ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)



Teacher Resource

Astronaut Ad

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1. Before you watch the BtN story, make some predictions about what skills you think an astronaut would need.

2. Which organisation has put out an advertisement calling for new astronauts?

3. How tall do astronauts need to be?

4. Why do you think it’s important for astronauts to have perfect vision?

5. What qualifications does an astronaut need to have?

6. How many years of training do astronauts need to do?

7. Why do astronauts practise space walks underwater?

8. What advice does NASA give to kids who want to become astronauts?

9. Illustrate an aspect of the Astronaut Ad story.

10. Would you like to be an astronaut? Why or why not?

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Discuss the BtN Astronaut Ad story as a class. Ask students the following questions:

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What questions were raised in the discussion (what are the gaps in their knowledge)? The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic and consider what they would like to know and learn.

|What do I know? |What do I want to know? |What have I learnt? |How will I find out? |

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Train like an Astronaut

Do you have what it takes to become an astronaut? In this activity, students will investigate what some of the physical demands are for astronauts.

Using a range of physical activities students will use the same body parts/systems as astronauts do in training and on missions in space. Choose from a range of these NASA activities, or use the activities we’ve picked out below.

Mission 1: Taste in Space

Mission question: Can I compare taste sensations on Earth and in space? In this activity, students will investigate and discover variables that affect their own sense of taste. Check out the NASA video and download the Taste in Space handout.

Mission 2: Agility Astro-course

Mission question: How can you perform a physical activity that will improve your agility, coordination and speed? In this activity, students will complete an agility course as quickly and as accurately as possible to improve agility, coordination and speed. Check out the NASA video and download the Agility Astro-course handout.

Mission 3: Jump for the Moon

Mission question: How could you perform a physical activity that would increase bone strength, as well as heart and other muscle endurance? In this activity, students will perform jump training with a rope, both while stationary and moving, to increase bone strength and to improve heart and muscle endurance. Check out the NASA video and download the Jump for the Moon handout.

Journal writing

Students will write a journal to describe what happened and how they felt during their astronaut training.

• Explain what sort of physical training you need to do to become an astronaut.

• Why do you need to do rigorous physical training before you become an astronaut? Include these words in your description: endurance, agility, strength and coordination.

• How did the activities make you feel?

• What were some of the challenges?

• What did you learn from this activity?

• How has your thinking changed about the requirements of being an astronaut?

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Living in Space

Students will explore what life is like on the International Space Station (ISS). Questions to investigate include:

• What is the ISS? (Brief history of the ISS)

• What do astronauts do on the ISS? (Give an example of an experiment astronauts might do)

• How long do they live on the ISS?

• What is it like living in microgravity? (eating, sleeping, having a shower, going to the toilet)

• What impact does microgravity have on the human body? (bones and muscles, sense of taste)

• What food do astronauts eat?

• What do you think the challenges of living in space would be?

• If you lived in space for a month, what foods do you think you would miss the most? Why?

Use these fun activities to investigate how astronauts Taste in Space and discover the challenges for an astronaut living on the International Space Station.

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Meet an Astronaut

Watch this YouTube video, where Canadian Commander Chris Hadfield takes time out to talk with some school students, while aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Here are some of the questions that the Canadian students asked Chris Hadfield:

• How has your life on board the Space Station been different from your life on earth?

• Do astronauts ever get sick on board the ISS?

• How does being in space for so long affect your body?

• What is it like working with all the other people on board the Space Station? Does language pose a problem?

• Find out more about an Australian astronaut and create a biography

• What do stars look like from outer space?

• How do you sleep in space?

Students will choose one of the above questions or pose one of their own to investigate in more depth.

Suggested research questions:

• How do astronauts communicate in space?

• How do people prepare for going into space?

• What issues or problems would there be if you lived in a space station?

• Can people live in space permanently? Why or why not?

• How long does it take a rocket to reach Mars or the Moon?

• How fast can rockets travel?

• Without air, how can sound travel?

Students will present their information to the class as an interactive poster using Glogster or Prezi. Alternatively, students can present the information they find in the form of a journal entry from an astronaut’s perspective. Read these journal entries (primary source of information) to learn more about astronauts experiences living onboard the ISS.

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ABC News – NASA seeks next generation of astronauts



CBBC Newsround – How do you become an astronaut?



Behind the News – Humans in Space



NASA – Astronaut Requirements



NASA – Astronauts answer student questions



ABC Science Features – How to become an astronaut



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Episode 33

17th November 2015

• Why do we explore space?

• What do you think astronauts do?

• What skills do astronauts need?

• How do you become an astronaut?

• What questions would you like to ask an astronaut?

• Would you like to be an astronaut? Why or why not?

Encourage your students to be active and informed citizens by watching our 10 minute news program each day. Go to the BtN homepage and click on the 3News link.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for an update on upcoming BtN stories and other useful and relevant teacher information. Visit the BtN website and go to the Teachers page to join up.

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Students will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges astronauts face living in space.

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Science – Year 5

Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083)

The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078)

Science – Year 7

Scientific knowledge has changed peoples’ understanding of the world and is refined as new evidence becomes available (ACSHE119)

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121)

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