Audience
Educators
Grade Levels
Grades 5-8
Subject
Earth Science, Mathematics, Space Science, Technology, Geography, Geometry, Measurement and Data Analysis, Solar System and Planets, Earth's Moon, Space Vehicles
Type
Educator Guides, Lesson Plans / Activities
Four standards-aligned activities help students learn about the Moon and create a model of a human landing system for the lunar surface. Using science, engineering and geometry, students design, build and test model spacecraft.
With these activities, students will:
- Select an appropriate landing site for astronauts on the South Pole of the Moon by using NASA topographic maps and data to compare resources and conditions of locations.
- Create a scale replica of a portion of the Moon’s surface that could be an ideal human landing site, and identify the geologic features in the scale replica.
- Evaluate and prioritize items for survival on the Moon, and describe how to optimize a packing solution for the supplies.
- Design and build a model of a lunar landing craft that will use the thrust of balloons to slow its rate of descent.
Next Generation Science Standards: MS-ESS2-2, MS-ETS1-3, MS-LS2-1, MS-PS2-2, MS-PS2-4
Common Core State Standards: 6.G.A.2, 6.G.A.4, 6.RP.A.1, 7.G.B.6, 7.RP.A.2.A, 8.G.C.9, 8.EE.B.5
Landing Humans on the Moon (Spanish Version)
Section Links:
Introductory Pages
Activity One: Choose Your Landing Site
Activity Two: Sculpting Lunar Geology
Activity Three: Priority Packing for the Moon
Activity Four: Safe Landing on the Lunar Surface
Appendix
This educator guide is part of Next Gen STEM. Explore More:
Crew Transportation With Orion
Propulsion With the Space Launch System
Habitation With Gateway
Landing Humans on the Moon
Hazards to Deep Space Astronauts
Deep Space Communications
Artemis Generation Spacesuits
Build, Launch, Recover