Contents

2004 Annual Meeting Call for Interest - DLESE: A Teaching and Learning Tool
Become a DLESE K-12 Ambassador!
Resource of Interest: MarsQuest Online
Space Science Institute offers two teacher worskhops
DLESE brochures available

2004 Annual Meeting Call for Interest - DLESE: A Teaching and Learning Tool

If you are interested in attending the DLESE 2004 Annual Meeting to be held July 10 -13, in Madison, Wisconsin, please fill out the Call for Interest. It asks for important information from prospective attendees that helps the Planning Committee finalize the format, content, and participants of the meeting. Completing the Call for Interest form as soon as possible will benefit both you and the planning effort. Attendance is limited, so the earlier you complete the Call, the better your chances!

The theme of this year's meeting is DLESE: A Teaching and Learning Tool, and activities will embrace four goals for the meeting: defining and developing a quality and comprehensive collection; reaching new users; making effective use of library resources and services, and enhancing the diversity of DLESE. The meeting will be at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, hosted by Steve Ackerman and the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department.

Become a DLESE K-12 Ambassador!

DLESE is excited to offer Ambassador training at the upcoming NSTA National Conference in Atlanta from April 1-4. The training will include an overview of all aspects of the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) (www.dlese.org ), and a discussion of effective promotional strategies. After this training, Ambassadors will be able to represent DLESE at their state and local education meetings. Teachers can also use their knowledge and experiences to enhance DLESE's benefit to different K-12 constituents by participating in research activities (surveys, focus groups, observations, and interviews). Participation in these activities is not required to become an Ambassador, but is strongly encouraged.

Teachers selected to participate in the workshop will receive one night of lodging and dinner in Atlanta. Logistical and financial support will be available and a $200 honorarium will be given after each teacher successfully makes two presentations at state or local professional society meetings.

To apply for this or other Ambassador workshops at any future NSTA conventions, please submit a letter of interest, including home and work contact information, the number of years you have taught, present grade level(s) and subject(s) that you teach, and examples of your past leadership activities in education (workshops, presentations, etc), to Bryan L. Aivazian, DLESE K-12 Ambassador Outreach Coordinator, at bryana@trib.com. Please help spread the word about DLESE to your colleagues and students!

Resource of Interest: MarsQuest Online

Two current Mars missions provide a perfect opportunity for to engage in scientific explorations in your own classroom. The Spirit rover landed successfully on Mars on January 3 in the Gusev Crater, while the second rover, Opportunity, achieved a successful landing on Saturday, January 24th, in a small crater within the Meridiani Planum. Opportunity is providing some different views of the surface, including exposed bedrock and deposits of a mineral (crystalline hematite) which usually forms in the presence of liquid water. While the Sprit has experienced communications problems, progress is being made to correct those, which are attributed to a software problem in the management of file memory.

In connection with these missions, MarsQuest Online offers a variety of interactive resources that engage the user in the mission's science as well as previous Mars research. There are classroom resources as well as visualizations and games designed for independent inquiry of water, life, volcanoes and canyons of Mars. In partnership with MarsQuest Online, DLESE provides a summary of useful Mars-related resources at http://www.dlese.org/resources/mars.php. Up-to-date information on the mission and the rovers' progress is available from NASA's Mars Exploration Program.

Space Science Institute offers two worskhops

The Space Science Institute is offering two professional development opportunities this Spring. The first, offered in collaboration with BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) and sponsored by the National Science Foundation, is on Designing Exemplary Professional Development Experiences for Educators, from March 18-20. The second workshop, sponsored by NSF and NASA, is entitled 4-Day Education Workshop for Scientists, Engineers, and E/PO Managers, and takes place April 25-28. The workshop aims to help participants develop effective Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) programs, especially in Earth and Space science disciplines. SSI is also offering a special one-day symposium (Excellence in Education: The Alumni Story) on April 29, marking the 10th anniversary of the E/PO workshops. The symposium may be attended in conjunction with the workshop, or separately. More information. Contact Christy Edwards at the Space Science Institute with questions.

DLESE brochures

DLESE has new 3-panel brochures available for community use from the Outreach website. If you have a meeting you are planning or a DLESE-related presentation at a conference and would like brochures to distribute, please submit your request for brochures to support@dlese.org, noting how many you require, information on the event you are going to distribute them at, and the date by which you need them.

Your feedback is appreciated. To send comments, articles, requests for a text-only version of the newsletter, or to unsubscribe, send email to: newsletter@dlese.org.

Photo credit: NCAR Digital Media Catalog. If you have photos of interesting Earth science-related phenomena that may be used as the newsletter banner photograph, please forward them to support@dlese.org. Photo credit will be acknowledged. Thank you!