Few classroom topics generate as much excitement as rockets. The scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical foundations of rocketry provide exciting classroom opportunities for authentic hands-on, minds-on experimentation. The activities and lesson plans contained in this educator guide emphasize hands-on science, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. The guide also contains background information about the history of rockets and basic rocket science.

The activity introduces students to aspects of the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and litho/geosphere and how they are interrelated. It is designed to promote an interest in authentic investigations of Earth using images acquired by astronauts as the hook.

This book contains more than 200 problems spanning over 70 specific topics covered in a typical Algebra II course. Application problems featuring astronomy, earth science and space exploration support each topic. A brief paragraph about the underlying science introduces each problem. The paragraphs use simplified, nontechnical jargon where possible. A one-page answer key accompanies each one-page problem sheet.

This collection of activities is based on a weekly series of space science problems distributed to thousands of teachers during the 2010-2011 school year. The problems were intended for students looking for additional challenges in the mathematics and physical science curriculum. The problems deal with modern science and engineering issues, often involving actual research data. Each word problem includes background information. One-page teachers' answer keys accompany the one-page assignments.

Find fun lesson plans about space science that are adaptable for younger grades.

Space food research meets the challenge of providing food that tastes good and travels well in space. The activities in this NASA educator guide for grades K-8 emphasize hands-on and cooperative involvement of students as they explore the unique problems of keeping astronauts happy and healthy in space.

Mars Math is designed to supplement the teaching of mathematical topics or to help assess student mastery. This collection of 24 problems and activities provides a variety of practical applications in mathematics and science concepts including proportions, analyzing graphs, features of the Martian surface and atmosphere, density, and temperature. Each one-page assignment includes background information. One-page answer keys accompany the assignments.

The activities in this guide promote problem solving, communication skills and teamwork. Earth and space science subjects include lunar geology and regolith, distance to the moon, Apollo landing sites and life support systems.

The Lunar Nautics Teacher Guide has 40 activities. Students assume roles of workers at Lunar Nautics Space Systems, Inc., a fictional aerospace company specializing in mission management, lunar habitat and exploration design, and scientific research. This guide features lessons that address the basics of Newton's Laws of Motion, rocket design, microgravity, and the moon. Students will design, test and analyze a model lunar lander, a robot, and a soda bottle rocket. Other activities include building edible models of spacecraft and a solar oven to cook hot dogs.

In this rather intense hands-on activity, students make their own pinhole cameras from a pattern given in the activity article. They cut the pieces from a cardboard cereal box. All materials are easily available, except perhaps for the film canisters, which should obtainable with a small effort. Students will learn the principles of photography and enjoy a level of creativity not found with digital photography.

This teacher's guide features exercises grouped into five units: 1) introduction to geologic processes, 2) impact cratering activities, 3) planetary atmosphere, 4) planetary surfaces and 5) geologic mapping.

This guide contains 25 activities designed for 4-H Clubs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, after-school programs, and other informal education venues. Participants learn about the history and principles of rocketry and NASA's newest rockets -- Ares I and Ares V. While doing these hands-on activities, participants also learn about Hero Engines, parachutes and surface area, altitude tracking, and Newton&'s Laws Of Motion. Learners can also build four types of rockets and two types of egg drops.

This NASA teacher guide has excellent background information about Wilbur and Orville Wright. The guide contains student activity pages and templates for building the 1900, 1901 and 1902 Gliders and the 1903 Flyer.

NASA teacher guide for younger children focuses on activities about the International Space Station and the role rockets play in its construction.

In this activity, students will be presented with a scenario of an aircraft carrier receiving a distress call from a downed pilot on a nearby mountain island. Students will move from the carrier toward the pilot by progressing in one of four directions; up (lift), forward (thrust), down (gravity / weight) or backward (drag). The direction that the students move will be determined by spinning one of four spinners.

This integrated unit allows students to conduct scientific experiments, construct aircraft models, and read selections and research topics about aviation. The 23 lessons in this guide support national math, science, technology, geography and language arts standards. The lessons have built-in assessment opportunities. Students will build sled kites, rotor motors, foam airplanes, straw aircraft and a model X-43 glider. They will also experiment with air, gravity, lift, thrust and drag. Some activities include vocabulary lists and reading selections.

Apply mathematics to understand Earth's natural satellite and future missions to the moon. Problems in Lunar Math use mathematical applications to explain concepts such as the physical features of the moon; the probability of a meteorite impact on the lunar surface; and how oxygen might be extracted from moon rocks. The problems in this guide include basic mathematics, algebra, geometry and some trigonometric functions. The one-page assignments are accompanied by one-page answer keys.

In this activity, students will interpret primary and secondary sources to determine how the 'race to space' from 1957-1969 reflected political, social, and economic aspects of the Cold War.

This 5-E lesson plan helps students identify natural resources on Earth, natural resources that help seeds and plants grow, and plants that provide food for humans. Student sheets include booklets that students complete and assemble about Natural Environment, Seeds on Our Earth, and Plants. Rubrics and national education standards are also included. This lesson plan is part of the Moon Munchies Educator Guide.

Robots can be found in factories, in homes, and even in movies. But, they also help with space exploration. How are robots an important part of space exploration? This module is appropriate for video conference AND web conference. During this event, students will learn how NASA uses robotics technology to a great extent in its exploration of space. Participants will learn how NASA defines robotics, see how robotic systems are already widely used in the space program, and discover what plans there are for future robotic applications.

The Sun As a Star activities teach concepts related to the sun with opportunities for the students to investigate each idea. Most of the nine sequential activities can be completed in about one hour.