Audience
Educators
Grade Levels
Grades 5-8
Subject
Life Science, Space Science, Space Biology, Space Radiation
Type
Educator Guides, Lesson Plans / Activities, Other Multimedia
Radiation biology examines the effects of radiation on living systems. The lesson plans are hands-on investigations that encourage the use of science, mathematics, engineering, technology, problem solving and inquiry skills. The activities provide a general framework that can be modified based on student needs and classroom resources.
Radiation biology is an interdisciplinary science – biology, physics, astrophysics, planetary science and engineering – that examines the effects of radiation on living systems. The Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge educator guide links these disciplines in the context of a lunar outpost by providing background, discussion and research questions, objectives, and inquiry-based activities to introduce radiation biology to middle school students. The guide includes a pretest, lessons, student sheets and answer keys.
The activities in the guide are:
- Radiation: Radiation Exposure on Earth
- Radiation Damage in Living Organisms: Modeling Radiation-Damaged DNA
- Protection From Radiation: Space Weather Forecasting
- A section on Applications to Life on Earth: Radiation as a Tool is also included.
Space Faring: The Radiation Challenge Middle School Educator Guide
Related Lesson: Earth Space Science STEM Cases
The following videos supplement the educator guide:
Act 1: What Is Radiation and Where Does It Come From? Video
Act 2: Space Radiation and Human Health Video
Act 3: Protection From Space Radiation Video