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Learning about Christa McAuliffe and her mission as a teacher.
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Researching time capsules and space exposure.
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Brainstorming what messages, lessons, or STEM tools would be valuable in the future.
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Designing and packing capsule.
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Writing or recording an explanation of your choices.
Free Lesson
Time Capsule for Future Classrooms
Objective: Design a time capsule that could survive either on Earth or in space to teach students 100 years in the future.
See All Free Lesson Library
Grade Level 5-8
Engineering
Stay In My Classroom
Christa McAuliffe's Lesson Plan
McAuliffe was a high school social studies teacher selected as the first civilian and teacher to fly into space. Her mission was to make space relatable to students and share the journey with classrooms across the country.
In her lesson, students will design a time capsule that could survive either on Earth or in space to teach students 100 years in the future.
They will achieve this by:
Crew-Inspired STEM Learning
To bring the passions of the Challenger STS-51L crew to life, Challenger Learning Center of Lake Erie West created a suite of free STEM lesson plans inspired by the interests and disciplines of each of the seven crew members.
Designed for students in grades 5–8, the lessons are flexible and can be adapted to meet different curriculum goals and student needs. They may be used individually, in part, as a complete unit, or in any order.
Explore the other six lesson plans:
In Partnership
Challenger Crew lesson plans were developed by Challenger Learning Center of Lake Erie West. Information in Challenger Crew bios is courtesy of NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (Dec. 2003).
