PASCO scientific Announces SPARKlabs from World Class Publishers and Other Educational Groups

PHILADELPHIA, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- PASCO® scientific and seven new content partners today unveiled a collection of media-rich SPARKlabs™ for SPARKscience™, an authentic, research-based learning platform that integrates sensor-based data collection, interactive visualization and data analysis, instructional content and assessment.

"SPARKscience lays the groundwork for science education publishers, non-profits, school districts and educators to create discovery-based, interactive lab activities using their own expert content and materials," said Wayne Grant, Ph.D., chief education officer at PASCO.  "Now teachers and students can have access to a much larger body of media-rich activities designed to mirror the process of discovery used by real scientists."

New content partners announced today at the National Science Teachers Association's annual conference include:

• Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, the Alabama Department of Education's initiative to improve math and science teaching statewide. AMSTI is working with PASCO scientific to author and to develop activities in the SPARK environment. AMSTI is testing activities in fourth grade, eighth grade, and high school chemistry, using the SPARK Science Learning System.
• Carolina Biological Supply Company is a leading supplier of biological and science teaching materials. Carolina SPARKlabs help facilitate the transition between traditional teacher-driven activities and inquiry-based, student-driven activities. They include guided investigations in which students participate in teacher-driven explorations of core science topics and open inquiry investigations in which students design and conduct their own experiments to further their understanding of those topics.
• Holbrook Travel, a leader in innovative, global field expeditions for students and educators. It will provide each group traveling to Costa Rica with a SPARKscience™ Mobile Lab containing a classroom set of SPARK Science Learning Systems to use for scientific investigations for the duration of the trip.
• Horizon Fuel Cell is a company dedicated to making commercially viable, clean hydrogen fuel cell power for the public.  Horizon's education kits are used to explain renewable energy science in a classroom environment. PASCO has partnered with Horizon to offer SPARKlabs on renewable energy for both middle school and high schools.
• Laying the Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality teacher training, rigorous classroom materials, and web-based resources to improve the quality of English, mathematics, and science instruction.  The organization is creating SPARKlabs that mirror their existing content so that a school, district or teacher that is taking part in the LTF program has the option of doing their training and teaching utilizing SPARKscience.
• The Pacific Education Institute is an independent non-profit organization in Washington State that brings real world science experiences to students. By integrating PEI's field investigation model with PASCO's SPARK Science Learning System and My World GIS technologies, students will provide accurate and reliable data and student research to help inform decisions for various stakeholders, including natural resource agencies.
• Sally Ride Science is an innovative science content company founded by the first American woman in space, Dr. Sally Ride, and dedicated to fueling girls' and boys' interests in science, math and technology. Sally Ride Science and PASCO have created standards-based SPARKlab activities developed around content from the Sally Ride Climate Change book series, which blends the latest science and environmental concerns with current ideas and solutions for facing our climate challenge and creating a healthier planet.

SPARKlabs are designed for use with SPARKvue™ software, which promotes real-time scientific investigations, student reflection and discussion with built-in annotation tools. All SPARKlabs contain background information, materials and setup instructions, and data collection all in one place. In addition they include prompts for students to answer questions, make predictions and analyze their results. SPARKlabs can be used with a range of technologies running SPARKvue, including the all-in-one, mobile SPARK Science Learning system, Windows and Mac-based computers, interactive whiteboards, and netbooks.

PASCO also offers a collection of 61 free SPARKlabs for biology, chemistry, earth science and physics as well as SPARKlabs designed specifically for middle and elementary school students.

Availability

SPARKlabs are available from PASCO and its content partners. For more information on pricing and ordering visit www.pasco.com, or call (800) 772-8700.

About PASCO scientific

PASCO scientific is a leading developer of innovative, technology-based solutions for hands-on science. PASCO's team includes former and current teachers, educational researchers, engineers and many more. Throughout its more than 45-year history, PASCO has focused exclusively on science education--designing, developing and supporting better ways of teaching and learning science. Teachers and students in more than 100 countries throughout the world use PASCO solutions. For more information, visit www.pasco.com.

PASCO is a registered trademark of PASCO scientific. SPARK, SPARKscience, SPARK Science Learning System, SPARKlabs and SPARKvue are trademarks of PASCO scientific. All other brand and product names are or may be trademarks of, and are used to identify products or services of their respective owners.

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Wayne Grant, Ph.D.

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SOURCE PASCO scientific