Last year Bill Nye, the science guy, congratulated Howard Lineberger, Andrew Hilt and David Black with their prizes (respectively #1, #2, #3) in the Mars Education Challenge 2011 (MEC 2011). Be the one that shakes his hand in Indianopolis, Indiana, in 2012. Just like this year in San Franciso the next winners will receive their prize from the hands of Bill Nye at the reception Explore Mars will host for them during the National conference of the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA).
All you have to do is send in your ideas for a science lesson / science lessons using Mars to teach your standard curriculum.
Any science teacher teaching grades 7-12 can submit and win. Be that guy, or girl!, and submit your lesson plan to us no later than 31 January 2012.
Every good entry will at minimum become part of the database of lesson(s) that use Mars to bring home the science you need to teach.
We are asking you to fit Mars science and exploration into your standard classroom lessons – whether teaching about biology, chemistry, physics, or geology by using Mars as an example in those lessons.
The 2011-2012 MEC will recognize a grand prize winner as well as up to seven First Place winners. First Place winners will receive $2,500 grants and the national winner will receive a $5,000 grant. Winners will also have an opportunity to do field research with well-known planetary scientists. The national winner will win a trip to NSTA’s 2011 National Conference on Science Education in Indianapolis, Indiana where he or she will be recognized at a special awards ceremony.
MEC is being presented in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association and The Planetary Society. We are also pleased to have the support of Aerojet, GenCorp Foundation, the Louis L. Stott Foundation, and the Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium.
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