Mission Mathematics and Related Space Science Activities
for Preservice Elementary Grades Students
Tennessee Space Grant Consortium, 2006-2007
Principal Investigator: Dr. Deborah A. McAllister
Funded: $14,655
This project planned and presented five, 1-day workshops for preservice elementary grades majors. These current college students will later be certified to teach at the grades Pre-K-3 and grades 4-8 levels. The target grade bands for the activities are Pre-K-2 and 3-5. (A sixth workshop was added for mathematics, science, and children’s literature connections.)
Three sets of activities were used during the workshops:
The NASA/NCTM books, Mission Mathematics II Prekindergarten-Grade2, and Mission Mathematics II Grades 3-5. Thematic modules are built around NASA’s research pursuits. Emphasis is placed on discourse, teamwork, mathematics and science content, and assessment. Each activity is correlated to NCTM standards and to NASA Web sites.
The online, challenger.org activity set which presents lower-grade activities beginning with Pre-K-1, and ranges to grades 4-8, for use in these workshops. Activities are correlated to the National Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy.
Internet-based activities and informational sites, including NASA center Web sites.
