Space ExplorationUsing Technology in the Science

CurriculumBrynn Griswold and Brianne Irving

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:Grade 3-Earth and Space Science: Stars and Planets

It is expected that students will:describe characteristics and movements of objects in our solar system

Grade 6-Earth and Space Science: Exploration of Extreme EnvironmentsIt is expected that students will:

explain obstacles unique to exploration of a specific extreme environmentassess technologies used for extreme environments

describe contributions of Canadians to exploration technologies

• http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html (General NASA website with sections for educators and for students)

• http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/ (NASA Kid’s Club)

Website: NASA/NASA Kid’s Club

• This website provides students and educators with valuable information, media and other resources about space and space exploration. The section for students and for educators includes videos, images, news topics, games, picture dictionaries, homework topics, career information, etc. that are appropriate for any age.

To incorporate this website into a unit we could do things such as:• Showing some of the videos (i.e. Stay clean without taking a bath Elmo

video”)• Getting students to create their own space/space exploration picture

dictionaries• Use the “homework topics” as a research jigsaw activity• Do a short lab on how objects move differently on Earth than they do in

space using the Buzz Lightyear Mission #5• Use the “Cosmic Questions” to test their knowledge• Have them create their own planet using the “Extreme Planet Makeover”

Student Accountability-Have students explore the website in the computer lab and

monitor them to make sure they are on task-Scavenger Hunt Question Sheet to help them explore the

website-Creating their own picture dictionaries using information

found on the websites-Researching a homework topic and presenting it to a group of

students in a Jigsaw type activity-Write a lab “report” on the differences in movement between

objects on Earth and in space

Video : Bill Nye Demonstrates Distance Between Planetshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Ob0xR0Ut8

• Prescribed Learning Outcome for Grade 3:Earth and Space Science: Stars and Planets

It is expected that students will:Describe characteristics and movements of objects in our solar

system• In this video, Bill Nye creates a to-scale representation of our

solar system by riding his bike along a stretch of highway from a point designated as the sun, to each of the planets that exist in our solar system. This video allows students to visualize the vast distance that exists between each of the planets in our solar system and the sun.

Discussion Questions

• In the model, how many meters away is mercury from the sun? How many meters away is the earth, etc?

• How do these large distances between the planets influence our exploration of our solar system? What

limitations do these distances have?• What is the purpose of creating a life-size

representation or model of the planets and the solar system?

• Prescribed Learning Outcome for Grade 6:Earth and Space Science: Exploration of Extreme Environments

It is expected that students will:Explain obstacles unique to exploration of a specific extreme

environmentAssess technologies used for extreme environments

Describe contributions of Canadians to exploration technologies • In this video, the International Space Station is explored. This video

provides students with a brief history of the construction of the ISS, as well as the satellites unique characteristics and purpose.

Video: On-Board the International Space Stationhttp://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/nasaeclips/search.html?terms=&category=1000

Discussion Questions:•What is Canada’s role in the international space community?•What is the purpose of the International Space Station? Why do we send astronauts to live on the ISS? •What have astronauts on the ISS learned about the human body?

What is Canada’s role in the international space community?What is the purpose of the International Space Station? Why do we send astronauts to live on the ISS? What have astronauts on the ISS learned about the human body?

Discussion Questions