earth and space science education: implications and opportunities r. m. johnson

Earth and Space Science Education:

Implications and Opportunities

R. M. Johnson

Earth and Space Science: What are the Implications and Opportunities for Education?

• Programmatic decisions– Definition of new scientific and education

structures and relationships within NASA is underway

• Science Mission Directorate (SMD)• Relationship to Education Office• How will education be represented in SMD?• How will education program be structured?

– We’ll need to wait awhile…

• For now, let’s focus on opportunities for education through Earth and space science

NSES Content Standards, Grades 9-12

Unifying Concepts and Processes•Systems, order, and organization•Evidence, models, and explanation•Change, constancy, and measurement•Evolution and equilibrium

Science as Inquiry

•Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry•Understandings about scientific inquiry

Physical Science

•Chemical reactions•Motions and forces•Conservation of energy and increase in disorder•Interactions of energy and matter

Life Science

•Biological evolution•Interdependence of organisms•Behavior of organisms

Earth and Space Science

•Energy in the Earth system•Geochemical cycles•Origin and evolution of the Earth system

Science and Technology

•Understandings about science and technology

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

•Population growth•Natural resources•Environmental quality•Natural and human-induced hazards•Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges

History and Nature of Science

•Science as a human endeavor•Nature of scientific knowledge•Historical perspectives

• How is the global Earth system changing?

• What are the primary forcings of the Earth system?

• How does the Earth system respond to natural and human-induced changes?

• What are the consequences of changes in the Earth system for human civilization?

• How well can we predict future changes in the Earth system?

How is the Earth changing and what are the consequences of life on Earth?

Fundamental Earth System Science Questions

Astronomical Search for Origins• Where Did We Come From?• Are We Alone?

Astronomical Search for Origins• Where Did We Come From?• Are We Alone?

Structure and Evolution of the Universe

• What is dark matter that binds together the universe?

• What powered the big bang?

• What is the dark energy that drives apart the universe?• Are there hidden space-time dimensions?• What is the nature of black holes and gravity beyond Einstein?





Solar System Exploration• How do planets form?• Why are planets different from

one another?• Where did the makings of life come from?• Did life arise elsewhere in the solar system?• What is the future habitability

of earth and other planets?




Sun Earth Connection• What causes solar variability?• How does solar variability affect

the Earth and other planets?• How does solar variability affect

life and society?• How does the Sun interact with the

interstellar medium?





Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes

Mars Exploration• Did life ever arise on Mars?• How did Mars’ atmosphere, surface,

and interior evolve?• What knowledge and technology is needed for future

human exploration?



human exploration?

Astronomical Search for Origins• Where Did We Come From?• Are We Alone?`

Astronomical Search for Origins• Where Did We Come From?• Are We Alone?`























Space Science EnterpriseScience Themes



human exploration?



human exploration?

How does the Sun impact Earth System Science?

• The Sun is one of the key driving forces of the Earth system

• Solar variability impacts Earth systems in numerous ways– Climate forcing terms– Changes in radiation– Drives large scale dynamics of the atmosphere– Short-term variability impacts interaction of

magnetosphere with the solar wind/magnetic field, and the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system.

Sun-Earth Relationships and Space Weather• Solar Radiation

• Solar influences on Climate

• Space Weather

• Energetic particle precipitation in the atmosphere

• Changes in solar radiation at different levels of the atmosphere

• Changes in atmospheric chemistry

• Possible impacts on weather?

Relevance of Models to the NSES• Models and concepts associated with them are central to the Unifying Concepts and

Processes content standard:– Systems, order, and organization– Evidence, models, and explanation– Constancy, change, and measurement– Evolution and equilibrium

• Models also provide a tool for exploring the concepts included in the other content standards:– Science as Inquiry– Physical Science– Life Science– Earth and Space Science– Science and Technology– Science in Personal and Social Perspectives– History and Nature of Science

• Earth and Space Science provides an even broader context for using models in science education

Earth System Modeling

The Benefit of an Earth and Space Science perspective: an example

• Volcanic forcing produces cooling, solar cycle forcing produces warming

• Need natural + anthropogenic forcing to reproduce observed warming

Snapshot of density in noon-midnight meridian from MHD code simulation of July 15, 2000 CME-magnetic cloud interaction with Earth's magnetosphere. Simulation driven by upstream solar wind parameters measured by the ACE spacecraft at L1.

Summary

• Fundamental Earth system science questions are related to space science questions– Lessons we learn from study of the Earth informs our

research on other planets, and visa versa

• Earth and space science is considered as a unit in the NSES, and is taught as a continuum in many settings

• Expanding our educational scope to include Earth and space science topics together broadens our ability to bring NASA research to learners, through both observations and models

earth and space science education: implications and opportunities r. m. johnson

Documents

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