Family Space Day Overview - ISS

Family Space Day is a three hour event. The activities are set up so that children
and parents can select the order in which they undertake activities. Parents and
children are encouraged to learn, play, and explore together.

Objectives of the Day

Children will:

• build an understanding of what it is like to live and work aboard the
  International Space Station, including some of the considerations for eating,
  drinking, and sleeping in space.
• learn about the microgravity environment of the station and how it affects
  every-day activities …including play!
• experience the challenges of maneuvering equipment aboard the station.
• learn about the science being conducted in space that helps us on Earth
  now, and will prepare us for future space missions to the Moon, Mars, and
  beyond.

Activities

• Station 1: ISS Posters
  Children and their parents will view 4 posters that provide information on
  what it is like to live and work in space and about who has been involved in
  the construction of the International Space Station.

• Station 2: Robotic Arm Challenge
  Children are challenged to perform a variety of tasks using a remotely
  controlled robotic arm – just like the astronauts have to!

• Station 3: Toys in Space
  Do toys on Earth and toys aboard the International Space Station (yes, the
  astronauts took some!) behave in the same manner? Children play with
  toys, make predictions about their behavior in micro-gravity, and learn if
  their predictions are correct.

• Station 4: Space Drink
  Children make a hands-free drink packet, similar to what the astronauts use.

• Station 5: Space Crystals
  Crystals in space grow without the pull of gravity. Children make their own
  sugar solution and watch crystals grow.

• Station 6: Veggies in Space
  Hydroponic gardening is explored as children construct their own soil-less
  gardens

• Station 7: Coloring Sheets and Games
  Children can relax and color and play simple games related to the
  International Space Station.

• Station 8: Reading Room
  Children and their parents can browse and read a selection of books about
  living and working in space (refer to book list for suggested reading).

Other Materials

Facilitator Information – International Space Station
Explore the International Space Station – Book and Website References
All About the International Space Station– An Space Station Fact Sheet

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