G5-6 Text Set: Space Exploration

November 5, 2016

FAMOUS FIRST Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses for a photo on the moon. NASA

Space is an endlessly fascinating subject for many people. What exists beyond our planet? What’s it like to be launched into space and walk on the moon? This text set dives into the history and lasting impact of space exploration.

Essential Questions:

1. What are the reasons for exploring space?

2. Who has made contributions to space exploration? How have they done so? Why have done so?

3. How has technology changed over time to aid space exploration?

4. How has space exploration contributed to our knowledge on the topic? Why is that?

Click here for the full PDF guide to this text set.

Paired Text

Technology

Shooting for the Moon

September 6, 2019

On July 20, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin climbed down from the Apollo 11 lander and planted their boots on the lunar surface. The United States had beaten its rival, the Soviet Union, in the race to…

Audio
Video
Spanish

Science

Moon Mission

September 7, 2018

People first set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped from the Apollo 11 spacecraft and planted an American flag on the moon’s rocky surface. Six NASA lunar missions followed over the…

Audio
Video
Spanish

Science

Mission-Ready

December 11, 2017

Life can be very unpredictable for astronauts living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). There is no gravity. Parts of the station might stop working at any time. Space objects come flying at the station out of nowhere. …

Audio
Video
Spanish

Technology

Eyes in the Sky

December 11, 2017

Chamber A is a historic landmark. It is located in the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas. The chamber looks like a bank vault. But when the right machinery is turned on, it seems like a giant pocket of outer…

Audio

History

Cosmic Critters

December 11, 2017

Animals have long been on the front lines of scientific discovery. Time and again, they have been given the lead in exploring new frontiers. But those pioneers didn’t volunteer for their missions. Take the thousands of monkeys and mice that…

Audio

Technology

Suiting Up

March 3, 2017

NASA engineers are designing spacesuits for exploring Mars and beyond. Years of being a NASA engineer have led Lindsay Aitchison to a surprising place: spending a lot of time thinking about dust. How to keep it out of the many…

Audio
Video
Spanish

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