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The
NASA Seeds II Project provides teachers with "Rutgers California
Supreme Tomato” seeds that were flown on Shuttle Mission STS - 86 in a
"Getaway Special" Canister. Teachers also receive seeds of the
same variety that were housed in an underwater research facility 30 feet
underwater off of Key Largo, Florida. Seeds that were stored at the Park
Seed Company facility in Greenwood, North Carolina are provided as well,
and are to be used as a control group.
Each
kit contains 20 seeds from each of the three groups plus ancillary
materials to assist the teacher/project leader in running the
experiment. Data on the plants can be daily through maturity and fruit
bearing. A summary of the data is recorded and returned to the Regional
7 Service Center where it is compiled with data from other schools and
then forwarded on to NASA via the Challenger Center network. |
| Participation
in this project benefits the teachers as they gain hands-on learning
experience of planning and conducting an environmental research
experiment. Involving teachers in this way better prepares and motivates
them for involving their own students in authentic scientific research.
This
project is also suitable for Scout groups, 4-H groups,
and as Parent-Child activities. |
Excellence
in Environmental Education Guidelines for Learning (K-12):
Strand I: Questioning and Analysis Skills
Guidelines
for Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators:
Theme I: Environmental Literacy, 1.1 Questioning and Analysis Skills
National
Science Education Standards, NRC, 1996.
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