Teachable Moment: Apollo 50th Anniversary

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Title: Teachable Moment – Apollo 50th Anniversary

Teachable Moment - Apollo 50th Anniversary

This year marks the 50th anniversary of humans landing on the Moon! Now NASA is headed to the Moon once again, using it as a proving ground for a future human mission to Mars.

In the latest Teachable Moment from NASA/JPL Edu, education specialist Ota Lutz recounts the incredible history of the Apollo missions and the feats they achieved even beyond placing humans on the Moon. Find out what went into designing the Moon landing, how Apollo technology is used in everyday applications here on Earth and what's in store for NASA's next mission to the Moon. Plus, explore related lessons for educators and summertime projects for students.

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Related Lessons and Activities

Use these standards-aligned lessons to help students learn more about Earth's only natural satellite:

	Lesson: Observing the Moon (Grades K-6) – Students identify the Moon’s location in the sky and record their observations over the course of the moon-phase cycle in a journal.
	Lesson: Moon Phases (Grades 1-6) – Students learn about the phases of the moon by acting them out.
	Lesson: Whip Up a Moon-Like Crater (Grades 1-6) – Whip up a moon-like crater with baking ingredients as a demonstration for students.
	Lesson: Modeling the Earth-Moon System (Grades 6-8) – Students learn about scale models and distance by creating a classroom-size Earth-Moon system.

As students head out for the summer, get them excited to learn more about the Moon and human exploration using these student projects:

	Project: Make a Moon Phases Calendar and Calculator – Like a decoder wheel for the Moon, this calendar will show you where and when to see the Moon and every moon phase throughout the year!
	Project: Make a Straw Rocket – Create a paper rocket that can be launched from a soda straw – then, modify the design to make the rocket fly farther!
	Project: Make an Astronaut Lander – Design and build a lander that will protect two "astronauts" when they touch down.
	Project: Make a Cardboard Rover – Build a rubber-band-powered rover that can scramble across a room.