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

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