Procedures

• SET UP

  This lesson offers several options for you to use with your students whether you are teaching in class, using a hybrid model, or engaging through distance learning. It can be completed in steps as a class or students can move at their own pace and complete the activities independently.

  You can post links to the videos in the lesson along with the related handout and engage in discussion to share responses on a discussion board or learning management system.

  You can also save and share the following Google resource for students to use with this lesson.

  Handout: Choice Board (Google Slides).

  In Google, choose "File" then "Make a Copy" to get your own copy. You can make any needed adjustments in the instructions such as which activities students need to complete, when it is due, etc. and then make it available to them via Google.

• WARM UP

  Have your students access the Choice Board (Google Slides) and review the directions on the second slide.

  Then, have your students progress to the warm-up section and respond to the following brainstorming questions, directing them to record their responses on the Google Slide, share with a partner, and then with the class if they choose.

  • What do astronauts do?
  • What does it take to become an astronaut?

• VOCABULARY

  Direct your students to progress to the vocabulary section of their Google Slide document. Have them view and define the vocabulary terms that will appear in the lesson that are listed in the chart. The vocabulary words are also listed to the right on this webpage.

  Note: this is not an all-encompassing list of terms included in each video. We recommend you preview the video clips to determine any necessary additions/subtractions to this list for your specific students.

• INTRODUCTION

  Have your students proceed to the introduction section of their Google Slide document. Direct your students to view the linked video clip, answer the related questions on the slide, and share their findings with a partner, small group, or the class when finished.

  Clip #1: On the International Space Station (3:40).

  • What is “Crew 4,” and what are its goals?
  • Based on the clip, what is the role of the pilot of the Space X Dragon?
  • What is the first thing that “strikes” astronauts when they arrive to the International Space Station (ISS)?
  • What is the ISS, and how does it aid in global research?

• BACKGROUND

  Direct students to the background section of their Google Slide document. Instruct your students to view the following two video clips that provide background information on the personal journey of one astronaut and the advice he has for those interested in becoming astronauts. Direct your students to answer the related questions on their Google Slide document and share their findings with a partner, small group, or the class when finished.

• Clip #2: Dr. Kjell Lindgren’s Story (10:58).

  • What had historically been thought of as being “impossible?”
  • Why did Dr. Kjell Lindgren want to become an astronaut, and what “path” did he take to try to become one?
  • How was Lindgren’s dream “obliterated?”
  • What steps did Lindgren take to “rebuild” from the situation?

• Clip #3: Three Things to Do (4:36).

  • What is the first thing to be done “to make the impossible possible?”
  • Based on the clip, what is the second requirement?
  • According to Dr. Kjell Lindgren, what is the third requirement?
  • Summarize the quote from President Ronald Reagan that Lindgren shares.

• DEEP DIVE

  Direct students to the deep dive section of their Google Slide document. Instruct your students to select one of the three options listed on the slide. Have your students view their selected video clip and answer the related questions on the respective slide.

  After your students are finished with their selected section, have them prepare to share their findings with the class. As students share with the class, make sure that they record the information from their peers’ sections as well. This share-out portion of the lesson could be completed via a jigsaw activity.

• OPTION #1 - Clip #4: Q&A - Part 1 (9:16).

  • What role does “hard work” play in achieving one’s dreams? Summarize the story about the “snacko.”
  • Based on the clip, what role does training play for astronauts and what does it not prepare them for?
  • How do astronauts prepare for scary situations? What situations cause the most anxiety, according to Dr. Kjell Lindgren?
  • What “characteristics” are looked for in new astronauts?

• OPTION #2 - Clip #5: Q&A - Part 2 (6:04).

  • Why is much of spaceflight “automated,” and how do different rockets provide different experiences for astronauts?
  • Who helped Dr. Kjell Lindgren on his path to becoming an astronaut?
  • What has Lindgren learned from astronaut training?
  • Based on the clip, how do astronauts deal with homesickness?

• OPTION #3 - Clip #6: Q&A - Part 3 (4:13).

  • Which type of preparation is “most difficult,” and what is the hardest thing astronauts do? Why?
  • Why is this an “exciting” time for spaceflight?
  • What experiments has Dr. Kjell Lindgren done on the International Space Station (ISS)?
  • Based on the clip, how does training differ based on where the astronauts will travel?

• CLOSURE

  After your students are finished sharing their findings from the lesson, direct them to complete the final culminating writing on the last slide of their Google Slide document, and have students share their responses, comparing their perspectives with their classmates' perspectives: What does it take to be an astronaut? Make sure to cite evidence from the lesson in your response.