Students--and just about everyone else--tend to have a wide range of misconceptions about microbes. This article is aimed at changing how students view microbes by engaging them in two hands-on activities that are fun and creative and align with both the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and the Essential Principles of Ocean Literacy…

This lesson was developed for middle school students using actual research on grass shrimp ("Palaemonetes pugio") to illustrate the process of a scientific investigation. The research was conducted at Savannah State University and funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Education through the Living Marine…

From the first planning meeting in December 1997, to the first grant awards made in 2001, the educational programs and training activities of the Educational Partnership Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have inspired and challenged many people to employ new and better ways to train and develop next generation…

Since its inception in 1990, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea program has enabled more than 460 teachers to gain first-hand experience of science and life at sea. By participating in this program, it becomes possible for teachers to enrich their classroom curricula with a depth of understanding made possible…

This article presents nine resources that focus on environmental education and sustainability. These include: (1) "Sustainability Statement and Policy," Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, 2009, which is available at http://office.sustainability.dal.ca/Governance; (2) "Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine fishery degree programs at colleges and universities associated with the Sea Grant program in the Pacific region of the United States and to describe how each addresses protecting, rebuilding, and maintaining healthy oceans. Methodology: The study was a qualitative institutional case study that…

In November 2001 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hosted the third NOAA and Academia Partnership to evaluate, maintain, and expand on efforts to optimize NOAA-university cooperation. Close partnership between the NOAA and U.S. universities has produced many benefits for the U.S. economy and the environment. Based on the…

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans has said, "Environmental Literacy is critical to enable learners of all ages to pursue knowledge, produce advanced products, and enhance personal growth." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognizes it has a role and a responsibility to the nation in advancing education leading…

Students are often confused by the difference between the terms "accuracy" and "precision." In the following activities, students explore the definitions of accuracy and precision while learning about salt march ecology and the methods used by scientists to assess salt marsh health. The activities also address the concept that the ocean supports a…

In response to a request by the Senate Committee on Appropriations for an examination of the A-76 program of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in particular NOAA's decision to contract for the operation of its Central Library, this report describes a General Accounting Office (GAO) review which:…

Outlines the experiences of a teacher in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher At Sea Program in which teachers are placed on NOAA vessels to work with professional scientists doing critical, real world research. (DDR)

This article describes 6 aids for science instruction, including (1) the use of fudge to represent lava; (2) the "Living by Chemistry" program, designed to make high school chemistry more accessible to a diverse pool of students without sacrificing content; (3) NOAA and NSTA's online coral reef teaching tool, a new web-based "science toolbox" for…

NOAA polar-orbiting satellites have the capability of providing views of entire states. This article describes the characteristics of data from these satellites, indicates their advantages and disadvantages, and shows how the satellite data can be used in a statewide representation of physical geography for students at the introductory level. (RM)

This issue of ERCMExpress alerts readers of the All-Hazard NOAA weather radio (NWR) network upgrade. In 2004, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) collaborated to enable DHS to disseminate homeland security-related information over the NWR network. DHS's goal was to produce an…

Educating the public about safety issues related to severe weather is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) mission. This article deals with a poster entitled, "Severe Weather," that has been created by NOAA to help educate the public about hazardous weather conditions. The four types of severe weather highlighted in…