Curriculum

Windows on Earth includes a variety of images that students and teachers can use to explore their local environment as well as locations on Earth they may only dream of visiting. Use the following links to investigate some of the curriculum and other resources available to help begin integrating space images—like those included in Windows on Earth—in the classroom.

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education

(http://www.challenger.org/programs/iss.cfm) - The Challenger Center has several activities that use the images taken with Windows on Earth software on board the ISS. Many of these images can be seen in the GoAnywhere and ISS Orbital modes of the Windows on Earth Website.

Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)

(http://www.dlese.org/) - DLESE provides access to “high-quality collections of educational resources” that help “educators and learners effectively create, use, and share educational resources”. Entering “space images” in DLESE’s Find a Resource tool brings up a variety of curriculum and resource materials for using photographs and other imagery taken from space.

Astronaut Photography – Observing Earth Systems from Space

(http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/education/ESS/) - The Gateway to Astronaut Photography provides several tips on how to use images from space to uncover and understand the importance of interconnections between components of the Earth system.

Sally Ride Science EarthKAM

(https://earthkam.ucsd.edu/) – The EarthKAM site is part of a program that lets middle school students take pictures of Earth from a camera on board the International Space Station. EarthKam has a variety of image archives, including annotated images that will help students learn about Earth’s surface from space. In addition, additional education activities are being developed for the site for using images taken from the ISS in the classroom.

LAUNCH

Take your seat at the International Space Station window and explore the view and photographs taken from the window.

Choose one of the following missions:

  • Go Anywhere – You can select any location on the map and explore from there.
  • ISS Orbital – Start at the current ISS location
  • How to Navigate – A quick lesson on how to control the viewers.

EXTEND

Choose one of the following links to help extend your use of the Windows on Earth Website and images taken from space:

  • Garriott Mission – Learn more about his mission and compare some of the images taken by two generations of Garriotts.
  • Museum Exhibits – Locate a Windows on Earth Museum Exhibit near you.
  • Curriculum – Explore classroom lessons and resources to support using Earth images to teach Earth Science standards.
  • Animations – Investigate animations explaining different surface features you can look for from the ISS window.