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As the world population continues to grow and become more connected than ever, The DuPont Challenge asks students to consider our most important challenges by researching and writing a 700-1,000-word science essay in one of the four categories: Together, we can feed the world. Together, we can build a secure energy future. Together, we can protect people and the environment. Together, we can be innovative anywhere. The first three categories reflect the global challenges on which DuPont as a company focuses its efforts. The fourth category opens up possibilities for students to address other important topics, using scientific research to solve issues that can range from medicine and health to mathematical computation to any science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topic that students are passionate about. For 7th-12th grades

"All students and educators participating in the challenge will have their name flown on the Exploration Flight Test-I mission as a member of the virtual crew. This mission will be unmanned and will launch in late 2014. So, kids can be a "virtual explorer." There are 4 challenges, age appropriate, to help design protective radiation protection for astronauts. We need to get students interest in space travel for a variety of reasons. This is a lovely real world project for students to join. "The goal of the Exploration Design Challenge is for students to research and design ways to protect astronauts from space radiation. NASA and Lockheed Martin are developing the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and on to an asteroid or Mars. Protecting astronauts from radiation on these distant travels is an important -- and very real -- problem that needs solving. NASA would like your help!"

Description: A cross-curriculum unit of work was developed for Year 8 students, combining elements of the Mathematics and Science Australian Curriculum. The eight-week unit used a Project-Based Learning approach, in which students investigated a fictitious "cold case". The unit was divided into three phases. In the initial phase, students were introduced to skills and understandings which would assist them in completing the learning tasks. However, these were not explicitly linked to the upcoming tasks, requiring that students made connections themselves through a guided discovery process. In the second phase students were presented with a bare bones case file, from which some broad conclusions could be drawn and leads discussed. As students worked through the case, additional packets of evidence were released, as required. The design allowed for students to work at different paces, and in a non-linear manner. Students needed to combine their science understandings with mathematical skills and reasoning to analyze the evidence. For example, previous experiments on rusting were quantified to determine a rate equation, which, by analysis of physical evidence at the crime scene, could be used to determine approximate time of death. During this phase, students kept an ongoing series of Case File Notes, to record their predictions, calculations, analyses and conclusions. In the final phase, students completed their Case File Notes with a briefing for the prosecution lawyer, outlining the case they had built against their chosen suspect. Stepping outside the role play, they also wrote a Research Investigation on the role of science in the criminal justice system and a Reflection, evaluating what they had learned throughout the unit.

I listened to him present this and was absolutely amazed. He's willing to share any and all his ideas/resources.

Lionfish infestation in Atlantic escalates "Lionfish are not native to the Atlantic Ocean. The venomous, fast reproducing fish are aggressive eaters and will consume anything and everything, gorging so much they are actually getting liver disease. With no known predators -- except human beings -- they can wipe out 90% of a reef. "The lionfish invasion is probably the worst environmental disaster the Atlantic will ever face," said Graham Maddocks, president and founder of Ocean Support Foundation, which works with the government and research agencies to help reduce the lionfish population in Bermuda."

If your students investigate bugs, use a microscope, need an authentic purpose for research, I'd like to suggest partnering with Bugscope. You get to collaborate with expert scientists to explore bugs (i.e. looking at a bug's tongue). You would do this all via the internet. It looks amazing! Below is a response from them, with an attachment.  A news-release summarizes a history of Bugscope (http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2011/0729sp_spore.shtml). Bugscope allows teachers everywhere to provide students with the opportunity to become microscopists themselves-the kids propose experiments, explore insect specimens at high-magnification, and discuss what they see with our scientists-all from a regular web browser over a standard broadband internet connection. You sign up, ask your students to find some bugs, and mail them to us. We accept your application, schedule your session, and prepare the bugs for insertion into the electron microscope. When your session time arrives, we put the bug(s) into the microscope and set it up for your classroom. Then you and your students login over the web and control the microscope. We'll be there via chat to guide you and answer the kids' questions. If you would like to see the response from one class who have done this, read Mrs. Krebs' blog post: http://krebs.edublogs.org/2011/09/04/bugscope-session/  If you need any help with this, just let me know. If you end up taking them up on this FREE collaboration, please let me know when/where so I can drop by. This looks fascinating! Kind regards,Tracy