Launchpad Mission to Moon: 10 Engineering STEM Activities (K-5)

$24.50

Through interactive sessions, Launchpad students become a team of astronauts challenged to complete 10 missions centered around a Journey to Moon. Each week, students will read a message from Astronaut Alex, who will introduce the activity, provide background context, and connect to a STEM career.

Grades: K-5

Teaching Duration: 1 month

Through interactive sessions, Launchpad students become a team of astronauts challenged to complete 10 missions centered around a Journey to Moon. Each week, students will read a message from Astronaut Alex, who will introduce the activity, provide background context, and connect to a STEM career.

Grades: K-5

Teaching Duration: 1 month

“This is a top notch resource that makes it easy to plan STEM lessons. ”
— Tonya M.
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Lesson Overview

Launchpad begins with Stage 1 team challenges that build teamwork and communication skills. Astronaut Alex then guides the class through Stage 2 engineering design activities, and each unit is a progressively more complex design challenge as students arrive at and explore Moon. Units are aligned to science and math standards along with a different career focus and STEM word of the day such as teamwork, resilience, and leadership.

Through interactive sessions, Launchpad students become a team of astronauts challenged to complete 10 missions centered around a Journey to Moon. Each week, students will read a message from Astronaut Alex, who will introduce the activity, provide background context, and connect to a STEM career. Students will then engage in hands-on activities centered around the engineering design process.

Launchpad curriculum includes 10 STEM challenges:

  1. Meet the Crew: Team Challenges

  2. Astronaut Training: Moon Trivia Game + Astronaut Boot Engineering Challenge

  3. Get to the Moon: Straw Rockets Engineering Challenge

  4. Welcome Tower*: Tower Engineering Challenge

  5. Build a Base: UV Science Experiment + Shelter Engineering Challenge

  6. Stay Alive*: Grow a Real Plant Device Engineering Challenge

  7. Collect Samples: Grabber Engineering Challenge

  8. Build a Rover: Conductivity Science Experiment + Bristlebot Engineering Challenge

  9. Entertain Crew: Roller Coaster Engineering Challenge

  10. Mission Success: STEM Careers BINGO + Coke Mentos Geyser + Slimy Celebration

*Prefer a Mars version? Find Mission to Mars here. Except for *starred activities, most challenges are similar between Mars and Moon versions.

Download includes:

  • Intro to STEM Education

  • 10 STEM Missions following a story line

  • Supply list with links

  • Alignment to NGSS and TEKS (Texas)

  • Step-by-step teacher guide with photos

  • Student mission sheets with real-world connections and photos

    Recommended Supply List:

  • Batteries

  • Bendy Straws

  • Black Light

  • Cardstock

  • Construction Paper

  • Copy Paper

  • Cotton Balls

  • Craft Sticks

  • Energy Stick

  • Foam Tape

  • Index Cards

  • Masking Tape

  • Modeling Clay

  • 3V Motors

  • Paper Bags

  • Paper Cups (5 oz)

  • Paper Plates (7 - 9")

  • Ping Pong Balls

  • Pinto Beans

  • Pipe Cleaners

  • Pitsco Precision Straws

  • Rocket Launcher

  • Rubberbands

  • Spoons

  • UV Beads

  • Yarn

  • Ziplock Bag (sandwich)

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