Join WGBH’s NOVA and the MY NASA DATA team for a presentation about new Earth system science resources for middle and high school educators. Hear about NOVA Education’s newest collection of free, standards-based media resources that highlight important concepts in Earth system science using video from new NOVA Programs. Additionally, learn how to use the MY NASA DATA website to bring NASA data into your classroom to provide students with real-world science experiences. For more information and to register, visit http://svy.mk/194Setj.

The annual Astronomy Festival on the National Mall is just around the corner! Sponsored by Hofstra University, this festival will feature telescopic viewing, exhibits, hands-on activities, a multimedia presentation, and a chance to mingle with real astronomers. Starting at 5pm, visitors will be able to view sunspots with the help of a specially filtered telescopes, and the Moon. After dusk, telescopes will provide up-close views of planets and star clusters. Free planetarium programs will also be shown on a large screen. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/Z00lDf.

Learn about soil moisture and precipitation through hands-on activities and talks, and see how NASA gathers data on these variables from space with the Solar Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) – Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) workshop. This first ever joint mission workshop is focused on middle school science educators, and is designed to showcase how NASA gathers data about the Earth from space. Discussion will connect how soil moisture and precipitation directly relate to the global water cycle, and introduce some engaging activities and information that you can use in your classrooms. Registration for the workshop is required, and attendance will be at the teacher’s expense. Space is limited to 30 participants. For more information, please visit http://1.usa.gov/12MYSAM.

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announce an authentic STEM opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The latest flight opportunity, Mission 5 to the International Space Station (ISS), gives students the opportunity to design and propose real experiments to fly on the ISS. Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research mini-laboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment, and all launch services to fly the mini-lab to the ISS in spring 2014 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community allows student teams to design and propose real experiments, vying for their community’s reserved mini-lab.

Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. The competition is open to students grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups are also welcomed to participate. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit http://bit.ly/16PDwrp.

Join the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) education team for a one-day workshop on the MAVEN mission and the accompanying program for grades 3-5, Red Planet: Read, Write, and Explore! This program features six standards-based lessons that combine science, literacy, and art to help students understand planetary habitability and the MAVEN mission. The workshop will introduce participants to these lessons and concepts, and will also have a session devoted to Spanish speaking English Language Learner and English as a Second Language students. Attendees will receive free classroom materials. To learn more, visit http://bit.ly/14RWgSd.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) is a Presidential awards established by the White House in order to recognize U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and U.S. organizations that have demonstrated excellence in mentoring individuals from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and career paths. Nominations, including self-nominations, are invited for Individual and Organizational PAESMEM awards. Each Individual and Organizational PAESMEM awardee will receive a $10,000 award and a commemorative Presidential certificate, to be awarded at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. Up to sixteen awards may be made from the nominations. For full rules and to nominate, please visit http://1.usa.gov/15EHbqC.

Join astronomers and educators from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and CosmoQuest to learn how your students can conduct authentic astronomy research! Participants will help astronomers map the Moon’s surface using the MoonMappers citizen science project and data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), plus receive practical ideas from experienced teachers on how to bring citizen science into the classroom and meet science standards (including the NGSS). Activities from CosmoQuest’s new TerraLuna unit will be featured. Free materials, stipend, and CPDU’s provided; optional graduate course credit from SIUE is available. Contact Georgia Bracey for application information.

Spacecraft, Craters, and Cosmic Rays is a new exhibit on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission and Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER). The opening day of the exhibit will include activities for the whole family, including short talks on lunar science, demonstrations, and the chance to meet real lunar scientists! For more information on the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (exhibit information coming soon), visit http://bit.ly/13r5CUg.