Launchpad: Apollo 11 – History in the Making
Revisit the event that 20% of the world's population watched in awe on July 20, 1969. Learn more about the historic Apollo 11 mission and hear what President Obama had to say about the incalculable benefits of the Apollo Program.
Discussion and writing prompts
1. The Apollo 11 mission was the result of years of work by thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians, and astronauts. Why is collaboration essential for accomplishing complex goals like landing humans on the Moon?
2. Apollo 11 accomplished more than landing the first humans on the Moon—it also collected scientific data and samples that are still studied today. Why do you think discoveries from a mission more than 50 years ago continue to be valuable to scientists?
3. The Apollo 11 mission inspired generations of people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). How can major scientific achievements influence the goals, dreams, and innovations of future generations?
4. The Apollo 11 mission required significant time, resources, and determination to accomplish a goal that had never been achieved before. Why do you think societies choose to invest in space exploration, and what benefits can these missions provide for people on Earth and future generations?
Background Information
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA eClips Our World: The Story Moon Rocks Tell (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Lunar Sample Curator Dr. Ryan Zeigler (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Senior Sample Processor, Lab Manager Andrea Mosie (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Artist and Astromaterials 3D Science Principal Investigator Erika Blumenfeld (video)
- NASA An Earth-Based Tour of the Moon (pdf)
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA eClips Real World: Using Math and New Tech to Study Lunar Rocks (video)
- Lunar and Planetary Institute Apollo 11 Mission Overview (webpage)
- NASA Apollo 11 (webpage,)
- NASA Apollo 11 Mission Overview (webpage)
- NASA NASA's First 50 Years (webpage)
- NASA The Apollo Program? (webpage)
Activities
Grades 3 through 8
- NASA eClips Our World: Dirt (lesson pdf)
- NASA Space Place Build a Moon Habitat (webpage)
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA JPL Celebrate the Apollo 50th Anniversary With These Educational Events, Activities and Resources (webpage)
- Lunar and Planetary Institute Rocks Tell Us the Moon's Story (webpage)
- NASA's Johnson Space Center Astromaterials 3D (interactive)
Grades 4 through 12
- NASA Exploring the Moon: Apollo Landing Sites (pdf)
Grades 5 through 12
- NASA's Johnson Space Center Rocks, Soils, and Surfaces (webpage)