How Do Astronauts Meet Their Needs in Outer Space? (Middle School Extreme Environment Research)

This middle school science lesson introduces the essential needs that humans (astronauts) must meet in order to survive while exploring in the extreme environment of outer space:

•Oxygen

•Water

•Food

•Waste Removal

•Temperature

•Light

•Pressure

How to Use:

One need (oxygen) is comprehensively explained as an example to show your students. You can assign the other six needs as you see fit: Students can research one or two individually or in small groups and share the information with the class (a jigsaw activity), or they can complete the whole assignment independently.

This is also a great way to help your students practice using focused search terms on the internet. You can do a quick mini-lesson on an interactive whiteboard, showing them how you would search for one of the items before letting them use technology to do research themselves.

Student Instructions:

Humans have several needs that must be met to survive in any extreme environment on Earth or in space. We need to have oxygen to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, a way to store or remove waste, a certain temperature to keep our body safe, some light (but protection from too much direct sunlight), and the correct pressure so our organs don’t collapse or explode.  We use different kinds of technology to meet all of these needs in space.

You will research how humans survive in space. Find specific answers, draw diagrams, and be ready to share what you have learned with your classmates. The first need is completed for you below.

Grades to Use With:

This lesson is designed for middle school students in grades 6-9 who are studying extreme environments and/or space exploration in science or earth science class.

What's Included:

4 Page PDF

Title Page

Handout and Sample

2 Page Graphic Organizer for Student Research

If you are studying extreme environments in general, check out my other products for your unit!

Extreme Environments Debate

Extreme Environments Technology Design and Persuasive Presentation

Extreme Environments Reading Comprehension and Triple Venn Diagram