"NASA Unveils Free Out-of-School Time Resources for Young Learners"
In a move to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers, NASA's Science Activation program has launched three free out-of-school time units that provide hands-on learning experiences in planetary science and engineering. These units are designed for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 and offer a unique blend of STEM education and real-world challenges.
The PLANETS (Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science) project is led by Northern Arizona University and features comprehensive educator guides, videos, and resources to support teachers in delivering these units. Subject matter experts from NASA's Astrogeology Science Center have collaborated with STEM education experts to ensure the activities are educational, engaging, and accurate for all learners.
The three units - Space Hazards, Water in Extreme Environments, and Remote Sensing - offer complementary engineering and science pathways that can be taught on their own or together. In the Space Hazards unit, students design a space glove to protect astronauts from hazards in space, while the Water in Extreme Environments unit focuses on designing a filtration system to purify water for reuse.
The Remote Sensing unit puts students in the shoes of NASA spacecraft engineers, designing devices to learn about the surface of planets like Mars. The science pathway uses real NASA remote sensing data to choose the best place to land a rover on Mars.
What sets these units apart is their intentional design to benefit all learners, including multilingual learners, Indigenous learners, and those with differing physical abilities. The curriculum reflects research-based pedagogical strategies and has been tested extensively in out-of-school time programs across the country.
The PLANETS project provides practical guidance for teachers, along with videos and links to relevant NASA projects and resources. As one expert notes, "PLANETS is one of the most thoughtfully designed STEM resources I've used in an out-of-school setting. The hands-on activities are engaging, accessible, and grounded in real-world challenges that spark curiosity in every learner."
These free out-of-school time units can be accessed at no cost on the website planets-stem.org, empowering every learner to see themselves as scientists and engineers.
In a move to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers, NASA's Science Activation program has launched three free out-of-school time units that provide hands-on learning experiences in planetary science and engineering. These units are designed for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 and offer a unique blend of STEM education and real-world challenges.
The PLANETS (Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science) project is led by Northern Arizona University and features comprehensive educator guides, videos, and resources to support teachers in delivering these units. Subject matter experts from NASA's Astrogeology Science Center have collaborated with STEM education experts to ensure the activities are educational, engaging, and accurate for all learners.
The three units - Space Hazards, Water in Extreme Environments, and Remote Sensing - offer complementary engineering and science pathways that can be taught on their own or together. In the Space Hazards unit, students design a space glove to protect astronauts from hazards in space, while the Water in Extreme Environments unit focuses on designing a filtration system to purify water for reuse.
The Remote Sensing unit puts students in the shoes of NASA spacecraft engineers, designing devices to learn about the surface of planets like Mars. The science pathway uses real NASA remote sensing data to choose the best place to land a rover on Mars.
What sets these units apart is their intentional design to benefit all learners, including multilingual learners, Indigenous learners, and those with differing physical abilities. The curriculum reflects research-based pedagogical strategies and has been tested extensively in out-of-school time programs across the country.
The PLANETS project provides practical guidance for teachers, along with videos and links to relevant NASA projects and resources. As one expert notes, "PLANETS is one of the most thoughtfully designed STEM resources I've used in an out-of-school setting. The hands-on activities are engaging, accessible, and grounded in real-world challenges that spark curiosity in every learner."
These free out-of-school time units can be accessed at no cost on the website planets-stem.org, empowering every learner to see themselves as scientists and engineers.
I think this is a great move by NASA! These resources are like, super needed for our future genius scientists and engineers 
. It's awesome that they've considered all learners, not just the typical ones 
. The fact that it's free is a major plus 
. I'm sure it'll be a huge hit among teachers and students alike 
. Can't wait to see what kind of cool projects come out of this! 
. And it's not just NASA scientists doing the work, they're collaborating with educators and experts who know what works best for all learners 
, have you ever tried making your own slime at home? i mean, it's like this whole science thing with polymers and stuff, but it's just soooo cool 
! my kid was obsessed with it last year and we ended up wasting a ton of glue 
. anyway, back to nasa... i think it's awesome they're trying to get more kids into STEM, especially since we need all the help we can get 
.
i wish i had something like this when i was in school lol what a game changer for education! 
cant wait to dive in and see my kiddos become future scientists and engineers 
she loves playing with her toy astronauts and now I can get them some cool free resources from NASA yay! 
NASA's gonna make learning fun for kids... or so they say 
. Like, who doesn't love a good space adventure? I'm sure these units will totally prepare our future leaders for the impending robot uprising 
. Seriously though, it's about time we got some quality STEM education out there. And yay for inclusive curriculum - about time someone acknowledged that all learners aren't created equal (just kidding, they are 
). Anyway, who needs actual funding when you can just ask a university to do the heavy lifting? Northern Arizona University, you're the real MVP 
. Now let's get back to the real issues... like how I'm still waiting for my free out-of-school unit on quantum physics 
anyway, back to this NASA thing... i think it's awesome that they're making these resources available for free. my kid is always asking me if we can go to space one day (lol like that's gonna happen 
NASA is really stepping up its game with these out-of-school time resources it's awesome that they're making STEM education accessible to everyone, regardless of background or ability. I love how the PLANETS project is all about hands-on learning and real-world challenges - it's not just some boring textbook stuff. and the fact that it's free and available online for anyone with internet access is just amazing 
I'm definitely gonna check out these resources with my own kid(s) soon, or maybe even get involved in teaching one of these units myself 
it's like a dream come true for any kid who loves science and tech. And what I love most about these units is that they're designed for all learners, no matter where you're from or how you learn best. It's like NASA is saying "you can do this too" to every single kid out there 
i love that they have resources for multilingual learners and those with physical disabilities - every kid should feel welcome to explore and learn. it's awesome that the curriculum uses real-world challenges and data from nasa projects