This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
Contact Information
Open Video ProjectSchool of Information and Library Science
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB#3360, 100 Manning Hall
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3360
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant. |
Contact InformationOpen Video ProjectSchool of Information and Library Science The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill CB#3360, 100 Manning Hall Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3360 |
| Repository: | School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Creator: | United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Title: | NASA SCI Files, Grades 3-5 |
| Language of Material: | Material in English |
| Location: | The materials located on this site are housed on a server at the School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For more information about this project, contact Dr. Gary Geisler. |
| Abstract: | Developed by NASA's Center for Distance Learning, the NASA SCI Files (formerly known as the NASA "Why?" Files) is a series of 60-minute video programs with an accompanying web site. The series is designed to enhance the teaching of science in grades 3-5. The program content is drawn from physical science, Earth science, life-biological space science, and computer science; is related to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Standards; and reflects the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards. The series implements problem-based learning and focuses on the application of the scientific method. Each video, the web site, and the supplemental materials are designed to model how children use the scientific method to solve problems and include such skills as gathering and classifying data, establishing hypotheses, designing experiments, identifying variables, measuring, observing, predicting, and communicating results. |
| The NASA SCI Files videos in this collection consist of 17 episodes divided into 188 segments. Students and educators can choose to download an entire episode or the shorter segments. In each episode, students follow Tree House Detectives Kali, Jacob, R. J., Bianca, Tony, and Katherine as they work to solve everyday mysteries, such as how tennis shoes and oil ended up on the beach, how people and animals smell, and how to keep from getting sick. With the help of Dr. D, the detectives visit experts in the fields they need to know more about. In some episodes, the detectives visit NASA SCI Files Kids' Clubs in cities throughout the country. Each episode is accompanied by an educator guide, some of which are available in Spanish. | |
| Extent: | 188 videos, This collection grows based on intermittent contributions from the contributing organization. |
This collection is open for use.
The Open Video repository provides video clips from a variety of sources, especially various video programs obtained from U.S. government agencies such as the National Records and Archives Administration and NASA. Although the government agency videos were produced with public funds and are freely available from the Archives, no copyright clearance has been obtained for audio or video elements in these productions. We encourage researchers to use the data under fair use for research purposes. Those wishing to use these video clips in any commercial enterprise must bear the burden of obtaining copyright clearances.
NASA SCI Files videos are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
[Identification of item], NASA K-16 Science Education Programs Videos, School of Library and Information Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
This collection grows based on intermittent contributions from NASA's Center for Distance Learning.
Processed by Ron Brown and Max Gustashaw
Encoded by Dawne E. Howard, 2006
This finding aid was encoded under the sponsorship of a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Library of Congress (NSF IIS #0455970).
Developed by NASA's Center for Distance Learning, the NASA SCI Files (formerly known as the NASA "Why?" Files) is a series of 60-minute video programs with an accompanying web site. The series is designed to enhance the teaching of science in grades 3-5. The program content is drawn from physical science, Earth science, life-biological space science, and computer science; is related to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Standards; and reflects the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)Standards. The series implements problem-based learning and focuses on the application of the scientific method. Each video, the web site, and the supplemental materials are designed to model how children use the scientific method to solve problems and include such process skills as gathering and classifying data, establishing hypotheses, designing experiments, identifying variables, measuring, observing, predicting, and communicating results.
The video programs are fast-paced, include animation, have a musical opening and closing, and are planned to appeal to children ages 8-10. The story line has six ethnically diverse school children (ages 10, 11, and 12; three males and three females) who are friends that meet in a tree house belonging to one of the children. They investigate the solution to a particular problem, and the NASA SCI Files series follows them through the steps of their investigation and final conclusion. A companion teacher guide is available for each video program in the series. Each guide includes the program overview, related science and mathematics concepts, key vocabulary, and program discussion. In addition, the guide includes extension activities and web site information designed for classroom or home/family enrichment. The NASA SCI Files web site technology components provide a learner-centered environment in which the educator monitors, questions, and challenges, while students construct meaning and direction that will lead to a solution. To reach a solution, students go through the following stages: understanding the problem, learning about the problem, solving the problem, and reflecting on the process used to solve the problem. This process helps students develop crucial problem-solving skills to become life-long learners.
NASA SCI Files has won several awards, including a U.S. International Film and Video Festival Award (2000), Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards (2001, 2002), an Apex Award (2001), a Communicator Awards (2002, 2003, 2004), a Parents' Choice Recommended Award (2002), and Telly Awards (2003, 2005).
The NASA SCI Files videos in this collection consist of 17 episodes divided into 188 segments. Students and educators can choose to download an entire episode or the shorter segments. In each episode, students follow Tree House Detectives Kali, Jacob, R. J., Bianca, Tony, and Katherine as they work to solve everyday mysteries, such as how tennis shoes and oil ended up on the beach, how people and animals smell, and how to keep from getting sick. With the help of Dr. D, the detectives visit experts in the fields they need to know more about. In some episodes, the detectives visit NASA SCI Files Kids' Clubs in cities throughout the country. Each episode is accompanied by an educator guide, some of which are available in Spanish.
NASA SCI Files episodes are arranged by original release date.
NASA's Destination Tomorrow, Grades 9-12 and Adult Learners
NASA K-16 Education Programs Videos (contains all shows listed above)
| The Case of the Unknown Stink, 2000 October 11 | |||||||||
| In this program, students are invited to actively join the tree house detectives as they investigate the Case of the Unknown Stink. The tree house detectives accept the challenge of trying to find the source of an unpleasant odor that is invading the surrounding neighborhoods. To determine the source of the stink, the detectives learn about the sense of smell: what it is, how people and animals smell, and how wind speed and direction influence the movement of odor. They also learn that the source of the unknown stink is right under their very noses. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Unknown Stink (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Data Matrix | |||||||||
| 3. Experimentation and Variables | |||||||||
| 4. How Far Smells Travel | |||||||||
| 5. How Smells Travel | |||||||||
| 6. How We Smell | |||||||||
| 7. Scientific Method-Data Collection and Variables | |||||||||
| 8. Scientific Method-Hypothesis and Observation | |||||||||
| 9. Scientific Method-Variables and Categorizing Data | |||||||||
| 10. Shark Nose and Underwater Smell | |||||||||
| 11. Wind Direction | |||||||||
| The Case of the Barking Dogs, 2001 November 14 | |||||||||
| In The Case of the Barking Dogs, the tree house detectives have yet another mystery to solve. Many of the neighborhoods in Big City are experiencing a problem with their pooches barking late at night and early in the morning. The barking is even affecting some of the tree house detectives. They have a big test soon and they need to get some sleep! | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives visit their friend Dr. D, a retired science professor, for advice on where to start their investigation. With his direction, the tree house detectives go on many excursions to speak with various NASA researchers, an audiologist, a veterinarian, and even their classroom teachers to get help solving the case. Along the way, they learn more about sound: what it is, how it is transmitted, and how people and animals hear. With a few clues from the local news station, KSNN (Kids Science News Network), the tree house detectives are able to use scientific inquiry and the scientific method to solve the mystery. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Barking Dogs (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Analyzing and Collecting Data | |||||||||
| 3. High Frequency Noises | |||||||||
| 4. How the Ear Works | |||||||||
| 5. More Frequency and Sound Travel | |||||||||
| 6. Sonic Boom | |||||||||
| 7. Sound Over Distance | |||||||||
| 8. Sound Waves and Frequency | |||||||||
| 9. The Scientific Method | |||||||||
| 10. What We and Dogs Hear | |||||||||
| The Case of the Electrical Mystery, 2002 January 16 | |||||||||
| The tree house detective are eager to go swimming in Mr. E's pool, but a severe storm moves through the area of Wattsville. During the storm many neighborhoods lose electrical power. Once the storm ends, power is restored to most residents, but the tree house detectives notice that the houses across from the tree house are still without power, including Mr. E's house. This mystery becomes their "current" case to solve: The Case of the Electrical Mystery. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives are "charged" about this new case, and they visit Dr. D to get advice on how to solve the mystery. Dr. D directs them to various NASA researchers and offers "mini" science lessons throughout their investigation. The tree house detectives use their scientific inquiry skills, and as they gain knowledge about electricity, they periodically revise their hypothesis. With reports from I. M. Listening, KSNN (Kids Science News Network) reporter, they begin to unravel the solution to the case. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Electrical Mystery (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Circuit Activity | |||||||||
| 3. Electrical Charges | |||||||||
| 4. Electrical Circuits | |||||||||
| 5. Electricity | |||||||||
| 6. History of Electricity | |||||||||
| 7. Lightning | |||||||||
| 8. More On Circuits | |||||||||
| 9. Niagara Power Project | |||||||||
| 10. Public Damage | |||||||||
| The Case of the Challenging Flight, 2002 March 13 | |||||||||
| In The Case of the Challenging Flight, the tree house detectives are onto a new case as they try to win the Egg-tra-ordinary Plane Contest. They do not want to repeat their unsuccessful performance of years past; therefore, they decide that they need to build a better plane. The tree house detectives use their skills in scientific investigation to learn about the four forces of flight and then use their newfound knowledge as they design and construct a plane. | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives actively pursue this challenge, they learn of other competitions in flight throughout history. They meet with General John (Jack) R. Dailey, director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. to learn more about the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, the race for space, and other contests of the past. | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives endeavor to learn more about the four forces of flight: lift, thrust, drag, and weight, Dr. D, a retired science professor, guides them to seek help from NASA researchers. The tree house detectives receive a surprise visit from Jackie Chan, the human flying machine, who offers advice on how to attack a problem and the value of education. They are also invited as guests of the U.S. Navy to visit an aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt. They have a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they land and are catapulted off the flight deck of one of the world’s largest carriers. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Challenging Flight (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Aerospace Engineering | |||||||||
| 3. Airplane Design | |||||||||
| 4. Aviation History | |||||||||
| 5. Drag and Biomimetics | |||||||||
| 6. Flight Materials | |||||||||
| 7. Flying A Plane | |||||||||
| 8. How Things Fly | |||||||||
| 9. Launch Catapult | |||||||||
| 10. The Four Forces of Flight | |||||||||
| 11. Thrust | |||||||||
| 12. Thrust Experiment | |||||||||
| 13. Wing Size | |||||||||
| The Case of the Mysterious Red Light, 2001 October 17 | |||||||||
| Each day, for no apparent reason, the morning and evening sky blazes with a brilliant deep red color. In The Case of the Mysterious Red Light, the tree house detectives are determined to solve this mystery, but are puzzled as to what phenomena could be causing the bright red sunrises and sunsets. | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives set out to solve this case, they decide to learn more about light. They visit the Boston Science Museum where they learn what light is and how it travels. NASA researchers and other community experts help the tree house detectives understand the properties of light, including frequency, amplitude, reflection, refraction, and much more. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives get a little help from the famous magician, Franz Harary, who makes a NASA plane disappear before their very eyes. Once the detectives understand that "seeing is not always believing," they are hot on the trail of the possible cause for the brilliant sunrises and sunsets. As they "dust off" their thinking caps, they realize that this case may "erupt" before their very eyes. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Mysterious Red Light (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. History of Volcanoes | |||||||||
| 3. Jet Stream | |||||||||
| 4. Light Photons, Rays, and Waves | |||||||||
| 5. Mirrors, Light, and Illusion | |||||||||
| 6. Mirrors, Reflection, and Refraction | |||||||||
| 7. More on Light Waves | |||||||||
| 8. Pollution and Sunlight | |||||||||
| 9. Types of Volcanoes | |||||||||
| 10. Visible Spectrum and Color | |||||||||
| 11. Volcano Eruptions, 2003 | |||||||||
| 12. Winds | |||||||||
| The Case of the "Wright" Invention, 2001 December 5 | |||||||||
| When the tree house detectives hear a report on KSNN about a young inventor’s contest, they decide it might be their next case. Thus begins The Case of the "Wright" Invention. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives are not even quite sure what an invention is, much less how to create one. Seeking some advice, they visit Dr. D, a retired science professor, who helps the tree house detectives understand that the process of invention is similar to the scientific method. Armed with new confidence, they set out to create a "bug" list of ideas to find a problem to solve! As the tree house detectives learn about inventors, they get a little help from mysterious sources, Orville and Wilbur Wright. The tree house detectives are not sure whether these brothers are real or just actors. The tree house detectives also visit a young inventor, Lindsey Clements, who shows them that even kids can be inventors. NASA researchers and other community experts also help the tree house detectives learn how to plan, design, build, and test their invention. They discover that inventing is not as easy as they thought, even for Orville and Wilbur Wright! Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. Brainstorming (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Helios | |||||||||
| 3. History of Flight | |||||||||
| 4. Invention Concepts | |||||||||
| 5. Invention Museum | |||||||||
| 6. Models | |||||||||
| 7. Night Visibility Experiment | |||||||||
| 8. Patents | |||||||||
| 9. Reflective Materials | |||||||||
| 10. Testing | |||||||||
| 11. The Design Process | |||||||||
| 12. The Invention Process | |||||||||
| 13. The Wright Brothers | |||||||||
| The Case of the Inhabitable Habitat, 2002 February 13 | |||||||||
| In The Case of the Inhabitable Habitat, the tree house detectives accept the challenge of designing a habitat that can sustain life on Mars. To design an award winning habitat, the tree house detectives decide that they must first learn more about the planet Mars and the various habitats found here on Earth. | |||||||||
| As they begin their investigation, the tree house detectives go to NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to learn more about Mars, the red planet, from Dr. Levine. They also visit Dr. D, a retired science professor, for advice on where to start their habitat research. With his direction, the tree house detectives go on many excursions to speak with various NASA researchers and community experts. They also get a little help from two NASA "Why?" Files Kids Clubs in Houston, Texas and Silver Spring, Maryland. | |||||||||
| Kali, one of the tree house detectives, is concerned about the fish in the local bay. They all seem to have disappeared. While conducting their investigation, the tree house detectives use the information they have learned about the basic needs of plants and animals not only to design a very "Martian" habitat, but also to solve the mystery of the missing fish! Along the way, they learn that their "habits" have a big impact on their habitat. Educator guide available in English and Spanish. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Inhabitable Habitat (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Adaptation | |||||||||
| 3. Astronauts In Space | |||||||||
| 4. Equilibrium | |||||||||
| 5. Food Web | |||||||||
| 6. Habitats | |||||||||
| 7. Living In Space | |||||||||
| 8. Martian Atmosphere | |||||||||
| 9. Migration | |||||||||
| 10. Neutral Bouyancy | |||||||||
| 11. Plants In Space | |||||||||
| 12. Space Seeds Activity | |||||||||
| 13. Space Suits | |||||||||
| 14. Space Trash | |||||||||
| 15. Terrarium | |||||||||
| 16. The Red Planet | |||||||||
| The Case of the Phenomenal Weather, 2002 April 10 | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives are eager to go to the physics fair at Busch Gardens, but they are worried that bad weather will keep them from attending. Just off the coast of Africa is a tropical wave, and even though it looks really far away, they decide they need to learn more about weather forecasting just to make sure. They are glad they made that decision when they find out that even more is at stake as KSNN announces the winners of the environmental contest. They won! | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives set out to become amateur meteorologists, they visit NASA's S'COOL project and learn that clouds are not as simple as they thought. As the storm begins to strengthen in the Atlantic Ocean, they decide to visit Dr. D, a retired science professor, who offers them a few pointers about air pressure, predicting, probability, and forecasting. However, the storm continues to grow, and they know that it is time to speak to hurricane experts. They visit Dr. Lyons with the Weather Channel, the Hurricane Hunters, and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). They also get firsthand advice about hurricanes from a family in Miami who actually lived through Hurricane Andrew. | |||||||||
| As the story continues, the storm develops into Hurricane Ichabod, a Category II hurricane.The tree house detectives seek help from a NASA "Why?" Files Kids Club at Thompson Elementary in Vero Beach, Florida, who are playing the Hurricane Game. The class helps the tree house detectives learn more about hurricane watches and warnings and how to predict landfall. Join the tree house detectives to find out how the wind will blow and if they will get to go on their trip to Florida or if they had better stay home in Virginia! Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Phenomenal Weather (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Air Pressure | |||||||||
| 3. Clouds | |||||||||
| 4. GIFTS | |||||||||
| 5. History of Hurricanes | |||||||||
| 6. Hurricane Energy And Coriolis Effect | |||||||||
| 7. Hurricane Formation | |||||||||
| 8. Hurricane Game | |||||||||
| 9. Hurricane Paths And Landfall | |||||||||
| 10. Hurricane Prediction And Weather Satellites | |||||||||
| 11. LIDAR | |||||||||
| 12. More Air Pressure And Hurricane Prediction | |||||||||
| 13. Weather Reconnaissance | |||||||||
| The Case of the Powerful Pulleys, 2002 September 25 | |||||||||
| Accidents happen and Jacob has broken his foot. He is eager to get back into the tree house and join his friends, but the cast on his foot prevents him from climbing the ladder. The tree house detectives decide that devising a plan to get Jacob safely into the tree house will be their next case, and so begins The Case of the Powerful Pulleys. | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives research ways to get Jacob safely into the tree house, they visit Dr. D to learn about work, force, and energy. They decide that it is going to take a lot of energy to do the work needed to lift Jacob up to the tree house! There must be an easier way. | |||||||||
| Dr. Textbook introduces the tree house detectives to the world of simple machines. Now they think they are getting somewhere. Dr. D invites them to visit him at a circus to learn more about simple machines. At the circus, they think they have solved the problem. However, the tree house detectives know that they need to do a lot more research before they jump to any conclusions. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives set off to visit NASA engineers at NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Dryden Flight Center. Bianca is excited to learn more about engineers because she is preparing a report for Career Day. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) helps the NASA SCI Files Kids Club in Raleigh, North Carolina, provide valuable information about pulleys to the tree house detectives. With that information and after a trip to Legoland, they think they are ready to solve the problem. Educator guide available in English and Spanish. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Powerful Pulleys (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Belaying | |||||||||
| 3. Crash Test Pulleys | |||||||||
| 4. Design Safety and Human Factors | |||||||||
| 5. Elevators | |||||||||
| 6. Force and Distance | |||||||||
| 7. Gears and Compound Machines | |||||||||
| 8. Pulley Workshop | |||||||||
| 9. Simple Machines | |||||||||
| 10. Space Shuttle Pulley | |||||||||
| 11. Work and Energy | |||||||||
| The Case of the Shaky Quake, 2002 November 20 | |||||||||
| One afternoon, the tree house detectives feel their tree house shake. They wonder what could have caused the vibration. Unsure whether they had just experienced an earthquake, the tree house detectives decide to make the unexplained vibration the subject of thier next case and set out to solve The Case of the Shaky Quake. | |||||||||
| To solve this mystery, the detectives decide that a seismologist will know the answer, but they quickly learn that it is not that simple. They realize that research is a must, and they call Dr. D to help them get started. Dr. D provides an explanation of the layers of the Earth and how fossils helped scientists discover the movement of the Earth's crust. He also tells them that the answer to a problem is not always obvious. The detectives begin to think of possibilities other than earthquakes that could have caused the ground to shake. | |||||||||
| To further investigate the movement of the Earth's crust, Jacob visits Dinosaur National Monument in Utah and decides that his visit will be a great opportunity to learn more about the crust's movement. There he meets Mr. David Whitman, who tells Jacob about the Continental Drift Theory and how fossils and rocks are clues that help unlock the mystery of our Earth's past. The tree house detectives also contact the United States Geological Survey (USGS) office for information on faults and boundaries. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives continue their investigation at Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Mr. Michael Lyle shows them how earthquakes are recorded, and Dr. D explains how they can make their own seismometer. They carry on with their quest at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where Andrea Donnellan demonstrates how NASA monitors crustal movement from space. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives think they are getting close to solving the mystery, and R. J. and Jacob agree to meet Dr. D at the California Academy of the Sciences in San Francisco, California, to learn more about earthquake waves and how they travel. Dr. Carol Tang joins them and explains how earthquakes are measured and how they destroy buildings. Dr. D, Dr. Tang, R. J., and Jacob all hang on for a wild ride as they "experience" an earthquake in the earthquake room at the Academy. | |||||||||
| Back in the tree house, the detectives dial up a NASA SCI Files Kids Club in Norfolk, Virginia, to learn about how the epicenter of an earthquake is located. Finally, the detectives head back to JPL to speak with Ron Baalke to learn about something totally unexpected and discover the answer to why they are "all shook up!" Educator guide available in English and Spanish. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Shaky Quake (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Earthquake Waves | |||||||||
| 3. Faults | |||||||||
| 4. Fossils and Plate Tectonics | |||||||||
| 5. GPS | |||||||||
| 6. Layers of the Earth | |||||||||
| 7. Measuring Earthquakes | |||||||||
| 8. Meteors | |||||||||
| 9. More On Earthquakes | |||||||||
| 10. Seismographs | |||||||||
| 11. Seismology | |||||||||
| 12. Triangulation Activity | |||||||||
| The Case of the Biological Biosphere, 2003 March 19 | |||||||||
| Jabob is eagerly planning his vacation to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. He suddenly becomes aware of the possibility that all his plans could go away if he gets sick! After hearing that a flu epidemic is on the rise, Jacob sets out to quarantine himself in the tree house and will only let "healthy" tree house detectives inside. The other detectives think that Jacob has gone a little overboard but agree to help him learn more about disease and how it spreads. | |||||||||
| Dr. D meets the tree house detectives at the Virginia Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and helps them understand some of the factors that can cause disease to spread. From there they visit the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, and discover the fascinating world of microorganisms. Jacob continues to insist that quarantine is the only way to go, so they talk with Mrs. Stevens at Johnson Space Center to learn more about how NASA quarantines astronauts and how NASA developed a Health Stabilization Program to aid in the quarantining process. | |||||||||
| Jacob has now really become obsessed with becoming ill, and the tree house detectives decide to pick up the pace in learning how to keep Jacob healthy. They go to Dr. D, who teaches them about different types of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. Dr. D recommends that they visit his friend, Mr. Frank at Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to learn more about various types of bacteria. The tree house detectives also enlist the help of a NASA SCI Files Kids Club at Sigsbee Elementary School in Key West, Florida, to learn how infectious disease can spread and cause an epidemic. | |||||||||
| Jacob is not doing too well, and the tree house detectives become truly concerned about his health. They contact Dr. Ann Zilliox to learn about the body's immune system and how vaccines work. Dr. D greets them at the Grossology Exhibit at the Virginia Marine Science Museum. The detectives try to concentrate on what Dr. D has to say as they learn how snot and vomit help to protect the body from infection! After leaving Dr. D, the tree house detectives head back to the tree house and decide that they need to learn more about how to keep the body healthy. Beth Sheppard at NASA Johnson Space Center explains to Tony that the astronauts must follow a fitness program to maintain their health before, during, and after space flight. They decide that a fitness program is the answer for Jacob's grumpy attitude. | |||||||||
| In the final segment, Jacob has begun to realize that his idea of quarantine may not be the best idea for staying healthy. The tree house detectives vist Dr. D to report all they have learned about disease and staying healthy. Dr. Ellen Baker, an astronaut, speaks with the detectives and encourages them to apply and practice all that they have learned during their investigation. Jacob just hopes that it is not too late and that he stays healthy just one more day. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Biological Biosphere (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Bacteria | |||||||||
| 3. Bodily Protective Functions | |||||||||
| 4. Body Systems | |||||||||
| 5. Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Systems | |||||||||
| 6. Immune System, 2003 | |||||||||
| 7. Infectious Diseases | |||||||||
| 8. Microbial Cultures | |||||||||
| 9. Quarantine | |||||||||
| 10. Sickness in Space | |||||||||
| 11. Simulated Epidemic | |||||||||
| The Case of the Galactic Vacation, 2003 May 14 | |||||||||
| In The Case of the Galactic Vacation, the tree house detectives receive an assignment to create an "out-of-this-world" vacation. With billions of places in the universe to go, the detectives have different ideas about the best destination. To begin their investigation, they go to Dr. D's lab to learn about the solar system. After realizing that objects in space are really far apart, the tree house detectives decide that they need to learn more about how to measure distances in space. Going some distance herself, Bianca travels to Puerto Rico for an internship at the world's largest radio telescope, Arecibo Observatory. She goes to her cousin's 5th grade class at the Antonio Gonzalez Suarez Bilingual School in Aņasco, Puerto Rico where the students and their mentors from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) demonstrate how to measure distance in space using parallax. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives decide that they need to learn more about working and living in space, so they contact NASA Johnson Space Center and are able to speak with the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition Six astronaut crew. From there the detectives decide that the Moon would be a perfect place to go, and they talk with Ed Prior from NASA Langley Research Center, who explains the Moon’s unique features and its phases. The detectives continue to wonder about unusual alien environments and what is necessary to live in them. They seek the expertise of Dr. D, who helps them better understand the vast differences among the planets and other objects. Then it is off to learn about Mars, and they speak with Robert Braun with NASA Langley Research Center. | |||||||||
| After learning that a trip to Mars could take longer than six months, the tree house detectives decide to learn more about traveling in space. They meet Dr. D at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia, to ride a few roller coasters and learn about gravity, acceleration, and weightlessness. Next stop is Starship 2040, where Mr.Wang of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center explains what tourism in space will be like in about 50 years. Now the detectives realize that no matter where they go in the solar system or galaxy, the current rocket system will not get them there and back quickly enough. They head off to speak with Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz of NASA Johnson Space Center to learn more about plasma rockets for the future. | |||||||||
| As the tree house detectives wind up their investigation, they call on Bianca at Arecibo to learn more about the stars and galaxies. Dr. D, who just happens to be at Arecibo, gives Bianca a visual tour of the night sky. Dr. Daniel Altschuler, Dr. Tapasi Ghosh, and Dr. Jose Alonso, who conduct research at Arecibo, help the tree house detectives understand how radio telescopes work and how they are used to study the stars, planets, and other objects in the universe. After a successful internship and a great time in Puerto Rico, Bianca heads home to help the rest of the detectives wrap up their project and create an "out-of-this-world" vacation. Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Galactic Vacation (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Arecibo Observatory | |||||||||
| 3. Forces of Motion | |||||||||
| 4. Future Space Travel | |||||||||
| 5. ISS Life | |||||||||
| 6. Mars | |||||||||
| 7. Moon Phases | |||||||||
| 8. Parallax Activity | |||||||||
| 9. Propulsion Systems | |||||||||
| 10. Stars | |||||||||
| 11. The Moon | |||||||||
| 12. The Universe | |||||||||
| The Case of the Radical Ride, 2004 April 14 | |||||||||
| As Bianca and Kali arrive to meet the rest of the tree house detectives at the NASA auditorium for an awards ceremony, they learn that Dr. D, Jacob, and Katherine are having minor traffic problems. Convinced that they have plenty of time to get to the ceremony, and with not much else to do while they sit and wait, the detectives decide to work on their latest school project. The assignment is to come up with an idea for what transportation will look like in 100 years. | |||||||||
| The detectives know that the best place to learn about the future is to visit the past, so they email Tony, who is visiting his aunt in Detroit, Michigan. They ask Tony if he can meet Barry Dressel at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum to learn about the history of transportation. Meanwhile, back in the van, Dr. D helps the tree house detectives understand that all future inventions and innovations must start with the engineering design process. The detectives get an email from two NASA SCI Files Kids' Club members, Wendy and Rosie, who are visiting Mr. Richard Storer at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, England. Mr. Storer helps the girls understand that once a problem is identified, a solution is sure to follow—eventually! | |||||||||
| Tony's aunt also makes an appointment for him to visit Janet Goings at General Motors (GM) to learn about the importance of conducting research when using the engineering design process. Ms. Goings reveals some recent research as she shows Tony some really cool concept cars and explains how a fuel cell works. Back in the van, there seems to be no end to the traffic jam, so Dr. D makes good use of the time by explaining his research and model building experiences when he worked on his experimental hovercraft project. Wanting to know more about model building, the detectives email R. J. and ask him to visit Sam James at the Model Shop at NASA Langley Research Center. After learning how to make a model to scale, the detectives realize that testing is the next step in the engineering process. They join a videoconference in progress hosted by Mike Logan, NASA researcher, between students at Cooper Elementary School in Hampton, Virginia, and King's Cross Education Action Zone in London, England. The students are competing in a mousetrap car contest and have just finished testing their model cars. They are analyzing their data and realize that changes must be made! | |||||||||
| Back in the car, Dr. D explains the iterative process and how engineers often have to test and redesign many times before achieving success. To learn more about the redesign process, R. J. sets off to visit Jeff Robinson at NASA Langley Research Center, who is working on the Hyper X, a new scramjet engine NASA is testing. Meanwhile, Bianca and Kali wait patiently for the tree house detectives to arrive, but they are beginning to get a little worried. Wishing that they had their own future form of transportation, they decide to learn more about maglev trains, and they contact a NASA SCI Files Kids' Club at Golightly Education Center in Detroit, Michigan. Mrs.Thomas's students are conducting experiments on magnetic force and have even built their own model maglev train. | |||||||||
| Desperate to make the awards ceremony, the detectives decide it is time to get radical and come up with some really futuristic ideas for transportation that will help them avoid all future traffic problems. R. J. visits Andrew Hahn at NASA Langley Research Center, who explains all about a new concept for an airplane car. Mr. Hahn tells R. J. that the concept of the Personal Aerial Vehicle (PAV) is not that futuristic and that PAVs might be flying within the next decade. Fascinated by the possibility of having their very own personal airplane car and living in airport communities, the detectives are curious about what other radical things may happen in the future. They contact Terry Hertz at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., to learn what cool things might be in the future for aeronautics. After dreaming about their next out-of-this-world tour to Mars, the detectives come back to Earth and are excited to learn that they are actually going to meet Frederick Gregory, the Deputy Administrator for NASA! Mr. Gregory encourages the detectives to stay in school and take lots of math, science, and technology courses to prepare for their future careers. He is also curious about where they do all their investigative work, so the tree house detectives invite Mr. Gregory to the tree house where no adult has been before! Educator guide available in English and Spanish. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of the Radical Ride (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Concept Cars | |||||||||
| 3. Controlled Flight | |||||||||
| 4. Engineering Design Process | |||||||||
| 5. Future of Transportation | |||||||||
| 6. History of Transportation | |||||||||
| 7. Hovercraft | |||||||||
| 8. Models and Testing | |||||||||
| 9. Mouse Trap Car Activity | |||||||||
| 10. PAVs | |||||||||
| 11. The Channel Tunnel | |||||||||
| The Case of the Great Space Exploration, 2004 September 22 | |||||||||
| In The Case of the Great Space Exploration, the tree house detectives are excited about the new vision for exploring space. Bianca's dream has always been to become an astronaut. Realizing that astronauts need to be healthy and physically fit, she sets the tree house detectives in motion and develops a rigorous training schedule. R. J. is a little worried about such an arduous routine and decides to check out other careers at NASA and to learn more about uncrewed missions. Kali visits Dr. Carol Stoker at NASA Ames Research Center in California to discuss robotic missions and the important role they play in exploration. Dr. Stoker explains that the Phoenix Mars Lander will travel to Mars and land in the Polar Regions to analyze samples of water ice found there. Water is fundamental to all life as we know it, and the lander may even find evidence of past or present life! Finally, the tree house detectives meet Dr. D in the Strange Matter Exhibit at the Virginia Air and Space Museum in Hampton, Virginia, to learn about new materials that could help in space exploration. | |||||||||
| Meanwhile, Bianca is off to Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, where she learns how astronauts train to go into space. Catherine heads to Houston to speak with Dr. Grant Schaffner to learn how long-term space flight affects the human body and the role that exercise plays in minimizing the effects. She also talks with Ms. Janis Davis-Street to learn the importance of proper nutrition while in space. To better understand an astronaut's caloric and dietary needs, the tree house detectives dial up students at Maryvale Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland, who are learning about Calories, serving size, and the Food Pyramid with the help of their mentors from the Society of Women Engineers. Last stop in this segment is Dr. D's Lab where the tree house detectives find Dr. D doing just a few experiments with computerized robots. | |||||||||
| As Bianca continues to learn about the rigors of astronaut training, the tree house detectives talk to Mr. Mark Weyland at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to learn about the spectrum of light and radiation. Mr. Weyland helps the detectives understand the effects of radiation on the human body during long-term space travel and what NASA is doing to counteract those effects. To learn more about how spacecraft will be able to make the long distances, the detectives talk to Ms. Dana Novak at the University of California at Santa Barbara to learn about nanotechnology. | |||||||||
| Ms. Novak explains how bio-inspired research with mussels and bloodworms is being done to learn how to create self-healing materials that will enable spacecraft to fly farther and safer. In between training schedules, Bianca goes to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to see Mr. Steve Cook and learn about some new innovative ideas for future propulsion systems. On her way back, she runs into Dr. D, who teaches her about gravity, G-Forces, and the feeling of weightlessness on a ride that is out of this world. | |||||||||
| Back in the tree house, the detectives are excited to learn about the X-Prize, a $10 million prize for the first privately funded spacecraft that can carry three people to space and back. Mr. Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindberg, explains the importance of contests throughout history and how contests have helped develop aviation. Excited about being the first tourists in space, the tree house detectives hear from Corrinne, one of the NASA SCI Files Kids' Club members, who is in Utah at the Mars Analog Research Station. Dr. Tony Muscatello shows Corrinne the habitat and explains the importance of simulating living and working on Mars. Finally, Dr. D and Bianca meet once again at Space Camp and help the tree house detectives wrap up what they have learned about the exciting future of space exploration. The detectives all hope that they just might be the next generation of explorers who will walk on the surface of Mars! Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of The Great Space Exploration (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Robotic Missions and Materials Used In Space | |||||||||
| 3. Diet, Exercise and Long-Term Space Travel | |||||||||
| 4. Radiation, Spacecraft Materials and Propulsion | |||||||||
| 5. Space Innovations and Simulations | |||||||||
| The Case of the Ocean Odyssey, 2004 November 17 | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives are eager to help clean up their community beach but are surprised when they arrive to find a beach full of tennis shoes and oil globs. Curious as to how the tennis shoes and oil ended up on their beach, the detectives set out to solve their next case, The Case of the Ocean Odyssey. | |||||||||
| After listening to a KSNN report, the tree house detectives are convinced that the shoes were in a container that fell off a cargo ship near the Virginia coast. Bianca cautiously reminds the detectives not to jump to conclusions, so they meet Dr. Eileen Hofmann from Old Dominion University at the wave pool in Water Country USA, Williamsburg, Virginia. Dr. Hofmann explains how tides are created and uses Jacob as a human guinea pig to demonstrate how water particles move within waves. This new knowledge sparks the detectives to visit Dr. D on the Maury, a research vessel operated by Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. D helps the detectives understand how oceans became salty and demonstrates density differences in salinity. Realizing that there are many different kinds of currents in the ocean, the detectives visit Dr. Chris Martens in Key Largo, Florida. Dr. Martens has just surfaced from the Aquarius, an underwater research laboratory operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. Dr. Martens explains that differences in salinity and temperature can create density currents. He also describes upwellings and thermohaline circulation, the global conveyor belt of our oceans. Next, Dr. Textbook gives some historical information about the Gulf Stream, which motivates the detectives to learn more about surface currents. Bianca sets off to visit Dr. David Adamec at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Dr. Adamec helps Bianca understand how the Coriolis effect, wind, and topography affect surface currents in the ocean. He also explains the importance of oceans to our climate and why NASA uses various instruments and tools to learn more about oceans. Meanwhile, back at Water Country USA, Dr. D, Catherine, and R. J. conduct an experiment to measure the speed of the Hubba Hubba Highway. They also discover that the swift moving current is too much for even really strong swimmers! | |||||||||
| While in Houston, Texas, oil country, Jacob sets out to learn more about oil—black gold, Texas Tea. He visits Paul Bernhard in the Wiess Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science who explains how oil was formed millions of years ago. Curious as to how oil is found and extracted from the ground, Mr. Bernhard suggests that Jacob visit Mr. Kent Wells at the Ocean Star, an offshore drilling rig and museum. Mr. Wells explains how a well is drilled and how production is completed once oil is found. Mr. Wells also tells Jacob some interesting facts about oil, which spurs the tree house detectives into action. Kali visits Ms. Jennifer Miselis at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), who describes ocean floor topography and gives them another clue to the mystery. | |||||||||
| The tree house detectives think they are getting close to solving the case but become concerned over the environmental impact that the oil has on their community and wildlife. They dial-up a NASA SCI Files Kids' Club at Key Largo School in Key Largo, Florida, where Mrs. Ann Dunn's class is conducting an experiment to learn more about cleaning up an oil spill. After discovering that cleaning up oil is not so easy, R. J. goes to NASA Wallops Flight Facility, located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, to talk with Ms. Sue Fields and Dr. John Moisan. Ms. Fields explains the environmental impact of oil and why it is so important to contain an oil spill before it reaches land. Dr. Moisan helps the detectives put the final pieces together to solve the mystery as he explains coastal currents. Finally, it is off to Dr. D's lab, where the tree house detectives wrap it up and get confirmation on their hypothesis. Another case solved! Educator guide available. | |||||||||
| 1. The Case of The Ocean Odyssey (entire episode) | |||||||||
| 2. Tides and Waves | |||||||||
| 3. Oceans | |||||||||
| 4. Density Current | |||||||||
| 5. Surface Current | |||||||||
| 6. Velocity of Current | |||||||||
| 7. Oil | |||||||||
| 8. Oil Exploration and Production | |||||||||
| 9. Ocean Topology | |||||||||
| 10. Ocean Pressure | |||||||||
| 11. Oil Clean Up | |||||||||
| 12. Impact of an Oil Spill | |||||||||
| 13. Coastal Currents | |||||||||
| The Case of Zany Animal Antics, 2005 February 16 | |||||||||
| Animals become the topic of the day when Catherine and Bianca encounter an injured animal while on an airboat ride in Orlando, Florida. Determined to learn more about animals and how to help and protect them, the tree house detectives decide to visit Mr. Rob Yordi, Zoological Manager at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Mr. Yordi introduces Kali to the grey wolf while he explains how and why animals are classified. Next, Kali meets Dr. D at the Virginia Marine Science Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Dr. D explains eight of the various phyla of invertebrates. Meanwhile, Catherine and Bianca head to NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to meet Ms. Rebecca Smith, a wildlife ecologist. Ms. Smith describes five classes of vertebrates and explains why it is important for NASA to monitor the animals at KSC; she even introduces the girls to one of her reptile friends! | |||||||||
| While at KSC, Catherine and Bianca stop by to see Mr. Mario Mota, a wildlife biologist who monitors the sea turtle population. Mr. Mota helps the tree house detectives understand animals' basic needs and the intricacy of the food chain and web. Just a few hours away, R.J. is at an Adventure Camp at Busch Gardens Tampa where he meets Dr. D on the Serengeti Plain exhibit. While on "safari," Dr. D explains migration and the basic reasons animals migrate. After feeding Dolly, a female giraffe, R.J. decides to see Ms. Kelly Diedring, a zookeeper at the park. Ms. Diedring explains mitosis and meiosis and the various ways that animals reproduce. Meanwhile, back at the tree house, the detectives have decided to put all their new knowledge to good use and help Kali with her Girl Scout badge. They also want to investigate building a wildlife preserve in Jacob's backyard. The detectives are not daunted by the challenges and continue their research. | |||||||||
| Dr. D heads back to Virginia to meet Kali and help her build a bat house, which is one of the requirements for her wildlife badge. While constructing the bat house, Dr. D also explains differences in the various populations of species. To learn more about how to count animals in a population, the tree house detectives dial up Carol City Elementary School, a NASA Explorer School in Miami, Florida. The class has just finished learning how to use random sampling, and they explain why and how to use sampling to estimate a population. Next, they dial up Dr. Dave Breininger, a wildlife ecologist studying and monitoring the endangered scrub jays at KSC. Mr. Breininger helps the detectives understand habitats and how both nature and man can affect them. | |||||||||
| Later, the tree house detectives dial up Mr. Doug Scheidt, the aquatics program lead at KSC, to learn more about endangered animals. Mr. Scheidt explains the levels of endangerment and various factors that can cause a species to become threatened or even extinct. The detectives are curious about when and how animals are rescued. Mr. Scheidt recommends that they visit Dr. Beth Chittick, a veterinarian at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, to learn more about the rescue efforts for injured and sick animals. R. J. heads to SeaWorld and while there he also visits Ms. Virginia (Ginny) Busch, who explains the efforts of the Busch Gardens, SeaWorld Conservation Fund and the role it and other partners play in protecting and preserving wildlife. Finally, the detectives visit Mr. Cutchin's backyard, which has been certified as an official backyard habitat. Dr. D meets the detectives at Mr. Cutchin's and they review | |||||||||