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Adventures of the Agronauts: A Web-Based Tool for Formal and Informal Science Education.    D. Seneschal1, C. Thornton3, J. Cook4, K. Gooden5, C. Travis3, E. Lavin1, L. Hayward1, and C. Brown1,2.  Kenan Institute1, Botany Department2, and College of Education3, NC State University, Raleigh, NC; Imagination Station4, Wilson, NC;  Reedy Creek Middle School5, Wake Co., NC.
   Adventures of the Agronauts is an online space biology themed curriculum designed to increase awareness and understanding of gravitational and space biology activities through formal and informal science education. The mission – how to grow plants on the Moon for human life support - keeps students involved and excited about STEM subjects in order to prepare them for future careers and life skills demanding science and technology literacy. Students and teachers participate in lessons and activities that relate important scientific concepts in the context of space exploration.
   The Agronauts curriculum was designed to meet national science standards for third grade formal education. The website http://www.ncsu.edu/project/agronauts  maintains six missions which incorporate science content, lesson plans for teachers, student hands-on activities, quizzes, and teacher resources. Each mission was developed to encompass all learning objectives for third grade science standards.  Cross-curricular integration with art, physical education, social studies and other topics are incorporated throughout.  Since its inception in August 2003, the website has been visited over 50,000 times per year.
   Adventures of the Agronauts has been adapted for informal science educators in museums and afterschool programs.  To complement related curriculum in middle school formal education, we have partnered with the Wilson (NC) Imagination Station Science Museum to offer summer programs for underserved youth in eastern NC.  Currently, Adventures of the Agronauts serves as a model for the development of a second edition of the curriculum for six grade national science standards.

   (Supported by NASA grants NAG2-1502, NAG2-1566, the Florida Space Grant and the North Carolina Space Grant.)