Teach the Challenge
Choose from three ways to participate in the challenge:
1. Design, Build and Evaluate a Chamber
2. Design and Evaluate a Chamber
3. Evaluate a Chamber
Educator guides for Numbers 1 and 2 are available by selecting the appropriate grade levels. There is no guide for Number 3: Evaluate a Chamber.
 | Moon Munchies Educator Guide + View K-4 guide |
 | Packing Up for the Moon Educator Guide + View 5-8 guide |
 | Lunar Plant Growth Chamber Educator Guide + View 9-12 guide |
Descriptions of three ways to participate in the challenge:
1. Design, Build and Evaluate a Chamber -- In this unit, students participate in the engineering design process, where they will build and evaluate a lunar plant growth chamber of their own design. The engineering design challenge contains guidelines for teacher preparation, materials lists, guidelines for classroom safety and conduct, student and teacher resources, required student knowledge and skills, and assessments. All of the lessons are detailed with suggestions for successful student engagement and exploration, teacher explanations, extension activities to ensure successful understanding, evaluation of student learning, and enrichment.
Lesson Titles
Grades K-4:
1. Natural Resources on Earth
2. Exploring the Moon
3. Providing Light for Your Plants
4. Watering Your Plants
5. Designing the Plant Growth Chamber
6. Building a Lunar Plant Growth Chamber
Grades 5-8:
1. Identifying Criteria and Constraints
2. Let's Design
3. Turning Designs Into Reality
Grades 9-12:
1. Introduction to STS-118 Mission and the Design Challenge
2. Choosing Plant Species
3. Designing the Plant Growth Chamber
4. Building the Plant Growth Chamber
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2. Design and Evaluate a Chamber -- In this unit, students engage in the initial steps of the engineering design process. However, this unit does not contain guidelines for building a plant growth chamber. The unit contains guidelines for teacher preparation, materials lists, guidelines for classroom safety and conduct, student and teacher resources, required student knowledge and skills, and assessments. All of the lessons are detailed with suggestions for successful student engagement and exploration, teacher explanations, extension activities to ensure successful understanding, evaluation of student learning, and enrichment.
Lesson Titles
Grades K-4:
1. Natural Resources on Earth
2. Exploring the Moon
3. Designing the Plant Growth Chamber
Grades 5-8:
1. Identifying Criteria and Constraints
2. Let's Design
3. Developing and Sharing the Design
Grades 9-12:
1. Introduction to STS-118 Mission and the Design Challenge
2. Choosing Plant Species
3. Designing the Plant Growth Chamber
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3. Evaluate a Chamber -- Students will evaluate a lunar plant growth chamber that was not built based on the guidelines in Numbers 1 or 2. Educators who prefer not to build a chamber, but who want to participate in the challenge may choose this option. Plant growth chambers are available from a variety of supply companies.