Space
Education Topics and Lessons
History
New
York Times Learning Network: Space: NASA's Frontier
Grades:
6-12 "Overview
of Lesson Plan: As NASA turns 40, students research the history and accomplishments
of the American space program and ponder its role in the future...."
Space
Movies Cinema
Grades:
Any An excellent place to see actual
film footage of the unfolding of America's history in space exploration.
Recommending viewing and follow with open discussion, possibly a writing
assignment, or use in conjunction with another lesson.
Rocket
Science
Space
Team Online: Rockets
Grades:
9-12 Advanced A Teacher's Guide
with Activities In Science, Mathematics, and Technology. Several lessons.
Space
Shuttle
U.S.
Space Shuttle Glider Kit
Build a model of the
Space Shuttle.
Space
Shuttle
Grades:
4 - 6 Objective: "To develop an understanding of the space
shuttle and its function in our space program."
International
Space Station
Astronaut
Training
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Mannequin Madness
Grades:
3-5 ...Mannequin
Maddness is one of three related STELLAR activities in which students imagine
they are astronaut trainees and do "astronaut"
performance tests....
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Shazam!
Grades:
3-5 Shazam! is one of three related Stellar activities
in which students imagine they are astronaut trainees and do "astronaut"
performance tests that would help them function if they became dizzy or
got motion sickness during
space flight.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Smart and Snappy
Grades:
3-5 Smart
and Snappy is one of three related STELLAR activities in which students
imagine they are astronaut trainees....
Microgravity
Space
Team Online: Microgravity
Grades:
9-12 Advanced A teacher's guide
of topics with several lessons.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Balancing Act
Grades:
K-4 Overview: In this activity,
student scientists explore balance.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Life Development and the Space
Environment
Grades:
K-3 Overview: In the year
2001 the Space Station will contain an international biological research
project that will contain an
aquatic
environment....
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Spring Scales
Grades:
K-4 Overview: ...as a human
being, are naturally able to compare the weight of different objects, or
masses as you hold them in your hands. As a scientist, you can build instruments....
Liftoff
to Learning: Space Basics
Learn about orbit
and microgravity and how spacecrafts go into and stay in space. View the
video using RealPlayer.
Living
in Space
NASA
Ames, Stellar: A Circulatory System Relay
Grade
Level: 5 - 8 Overview: The heart is the main pump that forces
the blood through the blood vessels of the body. Relates to Experiments
in Space also.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: The
Basics of Blood Pressure
Grades:
5-8 (can be adapted for higher levels) Overview:
In order to study the cardiovascular system of humans and animals, under
conditions of gravity and microgravity, students need a basic understanding
of blood pressure....
NASA
Ames, Stellar: A Cure for "Bad" Breath ?
Grades:
K-4
Looks at "how can "pure" air be maintained in space?"
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Effects of a Closed Environment on Living
Things
Grades:
9 - 12 Overview: We must understand
the interdependent
relationships
between photosynthesis and animal respiration before we can proceed in
developing systems that will allow long term survival in space.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Heads Up Heads Down?
Grades:
912 Overview: What do
lying in bed and living in space have in
common?
That's what researchers for NASA's Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab
Mission are trying to find out.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Neutral Buoyancy & Simulated Weightlessness
Grades:
6-8 Overview: In this activity,
students are introduced to NASA research that uses water immersion experiments
to study the effects of weightlessness on the vascular system.
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Why Giraffes Don't Faint
Grades:
5-8 (can be adapted for higher levels) Overview:
In this activity, students investigate how human blood flow and blood pressure
are affected in gravity and microgravity conditions
.More
at Stellar
There are more lesson
plans here. Check them out!
Suited
for Spacewalking - The Outer Space Environment
In particular, go
to Meteroids
and Space Debris
Liftoff
to Learning: Living in Space
Grades:
4 and up View a RealPlayer video
and try selected lessons.
What's
for Dinner?
Grades:
4-10 Make a menu for space travel.
My
How You Have Grown!
Grades:
4 - 8 This
activity will help students understand how foods are rehydrated, and how
much water is needed to do this
Experiments
in Space
NASA
Ames, Stellar: An Idea to a Flight Payload: A Simulation
Grades:
4-8 "Overview: Real space
science is the combined efforts of many teams, often international in scope.
Numerous ideas for space experiments are devised by teams of scientists,
but not all experiments can be done...."
Liftoff
to Learning - Assignment: Spacelab!
Grades:
7-12 See a group of lessons about experiments in space
that go with the video, Assignment: Spacelab!
NYTimes
Learning Network: Space-Age Experiments
Grades:
6 - 12 "Overview: In this lesson,
students evaluate the notion of aging by evaluating some of the studies
that will be occurring on the next space shuttle mission, on which 77-year-old
John Glenn is an astronaut."
Spinoffs
The
Best of NASA Spinoffs
This page and NASA
Spinoff Online would be good places to start when creating a lesson
plan on this subject. If you have a lesson to offer click on the
link at the bottom.
The
Universe
Amazing
Space: Star Light, Star Bright
Grades:
6-12 "This activity will help all
become familiar with the nature of light...." (Just a comment: site
is interactive, slow loading, but could be useful.)
NYTimes
Learning Network: Life on Mars: Science Fact or Science Fiction?
Grades:
6 - 12 "Overview: In this lesson,
students investigate the basic requirements needed for human survival and
contemplate the possibility of sustaining life on other planets...."
NYTimes
Learning Network: Constellation Prizes - Leonid Meteors
and Making Comets in the Science Classroom
Grades:
6 - 12 "Overview: In this lesson,
students learn about meteors, meteorites, and comets by reading and discussing
a related New York Times article about the Leonid meteor showers and the
methods that scientists are using to learn from these meteors...".
The
Big Bang Theory
Grades:
8 - 9 Overview: The Big Bang
Theory of the possible origin of the universe is very difficult for students
to understand. This particular activity was designed to show students that
taking a given mass of material and applying a force to it can produce
a pattern that replicates the material patterns noted when applying the
Big Bang Theory.
Glowing
Glimpes of Our Universe
Grades:
4 - 6 Overview: "Space exploration
and advances are all around us. From the science fiction of "Star Trek"
to the reality of the NASA Challenger explosion, our world must be broadened
beyond our life here on Earth...."
Mystery
Constellations
Grades:
2 - 4 Objective: "The students will
be introduced to at least twelve constellations before astronomy unit is
taught in the spring. They will be able to identify each one on a sky map...."
Planetary
Science
NASA
Ames, Stellar: Planetary Geology, Making Craters
Grades:
7-12 "In this lesson students use
rock or marble "meteorites" to create
impact
craters in sand. They learn that the sizeof the crater depends upon size
and velocity of the projectile that caused it...."
National
Air & Space Museum: Exploring the Planet - Cyber Center
Grades:
7-8 "At the Cyber-Center you will
see for yourself how scientists study planets that are millions of miles
away...."
Jeopardy
Review
Grades
3 - 6 Game dealing with facts about
our solar system.
Liftoff
to Learning: Geography from Space
Grades
6 - 12 Explore earth's geography
from space using the Internet. View the video with RealPlayer.
Jeopardy
Review
Grades:
3 - 6 Overview: "This is an
educational game (similar to Jeopardy) to review concepts learned during
the TEACH unit. It can be adapted to any material and any curriculum."
Once
in a Blue Moon
Grades:
1 - 2 Objective: "The students will
demonstrate an understanding of moon features by creating an art/writing
project about the moon."
Space
and Popular Culture
NYTimes
Learning Network: Science Fictions The Media’s Role in Our Perceptions
of Scientists
Grades:
6-12 "Overview: This lesson
encourages students to evaluate therepresentation of science and scientists
in the entertainment industry, particularly in movies and on television."
NYTimes
Learning Network: Art as a Reflection of Society
Grades:
6 - 12 Overview: This lesson introduces
students to the notion that all types of art mirror the time period and
society in which they were created. (Please note, this lesson is intended
to be modified to the context of space. Try using this Robert
Rauschenburg work of art or go to the NASA
Art Gallery)
Science
Fiction \ Space Technology : Tools for Learning
Grades:
6 - 12 This group of lessons examines
the relationship between "real" space crafts versus that found in space
art and science fiction.
Using
SCIENCE FICTION SPACE TECHNOLOGY : A TOOL FOR LEARNING in the
classroom
Grades:
6 - 12 "From an editorial letter
to AD ASTRA, Jun 1990: "Science fiction is not only the best way to predict
the future, it has also helped to create the civilian space program...."
Space
Educator Handbook: Space Art Home Page
Grades:
K - 12 No lesson at this site, but
consider discussing and/or creating a lesson about this concept:
"The
NASA Art Program uses the medium of fine art to document America's space
program for 'the expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere
and space...for the benefit of all mankind."
(National
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958.)
The
Future
Colonization
of Mars, moon, deep space exploraton, life on other planets....
Future
Space Suits
See the lessons that
relate to your age group...try these, which, deal with comfort control
of the space suit - Keeping
Your Cool
Generally
Applied Lessons
NYTimes
Learning Network: Can Scientists Discover a Limit to Discovery?
Grades:
9 - 12 "Overview: In this two-day
lesson, students evaluate opposing sides to the debate regarding whether
or not there is a future for scientific discovery."
Your
Bulletin Board of Space
Grades:
K-12 Take a look at this lesson
plan and adapt to your age group.
Make
a NASA Insignia
Grades:
K - 8 Make an insignia for an upcoming mission or for
your school.
Space
Trivia Quiz
Grades:
5 - 8 Just a touch of trivia. Try it and add more!
Comments
or suggestions? Lessons to offer?
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