NASA's Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) program has just launched three free out-of-school time units designed to give students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 hands-on experience with real planetary science and engineering.
The first unit, Space Hazards, is geared towards younger learners and focuses on teaching them how to protect against the different hazards that people face on Earth and in space. Students will then design a space glove using engineering skills.
The second unit, Water in Extreme Environments, targets older students and introduces them to the scarcity of fresh water both on Earth and in space. Using a filtration system as an example, students will learn how to purify water for reuse.
The third unit, Remote Sensing, puts students into the shoes of NASA spacecraft engineers who design remote sensing devices. This unit utilizes real NASA data from Mars landing site candidates to choose the best location to land a rover on Mars.
These three units complement each other and can be taught separately or together. The comprehensive educator guides, videos, and resources that accompany them reflect research-based pedagogical strategies for diverse learners, including those with differing physical abilities.
The PLANETS program aims to benefit all students by providing a practical guide for out-of-school time educators and offering tips and links to relevant NASA projects and resources.
Kara Branch, CEO of Black Girls Do Engineer, praises the program as "turnkey" for OST educators at any experience level. "Hands-on activities are engaging, accessible, and grounded in real-world challenges that spark curiosity in every learner."
All PLANETS materials can be accessed online at no cost. With NASA's support under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC53, this initiative is part of the Science Activation Portfolio.
By utilizing these resources, educators can help students build STEM identity, teamwork, and creative problem-solving skills.
The first unit, Space Hazards, is geared towards younger learners and focuses on teaching them how to protect against the different hazards that people face on Earth and in space. Students will then design a space glove using engineering skills.
The second unit, Water in Extreme Environments, targets older students and introduces them to the scarcity of fresh water both on Earth and in space. Using a filtration system as an example, students will learn how to purify water for reuse.
The third unit, Remote Sensing, puts students into the shoes of NASA spacecraft engineers who design remote sensing devices. This unit utilizes real NASA data from Mars landing site candidates to choose the best location to land a rover on Mars.
These three units complement each other and can be taught separately or together. The comprehensive educator guides, videos, and resources that accompany them reflect research-based pedagogical strategies for diverse learners, including those with differing physical abilities.
The PLANETS program aims to benefit all students by providing a practical guide for out-of-school time educators and offering tips and links to relevant NASA projects and resources.
Kara Branch, CEO of Black Girls Do Engineer, praises the program as "turnkey" for OST educators at any experience level. "Hands-on activities are engaging, accessible, and grounded in real-world challenges that spark curiosity in every learner."
All PLANETS materials can be accessed online at no cost. With NASA's support under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC53, this initiative is part of the Science Activation Portfolio.
By utilizing these resources, educators can help students build STEM identity, teamwork, and creative problem-solving skills.
Planets program is like a dream come true - it's all about hands-on learning with real science and engineering stuff 
. I think the Space Hazards unit for younger learners is so cool, teaching them how to protect themselves in space... who knew there were hazards out there? 
. And Water in Extreme Environments sounds super practical, like something they'd use on a Mars mission 
! Anyone else stoked about this? 
. The fact that they're designed to be flexible and adaptable to different learning styles is a major plus 
. I'm also loving the focus on STEM education, especially for girls and underrepresented groups 
. Can't wait to see how this program inspires the next gen of space explorers and innovators 
!
The fact that all the materials are free online is just cherry on top - can't wait for educators to start utilizing these resources 
first unit space hazards is fire for younger learners it teaches them how to protect against hazards on earth & in space i wish my kids had this when they were in elementary lol design a space glove using engineering skills? genius! 
building stem identity teamwork & problem-solving skills 4 all students 
And Water in Extreme Environments is really relevant to our planet too. I'm curious how they use NASA data to choose the best spot to land a rover on Mars... that's some advanced tech! 
. don't get me wrong, i love that nasa is supporting education initiatives and all, but let's not forget about the importance of learning for its own sake, too.
! it's like they're giving us a chance to level up our kids' STEM skills without breaking the bank 
. and the best part? it's totally accessible, even for teachers who are new to this whole ed-tech thing 
. i mean, who wouldn't want their kids learning about space hazards and water filtration systems while having fun making their own space gloves 
?! and can you believe they're using real NASA data on Mars?! it's like the ultimate hands-on learning experience for our kiddos 
. thank goodness there are people like Kara Branch who get it – making STEM accessible to all is the way forward 
!
... it sounds like so much fun! 
. The fact that the materials are free online is amazing, can't wait for teachers to start using them 
This initiative has the potential to make a huge impact on kids' lives and help them develop essential skills like teamwork, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking. Fingers crossed for all these young learners 
!
! Anyway, back to NASA's new PLANETS program... I think it's awesome that they're making space learning accessible for all students, especially those in lower grades. The fact that the resources are free and can be used separately or together is super helpful. But, honestly, who comes up with these unit names? "Space Hazards" sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie 
And the water purification part is so relevant to our daily lives on Earth too. It's great that they're teaching kids about real-world problems and challenges, it'll definitely help them become curious scientists in the future! 
It's about time we encouraged more STEM learning in schools, especially for kids from underrepresented groups. I'd love to see this program expand to more schools and get even more resources added to it.