1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What
are the educational goals of MEMS?
For the purposes
of teaching about the MESSENGER spacecraft and mission design,
and for making that information relevant to the lives of young
people today, we have created an educational program which parallels
the 10-year MESSENGER mission. We start from the notion of sending
a man-made probe to the closest planet to our Sun to learn information,
and we ask students to consider the processes and manpower needed
to complete such a mission.
We continue by introducing
students to different branches of science that must be studied
for understanding the data that experts retrieve from the spacecraft.
These include astronomy, physics, astrogeophysics, chemistry,
astrogeochemistry, geology, astrogeology, dynamics, electrodynamics,
hydrodynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics,
magnetism, meteorology, astrometeorology, optics, and geomorphology,
to name a few.
We extend beyond
the sciences to make interdisciplinary connections, including
mathematics, technology, social studies, and all aspects of literacy
to strengthen students' abilities across the curriculum, helping
them discover cultural as well as scientific understandings of
planets, the Sun, and the skies.
We develop students'
literacy of science by using appropriate scientific vocabulary
and concepts, while also helping them build their literacy through
science, as we use inherently fascinating scientific phenomena
as a means of promoting reading and writing.
We launch challenges
that motivate students to build better systems, design new experiments,
discover improved ways of doing things, and observe the world
around them, in an effort to provide them the required context
to best learn the skills they will need throughout life, in all
areas.
We approach science
education by asking essential questions that drive the quest for
knowledge, by giving students ample opportunities to explore situations
that embody important scientific ideas, and by encouraging them
to express their ideas about what they are exploring. Teachers
are then able to choose appropriate ways of helping students test
their ideas, to discover which ideas apply more widely and may
be more scientifically-derived than what they had previously thought.
We help teachers
create an environment conducive to Socratic dialogue so that students
are active participants in the acquisition of personal knowledge
and in the construction of a common knowledge base. To do this,
we strive to provide teachers an understanding of science so that
they can recognize and promote the small, but relevant ideas that
are related to larger, more significant theories.
We design activities
that require first-hand observations as well as in-depth study
of existing data. In both cases, students are allowed to develop
ideas more fully as they work through their own creative thinking
and problem-solving, rather than through rote memorization. It
is essential that children change their own misconceptions as
a result of what they find themselves, not merely by accepting
other ideas they have been told are better than their own.
We encourage creativity
and thinking outside the box, while making sure that national
science standards are directly addressed in every lesson. Children
learn science best through a process that helps them link ideas
and develop new concepts. We make full use of science process
skills (observing, measuring, hypothesizing, predicting, planning
and carrying out investigations, interpreting, inferring, and
communicating) to help them make sense of the world around them.
In addition to traditional summative evaluations at the end of
a lesson, we offer forms of formative assessment throughout the
teaching process, so that the teacher is aware of students' evolving
ideas and skills. Furthermore, this information is an integral
part of effective teaching, since it can significantly change
the direction of a given lesson to better address problems or
misconceptions that persist.
In general, we provide
a context for understanding the significance of scientific ventures
and engineering feats such as the MESSENGER mission, and we open
the door to students who will both understand and build the future.
<<Top
What are the topics covered by MEMS?
The MESSENGER
story, presented in grade-appropriate ways at four different
levels (Pre-K-1, 2-4, 5-8, 9-12), is told through several
lessons in each of the following three themes:
- Comparative
Planetology - By studying Mercury, we look at the
diversity of worlds and add to the knowledge base about
the Solar System, its formation and evolution.
- The Solar System Through History - By
studying Mercury, we learn about scientific discoveries
and cultural interpretations from ancient civilizations
to the present.
- Framing Pathways to Answers: The Scientific Process
in Action - By studying Mercury and our efforts
to reach there, we define and solve design and engineering
problems, and approach scientific research in innovative
and productive ways.
<<Top
How
can the MEMS be incorporated into my existing curriculum?
Each lesson includes
a description of of the relevant national science standards. These
can be used as a guide for incorporating the MEMS lessons into
your curriculum.
<<Top
How
can I give feedback on the MEMS?
Please contact:
Stephanie
Stockman
NASA/GSFC
Code 921
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Phone 301-614-6457
FAX 301-614-6522
stockman@core2.gsfc.nasa.gov
<<Top
How
can I print out a copy of each MEMS?
Each lesson has an
introductory page that includes a description of the lesson, as
well as the essential concepts to be covered. The actual lessons
are in pdf format that can be accessed by selecting the "Take
me to the complete lesson" link on the intro page.
<<Top
