Of a number of similar sites that I have reviewed, this is one of the most comprehensive. But, at the same time, it is also complex and time consuming. Hosted by the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, it has pages created by local chapters from throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, etc. Each chapter and link has projects made for its own region. The teacher would need to devote considerable preparation time to best utilize the site. Students will find facts, definitions, audio, animations, etc. There are special links to rocketry, publications, ftp sites (with projects), etc. The language level ranges, depending on the page and activity, from kindergarten through adult. The use of multimedia varies, as does the level of student background to which the site is pitched. For example, using the search engine on the word "interactive" produced twenty links, some with animated views of such phenomena as: the comet P/Shoemaker Levy's Collision with Jupiter; a satellite system dedicated to observing the Earth's oceans; galactic collisions and mergers from new observations of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope; views of photons, electrons, protons, and other ions; the solar wind, cosmic rays, magnetic fields, etc. In turn, the word "education" led to SEDS' University of Alabama chapters' projects with educational tools for primary and secondary schools, and the Lebofskys' NASA grant to develop astronomy educational materials for use in K-8 classes called "A Sky Full of Stories . . . "
The technology section provides a downloadable copy of "The Space Educator's Handbook," featuring teaching materials and downloadable multimedia files for educators (e.g., the original 1872 English text of Jules Verne's science fiction classic blended interactively with the Handbook resources). I especially liked the Rocketry division's "Boy Scout's Space Exploration Merit Badge Requirements." It provides kindergarten through adult projects that could be adapted to a variety of settings. For example, in "Galactic Tours" of the solar system for K-2, students can visit different stations, one for each of the planets. Students, in groups, use a passport that is stamped at a planet's "visit." "Cosmic Science" for grades 3-6 teaches the main principles of space science in groups, from Rockets, Shuttles, Habitat, to Mission Control, each with a particular experiment in mind. Teachers can find a multitude of simple, effective classroom demonstrations in many of these sections. Age appropriateness ratings have generally been assigned to these projects. The range of subjects is extensive and provides an important teaching tool.
**Updated 7/30/01:
SEDS is still an active and well-maintained site. It is an excellent place for students and teachers alike to visit. The site is divided into six sections for easy access to information. The two main sections appear to be Space and Astronomy. Other sections include: Rocketry, Publications, Other Resources, and Resource Guides.
