HOUSTON, Texas -- America's space program has come a long way
from the early days when astronauts ate food packed in toothpaste tubes.
Today, nutrition is known to be a key ingredient in astronaut health in
space, just as it is for humans on Earth.
NASA scientists and educators have teamed up to publish a book, aimed
at intermediate school students, that explains the role of nutrition in
the space program. The free e-book describes how space nutrition
research is conducted and highlights this important avenue of ongoing
research at NASA. Educator Guides that suggest ways to incorporate the
material into the classroom, along with mapping to National Science
Education Standards, accompany the text.
"Spaceflight provides the backdrop to gain kids' interest," said Scott M. Smith,
NASA nutritionist. "These books provide an opportunity to expand and
educate beyond space to everything from science, math, nutrition,
health, history, reading and more. The fact that this material was
developed by scientists actually conducting research on Earth and with
astronauts in space provides insight into what it takes to conduct
research at NASA, or anywhere – from an initial concept to the final
publication in a scientific journal."
"It's a new mission for education, shaping the future of our next generation of space explorers," said Lisa Neasbitt,
educator and coauthor. "Educators who use Space Nutrition will be
treated to an educator guide based on recent cognitive neuroscience.
These strategies, such as using another's point of view, promote rigor
through higher order thinking and depth of knowledge. Space Nutrition
encourages project-based learning such as radio shows, scientific
inquiry, plays, skits, songs and dances that incorporate student
strengths and facilitate confidence and competence in students."
The book is available in two forms: a PDF document version and an
interactive iBook version for use on iPads. Both can be accessed for
free at:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/slsd/about/divisions/hacd/education/kids-zone.html
The interactive iBook is also directly available for free at iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/space-nutrition/id515790608?ls=1
SOURCE NASA
