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Activity
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NASA

Pop! Rocket Launcher

For Teachers K - 8th
How do I build a launcher to launch paper rockets? A teacher reference provides directions in order to build a rocket launcher out of PVC pipe and a two-liter bottle. The plans also contain directions on how to use the launcher. 
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Lesson Plan
1
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NASA

Heavy Lifting

For Teachers K - 8th Standards
Accept NASA's challenge to design heavy lifting vehicles. Groups of three design balloon-powered rockets to carry as much payload to the ceiling as possible. The teams are encouraged to launch several times while making improvements to...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
NASA

3...2...1...Puff!

For Teachers K - 8th Standards
Which will make it fly better? Individuals build paper rockets with fins that are launched using straws. After determining an average flight distance, they make adjustments, such as size and location of fins, and try again. A second...
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Handout
1
1
NASA

What Comes Next

For Students K - 12th
Where is NASA going next with their rockets? A reading provides an overview of the next generation of rockets for space exploration. A full-page diagram gives the reader a scaled perspective of what this rocket may look like, for both...
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Handout
1
1
NASA

A Pictorial History of Rockets

For Students K - 12th
3, 2, 1: Blast off! Take a look at the history of rockets through a camera lens. A set of 41 cards displays more than 2,000 years of rockets, from their use as toys to space flight. 
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Lesson Plan
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NASA

Rocket Races

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
And they are off! Using Styrofoam meat trays and balloons, individuals build racers that demonstrate Newton's Third Law of Motion. Pupils run their racers three times and make improvements between each trial. To conclude the activity,...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Water Rocket Construction

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
What are the basics for building a rocket out of a two-liter bottle? The procedures outline the basics to create an air- and water-powered bottle rocket. Prior to launching the rockets, teams perform safety checks to ensure their designs...
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Activity
1
1
Maryland Department of Education

The Moon Seems to Change: Phases of the Moon

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Use Eric Carle's sweet book, Papa, Please get the Moon for Me to learn about phases of the moon. Young schholars use a moon template calendar to chart moon phases for a month, sing lunar phase chants, and create a delicious visual...
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Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Stars

For Parents 3rd Standards
A Reading Adventure Pack explores the night sky. Reading Her Seven Brothers by Paul Goble and Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey begin the learning experience. Scholars craft a night sky mobile, go stargazing, and write a mythical story...
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Activity
NASA

Missed Messages

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Learners investigate the challenges of space communication with a kinesthetic modeling activity. Group members In space must communicate one word to other members on Earth while overcoming barriers such as distance, gravity, and physical...
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Activity
NASA

Art and the Cosmic Connection

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Solar art inspires! Scholars study planetary geology with an artistic analysis. Pupils view a PowerPoint presentation on the solar system and space exploration and then try their hand at planetary image analysis using art techniques. 
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Activity
NASA

Soda-Straw Rockets

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Launch a great lesson exploring engineering design. Using a template, young scholars create rockets that can be launched from a straw. After analyzing the function of the rocket, pupils try to modify the rocket to enhance its function.
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Activity
NASA

Measuring Solar Energy During an Eclipse

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
Don't leave your classes in the dark! An inquiry-based lesson has young researchers analyze the light intensity before, during, and after a solar eclipse. They use their data to make inferences about the solar energy available during...
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Activity
NASA

Comet on a Stick

For Teachers 2nd - 8th Standards
Since you can't go to the comet, bring the comet to you. Young scientists build models of comets using everyday materials and then participate in a simulation of the interaction between the comet and other bodies in the solar system....
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Activity
NASA

Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a Volcano

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Looking for an out-of-this-world volcanic activity? Geologists study Earth's volcanic history and the neighboring planet Mars by modeling volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and building a shield volcano. Participants use graph paper and...
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Activity
NASA

How to Do a Science Fair Project

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Build problem-solving skills with science! Step-by-step videos walk investigators through each stage of completing a science fair project. Scientists learn to formulate a testable question, design an experiment, collect data, draw...
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Activity
NASA

Water Filtration Challenge

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Can the class think like the scientists on the International Space Station? Engineers design, test, collect data, and improve a water filtration device similar to a system found on the ISS. Participants use pH strips, optional...
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Activity
NASA

Build a Satellite

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Shake, rattle, and explore space with satellites. Engineers learn how satellites work before designing, building, and testing their own models. Groups engage in quality assurance reviews with colleagues to improve their designs, and the...
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Activity
NASA

Feel the Heat

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Heat water up like a NASA engineer. Using the engineering design process, investigators create a system to trap and move heat through a water-filled tube. Designers participate in a post-activity discussion that highlights the role of...
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Activity
NASA

Marsbound! Mission to the Red Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Changing one aspect of a mission impacts all the others. Learners consider a list of criteria as they develop their own science questions related to Mars and design a solution while considering all the important systems: computer,...
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Activity
NASA

What Tools Would You Take to Mars?

For Teachers K - 2nd Standards
Having the right tool for the job is a must. Young space explorers design their own missions to Mars by deciding what they would like to learn about the planet. At the end, they draw and write about the tools they need to accomplish...
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Activity
NASA

Exploring the Colors of Mars

For Teachers 2nd - 5th Standards
Minerals on Mars are not that different than those on Earth. Using mineralogy concepts and satellite images, individuals use color to highlight the different surface minerals on Mars when creating a model of the planet. They enhance...
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Activity
NASA

Explore Mars With Scratch

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Learn what it takes to explore Mars in the comfort of a classroom. Individuals experiment with computer programming using a free online resource while learning about the factors affecting Mars Rover explorations. They create a...
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Activity
NASA

Code a Mars Sample Collection Video Game

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Video game designer meets science in a lesson examining the science of space exploration. Young learners use online software to create a video game that mimics the process of sample collection on Mars. They must make appropriate...