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Imagine. Students not only plot a course from Earth to Mars, they fly it. They travel to Pluto and back, marveling at the vastness of the empty space between the planets. Using ordinary classroom materials, they construct model spacecraft. They witness first-hand how the right environment leads to life and without a second thought, they gain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills.

In this section, developed specifically for educators, you will find special information to help you educate and inspire the next generation of explorers.

History

On January 28, 1986, the crew of STS-51-L set out on their mission to learn more about the world around us and expand the horizons of countless students. Challenger Center for Space Science Education continues that mission every day, teaching lessons not about the past, but about the future. Learn more about our beginnings and the mission that started it all.

Programs

From searching for life in the Universe to making a scale model Solar System, our programs are designed to take your classroom out of this world. Learn more about these exciting ways to help your students reach for the stars.

Teachable Moments in the News -via the Communicator

From the pressroom to the classroom! Teachers, you can use exciting current events in space science as a launch pad for new lessons. Take a look at the newest issue of the Communicator.

Additional Training Materials

Lesson Title	Program (or sub-program)	Grades
A Day in Space	Mission Preparation	3-8	X			X
A New Slant on the Seasons	Encounter Earth	3-6	X
A Scale Model Solar System	Solar System	9-12	X			X
A View of Home From the Front Door and From Space	Elementary Science	PreK-2	X
Acids and Bases	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Aerogel	Rendezvous with a Comet	4-8	X	X
Air Pressure	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Amazing Race: Navigating using a compass	Mission Preparation	5-7				X
An Eye for Details	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Angle Practice	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Animal Homes	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Antarctic Survival!	Space Exploration	5-7	X
Apollo 11 Cryptograph	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Astronomy Lenses, Literary Lenses	Astronomy	9-12	X
Basic Life Support System	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Be a Reporter	Space Exploration	3-5	X
Bioregenerative Life Support System Unit	Mission Preparation	5-9	X	X	X
Biosphere	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Build A Hydroponics Garden	Encounter Earth	5-8	X		X
Build a Space Shuttle Cockpit	Space Exploration	7-8	X		X
Build an Astronaut Base - Mars	Voyage to Mars	7-9	X		X	X
Build an Astronaut Base - Micronauts	Return to the Moon	3-4	X		X
Build an Astronaut Base - Moon	Return to the Moon	7-9	X		X	X
Building a Lunar Settlement	Return to the Moon	5-12	X
Building for Earthquakes	Elementary Science	PreK-4	X		X
Building the International Space Station	Space Exploration	9-12	X
Careers in Space	Mission Preparation	6-9	X
Carl Sagan Cryptograph	Astronomy	5-8	X
Catapulted Payloads from the Moon to Mars and Other Uses of Catapults in Space	Space Exploration	5-8	X	X	X	X
Catch Some Air: Build a Plane	Space Exploration	5-7			X
Causes and Effects of El Nino	Encounter Earth	9-12	X	X
Celestial Review	Solar System	7-8	X			X
Challenger 51L Crew Sudoku	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Choose a Lunar Landing Site	Return to the Moon	7-9	X
Choose a Martian Landing Site	Voyage to Mars	7-8	X
Choose Your Words Wisely	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Classifying Pebbles	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Clean Water	Mission Preparation	4-6	X
Cloud Observations Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Comet Modeling	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X
Comet Pre-activity Web	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Cometary Orbits	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Communication	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Communications 101	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Comparative Geomorphology of Earth and Mars	Voyage to Mars	8-12	X
Composition of the Earth	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Conducting Interviews	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Constellations	Astronomy	3-6	X			X
Cookin' Up a Comet	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Cooler in the Shadows	Elementary Science	PreK-1	X	X
Cooling with Sunshades	Space Exploration	9-12	X	X	X	X
Countdown	Space Exploration	5-6	X
Create an Alphabet to Communicate	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Create an Electric Circuit	Elementary Science	K-2	X		X
Dangers of Radiation Exposure	Space Exploration	9-12	X	X		X
Density Investigation	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Describing Meteorites	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X
Design Challenge: How do you prevent things from getting too hot?	Elementary Science	2-4	X	X	X
Design Challenge: How to Keep Gelatin from Melting?	Space Exploration	5-8	X	X	X
Design Challenge: What Will Keep My Lunchbox Cool?	Space Exploration	PreK-1	X	X	X
Design, Build and Fly Straw Rockets Unit	Space Exploration	5-10	X	X		X
Designer Wheels: Rovers	Voyage to Mars	4-8	X		X
Designing a Scale Model of the Solar System	Solar System	3-4	X		X
Destroy the Comet!	Rendezvous with a Comet	6-8	X
Dinosaur Eggs	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Disaster! Ground Zero at Watubu!	Encounter Earth	6-8	X
Discover the Moon! (Trivia)	Return to the Moon	5-8	X		X
Disorientation on the Moon	Return to the Moon	7-8	X
Distance to the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Earth Clocks and Viewing the Planets	Solar System	9-12	X		X	X
Earth from Space	Elementary Science	PreK-4	X
Earth Museum	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X	X
Earth Pre-activity Thinking Web	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Earth Science Jeopardy	Encounter Earth	6-6	X
Earth Systems Modeling	Encounter Earth	8-12	X	X
Earth vs. Other Worlds	Solar System	5-8	X	X
Earth Watch	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Earth's Crust, Mantle & Core	Elementary Science	K-4	X
Earth's Layers	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Earth's Systems	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Eclipse: Similar Triangles in Space	Solar System	6-8	X			X
Edible Comet	Rendezvous with a Comet	4-5	X
Electric Maze	Mission Preparation	5-12				X
Electromagnetic Spectrum	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Energy and Color	Astronomy	5-8	X
Energy, Power, and Photovoltaics Unit	Return to the Moon	5-9	X	X	X
Erosion	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Erosion Unit: Go With the Flow	Encounter Earth	4-5	X
Establishing Priorities	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Ethics of Exploration	Space Exploration	9-12	X
EVA Pencils (for Space Walking)	Space Exploration	3-8	X		X
Exploration Yesterday & Today	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X
Explore Bigger Neighborhoods	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X
Exploring Gravity	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Exploring the Neighborhood of the Solar System	Solar System	5-8	X			X
Famous Comets	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X
Flat Stanley Scientists	Elementary Science	2-4	X
Food Detectives	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X
Force and Motion	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Framing the Stars	Astronomy	PreK-5	X
Gravity Well	Solar System	5-12				X
Growing Plants Unit	Space Exploration	3-6	X	X
Habitable Zones	Astronomy	8-12	X	X		X
Hairy Humidity	Mission Preparation	5-8	X	X
HazMat Control, Reinforcing Communication and Teamwork Skills	Mission Preparation	5-8	X	X
History of Human Spaceflight Timeline	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Houston, We Have an Air Filter Problem!	Mission Preparation	5-8	X	X	X
How do Shape, Size, and Distance among objects affect the way we interpret things?	Solar System	7-8	X	X
How Do We Explore Strange Environments?	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X		X
How do we track the space station’s location?	Space Exploration	5-12	X	X	X	X
How do you know that the Earth goes around the Sun?	Solar System	5-8	X
How do you know that the Earth is round?	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
How do you know the Temperature of Stars?	Astronomy	5-8	X
How do you know where Black Holes are located?	Astronomy	5-8	X			X
How Far Is Far?	Return to the Moon	5-8	X			X
How Far is Hubble?	Astronomy	4-6	X
How High is Space?	Space Exploration	5-9	X
How long, how far?	Solar System	5-8	X			X
How Old is the Earth?	Encounter Earth	9-12	X			X
How to Launch 375 Elephants into Space Unit	Space Exploration	6-6	X
How were the greatest achievement and worst atrocity of the 20th century related?	Space Exploration	7-8	X
Hubble Space Telescope	Astronomy	5-8	X	X	X
Human Body: Space Probe	Mission Preparation	5-8	X		X
Human Solar System	Solar System	7-8	X
Hurricanes	Encounter Earth	5-8	X			X
Hydroponics	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X			X
Hygrometer Emergency 101	Mission Preparation	5-6	X	X
Investigating Falling Particles	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Jet Boy Cartesian Coordinates	Mission Preparation	5-8				X
John Glenn Cryptograph	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Journey through the Solar System: The Inner Planets (Unit)	Solar System	3-4	X
Journey through the Solar System: The Outer Planets (Unit)	Solar System	3-4	X
Keyboard (Type) Without Looking	Mission Preparation	5-8		X
Launch the Comet Probe	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Launch the Probe! - Mars	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X	X	X	X
Layers of the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Let's Learn Vocabulary Unit	Return to the Moon	5-6	X
Let's Plant a Seed	Encounter Earth	3-6	X
Living in Space Unit	Space Exploration	7-9	X	X	X	X
Living Space	Space Exploration	5-8	X			X
Logic Puzzles	Mission Preparation	5-7				X
LOST	Space Exploration	6-8	X	X		X
Lost Satellite Probability	Space Exploration	5-8	X			X
Lunar Craters	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Lunar Geology	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Lunar Landforms and Contour Lines	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Lunar Law	Return to the Moon	8-9	X
Lunar Mathematical Inequalities	Return to the Moon	7-9	X			X
Lunar Real Estate	Return to the Moon	7-8	X
Lunar Revealed It Game	Return to the Moon	5-6	X	X
Lunar Rover: Potential Energy	Return to the Moon	4-6			X
M&M Moon Mining	Return to the Moon	5-6	X			X
Magnets Make it Stick!	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Make A Constellation	Astronomy	3-4	X
Make a Constellation - Micronauts	Astronomy	3-4	X
Making Models to Understand Our Home	Elementary Science	PreK-2	X		X
Map Pizzas and Cookies	Elementary Science	2-5	X
Mars Geologic Mapping	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Mars Jeopardy	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Mars Mania	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Mars Mapping Unit	Voyage to Mars	6-8	X			X
Mars Movie Soundtrack	Voyage to Mars	8-9	X	X
Mars Pre-activity Thinking Web	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Mars Probe Mission Schedule Activity	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X	X	X	X
Mars Probe Unit	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X	X	X	X
Materials Testing	Mission Preparation	8-9	X	X
Me and My Shadow	Elementary Science	PreK-5	X
Messaging Through the Solar System	Space Exploration	7-8	X	X
Mining the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-8	X	X		X
Mission Meals	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X			X
Mission Survival	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Mission to Mars Unit	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X	X	X	X
Modeling Patterns & Cycles in Our Lives	Encounter Earth	3-4	X
Moon Maneuvers	Return to the Moon	5-8	X			X
Moon Memory “Moonemory” Game	Return to the Moon	5-6	X
Moon Phases	Return to the Moon	5-8	X			X
Moon Pre-activity Thinking Web	Return to the Moon	5-8	X
Moon/Mars Fashion Accessories	Space Exploration	7-8	X	X	X
Moon's Crust, Mantle and Core	Return to the Moon	5-8	X		X
My Angle on Cooling: Effect of Distance and Inclination	Space Exploration	5-8	X	X
My Hometown	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X
Mystery Profile	Astronomy	3-5	X
Nanocritters	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
NASA Spinoffs	Space Exploration	5-6	X	X	X
Navigating a Spacecraft	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X			X
Newton's Laws Inquiry	Astronomy	5-8	X
Observe the Spectrum in a Bubble	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Observing the Moon	Return to the Moon	K-12	X
Oceans Zones and Life	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Our Moon, the Great Reflector Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Our Solar System	Solar System	5-8	X
Paper Airplane Activity	Mission Preparation	5-12	X
Particle Collection	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-8	X			X
Pattern Play	Space Exploration	PreK-2	X			X
Patterns in Nature Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Payload Rocket	Space Exploration	5-8	X		X
Planet Mythology	Astronomy	4-8	X
Planetarium in a Box	Astronomy	5-8	X
Planetary Equations	Voyage to Mars	7-9	X			X
Planet-Go-Round: Planetary Motion	Elementary Science	3-4	X
Plants in Space	Space Exploration	K-12	X	X	X	X
Plate Tectonics	Encounter Earth	5-8	X			X
Plate Tectonics: Movin’ and Shakin’	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Playing with Food	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Plotting a Course on Mars	Voyage to Mars	6-8	X
Preparing for Working in Space	Mission Preparation	5-8	X	X	X
Press Conference	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Press Team: Creating a Mission Soundtrack	Mission Preparation	7-9	X	X
Primary and Secondary Colors Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Protecting Mars Habitats from Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation	Voyage to Mars	7-9	X	X	X
Puffy Heads	Mission Preparation	4-6	X
Pulse and Blood Pressure	Mission Preparation	5-8	X			X
Radiation Exposure	Space Exploration	9-12	X	X		X
Reaction Time	Mission Preparation	3-5	X
Reaction Time: Quick as a Wink	Mission Preparation	3-8	X			X
Reading Equipment with Scales	Mission Preparation	5-8	X			X
Reading Phrases	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Rock Groups	Return to the Moon	4-6	X
Rockin' and Rollin' in the Geosphere Unit	Encounter Earth	7-8	X
Rocks and Soil Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Rocky Dimensions and Volume	Return to the Moon	4-6	X			X
Rover Navigation	Voyage to Mars	3-4	X	X
Rover Tracking on Mars	Voyage to Mars	6-8	X		X
Saturn V Coordinates	Space Exploration	5-8	X			X
Save the Satellite!	Space Exploration	5-6	X	X	X
Science Lab Unit: Equipment, Data and Experiments	Mission Preparation	6-8	X	X
Searching for Signs of Life	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Seasons and Weather	Elementary Science	2-3	X
Sending Messages to Space	Astronomy	9-12	X			X
Sensing Energy	Elementary Science	2-4	X	X
Sensing the Invisible: The Herschel Experiment	Solar System	5-8	X	X
Settling the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-12	X
Simple Machines Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X	X	X
Sink or Float	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Size Relationship Between the Earth and the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-6	X			X
Sleep and Space	Space Exploration	5-8	X
Smile, You're on ISS Camera!	Encounter Earth	6-8	X
Snow Goggles and Limiting Sunlight	Space Exploration	5-8	X	X	X	X
Soil, Water, and Plants	Elementary Science	PreK-4	X
Solar Arrays for the Space Station	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X			X
Solar Cooker	Space Exploration	5-6	X	X
Solar Flares	Solar System	5-8	X
Solar System Bulletin Board	Solar System	3-4	X
Solar System Distance	Solar System	PreK-8	X			X
Solar System Grand Prix: A Scale Modeling and Engineering Activity	Space Exploration	5-8	X	X	X
Solar System Hoppers	Solar System	5-8	X			X
Solar System Race	Solar System	5-8	X
Solar System Scaling	Solar System	5-8	X
Solar Tower: Design a Tall Structure	Space Exploration	5-7	X	X	X
Solids, Liquids, Gases Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Sounds All Around	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Space Foods Unit	Space Exploration	1-8	X	X
Space Movie Bloopers	Space Exploration	7-8	X	X
Space Science Jeopardy	Space Exploration	6-8	X	X
Space Shuttle Coordinates	Space Exploration	5-8	X			X
Space Shuttle Model	Space Exploration	K-4	X
Space Suit Gloves	Space Exploration	2-4	X		X
Space Tools	Space Exploration	2-4	X
Space Weather Radiation and Astronaut Health Unit	Space Exploration	8-10	X	X	X
Spacecraft Bumper Sticker	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Spacesuit Design	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
Star Bright: Constellations	Elementary Science	PreK-2	X
Star Color and Magnitude	Astronomy	3-5	X			X
Star Power! Discovering the Power of Sunlight	Solar System	9-12	X	X	X	X
Staying Cool: How do you keep things from getting too hot?	Elementary Science	2-4	X	X	X
Sun and Seasons Unit	Elementary Science	PreK-2	X
Sunday Afternoon in Space	Space Exploration	7-8	X	X
Sunspots	Solar System	K-12	X	X	X
Take Cover! Dust Storm on Mars!	Voyage to Mars	6-8	X			X
Taking a Voyage Away from Home	Elementary Science	PreK-2	X
Telescope Tech	Astronomy	3-6	X	X
The 5 W's	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
The Blue Planet	Elementary Science	PreK-4	X			X
The Drake Equation	Astronomy	9-12	X			X
The Electromagnetic Spectrum	Astronomy	5-8	X
The Irony of Rust	Encounter Earth	9-12	X
The Meaning of Life	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X
The Universe	Astronomy	3-4	X
The Voyage Scale Model Solar System	Solar System	9-12	X	X		X
There's More to Light than Meets the Eye	Space Exploration	PreK-4	X	X
Timeline: History of Space Exploration	Space Exploration	3-8	X
To the Moon, Mars & Beyond	Space Exploration	5-8	X			X
Training to Work in Space	Mission Preparation	3-5	X
Understanding and Calculating Density	Voyage to Mars	5-8	X			X
Using Energy Wisely	Elementary Science	K-2	X	X	X
Using Filters to Explore Light	Mission Preparation	5-8	X
Using Lunar Photos to Identify Geologic Features	Return to the Moon	5-8	X	X
UV Detectives	Astronomy	5-6	X
Viewing Planets from Earth	Solar System	7-9	X
Voyage of Discovery	Solar System	5-8	X		X
Voyage Through the Solar System	Solar System	3-4	X		X
Watch Out!	Rendezvous with a Comet	5-6	X
Water Cycle	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Water Cycle Unit	Elementary Science	K-2	X
Water on the Moon	Return to the Moon	5-8	X			X
Water Resources	Encounter Earth	5-8	X
Water Supply	Space Exploration	4-5	X
Water Supply for Space Travel	Space Exploration	5-9	X		X
Weather Watch	Encounter Earth	4-6	X
Weather: It Works or Not	Encounter Earth	5-8	X		X
Weightlessness	Space Exploration	5-8	X
What are you saying?	Mission Preparation	5-8	X	X	X
What Effect Does Gravity have on Plants?	Space Exploration	5-8	X
What is an Explorer?	Space Exploration	5-8	X
What is Necessary for Life?	Encounter Earth	9-12	X
What is Soil?	Encounter Earth	K-12	X
Where in the Solar System	Elementary Science	PreK-4	X
Where on the Moon is...? Game	Return to the Moon	6-9	X	X
X & Y Coordinates	Mission Preparation	5-8	X			X
Your Weight in Space	Elementary Science	2-4	X