News - NASA Langley Research Center

On August 2nd, 2016, NASA Langley hosted a Youth Day event, inviting employees to bring their children and families to the NASA campus. A diversity of activity centers were organized, offering youth an exciting insight into space technologies, flight innovations, and Earth science research at NASA Langley. GLOBE was visible and active at the event, attracting 825 visitors to the activity booths for the GLOBE Observer app, S’COOL-CERES, CALIPSO, and GLOBE elementary programs. Youth were particularly interested in the CALIPSO demonstration. CALIPSO is a GLOBE Partner Satellite Mission that observes the vertical distribution of clouds and aerosols and their role in the heating and cooling of Earth using Lidar technology. Families could observe how lasers, held atop a terrarium, interacted with the aerosols (sand and dirt) that were blown into the air. Families were also encouraged to make their own observations of the sky by submitting cloud observations to NASA using the new GLOBE Observer app. Next year, Langley plans to offer a community youth day, open to the public in celebration of their 100th anniversary.  >>

Southwest Virginia has new GLOBE Trainers! NASA Langley Research Center held a Train the Trainer in Abingdon, VA in July 2016. Six GLOBE members participated in the event to become GLOBE trainers in Atmosphere and Hydrology. This was a hybrid model of a TTT with participants completing all of the atmosphere and hydrology eTraining modules, conducting several planning and implementation telecoms, and completing a two-day train the trainer workshop focused on data collection, data entry, and training implementation. Congratulations to the following Trainers: Ruthanne Cole, Terry Vencil, Shanda Sinnett, Cinnamon Couch, Alan Webb, and Rachelle Rasco.  >>

In the summer of 2016, Mark Kaufman interned at NASA Langley Research Center. He worked with the Science Directorate's education team with the Cloud Observation team. He shared his previous experiences as an Interpreter with the National Park Service and helped the team think about how the NASA's new GLOBE Observer, citizen science app can be utilized in a park setting. Mark was invited by the Earth to Sky program to share his views on a Webinar. Webinar Abstract: NASA’s GLOBE Observer app, which encourages participants to observe, question, and examine their natural environments, will be introduced this year. Participant contributions directly benefit a variety of NASA missions. National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and similar settings would provide an ideal platform to introduce millions of curious minds to an app that promotes an ongoing effort to better understand our planet and natural surroundings. Additionally, GLOBE Observer can benefit interpreters and environmental educators: it is a novel interpretive tool that can be realistically applied in parks, refuges and similar settings. GLOBE Observer is an application inviting citizens to make environmental observations that complement NASA satellite observations to help scientists studying Earth. Version 1.0 includes GLOBE Clouds, which allows viewers to photograph clouds and record sky observations and compare them with NASA satellite images. GLOBE is now the major source of human observations of clouds, which provide more information than automated systems. View the full webinar at: http://www.earthtosky.org/professional-development/climate-change/earth-to-sky-climate-change-webinar-archive/details/23/198.html  >>

On Thursday July 7th, GLOBE Master Trainer and Physical Scientist Jessica Taylor visited the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the site of over 2,500 research rocket launches. Here, Taylor introduced a group of 11 area teachers to Elementary GLOBE activities. The 6 science-based storybooks are designed to introduce students to key concepts in water, soil, clouds, seasons, aerosols, and Earth system studies. By making observations about the sky and soil, the teachers engaged in the very GLOBE activities they will be guiding in school settings.  >>

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Elementary GLOBE and Clouds Training NASA Physical Scientist Jessica Taylor, Educational Specialist Tina Harte, and two intrigued interns visited Our Lady of Mount Carmel elementary school to train and certify teachers in the cloud observation protocol. Each day clouds are present over 70 percent of Earth’s surface, so they are a readily available resource for students to observe. This activity encourages students to think about why clouds are an important element of our changing Earth system. Teachers were also introduced to GLOBE’s latest book on aerosols called Exploring Colors in the Sky, which is designed to relate the color of the sky to what is currently in it – dust, pollutants, volcanic ash, and more.  >>

GLOBE Trainers at Langley Research Center provided a workshop on Elementary GLOBE. The training session was developed specifically for NASA education specialists in the Office of Education and Science Directorate. The training discussed how the Elementary GLOBE storybooks model science practices and are aligned with NGSS and Virginia’s state standards. Participants learned about each of the six storybooks and worked through various complimentary hands-on activities that align with the content areas: Earth as a System, Soil, Water, Seasons, Clouds, and Aerosols. Participants practiced multiple science and literacy strategies including constructing a Word Wall for vocabulary development, using 5-Finger Retell for reading comprehension, and journaling. The 8 participants are eager to incorporate Elementary GLOBE into NASA Educator Professional Development and STEM Engagement. One participant attended on behalf of a local informal science center.  >>

Eight informal educators at NASA Langley Research Center were trained in the New Elementary Aerosols resources. Participants read through the online webstory and went outside to observe daytime sky color. The additional hands-on STEM Learning Activities were demonstrated and participants discussed best practices for teacher training.  >>

What color is the sky today? The GLOBE Kids - Anita, Simon, and Dennis want to know why the sky isn't always the same shade of blue and sometimes isn't even blue. Through the new Elementary GLOBE Aerosols Storybook and Learning Activities, the GLOBE Kids learn there's a lot more than air in the atmosphere, which can affect the colors we see in the sky. This newest storybook and activities was developed with NASA's CALIPSO and SAGE missions and focusses on aerosols. The two mission EPO leads, Jessica Taylor and Kristyn Damadeo, presented these new materials to the NASA Science Mission Directorate Earth Science EPO Forum on August 10.  >>

On July 29, Jessica Taylor presented to a group of 19 mathematics teachers on "Using Systems Thinking and Modeling Tools to understand Carbon Cycle." Teachers participated in the session as part of the MODSIM (modeling and simulation) week-long workshop for teachers, held at NASA's Langley Research Center. Teachers were trained in the GLOBE Carbon Cycle curriculum and learned about OCO-2, NASA's latest Earth-observing satellite mission to better understand global carbon cycle.  >>

About 30 educators, including some from as far away as Boston and Monterey, Calif., gathered at NASA's Langley Research Center Feb. 24-25 to sharpen techniques for teaching environmental science to youngsters. At the Elementary GLOBE Partner Workshop held at Langley, they compared notes, reviewed materials and refined skills. "We're working to build a community of practice," said Becca Hatheway, who develops educational materials for University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "We want to share ideas and support the people doing this work." GLOBE stands for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment. The program is a worldwide, hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science education effort. It draws strength from partner organizations including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Science Foundation. NASA Langley has been a GLOBE partner since 2003. Jessica Taylor of the NASA Langley Science Directorate helped host the workshop. She said it was intended to empower those who train the teachers who implement the GLOBE program. "We do teacher trainings fairly often, but this is more like a ‘train the trainer' program," Taylor said. GLOBE provides free educational resources, including a series of children's storybooks to help elementary school students understand Earth system science concepts. Dave Young, director of Langley's Science Directorate, stopped by the workshop to welcome the educators. "We really value what you do," he said. "Part of our mission is getting our message to the youth so we can have that next generation of scientists."  >>