Astronaut Training: 4 Cs of STEM (Back to School STEM Activities)

Astronaut Training: Stage 1 STEM Activities

This packet includes 18 icebreakers and team-building activities around the theme of space exploration and training like an astronaut! These Stage 1 STEM activities are perfect back-to-school activities and build the 4Cs of STEM.

Your mission: Complete astronaut training and collect all four badges

1. Creativity is about coming up with new and unique ideas or ways of doing things. Astronauts use creativity to think of smart solutions when things don't go as planned during space missions.

2. Collaboration is working well with others as a team to achieve a common goal. Astronauts rely on everyone's strengths to complete tasks in space missions.

3. Communication is sharing thoughts and information clearly and listening carefully to others. Astronauts communicate with each other and mission control to survive the dangers of space.

4. Critical Thinking is thinking carefully about problems and making evidence-based choices. Sometimes things go wrong in space, and astronauts must use critical thinking to solve problems.

Students will first create their very own mission patch. As activities are completed, student badges can be added to the mission patch. Activities are stand-alone and can be used throughout the year! Editable handouts, teacher slides, storyline with real-world connections to space exploration, and a teacher's guide are included.

Astronaut Training activities include:

• Mission Patch

• 5 Creativity Challenges: Creativity Tools (4 challenges: Reinterpret, Debut, Ideate, and Merge) + Save the Earth Asteroid Challenge

• 5 Collaboration Challenges: Roll & Build, Pipecleaner Tower, Space Docking, Space Walk, Helium Stick Icebreaker

• 3 Communication Challenges: Sneak a Peek, Robot Tool, Heat Tower

• 5 Critical Thinking Challenges: Think like a Scientist, Science in the News, Think like an Engineer, Engineering Around Us, Mystery Box

Real-world Connections:

• Real-world space stories connecting 4Cs to astronaut training and space exploration

• Career Connections: Aerospace Engineering, Astronaut, Astronomer

• Missions: Soyuz MS-10, Apollo 13, Space Shuttle launch, Mars Rover