SPACE STATION

EXPLORERS KIT
Welcome to the ISS Activity Guide
 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS
Space Station Explorers is a consortium of organizations that use the International Space
Station (ISS) to inspire and engage educators, learners, and explorers of all ages. With
support from the ISS National Laboratory, consortium partners develop innovative, authentic
learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION U.S. NATIONAL LABORATORY

In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the ISS as the nation’s newest national laboratory
to maximize its use for improving quality of life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse
users, and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is now available for use
by non-NASA U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector, providing these
customers access to a permanent microgravity setting, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and
the extreme and varied environments of space. The ISS National Lab is managed by the Center for the
Advancement for Science in Space (CASIS) under agreement with NASA.

2 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

SPACE STATION
EXPLORERS KIT
Welcome to the ISS Activity Guide
DESIGNED BY Ashlie Blackstone Smith
Physical Science Instructor, Cranbrook Schools

SUPPORTED BY Julia Sable, Samantha Thorstensen, and Diane Matthews

International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory

Dear Educator:

Welcome onboard! This guide offers six activities appropriate for students in
grades 3–8 in both classrooms and informal learning environments such as
afterschool programs, camps, and museums.

Some of these are original activities developed by the Space Station Explorers
team, and others are adapted from existing NASA educator resources.

For the latest version of this guide, please visit spacestationexplorers.org.

CONTENTS
ACTIVITY 1 HUMANS IN SPACE: Measuring Distances to Space Destinations 4

ACTIVITY 2 MISSION PATCH DESIGN: Crew Unity in Space 8

ACTIVITY 3 READY TO LAUNCH: Engineering Rockets 12

ACTIVITY 4 SPACEWALK SIMULATION: Train Like an Astronaut 18

ACTIVITY 5 STORY TIME FROM SPACE: Max Goes to the Space Station 22

ACTIVITY 6 DESIGN A SPACE STATION: Living and Working in Space 26

 ACTIVITY 1
GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

HUMANS
SUBJECTS Space Science,
Mathematics

IN SPACE:
PREP TIME < 10 minutes

DURATION 1 class period

(45 minutes)

Measuring Distances to
Space Destinations
Adapted from “Earth, Moon, Mars & the International Space
Station” activity from NASA Johnson Space Center’s STEM on
Station: International Space Station Kit

OBJECTIVES
Students
ff will improve their understanding of relative sizes and distances
by observing and manipulating physical models.
Students
ff will use models and calculations to compare distances from Earth
to space destinations where humans have been and where humans are headed.
Students
ff will record calculations and ideas in crew logbooks.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS – DISCIPLINARY COMMON CORE STANDARDS
CORE IDEAS & PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3-8.1 (Speaking and Listening for
ff
ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System Grades 3–8): Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
MS-ESS1-3 (Earth and Space Sciences for Middle School):
ff carry out assigned roles; pose and respond to questions
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of and link to the remarks of others; explain ideas and
objects in the solar system. understanding in light of the discussion.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3-8.5 (Presentation of Knowledge and
ff
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions
Ideas for Grades 3–8): Integrate multimedia and visual displays
3-5-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-2 (Engineering Design for Grades
ff into presentations to enhance ideas and clarify information.
3–5 and for Middle School): Generate multiple possible
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.1 (Measurement and Data
ff
solutions to a problem and evaluate them systematically to
for Grade 4): Solve problems involving measurement and
determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints.
conversion of measurements.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.A.1 (Measurement and Data for
ff
Grade 4): Convert like measurement units within a given
measurement system.

4 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

VOCABULARY Acceleration
ff International Space
ff Low Earth orbit (LEO)
ff
Station (ISS)
Apollo missions
ff Lunar orbit
ff

BACKGROUND

Destination: Moon
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced his
goal of sending astronauts to the moon, leading to the birth
of the Apollo era. It took years of hard work by hundreds of
thousands of people, including scientists and engineers, to
achieve this goal. Many rockets and unmanned vehicles were
tested before the first American astronaut launched into space.
Several missions sent astronauts to low Earth orbit—about the
same height as the International Space Station (ISS) —to test
technologies and practice activities such as spacewalks.
The first Apollo missions to the moon only orbited the moon
NASA
without landing on it. The Apollo 11 mission finally fulfilled
Kennedy’s challenge. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and SPACE STATION FACTS
Buzz Aldrin took their first steps on the moon while Michael
Collins orbited the moon aboard the Command/Service The ISS circles the Earth in what is known
ff
Module. Twelve astronauts have walked on the moon so far, as low Earth orbit, or LEO for short.
and the last time humans touched the moon was during the
Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The ISS, including its large solar arrays,
ff
spans the area of a U.S. football field.
QUESTION: How long did it take for Apollo astronauts to get
to the moon? [ANSWER: The Apollo 11 astronauts reached The mass of the ISS is more than 419,600
ff
lunar orbit 76 hours (3 days and 4 hours) after launch. kilograms (925,000 pounds), which is
They did not land immediately; they made preparations for the same as more than 320 cars!
25 hours before sending the lunar lander to the moon’s
surface.] The distance the ISS travels in one day is to
ff
the same as flying to the moon and back!
Destination: Low Earth Orbit
The ISS completes one orbit around Earth every
ff
The ISS is one of humanity’s greatest engineering feats. 92 minutes, letting astronauts see about 15
Assembling the ISS took 35 space shuttle missions and more sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
than 150 spacewalks between 1998 and 2011.
Fifteen countries built the ISS: Belgium, Canada,
ff
QUESTION: How long does it take for today’s astronauts to
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the
get to the ISS? [ANSWER: They get to the height of the ISS’s
Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
orbit in nine minutes! It then takes a few more hours to align
Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
the spacecraft with the ISS to dock.]
The ISS has been continuously inhabited since
ff
Destination: Mars! 2000, usually with six people onboard.
So far, humans have traveled only to the ISS and the moon.
As of April 2019, more than 200 astronauts from
ff
We have sent robotic spacecraft to many other destinations in
18 countries have spent time on the ISS.
our solar system including planets, moons, asteroids, and even
comets. The next place where humans will venture is Mars. Since 2011, all crews have traveled to and from the ISS
ff
We face many challenges in preparing for the journey to Mars on Russian-built Soyuz capsules, which fit three people.
and other long-duration space missions. The ISS is a crucial
platform for testing new technologies and procedures that can It takes about 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds) of supplies
ff
solve these challenges. to support three astronauts for a typical six-month stay.
 ACTIVITY 1
MATERIALS

HUMANS
ff
CREW LOGBOOK: Any notebook can serve as a crew
logbook. Just like an astronaut on the ISS, you will use your
logbook to keep notes, make drawings, record data from

IN SPACE: experiments, and reflect on your experiences.

ff
SPHERES REPRESENTING THE EARTH AND THE MOON:
Measuring Distances to The moon’s diameter should be about 1/4 of the Earth’s
Space Destinations diameter. A good pair of spheres is a basketball for Earth
with a tennis ball for the moon.
ff
PIN, PAPER SCRAP, OR OTHER TINY OBJECT
REPRESENTING THE ISS
ff
STRING
ff
METRIC RULERS
ff
MARS MODEL (extension)
ff
ISS-ABOVE DEVICE WITH WIFI CONNECTION (extension)
ff
COMPUTER MONITOR OR TV (extension)

PROCEDURE
1. Discuss Earth’s size relative to the moon and Mars. Determine what misconceptions students may have.
2. Give the Earth model to one volunteer and the moon model to another. Ask them to move to positions
that they think show the distance between the Earth and the moon.
3. Ask the Earth volunteer to wrap the string around the planet 9.5 times to approximate the distance
between Earth and the moon. Tape the Earth model to that place on the string.
4. Give the end of the string to the moon volunteer, and ask the volunteers to move apart until the string
is extended. The distance is probably farther than they expected!
5. Give another volunteer the object representing the ISS, and ask how close it should be to the Earth
model. If the Earth model is a basketball, the ISS should be just 8 millimeters away!

6 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

 DIAMETER OF EARTH AT EQUATOR

12,742 km (7,918 miles)

CIRCUMFERENCE OF EARTH

40,030 km (24,874 miles)

CREW LOGBOOK ACTIVITY (MATH COMPONENT) AVERAGE EARTH-MOON DISTANCE

384,500 km (238,900 miles)

1. Have students reflect on the size relationships in their crew logbooks. Draw two spheres to
represent the Earth and the moon, with the moon sphere having 1/4 the diameter of the MAXIMUM EARTH-MOON DISTANCE
Earth sphere. Then draw a third sphere about the size of a marker tip or pin head to represent 356,500 km (221,500 miles)
the ISS. Color this page if time allows.
AVERAGE EARTH-MARS DISTANCE
2. Using accurate relative sizes, draw the Earth on one side of the page and the moon on
225,000,000 km (140,000,000 miles)
the other side of the page. Write 384,500 km (238,900 miles) between those two bodies
to indicate the average distance between the Earth and the moon. Next, draw a tiny ISS MAXIMUM EARTH-MARS DISTANCE
near the Earth’s surface. Emphasize metric units. Optional: Have students use dimensional 401,000,000 km (250,000,000 miles)
analysis to convert miles into kilometers.

3. Knowing that Earth’s diameter at the equator is 12,742 km (7,918 miles), calculate how many
times you would need to travel around Earth’s equator to match the distance to the moon.

4. Draw a picture of yourself standing on a scale on Earth, and draw another picture of yourself WHAT ARE NEWTONS?
standing on a scale on the moon. Anywhere on the page, write down your mass in kilograms—
remember to write the units (kg) after the number. Multiply your mass by 9.81 m/s2 to get your Weight and mass are not the
weight in newtons (abbreviated N). Record this number near the picture of you on Earth—again same. Weight is the force
including the units (N). needed to accelerate an
object toward the ground. The
5. When calculating your weight on Earth, you used 9.81 m/s2 because that’s the acceleration greater the object’s mass, the
due to Earth’s gravity. What if you were on a planet or moon with a different size and/or more force is required.
density than Earth? Would the acceleration due to that planet’s gravity be the same? Would
your weight be the same? Would your mass be the same? The international unit of force
is the newton. Pounds are
6. Take your weight on Earth in newtons, divide it by 6, and write your answer near your moon more familiar units of weight,
picture, including the units (N). This is what you’d weigh on the moon. What would you notice? but they are not useful in
Do you think you’d fly away if you jumped with enough force on the moon? Why or why not? space because they are
defined only in the context of
Earth’s gravity.

EXTENSIONS
1. Add a sphere to represent Mars! Its diameter should be half of the Earth model’s diameter. Give
the Mars model to another volunteer and ask where Mars should be in relation to the Earth and
moon. If Earth is a basketball, the average distance to Mars would be 4.2 km (2.6 miles)!

2. How long would it take for astronauts to get to Mars? [HINT: The Mars Science Laboratory
(MSL) mission with the Curiosity rover launched on November 26, 2011 and landed on Mars LEARN MORE
on August 6, 2012—a flight time of about eight and a half months.]
FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:
3. Engage students in conversations about their observations. What challenges must be
www.spacestationexplorers.
addressed before we can send humans to deep space? Would you go on a mission to Mars?
org/resources/sse-stem-
Have them write their ideas in their crew logbooks.
kit1/#activity1
4. If your classroom has an ISS-Above (www.spacestationexplorers.org/issabove), look up the
next time the ISS will pass over your location, watch the live HD video feed showing the
view of Earth from the ISS, and learn about the crew currently onboard. ISS-Above also
comes with free curriculum.
 ACTIVITY 2
GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

MISSION
SUBJECTS Space Science,
History, Art

PATCH
PREP TIME 30 minutes

DURATION 1 class period

(45 minutes)

DESIGN:
Crew Unity in Space
Adapted from NASA’s Mission Patch Design activity (2011)

OBJECTIVES
Students
ff will learn about mission patches and the importance of teamwork in designing
these patches.
Students
ff will design original mission patches in teams and share their designs with the class.
In
ff sharing their patch designs, student teams will (a) explain how they chose visual symbols to
communicate themes and (b) reflect on the compromises they made to achieve their goals.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS – DISCIPLINARY CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 and 5.2 (Writing for Grades 4–5):
ff
CORE IDEAS & PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution convey ideas and information clearly.

3-5-ETS1-3 (Engineering Design for Grades 3–5): Test

ff CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3-8.1 (Speaking and Listening for
ff

different solutions to determine which of them best solves Grades 3–8): Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
the problem, given the criteria and constraints. carry out assigned roles; pose and respond to questions and
link to the remarks of others; explain ideas and understanding
in light of the discussion.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3-8.5 (Presentation of Knowledge and
ff
Ideas for Grades 3–8): Integrate multimedia and visual displays
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 and 4.1 (Writing for Grades
ff into presentations to enhance ideas and clarify information.
3–4): Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.4 (Science & Technical Subjects for
ff
point of view with reasons.
Grades 6–8): Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8 (Writing for Grade 3): Recall
ff and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used
information from experiences or gather information from in a specific scientific or technical context.
print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 (History/Social Studies for
ff
sort evidence.
Grades 6–8): Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information
in print and digital texts.

8 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

VOCABULARY Compromise
ff Diplomacy
ff Mission patch
ff

BACKGROUND
Every space exploration mission gets a mission patch. For could include a vehicle such as the ISS, images related to
unmanned missions such as the Dawn mission to the asteroid important science or technology on that mission, patriotic
belt, the New Horizons mission to Pluto, and the Juno symbols, and even symbols that represent fallen colleagues.
mission to Jupiter, each mission’s scientists and engineers Each mission patch comes with a detailed description to
have input on the patch design. explain the choice of the design.
For crewed missions, astronauts design their own mission It takes creativity, collaboration, and compromise to design
patch. Three people make up a typical International Space a patch, and it can be tricky to get everyone to agree. Space
Station (ISS) crew—a unique, international group of men and shuttle astronaut Alvin Drew said in an interview, “You’ve got
women. Together, they come up with a design that represents crew members, you’ve got a flight control team, and you’ve
their team and mission. This typically includes the mission got NASA management. [Everyone] has opinions about the
number, the astronauts’ names, and imagery representing design, and they don’t all match…so you wind up getting a
meaningful aspects of the mission and crew. The design good lesson in diplomacy.”

APOLLO 8 APOLLO 13
1968, crew of three astronauts 1970, crew of three astronauts

CASSINI-HUYGENS UNMANNED
EXPEDITION 53 TO THE ISS MISSION TO SATURN

2017, crew of six astronauts launched 1997

 ACTIVITY 2
MATERIALS

MISSION
ff
CREW LOGBOOK
ff
PENCIL AND ERASER

PATCH ff
PLAIN WHITE PAPER
ff

DESIGN:
COLORED PENCILS OR CRAYONS
ff
OPTIONAL: COMPUTER WITH IMAGE EDITING
SOFTWARE (such as GIMP or Photoshop)
Crew Unity in Space

PROCEDURE – CREW LOGBOOK ACTIVITY

1. Assign students to small teams. The first step is to select a mission for the patch. The mission could
describe the class (e.g., Mr. Stenson’s fourth-grade science class), or it could be an imagined space
mission. If the patch represents the whole class, the design can portray characteristics unique to the
class (e.g., the teacher’s name, room number, period, or subject). If the patch represents an imagined
space mission, each team should brainstorm their mission goal, scientific objective(s), mission name,
and date or mission number. They can write their brainstorming ideas in their crew logbooks.
2. Visit some of the websites listed under “Learn More” to see patches from past space missions. Discuss
the symbols and design elements you see in the patches.
3. Encourage teams to be creative and design a patch that is unique and symbolic of the team members.
Students can make sketches in their crew logbooks as the design evolves. They should make their final
design in color on plain white paper. Students can also design on computers if they are comfortable with
image editing software such as GIMP or Photoshop.
4. Ask teams to share their designs with the class. Ask them to explain the colors and symbols used. Do
the symbols have meanings beyond what the average viewer would recognize? The team can also talk
about how they narrowed down ideas and made compromises to agree on their final design.
5. The educator can take digital pictures of the patches and print out copies for students to paste into their
crew logbooks. The educator can also print copies for students to wear as name tags on field trips or
other group excursions.

EXTENSION
The educator could reach out to a local or online patch creator to get designs made into stickers or sew-on patches.

10 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

YEAR IN SPACE ISS U.S. NATIONAL LAB MISSION 5

2015, focusing on two astronauts 2017, representing a year of experiments

STS-134 MISSION OF SPACE SHUTTLE STS-71 MISSION OF SPACE SHUTTLE

ENDEAVOUR TO THE ISS ATLANTIS TO SPACE STATION MIR

2011, crew of five astronauts 1995, crew of seven space shuttle

astronauts and three Mir cosmonauts

LEARN MORE
FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:
www.spacestationexplorers.
org/resources/sse-stem-
NEW HORIZONS UNMANNED kit1/#activity2
MISSION TO PLUTO

launched 2006
 ACTIVITY 3 GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

READY TO
SUBJECTS Space Science,
Engineering,
Mathematics,
Teamwork

LAUNCH: PREP TIME

DURATION
4 hours

90 minutes

Engineering Rockets
Adapted from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s “DIY Space: Stomp Rockets” activity (2016)

OBJECTIVES
Students
ff will learn about the rockets and vehicles that carry astronauts and supplies to the
International Space Station (ISS).
Students
ff will work in teams to design, build, and launch paper rockets. Students will experience
engineering design as an iterative process as they modify and test their rocket designs to
optimize performance.
Students
ff will calculate their rockets’ maximum altitudes using scale drawings and simple geometry.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS PS2.B: Types of Interactions

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS – DISCIPLINARY 5-PS2-1 (Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions for
ff
CORE IDEAS & PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS Grade 5): Support an argument that the gravitational force
exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
3-5-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-1 (Engineering Design for Grades
ff COMMON CORE STANDARDS
3–5 and Middle School): Define a design problem with CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.1 (Geometry for Grade 7):
ff
criteria for success; constraints on materials, time, and cost; Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures,
and considerations of impacts on people or the environment. including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.

3-5-ETS1-2, MS-ETS1-2 (Engineering Design for Grades

ff CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.2 (Geometry for Grade 7):
ff

3–5 and Middle School): Generate multiple possible Draw (freehand, with a ruler and protractor, and with
solutions to a problem, and evaluate them systematically to technology) geometric shapes with given conditions.
determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.CO.D.12 (Geometry – Congruence
ff
for High School): Make formal geometric constructions with a
ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution
variety of tools and methods (compass and straightedge, string,
3-5-ETS1-3, MS-ETS1-3 (Engineering Design for Grades
ff reflective devices, paper folding, dynamic geometric software, etc.).
3–5 and Middle School): Iterate and test different solutions
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.C.6 (Measurement and Data for
ff
to determine which best solves the problem, given the
Grade 4): Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a
criteria and constraints. Identify the strengths of different
protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure.
solutions and combine them in a new solution.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.C (Statistics and Probability
ff
MS-ETS1-4 (Engineering Design for Middle School): Develop a
ff
for Grade 6): Give quantitative measures of center (median
model to generate data for iterative testing and modification
and/or mean) and variability (interquartile range and/or mean
of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal
absolute deviation), describing any overall pattern and any
design can be achieved.
striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to
the context in which the data were gathered.

12 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

VOCABULARY Altitude
ff Fins
ff Saturn V (“Saturn Five”)
ff

Atlas V (pronounced “Atlas Five”)

ff Fuselage
ff Soyuz
ff

Constraints
ff Iterate
ff Space Launch System (SLS)
ff

Criteria for success

ff Nose cone
ff

Engineering design process

ff

BUILD
BACKGROUND
Rockets have launched spacecraft to every planet in the DESIGN TEST
solar system and have even sent humans to the moon. The
first rockets to travel into space were modified missiles. For
example, the Redstone missile was designed to carry explosive THE ENGINEERING
IMAGINE ANALYZE
warheads, but it was adapted to carry the first American DESIGN PROCESS
astronaut into space. Later rockets were designed for specific
space missions. The Saturn V, for example, was designed to
carry astronauts and equipment to the moon.
The space shuttles were extremely versatile, reusable rockets IMAGINE: Identify the problem or challenge. What is necessary for
that carried up to seven people plus large payloads, including a solution to be successful? Knowing these criteria for success,
the Hubble Space Telescope and several modules of the ISS. brainstorm and discuss possible solutions. Think about the
Since the space shuttles were retired in 2011, all astronauts constraints that might apply. For example, are there limits to the
have traveled to the ISS aboard Russian-built Soyuz capsules size, shape, or weight of the solution, or the cost of its materials?
propelled by Soyuz rockets that launch from Kazakhstan Which ideas for solutions can be adjusted to fit these constraints?
in central Asia.
DESIGN: Choose one or more of the possible solutions you
New vehicles are being developed in the United States that think will work well, and create drawings and/or descriptions
can take astronaut crews to the ISS. Boeing’s CST-100 of them. List the materials you’ll need to build them.
Starliner uses an existing NASA rocket called the Atlas V.
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon uses the Falcon Heavy rocket, which BUILD: Gather the materials and build your design(s).
made its first test flight in January 2018. NASA’s Orion TEST: Choose a fair and measurable way to test designs. To make
spacecraft will use the Space Launch System (SLS), which will the tests fair, test all designs under the same conditions. To make
be the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built. the tests measurable, think about performance aspects you want
Design details depend on to measure, including units of measurement (for example, the
the mission at hand, but maximum height of a rocket’s flight, measured in meters). Make
all rockets have a few sure you have the right equipment to make the measurements.
essential parts: fuselage, ANALYZE: Compare the results from the tests, and identify the
fins, and nose cone. The strengths and weaknesses of different designs. How well does
fuselage is the main body each design meet the criteria for success and fit within the
of the rocket. The fins constraints of the challenge?
NASA provide stabilization and
are evenly placed around Then start the next iteration (repeat the cycle) by going back
the fuselage near the tail. The nose cone is secured to the top to Imagine: Think about what you’ve learned from testing
of the rocket to help it pierce the air. The shape and size of and analyzing your previous design(s). Can you combine the
these elements affect the amount of drag or friction between strengths of multiple designs into a new and improved design?
the rocket and the air. Streamlining the design to reduce drag
helps the rocket go farther on the same amount of fuel. Artist’s rendering of a launch of
NASA’s most powerful rocket, the
This activity is a design challenge. Engineering design is
Space Launch System. It will carry
typically an iterative process, meaning it has a series of steps heavy loads, including crew vehicles,
that may be repeated several times as the design is tested to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
and improved. Different textbooks use slightly different names
for the steps of this process, but here is one way to describe
them: Imagine, Design, Build, Test, Analyze.

NASA
 ACTIVITY 3 MATERIALS

READY TO
Each student team needs:
ff
ALL THE MATERIALS IN THE ROCKET LAUNCHER

LAUNCH:
BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS (see PREPARATION section)
Multiple teams can share a single launcher.
ff
EIGHT OR MORE SHEETS OF 8.5 X 11-INCH PAPER
Engineering Rockets SUCH AS COPY PAPER OR CONSTRUCTION PAPER
ff
ROLL OF CELLOPHANE TAPE
ff
PREPARATION – Educator does this before class
SCISSORS
ff
MARKERS
1. Prepare for the lesson by watching NASA’s video “Do It ff
24-INCH LENGTH OF 1/2-INCH PVC PIPE for the rocket
Yourself Space: Stomp Rockets” » youtu.be/5bO8dpPuG4E. form
ff
EYE PROTECTION
2. Reserve and mark an outdoor launch location. Choose a
place clear of overhead obstructions (trees, building roofs, ff
TWO ALTITUDE TRACKER PAGES DOWNLOADED FROM
and power lines). If it’s windy, seek a location behind a NASA AND PRINTED ON CARD STOCK »
www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/pdfs/sr_tracker.pdf
windbreak such as a gymnasium or other large building.
For best altitude tracking, the launch area should be 100 ff
TWO 18-INCH PIECES OF STRING OR THREAD
for altitude trackers
meters long. At both ends of this launch area, draw straight
lines like the end zone of a football field. These are the ff
TWO PENNIES OR SIMILAR WEIGHTS for altitude trackers
baselines where students stand to measure altitude. Label ff
TWO PAPER CLIPS for altitude trackers
the baselines A and B, and plan to place the rocket launcher ff
CREW LOGBOOK
at the midpoint between them. ff
GRAPH PAPER
3. Build and test at least one rocket launcher (instructions ff
PROTRACTOR
below). An alternative to building the PVC launcher is to buy a ff
RULER (metric units preferred)
Stomp Rocket kit available from retailers for about $20. ff
50-FOOT MEASURING TAPE OR TRUNDLE WHEEL
4. Be sure to have some spare 2-liter bottles on hand. One
bottle can launch 20 or more rockets, but eventually it will
fail and need to be replaced. Keep the damaged bottles to
use as parts for Activity 6 – Design a Space Station!

ROCKET LAUNCHER BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS

Materials for one launcher (numbers match labels on diagram):

1. Empty 2-liter bottle (and spare bottles) 9. 4-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe

2. Duct tape 10. 135-degree elbow connector for 1/2-inch PVC pipe

3. 50-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe 11. 25-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe

4. 135-degree elbow connector for 1/2-inch PVC pipe 12. 20-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe

5. 18-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe 13. End cap for 1/2-inch PVC pipe

6. T connector for 1/2-inch PVC pipe 14. 25-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe

7. 4-cm segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe 15. End cap for 1/2-inch PVC pipe

8. T connector for 1/2-inch PVC pipe

NASA

14 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

PREPARATION – Educator does this before class

Follow the construction diagram to assemble the launcher. Tape the paper tube closed and tape a paper nose cone to one
Insert the end of part #3 into the neck of the bottle and tape it end. Slide the paper rocket onto the launch tube (part #11)
securely with duct tape. Match the pipe lengths with the part and stomp on the 2-liter bottle to launch. If the rocket doesn’t
numbers. Swing the two legs (parts #12 and #14) outward or move off the launch tube, check the rocket and/or the PVC
inward until they touch the ground to form a tripod. connections on the launcher to make sure they’re airtight. If the
launcher tends to come apart at any of the connectors, secure
Test the launcher before launch day by making a quick paper
them with duct tape. A simplified design for a PVC pipe launcher
rocket. Wrap a sheet of paper around a segment of 1/2” PVC
is in this Exploratorium Science Snack: Bottle Blast Off »
pipe, making it loose enough to slide freely along the pipe.
www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/bottle-blast-off.

PROCEDURE
The typical engineering design process is an
iterating (repeating) cycle of a sequence of steps:
Imagine, Design, Build, Test, Analyze.
Imagine, Design, and Build
1. Group students into small teams (2–4 people).
Each student can build their own rocket.
2. To build the rocket’s fuselage, wrap a sheet of NASA/JPL
paper around a segment of 1/2-inch PVC pipe,
making it loose enough to slide freely along the
pipe. Tape the paper tube along the entire seam
to make it airtight. Decorate as desired.
3. To build the nose cone, pinch one end of the
fuselage, fold it over, and tape it. Alternatively,
cut a 3/4-circle shape from a fresh piece of
paper, roll and tape it into a cone shape, and
tape it to one end of the fuselage. Use enough
tape to make the rocket airtight. Blow through
the rocket from the bottom to check for air leaks. NASA/JPL

4. Cut out fins (any number, any shape) and attach

them symmetrically to the lower part of the
fuselage. Students can experiment with the
shape, size, and number of fins to maximize
stability and minimize drag. Students can tape
together multiple layers of paper to make their
fins more rigid.
5. Each student makes an altitude tracker:
Cut
ff out the shape printed on the sheet of card stock
» www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/pdfs/sr_tracker.pdf. NASA/JPL

ffRoll the sighting tube section so that the line of

A’s and the line of B’s are together, and then staple or tape it to form a tube. The quadrant (pie-piece-shaped)
part of the tracker remains flat.
ffUse a paper clip or sharp pencil to poke a hole through the apex (point) of the quadrant.
ffSlip a piece of string through the hole and tape the end of the string to the back of the quadrant.
Tape
ff a penny to the loose end of the string so it hangs vertically along the marked, labeled side of the quadrant.
 ACTIVITY 3

READY TO
LAUNCH:
Engineering Rockets PROCEDURE (CONTINUED)

Test Your Rocket

6. Take rockets, altitude trackers, crew logbooks,
and pencils to the launch area. Before
launching any rockets, measure the distance
from Baseline A to the launcher and from
Baseline B to the launcher, and record these
measurements in the crew logbook.
7. One team member will launch a rocket while
other team members stand on the baselines
NASA/JPL
with altitude trackers.
ffSafety note: Use caution when launching the
stomp rockets. Students near the launcher should
wear eye protection. Keep all students clear of the
launch tube and the landing area. Allow only one
student, the stomper, to be near the launcher, and
make sure the launch tube is pointed away from
the stomper.
ffAiming: Ideally, the rocket should launch straight
upward. Any horizontal motion should be parallel
to the baselines. If the rocket flies toward or
away from a baseline, the students’ altitude
NASA/JPL
measurements will be less accurate. The stomper
may need to point the launch tube into the wind.
Stomping:
ff Be sure students stomp on the bottle
across the bottle label, perpendicular to the bottle’s
body. This is the most flexible zone of the bottle,
allowing it to be reused numerous times. If students
stomp on the bottom end of the bottle, it may shatter.
ffRe-inflating the bottle: Bottles can be easily re-
inflated using air from your lungs. Place your hand
in a fist around the open end of the launch tube
and blow into your fist to re-inflate the bottle. To
prevent the spread of germs, avoid putting your
NASA/JPL
mouth on the tube.

8. Altitude measurements will come out best if

measurements are made from both baselines during a single rocket flight. It helps to have two students
use each altitude tracker: one student is the observer and holds the tracker and the other student is the
recorder and reads the measurement. The observer looks through the sighting tube, follows the rocket
to its greatest height, and holds still at that maximum height. The recorder reads the number where the
string crosses the scale on the quadrant and records it in the crew logbook.

16 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

 Analyze
CREW LOGBOOK ACTIVITY (MATH COMPONENT)
Students want to know the heights their rockets reached, but measurements from the altitude tracker are expressed
as angles, not heights. Students will calculate maximum heights using graph paper, protractors, and pencils.

9. Ask students to choose a scale that fits Baselines A and B onto a single sheet of graph paper. For example, if each square on the
graph paper represented 2 meters, then a row of 50 squares would represent 100 meters. Use the same scale for horizontal and
vertical distance. Label the axis at major intervals (perhaps every 10 meters) and remember to write the units.

10. Using the distances recorded in your crew logbook, mark and label points for Baseline A, the launcher, and Baseline B along a
horizontal line representing the ground.

11. Use a protractor to draw angle lines from points A and B based on the
measurements you recorded at those baselines during a single rocket flight.
(Optional: For a more accurate measurement, don’t place the angle’s vertex
directly on point A or B; instead, position it above point A or point B by a
distance equal to the observer’s eye-level height.) Label the angles (include
units) and which flights they represent. With a ruler, extend the angle lines
from A and B so that they cross at some height above the ground line.

12. Then draw the altitude: a vertical line from the intersection of the angle
NASA/JPL
lines down to the ground line. Read the graph to find the altitude in meters and label it.

13. Students can use the same sheet of graph paper to draw angle lines and altitudes for the next rocket flight. If they use different
colored pencils for each flight, they should include a key on the graph showing which color represents which flight.

14. Compare the altitudes that different rockets reached, and compare the designs of those rockets. Students can compare within
their group and with other groups. What factors had the largest effect on the rockets’ altitude? Consider fuselage length, nose
cone shape, and the number, shape, and placement of fins.

NEXT ITERATION: Imagine, Design, Build, Test, and Analyze—Again

Student analysis of the test flights should give students ideas for what they can change in their rocket designs. Repeat the whole
procedure to design and test a fleet of new and improved rockets. Students should evaluate the new rockets’ performance and determine if
the changes they made led to improved outcomes. Continuing this process through more iterations will allow students to optimize their
design to get the best performing rocket they can within the time available.

EXTENSIONS
1. Use a smartphone, tablet, or digital camera to record high-frame-rate video of the launch so
the class can watch it in slow motion.

2. Try a horizontal distance competition instead of a vertical one. This can work well if a large
outdoor area is not available. Clear furniture and other obstacles from a strip of floor in a long
room such as a cafeteria or gymnasium. Place a basketball in the landing zone to represent LEARN MORE
Mars, and have the students launch their rockets toward Mars! Students can see how making
the launch tube angle higher or lower affects the horizontal distance the rocket reaches. FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:

3. Compare rockets to an arrow, a weather vane, or a dart. Bring one or more of these objects to www.spacestationexplorers.
class and compare them to the shape of the students’ rockets. org/resources/sse-stem-
kit1/#activity3
4. Show pictures of missiles and rockets and compare them to the students’ rockets.
5. Consider hosting a family rocket-launch event, during which families work together to build
rockets. The knowledgeable student in each family can be the team captain and instructor.
 ACTIVITY 4 GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

SPACEWALK
SUBJECTS Engineering,
Teamwork

PREP TIME 30 minutes (2–5

SIMULATION:
days before
day of lesson)

DURATION 1 class period

(45 minutes)

Train Like an Astronaut

An introduction to NASA’s “Train Like an Astronaut” activity series (2012)

OBJECTIVES
The
ff educator will access NASA’s “Train Like an Astronaut,” a set of educational activities that
emphasize physical fitness » www.nasa.gov/tla
In
ff the “Crew Assembly Training” activity described here, students learn about spacewalk
training. Astronauts practice for many hours to develop the strength, dexterity, and hand-eye
coordination necessary to carry out delicate tasks wearing stiff spacesuits with bulky gloves.
Students
ff will record their impressions of the experience in their crew logbooks.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS – DISCIPLINARY
CORE IDEAS & PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
3-5-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-1 (Engineering Design for Grades
ff
3–5 and Middle School): Define a design problem with
criteria for success; constraints on materials, time, and cost;
and considerations of impacts on people or the environment.

COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B, 4.1.B., 5.1.B (Speaking
ff
and Listening for Grades 3–5): Comprehension and
Collaboration: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions
and carry out assigned roles.

NASA

NASA astronaut Tim Kopra

18 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

VOCABULARY Dexterity
ff Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
ff

Extravehicular Activity (EVA)

ff Robonaut 2 (R2)
ff

BACKGROUND
Astronauts go through rigorous training to prepare for missions.
Many NASA team members work together to train astronauts
for the challenges of space. Teamwork is essential for success.
NASA’s “Train Like an Astronaut” activities cover physical fitness
and nutrition in the exciting context of astronaut training.
Students participate in activities modeled after the real-life
physical requirements of humans traveling in space. The
accompanying videos feature NASA astronauts talking about
their experiences. These activities are designed get students
moving, with different activities emphasizing various aspects of
fitness, such as aerobic exercise, strength training, reaction time,
coordination, and nutrition.
Educators should browse the 11 activities and choose what
best fits their curriculum » www.nasa.gov/tla
The activity reproduced here is Crew Assembly Training.
The rest of the activities are:

AGILITY ASTRO-COURSE EXPLORE & DISCOVER

BASE STATION WALK-BACK JUMP FOR THE MOON NASA

BUILDING AN ASTRONAUT “CORE” MISSION: CONTROL! This 2013 photo shows NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy,
Expedition 36 flight engineer, working with Robonaut 2.
CREW STRENGTH TRAINING SPEED OF LIGHT
DO A SPACEWALK! TASTE IN SPACE

BACKGROUND FOR THE “CREW

ASSEMBLY TRAINING” ACTIVITY
Going outside the spacecraft is called an extravehicular and holds 6.2 million gallons of water. It contains full-size
activity (EVA), or spacewalk. During the Apollo missions mockups of ISS components and equipment like what the
(1969–1972), 12 astronauts carried out EVAs on the moon’s astronauts will encounter in space. Wearing training suits that
surface to make observations, test equipment, and perform mimic real spacesuits, astronauts practice seven hours in the
science experiments. Between 1998 and 2011, astronauts pool for each hour they will spend on the EVA.
from several countries performed 155 EVAs to assemble the
The bulky, pressurized gloves of a spacesuit protect astronauts
International Space Station (ISS) piece by piece. The Hubble
from the brutal space environment. Although the gloves are
Space Telescope was repaired and upgraded through five
engineered to let astronauts move their fingers and rotate their
space-shuttle-based EVAs between 1993 and 2009.
wrists, it’s still challenging to manipulate small objects and tools
These days, most EVAs are to repair, maintain, and upgrade wearing these gloves.
parts of the ISS. Astronauts have only six to seven hours of life
Robonaut 2 (R2) is a dexterous humanoid robot being tested on
support during an EVA, so they need to work quickly without
the ISS. Its hands are the same size as human hands but have
sacrificing safety. To make spacewalks efficient, space agencies
greater strength and dexterity. R2 can grasp and manipulate
plan them in advance and put astronauts through extensive
massive objects, but it can also carry out delicate movements.
training before the mission. Astronauts spend more than 100
R2 has been doing tasks inside the ISS modules, but a future
hours practicing with their partners in the Neutral Buoyancy
Robonaut model could work outside to help astronauts on EVAs.
Laboratory (NBL), a giant swimming pool in Houston. The
This research is expanding NASA’s capabilities for construction
NBL is 40 feet deep, 202 feet long, and 102 feet wide,
and exploration in space.
 ACTIVITY 4
MATERIALS

SPACEWALK
ff
CREW LOGBOOK
ff
CONTAINERS LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD AT LEAST 25

SIMULATION
LABELED PIECES OF ONE FLOOR PUZZLE
ff
SEVERAL PAIRS OF SNUG CHILDREN’S GLOVES AND
ADULT WORK GLOVES
Train Like an Astronaut ff
TWO PIECES OF CARDBOARD LARGE ENOUGH TO
COVER THE COMPLETED PUZZLES
ff
MARKER OR PEN
ff
STOPWATCH, TIMER, OR CLOCK WITH A VIEWABLE
SECOND HAND IN THE ROOM

PREPARATION – Educator does this before

class
PREPARE PUZZLES:
Ideally, there should be one 25-piece puzzle
for every four students.

1. Assemble the puzzle on a piece of cardboard.

2. Once assembled, lay an additional piece of cardboard on top
to sandwich the puzzle, then flip the sandwich so that the
puzzle is upside down.

3. Remove the top piece of cardboard to reveal the back of the

puzzle. Label all the pieces around the puzzle’s edge A and
the pieces closer to the center B. There should be roughly the
same number of pieces labeled A and B.

4. If the puzzle is large, it may be necessary to label the

innermost pieces C.

5. Once the pieces are labeled, disassemble the puzzle and put
the pieces in a container.

6. Repeat for the rest of the puzzles.

NOTES ON SETTING UP THE CHALLENGE:

When building a puzzle, a student will be wearing two pairs
ff
of gloves: the inner pair of gloves should be snug, and the
outer pair should be thick or bulky like ski gloves or adult-
sized gardening gloves. Have at least two sets of gloves
available per four-student crew.
Have hand sanitizer available if students must share gloves.
ff

Choose and label a “home base” and “assembly area” for

ff
each student crew. The farther apart the areas are, the more
exercise the students will get as they run between them.
Assembly areas should have clean, flat surfaces suitable
ff
for puzzle construction.

20 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

 PROCEDURE
1. Group students into four-person crews and ask them to choose
crew names related to space.

2. Give each crew a container of puzzle pieces and tell the crews
to divide the pieces among the crew members, making sure the
letters on pieces in each person’s hand match. For a four-student
crew, two students will have small piles of B pieces and two
students will have small piles of A pieces.

3. Students will assemble the puzzle picture side up,

not letters up.

4. Each crew’s goal is to complete their puzzle before the other

crews do. The activity is structured as a race, so all crews will
begin when the educator starts the timer.

5. The crews start at their home bases. Crew members holding

pieces labeled “A” will go to the assembly area first, so they
should put on their gloves before the timer starts.

6. Start the timer! Crew members with the “A” pieces dash to the
assembly area, assemble their portion of the puzzle (picture side
up), leave the puzzle at the assembly area and dash back to
home base to tag their fellow crew members (and hand off the
gloves if students are sharing gloves). The rest of the crew waits
at home base.

7. Crew members with the “B” pieces put on their gloves, go to the
assembly area, and add their pieces to the puzzle. The rest of the
crew waits at home base.

8. Repeat for students with “C” pieces if applicable. LEARN MORE

FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:
9. The crew isn’t done until the final puzzle assemblers return to
www.spacestationexplorers.
home base! Then the crew members note their team’s time on
org/resources/sse-stem-
the stopwatch or clock and record it in their crew logbooks. kit1/#activity4

10. Discussion: Ask students what it was like to work with the puzzle
pieces wearing those big gloves. Ask crews if they used any
strategies to speed up their work.
 ACTIVITY 5 GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

STORY TIME
SUBJECTS English
Language Arts,
Space Science

FROM SPACE:
PREP TIME < 5 minutes

DURATION Book reading

20 minutes;
discussion 40

Max Goes to the Space Station minutes

OBJECTIVES
Students
ff will view a video of NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins reading Max Goes to the Space
Station onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
If
ff copies of the book are available, students will practice reading comprehension by reading and
discussing Max Goes to the Space Station.
Students
ff will explore space science topics covered in “Big Kid Boxes” on the book’s pages.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS – DISCIPLINARY COMMON CORE STANDARDS
CORE IDEAS & PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
PS2.A: Forces and Motion CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3 (Reading Informational Text for
ff
Grade 4): Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts
3-PS2-2 (Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions for
ff
in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what
Grade 3): Make observations and/or measurements of an
happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be
used to predict future motion. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1, 5.1, 6.1 (Reading Literature for
ff
Grades 4–6): Refer to details and examples in a text when
PS2.B: Types of Interactions
explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
5-PS2-1 (Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions for
ff inferences from the text.
Grade 5): Support an argument that the gravitational force
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6, 5.6, 6.6 (Reading Literature for
ff
exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
Grades 4–6): Discuss how a narrator’s or speaker’s point
of view influences how events are described, and explain
how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or
speaker.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.7, 5.7, 6.7 (Reading Literature for
ff
Grades 4–6): Make connections between the text of a story
or drama and a visual or multimedia presentation of the
text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when
reading the text to what they perceive when they listen or
watch.

22 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

 VOCABULARY Extravehicular Activity (EVA)
ff Orbiting
ff

Cupola
ff Modules
ff

Free fall
ff Weightlessness
ff

BACKGROUND
Through Story Time From Space, anyone can watch covered in the books. Free curricular support materials are
astronauts on the ISS read children’s books and perform being designed to connect the science content with the Next
science demonstrations as the Earth rotates below. Both Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards.
inside and outside the classroom, children and families can
Educator Patricia Tribe and NASA astronaut Alvin Drew started
enjoy watching and reading along with the British, French,
Story Time From Space. Former Canadian astronaut Bjarni
Japanese, and American astronauts who present these stories.
Tryggvason designs the science demonstrations. The ISS
The online library of free videos combines science, literacy,
National Lab supports the program’s research and covers
and entertainment.
flight operations to get the books and demonstration materials
Science Time From Space consists of educational to the ISS.
demonstrations that complement the science concepts

Story Time From Space / NASA

NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins reads Max Goes to

the Space Station for Story Time From Space.
 ACTIVITY 5
MATERIALS

STORY TIME
ff
COMPUTER WITH INTERNET ACCESS
CONNECTED TO AN AUDIOVISUAL SETUP
THAT CAN PLAY VIDEO WITH SOUND

FROM SPACE: ff
ONE OR MORE COPIES OF THE BOOK
MAX GOES TO THE SPACE STATION
Max Goes to the Space Station ff
CREW LOGBOOK

PROCEDURE
1. If copies of the book Max Goes to the Space Station are available, pass them out to students so they can read along with
the video.
2. Play the Story Time From Space video (17 minutes) and enjoy watching NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins read aloud to your
students » storytimefromspace.com/stories/max-goes-to-the-international-space-station/
3. If time allows, explore online resources related to the book’s “Big Kid Boxes.” For example:
Page 12:
�  Explore the ISS and its components » www.spacestationexplorers.org/explore/welcome-to-the-iss
�  Tour the ISS on a computer or mobile device » esamultimedia.esa.int/multimedia/virtual-tour-iss

Page 16:
� See how astronauts sleep, brush their teeth, and even use the bathroom on the ISS (YouTube playlist by Space.com) »
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCE-SVF9BSTe9AhV2g-0TqsYfNHjTzZei
�  An Astronaut’s Guide to Life in Space (YouTube playlist by Rare Earth) »
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPfak9ofGSn9vOEkIz328i4xQQq7e0kjc

Page 17:
�  Spot
the Station – Get alerts on your computer or mobile device when the ISS will be visible overhead in your area »
spotthestation.nasa.gov

Page 19:
�  Science
on Station – See what experiments have been and are currently onboard the ISS »

www.issnationallab.org/research-on-the-iss/areas-of-research

Page 20:
�  Details on the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (grades 5–16) » ssep.ncesse.org

Page 21:
�  Windows
on Earth – Explore this collection of breathtaking photography by ISS astronauts, updated daily »

www.windowsonearth.org

REFLECTION (CREW LOGBOOK ACTIVITY)

Write your own Max science adventure (Grades 3–5)!
Max has now been to the ISS, the moon, Mars, and Jupiter in Big Kid Science books. Where would you like to
send Max next? Choose a destination, and then write and illustrate a story of Max’s adventures.
Your story should be exciting and include an opportunity for Max to be a hero, but remember that he’s a real dog, not a talking
dog. Be sure that your story includes some real science. You could even include your own “Big Kid Boxes” on the pages or add a
question and answer on each page that teaches a science fact or concept.

24 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

 Big Kid Science

EXTENSIONS
READING
Find other videos of astronauts reading children’s books at the Story Time From Space website » www.storytimefromspace.com
Popular examples:
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins reads Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty » storytimefromspace.com/rosie-revere-engineer-2/
ff

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly reads Mousestronaut by Mark Kelly » storytimefromspace.com/mousetronaut-2/

ff

SCIENCE
Elevator Science: An Experiment with Free Fall from
NASA’s Microgravity in the Classroom (Grades 6–8) »
www.nasa.gov/pdf/315956main_Microgravity_in_the_Classroom.pdf
If you can find a tall building with a fast elevator, you can explore the way
weight changes under different conditions by taking a small bathroom scale
into the elevator with you. You’ll need to ride up and down for a while, so be
prepared for some funny looks from others who get on the elevator with you.
Note: This experiment works best if you can take the elevator many floors
without stopping.
Ride the elevator up and down a couple of times.
You should notice six distinct stages in its motion:

1. As it begins to go up, the elevator accelerates, gradually increasing its upward speed.
2. Soon, the elevator settles into a steady (constant speed) upward motion.
3. As it nears the top of its trip, the elevator will slow down until it comes to a stop.
4. When you head back down, at first the elevator will accelerate downward, going faster
and faster until it reaches a steady speed.

5. It will maintain the steady speed for a while.

6. As it nears the bottom of its trip, the elevator will slow down until it comes to a stop. LEARN MORE
Once you can feel the various stages, use a bathroom scale to see what happens to your FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:
weight. During which stages does the scale show you to be heavier than your normal weight?
Which stages show you to be lighter? Which stages show your normal weight? (Hint: Of the six
www.spacestationexplorers.
stages, you should find that you are heavier than normal in two, lighter than normal in two,
org/resources/sse-stem-
and normal in two.)
kit1/#activity5

Based on what you’ve learned, discuss what would happen if the elevator cable were to
break. What would the scale show in that case? How would this demonstrate that free fall
makes you weightless like an astronaut?
 ACTIVITY 6 GRADE 3–8
LEVELS

DESIGN
SUBJECTS Engineering,
Teamwork

PREP TIME < 10 minutes

A SPACE
DURATION 1 class period
(45 minutes)

STATION:
Living and Working in Space

OBJECTIVES
Students
ff will think about what is necessary for a space station to serve as both an orbiting
laboratory and a safe home for astronauts.
Students
ff will use the engineering design process to create and revise space station modules
with the materials provided.
Students
ff will practice teamwork by working in small groups on individual modules and
collaborating as a larger group to assemble the complete space station.

EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS –
DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.5 (English Language Arts for
ff
Grade 8): Integrate multimedia and visual displays into
PS2.B: Types of Interactions
presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and
5-PS2-1. Support an argument that the gravitational force
ff evidence, and add interest.
exerted by Earth on objects is directed down (that is, toward
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 (Mathematical Practice for All
ff
the planet’s center).
Grades): Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
3-5-ETS1-1 (Engineering, Technology, and Applications of
ff
BACKGROUND
Science for Grades 3–5): Define a simple design problem
reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for The International Space Station (ISS) was assembled in low
success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. Earth orbit from 1998 to 2011 out of many pieces built in
different countries. It has 14 pressurized modules plus a truss,
ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions huge solar panels, and two robotic arms. There are two bath-
3-5-ETS1-2 (Engineering, Technology, and Applications of
ff rooms, six sleep stations, areas for exercising and preparing
Science for Grades 3–5): Generate and compare multiple food, and workspaces for maintaining the station’s systems,
possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is doing science experiments, and testing technologies for future
likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. missions to Mars and beyond.

26 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

VOCABULARY Habitat
ff Microgravity
ff

International Space Station (ISS)

ff Module
ff

The Russian space agency Roscosmos contributed several Different textbooks use slightly different names for the steps, but
modules to the ISS: Zarya, Zvezda, Pirs, Poisk, and Rassvet. A one way to describe them is: Imagine, Design, Build, Test, Analyze.
final Russian-built laboratory module called Nauka is expected to
BUILD
launch in 2019 and replace Pirs. The Russian modules travel on
Russian rockets, but the rest of the space station’s modules (with
DESIGN TEST
one exception) were carried in the payload bays of space shuttles.
The European Space Agency contributed several modules, all
built in Italy: Harmony (Node 2), Tranquility (Node 3) and its THE ENGINEERING
IMAGINE ANALYZE
Cupola window, the Columbus laboratory, and the Leonardo DESIGN PROCESS
storage module (a converted resupply vehicle also called the
PMM). The U.S. contributed the Unity module and the Destiny
laboratory. Canada contributed the gigantic Canadarm2 robotic
arm. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency provided the
Kibo laboratory, which comes with a smaller robotic arm called IMAGINE: Identify the problem or challenge. What is
the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System. necessary for a solution to be successful? Knowing these
One module is an exception because it doesn’t come from a criteria for success, brainstorm and discuss possible solutions.
space agency, didn’t travel on a space shuttle, and doesn’t look Think about the constraints that might apply. For example,
like a big metallic cylinder. The Bigelow Expandable Activity are there limits to the size, shape, or weight of the solution,
Module, built by Bigelow Aerospace, was launched in 2016 or the cost of its materials? Which ideas for solutions can be
aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply ship. It’s made of adjusted to fit these constraints?
multiple segments with rigid aluminum frame pieces connected DESIGN: Choose one or more of the possible solutions you
by durable fabric. This lets it fold down to fit in the Dragon think will work well, and create drawings and/or descriptions
vehicle and then expand once it’s installed on the outside of of them. List the materials you’ll need to build them.
the ISS.
BUILD: Gather the materials and build your design(s).
The first crew of ISS astronauts lived there for four months
TEST: Choose a fair and measurable way to test designs.
starting in 2000. Today, the ISS is home to five or six astronauts
To make the tests fair, test all designs under the same
at a time, and each astronaut stays there at least six months.
conditions. To make the tests measurable, think about
This activity is a design challenge. The engineering design process is performance aspects you want to measure, such as whether
a series of steps for solving a problem (addressing a want or need) by the model has proper modules to keep humans alive.
developing possible solutions and testing how well they work within
ANALYZE: Compare the results from the tests and identify the
the existing constraints (such as limited time or materials).
strengths and weaknesses of different designs. How well
does each design meet the criteria for success and
fit within the constraints of the challenge?
Then start the next iteration (repeat
the cycle) by going back to
Imagine: Think about what
you’ve learned from testing
and analyzing your previous
design(s). Can you combine the
strengths of multiple designs into
a new and improved design?

Diagram of the parts of the

International Space Station

NASA
 ACTIVITY 6 MATERIALS

DESIGN
ff
CLEAN, EMPTY 2-LITER BOTTLES
ff
UTILITY KNIFE

A SPACE ff
PACKING TAPE OR DUCT TAPE

STATION:
ff
ALUMINUM FOIL
ff
PIECES OF CARDBOARD OR FOAM CORE

Living & Working in Space ff

SHORT SEGMENTS OF 1/2-INCH PVC PIPE

JOINTS FOR 1/2-INCH PVC PIPE (such as elbow

ff
connectors and 4-way connectors)
MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS (modeling clay, craft foam,
ff
tongue depressors, pipe cleaners, etc.)

Safety Note: Adult supervision and assistance are

required when using a utility knife.

PROCEDURE
Students should work in small teams to create individual modules. The teacher can assign a different
requirement for each team’s module. For example, one module needs a way for astronauts to prepare food,
another needs a way for astronauts to exercise, another needs a system to provide the station’s electricity,
another needs facilities for science experiments. The modules can have additional features as long as they
meet the assigned requirement. After building their modules, teams interconnect them with PVC pipe fittings
and tape.

Imagine and Design

First, identify the problem: Your team needs to make a space station module that meets some assigned
requirement, such as having a way for astronauts to prepare food. Visit www.SpaceStationExplorers.org to learn
about the ISS and watch videos of astronauts. Brainstorm and write your ideas in your crew logbook. What are the
criteria for success in this challenge? What does a space station need to keep humans alive? What do astronauts
need to do essential things like eating, sleeping, exercising, and working in space? Where would your electricity
and water supply come from?

Build
Cut a window in the side of each bottle to access the inside. As you create the interior of your module, you can
use all the materials provided or chose only some of them. If there are extra bottles (including damaged ones
from Stomp Rocket launchers), cut the top portion off of an extra bottle and slide it onto the bottom end of your
module, so your module has connection points at both ends.

Test and Analyze

Pick up and rotate your module. Remember that in microgravity there is no sense of up or down and loose items
can float freely and get lost. Do you need to modify your module for microgravity?

Next Iteration: Imagine, Design, Build, Test, and Analyze—Again

If time allows, make changes to your design so that it fulfills the criteria for success even better than your first design!

28 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

DISCUSSION (CREW LOGBOOK ACTIVITY)
In your crew logbook, sketch what the fully assembled station looks like. Assign
names to the modules with a key at the bottom so that your classmates can
understand your drawing.

DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS AS A GROUP:

1. Which materials were most important in your space station design?
2. What were advantages and disadvantages to designing and building as a team?
3. What did you learn from seeing the others’ creations?
4. After doing this activity, what new questions do you have about the ISS?
Where will you look for the answers?

EXTENSIONS
LEARN MORE
1. How will vehicles containing astronauts or supplies attach to your space station?
Compare your ideas with the ways vehicles connect to the ISS. FIND MORE RESOURCES AT:

2. The ISS uses solar panels to power most of its electricity. But its orbit causes www.spacestationexplorers.
it to spend half of the time in Earth’s shadow. How does the ISS keep its
org/resources/sse-stem-
electricity going during periods when no sunlight reaches the solar panels?
kit1/#activity6
 Dear Educator:
Now that you have explored the basics of the International Space Station’s structure, orbit,
crew, and research, are you ready for more? You and your learners can participate in programs
that give you direct access to the ISS National Laboratory! Most of these programs are available
online for free.

Space Station Explorers is a consortium of organizations that develop unique, authentic

learning experiences for classrooms as well as out-of-school settings. Programs include
opportunities to analyze data from ISS experiments, write code to control facilities onboard the
ISS, and even build and launch experiments to space!

NCESSE Tomatosphere

Visit spacestationexplorers.org for programs

and resources in these areas and more:
Plants in Space: Plant seeds that have flown in space. Set up classroom experiments that parallel real
investigations on the ISS. Compare your ground-based observations with data from space-based experiments
and from other classrooms around the country!

Earth Science: Get a new perspective on hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, glaciers, and other phenomena
through beautiful photos taken by orbiting astronauts. Track the space station’s location and choose targets for
an automated camera to photograph from in orbit. Enjoy live video from Earth-facing cameras.

Robotics: The ISS uses robotic arms to capture satellites, repair and upgrade external facilities, and install
experiments. Write code to operate a real robot onboard the ISS.

Engineering Design: Develop your own experiment for the ISS! In some cases, students upload code to
an onboard lab facility. In other cases, students go through the whole process of designing the experiment,
building it, and submitting it for NASA safety review. Then they attend the rocket launch!

30 SPACE STATION EXPLORERS: WELCOME TO THE ISS

NASA
 SpaceStationExplorers.org

@SpaceStationExplorers @SpaceStnExplore @ISS_CASIS