Use your favorite browser and type http://www.rivier.edu/chemistry in the locator bar (there are several other ways to get to this URL; take your pick).
Click on Physical Sciences (PHY101) to get to the class homepage.
Place your pointer over Assignments, then NASA/Writing Assignment, then click on NASA Spinoffs. This will connect you with the NASA computer and the NASA Spinoff Archives in a new tab (or window).
Click on one of the years between 1997 and 2012, then choose "Table of Contents" on the new page.
On the table of contents page there is usually a list of headings labeled "Health and Medicine", "Transportation", "Public Safety", "Consumer, Home, and Recreation", "Computer Technology", etc. The actual list can vary somewhat from year to year, but it usually has seven options and should include at least some of the ones I've given. It may be under a heading "Commercial Benefits - Spinoffs" with some options under it.
Pick one of the options (Health and Medicine, Transportation, Public Safety, etc.) to get to another page that will have an article about a product that NASA helped develop. If the options are headings, you can click directly on an article under that heading. You are on the right track when you see a short article about a product that NASA helped develop. If you aren't interested in the page that initially comes up try clicking on "Next Page" if it is available (or choosing from the menu in some of the years). Choose one of these short articles, read the article, and then write a very short summary of what you read that will jog your memory during the next class.
Use your Back button to go back to the page with the seven categories (Health and Medicine, Transportation, Public Safety, etc.). Choose another one of the categories and find another article to summarize from that same year.
Go back to the Spinoff Archive page, choose a different year and repeat the exercise.
Go back to the Spinoff Archive page and choose a third year to explore.
You should explore and identify at least six specific applications, two from three different years and within each year the applications should be from a different area (Health and Medicine, Transportation, Public Safety, etc.). I will expect a very short summary (hand written is ok) of each of these six applications to be handed in at the end of our next class.
You should have six very short summaries to hand in at the next class period. These summaries will count as one homework assignment. Hand written is ok for this assignment.
If you have time, explore other areas of the NASA site. There are some very good lessons available for classroom use (try http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/Redirect_Spacelink.html).
After obtaining your short summaries, go back to our class homepage. Place your pointer over Assignments, then NASA/Writing Assignment, then click on Writing Assignment. Read the writing assignment page and come to the next class with any questions you may have.