entry form.  At the conclusion of the event, the submitted data
will be analyzed and a map will be generated highlighting the results
of this new citizen science campaign.

Mark your calendars and plan on joining thousands of other students,
families, and citizen scientists counting stars this October! The
Great World Wide Star Count will be held from October 1st through
October 15, 2007.  For more information visit starcount.org or
contact starcount_info at ucar.edu


Science across the World
Join the 5,618 teachers in 131 countries where students are
collaborating on variety of science topics with young people in every
continent. Exchanges are possible in several languages. The web site
offers a wide range of topics and free resources in several languages.

You can register now for FREE membership during 2007.

Students work securely on a science topic that you choose. Food, diet
& health, genetics, the environment and energy use are just a few of them.

Many of the  topics are available in several languages, and are
suitable for students aged 10-16 years.

Find other schools across the world working on the same topic, in the
same language and at the same time.

Students exchange topics (and any associated materials) with their
selected schools. (Or download examples from our library). Comparing
their exchange forms gives students a global perspective on their
science topic.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.scienceacross.org/


TeachEngineering: Design a Bicycle Helmet
http://www.teachengineering.com/view_activity.php?
http://www.teachengineering.com/collection/wpi_/activities/wpi_bicycle_helmet/bicycle_helmet_activity.xml
The process of designing a bicycle helmet can quite taxing, but this 
helpful and fun instructional activity offered by the 
TeachEngineering website makes it all a bit more accessible for both 
instructors and students. The site begins by offering up a summary of 
the project's goals and its connections to the field and practice of 
engineering. After that, it dives right into the learning objective 
and the list of materials that will be required to complete this 
project. Additionally, the site includes a set of bicycle helmet 
design slides, along with several worksheets. [KMG]


USGS Learning Age: Geologic Age
http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/geoage.htm
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has created a number of 
instructional materials for teachers as part of its Learning Web 
site, and this particular lesson plan is one that can be used in a 
number of different settings. The activity and lesson are designed 
for use by grades 7-12, but these materials could also be used with 
ease in introductory geology courses at the college level. This set 
of resources includes a background essay on the use of radioactive 
decay to determine geologic age, and continues on to provide detailed 
information on a classroom activity that is both engaging and 
informative. The materials are rounded out by a set of questions that 
can be used to guide future discussions.