WGBH Creates Space-Based Curriculum for Kids

Fun & Games Science

Stett Holbrook

Stett Holbrook is editor of the Bohemian, an alternative weekly in Santa Rosa, California. He is a former senior editor at Maker Media.

He is also the co-creator of Food Forward, a documentary TV series for PBS about the innovators and pioneers changing our food system.

View more articles by Stett Holbrook

May 31st, 2013 4

DSC_1203a — Designing a cushioning device to protect a vehicle carrying precious cargo: a raw egg.

Our friends at WGBH’s Design Squad Nation have come up with a great line up of activities for kids interested in NASA and the final frontier—space. The materials are designed for the classroom and after school programs, but with summer vacation a few weeks away, it would be easy to plug these resources into summer activities for adults looking to give kids something to do over the lazy days of summer. It’s basically a plug-and-play curriculum aimed at 4th-8th grade kids.

The multimedia package includes instructional videos, teacher guides, and video profiles of young NASA engineers. The heart of the program a five engineering challenges such as how to detect magnetic fields, building a robotic arm, and constructing a landing cushioning device like than used on the Mars Rover.

The curriculum is free for the downloading and available right here.