Lesson 1: NASA - Space ProgramsObjectives:Learn about NASA's options for its space program;Research which option may be the most viable; andMake a recommendation based on research.
Instructional Materials:Paper and pencilsNewsprint and markersComputer with Internet accessDiscover Magazine: The Solar System DVD and videoInstructional Activities:1.)Begin the lesson with a discussion about the space program, which is run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, also known as NASA. Ask students if they are familiar with any space missions. Ask if they are aware of any discoveries that have been made through the space program. Write the students' ideas on the board or a large sheet of newsprint. Students may suggest the following:The mission to walk on the moonThe study of lunar (moon rock) samplesThe Hubble Space Telescope, which sends back high-resolution images of celestial bodiesThe International Space Station, where astronauts live to conduct experimentsDiscuss the stages that the space program has undergone.
Mars, 2001, with the southern polar ice cap visibl...
NASA's DC-8 Flying Over the Weddell Sea
English: Artist's rendering of a Mars Exploration ...Point out that since the space shuttle disasters, the space program has lost its momentum. Officials at NASA are working to set new priorities for the agency.
2.)To learn more about space programs under consideration, show students the segment entitled "Up Close and Far Away." Focus on the researchers discussing traveling to Mars and further travel to the moon.
3.)Tell students that the video is a starting point for forming their own ideas about what NASA should plan for the space program. Students will research NASA's ideas for space exploration and then develop their own opinions about options.
4.)Divide students into groups of three or four. Have each group research the topic and choose the best option for NASA to pursue. Each group will present its ideas, which must be supported by evidence, including pictures.
5.)Give studentÃÂs time in class to research the topic. The following Web sites have...