International Space Station and National Geographic Learning Team Up for Science Education
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (July 24, 2014) – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab) and National Geographic Learning (NGL) today announced a partnership in the development of a science education initiative designed to engage young learners in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. the ISS National Lab is the sole manager of the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS).
Through this collaboration, the ISS National Lab brings the high-interest world of space-related science and engineering together with National Geographic Learning’s educational expertise and spirit of exploration to create a unique learning environment that targets elementary school students and teachers. Fully aligned to next generation science standards, the programming will deliver content related to space travel and space-based research in a highly engaging model designed for elementary science classrooms.
One of the the ISS National Lab core initiatives is to utilize the ISS as the ultimate learning platform, capitalizing on the station’s unique environment and vantage point. This collaborative effort intends to develop innovative educational programming that makes use of the space station’s orbiting classroom to educate and inspire our future generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.
“One of the key objectives of the ISS National Lab is to expand the value of the International Space Station by supporting STEM initiatives and inspiring students to look beyond our horizons,” said the ISS National Lab Director of Development and Partnerships Ed Harris. “National Geographic Learning is a natural partner in this endeavor. Their sterling reputation for capturing the imagination of children throughout the world is unparalleled, and the ISS National Lab is eager to work with them on this next-generation education initiative.”
NGL represents a partnership between the National Geographic Society and leading educational publisher Cengage Learning. The organization develops materials and programming designed to engage and motivate today’s youth in educational endeavors, and to instill in them an awareness of their responsibility to care for the planet. Through this new collaboration with the ISS National Lab, students will learn to understand their planet from the extraordinary vantage-point of low-Earth orbit.
This announcement continues a series of high-profile collaborations to advance STEM outreach and awareness that have recently made news. These efforts include a partnership with the Boston Red Sox Foundation, and the recent berthing of investigations by the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program on Orbital Sciences Cygnus’ capsule, for which the ISS National Lab is a national sponsor. Through education initiatives, the ISS National Lab has been able to reach thousands of classrooms and students across the nation. To learn more about opportunities to educate from the ISS National Laboratory, please visit: stg-issnationallab-issnldevsite.kinsta.cloud/education or www.casisacademy.org
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About the ISS National Lab: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISS National Lab) was selected by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. the ISS National Lab is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, visit stg-issnationallab-issnldevsite.kinsta.cloud.
About the ISS National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation’s newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. setting, a unique vantage point in low-Earth orbit, and varied environments of space.
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