For Students

K-12 Educator Resources


Inspiring the Next Generation Scientists

NSBRI is transferring the excitement and knowledge learned from the research for human spaceflight through a number of teacher resources for the elementary level all the way up to the college level.

This series of educational units is for use in fourth- through eighth-grade classrooms. The free guides contain activities that allow students to learn about the human body on Earth and in space.

SLEEP & DAILY RHYTHMS

This resource helps students understand not only how the body’s biological clock adjusts during space missions but also the problems humans face when adjusting to jet lag, night work or simply shifting from standard time to daylight-savings time.

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MUSCLES & BONES

Muscles and Bones offers teachers 10 activities that help students understand how the body’s muscles and bones work.

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FOOD & FITNESS

This guide offers seven activities to help students learn about the relationship between nutrition and fitness.

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Food and Fitness Online Workshop

BUTTERFLIES IN SPACE

The guide provides information about the Butterflies in Space experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station and instructions on how to build a habitat and conduct open-ended experiments in the classroom.

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THE BRAIN IN SPACE

Produced by Morehouse School of Medicine, this middle- and high-school neuroscience curriculum features activities focusing on the specific effects of weightlessness on neurobiology, vestibular function, spatial orientation and sleep and circadian rhythms.

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THE SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN CYCLE

This guide features a problem-based case study about the sleep and circadian cycle. In addition to learning about sleep and circadian rhythms, students will get a look at how the nervous system can produce an extraordinary range of mental activity and behavior regulation.

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THE ROLE OF THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM

This guide features a problem-based case study about neurovestibular function. Students will learn about the vestibular system, its role in maintaining a person’s balance on Earth and orientation in space, and the disorders that affect the system.

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PODCASTS PLUS LESSONS

Podcasts Plus Lessons combines a series of podcasts featuring NSBRI research projects with related supplementary standards-based educational activities.

Health hazards of lunar dust

Staying fit in space

Astronaut’s sleep

Testing astronaut stress

Diagnosing injuries in space

Sensor that gives astronauts instant medical feedback

PLANTS IN SPACE

Teachers and students can participate in a science investigation taking place in space and on Earth. The Plants in Space project, supported by NSBRI, examines plant root growth in microgravity.

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Resources & Videos

News Release

HEART & CIRCULATION

This guide offers nine activities that help students understand the heart and circulatory system. Using examples from current research on human space travel, this guide engages students in authentic questions and investigations.

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SOLAR SYSTEM NECKLACE ACTIVITY

Use this resource to make your own solar system necklace. Students will engage in a fun activity and learn about each of the planets and their distinct features.

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FREE CLASSROOM BANNER

Get this FREE 77-x-24-inch classroom banner that depicts the excitement and importance of space exploration and research.

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