Radiation Biology Educators Guide

As an extension of the “Radiation Biology Educator Guide” developed by the Space Biosciences Outreach Office in FY06, we are currently adapting the material to provide three hands-on activities that meet middle school national standards. This task is part of a Marshall Space Flight Center Education Affairs Office project entitled Radiation and Human Space Flight. We completed a significant component in the current project by presenting the material to an educator audience for review and evaluation.

The presentation was made at the 2007 annual Project ASTRO Site Leaders Workshop at Space Center Houston on May 15. The participants provided valuable oral and written feedback, including comments indicating that the presentation and activities had made them aware that radiation poses a significant health risk for human space flight, and that NASA supports research to help reduce the risk.

A summary report of the evaluations will be completed this week and provided to MSFC EAO. A final report of this task will be completed June 30th. The audience members are site leaders for Project ASTRO, a group that promotes astronomy education. Each provides lessons for teachers in their home region. They will begin to incorporate these activities into their lessons in the Fall.