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EXPEDITION SPACE LAB MISSION:

Plants in Space

2 Activities: Select one or more of the activities below to complete this mission!

Activity 1

Space Station Explorers Partner Program:

ISS Grow Lab/Growing Beyond Earth

Using the same methods and equipment used on the ISS, students can grow plants in growth chambers to examine the similarities and differences of growing plants both on and off Earth.
By participating in Growing Beyond Earth, students learn how to replicate methods and utilize equipment used to grow plants on the ISS.

Lesson

Space Garden from Kidsgardening.org
Imagine having to pack all the food you would need for every trip that you take. Well, that’s exactly what astronauts have to do when living and working in space. However, this isn't practical if we want to establish an outpost of the Moon or Mars. In this activity, students will design and build a space garden. If you were on the ISS, what would you grow?

Additional Resources

Ever Wonder What's on the Menu for
Astronauts? from Newsela

How Astronauts Grow Plants in Space

Activity 2

Space Station Explorers Partner Program:

Tomatosphere

Be a part of a unique citizen science experiment where you and your students can grow tomato seeds that flew in space!
From parts of a plant to plant adaptations, this experiment allows educators to teach standards while participating in real space science.

Lesson

Gravitropism - Bending Roots with Gravity from Science Buddies
To be a space-faring species, we will have to learn how to grow food in space. This lesson guides students through the life cycle of a plant and the effects of gravity on plant growth.

Additional Resources

NASA Expands the Veggie Program from
Newsela

How Astronauts Grow Plants in Space

Career Connection

Soil and Plant Scientist

Speaker’s Bureau

Take this mission to another level!

ExoLab
Purchase an ExoLab growth chamber.
Experiment using an ExoLab kit in the classroom and monitor the same experiment on the ISS.

Food Science Technologist

Growing Beyond Earth
Purchase an ISS Grow Chamber.
Students grow different types of seeds in growth chambers similar to those on the ISS. They compare growth of the seed types to determine the hardiness of each type. The most robust seeds will be flown to the ISS to be grown there.

Expedition Space Lab is an online tool from the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory that provides educators with easy access to ISS-related lessons, activities, and other resources to integrate into their curriculum.