Project PLANETS (Planetary Education That Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology and Science) of NASA's Science Activation Program, led by Northern Arizona University (NAU), is pleased to announce the official launch of three free after-school time units (OSTs) that give all students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 the opportunity to engage in real planetary science and engineering. These modules are accompanied by detailed teacher guides, videos, and resources.
These three subjects – Space Hazards, Water in Extreme Environments and Remote Sensing – have complementary engineering and science strands that can be taught separately or together. Planetary science experts from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center were involved in all phases of event development, collaborating with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education experts from the Northern Arizona University Center for STEM Teaching and Learning, the Boston Museum of Science and WestEd to ensure the events were educational, engaging and rigorous.
PLANETS has intentionally designed the modules to benefit all students. The curriculum reflects research-based pedagogical strategies, including for multilingual students, indigenous students and students with varying abilities. These modules have been extensively tested in after-school programs across the country and revised based on their feedback to ensure the needs of all students are met. PLANETS provides a practical guide for after-school educators with helpful tips for effectively teaching all students. All sections also include teacher expertise on the subject, as well as videos, as well as lots of helpful tips and links to relevant NASA projects and resources.
“PLANETS is one of the most carefully designed STEM resources I have used outside of school. The hands-on activities are fun, accessible and based on real-world challenges that spark curiosity in every student. What sets it apart is its targeted support for a diverse range of learners and clear, practical guidance for facilitators, making it truly ready for OST educators of all experience levels. If you want to build a STEM identity, teamwork and creative problem solving in your PLANETS program is a must.” ~ Kara Branch, CEO and Founder of Black Girls Do Engineer
In the Space Hazards unit, designed for students in grades 3-5, students play a card game to learn how to protect themselves from various hazards that humans face on Earth and those faced by astronauts and robotic probes in space. The unit's engineering path challenges students to design a space glove that will keep astronauts safe while allowing them to do their jobs.
The block “Water in extreme conditions” is intended for grades 6-8. In the Science Path, students use planetary “water cards” to find out where in our solar system the most water is (hint: it's not Earth!). The engineering track introduces students to freshwater scarcity, both in extreme environments on Earth and for astronauts in space. Students design a filtration system to purify water for reuse.
The engineering course in the remote sensing unit, also designed for grades 6–8, puts students in the shoes of NASA spacecraft engineers developing remote sensing devices to study the surface of planets such as Mars. Science Path then uses real NASA remote sensing data from Mars landing site candidates to select the best site to land the rover on Mars.
All PLANETS materials are available for free on the website: Planets-stem.org. Check them out and give every student the opportunity to see themselves as a scientist and engineer.
PLANETS is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement number NNX16AC53 and is part of NASA's Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real-world content and experiences with community leaders to engage with science in ways that activate minds and promote greater understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.
