21st Century Explorer: About the Program Today's Knowledge for Tomorrow's Explorer

Mario Torres

About 21st Century Explorer

The NASA 21st Century Explorer is a series of educational material emphasizing standards-based instruction, Problem-Based Learning, and scientific inquiry. Exploration topics focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematic skills. Each package consists of (1) a 30-second newsbreak; (2) an educator and student guide to hands-on activities; (3) an interactive web site featuring a web explanation of the exploration topic, glossary and quiz. Each activity guide features background information, science process skills, national education standards, materials list, step-by-step procedure for activity, rubric and curriculum explorations.

Find Answers to These Exploration Questions:

How will your imagination help you become an explorer?
What will replace the space shuttle?
Where would a space explorer find water and oxygen?
Why return to the moon before going to Mars?
What would you find on the moon's surface?
Why do robots travel places before people?
What would you hear in a weather report from Mars?
How would your body change in space?
Are we there yet?
How can we travel faster in space?
Why do we want to study and travel to Mars?
Why do astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread?

Exploration Activities:

Cool Suits
Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle
Cleaning Water
Moon Mining
Making Regolith
What's Hidden Inside
Those Who Have Come Before Me
Get A Leg Up
Ray Shielding
Speed It Up
Let's Investigate Mars
Food for Spaceflight

Visit our website, http://ksnn.nasa.gov, for:

30-Second Newsbreaks
Online Web Explanations
Hands-On Activity Guides
National Education Standards
Theme Music