Teacher's Guide
Check out the Mission: Solar System—Teacher's Guide (PDF)! It gives you an overview of the project’s four components and how to use them to run a challenge—start to finish. In addition, there are resource pages that offer tips for implementing Mission: Solar System’s challenges. For example, there are ideas for how to help kids use the design process and suggestions for effective ways to talk to kids about engineering. You’ll also find related online resources from NASA and Design Squad, education standards, and professional-development resources.

Videos

• Challenge video: Each Mission: Solar System challenge kicks off with the challenge video. Your kids will see other kids having fun tackling the challenge, discussing its connection to NASA missions, and applying science concepts and the engineering design process. Use it as an introduction to build the kids' interest in the challenge and get them excited about the creative problem solving involved. It also introduces them to some of the design possibilities. Given that many classes and afterschool sessions last an hour or less, the challenge video gives kids a head start by jump-starting their thinking process. By equipping your kids with a firm grasp of the challenge goal, an understanding of the materials available, some trouble-shooting tips, and examples of successful solutions, the challenge video will help them make effective use of the session. You can also use it as a wrap-up to a challenge as a way to reinforce the challenge’s science, engineering, and NASA connection. It can also spark ideas for how your kids might extend the challenge.
• Engineer profile video: Each of the five Mission: Solar System challenges has its own engineer profile video (available as alternate media above). They feature young, dynamic engineers who are tackling interesting problems related to NASA’s solar system missions. The videos provide kids with a real-world connection for the hands-on challenge they are doing and put a human face on engineering. They show engineers as well-rounded people with interesting work and personal lives, break down engineer stereotypes, and showcase engineering as a rewarding career.

Print Teaching Tips