NASA's New Kids' Club Web Site Is Entertaining and Educational(Forwarded)

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington April 6, 2006
(202) 358-1761

Angela Storey
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(256) 544-0034

RELEASE: 06-131

NASA'S NEW KIDS' CLUB WEB SITE IS ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL

NASA's new Kids' Club Web site features animated, colorful,
entertaining and educational activities for children in kindergarten
through fourth grade.

Interactive games on the site teach children about exploring space,
building and launching rockets, keeping airplanes on schedule and how
a comet travels through the solar system. The site is located on the
Web at:
http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

The site serves a dual purpose. Children can play games at home for
entertainment, and educators can use it as a fun way to reach
students in the classroom, the library, during after-school programs
or anywhere children and computers are together.

"Our goal with the Kids' Club is to provide a medium that encourages
children's interest in exploring the subjects important to developing
early skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,"
said Angela Phillips Diaz, NASA's acting assistant administrator for
education. "The Kids' Club combines entertainment with NASA's unique
mission content and educational resources."

NASA's Educational Technology Services team at the Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., developed and maintains Kids'
Club. The site was designed in accordance with the 2004 National
Education Technology Plan "Toward a New Golden Age in American
Education." Through the interactive site, content is aligned with
educational standards that are customized to student's individual
needs and interests.

"We've developed games, engaging multimedia visuals and educational
activities at five different skill levels on the site," said Jeff
Ehmen, education programs specialist at Marshall. "We want students
to explore and learn more about science, technology, engineering and
mathematics. These materials support various national education
standards in these subjects at each skill level."

The Kids' Club Web site was designed for easy student accessibility.
The site is compatible with screen readers and other assistive
technology, allowing use by disabled students. In addition to
Flash-based games, the site features versions of content accessible
in locations with slower Internet connections and computer equipment.

NASA's education programs motivate and engage students to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by
supporting activities in the nation's schools, and distributing
information through instructional and outreach products.

For information about NASA education programs on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/home