MY NASA DATA E-note (Number 6)
January 2007

Greetings MY NASA DATA Alumni and Newslist members!

The monthly E-note is sent to anyone who is interested in learning more about or keeping 
up to date with the MY NASA DATA project.  If you know someone who is interested 
in this information, the sign-up can be found at:
http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/HPDOCS/email_registration.html

1) New Land Mask tool
The new land mask tool is now available!  It consists of an Excel file with 
three worksheets.  You can generate parameter data from the Live Access Server (LAS) 
and import it into the first worksheet.  The third worksheet will then display only 
those data points that fall over land.  This tool is being offered as an updated 
Extension to the "Comparison of Snow Cover on Different Continents" lesson by DeAnn Scearce,  
found at http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/L3_Scearce.html.
The tool is also posted under the Computer Tools link.  Comments on the tool 
and directions for its use are welcome.

2) Data
Additional ISCCP data has been added to the Live Access Server!  The International 
Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), found at http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov, 
focuses on the distribution and variation of cloud radiative properties to improve 
the understanding of the effects of clouds on climate, the radiation budget, and 
the long-term global hydrologic cycle.  The new LAS file contains 50 updated parameters, 
and the updated data now covers from January 1994 to December 2005.  To see all of the 
parameters, and the time period covered,  make a quick visit to the "MY NASA DATA Time 
Coverage at a Glance" table,  http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/ParmTime.html.   If you 
know of parameters you would like to see in the LAS, please let us know.  It may take 
a little time before the data is posted, but we will do our best!

3) Lessons
A new lesson, "Tropical Atlantic Aerosols" by Rex Roettger (2005 Summer Workshop 
alumnus from Aquadilla, Puerto Rico) has been added to the collection of User-Contributed 
Lesson Plans.  Please take a few minutes to look at this newest addition listed as 
Lesson #24 at http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/L24_Roettger.html.

4) Question for this month
At Lin's recent presentation at AGU, a teacher in the audience indicated that the 
LAS is "still too complicated".  Do you have suggestions for ways we could organize 
the LAS parameters to be more teacher-  and student-friendly?  One idea under 
consideration, for example, is to organize by spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, etc.)
                                                               
5) MY NASA DATA Summer Workshop 2007
Plans for our third MY NASA DATA Summer Workshop continue! The announcement is included 
below and is posted on our website at http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/workshop.html .  
Please share the information with your colleagues who would like to learn how to 
use data sets in their classroom instruction.


               MY NASA DATA Summer Workshop 2007

NASA Langley Research Center will host a hands-on workshop designed for the Grade 
6-12 Educator.  The workshop will focus on the implementation and use of Earth System 
Science data sets developed for the pre-college education community as
part of the MY NASA DATA program. A major component of the workshop will be
the development of lessons incorporating one or more data sets. The data sets
are derived from the archive of remotely sensed data retrieved from NASA's
Earth Observing System satellites.  Participating teachers will explore topics
in Earth system science (especially atmospheric science), educational
application of data sets, and hands-on classroom activities. Participants will
experience meaningful field trips and benefit from the expertise of nationally
recognized atmospheric researchers.  Participants will also explore how data
sets can be used to enhance their curriculum and how students can utilize
these data for inquiry-based learning and research. Participant feedback and
curricular contributions will be enlisted as further development of data sets
continues.  Earth Science educators are particularly encouraged to apply. 

Goals:  Participants in the MY NASA DATA teacher workshop will:

Goals:  Participants in the MY NASA DATA teacher workshop will:
… access microsets of Earth system science data
… access and explore model lessons which utilize microsets of data
… participate in interactive seminars and tours led by scientists discussing selected methods of data collection and analysis
… develop, individually or as a group, at least one new lesson incorporating data sets

Key Outcomes:  During the school year following participation in the MY NASA
DATA teacher workshop, teachers will:

… use the MY NASA DATA website and Live Access Server to access microsets of Earth system science data
… implement lessons or other teaching strategies which incorporate microsets of Earth system science data

Important Dates:        Application must be postmarked by April 30, 2007
                Notification of acceptance will be sent by e-mail on or before May18, 2007
                Workshop dates will be July 29-August 3, 2007

Contact Information:
MY NASA DATA Workshop
Attn: Joyce Fischer
Mail Stop 927
NASA Langley Research Center
Hampton, VA 23681-2199
Phone (757)827-4848
E-mail: j.d.fischer@larc.nasa.gov
Web:  http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov