World Space Week is celebrated October 4-10. The theme for World Space Week 2008 is "Exploring the Universe." This theme encourages participants to reflect during World Space Week on outer space as the next frontier.

Exploration can take many forms, from scientific discovery to human colonization. From space, we learn not only about astronomy, but we learn about Earth in many ways. As the next frontier, space offers bountiful resources of energy and materials, as well as a path for permanent human expansion off of our home planet Earth.

The United Nations declared the first World Space Week in 1999. The theme each year is selected by the World Space Week Association Board of Directors in close coordination with the UN Office of Outer Space. The World Space Week Association is a non-government, non-profit organization which is supported by national coordinators in over 50 nations. It is led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors including Tom Hanks, Buzz Aldrin, Bill Nye, and space leaders from around the world.

Assign students to create a written report of at least 100 words or a PowerPoint report of at least two minutes and six slides that addresses the essential questions for critical thinking listed below. The report should cite at least three resources.

Essential Questions for Critical Thinking (you can create others):

• Who owns the International Space Station (ISS) and what are its major parts?
• What are some of the major problems with the ISS that have been solved?
• What are some of the experiments that have been done or being planned for the ISS?
• Why is the (ISS) an important step in exploring the Universe?

Pathfinder: Click the TECHNOLOGY icon > Space Technology > space stations & space colonies

Use our custom ProQuest models for written or PowerPoint reports written and PowerPoint-style reports.

The United Nations declared the first World Space Week in 1999. The celebration takes place every year from October 4-10. The start and end dates of World Space Week recognize the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957; and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty on October 10, 1967. World Space Week celebrates the contribution of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.

In 2008, the theme for World Space Week is "Exploring the Universe." In 2009, the theme will be "Space for Education." The World Space Week Association is a non-government, non-profit organization which is supported by national coordinators in over 50 nations. It is led by an all- volunteer Board of Directors including Tom Hanks, Buzz Aldrin, Bill Nye, and space leaders from around the world.

Assign students to select a famous astronaut and write a report of at least 100 words (or a PowerPoint of at least five slides) that cites at least two resources and addresses the following essential questions:

• What experiences did this person have that prepared him/her to be an astronaut?
• What are some specific things that astronauts have to do in training?
• What mission made this astronaut famous and why?

Pathfinder: Click Topics tab > Famous People > Biographies by Profession > Engineers & Technicians > Aviators & Astronauts

Creating and assigning Essential questions for critical thinking are a research-proven (the Bloom Taxonomy) strategy for increasing literacy and thinking skills in inquiry-based learning activities.