On the Moon Educator Guide

Audience: Educators
Grades: 3-12 and Informal
Product Number: EG-2009-02-05-MSFC

NASA is one of the largest employers of engineers in the world. "Design Squad®," an award-winning TV show that airs on PBS, engages teams of students in imaginative engineering challenges. Together, NASA and "Design Squad" have developed the On the Moon Educator Guide. The guide brings hands-on engineering and the adventure of space exploration to life for students. The activities are related to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite missions. In this guide, students are challenged to design and build:

• An air-powered rocket.
• A shock-absorbing system that will protect two marshmallow "astronauts."
• A rubber band-powered rover.
• A cardboard crane for maximum load-lifting ability.
• A paper cup modified so that it can carry a marble down a zip line and drop a marble onto a target.
• A solar hot water heater to cause the greatest rise in temperature.

On the Moon Educator Guide  [8MB PDF file]

Individual sections:
Introductory Pages
Launch It
Touchdown
Roving on the Moon
Heavy Lifting
On Target
Feel the Heat
Additional Resources

Online Training for Teaching Hands-On Engineering Activities with NASA and "DESIGN SQUAD®"

NASA and "DESIGN SQUAD®" have developed an online workshop for educators and afterschool leaders to build their skills and confidence in guiding kids through engineering activities like those from the On The Moon Educator Guide.

Completing this self-guided online workshop will allow educators to gain insight and strategies for strengthening critical-thinking skills and exciting their students about using the design process to arrive at solutions.
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