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Moon Mining Activity

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An artist's rendering of a an astronaut working on the surface of the Moon. In the background is a lunar terrain vehicle, a pressurized rover, and a lunar lander.

Audience

Educators

Grade Levels

Grades K-4, Grades 5-8

Subject

Earth Science, Space Science, Spanish, Geology, Solar System and Planets, Earth's Moon

Type

Lesson Plans / Activities

This lesson will help your students answer the question:
How can I find and mine valuable resources from a simulated moon surface?
In this lesson, students will
– Gather data by spectroscopically locating the simulated ilmenite.
– Collect simulated ilmenite by mining the simulated lunar surface.
– Gather data by using observations while extracting oxygen from the simulated ilmenite over time.
– Develop a conclusion based upon the results of this simulation.
– Compare individual results to class results to look for patterns.

Moon Mining Activity
For educators [808KB PDF file]  en español
For students [296KB PDF file] en español

The Moon Mining Activity is the lesson that accompanies Why Return to the Moon Before Going to Mars?, one of the topics in the 21st Century Explorer series.

Also in this series:
Those Who Have Come Before Me Activity
Food For Spaceflight Activity
Get a Leg Up Activity
Speed It Up Activity
Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle Activity
What’s Hidden Inside Activity
Let’s Investigate Mars Activity
Cleaning Water Activity
Making Regolith Activity
Ray Shielding Activity
Cool Suits Activity