Multimedia Resources and Lesson Plan for Elementary, Middle and High School Students. Includes discussion questions and learning outcomes.
World Space Week is celebrated each year between October 4th and 10th. The UN declared this observance in 1999, as an "international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition."
Two historical events open and close World Space Week:
*October 4, 1957 - The launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1
*October 10, 1967 - The signing of the Outer Space Treaty of international space law
Stories
Read the following stories about inspiring women from different parts of the world who overcame obstacles and became astronauts.
How did each of these women demonstrate grit and determination? What other character traits do they share?
A story about Mae Jamison with translation to French and a story about Ellen Ochoa with a translation to Spanish.
Story translated into Spanish
Artwork
Mae Jemison was the first African American woman to travel in space.
Mariana celebrates Valentina, the first woman in space.
Additional Multimedia Resources
Students watch Bella Gaia and discuss how the film demonstrates the relationship between humans and our ecosystem.
(Please note that if students view on their own device, they are able to get a 360 degree view.)
BELLA GAIA is an unprecedented NASA-powered immersive experience that communicates without words.
Valentina Mindoljevic is a physics teacher in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina who challenges and inspires her students.
Students watch this film about Valentina Mindoljevic, a physics teacher in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina who inspires her students.
Has a teacher inspired you?
Share their story with MY HERO through written stories or film.
After reading the stories about John Glenn, Guion S. Bluford Jr. Chris Hadfield, and Yuri Gagarin, students are encouraged to research other space pioneers and share their stories with MY HERO.
Guion S. Bluford Jr. was the first African American in space, and the second person of African ancestry.
John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
Listen and Read Along
This story about Yuri Gagarin is available in text with audio, so students can listen as they read. Great for ESL/ELL students and emerging readers.
Space Stories and Art for Young Readers - by Young Readers
Mae Jemison was the first African American woman to travel in space.
Use the story about Mae Jemison, written by younger elementary students, as a model for a class activity integrating writing skills and art.
Project Ideas:
Individually, students create an illustration about their hero and write a few sentences.
Collaboratively, students work together to illustrate parts of a common hero's life with accompanying text.
Submit students' projects to MY HERO.
Sally Ride was the first woman to travel in space.
The story about Sally Ride was written by an upper elementary student.
Project Idea: Students write a story about their space hero, using sentence and paragraph structure appropriate to their grade level. Students create an illustration of their hero to accompany the story, and submit their project to MY HERO.
This story about Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian astronaut to take over as Commander on the International Space Station, was written by a 5th grade student.
Following Art and Activities are Appropriate for All Grade Levels
Students analyze the following pieces of visual art.
Students create original artwork representing their space hero to submit to MY HERO. Teachers may assign a medium to integrate in the curriculum or allow students to chose their own.
American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who was the first person to walk on the moon
John Glenn was an aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician.
Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin inspires this student.
This student chose Chris Hadfield because he is an astronaut and the student really likes space.
Learning Outcomes
Students will develop critical thinking skills as they compare written word, film and art. Students will develop research skills as they explore heroes making advancements in space exploration.
Outstanding essays submitted to MY HERO will be considered for a certificate/t-shirt prize or be featured on the Story Homepage.
Submit your artwork to be entered in the MY HERO art contest or to be exhibited on our Gallery Homepage.
|
|
The World Space Week lesson plan was created by MY HERO Education Outreach Director Laura Nietzer. |
MY HERO Calendars for use in the Classroom
MY HERO's Teachers Calendar Features Lesson Plans and Multimedia Resources
Learn about a New Hero Every Day of the Year: Use the MY HERO Calendar in the Classroom
Additional Resources: NASA Photos and Posters Illustrate the Beauty in Space
Photo of astronaut in space
An amazing image of a Galaxy
A Nebula photographed in space
Neptune beautifully captured and recorded
The abstract beauty of Jupiter's surface photographed
NASA Celebrates 40 years of voyager exploration.
NASA celebrates 40 years of the Voyager Space exploration program.
NASA celebrates 40 years of Voyager Program with free posters.
Organizer created on 9/5/2019 1:42:09 PM by Laura Nietzer
Last edited 9/14/2023 3:36:37 PM by Laura Nietzer
