< Space Hazards

How to Teach These Units

Take a little time to prepare and get ready to teach. The pages linked below give you an easy-to-follow checklist and resources that get you prepared for facilitating PLANETS activities.

STEM Night Activity: Space Trash

 

 

Design a shield to protect your
“spaceship” from space trash!

Learners make and test a device that detects differences in light. Note that this activity is an adaptation of activities from the Remote Sensing Science Curriculum. It is intended for use at a booth at family nights, STEM Events, Fairs, etc. It has material that is repeated from the curriculum.

Activity Downloads

  • 1

    Educator Guide (PDF)

  • 2

    Handouts (PDF)

Setup: Prep Time 15 min

  • Print educator directions and Learner Handout. Assemble listed materials and set up on a table.

*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.

Learning Objectives/Key Messages

  • Design and test a shield that will protect a spacecraft from space trash.
  • Even if space trash is tiny, it can cause a lot of damage to spacecraft because it
    is traveling so fast.

Age/Ability

  •  3-5 grade, adaptable for K-Adult
  • Multimodal, accessible for all physical abilities