Plants
in Outer Space?
Photo credit: NASA - Marshall Space Flight Center |
Ask students to imagine what the inside of a space shuttle
looks like and then express their ideas in a drawing. Do their
images contain computers, headsets, and astronauts in space
suits? What about plants? Any leafy-green travelers on board?
Plants may not immediately pop to mind as something to pack
on the space shuttle, but for extended forays, they should
be near the top of the list. We say it all the time: We depend
on plants for our very lives. They supply food, purify the
air, and can help recycle waste. Scientists know that in order
to accomplish long trips into space, such as to Mars, they
need to find effective and efficient ways to take plants on
the journey.
The development of extraterrestrial horticultural technology
is key to extending our explorations into the next frontier...and
the generation you teach may be the first to experience it
first hand! This month, you'll find background information
and Web resources to set the stage for two out-of-this-world
activities: one for exploring hydroponics techniques, and
another that sets the stage for an out-of-this-world garden
for the schoolyard.
Lessons and Activities
Interplanetary
Plants - Learn in more detail why it's wise to pack plants
for off-planet travels, and approaches to developing these
green members of the space team.
Lesson:
Rooting for Space Plants - Use
an astronaut's notes about his plant-growth experiments to
guide your research into space-worthy hydroponics gardens.
Activity:
An Out-of-this-World Garden - Challenge your students
to bring their study of plants in space down to earth by
populating a garden with plants that have extraterrestrial
titles.
Garden
Training for Future Astronauts - The 2006 Hooked on Hydroponics
Awards winners include two schools pursuing innovative experiments
with their new equipment.
Space-Age
Gardeners - Inspire your students to pursue inquiry into
zero-gravity growth of Wisconsin Fast Plants. This article
reveals the data one class captured.
Lunar
Harvest - Try this experiment to discover how we might
successfully grow plants on the moon, despite its 2-week
long "night."
Additional Web Resources
Leafy
Green Astronauts
Plants
in Space
Growing
Plants Without Gravity
Growing
Food for Space Travelers
NASA
Plant Study
Resources
Hooked
on Hydroponics Awards - Take your space-gardening explorations
a step further with help from the 4th annual Hooked on
Hydroponics Awards, sponsored by the The
Grow Store. In 2008,
36 schools
will receive grant packages consisting of a variety of hydroponic
garden
and indoor light systems. Learn
more here Annual
application deadline: September 15
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