EDUCATORS

Informal Education Resources

Lesson Plans, Activities, Resources & Programs for Informal Education

  • NASA Space Place: What is the James Webb Space Telescope - NASA Space Place is a site about space and Earth science for upper elementary aged children.
  • NASA STEM Toolkit for Webb - Resources, activities, videos and more for educators on Webb and associated science topics.
  • Seeing Starlight with the James Webb Space Telescope (pdf) – A hands on activity to learn about the life cycles of stars. Produced by Mad Science in collaboration with the National Institute of Aerospace and in coordination with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Appropriate for elementary and middle school grades. View a virtual event with Dr. Quyen Hart from the Space Telescope Science Institute that will run through this hands on activity.
  • Life Cycle Of a Massive Star Activity - String beads on a bookmark to represent the stages a massive star goes through during its life cycle: Bookmark (pdf) and Activity (pdf).
  • Discovering the Universe - STEM lessons, activities, and student magazine to support the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, by Scholastic. Produced in coordination with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
  • Build-It-Yourself: Satellite! - An educational game for high school and college age students, where they get to be the scientist by building their own satellite. Approved by the NASA Education Product review.
  • Scope It Out! - An educational game for middle and high school students, which compares a simple telescope to both the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. Approved by the NASA Education Product review. Lesson plans available.
  • Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum - Exploring Telescopes Discovery Station (pdf) - A set of telescope-themed activities designed for the informal-education setting. Features the James Webb Space Telescope, and includes contributions by educators Ryan Hannahoe and Peter Detterline.
  • Webb Telescope Fun Pad (pdf) - a fun pad of activities for children ages 5-10, as well as basic information about the telescope.
  • NASA e-Clips - a site of short, educational videos. This link will take you to the ones about the James Webb Space Telescope, be sure to check out Launchpad: Cryogenics - The Cold Hard Facts.

Informal Education from Our Partner Institutions

Links to other Education & Outreach Resources

  • Space Place: A set of web-based activities, games, crafts, information and learning activities from the NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab made available for all to enjoy.
  • Cool Cosmos: Learn more about infrared light, astronomy, and the world around us. Spectacular images, fun games, resources for educators, and more!
  • StarChild: Cosmology/Big Bang information (For K-6: Level 1, Level 2.)
  • ESA Kids

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