Pre- and Post-Launch Activities
Nebraska 4-H is proud to host Launching Nebraska-nauts, an in-flight educational downlink connecting students across Nebraska to astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The in-person experience will be held in Grand Island on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 and will include learning opportunities, guest speakers, and exhibits for participants to interact with. Satellite sites will also be selected across the state, where students and educators may also join in person. Students of all ages and classes of all grade levels are invited to participate. Educators are encouraged to utilize the pre- and post-event lessons and activities with students who will be engaged in the in-flight downlink experience.
| Grades | Activity | Description | Resouces |
|---|---|---|---|
| PreK - 2nd | Storytime from Space: Rosie Revere Engineer |
Integrate literacy with STEM! Watch a video of an astronaut aboard the ISS reading the children's book, Rosie Revere, Engineer. Then, challenge students to a related engineering activity such as changing the blades on Rosie's copter to make it fall as slow as possible. |
Storytime from Space: Rosie Revere, Engineer Video "Rosie Revere, Engineer" by Andrea Beaty Rosie Revere, Engineer Additional Activities & Resources Think-Tac-Toe Activity |
| PreK - 8th | Solar Eclipse Series | Eleven Solar Eclipse lessons and resources which teach youth basics of gravity as it relates to plant growth, what a solar eclipse is, and careers related to aerospace | |
| PreK - 12th | Expeditionary Skills for Life - Engineering | NASA teamwork activities for all grade levels. Youth will identify ways to effectively communicate with members of a team, recognize there are many different solutions to solving problems and define teamwork. |
Elementary Lesson Plans: Middle School Lesson Plans: High School Lesson Plans: |
| 2nd - 5th | Storytime from Space: If I were an Astronaut |
Integrate literacy with STEM! Watch a video of an astronaut aboard the ISS reading the children's book, If I were an Astronaut. Then, challenge students to a related engineering activity such as creating a robotic arm or designing a way to keep food from floating away and create the design. |
Storytime from Space: If I were an Astronaut Video "If I were an Astronaut" by Eric Braun |
| 3rd - 8th | Storytime from Space: Max Goes to the International Space Station |
Integrate literacy with STEM! Watch a video of an astronaut aboard the ISS reading the children's book, Max Goes to the International Space Station. Then, challenge students to a related engineering activity such as designing a space station or creating a rocket. |
Storytime from Space: Max Goes to the International Space Station Video "Max Goes to the International Space Station" by Jeffrey Bennett Space Station Explorers Kit (lessons 5 and 6) |
| 3rd - 8th | Mars Base Camp |
Developed by Google and Virginia Cooperative Extension and featured as the 2020 4-H STEM Challenge, Mars Base Camp explores sending a mission to Mars. Youth explore mechanical engineering, physics, computer science, and agriculture. |
Mars Base Camp Information & Resources |
| 3rd - 8th | Galactic Quest | Designed by Clemson University and featured as the 2021 4-H STEM Challenge, Galactic Quest focuses on the mysteries and adventures of space exploration. Youth will explore the history of humans in space, the technology and resources needed for missions, and the obstacles humans encounter in orbit. Activities explore important STEM topics ranging from physics and engineering to computer science and space agriculture. | Galactic Quest Information & Resources |
| 3rd - 8th | A Beautiful Planet | The ISS National Laboratory's "A Beautiful Planet" resource guide and supplemental activities are inspired by the IMAX film "A Beautiful Planet." The materials will enhance students' understanding of the Earth, the importance of the ISS, and the work that's being done to conserve our planet and its resources. | |
| 3rd - 8th | Space Station Explorers Kit | The ISS National Laboratory's Space Station Explorers Kit includes six hands-on activities designed for both traditional classroom settings and nontraditional learning environments, such as afterschool programs, camps, and museums. The Kit requires only low-cost supplies and is aligned with national education standards for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. | Space Station Explorers Kit |
| 3rd - 12th | Junk Drawer Robotics |
National 4-H's Junk Drawer Robotics curriculum emphasizes different aspects of robotics while students build their own robots and develop robot knowledge and skills.
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Junk Drawer Robotics Information & Resources |
| 3rd - 12th | Understanding Microgravity | These experiments by DreamUp encourage youth to think critically as they learn how microgravity works. | |
| 4th - 8th | Drone Discovery | Developed by Cornell University Cooperative Extension and featured for the 2016 4-H National Youth Science Day, Drone Discovery explores the science behind drones and how they are being used to solve real-world problems through hands-on engineering design challenges. Students learn everything from flight dynamics and aircraft types, to safety and regulations, to remote sensing and flight control. | 4-H NYSD 2016: Drone Discovery Information & Resources |
| 5th - 8th | Storytime from Space: Notable Notebooks |
Integrate literacy and writing with STEM! Watch a video of an astronaut aboard the ISS reading the children's book, Notable Notebooks. Then, choose a project and create an engineering notebook documenting project design and engineering design process, research one of the scientists in the book and keep a notebook on the research, or keep a nature journal. |
Storytime from Space: Notable Notebooks Video "Notable Notebooks" by Jessica Fries-Gaither |
| 5th - 12th | International Toys in Space |
NASA's International Toys in Space curriculum allows students to play the roles of engineers and scientists as they examine the characteristics of toys and games in the classroom and compare the results with the behavior of the same toys in space. |
International Toys in Space Guide International Toys in Space Additional Information & Resources |
| 9th - 12th | Mission to ISS |
Ten activities from NASA that take students on the simulated mission to the ISS. Self-guided and work independently or in teams. |
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| 10th - 12th | Math & Science @ Work | NASA's Math & Science @ Work is designed to engage and educate advanced high school students and provides challenging supplemental problems based on space exploration topics. Problems are available for Calculus, Statistics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, U.S. History, and Human Geography. | |
| 10th - 12th | Exploring Space through Math | NASA's Exploring Space through Math is design to engage, educate, and inspire mathematics students and promotes inquiry through real-world applications. Problems are available for Algebra, Geometry, and Precalculus. |
