:: Calendar Resources

Space Trek: The Moon & Beyond

 
 September 8th, 1966
It was on this day that the very first Star Trek television episode aired. Created by Gene Roddenberry as a television science fiction series, to "boldly go where no man has gone before" aboard the Starship Enterprise, the show enjoyed immense popularity and cult followings, hitting just the right chord with its philosophic overtones and high adventure in space. Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Scottie, and Bones have all made comebacks with the latest big screen version for devoted "trekkies".

(members can download each of the corresponding links below)

1. MOON PHASES WEB TREK:
Students in grades 3 through 6 can learn about the phases of the moon with this online web trek, where, working alone or in small groups, they will access the selected websites and answer student questions. An Answer Key is provided, along with extension activities. [with answer key]

2. MOON WORDSEARCH:
After completing the Moon Phases Web Trek, students will be familiar with lunar terminology and can complete this printable wordsearch.

3. SCRAMBLED UP PLANETS!
How well do your students know the planets? Will Pluto be included here? (Nope; sorry!) Have them complete this word scramble to find out, and then discuss the fairly recent status changes of Pluto.

4. TO THE MOON AND BEYOND:
Students will be considering why the moon offers so much fascination to us. They will then write a short science fiction story, set on the moon.

5. OVER THE MOON!
Have your students research (or offer) song lyrics and poems in which the moon is mentioned (a few examples are given here). They will then write a descriptive paragraph to write about their own experiences and feelings about the moon.

6. BLAME IT ON THE MOON:
Was the moon shining way too brightly on the night a neighborhood hide and seek was planned? Or was the moon not shining brightly enough to have that night-time beach picnic? Or perhaps it shed light where it wasn't wanted? Students will consider the moon as a character - an antagonist actually - disrupting some plans for the protagonist of the story.

7. SAVE PLUTO!
Have your students plan a debate to renew - or not - Pluto's status as a planet. Use this worksheet for prompts, and divide students into small teams to discuss and then write down their main points. Take it even further and host an actual classroom debate. What will be the result? Planet, or ex-planet? Poor old Pluto!

LUNAR CYCLE CHALLENGE:
Use this interactive game in conjunction with the Moon Web Trek, above, after your students have completed the web trek and are familiar with the phases of the moon.

PLANET TIC TAC TOE:
Click on a square, any square! To get an "X" on the Tic Tac Toe square, students will have to answer a trivia question correctly about some feature of the solar system.

SOLAR SYSTEM SHUFFLE:
Find the planet cards at the bottom of this interactive solar system game page, where students will win the card by correctly matching it with its partner statement.


"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible. "

~ Arthur C. Clarke


Login or Register to access members-only links
  • 1. MOON PHASES WEB TREK [members only]
  • Moon Phases Web trek - ANSWER KEY [members only]
  • 2. MOON WORD SEARCH [members only]
  • 3. SCRAMBLED-UP PLANETS! [members only]
  • 4. TO THE MOON & BEYOND [members only]
  • 5. OVER THE MOON! [members only]
  • 6. BLAME IT ON THE MOON [members only]
  • 7. SAVE PLUTO! [members only]