NASA-Library Initiative

What is the NASA LIFTS Initiative?

The Santa Maria Public Library was selected to participate in a collaboration with the NASA Library Initiative For Teachers and Students (LIFTS) to provide patrons with unique STEM literacy resources.  The NASA LIFTS program provides libraries within underrepresented and underserved local communities with NASA Education materials and unique learning opportunities.  These materials and opportunities are intended for patrons from pre-kindergarten age through adult.

How to find the NASA Books and Educator Guides Online:
The resources that NASA LIFTS offers include a limited number of hard copy NASA Aeronautics books and Educator Guides.  Patrons can access, and place holds, on these materials by searching our online catalog and typing in the phrase “NASA Education Guide Collection” in the keyword field.  

To browse the collection, come to the Library and find the adult books on the second floor next to the information desk.  The educator guides can be found in the Youth Services area on the first floor of the library, next to the children’s public service desk.

NASA LIFTS Digital resources for adults, educators and children are located here:
1.  NASA eBooks.   Free eBooks for adults on NASA Aeronautics, History, and Science.  https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/index.html

2.  NASA Kids Club.  Free NASA information and activities for children.  http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

3.  NASA Space Place for Children. Explore Earth and Space with information, lessons, games, activities, and crafts. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov

4.  NASA Resources for Educators:
NASA Armstrong Educator Resource Center (ERC) – The purpose of the NASA Educator Resource Center (ERC) is to help teachers learn about and use NASA’s educational resources.

NASA Education Materials Home Page - Educators can access NASA’s unique online curriculum support materials and resources.  Types of materials available to download are bookmarks, classroom activities, educator guides, lesson plans, lithographs, posters, video learning clips, and program brochures. www.nasa.gov/education/materials .   

NASA Speakers Bureau – The bureau is composed of engineers, scientists, pilots and other professionals who speak to audiences around the country. NASA provides these speakers as a public service, building relationships between NASA and the public. For more information, policies, and to submit a request, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/about/speakers/

NASA’s Digital Learning Network - NASA's Digital Learning Network™ provides science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or STEM content featuring NASA’s unique missions and research using interactive video conferencing technology. Register for free, interactive events that allow your students the opportunity to speak directly with NASA Specialists. http://www.nasa.gov/dln

NASA Educator Professional Development - NASA Educator Professional Development is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA Education Specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom. https://www.txstate-epdc.net/

NASA Wavelength – NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels. Use NASA Wavelength to quickly and easily locate resources, connect to other websites, and share resources with others. http://www.nasawavelength.org

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Education webpages offer unique resources that allow educators to bring the wonder of space into the classroom. See how Next Generation Science Standards are used at JPL, get educational activities that are aligned to the standards, and tips for integrating them into your classroom. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/

NASA’s BEST Students Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology - The NASA's BEST Activities Guides have been designed to teach students the Engineering Design Process and to bring the principles of engineering alive to younger audiences. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/best/index.html

NASA Museum in a Box – The Museum in a Box program brings the physical sciences of flight to students in grades K-12. Great for educators at museums, science centers and schools, Museum in a box provides exciting hands on/minds on lessons with an aeronautics theme to inspire future scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

Total Eclipse 2017 – On August 21, 2017 there will be a total eclipse of the sun. Find who, what, where, when and how you and your students can be a part of this national event. http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/

Smart Skies – Line Up With Math – Math based decisions in air traffic control. Grades 5 – 9
https://smartskies.nasa.gov

STEM on Station – Check out this website to find out how to bring space into your classroom, with lesson plans, videos and opportunities to connect to the space station and the research conducted onboard. http://www.nasa.gov/education/STEMstation

NASA’s Eyes– NASA’s online 3D interactive allows you to explore our planet, our solar system, and the universe beyond as you travel alongside NASA space probes from your Web browser. http://eyes.nasa.gov

Chandra X-Ray Observatory – NASA’s flagship mission for X-ray astronomy, this site features classroom ready activities and resources you can request for your classroom. http://chandra.harvard.edu/edu/formal/index.html

NASA Kids Club – In this interactive site, students can play science games and other science activities incorporating math, science and technology. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html

SciJinks – SciJinks is all about weather! Short for Science Hijinks, this joint NOAA and NASA educational website puts fun, and adventure into learning about weather, satellite meteorology, and Earth Science. http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/

NASA Education Robotics Website - Innovation, creativity, problem solving -- the world of robotics at NASA is all of these things. Spend some time on this site to see if robotics might be in your future. http://www.nasa.gov/education/robotics

Solar System Exploration Lesson Finder – This site is a searchable database of NASA resources divided into curriculum standards from Space Science, Mathematics, California Science Standards and Girl Scouts.

Solar System Exploration – This site contains pages for kids on the Solar System and the planets.
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/kids/index.cfm

Space Math @ NASA – The ‘M’ in STEM education for science and math educators. This website offers teachers and students authentic mathematics problems based upon NASA mission science results and other sources. Explore how many kinds of mathematics skills come together in exploring the universe. http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov

NASA eClips - NASA eClips™ are short, relevant educational video segments. These videos inspire and engage students, helping them see real world connections. New video segments are produced weekly exploring current applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, topics. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/nasaeclips/index.html

EarthKAM – An outreach program for middle school students that provides stunning, high quality photographs of our planet taken from the International Space Station. Students have taken thousands of photographs of Earth by using the World Wide Web to direct a digital camera on board the International Space Station. http://www.earthkam.org