Space Foundation launches science lesson bank online to support educators

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 4, 2005) — The Space Foundation announced today that it has developed a comprehensive bank of science lessons for grades pre-K through high school. The lesson plans meet national science standards and can be downloaded online at www.ScienceStandardsLessons.org. This new resource is free to educators, and new lessons will be added periodically throughout each year. Practicing teachers, working with the Space Foundation, developed more than 200 lessons for educators of students at all levels. The lessons are divided into grade levels pre-K through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth. All lessons specify the national science standards met, including science as inquiry, life science, Earth and Space science, science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives, and the history of nature and science. “We are pleased to offer these lesson plans to empower teachers to integrate engaging and effective science lessons into their classrooms, preparing students to meet learning standards,” said Dr. Patricia Arnold, vice president of education and workforce development at the Space Foundation. “These standards-based lessons focus on space, science, math, engineering, and technology skills, while integrating other content disciplines.” The lesson plans also include key words, objectives, other subject areas covered in the lesson, timelines, background, materials, lesson format, extensions, resources, and evaluation and assessment criteria. Sample lessons for each grade level are available online to preview. To access the entire lesson bank, teachers must register to establish a login and password. Registration is free. In addition to the online lesson bank, the Space Foundation manages the onsite NASA Educational Resource Center; offers two distinct Master’s in Space Studies Degrees in conjunction with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Regis University; and has trained more than 30,000 teachers since 1986 through Summer Institute graduate courses and national conferences. About the Space Foundation Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. The Space Foundation has offices in Washington, D.C., and Cape Canaveral, Fla., and annually conducts, along with its partnering organizations, Florida Space 2005, Nov. 15-17 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, Fla.; the Foundation’s signature event, the National Space Symposium, April 3-6, 2006, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Strategic Space, 10-12 Oct. 2006 in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.