Design the Next Orbital Space Station: Game + STEM Project Guide

LESSON OVERVIEW

Design the Next Orbital Space Station: Game + STEM Project Guide

Can you keep astronauts alive and thriving in space? NASA is retiring the International Space Station, and your students have been selected to design the next orbital habitat! Students work in teams to complete the ultimate project-based learning STEM experience: designing and building a model of a new manned orbital space station. This is a perfect showcase or capstone STEM project.

Students will apply scientific concepts, math skills, critical thinking, research, and engineering design to plan a long-term orbital station. Students will need to consider questions like: How will astronauts get food and water? How will we power the station? What are the dangers of space? How will the human body react to microgravity? Where will we sleep?

Project Overview: This unit requires about 10, 90-minute sessions.

Part 1: Identify the Problem (2 sessions)

• Play a trivia game on living in space

• Reflect on Life on Earth

• Play Online ISS Scavenger Hunt

Part 2: Brainstorm Solutions (1 session) - Orbital Planning Game

Play the interactive planning game where students must choose the best solutions for critical components such as power, oxygen, water, food, science labs, hygiene, and exercise. Game cards are based on real-world NASA technologies. Students will identify pros and cons, track budget, stay within space constraints, and maximize crew happiness.

Part 3: Design Colony Layout (2 sessions): Orbital Space Station Layout

Using the solutions from the planning game, teams create a station layout by cutting out grid paper to represent each "zone" of the station. The zones are arranged to fit within the limited space to create a functional design. Teams must also incorporate docking ports and air locks.

Part 4: Build Colony Model (3+ sessions)

Students learn about scale models and build a model of the orbital space station to represent each solution accurately. Additional research is conducted for each solution.

Part 5: Present Model (2 sessions)

Create a trifold board and share the final model with the class or host your own Orbital Station Showcase!

Included in this Unit:

• Detailed teacher guide with links to resources

• Photos of student projects

• Editable teacher instructional slides

• Editable student handouts

• Printable Game Boards + Solution Card

Materials Needed:

• Printed Game Board + Game Cards

• Colored Paper 

• Tape

• Trifold Board

• Scissors

• Art supplies

• Students should collect recycled materials such as cardboard, toilet paper rolls, plastic containers, etc., to build the model. 

Standards Alignment:

NGSS: MS-ETS1-1, 2, 3, 4; MS-ESS3-3

2021 Texas Science Standards:

• Practices - 1A/B/D/E/F/G/H; 2A/B/C/D; 3A/B/C; 4A/B/C

• Content: 6.11; 7.9; 8.12

2021 Texas Math Standards: 6.4H, 7.4C, 8.7A, 8.9