NOAA funds Signals of Spring Expansion
January 23, 2007 - To achieve the goal of creating an "environmentally-literate public," the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is funding formal and informal education initiatives.
U.S. Satellite Laboratory, Inc. is one of the award recipients for: Signals of Spring - ACES (Animals in Curriculum-based Ecosystem Studies). An expansion of Signals of Spring, ACES will promote ocean literacy through a classroom-based curriculum. Middle school students will play the roles of research scientists in real-time as they analyze satellite tracking and ocean data to examine the environmental issues that marine animals face and how NOAAs National Marine Sanctuaries protect them.
An important goal of ACES is to infuse ocean science into schools where it is generally not studied. ACES will promote Ocean Literacy while building student connections to the ocean. Ten, one-week ACES modules will culminate students' interpretation, research and analysis with Signals of Spring's online animal tracking.
The ACES website will introduce endangered and threatened species such as the Black-footed Albatross, the Leatherback Sea Turtle, and the Hawaiian Monk Seal. Full project partners include Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge and Stanford University.
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