Another Chance for Connection

In Earth Science, we are about to begin our study of space. I rarely say this about anything I teach, but here goes – I am not a fan of teaching about space. *gasp* But, I know my students often are excited about it and they deserve to have a fun and engaging approach to this topic.

This year, I decided space provided another opportunity to have my students connect with an adult. Like I did with our unit on volcanoes and earthquakes, I am asking the students to interview an adult about NASA. I am hoping this encourages students to make a phone call to a grandparent or aunt or uncle they don’t have a chance to talk to everyday. I am also hopeful this provides another opportunity to learn from each other. Sometimes we forget how much people older than ourselves have to offer, how much their life experiences have taught them. Let’s hope our students catch a glimpse of that.

In case you would like to try something similar with your students, here are the directions I am giving:

Find a trusted adult like a grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc. that does not live with you. Make sure your adult is willing to talk to you about NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Interview your adult about NASA. You may either audio record your interview, or write notes as you talk. You will submit the recording or notes AND use the information for a task later. 

Use the following questions to guide your conversation. THINK ABOUT THE ANSWERS BEFORE YOU ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS! Encourage your adult to expand on answers as much as possible. Please use appropriate conversation skills, which include listening and responding. 

• • What do you think has been the most exciting event to happen in space exploration? Why was this exciting? Do you remember it happening or hearing about it later or learning about it in school? 

• • Do you remember any tragedies that happened with NASA? Do you know what went wrong to cause the tragedy? 

• • What do you think has been the greatest achievement by NASA? Why is that important? 

• • Growing up, did you ever want to be an astronaut? Why or why not? What made you change your mind? 

• • Do you know of any projects NASA is currently working on? What do you think of that project? 

• • If you were in charge of NASA, what would you plan as the next mission? 

Thank your adult for taking time to talk with you.

If you decide to give this a try, let me know how it goes 🙂