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Mars Science Laboratory

Big Mars Rover for Big Mars Science!

Mars Education program lesson plans include elements of inquiry based learning that are aligned to the National Standards and problem-based learning.

› Mars Education Resources for Students and Teachers
› Mars Science Laboratory

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Visit the NASA Educators Online Network, or NEON professional learning community.

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Themed Units and Camps

NASA’s education specialists have developed themed units and camps of NASA content to help make your summer programming both exciting and meaningful. The selected units and camps are specific, hands-on, problem-based activities that are appropriate for the summer learning setting. These units and camps are designed to actively engage your students by providing:

Opportunities for students to explore what they know.
Flexible schedules for the delivery of content.
Achievable learning goals.
Opportunities for educators to become more comfortable delivering NASA content.
A greater connection to NASA’s mission and its educational resources.

The Educator Resources section will help you select the themes and lessons most appropriate for your summer programming. The best place to start is to have a strong knowledge of your camp’s needs and your students’ abilities.

What to Consider When Selecting Content

For the success of your summer programming, the Summer of Innovation has made sure that the themed units are high-quality activities that:

Are age-appropriate.
Set high expectations for kids.
Are standards-based.
Interest and excite kids.
Vary in length and approach.
Take place in a logical sequence.

Check List:

Grade Level -- Make sure the lessons are appropriate for the student's ability.
Schedule -- Check to see if the lessons and activities will fit within your schedule.
Materials -- See what materials are needed for each lesson to ensure they are within your budget.
Alignment -- For a great experience, make sure the NASA lessons align with the theme of your program.

Themed Units

Grades 4-6
Life Science Body Food Life Out There? Plants Survival	Physical Science Aeronautics Force and Motion Gravity Properties of Matter Waves and Optics

Grades 7-9
Earth and Space Science Climate and Seasons Destination Mars Earth Moon Systems Planetology Remote Sensing Universe Weather Year of the Solar System	Engineering Aeronautics Challenges Design Process Exploration Robotics Rocketry

Quick Links to SoI Materials

Use the following lists to find all NASA Summer of Innovation lessons and professional development training modules.

Browse by:

› A-Z Index
› Grade Level
› Professional Development Training Modules
› Themed Units

Themed Camps

Introduction

The camp guides below provide examples of one-day, two-day and week-long programs. Each day contains six to eight hours of activities totaling more than 35 hours of instructional time. The camp template will help you develop an appropriate learning progression that focuses on the concepts necessary to engage in learning. The activities and experiences in the guides come from NASA’s vast collection of educational materials.
› Related Professional Development

Themed Camp Guides

Aeronautics Camp

This camp centers on the mathematical and design principles of flight design.
Designing for Space Camp

This camp centers on developing an appropriate learning progression that focuses on the concepts necessary to learn about engineering.
Life Science Camp

This camp centers on the characteristics of living things, astrobiology, exoplanets and adaptations to the space environment.
Mars Exploration Camp

This camp centers on the past, present, and future exploration of Mars.
Mission to Planet Earth Camp

This camp centers on the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and geosphere of Earth.
Robotics Unplugged Camp

This camp centers on the engineering design process and how we can envision, develop and build robots to help us in our work.
Rocketry Camp

This camp centers on developing an appropriate learning progression that focuses on the concepts necessary to learn about rockets.
Solar System Adventures Camp

This camp centers on the scale, exploration and composition of the planets, moons and other objects.