NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The information in this document was accurate as of the original publication date.

Audience: Educators
Grades: 6-8 and Informal
Product Number: EG-2008-09-129-MSFC
Product Number: EP-2008-09-136-MSFC


The Lunar Nautics Educator Guide has 40 activities. Students assume roles of workers at Lunar Nautics Space Systems, Inc., a fictional aerospace company specializing in mission management, lunar habitat and exploration design, and scientific research.

This guide features lessons that address the basics of Newton's Laws of Motion, rocket design, microgravity, and the moon. Students will design, test and analyze a model lunar lander, a robot, and a soda bottle rocket. Other activities include building edible models of spacecraft and a solar oven to cook hot dogs. Students can also build a microgravity sled as part of an underwater activity.

Educators can use this guide in a variety of settings or formats, such as week-long day camps, after-school programs, a classroom unit or as supporting curriculum.

The Student Employment Handbook supplements the Lunar Nautics Educator Guide. The handbook contains the student sheets that accompany the lessons and activities in the educator guide.

Lunar Nautics Educator Guide [4MB PDF file]
Lunar Nautics Student Employment Handbook [3MB PDF file]

The Lunar Nautics CD-ROM contains the software, templates, games and documents for the unit. The CD-ROM is available from the Central Operation of Resources for Educators, or CORE  →.

On Oct. 27, 2008, education curriculum specialist Paula Rodney presented a webcast highlighting many of the activities included in the Lunar Nautics Education Guide. This webcast has been archived and is available at the following link:
http://msvictor3.msfc.nasa.gov/STREAMING/ACCORDENT/ERC/102708/rnh.htm  →

For learners who are visually impaired and/or hearing impaired, the Lunar Nautics Toolkit includes reusable manipulatives for the activities on the Lunar Nautics CD-ROM. The kit is available from the Central Operation of Resources for Educators, or CORE  →.


This product is available for printing through
OfficeMax Print on Demand Services  →.