Las Cumbres Observatory
Astronaut Training: Dexterity
How do astronauts do anything with those gloves on? Learners mimic what astronauts need to overcome as they complete puzzles while wearing multiple gloves. They time themselves and use the information to draw conclusions about the...
American Institute of Physics
Meet Four Pioneering African American Astronauts
An out-of-this-world resource introduces young scientists to four African American astronauts: Michael P. Anderson, Ronald E. McNair, Guion S. Bluford Jr., and Jeanette J. Epps. Groups read biographies of these individuals and prepare...
Curated OER
What's Out There? Space Shuttle Exploration and Simulation
Students simulate life in space aboard the space shuttle. In this space exploration lesson, students work in small groups to model life aboard the space shuttle. Each student is given a job, conducts Internet research on space, and...
Florida International University
Simulating Microgravity with Buoyancy
How do astronauts know how to live and work in a weightless environment? It doesn't come naturally! Junior physicists conduct experiments to examine the link between buoyancy and microgravity. Each activity illustrates a different aspect...
BioEd Online
Muscles and Bones in Space
Being an astronaut takes not only high mental acuity, but also a high level of physical fitness, especially for those who spend a long amount of time away from Earth, such as the astronauts serving on the International Space Station....
Curated OER
Mission to Mars
Students consider the affects of space travel on the human body. In this human physiology lesson, students compare how the 5 different body systems work on Earth and in Space. Students then design a product that an astronaut could use as...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Astronaut Training: Taste
Gravity isn't the only thing astronauts lose in space. Learners investigate why astronauts complain about a loss of taste while in space in a hands-on activity. They taste test foods while limiting their other senses and rate each food...
Curated OER
Canadian Astronauts and Astronomers
Students research the web for Canadian nationals such as Marc Garneau, Roberta Bandar and Chris Hadfield who have contributed to science and technology. In this Astronauts and astronomers lesson, students work in groups and are assigned...
NASA
An Astronaut in Motion
How do you model the movement of an astronaut? The activity features software that uses an avatar to mimic movement. Groups work to determine the translation between the pre-image and the image. They then experiment with reflections in...
Curated OER
Astronauts Build Space Station Addition
Learners read a story called Astronauts Finish Building Space Station Addition and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. In this space station lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions,...
Curated OER
Ask an Astronaut
Students read what questions have already been asked from the archives. They then categorize what is already known (each student should be able to give a question which has already been asked and answered), what they would like to know,...
Curated OER
Spuds in Space
Students explore the effects of velocity on an object when it collides with another object. They design and outfit a potato astronaut in a spacesuit to withstand the hazards of high velocity impacts from space debris and meteoroids.
Curated OER
Sally Ride: Forging a Path to the Stars
Carry on the legacy of the heroic astronaut/educator who spent 30 years nurturing science learning for young girls.
Curated OER
Food for Spaceflight
When astronauts get hungry in outer space, they can't just call and have a pizza delivered. In order to gain an appreciation for the challenges associated with space travel, young learners are given the task of selecting, testing, and...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Muscles, Muscles Everywhere
Students study three different muscle types and investigate the affect of space travel on astronauts' muscles. They examine how exercise has a positive affect on muscle both on Earth and in space while looking at engineers' roles in...
Curated OER
Lunch in Outer Space!
Students explore the challenges astronauts face while eating in outer space. In small groups, they design and construct an original model device to assist astronauts eat in a microgravity environment.
Curated OER
The Science of Sleep and Daily Rhythms: Sleeping in Space
Learners write about strange places that they have slept. In this sleep science lesson students read about astronauts sleeping experience in space. They reflect on unusual places that they have slept and write about it.
Curated OER
Astronauts Train in Deep-Space Brine
Students examine an article on astronauts training in deep space brine then discuss what they learned. In this investigative instructional activity students get into groups and design an exercise that includes isolation, silence and...
Teach Engineering
Manned Mission to Mars
To go or to not to go — the question for a mission to Mars. This resource provides details for a possible manned mission to Mars. Details include a launch schedule, what life would be like on the surface, and how the astronauts would...
BioEd Online
Spiders in Space
Does a spider spin its web differently in space? What other ways might microgravity affect an arachnid? Pick a topic to research, plan an investigation, and follow astronauts on the International Space Station as they perform some of the...
Curated OER
Cool Suits
Students examine the materials that are used to make space suits. They complete an experiment in which they test different materials in different colors to determine the best one for keeping astronauts comfortable. They analyze the data.
Curated OER
Following Directions
Learners explore the way astronauts practice and train to improve their efficiency in completing challenging tasks. They time and graph how long it takes to follow a list of directions. Also, they determine how practice and repetition...
Curated OER
Space Exploration Narrative
Fourth graders role-play a space exploration. They read scripts detailing an astronaut's journey on a space exploration. They discuss how it felt to be an astronaut, the emotions, moods and feelings of going on a space exploration.
Curated OER
People and Space
Young scholars eat dehydrated foods that the astronauts would eat in space. In this dehydrated foods lesson plan, students make lists of food they could eat, discuss how dehydration takes place, eat food, and complete discussion questions.