Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

This work is designed to be undertaken over a period when students have already completed their classwork. The teacher can set the time required for each task depending on the time available.

Tune In: Space food

Individual task - also available on the Student Worksheet

Step 1

Students are to watch the following video (watch until 4.40). As they watch, they should consider the following and take notes:

The Real Problem with Growing Plants in Lunar and Martian Soil (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_jXEZFuw38)

Questions:

How accurate do you think this information is? (Tip: Question the source and the information that has been given to you in the video.)
What questions does this video raise about growing food on Mars?
What do you think the future of research might be for food on Mars?

Step 2

Students are to explore this webpage as well as watch the embedded video clips (there are several useful links at the bottom of this page for students to use later potentially).

Students are to take note of the following:

What plants grow best in space?
What have astronauts discovered about gardening in space?
How does gravity affect plant growth?

Step 3

Students are to explore this webpage and watch the video clip at the end of the information from the Kennedy Space Center, and record their responses to the following:

What astronauts used to eat
What they are able to eat now
What effect food packaging has on what they eat
How astronauts prepare their food
Anything else they wanted to know more about?

Step 4

Students are to watch this BTN video about Space Food and note down anything that:

Surprised them
They found weird
That they wanted to know more about

Find Out: Research project

Group or individual task

Students are to undertake a research project based on a particular area of interest arising from the above Tune In activity.

Step 1

They are to choose an area that interests them concerning food in space. For example:

Why is Mars the only planet we’re trying to grow food on?
How can fresh food best be provided for astronauts in space?
What is the answer to fresh food and deep space exploration?
Could different food packaging processes change space food for astronauts?
What is the future of agriculture in space?
What could growing food in space teach us about food security on Earth?
What would be the main challenges of growing food in space and how could these be overcome?

Step 2

Based on the topic they have chosen, students need to:

Research this area and discover as much as they can about the topic they have chosen. Encourage students to check if they are using reputable websites - Hubble Site, NASA, Kennedy Space Center and Space Scoop are good places to start.
Speculate what role regenerative agriculture might play in preparing us to grow more food in space. Students may not have a deep understanding of soil science and growing techniques. They can apply the 5 principles of regenerative farming (see the Regenerative Farming fact sheet) to a space setting and speculate and imagine how these could work. Encourage students to think critically and creatively about the potential for this form of agriculture in space.
Prepare a short folio of research and information they can refer to in the next task.

Take Action: Write a letter

Individual task

Step 1

Explain:

Just because you don’t work for NASA doesn’t mean you might not have discovered something or come up with something new and interesting! Students have debunked companies and added to corporate and government research before - perhaps you are one of these people. Maybe NASA hasn’t even considered the potential for regenerative agriculture in space and your students might be the ones to get them excited about the idea.

Step 2

Students are to draft a letter/email to someone interested in what they have researched and their ideas about space agriculture.

Students should write a draft of their letter, considering the following:

Who is the best person to send your letter to?
What is the best way to get their attention quickly in your letter?
How can you quickly and succinctly convince them of your idea?
Don’t forget to sign off appropriately (and from an appropriate email address!)

Students can use the Letter Writing Tips to help them with their letter writing.

Step 3

Each student could share their letter with another student for feedback before writing their final drafts. These can then be sent!

Reflection

Invite students to work independently to answer the following (also available on the Student Worksheet):

What are the three most interesting facts that you learned during this mini-project?
What are your thoughts about food in space at the moment?
What do you think the future of space food might look like?
How important do you think growing food in space might be for food security in the future?

Differentiated learning

We trust that teachers are the best equipped to know how to cater to the diversity in their classes. At Cool, we incorporate a variety of differentiation strategies into each lesson. Firstly, each lesson in this unit appeals to an array of different learning preferences. Learning activities can be completed in a number of different ways - if a student feels more comfortable speaking rather than writing, there are opportunities to accommodate this.

In lessons that feature group work or learning stations, we trust that teachers will use their discretion in knowing how to best organise their students in accordance with positive working relationships and ability. Graphic organisers and scaffolds are often included so students can ‘visually think’ and keep a record of their work. While our lessons are designed to be 55 - 60 minutes in length, we trust that teachers will manipulate lesson and segment times according to the needs of their students.

Space Agriculture

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Summary

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