Have you ever wondered what challenges astronauts of the future will encounter when they live and work on the Moon? Thanks to NISE Network’s Moon Adventure Game, you can! The collaborative escape room-like adventure game is a fun and immersive way to learn first hand the dangers of long-term habitation on the Moon. This blog post is our way of helping educators currently using the game—or those planning to add the game to their museum programming—to extend the out-of-world experiences of learners. Here is a list of hands-on STEM activities inspired by the five challenges in the Moon Adventure Game from our howtosmile collection.
Challenge One
In the beginning of the Moon Adventure Game, learners find themselves needing to traverse the lunar surface in order to retrieve data from 5 different data stations. Collecting all of that data by foot would have taken too long—talk about a crazy Moonwalk! Instead, learners will send out a lunar rover to collect the data for you. Learners can design their own lunar rover at home using the activity “DIY Pasta Rover,” discover how rovers are controlled in “Rover Races,” or explore some of the jobs of other (non-lunar) rovers that scientists have launched into space in “Mars Perseverance Activity: Areology!”Howtosmile Extension Activities for Challenge One
- DIY Pasta Rover | Perot Museum of Nature and Science
- Mars Perseverance Activity: Areology | Saint Louis Science Center
- Landing the Rover | NASA
- Rover Races | NASA
Challenge Two
Once learners have successfully collected the data bricks, they discover that there has been some strange seismic activity near the outpost. A moonquake was just about to hit! In these activities, learners will explore more about seismic events. Learners can discover how earthquakes (or moonquakes) are measured in “Highway Seismology” or explore the many types of holes on the lunar surface in “Make an Impact.” Speaking of codes, what if the code you had to crack was a bit more...alien. Throw your learners an interstellar mystery by having them try the activity “Translating an Alien Message.”Howtosmile Extension Activities for Challenge Two
- Highway Seismology | The Exploratorium
- Make an Impact | Ontario Science Centre
- Translating an Alien Message | Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Challenge Three
After the moonquake, your learners will quickly realized that the power was out and the oxygen tanks were leaking, oh no! After a quick patch to the leaking tanks, learners will extract the water from frozen lunar material. These activities carry on the theme of using specialized tools--like the special grabber to handle frozen lunar material-- to carry out important science.Howtosmile Extension Activities for Challenge Three
- Grabbers | The Tech Interactive
- Mystery Shapes | NISE Network
- Cipher Wheel | Science Museum Group
- Height Sight | The Exploratorium
Challenge Four
After extracting the water from the frozen lunar material, learners will separate breathable oxygen from the hydrogen in water. This was all possible thanks to electricity! Learners can explore static electricity to batteries in these shockingly fun activities!Howtosmile Extension Activities for Challenge Four
- Remote Control Roller: Experiment with Static Electricity | The Exploratorium
- Jumping Beans | COSI
- Build a Battery | OMSI
- Jitterbugs | The Exploratorium
Challenge Five
At the end of the game, learners must fix a busted circuit to restore power to the outpost! To keep the fun of broken equipment going, have them go further with how ciruciork with these activities.Howtosmile Extension Activities for Challenge Five
- Circuits with Friends | National Geographic Society
- Short Circuit | The Exploratorium
- Build a Battery | OMSI
For even more extensions to the Moon Adventure Game be sure to check out this page on the NISE Network website to discover related Explore Science: Earth & Space toolkit activities and NASA images, videos, audio, and visualizations.