NASA AAA Cycle 10 Middle School and High School Teachers

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AAA Eligibility & Expectations - Middle School & High School Teachers

[Definition of middle school: 6th – 8th grade with separate science classrooms/instruction.]

Eligible middle and high school teachers MUST:

  • Be teaching in a school or district with an established AAA partnership (Memorandum of Understanding) or Letter of Support on file from the following list:

    • Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, Los Angeles, CA
    • Anaheim Union High School District, Anaheim, CA
    • Canyons School District, Sandy, UT
    • Cobb County School District, Marietta, GA
    • Diocese of Raleigh/Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, NC
    • Fannin County School System, Blue Ridge, GA
    • Fort Zumwalt School District R2, O’Fallon, MO
    • Harmony Public Schools, Houston, TX
    • William S. Hart Union High School District, Santa Clarita, CA
    • iLEAD CA Charter Schools & Maker Learning Network, Headquarters in CA
    • Kiowa County School District RE-1, Eads, CO
    • Lakewood City Schools, Lakewood, OH
    • Little Elm Independent School District, Little Elm, TX
    • Manteca Unified School District, Manteca, CA
    • Muscogee County School District, Columbus, GA
    • Northside Independent School District, San Antonio, TX
    • Norwood-Norfolk Central School District, Norwood, NY
    • St. Joan of Arc School, Lisle, IL
    • Sylacauga City Schools, Sylacauga, AL
    • Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School, Irvine, CA
    • Washoe County School District, Reno, NV

  • Be entering at least their 3rd year of full-time teaching during 2022-23.
  • Have at least 1 year of experience teaching Physical Science, Earth & Space Science, Astronomy, Astrobiology, or Integrated Science.
  • Expect to be teaching at least 1 class with electromagnetic spectrum content during the 2022-23 school year. [We understand that teaching assignments may not be definite this far in advance.]
  • Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • Be in good general health, e.g. able to climb staircases unassisted.
  • Be recommended for participation by a peer review panel. (NOTE: AAA selection is a competitive process.)
  • Have eligibility vetted and approved for participation by sponsoring district and school, post-application.

AAA benefits for teacher participants:

  • STEM immersion week will include at least 1 overnight experience, NASA facility tours, and meetings with NASA subject matter experts (SMEs) (scientists, engineers, and other professionals).
  • Travel expenses for required pre-flight meetings and flight week paid by the AAA program.
  • Flight facilitators/escorts present during STEM immersion week at a NASA facility, either Palmdale, CA, or Mauna Kea, HI
  • Materials and supplies needed to implement lessons, delivered to the school site by the AAA program.
  • Personalized NASA jacket.
  • Optional inclusion in a national public engagement and education group for ongoing communication opportunities and support.

Teacher commitments to NASA AAA:

  • Professional development participation: Approximately 25 hours of self-paced online training, 2 hours per month of teleconferences & webinars, and 8 in-person hours (full-day workshop or equivalent virtual experience).
  • Teacher participants will travel to a NASA facility during immersion week.  [Please note: this means leaving the classroom for that week.]
  • Participate in pre- and post-immersion week trainings and meetings regarding corresponding scientific research programs.
  • Implement a 2-week classroom curriculum unit covering electromagnetic spectrum and multiwavelength astronomy, aligned to appropriate level content and skills. Selected AAAs will be trained on curriculum components and implementation. We are required by NASA to show evidence of student learning, which will require student surveys on STEM Engagement. All student data will be anonymous and aggregated. Our external evaluator WestEd works with AAAs on the survey process.
  • Participate actively in ongoing evaluation of the AAA program.

*** The middle & high school teacher application includes five questions requiring short (500-1000 character) answers. We strongly suggest downloading the questions (link to pdf document immediately below), writing the answers, and then cut-and-pasting the text into the form. [Click here to download application essay questions.]

Click here for the MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL application form. Note: This link will only be active during the application window: November 1st, 2021 to November 28th, 2021.